Marty Supreme

My View:  Marty Supreme   (2025)  R   Marty Supreme is about Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet), a man in 1950s New York City who believes he is the world’s best ping-pong player. Marty is out to prove it and is willing to take on anybody to show he is the best. Timothée Chalamet gives a mesmerizing performance as a man who is convinced that table tennis is the next big sport to take the world by storm, and that he is the man to bring the sport the glory and attention it deserves. Because Marty believes he deserves it too. Marty is a character that you love to hate, but in the end, you also want him to succeed, in spite of himself. To say Marty is full of himself would be putting it mildly, as he is convinced he is not only great but that he deserves a lot more admiration and attention than he is getting. Chalamet gives us a man who has no humanity but is still, at his heart, has a humanity about him, that is there, you just have to dig a bit to find it, and Chalamet and filmmaker Josh Safdie allow us to see it, even if it is just a glance or two. This is a film that asks you to hold on to the coattails of Marty and hold on tight, because he is going to give you a ride that doesn’t seem to slow down or stop for anyone or anything. It’s a thrilling performance in a movie that makes you want to go to the theater. Marty Supreme is a ride that you won’t forget; you may need some oxygen by the end, and you will think back in wonder at what Mr. Chalamet and Mr. Safdie have created. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Marty Supreme Website  Now playing in theaters

My View: Anaconda  (2025) PG-13  In Anaconda, Doug (Jack Black) and Griff (Paul Rudd) decide it's time to realize their lifelong dream: remaking the 1997 film Anaconda. With their friends in tow as actors/crew, the pair go to the jungle where they encounter a real giant anaconda that is intent on killing them all. I was worried when I heard they were remaking the fun but pretty bad 1997 film starring JLo, Jon Voight, and Ice Cube. However, this isn’t a remake. It’s the story of two lifelong friends who had a dream when they were kids to make a feature film together, and they think it’s their destiny to remake Anaconda. As you would expect, things go horribly wrong, including a giant snake, and I mean giant, that shows up to ruin the fun. I am not a huge fan of Jack Black, as his overacting ‘act’ can get old pretty quickly in a film. However, this film does something cool. They make fun of Black and his overreaction, while also making fun of Rudd as a small-time TV actor who thinks he is better than he really is. The film is a bit slow at the start, but as soon as the gang gets to the Amazon, the fun begins, and then, when the giant snake shows up. This is a snake that, just like any other horror film, is not satisfied with killing people; it wants to destroy them. Anaconda is such a fun film to watch, and the section with Black’s character being used as snake bait is the funniest film scene of the year. This time of year, I am watching a ton of films that are trying to win awards, so it’s nice and fun to watch a film that just wants you to have a good time. And be sure to stick around past the first portion of the credits for a bonus scene that you don’t want to miss. My Rating: Full Price  Anaconda Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Song Sung Blue  (2025)  PG-13   Song Sung Blue is about Mike “Lightning” Sardina (Hugh Jackman), who is barely making it as a journeyman musician until he meets Claire (Kate Hudson) and they team up to become the Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder. Just when things are turning around for the pair, tragedy strikes, and nothing will ever be the same again. If you love Neil Diamond, you will love this movie. If you like him, as I do, you will like this movie. And if you don’t like Mr. Diamond, don’t go see this movie because they sing a lot of Neil Diamond songs, and most of the time they sing the whole song, not just a montage of hits. Having seen the documentary about the real-life team of Lightning & Thunder, I knew the story well and, like the documentary, I enjoyed the first half of this film much more than the second. I won’t tell you what happens, but when tragedy strikes, the film can’t find its footing, and we wait too long for the turnaround you know a film like this will take. As usual, Jackman is a showman, and he is so much fun to watch as Lightning when he is on stage or singing to anyone. I loved Kate Hudson’s voice, and she can hold her own with the talented Jackman. However, the film falters when it tries to be serious, with dialogue that seems forced and cliched. Song Sung Blue is an enjoyable film about a love story of two people, but also their love of performing. I just wish that joy had made it all the way to the second half of the film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Song Sung Blue Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  No Other Choice  (2025)  R  In No Other Choice, Man-su (Lee Brung-hun) is doing well as a long-time employee of a paper company, living with his wife and child in a beautiful home. When his company is bought by a competitor, Man-us loses his job and is about to lose his house when he comes up for another job. His only problem is that there are some men who are more qualified than he is for the job. His solution: eliminate them. This is a very dark comedy where every scene is carefully crafted to have an impact, whether immediately or later on in the film. One moment you are laughing about a man who is trying to decide what flower pot to throw down on a person to kill them, and then another moment when you realize that this person is intent on actually killing someone. Lee Brung-hun is masterful at showing such a wide range of emotions, giving us a hero we have to quickly decide whether to root for or want to see fail. Director Park Chan-wook gives a film that shows the desperation of the times, how reason and humanity can go by the wayside just to keep up with what the next household has. The question at the end of the film is, Are you happy with the outcome? It’s a question that Park Chan-wook would love to hear your answer to. My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again  No Other Choice Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  The Choral  (2025)  R  The Choral is set in 1916 England, where the country is in the midst of World War I, and a small town has just lost its choirmaster to the army, with only weeks before their annual performance. The town takes a chance and hires Dr. Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes), a man who has talent and an ego to match. For many of the men in the choir, it could be the last time they will ever sing again. Ralph Fiennes gives a nuanced, complex performance on screen as a man hiding his love for another man (who has gone off to war) while being given a job he feels is beneath him. This is an old-fashioned British film where the town rallies around a cause and puts aside its differences to put on a show. The film wants to be more than it should be, and so we get a lot of stories to fill out the plot, most of which don’t pay off in the end. I never felt fully invested in the storyline, feeling that I could have used more of Dr. Guthrie’s backstory and less about some of the townspeople he is trying to whip into shape. My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Choral Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  The Testament of Ann Lee  (2025)  R  The Testament of Ann Lee tells the story of Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried), the 18th-century founder of the Shaker Movement. Lee, through sheer will, forged a utopian society in which members worshiped by singing and dancing, often provoking the dismay of others. This is one of the weirdest musicals I have ever seen, and I loved it, mostly because of the magnificent Amanda Seyfried, who gives a tour de force performance as the leader of the Shaker Movement. Seyfried is the fiery woman who becomes someone who radiates charisma, making people want to follow her. It’s a powerful, at times beautiful, performance that is a joy to watch. The Shaker religion was at its height in the early days of America and was known for its intense, overpowering dancing during worship. From the very first scenes of the film, when we see a group of men and women dancing and singing in the forest, you realize that this will not be an ordinary movie, and you would be right. This isn’t a movie for everyone, as there are songs that just have to be seen/heard to be believed. That includes a song about Ann, who has four babies that all die before they are one. The dance sequences are incredibly complex and are a marvel to watch, especially when done in the tight quarters of the Shaker houses and halls. The music is based on original Shaker songs, and you can see how their construction raises the emotions and frenzy of the believers. The Testament of Ann Lee is a fascinating film that should be seen on the big screen to be amazed at the songs and dances that tell the story of a religion that has almost died out in modern times. My Rating: Full Price  The Testament of Ann Lee Website   Now playing in select theaters

My View: Cover-Up  (2025) R  Cover-Up is a documentary on the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Seymour Hersh, who has made his life's work exposing scandals, including the war crimes committed by the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Seymour Hersh has made a career out of having people tell him secrets while hiding their identity, so it’s no surprise that it took 20 years for the filmmakers to talk him into doing a documentary about himself. It’s also no surprise that halfway through the film, he wants to quit because he thinks he is giving too much away and endangering all the people who trusted him to tell the truth to the world that they couldn’t dare to. This isn’t just a great film about journalism but also about having the guts and integrity to write the stories that Hersh has broken over the years. I was shocked watching this film about the number of stories that Hersh has broken and how our government has tried to cover up so many ugly deeds. It’s a brilliant look at a man who believes in the truth and will dig deep to find it. The film is also a reminder of how powerful journalism can be when reporters like Hersh stand up to the powerful. It’s an engrossing look at a man who has held on to the idea that the free press is one of the most important aspects of our democracy, and if you don’t believe it, go back and read the work that he has done for the past 50 years.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Cover-Up Website  In select theaters and on Netflix on Friday, December 26, 2025

Indiefest: The Plague  (2025)  R   In The Plague, Ben (Everett Blunck) arrives at the summer camp water polo training program. It’s hard for a shy kid to belong, and no matter how much Ben strives to fit in, he ultimately gets targeted by bullies. Ben’s only possible help is Eli (Kenny Rasmussen), a kid nicknamed “The Plague” because of a skin condition, who is also a victim of bullying. While not an outright horror film, it is about the horrors of bullying and how the herd mentality can take over to torment. Everett Blunck gives a performance beyond his years, of a kid who wants to fit in but also aspires to be a good guy and reach out to the strange kid everyone mocks. Things go bad for Ben, and he becomes a target of the gang. I loved the cinematography of the film as well as the score, both of which build the tension, especially in the scenes in the pool where it’s every kid for himself. I will warn you that the film's ending is quite shocking and very disturbing, but it fits with the rest of the film, where bullies rule the pool, and there’s no way to escape. My Rating: Full Price  Now playing in select theaters   The Plague Website  Now playing in select theaters

My View: Goodbye June  (2025)  R  In Goodbye June, four siblings are forced to come together after years of fighting to see their ailing mother (Helen Mirren) In Goodbye June, four siblings are forced to come together after years of fighting to see their ailing mother (Helen Mirren) during the holiday season before she passes away. Kate Winslet not only stars in the film but also directs it, and she shows a good grasp of the story and how to tell it to an audience. Unfortunately, a film with a cast that includes Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall, Toni Collette, Johnny Flynn, and Andrea Riseborough should be outstanding, and it isn’t. Instead, it follows a well-worn path of a family that has to mend the past to confront the loss of the one member who seems to hold everything together. It’s a film whose script goes for easy moments, trying to tug at the heartstrings with characters who seem one-dimensional. The film tries too hard to tug at our heartstrings, rather than letting us understand the characters and where they are coming from. I hope next time Winslet will pick a script written by someone other than a relative and tackle something with more depth. My Rating: Cable  Goodbye June Info  Now playing on Netflix and in some select theaters

Forgotten Film:  Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point  (2024)  PG-13  On Christmas Eve, a huge family gathers together for their annual party in what could be the last gathering in their ancestral home. As tensions rise, drinking begins, and the teenagers sneak out of the house to make it another memorable time in Miller’s Point. Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point is a movie that feels like you have been invited to a family home for Christmas Eve, but have never met anyone in the family before. From the start, we are thrown into the family car, sharing the back of the station wagon with a kid looking at the Christmas lights from upside down, as the father drives with almost uncaring abandon. We arrive at the home, and the party is already going on, with no introductions to anyone. This is a film where you will get to know some of the family members better than others, as they bicker over whether the aging mother should be put in a home, kids run rampant in the house, and teens are sullenly waiting for the adults to start drinking so they can sneak away. Some of the family’s stories are left open-ended, while others we see the consequences by the film’s end. Christmas in Miller’s Point is a film that lets us share in the excitement of a big, loving family on a night when gifts are given and love is present. My Rating: Full Price  Christmas Eve in Miller's Point Info Not enough people saw this film when it came out last year, so go see it on Disney+ or Hulu!

Weird Credits:  From Song Sung Blue:  Dresser to Mr. Jackman

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple  (2026) R Taking place after the events of 28 Years Later, Spike (Alfie Williams) has joined Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal’s (Jack O’Connell) gang as they go on a killing spree. Meanwhile, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) forms a new relationship with one of the undead that could have world-changing consequences. This is the fourth installment of the 28 Days Later film series.  28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Website The film is in theaters on Friday, January 16, 2026.