Ella McCay

My View: Ella McCay  (2025) PG-13 Ella McCay follows Ella (Emma Mackey), who is juggling life as a 34-year-old lieutenant governor with a family that is falling apart. To make matters worse, the state’s longtime incumbent governor (Albert Brooks) has suddenly accepted a cabinet position in the upcoming administration, leaving Ella as the new governor. Writer/director James L. Brooks has won 3 well-deserved Oscars and has brought us some great films, including writing my favorite Burt Reynolds film, Starting Over. Add in Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News (a huge favorite of mine), As Good as it Gets, and another favorite of mine, Spanglish. So I was excited when it was announced that after 15 years, he was writing/directing a new film. So after walking out of the screening of his new film, Ella McCay, I was incredibly sad. I couldn’t believe how bad the film I had just seen was. With a plot that makes little sense, side stories that just lay there and do nothing to move the story along, and a lead character that you just want to slap and say the old “Moonstruck” line, “Snap out of it!” The film is dead on arrival from the first scene, with a couple that you can tell right away is destined to fall apart. Almost nothing is funny in this film, and that’s saying a lot when you have talent on the screen like Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson, and the legendary Albert Brooks. The film feels much longer than its almost 2-hour runtime, and I wanted it to be over about 30 minutes in. Ella spends half the movie worrying about her brother (Spike Fearn) and trying to avoid her estranged father (Woody Harrelson), who wants to make amends for being such a crappy husband/father. All the while being announced as the Governor, a role she seems to avoid for most of the film. This is a film with tone-deaf dialogue, characters you don’t care about, much less want to spend time with, and an ending that feels slapped together after Brooks realized he had put his main character in a corner with no exits. If I wasn’t a film critic, I would be looking for the exit to the movie theater. My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again Ella McCay Website Now playing in theaters

My View: Merv  (2025) PG  In Merv, Anna (Zooey Deschanel) and Russ (Charlie Cox) have broken up after living together. The problem is that they share a dog named Merv, and he has become depressed over the breakup. Will a trip together with Merv help mend their relationship? Or perhaps bring them back together just in time for the holidays? I am a big fan of romcoms, though I try to avoid most of the Christmas ones put out this time of year. While this takes place at Christmas time, most of the film takes place at a resort in Florida that caters to dog owners who want to vacation with their beloved furry friends. Merv (played by a lovable dog named Gus) is cute but depressed after his two owners break up. The film features two likable characters who broke up after receiving bad news, and Russ tried to make up for it by proposing. Now, they share a dog, trading him off every week. Unfortunately, much like Merv for most of the movie, the film just lies around. There isn’t much spark between Deschanel and Cox, including a very awkward dance between the two that is not fun to watch. When we watch a rom-com, we want some fun, some romantic moments, and an ending where the two characters finally figure out they are right for each other. I got little from this film, other than Merv/Gus is a very cute dog.  My Rating: Cable Merv Website Now playing on the Amazon Prime format

Indiefest: Scarlet  (2025)  PG-13  Scarlet is an animated film about a medieval-era princess who has trained all her life to handle herself in any situation. After failing to avenge the death of her father, the king, Scarlet finds herself injured in a surreal world. Desperate to return to the real world, she meets a young man who helps her understand that revenge isn’t always the best path forward. I often have trouble with Japanese animated films because they are often based on TV shows or manga books, and knowledge about the characters is needed to fully enjoy them. This is not the case with Scarlet, a standalone animated film loosely based on Hamlet with a little bit of Joan of Arc thrown in. It’s a gorgeously animated revenge film that takes our heroine to an underworld where she tries to find a way back to the living to get her revenge. Scarlet is ruthless on her journey, but along the way, we see that learning about life and forgiveness is beautifully told. My Rating: Full Price Scarlet Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest: Dust Bunny  (2025) R  Dust Bunny is about Aurora (Sophie Sloan), an eight-year-old girl who is convinced that a monster under her bed has eaten her family. She asks her neighbor, a hitman (Mads Mikkelsen), to help kill the monster. What could go wrong? Well, to answer that question…a whole lot. I loved this quirky movie, a feast for the eyes, as a young girl decides the only person who can save her and get revenge for her parents is a neighbor she discovers is a man who can take on anything. I love that the film takes a story that we all know, about the child who claims monsters are underneath her bed, and turns it on its side when we discover the monster isn’t a figment of a child’s imagination but is real and deadly. The film works because of the chemistry between Sophie Sloan, who plays Aurora, a child with determination and guts, and her not-so-friendly neighborhood hitman, played by the sullen and magnetic Mads Mikkelsen. It’s a fun relationship between a world-weary killer and a young, wise, and confident girl. Aurora goes as far as stealing money from the collection plates of a church to buy the hitman’s services. What I loved about this film is that nobody believes Aurora until it’s too late, with the exception of the hitman, who slowly realizes that there may be more here than meets the eye. Dust Bunny is a film that needs to be seen on the big screen, as the fight sequences are spectacular and the apartment Aurora lives in is off-the-wall nuts, especially when the monster that no one but Aurora thinks is real actually shows up. Just heed Aurora’s warning and stay off the floor, or you will regret it!  My Rating: Full Price Dust Bunny  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Lone Samurai  (2025) R  Lone Samurai follows Riku (Shogen), a 13th-century samurai who, after successfully defeating an invading fleet, finds himself shipwrecked on a deserted island. As despair sets in, he contemplates ritual suicide. However, his plans are abruptly interrupted when a tribe of cannibals arrives, making him their next intended meal. I saw this film at the Rome International Film Festival and had a blast watching it. It’s a film that takes its cue from the gory Samurai films of the past, with a little Tarantino thrown in. The first third of the film is about a Samurai who has completed his mission, is on what he thinks is a deserted island, and is ready to end his life. Then a group of cannibals shows up, and Riku decides he will go out on his terms and not by the hand of someone who wants to eat him for dinner. The last third of the film is thrilling, and the fight on a beach between our lone samurai and a horde of angry cannibals is an outstanding bit of fight choreography. It’s an amazing piece of fighting (mostly by the stunt crew that worked on The Raid films) and swordplay, which is thrilling and bloody. If you like Samurai films or want to see more after seeing the Kill Bill extravaganza, then get ready for a bloody fight to the end. My Rating: Bargain Matinee Lone Samurai Website  Now playing in select theaters

My Rating: Silent Night, Deadly Night  (2025) R  Silent Night, Deadly Night opens with the scene of a child witnessing the murder of his parents by a man in a Santa suit. That child is now grown, dons the Santa suit, and embarks on a violent quest for revenge. This is a new version of the 1984 film of the same name. In fact, this film uses four songs written for the 1984 film. This time, Billy (Rohan Campbell) talks to someone inside his brain who tells him who to kill and how to find them. Now, Billy kills only during the Christmas season and only kills people who have done horrible things. This is a stupid but fun film that has no scares but plenty of bloody deaths and a whole lot of surprises (you will not believe one of his victims). The original film wasn’t great and had some controversy because of the violence in the film, but this one does a nice job of adding humor and some really fun twists. If you like your Santa impersonator with a little blood on his suit and maybe an axe handy, then this is your film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Silent Night, Deadly Night Website Now playing in theaters

Forgotten Film: Gorillas in the Mist (1988) PG-13  Gorillas in the Mist is the story of Dian Fossey (Sigourney Weaver), a woman with no formal training, who ventured into the jungle to study the mountain gorillas of central Africa. She was instrumental in expanding our knowledge about the gorillas and became famous through a number of TV specials. The film’s first half is brilliantly done, as we, along with Dian, discover the wonders of gorilla life, and we see how deeply she cares about them. There are some amazing scenes between Fossey and the gorillas as she slowly earned their trust. The film is magical in the first half, and Weaver’s brilliant performance gives us a glimpse into a complicated woman who found her calling alone in the jungle. The film falls apart in the 2nd half, with a romance that Fossey has with a photographer (played by Brian Brown) and Fossey’s attempts at stopping the killing of gorillas, which eventually (spoiler alert) cost Fossey her life. I came away from the film thinking that I knew more about the gorillas than I did about Fossey.  My Rating: Full Price Gorillas in the Mist Info The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon

Weird Credits: From the credits of Scarlet: Stunt Coordinator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Housemaid (2025)  R  In The Housemaid, Millie (Sydney Sweeney) is a young woman with a troubled past who, against her instincts, takes a job as a live-in housemaid for a wealthy couple (Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar) and their young daughter. The seemingly perfect life of the family unravels as Millie discovers dark secrets hidden just below the surface. Fans of the McFadden book are really looking forward to this film. The Housemaid Website  In theaters on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

Until Next Time!

Five Nights at Freddy's 2

My View: Five Nights at Freddy's 2  (2025) PG-13  Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is set a year after Mike (Josh Hutcherson), Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail), and Abby (Piper Rubio) escaped with their lives from Freddy’s. All three are trying to put their lives back together, but Abby has started getting messages from her animatronic friends asking her to save them. I did not like the first film, calling it “Blumhouse/Universal’s attempt at getting kids into horror films,” and I was right because Freddy’s 2 is just a continuation of that idea. The scares are small, one of the bad guys is an evil science teacher (played by Wayne Knight, who seems to specialize in playing smarmy bad guys), and even the animatronic rejects that show up aren’t scary at all. After seeing two of these films, I still have no clue why Abby thinks the animatronic figures are her best friends. We have some new bad guys introduced, and like the first film, there are plot holes the size of an extra-large pizza that the film tries to skim on by. The films are based on a bunch of highly successful video games, so I knew going in there would probably be a cliffhanger. And there is. Plus, you'll want to stay through all the credits as there are two bonus scenes that surprise, set up the next film. I think I’ll take that pizza order to go.  My Rating: Cable  Five Nights at Freddy's 2 Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair  (2006) Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair follows the Bride (Uma Thurman), who goes on a campaign of revenge against the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad (Daryl Hannah, Vivica A. Fox, Lucy Liu, and Michael Madsen) and their leader, Bill (David Carradine), who tried to murder the Bride. It’s been a while since I have seen the two Kill Bill films, so it was interesting to see them in this extended cut (with a 10-minute intermission between the two). There is a newly added animated sequence (in anime form) in the first half of the film that gives O-Ren an origin story, and it is fun and just as bloody as the rest of the film.  What stood out to me this time was Uma Thurman's brilliant performance. While she certainly excels as a samurai sword assassin, it is especially compelling to see how the loss of her baby and the subsequent years have affected her character. I have always considered the first film to be better than the second, mainly due to its longer and more enjoyable action sequences. However, in this version, what is most impressive is how Quentin Tarantino skillfully connects all the story elements and allows us to catch glimpses of the clues in the first half before revealing The Bride’s origin story in the second half. Is it worth seeing in the theater? Yes, because the action sequences fill the whole screen, and there are plenty of jaw-dropping wide shots throughout. By the way, there is an animated short after all the credits for Fortnite fans, but I found it a bit of an overkill (no pun intended) after seeing the film’s emotional ending. My Rating: Full Price    Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair Website  Now playing for a limited time in theaters

My View:  Fackham Hall  (2025)  R   Fackham Hall is about Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe), a pickpocket who thinks he has hit the big time when he gets a job at the English manor house, Fackham Hall. He soon rises through the ranks and even starts a romance with the oldest sister of the house, Rose Davenport (Thomasin McKenzie). But a murder occurs, and Eric is blamed. No worries, Inspector Watt (Tom Goodman-Hill) has arrived to solve the case. Or maybe Eric should worry? If you really miss the Naked Gun movies or you are a sucker for Dad jokes, then this film is for you. The rest of us will find this film mildly amusing, which rarely goes far enough into the jokes to make them stand out. I did find the reverend who keeps messing up the sermon by not pausing between sentences, making everything sound dirty, was hilarious. Fackham Hall falls apart in the third act when our hero is accused of murder and ends with a whimper. I wanted bigger laughs, and all I got were some mild chuckles.  Rating: Cable  Fackham Hall Website   Now playing in theaters 

Indiefest:  100 Nights of Hero  (2025)  PG-13  In 100 Nights of Hero, Cherry (Maika Monroe) has not become pregnant by her husband Jerome (Amir El-Masry) and has been told that if she does not become pregnant within the next 101 days, she will be killed. The problem is her husband wants nothing to do with her and makes a bet with his friend, the handsome Manfred(Nicholas Galitzine), that if Manfred can seduce Cherry in the next 100 nights, he will give him the castle. Cherry’s only hope of resisting Manfred is with the help of her best friend and maid, Hero (Emma Corrin). 100 Nights of Hero is a take-off of the old story of Scheherazade telling stories in "One Thousand and One Nights," with Hero telling a tale to Manfred, so that he doesn’t end up alone with Cherry to seduce her. I enjoyed this film and the performances, especially Maika Monroe, as the slightly naïve Cherry, who doesn’t have a clue why her husband doesn’t want to sleep with her. The film is a lot of fun, just don’t think too hard on the plot, and it’s rushed to a (spoiler alert) happy ending. Just enjoy the story, or should I say stories being told.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  100 Nights of Hero Website Now playing in select theaters

My View:  Troll 2  (2025)   TV-14 Troll 2 is about three friends who reunite to deal with a giant troll who has emerged from the mountains. To defeat the troll, the three will have to get help from another giant troll to take it down. Troll 2 is a sequel to the 2022 Norwegian film Troll. Think of the first film like an ice-filled Godzilla film, and this one is like Godzilla vs. Megalon with snow. The budget was bigger on this one, probably because of two Trolls instead of one, and the storyline is a little weaker than the first film, but it’s still a fun monster film that gives us a Troll destroying a bunch of buildings and eating a few people. Just sit back and have fun. Maybe in a few years, a particular lizard-like monster will show up to join in.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Troll 2 Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform 

My View:  Oh. What. Fun  (2025)   PG-13  Oh. What. Fun. is about Claire (Michelle Pfeiffer), who always makes Christmas special for her family. However, this year she feels she has been taken for granted and decides to go on a holiday vacation without telling anybody, including her husband (Denis Leary). Will Claire come back to the family Christmas celebration, or is she having too much fun on the road by herself? How do you screw up a Christmas family comedy with a cast that has three Oscar nominees (Michelle Pfeiffer, Felicity Jones, Danielle Brooks) and a bunch of other notable actors? With a script that never should have been made into a commercial, much less a movie. This movie is over an hour and forty-five minutes long. Still, it feels like three hours, with a plot that takes forever to unfold, Pfeiffer having a ‘Southern’ accent but no one else in her family does (they live in Houston), and family members you truly dislike from the beginning, which by the end of the film, that dislike becomes hate. The film is filled with characters that make little sense. I couldn’t figure out if Doug, played horribly by Jason Schwartzman, who is married to Claire’s daughter, Channing (Felicity Jones), was hinting that he was trying to come out as gay or if he was just stupid in his quest to bond with another sister of Claire’s, Taylor (Chloë Grace Moretz), Claire’s lesbian daughter, whose running gag is that every Christmas she has a new girlfriend. There are some painful scenes to watch, some of which keep going as if the director wanted to see the actors fall on their faces before yelling cut. If I were Claire, I would have left that family, too. I just would have done it a lot sooner. The title of this film should be Oh. What. Have They Done!  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Oh. What. Fun. Website  Now playing on the Amazon Prime platform

Sorry I Missed It (A film that I didn’t see when it first came out but have seen recently):  In Your Dreams  (2025) PG   In Your Dreams is about Stevie and her brother, who magically travel into the world of dreams to find The Sandman. They hope to persuade The Sandman to grant their wish to save their parents’ marriage. Kids are going to love this film because it is told from Stevie’s perspective and there are a ton of fun action sequences. Adults are going to enjoy the fact that the parents are the bad guys, as well as some fun takes from Japanese animation and a few Pixar films. Even what at the start is the bad guy, isn’t one at all, they just have a job to do. The animation is gorgeous, and the dream sequences are fun; even the ‘nightmares’ are a blast to watch. And wait until you meet Baloney Tony, a stinky stuffed animal that becomes a sidekick to the kids. Baloney, Tony steals the movie thanks to Craig Robinson’s voice work, which had me laughing at almost every wise quip Baloney says. And any parent who has tried every trick in the book to get their kids to sleep will enjoy the turtle sleep sound machine that is used almost as a weapon. So sit back and go on a magical ride to a dream state, where Stevie and her little brother set out on a quest to find the Sandman.  My Rating: Full Price  In Your Dreams Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Indiefest:  Rosemead  (2025)  R  In Rosemead, Irene (Lucy Liu) is dealing with two crises: She is undergoing treatment for cancer that no one in her family knows about, and her son, Joe (Lawrence Shou), has schizophrenia and is avoiding his prescribed medication. Lucy is in a race against time and will have to go to great lengths to protect her son and possibly others. Lucy Liu delivers a breathtaking, devastating performance as a mother who would do anything to save her son from the anguish of his everyday life. It’s a performance different from what we are used to seeing Lui in, usually the confident, glamorous, and sometimes superhero-like character that she is known for. In contrast, Irene is uncertain about what to do, focusing on supporting Joe and showing him as much love as possible. Although Irene receives some support from a social worker and her immediate family, she often feels isolated, especially after losing her husband to a sudden death, which left her and Joe to navigate their challenges alone. To make matters worse, Irene is battling cancer, keeping it a secret and making her situation even more difficult.  Rosemead based on a true story, is heartbreaking from start to finish.  However, it is a narrative that needs to be told, and Lucy Liu portrays it with a role filled with compassion, love, and empathy.  My Rating: Full Price  Rosemead Website  Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film:  Troll Hunter (2011)  Shot in “Blair Witch” style, three college students make a documentary for school on bear-poaching in Norway.  The students follow a mysterious man who drives a strange truck, believing him to be the poacher. The students soon discover, though, that the man isn’t hunting bears. He’s hunting trolls. This film is funny and scary at times, but it’s Otto Jespersen in the role of the Troll Hunter that makes it so much fun to watch. He has a worn, weathered appearance, and he describes his job of Troll-hunting almost as if he drives a truck for a living instead of hunting Trolls. This film never takes itself too seriously, which makes it an enjoyable film to watch, especially if you like horror movies.   Troll Hunter Info My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Troll Hunter is available on many streaming platforms 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2:  Lead Puppet Wrangler

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Ready or Not 2: Here I Come  (2026)  After surviving the game where the family Grace (Samara Weaving) was marrying into tried to kill her, she is now been kidnapped by four rival families, vying for a throne by killing her. To raise the stakes, Grace’s sister (Kathryn Newton) is now her partner in the new game. I loved the first Ready or Not film, which was full of comedic moments and genuine horror. So I can’t wait to see this one, especially since one of the hunters is played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, who strikes a “Buffy” pose in the trailer.  Ready or Not 2 Info The film is set to be released in April 2026. 

Until Next Time!

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

My View: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery  (2025)  PG-13  In Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is back, and this time it’s to crack a murder case that seems to be unsolvable. A charismatic priest has been killed in a manner that makes it appear impossible for anyone to have committed the crime. I am a big fan of the first two films in the series, Knives Out (2019) and Glass Onion (2022). While I liked this film, the first two had a much more intriguing mystery. This time, I figured out who the killer was early on and did not have as much fun watching Benoit solve the crime in his extraordinary and fascinating way. Unlike the first two films, which featured standout performances by Ana de Armas in the first and Janelle Monae in the second, there wasn’t a character I enjoyed watching in this one, aside from Josh Brolin as the overbearing priest whose murder must be solved. Instead, it felt like writer/director Rian Johnson gave out too many parts to a whole lot of famous actors that he didn’t always know what to do with them. Kerry Washington and Thomas Haden Church are wasted in characters who don’t bring a lot to the plot, other than to throw us off a bit. I still enjoyed Daniel Craig in a role that is very evident he enjoys with relish. I hope the next Knives Out film will be more of a mystery and less of an exercise in padding the cast with as many actors as possible.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Website Now playing in theaters and on the Netflix platform on Friday, December 12, 2025

My View: Hamnet  (2025) PG-13  Hamnet is a historical drama that follows the relationship between Agnes (Jessie Buckley) and William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), and the impact of the death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet, on their lives. This tragedy ultimately inspires Shakespeare to create his most iconic play, Hamlet. I have always wondered where Mr. Shakespeare got his ideas from, and Hamnet offers a few clues. When we first meet William, he is a disappointment to his father and is not thought much of by anyone else in the area where he lives. In fact, when he meets Agnes, a fiery independent woman who is rumored to be a witch, the only way he can get permission to marry her from her family is by getting her pregnant. I loved their early meetings, where William is a bit of a tongue-tied idiot around Agnes, but she sees something in him I don’t think he quite sees in himself. Hamnet isn’t really the story of William; it’s the story of Agnes, who was his rock, holding down the family while he was off becoming the playwright whose works drew crowds to the theater. And this is Jessie Buckley’s film. In fact, they can go ahead now, even before the nominations are out, and etch her name on an Oscar, because Buckley gives a groundbreaking and powerful performance that has to be seen. It’s a performance that is filled with passion, humor, and, yes, also grief. While William was known for his words, Buckley’s performance is shown through her body language and her incredibly expressive face, giving us insight into a complex woman who saw the world differently than the rest of us and inspired a writer to create works that captivated a world thirsty for drama. Hamnet is a heart-wrenching tale of two people who love each other deeply but know that they belong to different worlds. Hamnet is a film that will break your heart but make you love Shakespeare’s work even more. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again Hamnet Website Now playing in theaters

My View: Eternity  (2025)  PG-13  Eternity is about what happens after death. In the afterlife, souls have one week to decide where they want to spend eternity. When Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) dies, she has one week to make the impossible choice between the man she spent her life married to, Larry (Miles Teller), and her first love, Luke (Callum Turner), who died young and has been waiting for decades for her to arrive. Who will Joan choose to be with for all eternity? I love Elizabeth Olsen, and she works really hard to make this film work, but her best efforts can’t overcome a script that lacks the wit and charm that it sorely needs, along with a few badly needed laughs. I think the biggest problem is that Olsen, who is trying to carry the film all by herself, doesn’t have the badly needed chemistry with either Miles Teller or Callum Turner. My other problem is that I didn’t like either choice that Joan was being forced to make, as I think both men are a bad match for her to spend eternity with. By the end, I didn’t care who Joan picked. In fact, I hoped she would pick something where she could finally be on her own, even if it was for an eternity.  My Rating: Cable Eternity Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Familyfaire:  Zootopia 2  (2025)  PG Zootopia 2 follows Officer Judy Hopps, a rabbit, and her partner and friend, Nick Wilde, a fox, as they investigate the first snake ever to infiltrate Zootopia. However, they soon discover that there is more to this snake than meets the eye, and Hopps and Wilde are determined to uncover the truth. The first Zootopia film came out in 2016, and I thought it was funny, with some fantastic messages for kids about racism and profiling, and a ton of inside jokes that made it enjoyable for adults. I am happy to say that this sequel is equal to the first film, though I miss the evilness of the Jenny Slate-voiced character as the bad guy. This time, our favorite odd couple are out first to catch a snake that has somehow made it into Zootopia, but our pair soon learn that Gary De’Snake (voiced by Ke Huy Quan) is on a mission to prove that snakes have been given a bad rap and deserve to be allowed back into Zootopia. Once again, kids will love all the action scenes, and adults will enjoy the dialogue and a few fun Hitchcock references that the film puts in from time to time. The comedy portions are aided by a beaver named Nibbles Maplestick, who makes a lot of hilarious observations while chewing on anything that is wood. So go on another adventure with Hopps and Wilde as they figure out another mystery and save the day again. Oh, and be sure to stay through all the credits for a bonus scene that sets up the next film.  My Rating: Full Price Zootopia 2 Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Sentimental Value  (2025) R  In Sentimental Value, after the death of their mother Sissel, estranged sisters Nora (Renate Reinsve), an actress, and Agnes Borg (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), a housewife and mother, are compelled to confront their distant father Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård). Gustav, a once-famous but now almost forgotten film director who abandoned the family when the girls were still young, now wishes to produce a play based on his mother. He wants Nora to take on the lead role, something she vowed never to do. A lot of films that are made about actors, directors, and filmmakers feel just like that: actors portraying actors. I just reviewed a film that felt like that in Jay Kelly, where I knew it was George Clooney portraying a character. Then you get films like Sentimental Value, where the characters feel real, and while acting and filmmaking are part of the plot, they’re not what the film is about. Instead, Sentimental Value is about broken promises, childhood heartache, and making your profession more important than that of your family. Sentimental Value is about love, finding your passion, and how just because a house is called a home, it isn’t necessarily a home to everyone. This is a powerful film that follows four people on a journey to explore the past, how it affects them now, and if they can find and possibly handle the answers that they are searching for. Led by Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård, the cast is brilliant, offering performances that are incredibly rich in depth and impressively revealing the pain and grief the past has dealt them and how it has driven each person to a breaking point. Sentimental Value is one of the best films of the year, moving, painful, and at times inspiring. Exactly what kind of film both Gustav and Nora would be proud to make.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again Sentimental Value Website Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film: Same Time, Next Year (1978) PG  It’s 1951, and an accountant named George (Alan Alda) and a housewife named Doris (Ellen Burstyn) have a night of passion that they will never forget. Just one problem: it’s the 50s, and they’re both married to other people and have families to get back to. The two decide to meet on the same date every year, keeping their marriage vows except for that one weekend. We follow the relationship of the two over the years as we see them meet in five-year gaps. As the times change, so do their relationships, jobs, and families. What remains is their love for each other and their commitment to meet every year. Alda is fine in the role, but it’s Burstyn who proved again that she is an amazing actress. I find the script slightly weak, and the production is a little stagy (it’s based on a play), but Burstyn makes this film work, and it’s worth seeing to see how good she was as a lead.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Same Time, Next Year Info  The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery: Nail Technician

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Song Sung Blue (2025)  PG-13  Mike (Hugh Jackman) and Claire (Kate Hudson) are both struggling singers when they meet. They decide to start performing together as Lightning & Thunder, a Neil Diamond tribute band, and they suddenly find success. However, life isn’t as sweet or easy as a Neil Diamond song. The film is from Craig Brewer, the award-winning director of Hustle & Flow (2005) and Dolemite is My Name (2019). Song Sung Blue Website The film is in theaters on Christmas Day. 

Until Next Time!

Wicked: For Good

My View: Wicked: For Good  (2025) PG   In Wicked: For Good, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda (Ariana Grande), the Good Witch of the North, begin to embrace their roles, and a rift begins to develop between the two friends as their lives move down a path of confrontation. Oh, and a certain young woman from Kansas is about to come onto the scene. I love musicals, both in cinema and on the stage, and I loved the first film and felt that the Jonathan Bailey dance sequence in the library was incredible. Does Wicked: For Good capture the magic again? Not quite. First, the second film is much darker than the first, exploring betrayal, sorrow, and lost friendships. So this film doesn’t have the feel-good moments that the first film had. Second, there is a rift between the two friends, Elphaba and Glinda, and what was so much fun and touching was the on-screen chemistry between Erivo and Grande. Unfortunately, the two characters aren’t on the screen together for a good deal of the film, as they have separated, living isolated, opposing lives. Ariana Grande gets a bit of the short straw in the film, as her numbers aren’t as dynamic or memorable as Erivo’s. Erivo has the big power number in the middle of the film to herself, and it’s the highlight of the film. I also think that splitting what should probably have been one 3-hour film into two was a mistake, as the storyline isn’t as strong as the first film’s. There also isn’t a big musical number in this film that rivals that library dance scene in the first one. Wicked: For Good is still a fine, enjoyable film; it’s just not on the level of emotion or spectacle as the first one. And while, yes, a young girl from Kansas does show up, the film makes it very clear that this isn’t her story. I walked out of the screening thinking, I just saw a good film. The problem is that I didn’t see a great one.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee Wicked: For Good Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Rental Family  (2025) PG-13  Rental Family is about an American actor, Phillip (Brendan Fraser), who lives in Japan. His roles have recently dried up, and he takes a job at the Rental Family agency, where Phillip will play ‘stand-in’ roles in other people’s lives. Through this unique experience, Phillip discovers surprising connections and unexpected joys within his new families. Rental Family isn’t a film that explores or answers big questions. However, it does handle how connecting with someone else is essential to mental health and well-being. Brendan Fraser is lovable as an American actor who is having a tough time making a living in Japan and takes on the job of being a rental for people who need a friend, someone to blame, or even someone to stand in for a parent or a loved one. It’s also about trying to understand a different culture other than your own. Rental Family is a predictable film, but I never felt it was too sappy or wasn’t sincere in its portrayal of people who need to feel less lonely or want to experience something important from their past. Rental Family is a feel-good movie, if only to watch Fraser be kind and work his magic on-screen. And sometimes that’s all we need in a film. My Rating: Full Price Rental Family Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Sisu: Road to Revenge  (2025)  R  Sisu: Road to Revenge is about Aatami (Jorma Tommila), “the man who refuses to die,” as he returns to the home where his family was murdered during the war. He dismantles the home and loads it on a truck, intending to rebuild it. When the Red Army commander (Stephen Lang), who killed Aatami’s family, returns, it sets off a cross-country chase where the body count will be high and revenge will be on the mind of Aatami. The first film, Sisu (2022), was a surprise hit, with brutal action, a good guy who seemingly can’t be killed as our hero kills what seems like a thousand Nazis, often in really creative ways. Our hero is back, and all he wants to do is take lumber from his home and bring it back to Finland. This time, our man is battling Russians, led by a sadistic officer who was so bad the Russians even had him in jail, but let him out to hunt down Aatami. I have a feeling that with the success of the first film, the budget was higher because everything from motorcyclists in armor to fight planes to a bomber is after our man and his trusty dog. The action is almost nonstop, and the deaths are gross and spectacular in an outlandish way. I had a great time watching this film and shrieked with glee a couple of times at the incredible kills. Sisu: Road to Revenge isn’t a film for everybody, but man, if you love creative ways to kill a bad guy and want to go on an adventure with Aatami, it’s worth the ride. Just be sure to duck a few times. You might lose your head. My Rating: Full Price   Sisu: Road to Revenge Website   Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Selena Y Los Dinos: A Family Legacy  (2025)  PG  Selena y Los Dinos: A Family Legacy is a documentary that shows Selena Quintanilla’s journey from playing at local events in South Texas to filling stadiums with the family band Selena Y Los Dinos, becoming the ‘Queen of Tejano Music.’ Living in San Antonio, Texas, for a long time, I got to see Selena perform several times live, and they were always so much fun. She and her band always gave a great show, and she was such a charismatic and talented singer. Most people now know Selena through Jennifer Lopez’s career-making performance in the 1997 film of the same name. While that film centered on Selena and the romance between her and her future husband, Chris, this documentary lets the whole family tell the story of the band and what it was like to be a family traveling on an old bus from small town to small town. Through the vast number of interviews Selena did and new interviews with members of her family and her husband, Chris, we get to see how they got started and the slow rise to fame that changed quickly when the band changed the type of music they were performing. One thing I found interesting was that Selena, her brother, and sister spoke very little Spanish when they started performing, and that they received a cool reception when Selena and the band first toured in Mexico, where they were seen as outsiders. Selena y Los Dinos is a fun and fascinating look at a family that loved to perform, and it wasn’t just Selena who had musical talent. Fans of Selena will love revisiting a talented performer who we can only guess would have become a major force in the music industry if her life had not been cut short so soon.  My Rating: Full Price Selena y Los Dinos: A Family Legacy Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform 

My View:  Jay Kelly  (2025) R Jay Kelly (George Clooney) is one of the world’s biggest movie stars, but is starting to reflect on his life and career. He decides to go on a trip with his daughter, Daisy (Grace Edwards), but it’s never simple living the life of Jay Kelly, movie star. Jay Kelly is a film you might think would be picture-perfect for George Clooney, one of our last true Hollywood superstars and someone who has taken over the mantle of the older heartthrob from Cary Grant. The problem is that Clooney is almost always likable on-screen, while Jay Kelly isn’t. In fact, Jay Kelly is a self-righteous jerk who puts his own well-being above everyone else and has no clue he is doing it. Jay is a part that Clooney could literally phone in, and to his credit, he doesn’t. However, the script treats Jay like such a great guy, even though he can’t even take the time to connect with his grown daughter. Writing this review, I kept thinking how the part that Adam Sandler plays, his manager Ron, would have been a better character to center the film around, and let Clooney’s character be in the background. There’s a better story there, and we certainly like Ron more than Jay. It’s not that Ron is a saint; in fact, I think Ron has a lot of baggage to deal with, but it would have made a far more interesting film. By the end of the Jay Kelly, I didn’t want to spend one more minute with Jay, and neither did anyone else in the film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Jay Kelly Website  Now in select theaters and on Netflix on Friday, December 5, 2025.

Forgotten Film:  Twenty Bucks  (1993) R  The story follows the journey of a twenty-dollar bill as it interweaves with the lives of different people. The first person to encounter the 20 dollars is Linda Hunt, a street person who is convinced that the 20 bucks will bring her good luck and win the lottery. Others get the twenty, including Brendan Fraser, who receives it as a wedding gift, and a stripper (Melora Walters), who gets it at a bachelor party. Everyone from Christopher Lloyd to Elizabeth Shue (my favorite story) show up in the stories. Some are better than others, but each tells an interesting story about how 20 dollars can change a person’s life, for better or worse. My Rating: Bargain Matinee Twenty Bucks Info  Available on Tubi and Amazon

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Wicked: For Good:  Dance Tutor

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Hamnet  (2025) PG-13  Hamnet is a historical drama that follows the relationship between Agnes (Jessie Buckley) and William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), and the impact of the death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet, on their lives. This tragedy ultimately inspires Shakespeare to create his most iconic play, Hamlet. The film is from Chloé Zhao; the filmmaker known for her two-time winning 2020 Academy Award-winning film Nomadland, and is expected to get multiple Academy Award nominations. Hamnet Website   In theaters on Wednesday, November 26, 2025.

Until Next Time!

The Running Man

My View:  The Running Man  (2025)  R  The Running Man follows Ben Richards (Glen Powell), a man in desperate need of money to save his sick daughter. He participates in “The Running Man” TV show as a contestant, where Runners must survive for 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins. The survivors, if there are any, have the chance to win up to one billion dollars. For an action film, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of action. Ben Richards spends a lot of time talking with everyone, including a network executive (played by a very bored Josh Brolin), and doesn’t spend a whole lot of time running. The action sequences are not what I expected from an Edgar Wright film. There is none of the biting humor of Shaun of the Dead or the great chase sequences of Baby Driver. Instead, we get Powell taking on bad guys with minimal style or flair. The Running Man attempts to convey a message about corporations deceiving the public, the high cost of healthcare, and workplaces that prioritize profits over people. Unfortunately, it misses the mark and fails to deliver the fun escape film it could have been, filled with exciting chases and opportunities for Glen Powell to showcase his star power. It feels as though Ben was given a pair of running shoes that are ill-fitting and have slippery treads, resulting in painfully slow split times for both Ben and the man who played him, Glen Powell. My Rating: Cable  The Running Man Website Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View: Now You See Me: Now You Don’t  (2025) PG-13  In Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, the Four Horsemen (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, and Isla Fisher) reunite and recruit three new illusionists to help them in a high-stakes heist involving the theft of a giant diamond from a powerful crime family.  I loved the first film in the series, which kept me guessing and featured some impressive magic tricks that looked like they were actually being performed. I found the second film a bit of a bore, as it seemed as if the actors were going through the motions. Unfortunately, other than a fun villain in Rosamund Pike, who looks like she is relishing playing a bad guy, the cast once again looks bored. Worse yet, almost all the magic tricks don’t seem to be magic tricks at all but simple movie CGI effects, something the first film avoided. The dialogue at times is laughable, and though it’s fun seeing the gang back, the film’s big caper takes way too long to get going and then is more about escaping than creating an impressive final trick. In fact, like watching a bad magician, I figured out how they were going to do the final trick, and for a magic fan like me, that is always disappointing. There is a hint that another film will follow, but I hope that idea disappears in a puff of smoke.  My Rating: Cable   Now You See Me: Now You Don't Website   Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View:  Keeper  (2025) R   Keeper is about a couple, Liz (Tatiana Maslany) and Malcolm (Rossif Sutherland), who head to a secluded cabin for their anniversary. Their happiness is interrupted by a sinister presence that reveals itself, forcing the couple to confront not only their relationship but also the property’s haunting past. It takes so long for anything to happen other than Liz hearing weird noises and a few jump scares because she seems to be losing her mind. Unfortunately, Keeper is quite disappointing in terms of scares, and the eventual payoff doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. You spend a good deal of your time, along with Liz, trying to figure out what the heck is going on, and when you do find out, you wish you didn’t know. I have a feeling that Tatiana Maslany was thinking the same thing when she saw the finished product.  My Rating: Cable  Keeper Website   Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Come See Me in the Good Light  (2025)  TV-MA   Come See Me in the Good Light is a documentary that spends a year following Colorado’s Poet Laureate, Andrea Gibson, and their partner, Megan Falley, during Gibson’s fight against cancer. It’s hard to say that a documentary about someone fighting terminal cancer is uplifting, but this remarkable film is. At the heart of the film is a love story, not only between two people who seemed destined to find each other, but also about loving life. Andrea Gibson is a magical person you just want to be around. That magic is evident when she is on stage performing her poems or when she is alone with Megan, just talking about everything from cancer results to laughing about silly phone messages. Gibson has learned to live every day as if it’s her last, and her life story is one of ups/downs and self-doubt about who Andrea was and her place in the world. Come See Me in the Good Light is a documentary full of passion, love, and tears. Mostly though, it is about how to live a life full of love.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Come See Me in the Good Light Website  In select theaters and on Apple TV+ on Friday, November 14, 2025.

Indiefest:  Left-Handed Girl  (2025)  R   In Left-Handed Girl, Shu-Fen (Janel Tsai), her daughters I-Ann (Shih-Yuan Ma) and I-Jing (Nina Ye) move back to Taipei to make it in the big city on their own. However, life is never simple, and it seems the world is set against them. Left-Handed Girl is an enthralling story about three members of a family, all trying to find their way in a world that moves at an incredible pace and grows more complicated by the second. Shu-Fen is trying to start a new life, juggling running her small noodle shop while raising two daughters, one an out-of-control teen and the other a young child who is just as independent as her sister. We see this all through the eyes of I-Jing, who is convinced that the Devil possesses her left hand and does bad things on its own. All three actresses do brilliant work in this film, especially Janel Tsai, as the young single mom, who isn’t liked by her family and has a checkered past that catches up to her. Left-Handed Girl is a film that follows the three women as they figure out how to survive in the big city, while navigating a world that isn’t always kind. It’s a powerful, moving, and sometimes funny film that makes you root for the three women, even when they make mistakes along the way.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Left-Handed Girl Website    In select theaters and on Netflix on Friday, November 28, 2025.

Indiefest:  Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk  (2025)  The documentary Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk is about filmmaker Sepideh Farsi, who, through video chats, talked to Fatima Hassouna, a Palestinian woman who shared her life living in Gaza for 200 days under constant threat of bombardment and firefights. Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk is a film that will rip your heart out, but you are glad you got to know such a beautiful person, both inside and out, who made a horrible situation relatable and gave the world an insight into what life in Gaza was really like. Sepideh Farsi, a documentary filmmaker, was trying to make her way into Gaza but was turned away. Through a few contacts, she called Fatima one day and started a conversation that developed not just into a friendship but also into a bond between two people living very different lives. Fatima shows not only bravery but also a love of life and someone who cares about her fellow man. What struck me was how good a photographer Fatima is. She has a great eye and captures on camera what she cannot show in conversation. Those photographs and the conversations that Fatima has with Sepideh give us insight into just how horrible the conditions she was living in were, even though most of the time, you wouldn’t know that she was suffering. Through the conversations, we get to know Fatima, her family, and just how great a person she is, full of humor, strength, bravery, as someone who, no matter how bad things were, was always trying to look to the future. A future she hopes will one day go back to normal.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  Trifole  (2024)  Trifole is about Dalia (Ydalia Turk), a young woman living in London, who is sent to check on her Italian grandfather, Igor (Umberto Orsini), who lives alone in a remote village with his pet dog, Birba. Dalia learns Igor leads a simple life but has forgotten much about his past. The two will learn about each other and how to survive in this world. Trifole is a bittersweet, melancholy film about a life being forgotten. The movie, for the first two-thirds of the film, moves along like you would expect it to. With Dalia learning about her grandfather and his way of life, and Igor slowly accepting the help that she offers. However, this story doesn’t always go where you expect it to, sometimes with shocking results. I came away from the film thinking the Italian scenery is beautiful, Igor’s dog, Birba, is a star, but the film’s ending left me wondering if the trip was worth it. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Trifole Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Indiefest:  The Carpenter’s Son  (2025) R  The Carpenter’s Son tells the story of a family hiding out in Egypt. The son, known as ‘the Boy’ (Noah Jupe), has met another mysterious child and is questioning everything he has learned from his guardian, the Carpenter (Nicolas Cage). As “the Boy” discovers his inherent powers, he grapples with a fate that is beyond his understanding. Nic Cage is always an interesting watch. Sometimes, though he just doesn’t fit the part, and in The Carpenter’s Son, he stands out, though that is saying something when your co-star is FKA twigs as ‘The Mother.” The Carpenter’s Son is part horror film, part drama that never comes out and says Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, but by the first scenes in the movie, you know it’s them. It’s not a bad film, just strange, with overtones of The Wicker Man and a bit of zombie film thrown in. In addition, there is the Devil in the disguise of a young woman (Isla Johnston from The Queen’s Gambit fame) who gets Jesus to question who he is, plus, the big question, who is his real dad. Lucky for you and me, he figures that out by the end of the film. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Carpenter's Son Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest: Natchez (2025)   Natchez is a documentary that visits a small Mississippi town that was once home to the most millionaires in America. Its wealth was based on cotton and slavery. The town continues to celebrate antebellum times with a twice-yearly celebration that deeply divides the community over its past. The film starts with what appears to be a picture-perfect view of a small town whose grandiose homes are open to the public in a celebration of a bygone past. However, we quickly learn that this town is torn about how to celebrate and confront the past, especially its ties to the plantations and the slave trade that, before the Civil War, made so many in the town rich. Now, some continue to celebrate the past, while others in the community are willing to show both sides of the story. Natchez is a fascinating look at a town struggling to survive in changing times while seeking to keep certain ideas and traditions alive. Natchez comes alive in the last fifteen minutes of the documentary, when true feelings and thoughts come to the forefront. Natchez is a documentary that slowly reveals itself to form a picture of a town that, from the outside, is pretty but is hiding quite a bit in its closets.  My Rating: Full Price  Natchez Movie Website  Now playing in select markets. 

Forgotten Film:  The Illusionist (2010)  This is a noteworthy animated film based on a screenplay written by the great French filmmaker Jacques Tati (Mon Oncle, Mr. Hulot’s Holiday). A French magician is out of work and travels to Scotland for a job. There, he encounters a young woman and allows her to travel with him. He takes a fatherly approach to their relationship and tries to provide for the young woman. As in the tradition of Tati’s films, there is almost no dialogue, which allows the picture to tell the story. It’s a loving tribute with the typical bittersweet ending that are in so many of his films.  The Illusionist Info  My Rating:  Full Price  

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Carpenter’s Son: Renderfarm 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Sisu: Road to Revenge  (2025)  R Sisu: Road to Revenge is about Aatami (Jorma Tommila), “the man who refuses to die,” as he returns to the home where his family was murdered during the war. He dismantles the home and loads it on a truck, intending to rebuild it. When the Red Army commander (Stephen Lang), who killed Aatami’s family, returns, it sets off a cross-country chase where the body count will be high and revenge will be on the mind of Aatami. The film is a sequel to the 2022 surprise box-office hit Sisu.  Sisu: Road to Revenge Website  Coming to theaters on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. 

Until Next Time!