Masters of the Universe

My View: Masters of the Universe  (2026)  PG-13   In Masters of the Universe, a boy named Prince Adam was sent to Earth for his own safety. Two decades later, the now young man (Nicholas Galitzine) uncovers the legendary Sword of Power and is suddenly hurled into the extraordinary world of Eternia, where he must rally his long-lost allies and engage in battle to defeat the menacing, evil Skeletor. I enjoyed watching this film, though it takes a heck of a long time for our hero to discover the sword and then even longer to become “He-Man.” The film is an ode to the 80s cartoon series, using the backdrop of Adam leaving his home and living on Earth as a kid. While growing up, he constantly drew pictures of his life on Eternia, and, because he was a kid, he gave nicknames to everyone he knew, including himself (i.e., He-Man). While I felt the film went too far into Adam being a human resources worker and trying to use the same skills in talking to employees as he does when talking to people he is trying to lead into battle, or even trying to talk the bad guys out of killing him and his allies. However, the film is a fun watch, and the battle sequences are well done. I especially enjoyed Camila Mendes's performance as Teela, a warrior who knew and liked Adam when he was a kid and is now willing to follow him because he has the sword that could save her world from the evil Skeletor. I also enjoyed Jared Leto voicing Skeletor, the evil lord who seeks the Sword of Power to become even more powerful. The performance is done with a ton of tongue-in-cheek lines, including a couple of times when Skeletor does an evil laugh and doesn’t get the response he needs. The film is greatly helped by an incredibly supporting cast ,including Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn (the name says it all), Idris Elba as Teela’s father and disgraced former guard in charge of Adam’s family safety, and Kristen Wiig as the voice of a once mighty warrior robot who is now a maid. Kids are going to have fun, though the two-and-twenty-minute run-time may test their patience a bit (I know it did me). Adults reliving their childhood are going to love this, with a ton of Easter eggs and a few cameos from the past. Overall, it’s a fun ride; I just wish the big muscle blond guy had shown up a bit sooner. And be sure to stay for both a mid-credit and an end-credit scene.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Masters of the Universe Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View:  Scary Movie (2026) R  Scary Movie follows Cindy (Anna Faris) and Brenda (Regina Hall), who have reunited and must gather the rest of their friends, as the masked killer from 26 years ago returns. So we get to see some of the original cast return, including Anna Faris and Regina Hall. Add in every member of the Wayans family appearing, a running joke in itself, and this should have been funnier than this film is. In fact, I saw the film with about 20 other people, and I think I was the only one laughing at the few bits that worked. Sure, they mock Weapons, Sinners, Nope, Get Out, and a bunch of newer horror films, almost all miss the mark, making almost every joke fall incredibly flat. I will say that both Anna Faris and Regina Hall are game for just about anything and seem to have fun playing these incredible idiots. There are a bunch of cameos from the early films that I won’t give away, so fans of the series will have some fun with that. For the rest of us, Scary Movie just feels like the Wayans wrote this in about 1 week, throwing everything they could against the wall, not to see if the jokes would stick, but to see if they would just bounce back to them. Unfortunately, most of them did. There are two bonus scenes, one after the first portion of credits and a another extended scene during most of the remaining credits.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Scary Movie Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View:  Office Romance  (2026) R  Office Romance follows Jackie Cruz (Jennifer Lopez), a high-powered, no-nonsense CEO of an airline, known for its rigid anti-fraternization policy for all employees. When lawyer Daniel Blanchflower (Brett Goldstein) is hired, suddenly sparks are flying between Jackie and this new, hot-shot hire. Will Jackie risk losing everything she’s built and drag Daniel down with her in pursuit of love? Look, I really like Jennifer Lopez and loved Brett Goldstein in Ted Lasso; this film made me dislike their characters. For two characters who are in very important jobs, they are two really stupid people who are having an affair without thinking that a very famous person would be seen out with someone else. Instead, we are to believe that these two keep their romance hidden from anyone with an iPhone, while only a private detective discovers them. The film wants us to love Daniel because he has come from a rough childhood in England and is now a successful lawyer. The film also wants us to love Jackie because, despite the board and her father challenging her every move, she has created a successful airline. To say this isn’t your usual rom-com would be an understatement. It’s crass and foul-mouthed, with the F word being used with abandon, often for no reason. Office Romance then wants us to believe that Lopez is so beautiful that our lawyer (hero?) gets an erection when they first meet, so much so that Jackie can’t notice. That was my first sign that this film would keep going for cheap, shocking jokes. This cheap, shocking humor continues, as when Jackie's determined-to-work assistant goes into labor in Daniel's office, and the camera lingers twice, on a close-up of the baby's head crowning. The so-called fun continues as we see a man almost die choking on a breakfast burrito, a woman get so drunk she breaks a tooth falling over on a date, and the HR head (Tony Hale) is shocked when Daniel continually keeps using an obscene word that goes on way too long. Some may find Office Romance funny or charming, but for me, it just left me reaching for the airsickness bag. And to make matters worse, there is a series of very unfunny scenes during the credits in which the beleaguered HR person endures a parade of office romance confessions.  My Rating: Cable  Office Romance Website   Now playing on the Netflix platform

Indiefest:  Carolina Caroline  (2026)  R  In Carolina Caroline, a young woman working at a gas station, Caroline (Samara Weaving), meets a charismatic drifter, Oliver (Kyle Gallner), and impulsively embarks on a journey to master the art of the con. The pair will blaze a trail of deceit and deception until their luck inevitably runs out. This is a Bonnie and Clyde-type cross-country crime spree film that, like that 1967 film, you know won’t be ending on a happy note. The film works because of the sparks between Samara Weaving, as the waitress who wants to escape her life, and Kyle Gallner, who is willing to show her how to hit the road and live an endless life of con jobs. What starts out as a game for Caroline soon becomes real as their con jobs become more and more dangerous, as the couple wants more and more thrills. Caroline soon learns that people get hurt and cons can go bad, but must decide if it's worth it to stay with a man who only knows how to lie for a living. What makes Caroline interesting is her connection to home and a father who cares about her and insists on keeping in touch as she travels across the country. Caroline is also on a mission to find her long-lost mother. While I won’t reveal the story, Kyra Sedgwick gives a brilliant performance as Caroline’s mother, rounding out the film's strong cast. This is a tale of star-crossed lovers that is sure not to end well. Or does it?  My Rating: Full Price  Carolina Caroline Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  Silent Friend  (2025)  Silent Friend revolves around a majestic Ginkgo biloba tree as it watches humans over the course of a century, observing their lives marked by longing, belonging, and consciousness. The story follows three storylines, set in 1908, 1972, and 2020, set in a university town in Germany. The three stories are: the university’s first female student, in 1908, who is challenged by her professors and fellow students, finds solace through the lens of a camera, studying plants through her pictures. An awkward student in 1972 meets a woman whose project is a geranium she is studying to see if it can be proven to bond with her. He is tasked with caring for the plant while the young woman is on vacation, and his life is changed when he connects with the plant. And a neuroscientist who is stuck alone on campus when Covid hits, and he decides to find out whether he can see the same type of brain waves humans have in the giant tree that has been on the university grounds for all this time. The film follows how each person tries to connect with nature, and we see how the tree responds, even if the people don’t know it’s happening. The three people undergo their own metamorphoses as they attempt to connect with nature, each in their own way. This is a fantastic journey of discovery, seen from the tree’s quiet perspective on how nature reacts to us, even as we often ignore it. Silent Friend is about trying to belong when you don’t feel part of the group, but if you let yourself be open to new ideas and feelings, you might find the bond with nature you have been missing.  My Rating:  Full Price  Silent Friend Website  Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film:  After Life  (1998)   After Life follows recently deceased people who arrive in a mysterious place, where they have three days to choose the single memory they will bring with them into eternity. A group of counselors, including Takashi (Arata lura) and Shiori (Erika Oda), are on hand to help new arrivals pick their memory, helping them go over what was most important to them. The counselors will then create a film that will allow the people to relive their memory and move on. The film is by Japanese writer/director Hirokazu Kore-eda, known for his recent award-winning films Shoplifters (2018), Like Father, Like Son (2013), and Monster (2023). This is a beautiful, warm, and funny film that explores not only the lives of the people trying to pick a memory but also the counselors working hard to help each person pick the perfect memory. One of the fascinating things about this film is that Kore-eda filmed over 500 hours of interviews with ordinary people about which memory they would want to remember. He then used some of those interviewed for the film, so some of the people are actors, and others are ordinary people telling their own stories. This is one of those films that, while watching it, you are invited to reflect on your own life and pick which memory you would choose, joining the film’s journey of wonderment and self-discovery.  My Rating: Full Price   After Life Info   Available to rent on Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Masters of the Universe: Pig Boy Artist

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Toy Story 5 (2026)  PG   When Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang meet LilyPad, a chatty electronic toy, their connection to playtime is put to the test. New characters join the fun, including one voiced by Conan O’Brien.  Toy Story 5 Website  The film will be released in theaters everywhere on Friday, June 19, 2026 

Until Next Time!