tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62687544113838014842024-03-17T23:02:59.705-04:00Last One to Leave the Theatre®A weekly look at the movies, both past and present. The name of this blog comes from the fact that I stay until the credits have ended.
Ratings from Best to Worst:
1). I Would Pay to See it Again
2). Full Price
3). Bargain Matinee
4). Cable
5). You Would Have to Pay Me to See it AgainMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.comBlogger693125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-69669401687895500532024-03-15T00:30:00.017-04:002024-03-15T00:30:00.248-04:00Arthur the King<p><span style="color: #0d0d14;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7PxjIBUH494CpNNRM_tNQOLS-wDe_hv_bLapITB4PkTFaEqCJM1vaqqeBt7-qKdWs7iTcb0FBYOt7AxE03iLHd_z-duuiSYpZRaxXuIL0CqzmKcVE7ExWVIF17Ibyi3M2SFHiTIMY7hRuNMhyphenhyphenD5qitiYFnqUfdBH0jkFjcQcA5TI6dCaxrwCI02kebXe/s1480/Arthur%20the%20King.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7PxjIBUH494CpNNRM_tNQOLS-wDe_hv_bLapITB4PkTFaEqCJM1vaqqeBt7-qKdWs7iTcb0FBYOt7AxE03iLHd_z-duuiSYpZRaxXuIL0CqzmKcVE7ExWVIF17Ibyi3M2SFHiTIMY7hRuNMhyphenhyphenD5qitiYFnqUfdBH0jkFjcQcA5TI6dCaxrwCI02kebXe/s320/Arthur%20the%20King.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Arthur the King </u>(2024) <i>PG-13 </i> Mikael Lindnord (Mark Wahlberg) is an adventure team racer who believes this is his last chance to win the 435-mile endurance race through the Dominican Republic. Mikael befriends a wounded stray dog named Arthur. Against the odds, Arthur joins the team in the race and becomes a valued team member. We all know what suckers we are for movies that center around dogs, especially if the dog is cute. I am glad to say that Ukai does a great job playing the remarkable Arthur. Unfortunately, Ukai can’t save a storyline that feels slapped together with some band-aids and twine. I think the problem is that the film does a lot with the set-up and doesn’t do enough with the race's hardships. Early in the race, there is a remarkable sequence where the team decides to zip-line across a deep gorge to cut some time and it becomes a spectacular rescue that has to be seen to be believed. However, once our favorite dog joins the gang on the trip, the film becomes about Mikael's journey to learn about himself and how to be a leader who listens. The last fifteen minutes feel a little too much in an attempt to finally pull on the heartstrings. Still, you may need a tissue or two for this final bit. I don’t recommend this for young kids, as some scenes involving Arthur are a little unsettling (hence the PG-13), but older kids will enjoy rooting for Arthur to complete the journey. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.arthurtheking.movie" target="_blank">Arthur the King Website</a> Now playing theaters nationwide.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2E1NsykO4kS1PzeE8FULgq9oEfJsRA6lTKMHXkinjOg06kxBi7xL_u3BCMj81OBBOpUF1WWnsa8s6WRaxve6gErbvIWk0kPbKbyrm15H0YizwHxBIlxsj80EPIfFPHwTbGRzak88phWHDTf4v2BiPxUYhvIdcYOHzibo8QUkvmsc8GsctOoGWdPUU6ft/s1500/Problemista.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2E1NsykO4kS1PzeE8FULgq9oEfJsRA6lTKMHXkinjOg06kxBi7xL_u3BCMj81OBBOpUF1WWnsa8s6WRaxve6gErbvIWk0kPbKbyrm15H0YizwHxBIlxsj80EPIfFPHwTbGRzak88phWHDTf4v2BiPxUYhvIdcYOHzibo8QUkvmsc8GsctOoGWdPUU6ft/w133-h200/Problemista.jpg" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">Indiefest</b>: <u style="font-style: normal;">Problemista</u> (2023)<i> R</i> Alejandro (Julio Torres) is a young man from El Salvador who dreams of being a toy designer. His work visa is about to run out, and he makes a deal with the devil, an erratic, demanding art critic (Tilda Swinton) who is on a mission to retrieve her dead partner's art and mount a show. It’s a job that Alejandro may not survive. Julio Torres is a four-time Emmy-nominated writer (<u>SNL</u>) and won a Peabody Award for his TV show <u>Los Espookys</u>. He has now written and directed a funny and creative surreal comedy that borders on the absurd. This comedy deals with a real problem: the hoops people have to go through to get a work visa in this country. He is fired from his job, which seems to be sitting in a room with a frozen person and their artwork, but is saved when the artist’s wife takes a liking to him and offers him a way to get her to sponsor his work visa. Little does Alejandro know he has just made a deal with a crazy person who changes her mind every few moments and has no idea how to survive in the modern world; all the while, the clock is counting down on Alejandro’s ability to stay in America. The film uses Alejandro’s rich imagination to give us insight into how he is feeling and thinking like when he sees someone being told their application to stay has been rejected, they vanish into thin air, or when he is told what he needs to get his work visa, Alejandro imagines a series of maze-like rooms with hidden doors that never lead to the key he needs to unlock his future. As a director, Torres lets Tilda Swinton have a blast as the widow who is convinced the whole world is out to get her. Swinton gives us a character that is outlandish and sometimes cruel but, in the end, is still likable because she only cares about one thing: the legacy of her dead husband, whom she dearly loved. <u>Problemista</u> is about having the courage to try, the perseverance to keep moving, and the guts to finally speak your mind. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://a24films.com/films/problemista" target="_blank">Problemista Website</a> Now playing in theaters. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_UPpiCq4F41xLCmeOI47BehLf71UqaBcMjmF8Bpgdged1vWS6HGT4nUxge8wQKIjcZ6lniSpUt0S-RrWtEB9aTuGfqVepGvXUp3yoxNLcIzuXoTxPKAjblKgE6zNquDGDaL2bVmVBD2Ecae-CXe04kXW5OYUbfl-OFKstUvZMpTfRyIxNPJFjBdXJ4H6/s1500/MV5BZTA1Y2Q0N2QtNjU2Yi00MTMxLWI4NmUtMWFjNzRkNzU1ODRhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTY3ODkyNDkz._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_UPpiCq4F41xLCmeOI47BehLf71UqaBcMjmF8Bpgdged1vWS6HGT4nUxge8wQKIjcZ6lniSpUt0S-RrWtEB9aTuGfqVepGvXUp3yoxNLcIzuXoTxPKAjblKgE6zNquDGDaL2bVmVBD2Ecae-CXe04kXW5OYUbfl-OFKstUvZMpTfRyIxNPJFjBdXJ4H6/w133-h200/MV5BZTA1Y2Q0N2QtNjU2Yi00MTMxLWI4NmUtMWFjNzRkNzU1ODRhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTY3ODkyNDkz._V1_.jpg" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">Indiefest</b>: <u style="font-style: normal;">Love Lies Bleeding</u> (2024) <i>R</i> Lou (Kristen Stewart) is a gym manager in her small town where her father, Lou Sr. (Ed Harris), runs the area with an iron hand. Into Lou’s gym walks Jackie (Kate O’Brian), a bodybuilder who takes Lou’s breath away. It’s a meeting that will change their lives forever. In fact, someone may die. Part film noir, part 80s nostalgia, Love Lies Bleeding is a film where our hero, Lou, no matter what she does, gets pulled further and further into a mess that she probably will never get out of. Set in a time (the 80s) when female body-building was all the rage with women like Corey Everson and Rachel McLish, who were not only on the covers of muscle mags but appeared in mainstream movies and TV shows. Love Lies Bleeding is a love story that goes off the rails. The film is full of violence, sometimes done to shock and other times done to almost comedic tones. The film starts as a romance but quickly becomes bigger than life, like Ed Harris, who has the longest mullet ever seen on the big screen. Kristen Stewart shows us again that she is one of the best actors in the cinema today. Her reaction shots are amazing, as we see on her face how smitten she is from the first time Jackie comes into the gym. The film keeps you guessing what will happen next, though you can almost bet that someone else will die a gruesome death. And there is an ending that will have you talking to your friends as you head to the parking lot. <u>Love Lies Bleeding</u> isn’t a film for everyone, but for fans of Stewart and weird film noir, it’s a delight. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://tickets.loveliesbleeding.movie/synopsis/" target="_blank">Love Lies Bleeding Website</a> Now playing in theaters. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #0d0d14; font-family: georgia; font-variant-caps: normal;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0d0d14; font-family: georgia; font-variant-caps: normal;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIhaJN_vT0RxdowyqmKtjZSvgGDZjlTCc-0absXlykXW7s0_vscW-9ZrjihzKuRMi6lcAdSA9kZn0VDOWrOc3MeWDTYk9qAcvfVyZ5qQNdg0Opt4z3ND3_Kkm6tOG96S2TxX-FBz7j_xdY5wdpZNoWnnsGpCeVsvF2BQelg-gXydDbrvLVV_ZpbXZryeM/s1481/The%20American%20Society%20of%20Magical%20Negroes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIhaJN_vT0RxdowyqmKtjZSvgGDZjlTCc-0absXlykXW7s0_vscW-9ZrjihzKuRMi6lcAdSA9kZn0VDOWrOc3MeWDTYk9qAcvfVyZ5qQNdg0Opt4z3ND3_Kkm6tOG96S2TxX-FBz7j_xdY5wdpZNoWnnsGpCeVsvF2BQelg-gXydDbrvLVV_ZpbXZryeM/w135-h200/The%20American%20Society%20of%20Magical%20Negroes.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #0d0d14; font-family: georgia; font-variant-caps: normal;"><b style="font-style: normal;">My View:</b> <u style="font-style: normal;">The American Society of Magical Negroes</u> (2024) <i>PG-13</i> Aren (Justice Smith) is recruited to join a secret group, The American Society of Magical Negroes, made up of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making white people feel better about themselves. I enjoyed the first half of this film when Arne is still learning the ropes and is shown how the Society keeps white people from causing harm. It’s a fun swipe at how Hollywood has made through the years where a Black supporting character will help in some way the main White hero find his way and save the day. The movie runs into problems in the 2nd half, when Aren starts falling for Lizzie (An-Li Bogan), who works at the same company that Aren’s subject he is supposed to help succeed, Jason (Drew Tarver). Things get complicated when Aren is instructed to help Jason date Lizzie, something that Aren, who by now has connected with Lizzie, wants to avoid. The film is aided by the great chemistry between Smith and Bogan, and their ‘meet-cute’ is fun and imaginative. </span><span style="color: #0d0d14; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(13, 13, 20);"> <u>The American Society of Magical Negroe</u>s</span></span><span style="color: #0d0d14; font-family: georgia; font-variant-caps: normal;"> dies in the third act when it tries to tie everything up in a nice bow that the film doesn’t need or deserve. I wish the 2nd half of the film had been as imaginative. <b>My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.focusfeatures.com/the-american-society-of-magical-negroes/" target="_blank">The American Society of Magical Negroes Website</a> Now playing in theaters.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKx-3x-D6xrn2XLWHlPRPF0RFzvqsrAuwh6GERCxXDziajhVb6FMHuXTaldZr-sK4n1qLRyTRIqeLgtwBPKuew23cuDopIMabRYrdB2CIzn6pTLTN_BoeYUUa5GhjFVzLN1eUeSkGLyFbTmmNAq0GhotVzikc7kE9PuLnffp0lTjqOZFea5dzdUihF22VF/s1350/Irish%20Wish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKx-3x-D6xrn2XLWHlPRPF0RFzvqsrAuwh6GERCxXDziajhVb6FMHuXTaldZr-sK4n1qLRyTRIqeLgtwBPKuew23cuDopIMabRYrdB2CIzn6pTLTN_BoeYUUa5GhjFVzLN1eUeSkGLyFbTmmNAq0GhotVzikc7kE9PuLnffp0lTjqOZFea5dzdUihF22VF/w160-h200/Irish%20Wish.jpg" width="160" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Irish Wish</u> (2024) <u>Irish Wish</u> takes place when the love of Maddie’s life, Paul (Alexander Vlahos), gets engaged to her best friend, Maddie (Lindsay Lohan), against her better judgment, goes to Ireland to be in the wedding. While in Ireland, Maddie makes a wish that she was the one marrying Paul and wakes up the following day discovering that she is now the bride-to-be. Be careful what you wish for; they might come true. I enjoyed Lindsay’s last rom-com she did for Netflix, <u>Falling For Christmas</u>, as I felt it utilized Lohan’s star power and ability to elevate anything with her charm and ability to play a bit with the humor of the film. In this film, Lindsay plays a woman, Maddie, who is secretly in love with an author she has worked closely with to make him a success. Sadly, she doesn’t let him know her feelings, and he falls for her best friend. So off we go to Ireland for the wedding. Maddie makes a wish, not knowing the Irish magic is in full force, and wakes up the next day as the bride-to-be, getting married to a man she thinks she is in love with. She soon learns the grass is not always greener, even when it's all the way in Ireland, and of course, she soon discovers that maybe the one Maddie thought she was destined for isn’t the one she should be involved with. <u>Irish Wish</u> is a fun film that sometimes tries a little too hard, but still, it’s filled with some beautiful shots of Ireland, a fun romance in the making for Maddie, and, of course, a happy ending. Go ahead, Netflix, keep making these Lindsay Lohan rom-coms, and I’ll keep watching them. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81594532/" target="_blank">Irish Wish Website</a> Now playing on the Netflix platform.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ulR-O6WM0xA-S5gyeL-ovO8ZDt1l5D5VXvuiD2FoXLcVigAuMpUwkbuQKdPER6MipPnROBhV_ZaqP4_rf_9Bjta11J0tzehfHt1L7zjIRztsoaqSbQFOpwzlDo45t2K9J72sfv6cMOL2-nTk-Nf2fkrBmrFI5Dd6rCR4WlAzwxuMKo4mjH7SY7OPS-9n/s1481/Remembering%20Gene%20Wilder.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ulR-O6WM0xA-S5gyeL-ovO8ZDt1l5D5VXvuiD2FoXLcVigAuMpUwkbuQKdPER6MipPnROBhV_ZaqP4_rf_9Bjta11J0tzehfHt1L7zjIRztsoaqSbQFOpwzlDo45t2K9J72sfv6cMOL2-nTk-Nf2fkrBmrFI5Dd6rCR4WlAzwxuMKo4mjH7SY7OPS-9n/w135-h200/Remembering%20Gene%20Wilder.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Remembering Gene Wilder </u>(2023) The documentary <u>Remembering Gene Wilder</u> is about the legendary actor Gene Wilder, who went from the Broadway stage to starring in classic films like<u> Blazing Saddles </u>(1974), <u>Young Frankenstein</u> (1974), and <u>Silver Streak</u> (1976). This documentary is an absolute delight to watch as Wilder (using audio from his autobiography, Kiss Me Like a Stranger) narrates his life to us as we watch his magical career develop because of both talent and luck. It’s a remarkable film that makes you miss Wilder even more as we see just how talented an actor he was, someone who could play the meek or underdog but also could erupt in the blink of an eye, making a scene go from funny to on the floor laughing till it hurt. The film gives us a man who never thought he would be a leading man, but that was part of the charm of Wilder; he was an everyman who could make you love him, even in the silliest film. The uses behind-the-scenes footage, along with interviews with Wilder that are combined with current interviews with his last wife, Karen Boyer, along with Alan Alda, Mel Brooks, Carol Kane, and Richard Pryor’s daughter, Rain. The film will bring you many laughs and a few tears as we go down memory lane with a great talent and wonderful person. You will want to see a film or two of his after this documentary. I will never forget seeing <u>Silver Streak</u> back in 1976 and thinking, hey, if that goofy guy has a chance with Jill Clayburgh, then maybe I do, too. <b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://kinolorber.com/film/remembering-gene-wilder" target="_blank">Remembering Gene Wilder website</a> Now playing in theaters. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAnWEnsqXAIiDkRrnVCnWhW2Ck4_Bzp0kDK23XQVBFT_WdUPnRT4zWPks1m_mxifalGtDGpM6eZQGLNqM3rPhr1ofgr-DlHHFGmsi_xoyW4cNaDn-2B_Cr2py7APTHZrp2JRlTN8UJSYsQGWMaPmZCCD0SDzZHBH6SoK29bhJgDcWmZriUfY3Kt1QpP5c/s1481/One%20Life.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAnWEnsqXAIiDkRrnVCnWhW2Ck4_Bzp0kDK23XQVBFT_WdUPnRT4zWPks1m_mxifalGtDGpM6eZQGLNqM3rPhr1ofgr-DlHHFGmsi_xoyW4cNaDn-2B_Cr2py7APTHZrp2JRlTN8UJSYsQGWMaPmZCCD0SDzZHBH6SoK29bhJgDcWmZriUfY3Kt1QpP5c/w135-h200/One%20Life.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">My View</b>: <u style="font-style: normal;">One Life</u> (2023)<i> PG</i> This is the story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker, who, in the months leading up to World War II, almost single-handedly rescued over six hundred children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. This is a gripping tale of a man who saw a disaster waiting to happen and felt that he had to try to rescue as many children as he could at significant risk to himself and his fellow volunteers. The film starts in the mid 80s when Nicky is feeling a bit melancholy, forced to organize and get rid of stuff he has collected through the years by his wife, to make room when his family, soon to be larger when a grandbaby arrives, comes to visit. Nicky revisits his time in Czechoslovakia and his attempts to get as many children out before the Nazis invaded. The film works because Hopkins gives us a man haunted by the past and all the children left behind. We see how remarkable it was to get as many children out as he did, navigating all the bureaucracy, money, and physical transport to find homes for these children, leaving their loved one’s behind. The last third of the film is a tear fest; first, as we learn, Nicky wasn’t always successful. However, the film ends on a good note, and if you don’t know the final part of the story, I won’t ruin it for you. One Life is worth seeing how it all turns out, along with another in a long line of memorable performances by Mr. Hopkins. <b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.onelife.movie" target="_blank">One Life Website</a> Now playing in theaters. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixk3_AExtdcfCB0K0C-5K-JiCZUNm5sOg1nqD5GnrW3DlZX9bPdtzhkTqo1-swCBllyRhkIQpJf-pKUfDYCNfmZSpoGN19diBHIx73WhZ2zxZeQOySr3jnHotme9jsM3MXf_LBv2CMNogC7bkFO-HdlYPYmRcFHoIwSvYKqoiU8MXFq92eF74lfyAUD-V/s1334/Club%20Zero.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixk3_AExtdcfCB0K0C-5K-JiCZUNm5sOg1nqD5GnrW3DlZX9bPdtzhkTqo1-swCBllyRhkIQpJf-pKUfDYCNfmZSpoGN19diBHIx73WhZ2zxZeQOySr3jnHotme9jsM3MXf_LBv2CMNogC7bkFO-HdlYPYmRcFHoIwSvYKqoiU8MXFq92eF74lfyAUD-V/w150-h200/Club%20Zero.jpg" width="150" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>:<u> Club Zero </u>(2023) Miss Novak (Mia Wasikowska) is a new teacher at an exclusive private school, where she is about to teach a course called conscious eating. Miss Novak forms a strong bond with five students, a relationship that eventually takes a very dangerous turn. Club Zero is a dark comedy with some horror aspects peeking through, about what happens when someone starts using their influence and made-up facts to brainwash young people looking for something to latch onto. I had some trouble getting fully absorbed by the film because most of the parents of the kids Miss Novak puts under her spell seemed to be one-sided, almost cartoonish characters. This is a film that pushes a few boundaries and does its best to make you feel uncomfortable but never shows you too much, something that maybe it should have. I felt unattached to the characters, never quite invested in their welfare or how they would turn out. By the end of the film, this made me feel empty, not caring too much about Miss Novak or her students. It felt a bit like a meal where you aren’t given enough to eat, and there aren’t any seconds in sight. <b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.filmmovement.com/club-zero" target="_blank">Club Zero Website</a></b></span><p></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwUzzSg9OTWxKQ9wsPIJuZ864PS2ynjQY_gtFC8ncCAkT_jSXnc4jK_hyaV_QChvSpxw1oX7Gu-5qOIqlSKOQtMa2aY7-WTMUKt-CKC060wFHwaA4oTS0BZkpbUBbvnfWKCpsKLCxb9lOFun0E-oywL6gppvu1R7D_ueekk-ujLWTvZPLoo1FtNXDlIH2/s2962/Uproar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2962" data-original-width="2000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwUzzSg9OTWxKQ9wsPIJuZ864PS2ynjQY_gtFC8ncCAkT_jSXnc4jK_hyaV_QChvSpxw1oX7Gu-5qOIqlSKOQtMa2aY7-WTMUKt-CKC060wFHwaA4oTS0BZkpbUBbvnfWKCpsKLCxb9lOFun0E-oywL6gppvu1R7D_ueekk-ujLWTvZPLoo1FtNXDlIH2/w135-h200/Uproar.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">Indiefest</b>:<u style="font-style: normal;"> Uproar </u>(2023) <i>PG-13</i> <u>Uproar</u> is about Josh (Julian Dennison), a seventeen-year-old who is just trying to keep his head down and survive high school as an Aboriginal native surrounded by white kids in his New Zealand hometown. Talked into taking drama from one of his teachers (Rhys Darby), his life opens up, and he is suddenly aware that the world needs his views and presence. Julian Dennison was in one of my favorite surprise films of the past ten years, the Taika Waititi comedy adventure <u>Hunt for the Wilderpeople</u> (2016), where Dennison and Sam Neil play a son and foster father who get lost in the New Zealand wilderness. Dennison spreads his magic again, as Josh, a teen attending a rich, private school only because his brother and father were ruby stars at the school. Josh is constantly picked on and is most comfortable spending his time either in the library or on a paper route, where he gets help from his best friend, a teen girl named Grace (Jada Fa’atui). It’s the 80s and a time of unrest in New Zealand as the South African rugby team, a symbol of the ongoing apartheid in that country, comes to New Zealand, and protests erupt throughout the country. Josh, at first, tries to stay in the background, convinced that he will never do anything special, but he soon learns, through his friends, his brother, and a teacher, that he has talent and a skill that will bring people together. It’s Josh’s time to leave the background and make some noise.<u> Uproar</u> is a beautiful and funny film that is a joy to watch, and Dennison is an incredible talent who brings Josh to life. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.bluefoxentertainment.com/films/uproar" target="_blank">Uproar Website</a> Now playing in theaters.</b></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhylokR-vUfgeA-N0dN6vzKLaAz5DV8DVWNh_qi4id_cMH22TN6Bwf7I5pRemLuahiAagVJE3nxlaHyqcK1zo09Z2aneiKFqjRylRxy3TPrOzUmhOKyTj2IQa9Rj-2vW5jFmhzdZtHRx0pYlyeX6cjHaEDdy2XRvL9ddLA26IhfvmCNM5njCsr4MUpcIjTx/s1264/Frida%20Movie%20Poster.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="848" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhylokR-vUfgeA-N0dN6vzKLaAz5DV8DVWNh_qi4id_cMH22TN6Bwf7I5pRemLuahiAagVJE3nxlaHyqcK1zo09Z2aneiKFqjRylRxy3TPrOzUmhOKyTj2IQa9Rj-2vW5jFmhzdZtHRx0pYlyeX6cjHaEDdy2XRvL9ddLA26IhfvmCNM5njCsr4MUpcIjTx/w134-h200/Frida%20Movie%20Poster.png" width="134" /></a></div>Indiefest: </b><u>Frida</u> (2024) <i>R</i> <b> </b>The documentary <u>Frida</u> is about the life of dynamic and iconic artist Frida Kahlo, who led a raw and magical life, bringing joy to millions through her artwork. Using her illustrated diaries as a voice for Frida, the documentary tells the story of a woman whose paintings became more powerful and forceful after her death, giving her success that she never got during her lifetime. Frida spent much of her life in the shadows of men, and this film provides insight into why. Fernanda Echevarria del Rivero gives Frida her voice, and I loved how she was able to bring Frida and her personality to life, and we get to see her sense of humor. I was first enchanted by the animation of Frida’s paintings in the film, but I soon wanted those paintings to stand alone and not be so busy. To me, Frida’s paintings have always told her story, and I feel the animations did some disservice to her work. However, the film gives us an up close and personal feel to the life and loves of Frida. Using both home movies and newsreel footage, along with a treasure trove of photographs, we see Frida throughout her life, in good times and bad, from her childhood to her last days. The film <u>Frida</u> gives her a voice that she didn’t always get to express, and I am glad she is so loved now by the art world and the public. Like Frida herself, it’s an interesting and complex portrait.<b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30319555/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_7_tt_5_nm_3_q_frida" target="_blank">Frida Website</a> The film is currently playing on the Amazon Prime platform. <br /></b></span><p></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacGeZ6g6axDJX7Rq2tmCeR441npVsicdQiENO_k3zIWSkJzZDA3qePKchBFr2nAJHA20SwJno8P1y4MlnvU1ZDZqbCC0nILnSm9wrWkUMKHMlZ-UUp5GKmbOUnbnxKn-JAtez1ADaCwgep8vIrOQ6Wq2QM0mosf3lwvfgT7JoL51eIvUmbP6L5-Vx4H6x/s1260/The%20Good%20Father.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="884" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacGeZ6g6axDJX7Rq2tmCeR441npVsicdQiENO_k3zIWSkJzZDA3qePKchBFr2nAJHA20SwJno8P1y4MlnvU1ZDZqbCC0nILnSm9wrWkUMKHMlZ-UUp5GKmbOUnbnxKn-JAtez1ADaCwgep8vIrOQ6Wq2QM0mosf3lwvfgT7JoL51eIvUmbP6L5-Vx4H6x/w141-h200/The%20Good%20Father.png" width="141" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">Forgotten Film</b>: <u style="font-style: normal;">The Good Father</u> (1985) <i>R</i> Bill (Anthony Hopkins) is a man who is very bitter about his divorce and how he has limited access to his son. Bill finds out a friend of his is being sued for divorce, and the wife is leaving for Australia with her lesbian lover and wants to take their son with her. Bill decides to help the man sue for custody, using every trick in the book to win. I love how a film made almost 40 years ago remains relevant. Bill is a man who is angry at the world and feels that feminism has robbed him of the life he wanted to lead with his family. This is a man who you will not like for most of the film because he is so self-centered and plays the blame game. However, through the brilliant acting of Hopkins, the layers of Bill are slowly exposed and we see a man who has never learned how to love or be loved.<b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093103/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_the%2520good%2520father" target="_blank">The Good Father Info</a> The film is available to buy on Amazon. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Arthur the King</u>: Dog Colorist</span></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u style="font-style: normal;">Challengers </u>(2024) <i>R </i> Tashi (Zendaya) was a tennis prodigy about to set the tennis world on fire before she suffered a devastating injury she couldn’t recover from. Now, years later, she is a coach and married to a former champion who is on a losing streak, and the question is how far Tashi is willing to go to get him back on his winning streak. It will be interesting to see how well this film does at the box office. Can Zendaya’s star power lead a film? <b><a href="https://www.mgm.com/movies/challengers-2023" target="_blank">Challengers Website</a> </b> <b>The film will be released in theaters on April 26th. </b></span></p><p style="color: #0d0d14; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxD2pqLMRqS1l7jpk6RHiprRHHx54tSJEVT6NKLdO2lqZsnHICJEWGfhGMNTMY-XOSq_XGk7lWpHZoD0hkwE5cS0vrAG-fhv8Gm1gStIbC73wkeIXg2zcT_QS5UcyC-yP7kpit50RZJ4OlRmBPcJaI8vfNXumx1sHzsfJ7qxP8iu2Z4noXtzV29lg8_4Of/s1481/Challengers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxD2pqLMRqS1l7jpk6RHiprRHHx54tSJEVT6NKLdO2lqZsnHICJEWGfhGMNTMY-XOSq_XGk7lWpHZoD0hkwE5cS0vrAG-fhv8Gm1gStIbC73wkeIXg2zcT_QS5UcyC-yP7kpit50RZJ4OlRmBPcJaI8vfNXumx1sHzsfJ7qxP8iu2Z4noXtzV29lg8_4Of/w135-h200/Challengers.jpg" width="135" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AXEK7y1BuNQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="AXEK7y1BuNQ"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Until Next Time!</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-63211112176073045642024-03-09T17:42:00.002-05:002024-03-10T23:31:54.171-04:00Mike's Fearless Oscar Picks 2024<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b> </b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQWtBjbqdJDCmLx2zmcAuvVJabdeyeJ0MmmSa3PPDxh3zRb7tFFMy5-f_BjdZ9KXWOcv3FiAWCL6tu2-KOnuBUKS2hnrwgBsUb5_Vyl49zcaBAwWL8hnf3j79kM4y7v10qF-xj3xtwIJrEDo5-6JglgkfvHvpD5QiEaZDW4zKckBwYV-hTSHfP4TL2NsR/s1780/Screenshot%202024-03-09%20at%205.37.41%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="1780" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQWtBjbqdJDCmLx2zmcAuvVJabdeyeJ0MmmSa3PPDxh3zRb7tFFMy5-f_BjdZ9KXWOcv3FiAWCL6tu2-KOnuBUKS2hnrwgBsUb5_Vyl49zcaBAwWL8hnf3j79kM4y7v10qF-xj3xtwIJrEDo5-6JglgkfvHvpD5QiEaZDW4zKckBwYV-hTSHfP4TL2NsR/s320/Screenshot%202024-03-09%20at%205.37.41%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>As always these are who I think are going to win on Sunday night, not who I think should win. If I have a Spoiler listed, it's a film that I think has a chance to win. </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Winners in Green.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Best Picture</b>:<span style="background-color: #04ff00;"> Oppenheimer</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Best Director</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Best Actress</b>: Lily Gladstone - Killers of the Flower Moon <i>Spoiler</i>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Emma Stone - Poor Things</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Best Actor</b>:<span style="background-color: #04ff00;"> Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer</span> <i>Spoiler</i>: Paul Giamatti - The Holdovers</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Best Supporting Actress</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Da’Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Best Supporting Actor</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Robert Downey Jr. - Oppenheimer</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Adapted Screenplay</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Cord Jefferson - American Fiction</span><span style="color: #04ff00;"> </span> <i> Spoiler</i>: Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Original Screenplay</b>:<span style="color: #04ff00;"> </span><span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Justine Triet and Arthur Harari - Anatomy of a Fall </span> <i>Spoiler</i>: David Hemingson - The Holdovers</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Animated Feature Film</b>: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse <i>Spoiler</i>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">The Boy and the Heron</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Documentary Feature Film</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">20 Days in Mariupol</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>International Feature Film</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">The Zone of Interest</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Original Score</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Ludwig Göransson - Oppenheimer</span> <i>Spoiler</i>: Robbie Robertson - Killers of the Flower Moon</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Original Song</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Billie Eilish and Finneas: What Was I Made For? - Barbie</span> <i>Spoiler</i>: Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt: I’m Just Ken - Barbie</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Sound</b>: Oppenheimer <i>Spoiler</i>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">The Zone of Interest</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Makeup and Hairstyling</b>: Maestro <i>Spoiler</i>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Poor Things</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Costume Design</b>: Jacqueline Durra - Barbie <i> Spoiler:</i> <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Holly Waddington - Poor Things</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Cinematography</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Hoyte van Hoytema - Oppenheimer </span> <i>Spoiler</i>: Killers of the Flower Moon</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Production Design</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Poor Things</span> <i> Spoiler</i>: Barbie</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Film Editing</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Jennifer Lane - Oppenheimer</span> <i>Spoiler</i>: Anatomy of a Fall</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Visual Effects</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">Godzilla Minus One</span> <i> Spoiler:</i> The Creator</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Short Subject Documentary</b>:<span style="background-color: #04ff00;"> The Last Repair Shop </span> <i> Spoiler</i>: The ABCs of Book Banning</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Short Subject Live Action</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar</span> <i>Spoiler</i>: Red, White and Blue</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Short Subject Animation</b>: <span style="background-color: #04ff00;">WAR IS OVER! </span> <i>Spoiler</i>: Letter to a Pig</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbpiM0Ao-DWKO2gCm_xFQ_VOaYCgK8VR-xdZVixGz1uw30xYRTiGKF1aD8hoOcDI_OlDXixvbymBEiLLB-yRnLueXW4Le-ZzwTeSq83FUmHoxVXp3KWL92o0Pbbf0ZdhW0-OrFWBJe7HmoU5MHsjAFk984pGt8P5oc4OBr9xJp9t0dQ0Z5b7sJp5xaF5f/s2560/96o_blue-green_tune-in_homepage_revised.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbpiM0Ao-DWKO2gCm_xFQ_VOaYCgK8VR-xdZVixGz1uw30xYRTiGKF1aD8hoOcDI_OlDXixvbymBEiLLB-yRnLueXW4Le-ZzwTeSq83FUmHoxVXp3KWL92o0Pbbf0ZdhW0-OrFWBJe7HmoU5MHsjAFk984pGt8P5oc4OBr9xJp9t0dQ0Z5b7sJp5xaF5f/s320/96o_blue-green_tune-in_homepage_revised.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-58871316301313278222024-03-08T00:30:00.005-05:002024-03-08T19:59:57.453-05:00Kung Fu Panda 4<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbX2ubBSbNLTa2hOono4BEXIVJrmPe2G8mAYoQ0LRdb-SvONLFdbJBjHUYtPeELScsgSHrAH00SA7tPrgpHTOEU_EEnrjp_sU0zSOfiUSz6tp5dxZOJt15ystzUo9Nco5DvqJaH04KgRYmw_AwYlTdrWLm_mAXIrSKVN_cM4r0MIx9gqOrukF7VgTJNJcz/s1583/Kung%20Fu%20Panda%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1583" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbX2ubBSbNLTa2hOono4BEXIVJrmPe2G8mAYoQ0LRdb-SvONLFdbJBjHUYtPeELScsgSHrAH00SA7tPrgpHTOEU_EEnrjp_sU0zSOfiUSz6tp5dxZOJt15ystzUo9Nco5DvqJaH04KgRYmw_AwYlTdrWLm_mAXIrSKVN_cM4r0MIx9gqOrukF7VgTJNJcz/s320/Kung%20Fu%20Panda%204.jpg" width="202" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Familyfaire</b>: <u>Kung Fu Panda 4</u> (2024) <i>PG </i> Po (voiced by Jack Black) has been picked to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, meaning he must find a new Dragon Warrior. Meanwhile, a wicked sorceress plans to re-summon all the master villains Po had vanquished and get her revenge. I’m not a huge fan of the Kung Fu Panda films and this is probably the weakest of the bunch. Po is on his own this time with the exception of a new sidekick, a fox named Zhen (voiced by Awkwafina), who is a thief who tags along with Po on his latest adventure. The kids will enjoy all the colorful action sequences but the adults are going to be very bored by the constant attempt to make a joke or two or three. The pacing seems off and I think the film misses all the Kung Fu masters that Po is used to dealing with. So fans of the big Panda will probably enjoy the film but the rest of us, it’s a miss with that round house kick, even with the ‘skadoosh’ finish. <b>My Rating: Cable</b> <b> </b><a href="https://www.dreamworks.com/movies/kung-fu-panda-4" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Kung Fu Panda 4 Website</a><b> Now playing in theatres nationwide. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLCch5kafEqlf9mqScCQzJZBZCan6_61_zn88CYtYnW6qn07rZ2YPh5OUnhPNvkHeN8m9sxX8WCvzISkVze3zDWuAbCR_ziFmfUG_3MaImUKnDmLWdjrqwSljqdHHQ3wkuH1xH5rAo37bakrlGeWd1b-N-gQKjadypl27q1kFb0kBDeC_DVTj3PFm3Q6q/s2880/Ricky%20Stanicky.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="1944" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLCch5kafEqlf9mqScCQzJZBZCan6_61_zn88CYtYnW6qn07rZ2YPh5OUnhPNvkHeN8m9sxX8WCvzISkVze3zDWuAbCR_ziFmfUG_3MaImUKnDmLWdjrqwSljqdHHQ3wkuH1xH5rAo37bakrlGeWd1b-N-gQKjadypl27q1kFb0kBDeC_DVTj3PFm3Q6q/w135-h200/Ricky%20Stanicky.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Ricky Stanicky </u>(2024) <i>R </i> <u>Ricky Stanicky</u> is about three best friends who, when they were kids, invented the imaginary Ricky Stanicky as a handy alibi to get them out of trouble. Now, as adults, the three (Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, and Jermaine Fowler) continue using the nonexistent Ricky anytime they need to get out of immature behavior. Unfortunately, their friends and spouses have grown suspicious of Ricky and demand to meet him. So, the three hire a washed-up actor (John Cena) to play the part of Ricky. What could go wrong? Well, a lot, and I’m not talking about the plot but the overall mess of this film. If you think John Cena dressed as Boy George and singing a song about masturbation is funny, then you will enjoy this film. I don’t, hating this film almost from the first appearance of Cena. John Cena has a talent for comedy, but this film always goes for the low bar, with the easy, crass joke. I also have a problem with three guys always lying to their significant others so they can have a good time without their ‘loved ones.’ I think I laughed once, and it may have been laughing at how many weird little cut-downs on pop culture the film enjoys doing for no reason at all. As expected, the film’s plot goes from stupid to incredibly stupid, where we are asked to believe way too much that would never happen, even in a bad movie. And yes, this is one. <b>My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See It Again. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ricky-Stanicky-Zac-Efron/dp/B0CQD4JZ2D" target="_blank">Rickey Stanicky Website</a> Now playing on Prime Video. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v4KUiexsvfkaRtKQ7OI9Jz1Ixlgr9mKqYgnHLAilJjBWP_sfUr8PPG075tfdivVj3VjEuAtMjtf1Fm5m9-4vgRE2waXYOgfhwGrIdmOaOPi0zdd90mJJpoq8Nh_1dOed3kZBBnjhinoPcfBVMjX3BnXzfc-4BqqkGhNKhOEaGBKGkmH-iC1kUEJjxAdy/s1481/Damsel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v4KUiexsvfkaRtKQ7OI9Jz1Ixlgr9mKqYgnHLAilJjBWP_sfUr8PPG075tfdivVj3VjEuAtMjtf1Fm5m9-4vgRE2waXYOgfhwGrIdmOaOPi0zdd90mJJpoq8Nh_1dOed3kZBBnjhinoPcfBVMjX3BnXzfc-4BqqkGhNKhOEaGBKGkmH-iC1kUEJjxAdy/w135-h200/Damsel.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>:<u> Damsel </u>(2024) <i>PG-13 </i> Elodie (Millie Bobby Brown), a young noblewoman, has agreed to marry a handsome prince. Elodie discovers that the marriage has only happened so that she can be sacrificed to repay an ancient debt. Elodie is now trapped in a deep cave with a dragon bent on killing her. She will need all her strength and wits to survive and get out to get her revenge. I have become a fan of Millie Bobby Brown, enjoying her work on <u>Stranger Things </u>and the <u>Enola Holmes</u> films, so I was looking forward to this film of Brown’s character taking on a dragon. After a lengthy setup of how bad Elodie’s kingdom is doing and how the new kingdom she is marrying into is right out of a fairy-tale, the film takes a turn where it's a cat-and-mouse game of Elodie evading the dragon. And keeps evading the dragon. I am guessing half the film is about the trials that Elodie goes through in the caves with the dragon (who talks, by the way). From her work in <u>Enola Holmes</u> and <u>Stranger Things,</u> we know that Brown can hold her own in action sequences, but all she does is a lot of falling, running, and crying out. It’s not until the last 15 minutes of the film that we get Elodie actually taking on the dragon, with an ending that is too quick and too much of a letdown. That revenge I mentioned earlier in the review is over in the blink of an eye. Even if it is still a large dragon eye, it’s still a blink. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80991090/" target="_blank">Damsel Website</a> Now playing on the Netflix platform. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXE-W2P2zLlGEKTnReLWoWemIWusgdT2LVrQ7MIi_rF2MTBEXOeTozRKkc65eXxKibXjdjooW8zZcX19gJvbb5Tic6Hi59AKgArc9566CZTnUbYGLzsWB3nEebSF-i_ggEADu_cUMlbJjCqhoHzaW8a-E4AiX_T3gz1X9Gr40zl71D5X2SmiL2ezw63Xhy/s1535/Imaginary.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXE-W2P2zLlGEKTnReLWoWemIWusgdT2LVrQ7MIi_rF2MTBEXOeTozRKkc65eXxKibXjdjooW8zZcX19gJvbb5Tic6Hi59AKgArc9566CZTnUbYGLzsWB3nEebSF-i_ggEADu_cUMlbJjCqhoHzaW8a-E4AiX_T3gz1X9Gr40zl71D5X2SmiL2ezw63Xhy/w130-h200/Imaginary.jpg" width="130" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Imaginary</u> (2024) <i>PG-13 </i> Jessica (DeWanda Wise) has returned to her childhood home with her daughters. Jessica is shocked when she discovers that the imaginary friend she left behind is very real and is targeting Jessica’s youngest daughter because he is unhappy that she abandoned him so long ago. Imaginary is a fun, but not any sense, great or even really good horror film. There are too many ‘jump out of the dark’ scares in the film's first half, but the second half makes up for that a bit with some nice twists and turns and a few horrifying moments. Still, it's a fun premise to have an imaginary friend who isn't so friendly when you get to know them better. I am a fan of Betty Buckley, but she is wasted in a role that brings some of the film down with a couple of downright silly plot twists.<u> Imaginary</u> is one of those movies you see just because you're in the mood for a horror film, not because you think it will be great, but because you can have fun with it. I mean, a stuffed bear with a really creepy song that plays when you pull his string has to be a little evil, right? <b>My Rating: Cable</b> <b> <a href="https://www.imaginary.movie" target="_blank">Imaginary Website</a></b> <b> Now playing in theaters. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3u7PrF7I0CvpbApeDRxRM39z95S1Tyiq9G7zoR8Nmeb8UupGnAlBdcFDxL8Zimplv7CfKxUm-jyIqP8eqckK4LHW6A-t_wutyvYHzuLk0zb0QMF7mpdRhZYAMDLk9Jp-Ujxdx7WAMLRTw9UBblMSdSHxcdBqh2FaJugzg1CXCy_r_Ig3KpcxeIwePjXR/s851/House%20of%20Games.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="565" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3u7PrF7I0CvpbApeDRxRM39z95S1Tyiq9G7zoR8Nmeb8UupGnAlBdcFDxL8Zimplv7CfKxUm-jyIqP8eqckK4LHW6A-t_wutyvYHzuLk0zb0QMF7mpdRhZYAMDLk9Jp-Ujxdx7WAMLRTw9UBblMSdSHxcdBqh2FaJugzg1CXCy_r_Ig3KpcxeIwePjXR/w133-h200/House%20of%20Games.png" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>House of Games</u> (1997) <i>R </i> A psychologist, Margaret (Lindsay Crouse), wants to help a patient escape a gambling debt. She visits a bar where Mike (Joe Mantegna) runs a poker game. Mike convinces her he will forgive the debt if she helps him look for ‘tells’ in the gamblers to get an edge in the game. What seems to be an easy way out becomes much more complex. <u>House of Games</u> is a film by David Mamet (<u>The Verdict</u> (1983), <u>Glengarry Glen Ross</u> (1993), and <u>Wag the Dog</u> (1998)) about con artists and gamblers. It’s how there is always one more con in the game, and nothing is as it seems. I love the dialogue in this film, and the appearance of one of the greatest magicians/con men of all time in real life, Ricky Jay, as the Vegas man. Jay was also a consultant on the film and helped with staging all the con jobs in the movie. It’s a fascinating film with plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested till the end. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093223/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_house%2520of%2520games" target="_blank">House of Games Info</a> The film is available on multiple streaming services. </b></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Ricky Stanicky</u>: Dog/Duck Trainer</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Immaculate</u> (2024) <i>R</i> Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney) is a woman who believes that God has a plan for her. Cecilia is warmly welcomed to her new convent with open arms. But it becomes clear to Cecilia that the convent is not what it appears to be, harboring dark and horrifying secrets. Sydney Sweeney is having a good run in her career, with her breakout role on <u>The Handmaid’s Tale</u>, getting Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV series <u>The White Lotus</u> and <u>Euphoria</u>, and a hit in the rom-com <u>Anyone But You</u>. Now, let's see what she can do, headlining a horror film. <b><a href="https://neonrated.com/films/immaculate" target="_blank">Immaculate Website</a> In theaters March 22nd. </b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWft45JeuBVRM4DOvu8cil1XwrvyF7S_ny4PqWFyNrfU1AMLkOdocYr21Dv2ZE3cFafI0B0ad9iDfO-LVCpclcrr1VNb57i4Au_OWabekV9v12OnVOC95qmJVrI5JW4iYpuC06i2bHmso093C5GcckkvalNItKHE-W_PvHngTE9b2sxDkM8I3xl8iZgjHU/s799/Immaculate.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="508" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWft45JeuBVRM4DOvu8cil1XwrvyF7S_ny4PqWFyNrfU1AMLkOdocYr21Dv2ZE3cFafI0B0ad9iDfO-LVCpclcrr1VNb57i4Au_OWabekV9v12OnVOC95qmJVrI5JW4iYpuC06i2bHmso093C5GcckkvalNItKHE-W_PvHngTE9b2sxDkM8I3xl8iZgjHU/w127-h200/Immaculate.png" width="127" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/11gb7q1tosI" width="320" youtube-src-id="11gb7q1tosI"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Until Next Time!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-16037256154974597692024-03-01T00:30:00.001-05:002024-03-01T00:30:00.128-05:00Dune: Part Two<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJFHlok9XhfU_H1gjWoDwelAyDtYNzOCDyOkVVJA7K69A_7QCtmWkofJAR3zjnAAgYwFnQjYo41B-xtReimJ5cyhs1Nxj_LJoFDZgbh_k-2R0qKH_45s7axYEmWxFyO9gvcwrs_yY_vBrbH2wmZHcW51iN2MtfaHO2OVMhkEqz1LcQFhWlLyR6dpAm8DC/s4096/Dune%20Part%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2764" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJFHlok9XhfU_H1gjWoDwelAyDtYNzOCDyOkVVJA7K69A_7QCtmWkofJAR3zjnAAgYwFnQjYo41B-xtReimJ5cyhs1Nxj_LJoFDZgbh_k-2R0qKH_45s7axYEmWxFyO9gvcwrs_yY_vBrbH2wmZHcW51iN2MtfaHO2OVMhkEqz1LcQFhWlLyR6dpAm8DC/s320/Dune%20Part%202.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Dune: Part Two</u> (2024) <i>PG-13</i> Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) has found love in Chani (Zendaya) and has the Fremen on his side in getting revenge against the conspirators who murdered his family. Paul may have to choose between love and the universe’s fate as he endeavors to prevent a horrible future only he can foresee. Dune by Frank Herbert was one of those books read by ten-year-old Mike that made me love science fiction. It was a magical ride to a world where a hero rode giant sandworms and battled to save a people from a horrible government. I read it thinking that this will never be a movie. Well, David Lynch tried in the 80s and failed, with a performance by Sting that still gives me nightmares. A couple of TV series also tried. Even a crazy director in Alejandro Jodorowsky attempted to make one, but it never got off the planning stage. Now Denis Villeneuve has brought us <u>Dune</u> in 2021, and now, <u>Dune: Part Two</u>, and to my surprise and the joy of the 10-year-old Mike inside me, he has succeeded. I loved the first film, though I did have a complaint that the film didn’t emphasize enough in the movie about the prophecy of a Messiah coming to save a people. Well, in Part Two, the film is basically about that prophecy and how it haunts Paul. It’s a future that he doesn’t want to happen, but as the story goes along, he realizes he will have to face the fact that it is his one and true path. The film has some outstanding performances, with Chalamet leading the bunch. He is perfect as the man/boy who proves at every turn that he is the person who will save the planet. Chalamet has the charisma and the charm that makes you believe he could lead a people to do the impossible. Zendaya is wonderful as Chani, the woman who, against her better instincts, falls for Paul, even though she is sure that he isn’t the messiah that everyone thinks he is. I loved Dave Batista as the villain who believes his brute force will win every battle. I don’t think there are a lot of big men (looking at you, The Rock) that could do this role with all its twists and turns. And then we have Austin Butler, as the main villain in this film, Feyd-Rautha. He gives us a bad guy to root against who doesn’t care who he hurts or destroys. It’s an over-the-top performance needed for the part he plays, and he is brilliant in it. The film does not feel at all it's 2 hours and 46 minutes length, with the action sequences filling the screen with incredible battles. Please see this film in a theatre, on as big a screen as possible, so you can be overwhelmed like I was with the spectacle of Dune: Part Two. <b> My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.dunemovie.com" target="_blank">Dune: Part Two Website </a> Now playing in theatres nationwide. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCRQCfoFe3x7vwzaPOAH5V1IPXZiqqFnxyHOT5uymZJ6yRHObWV8o_8KdrrfwUeGg5HUTjB4NQB8htzS__AS3vtklbBmeO26pdWNFrEP-czzZhUb1dcTFRYQXDJ4rv0InCDQQ2iV5E-cHGVZjfGMy561376dYLsiFEe7E1ylRtEkE3gE0h1aE0bukjRCP/s1350/Spaceman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCRQCfoFe3x7vwzaPOAH5V1IPXZiqqFnxyHOT5uymZJ6yRHObWV8o_8KdrrfwUeGg5HUTjB4NQB8htzS__AS3vtklbBmeO26pdWNFrEP-czzZhUb1dcTFRYQXDJ4rv0InCDQQ2iV5E-cHGVZjfGMy561376dYLsiFEe7E1ylRtEkE3gE0h1aE0bukjRCP/s320/Spaceman.jpg" width="256" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>:<u> Spaceman</u> (2024) <i>R</i> Jakub Procházka (Adam Sandler) is the first astronaut from Czechoslovakia. He has been isolated in space for six months on a mission to reach a mysterious cluster of space dust. He desperately misses his wife (Carey Mulligan) and begins obsessing over his marriage when he is given an opportunity to see her again. Is this real or all in his mind? I like and admire when Adam Sandler does dramas instead of his Hey, let's make a comedy with my buddies in a vacation spot type of film. My guess is that most people who see this film on Netflix are hoping for some levity in the drama but there isn’t any in this drab film about a man who is on a solo mission and reflects on his life and how he has treated his wife, who is left behind on Earth while she is pregnant. Almost right from the start, the film pushes the boundaries of whether what Jakub is experiencing is real or all in his mind. The film tries and fails to explore themes like loneliness and selfishness, with Jakub slowly realizing the mistakes he has made in his relationship with his wife. By about halfway through, I was bored with the concept and wanted the film to have even a little bit of conflict or action. However, it never arrived, leaving me lost in space. <b> My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81301595/" target="_blank">Spaceman Website</a> Now playing on Netflix</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-OyrB6b9Yo36dxbhGEeF6gKHqwCoSxcaXuhwfnshmbboh-Kkn2bjsLG2BTRBHVYuVpfRUZ7xQtURKIVpXMDDuBKRMKOUQJVO0ur1A2yqX78rRWKmmLDWYYu82JdUIHSfMPS4zMXS2yQPYfsg56SwYHg9qEeGh4L-t7skTUHrjTHDrP50OXA-z4g6za9e/s4868/Outlaw%20Posse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4868" data-original-width="3286" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv-OyrB6b9Yo36dxbhGEeF6gKHqwCoSxcaXuhwfnshmbboh-Kkn2bjsLG2BTRBHVYuVpfRUZ7xQtURKIVpXMDDuBKRMKOUQJVO0ur1A2yqX78rRWKmmLDWYYu82JdUIHSfMPS4zMXS2yQPYfsg56SwYHg9qEeGh4L-t7skTUHrjTHDrP50OXA-z4g6za9e/w135-h200/Outlaw%20Posse.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Outlaw Posse</u> (2024) R Chief (Mario Van Peebles) has returned from years of hiding in Mexico to gather a group of outcasts to reclaim stolen gold from the Civil War. It’s a harsh and unfair world, but Chief plans on righting a few wrongs. <u>Outlaw Posse</u> is a film that seems to be made so that Mario Van Peebles could make a western with his son, Mandela Van Peebles, and bring in some fellow actor friends to make cameo appearances to make the film seem filled with stars. Unfortunately, this is a poorly written film with plot holes so badly dealt with that they give you whiplash as the movie jumps around from one concept to another. It’s a film that tries to do too much and give us speeches while almost nothing happens that couldn’t happen in the film's first fifteen minutes. Added to the mess is a villain that seems to be right out of a 60s comic book, played by William Mapother, who chews up scenery like it is going out of style. I love Westerns, but this one is just like Chief continually firing his six-shooters. It’s just shooting blanks. <b> My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again <a href="https://www.quiverdistribution.com/films/upcoming/outlaw-posse/" target="_blank">Outlaw Posse Website</a> Now Playing in theatres. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqVdUztaNnkCjCNmnN9Xxit3m_ot5HFJ-Yccn4-de36YGqXPInmsnfbIXfqKvZ_2DA32DwzYswTt0HGsYv75fuViLiL7JAA4OIguNKQbFLCiOddKIbCeHsgU5RG5J6KhZlk1_Ltg4b0X6eXd_25_jTq5tyA51UPCxl9DjyrL-REna66Ed-iENpAa75Afx/s1600/Asleep%20in%20My%20Palm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqVdUztaNnkCjCNmnN9Xxit3m_ot5HFJ-Yccn4-de36YGqXPInmsnfbIXfqKvZ_2DA32DwzYswTt0HGsYv75fuViLiL7JAA4OIguNKQbFLCiOddKIbCeHsgU5RG5J6KhZlk1_Ltg4b0X6eXd_25_jTq5tyA51UPCxl9DjyrL-REna66Ed-iENpAa75Afx/w150-h200/Asleep%20in%20My%20Palm.jpg" width="150" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Asleep in My Palm </u>(2023) A father (Tim Blake Nelson) and his daughter (Chloe Kerwin) are living in a storage shed off the grid in rural Ohio, where they hustle to stay alive each day. The problem is the father is hiding from his violent past, and his daughter is no longer a little girl who can accept everything her father tells her. <u>Asleep in My Palm</u> is a small independent film that does exactly what you want it to do: explore characters in an up-close and personal way. The reason to see this film is Chloe Kerwin, who plays the daughter who lives with a father who has raised her off the grid, living in a storage shed and stealing to make ends meet. The problem is that the daughter is growing up, wanting to see what more is out in the world and by her pushing the boundaries, it means that they could be discovered. Chloe Kerwin gives us a magical performance by a young woman who provides us with a character who is much older in smarts and experience than her age. As always, Tim Blake Nelson provides us with a character that is interesting to watch, one who loves his daughter but doesn’t want things to change. The film, directed by Time Blake Nelson’s son, Henry Nelson, lets us see a world we never knew was there because the people who live in it don’t want us to see them. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://strikebackstudios.com/asleep-in-my-palm/" target="_blank">Asleep in My Palm Website</a> Now playing in theatres</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h-InLl8eedGnyxU1V-TaHkLXvVh_Bjj1DvEvSPrXrY5MRuWdIEhMOIyN3Zk79uyMOwJj9ReWVqmPZATyrZIEixlX5XlMTLdCC-AnMrVl0FqoEoBYDn2GNXahQxKXKgj-vcF49WsxI-60gpGfoLDLJ6Vd4kDEuf6LoDMCGG6jzt3qujKnb1Mdh745CJGV/s838/find%20me%20guilty.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="564" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h-InLl8eedGnyxU1V-TaHkLXvVh_Bjj1DvEvSPrXrY5MRuWdIEhMOIyN3Zk79uyMOwJj9ReWVqmPZATyrZIEixlX5XlMTLdCC-AnMrVl0FqoEoBYDn2GNXahQxKXKgj-vcF49WsxI-60gpGfoLDLJ6Vd4kDEuf6LoDMCGG6jzt3qujKnb1Mdh745CJGV/w134-h200/find%20me%20guilty.png" width="134" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>Find Me Guilty</u> (2006) <i>R</i> Jackie DiNorscio (Vin Diesel) is a career mobster once shot four times by his cousin. Jackie is arrested and sentenced to thirty years in person for selling drugs. His crime family, the Lucchese mob, is up on charges, and Jackie is part of the trial. Jackie decides to defend himself in what becomes the longest criminal trial in history. 5-time Academy Award nominee Sidney Lumet, known for his movies 12 Angry Men (1957) and Serpico (1973), wrote and directed the film. Vin Diesel is a lot of fun as the wisecracking and loyal Jackie, who thinks he can do a better job than any lawyer can do. Diesel was hot off his roles in <u>The Fast and the Furious</u>, <u>XXX</u>, and<u> The Chronicles of Riddick</u> when he made this film, and it took me a little while to realize who it was (he wears a wig and prosthetic nose). This film is a fascinating look at a court trial system that has gone off the rails, with a supporting cast that includes Ron Silver, Annabella Sciorra, Peter Dinklage, and Alex Rocco. Find Me Guilty isn’t a great film, but it’s a fun performance by Diesel, and there are some wonderful and sometimes powerful scenes, including a brilliant scene between Diesel and Annabella Sciorra, who plays Jackie’s wife, that shows us the dynamic that made up their relationship. And by the way, the film is based on a true story, and the real Jackie hand-picked Vin Diesel to play him in the movie. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419749/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_find%2520me%2520gu" target="_blank">Find Me Guilty Info</a> The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon and Apple TV. </b></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of<u> Dune: Part Two</u>: Tube Rigger</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>:<u> I Saw the TV Glow </u>(2024) <i>PG-13</i> Two teenagers (Justice Smith and Brighter Lundy-Paine) bond over a TV show called The Pink Opaque. As their bond grows, things start getting weird. I feel that my description of the film is off a bit because of the buzz it has gotten having just played at Sundance. It’s defiantly a film to keep on the lookout for. <b><a href="https://a24films.com/films/i-saw-the-tv-glow" target="_blank">I Saw The TV Glow Website</a> In theatres in early May. </b></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlfeXjEQB5CGDflyqOF028HGvni6yvNgqyzhmRwb7jN15CKXBGXbxe9yhQxVC3iBUQ10DWTPr8TL5M_x-U8CgA9gDzLRzgmSDpkf1zrXcLbjY0da5s_ZsPQdiXM7NeyEWy3rWwSshdhwZvvYUBQ8pCFrDY5nCgSNwf8wdkxqxdccEw8uAL9U_domziKMe/s1096/I%20Saw%20The%20TV%20Glow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="740" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlfeXjEQB5CGDflyqOF028HGvni6yvNgqyzhmRwb7jN15CKXBGXbxe9yhQxVC3iBUQ10DWTPr8TL5M_x-U8CgA9gDzLRzgmSDpkf1zrXcLbjY0da5s_ZsPQdiXM7NeyEWy3rWwSshdhwZvvYUBQ8pCFrDY5nCgSNwf8wdkxqxdccEw8uAL9U_domziKMe/w135-h200/I%20Saw%20The%20TV%20Glow.jpg" width="135" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kymDzCgPwj0" width="320" youtube-src-id="kymDzCgPwj0"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Until Next Time!</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-55106078878289395602024-02-23T00:30:00.001-05:002024-02-23T00:30:00.250-05:00Drive-Away Dolls<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66iL00PBc8qrjytPod0O82DmGk2HQJU8zq1fmPgizWPbCQz4v2FadXGleqChqZVbuunAPuWlgXQ2d9I-WUg8l9AMpQN836_lGZr4nYBxmRDORoCOOxKCdHtG6aPDB4jPP0MWum-NY9X506eoUrZE6qMyXo4-BFcttyC_AvuR5Hfbw2s2baqtmly7ulXLG/s2880/Drive-Away%20Dolls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="1944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66iL00PBc8qrjytPod0O82DmGk2HQJU8zq1fmPgizWPbCQz4v2FadXGleqChqZVbuunAPuWlgXQ2d9I-WUg8l9AMpQN836_lGZr4nYBxmRDORoCOOxKCdHtG6aPDB4jPP0MWum-NY9X506eoUrZE6qMyXo4-BFcttyC_AvuR5Hfbw2s2baqtmly7ulXLG/w216-h320/Drive-Away%20Dolls.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Drive-Away Dolls</u> (2024) <i>R</i> Jamie (Margaret Qualley) regrets her breakup with her girlfriend and needs to get away to forget her troubles. Her best friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) just wants to get away. The two embark on a road trip to Tallahassee in search of a fresh start. They rent a car intended for a group of inept criminals, and now the chase is on, but the girls don’t know that. I am a huge fan of the Coen brothers movies, especially <u>Fargo</u>. So I was excited when I saw the trailer for this film. Boy, was I disappointed. I wanted this film to end almost as soon as it started. It feels as if it is half a film (maybe brother Joel has the rest of the plot) with storylines that seem to end without any result, characters talking on and on without any rhyme or reason, and an ending that felt too easy. The film is full of stunt casting, so be warned that some actors are on screen for just a few moments. There isn’t a lot of heart in this film, and it feels almost like a parody of the sex romp films of the 80s with a lesbian slant, but that would be giving it too much credit. <b> My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.focusfeatures.com/drive-away-dolls-tickets" target="_blank">Drive-Away Dolls Website</a> Now playing in theaters.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBp0Wzq7RVdU89l68xPvofVtfS-cHoek-BzNkfopoqIGFZsgRbbuJ2KoU7rqdUcME9A_4WGJxsEcRss5LYVclTX4m6JHORemk_K8TmTMUP4UPd0JQmobPTZOdX_RrH2snGfXyHtVMOhuwgbJieZaWbzNR_CH66CNSwYTfHtMeVd_u8BNeTfr9Nn5MlZD_H/s1500/Ordinary%20Angels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBp0Wzq7RVdU89l68xPvofVtfS-cHoek-BzNkfopoqIGFZsgRbbuJ2KoU7rqdUcME9A_4WGJxsEcRss5LYVclTX4m6JHORemk_K8TmTMUP4UPd0JQmobPTZOdX_RrH2snGfXyHtVMOhuwgbJieZaWbzNR_CH66CNSwYTfHtMeVd_u8BNeTfr9Nn5MlZD_H/w133-h200/Ordinary%20Angels.jpg" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Ordinary Angels</u> (2024) <i>PG</i> Sharon (Hilary Swank) is a hairdresser known for getting involved in people’s lives. She finds out about a critically ill young girl whose widowed father, Ed (Alan Ritchson), is in over his head trying to get her treatment. Sharon does what she does best and single-handedly rallies an entire community to help pay for an operation. It will take a miracle, but that’s what Sharon does. <u>Ordinary Angels</u> is a touching story with a bit of Christian overtones that gets a little schmaltzy at times but works because of the message that if we work together and show some human kindness, miracles can happen. Swank has fun as the heart-of-gold hairdresser who has a troubled past and wants to right a few wrongs, primarily through her ability to talk anybody into anything. There are plenty of tears along the way, but it’s a story that loves a good miracle or two. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://ordinaryangels.movie" target="_blank">Ordinary Angels Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19JsMJqBOM7p9RR5gfSDNJ0Md4gqTPBHR351-GqpRkjYreu-RLlcQPUMJ7h73W8j_Oaco4_4KOEywCmtRFdHGLAUWRsNsDZzuVu1ibcXmmysmaPDZjUCsm7iBEARzn5UW9U574-xc7PsiRiHBw75MRC0hQIoIbj5hNCs01inrEN_WMA5XHS5bArxeH6We/s2400/lo%20Capitano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1625" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19JsMJqBOM7p9RR5gfSDNJ0Md4gqTPBHR351-GqpRkjYreu-RLlcQPUMJ7h73W8j_Oaco4_4KOEywCmtRFdHGLAUWRsNsDZzuVu1ibcXmmysmaPDZjUCsm7iBEARzn5UW9U574-xc7PsiRiHBw75MRC0hQIoIbj5hNCs01inrEN_WMA5XHS5bArxeH6We/w136-h200/lo%20Capitano.jpg" width="136" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>lo Capitano</u> (2023) <u>lo Capitano</u> is about two teenage boys, Seydou (Seydou Sarr) and Moussa (Moustapha Fall), who leave Dakar in Senegal to go on an epic journey to the greener pastures of Europe. Little do the young men know the hardships and dangers they will encounter along the way. This powerful film takes you on an unbelievable journey of two boys who are forced to become men along the way. <u>lo Capitano</u> is a film that treats its characters with tenderness as they endure horrific times. You are given insight into why the two boys want to go to Europe, but you also see why, once they have left, they miss their families and home. Seydou Sarr gives an incredible performance as a young man who is good at heart, loves his best friend, and is horrified at what he has to deal with and endure. It’s a brilliant performance that hits you in the gut and keeps punching because that's how bad this journey of two teen boys trying to find a better life.<u> lo Capitano</u> is a film about dreams and the journeys we travel to make them come true, no matter the hardship. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.iocapitano.com" target="_blank">lo Capitano Website</a> Now playing in theaters. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0A4p2Gj0rVucJnGQBzS8H97kmEBMHeSRr1Vi0zYWSFGBW6AWR9evz4etDFs14MgwsFvjyK4fO-3RfPgFxvRPHhZ9DMFcCrEuO8sMxOBjSNQT6VaDoY6c-wESxC0VbIFa96SuqkYh3gJ89afdNyLb92TXliZWC1JMI7c0qrhP4SLb3MUmeqPJZEhr5HIUx/s1469/Stopmotion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1469" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0A4p2Gj0rVucJnGQBzS8H97kmEBMHeSRr1Vi0zYWSFGBW6AWR9evz4etDFs14MgwsFvjyK4fO-3RfPgFxvRPHhZ9DMFcCrEuO8sMxOBjSNQT6VaDoY6c-wESxC0VbIFa96SuqkYh3gJ89afdNyLb92TXliZWC1JMI7c0qrhP4SLb3MUmeqPJZEhr5HIUx/w136-h200/Stopmotion.jpg" width="136" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Stopmotion</u> (2023) <i>R</i> <u>Stopmotion</u> is the story of Ella (Aisling Franciosi), a stop-motion animator working under the demanding, legendary animator Suzanne (Stella Gonet), who happens to be her mother. When her mother dies, Ella hopes to finally make the films she has always dreamed of. Unfortunately, those dreams may become nightmares when a character she is filming suddenly comes to life. I am a huge fan of stop-motion animation, and this film is packed with incredibly creepy and scary animation. Ella is a frustrated animator who has lived under the shadow and thumb of her mother. When Ella finally starts working on her own creation, it’s actually a story from a neighborhood kid that takes a life of its own. Stopmotion is a story of a woman who doesn’t know what is real and what is made up. The storyline is a little light, but the melding of stop-motion animation with live-action makes this horror film stand out and gives you plenty of scares. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.ifcfilms.com/films/stopmotion" target="_blank">Stopmotion website</a> Now playing in theaters. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6AYrnFJVbFxadhg6dJKMNRM9zGi8ThNTXja_BKPKbhIW5sET-cB8x2XmPJpVY3uR2rGpE7Nn2L_DNPKjDcRfPode9cbs6gdLMK5WhyphenhyphenbF3cjaNWSGytpYFzM4s5KshFSPkBNnWDA9zKj8L6Rod4pVVQeHnIsRvOiTl_OTx6ZpqPx9EMJvG2Mw3BQ07YEQ/s794/Heartaches.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="515" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6AYrnFJVbFxadhg6dJKMNRM9zGi8ThNTXja_BKPKbhIW5sET-cB8x2XmPJpVY3uR2rGpE7Nn2L_DNPKjDcRfPode9cbs6gdLMK5WhyphenhyphenbF3cjaNWSGytpYFzM4s5KshFSPkBNnWDA9zKj8L6Rod4pVVQeHnIsRvOiTl_OTx6ZpqPx9EMJvG2Mw3BQ07YEQ/w130-h200/Heartaches.png" width="130" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>Heartaches</u> (1981) <i>R</i> A young wife (Annie Potts) is pregnant, and she doesn’t want to tell her husband (Robert Carradine) because of one little problem: it’s not his. So she leaves home to get an abortion and meets up with Rita (Margot Kidder). Though the two are opposites, they decide to pair up and soon find they have much more in common than they realize. While not a great movie, the performances of Margot Kidder and especially Annie Potts make this film worth watching. While Kidder’s character is the more outrageous, Potts dominates the film as a woman who has finally realized that she is far more capable than her worthless husband ever lets her be. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082506/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_heartaches" target="_blank">Heartaches Info</a></b></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Drive-Away Dolls</u>: Chief of Zoss</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire</u> (2024) The Spengler family has returned to where it all began, the iconic New York City firehouse, to team up with some of the original Ghostbusters. Their mission is to stop an evil force unleashed by an ancient artifact that threatens to turn the world into a second Ice Age. This is the first movie in the Ghostbusters franchise that the late Ivan Reitman won’t be involved in. The film was going to be a Christmas release but was delayed by the actor and writer’s strikes. <b> <a href="https://www.ghostbusters.com" target="_blank">Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Website</a> The film is out on Friday, March 22nd. </b></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93WSUslFxK7oRqGbUy5-sbgAMA1D-V1E1XAV3uWt2PG9Z6NjqZH7cZOB5DlP8tnmvXsKFRULo434xcXzAMcq6oXw29_ZoId4xMKzBFK7oy3IlKhYl0EI6OVTAdZLQIuO1TC-2PLNKlnYxIMo-ylSsFB-AnPaWCKybRysNgtJkIPjIkU-mL8HSDYtmEetB/s847/Ghostbusters:%20Frozen%20Empire.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="568" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93WSUslFxK7oRqGbUy5-sbgAMA1D-V1E1XAV3uWt2PG9Z6NjqZH7cZOB5DlP8tnmvXsKFRULo434xcXzAMcq6oXw29_ZoId4xMKzBFK7oy3IlKhYl0EI6OVTAdZLQIuO1TC-2PLNKlnYxIMo-ylSsFB-AnPaWCKybRysNgtJkIPjIkU-mL8HSDYtmEetB/w134-h200/Ghostbusters:%20Frozen%20Empire.png" width="134" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6hjlyknlTaw" width="320" youtube-src-id="6hjlyknlTaw"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Until Next Time!</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-88605431330149752022024-02-14T17:48:00.002-05:002024-02-15T22:07:14.948-05:00Madame Web<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpl-R6ycnYa11QRfI6z0RhHmmrIJxN_2rWazPUgu97P-qQMHUdptPA6Ui_przQBvSlL8BH9AZtrYkusU5zMpy1wMGO1q0jbY80ZrmocSPCRXelwzGFIrrDfCaw1Uikrkucn3MHn6S3Z6eAgWStNNWKIHVq9WAkJHl-7ir_lFg0D5VhyphenhyphenHUau1uzzpOMdIN1/s1500/Madame%20Web%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpl-R6ycnYa11QRfI6z0RhHmmrIJxN_2rWazPUgu97P-qQMHUdptPA6Ui_przQBvSlL8BH9AZtrYkusU5zMpy1wMGO1q0jbY80ZrmocSPCRXelwzGFIrrDfCaw1Uikrkucn3MHn6S3Z6eAgWStNNWKIHVq9WAkJHl-7ir_lFg0D5VhyphenhyphenHUau1uzzpOMdIN1/s320/Madame%20Web%20poster.jpg" width="213" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Madame Web</u> (2024) <i>PG-13 </i>Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson) is a NYC paramedic who develops clairvoyant powers and repeatedly crosses paths with three young women (Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor). Cassandra realizes these women must be protected at all costs because they are destined to become superheroes. I have become a fan of Dakota Johnson, who has overcome the albatross of those icky Fifty Shades films. Unfortunately, Dakota looks like she has no idea what this film is about, and I understand that because, after seeing it, I’m not sure either. <u>Madame Web</u> is one of the most poorly written films I have witnessed in my 13 years as a film critic. Add to that fact that the studio went the absolutely cheapest route on special effects and gives us a film about spidermen (and ultimately spider-women) without including the man himself. The dialogue is horrible, and the studio thinks Tahra Rahim, who plays the bad guy, can’t speak English. They have ADR’ed his lines so badly that I’ve seen better dubbing in those 1960s Hercules films made in Italy than this one. By the way, the bad guy has had a long time to come up with a plan to kill the three teen girls, but I guess he spent most of his time playing with his spider because it’s a pretty crappy plan. Add all this, and we have three teen characters that are so annoying that we almost want them to die. I didn’t recognize Sydney Sweeney for nearly half the film because she is wearing a wig that looks like it was borrowed from a community theatre that puts on a yearly Christmas play. The editing is incredibly jumpy, so much so that I would have to see the film three or four times before I could tell you what actually happens in the final action sequence. Those hoping, like I was, that we would see Dakota Johnson doing some superhero things will be disappointed, as she mostly does a lot of running, driving, and complaining about how the three girls aren’t taking things seriously. I hope Emma Roberts and Adam Scott enjoyed their two days on the set and got paid big bucks, but we barely see either of them do anything on the screen but be filler for the too-long run time. I don’t think we will see <u>Madame Web</u> and her Spider-girls anytime soon, and I don’t think the studio believes that either, since it’s one of the few Marvel films without a post-credit scene. <b>My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again <a href="https://www.madameweb.movie/home/" target="_blank">Madame Web Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXlKedTroocpDwhiJ8AMbAPb-AK5Agx7E_ZZs9PPtvTeNQc9uz87hBZzhgeatJBiYLYLJSIL5yspGpZVzKOIs3k9qv7Lk9qvE3lXh2aQrfSnFeSXYoOVf6QUic59GYOoC9pZmvOaGpwmUi2_RxcJTWpqsXyRODrrzkXnXR6LeAUO-qcR3_Z3JraCxt9cI/s1250/Bob%20Marley:%20One%20Love.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXlKedTroocpDwhiJ8AMbAPb-AK5Agx7E_ZZs9PPtvTeNQc9uz87hBZzhgeatJBiYLYLJSIL5yspGpZVzKOIs3k9qv7Lk9qvE3lXh2aQrfSnFeSXYoOVf6QUic59GYOoC9pZmvOaGpwmUi2_RxcJTWpqsXyRODrrzkXnXR6LeAUO-qcR3_Z3JraCxt9cI/w160-h200/Bob%20Marley:%20One%20Love.jpg" width="160" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Bob Marley: One Love</u> (2024) <i>PG-13</i> The story of how reggae icon Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) overcame adversity and an assassination attempt to become a beacon for peace in his country and the world. Kingsley Ben-Adir does a wonderful job portraying Bob Marley, perfectly capturing a man who was a force both on the music stage and in person. Disappointingly, Ben-Air is let down by a script that continually falls back on Marley’s music as a crutch when they get stuck with the storyline. When I saw the trailer, I thought the film was primarily about Marley’s return to Jamaica to bring peace and unity to a country that had known so much bloodshed. Unfortunately, the film isn’t really about that. It’s a meandering story about Marley leaving Jamaica for London to record a legendary album. The film should have been more about the relationship between Marley and his wife, Rita (played by the brilliant Lashana Lynch), who put up with Marley and his relationships with other women. We get to see a little of this, but Rita is more than just another bit player in the life of Marley. This isn’t surprising as the Marley family, mainly his son Ziggy, played a big part in producing the film. So, if you love his music, buy the soundtrack, but if you want to know about his life, watch the 2012 Kevin Macdonald documentary <u>Marley,</u> which will give you a better experience of seeing and enjoying the man, the myth, and the music legend Bob Marley. <b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.onelovemovie.com/home/" target="_blank">Bob Marley: One Love Website </a> Now playing in theaters.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGWNkWPDUivZFd0YqdVE_WlHRgbOF8xjOQlquH8EqBjvCD1cLJSAu_6Csu-mPfdZAywk6fh616WdlIHW-Jt83bEL4nCjNqUEuhRG8Y9zFWy4pUUJbwuTKnq210TfH3GsRaQWWuyJdnR_WJToE74ksnbHc4orpZ1Rl_gcIMNonUYXixDsA_dziDHhsSujo/s1500/Players.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1012" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGWNkWPDUivZFd0YqdVE_WlHRgbOF8xjOQlquH8EqBjvCD1cLJSAu_6Csu-mPfdZAywk6fh616WdlIHW-Jt83bEL4nCjNqUEuhRG8Y9zFWy4pUUJbwuTKnq210TfH3GsRaQWWuyJdnR_WJToE74ksnbHc4orpZ1Rl_gcIMNonUYXixDsA_dziDHhsSujo/w135-h200/Players.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Players</u> (2024) New York sportswriter Mack (Gina Rodriguez) has spent years developing special and successful hook-up ‘plays’ with her best friend Adam (Damon Wayans Jr.) and their crew. Mack sets her sights on the Big Apple’s most eligible bachelor, war correspondent Nick (Tom Ellis). Mack may have to rethink the ‘game’ entirely when she begins to fall for Nick. I enjoyed this rom-com because of Gina Rodriguez, who has a blast as Mack, a woman tired of playing the field and ready to find true love, not just someone to trick into having a one-night stand. Rodriguez is believable as a sportswriter, specializing in finding human interest stories in strange sports like boxing/chess matches (it is just like it sounds) and has fun with the role. The little gang she runs with is fun, and there is some good chemistry interplay with the group, who each use a play from their vast playbook to seduce both men and women. However, Mack is tired of the game and wants to find someone to share her life with. Mack thinks she has found her man in Nick, played nicely by Tom Ellis. I won’t tell you exactly what happens, but let’s say that, like many rom-coms, love is closer than Mack thinks. <u>Players</u> isn’t a great rom-com, but because of the charisma of Gina Rodriquez, it will satisfy your need for a bit of fun and romance with, spoiler alert, a happy ending. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81034895" target="_blank">Players Website</a> Now playing on the Netflix platform.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRtJA8VtirApjwo_v0CS3auo6MZKbnJMOa78lk9ydARGnb5fYZvq9_QYwvwEZpt7UR-m4OKeeID3niZUg_6BB2cKXdf5MmYKadRxvDipPUD49QVSnd3lJuaOMCOR-iERAxsdCndkEBx4QYb1_V9R9xwDQeHOc1rqQlLlQ5zIxxM0448CYm5RDmfuwpD67/s1473/God%20&%20Country.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWRtJA8VtirApjwo_v0CS3auo6MZKbnJMOa78lk9ydARGnb5fYZvq9_QYwvwEZpt7UR-m4OKeeID3niZUg_6BB2cKXdf5MmYKadRxvDipPUD49QVSnd3lJuaOMCOR-iERAxsdCndkEBx4QYb1_V9R9xwDQeHOc1rqQlLlQ5zIxxM0448CYm5RDmfuwpD67/w136-h200/God%20&%20Country.jpg" width="136" /></a></b></div><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>God & Country</u> (2024) <i>PG-13</i> Documentary that examines the history of Christian nationalism and its rise in the political landscape. <u>God & Country</u> is a film about how the separation of Church and State is getting less and less and how the rise of Christian nationalism has grown over the past 30 years. The insights that the film gives are based on a lot of the people who study religion, and the commentators not only give out information and historical facts but also give their own experiences with Christian churches and the rise of nationalism from the inside. This film is a terrifying depiction of how close we were to complete chaos on Jan. 6th and that if we're not careful, it could happen again and succeed. Using footage from Christian broadcasts, webcasts, and church sermons, we see how, through the years, nationalism has taken hold in so many churches and how it’s used for political power and fundraising. God & Country is a chilling examination of what our country might become, and it's as terrifying as any horror film that Hollywood has produced<b>. My Rating: Full Price </b> <b><a href="https://oscilloscope.net/films/" target="_blank">God & Country Website</a> Now playing in theaters.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjvnwX5ogiLhMlgLXofU5V8Eq3OfCoNTOaTJxp0ML5U4PDolMoRAmj3Ssh4Y4XsMOILPm_xM5aoB-u6zoz2nd83YA7d8MxZOsIqESKDY8MTZ3g9-XtpgZtpHEtpqI3VO6NY6bliqMqjQrxSkgec_D1vDVp-CnJuE_x8LPnsicoaLm_J9eoFUUI1wt-obs/s1500/The%20Space%20Race.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1013" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjvnwX5ogiLhMlgLXofU5V8Eq3OfCoNTOaTJxp0ML5U4PDolMoRAmj3Ssh4Y4XsMOILPm_xM5aoB-u6zoz2nd83YA7d8MxZOsIqESKDY8MTZ3g9-XtpgZtpHEtpqI3VO6NY6bliqMqjQrxSkgec_D1vDVp-CnJuE_x8LPnsicoaLm_J9eoFUUI1wt-obs/w135-h200/The%20Space%20Race.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>The Space Race</u> (2023) Documentary on the experiences of the first Black astronauts, telling the story of breaking barriers and the burden they carried. As a kid who grew up in the 60s, I was a space nut. I watched every launch, and I can tell you where I was when significant events like the landing on the moon or the Challenger explosion happened. So, I know a lot about NASA and its astronauts. Or so I thought. I had no idea about Ed Dwight Jr., an astronaut candidate who was part of John F. Kennedy’s push in the space race and whose candidacy ended with Kennedy’s assassination. Or the story of Robert Lawrence Jr., an astronaut candidate who probably would have been another one who would have broken the barrier in the 60s but died in a test pilot crash. The film gives the men and women who blazed the trail the chance to share their stories in their own voices. It’s a fantastic story of overcoming obstacles that took too long to change. The Space Race allows us to learn about a group of men who were trailblazers and let their stories be told. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://films.nationalgeographic.com/the-space-race" target="_blank">The Space Race Website</a> The review will be up on Friday, Feb. 16th.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUjWkshoP9ug76N3MxKcDNCJTJbrEFGa19ec_S-8764RO0suHN63mwq6ap7HKbcsdlfNg-8-VhbfweaUSCxcWOaXWoxNjU71b-K13VizGkrn7X8YC7JNq_wF_uAC7cDZ0hCWGvAX_26oWCfyaoxYm2thWUnOmqpLQCrbamAjCg5c3UqvFBscNEmbHFSjN/s1276/Lourdes.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="910" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnUjWkshoP9ug76N3MxKcDNCJTJbrEFGa19ec_S-8764RO0suHN63mwq6ap7HKbcsdlfNg-8-VhbfweaUSCxcWOaXWoxNjU71b-K13VizGkrn7X8YC7JNq_wF_uAC7cDZ0hCWGvAX_26oWCfyaoxYm2thWUnOmqpLQCrbamAjCg5c3UqvFBscNEmbHFSjN/w143-h200/Lourdes.png" width="143" /></a></b></div><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>Lourdes</u> (2009) Christine (Sylvie Testud) is a wheelchair-bound woman who has had a dream where she talks to the Virgin Mary and can walk. So she goes to Lourdes, the famous place where the water has performed miracles, hoping that something will happen. Sometimes, the journey is more important than the place you are going to. Lourdes is a film that doesn’t ask you to believe; in fact, many of the people you meet in the movie don’t believe at all. However, it’s also about those same people who are trying to live their lives the best they can. Sylvie Testud is marvelous in the role of Christine, a woman not necessarily looking for a miracle, but looking for love and kindness. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1405809/?ref_=hm_rvi_tt_i_4" target="_blank">Lourdes Info</a> The film is available on Disc from Amazon.</b><p></p><p><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Bob Marley: One Love</u>: Desk Operator</p><p><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Dune: Part Two</u> (2024) <i>PG-13</i> Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) has found love in Chani (Zendaya) and has the Fremen on his side in getting revenge against the conspirators who murdered his family. Paul may have to choose between love and the universe’s fate as he endeavors to prevent a horrible future only he can foresee. The first film did an excellent job of setting up what will happen in the second film, and we all can’t wait to see it. <b> <a href="https://www.dunemovie.com" target="_blank">Dune: Part Two Website</a> The film will be released on March 1, 2024.</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzJfIxUWbWxl_vbc4p2yLq-Icx5rg1_wtkQYRXjQN5xqt6IQhAyB-dtj8bzKYN-jzOvw5CHXULYFFLfdLFJr_8YAwhI7oWgwEjhjlMG9Bh7ZeGfn3NX67JGzI84DEs9lPqPyinPVYmys_jKCZikB1kZZLul4KmncyyJj8uk97EJOzVksV-JR6Rd56QGjr/s4096/Dune%20Part%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2764" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzJfIxUWbWxl_vbc4p2yLq-Icx5rg1_wtkQYRXjQN5xqt6IQhAyB-dtj8bzKYN-jzOvw5CHXULYFFLfdLFJr_8YAwhI7oWgwEjhjlMG9Bh7ZeGfn3NX67JGzI84DEs9lPqPyinPVYmys_jKCZikB1kZZLul4KmncyyJj8uk97EJOzVksV-JR6Rd56QGjr/w135-h200/Dune%20Part%202.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U2Qp5pL3ovA" width="320" youtube-src-id="U2Qp5pL3ovA"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Until Next Time!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-24496160718433974892024-02-09T00:30:00.003-05:002024-02-09T19:39:20.438-05:00Lisa Frankenstein<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQvNUvm0L5KyRdmN0OYUzZb76_LR8art2nU7mtBiAF2MbCFxkokQnB6QrX1Qx6-69-uZ4zEi2ou2W2NpiPmbPTwsY8u4tVGdxZ7VlgpW-I1FRBKBOQJbC3V7MPiaaHv6Kd-GiSK_dgr3WlyZceqkp8TM5aRAz97heJU6qnW0kdZmF48XU1PHE1peMLptp/s2963/Lisa%20Frankenstein.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2963" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQvNUvm0L5KyRdmN0OYUzZb76_LR8art2nU7mtBiAF2MbCFxkokQnB6QrX1Qx6-69-uZ4zEi2ou2W2NpiPmbPTwsY8u4tVGdxZ7VlgpW-I1FRBKBOQJbC3V7MPiaaHv6Kd-GiSK_dgr3WlyZceqkp8TM5aRAz97heJU6qnW0kdZmF48XU1PHE1peMLptp/s320/Lisa%20Frankenstein.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Lisa Frankenstein</u> (2024) <i>PG-13</i> An ordinary teen named Lisa (Kathryn Newton) has a crush on a boy. The only problem is that he is dead and buried. After a set of horrific circumstances brings him (Cole Sprouse) back to life, Lisa has the boyfriend she has always wanted, even if he is still sort of dead. Set in the 80s, Lisa, whose mother was killed by a crazed hatchet welding intruder, is now stuck living with her father and his new bride, along with a step-sister, Taffy (Liza Soberano), who happens to be the most popular girl in school. In walks, or should I say, limps The Creature, whom Lisa has been visiting his grave, and now he has come to life, sort of. This film is by a first-time director, Zelda Williams (Robin Williams's daughter), and it shows. With a script by Diablo Cody (Juno, Young Adult) that pulls in 80s horror tropes right and left, the film has a lot going for it but fails to fully deliver its promise with a movie that keeps changing its tone and pace. Kathryn Newton is a lot of fun as the shy, mousey girl at first who blossoms with the help of The Creature. <u>Lisa Frankenstein</u> shifts between being campy and dark, sometimes at a moment's notice, and that’s the problem. It never knows quite what it is, much like The Creature himself. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.focusfeatures.com/lisa-frankenstein/" target="_blank">Lisa Frankenstein Website</a> Now playing in theaters.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxedVAjq_Qq8zp1nLAm0OBkawa0dWXRGOC1K7aqAIkq85G_Ao0Tu6DP1nuCzLH1h-IBCIyNFa6ipZiImiqj-0O_WsbYGjpH_aBByAZBAVV5NyBlgTGdHnouK-DJCOD3uEigMkEwTOpHxzqDOelOsfoNqINwiuaU-P1vpDcHyvMy5Bt2wbDTjBy7VBjyO7M/s4868/Suncoast.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4868" data-original-width="3286" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxedVAjq_Qq8zp1nLAm0OBkawa0dWXRGOC1K7aqAIkq85G_Ao0Tu6DP1nuCzLH1h-IBCIyNFa6ipZiImiqj-0O_WsbYGjpH_aBByAZBAVV5NyBlgTGdHnouK-DJCOD3uEigMkEwTOpHxzqDOelOsfoNqINwiuaU-P1vpDcHyvMy5Bt2wbDTjBy7VBjyO7M/w135-h200/Suncoast.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Suncoast</u> (2024) <i>R</i> Doris (Nico Parker) is a high school student whose brother Max's illness has taken a turn for the worse, and he has moved into a hospice where their mother, Kristine (Laura Linney). Doris begins to make friends, especially since her mother is never home, so Doris’s house becomes a place to hang out for parties and sleepovers. At some point, things are going to get messy. Nico Parker is fantastic in this film about dealing with the impending loss of a loved one. I loved the chemistry between Parker and Woody Harrelson, who plays a Christian protestor on a vigil outside the hospice where Doris’s brother is in. They meet by chance and become friends, discussing their lives and why they have become who they are. There are some wonderful moments between the two that make the film worth watching. Laura Linney gives us a woman who is hard to like, as she has put all her time and attention on her son, leaving her daughter to fend for herself. <u>Suncoast</u> is a personal story for filmmaker Laura Chinn, and she lets Nico Parker shine in this coming-of-age story with a unique twist, much like its star. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.searchlightpictures.com/suncoast" target="_blank">Suncoast Website</a> Now playing on Hulu.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRNnFeT18OhmpF0LFGkmF9crLZhUlFHw90-0QbUOzwmX2W3fgfTgI0d9Zmg6VGDI1wBJm8r1GxGT2-Q8sawOqfSLpfegFnSFgH7y6sBlx7-Wa_F25xBYz8tPIpicIvH6pxcYnpA3KMP7mPDax-co5g64duDc_TZL1CzYhpj9u0-3igIkTJkZTDNbku-s2W/s1482/The%20Teachers'%20Lounge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRNnFeT18OhmpF0LFGkmF9crLZhUlFHw90-0QbUOzwmX2W3fgfTgI0d9Zmg6VGDI1wBJm8r1GxGT2-Q8sawOqfSLpfegFnSFgH7y6sBlx7-Wa_F25xBYz8tPIpicIvH6pxcYnpA3KMP7mPDax-co5g64duDc_TZL1CzYhpj9u0-3igIkTJkZTDNbku-s2W/w135-h200/The%20Teachers'%20Lounge.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>The Teachers’ Lounge</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> Carla (Leonie Benesch) is a well-liked teacher whose students love being in her class. When one of her students is suspected of theft, Carla tries to find out the truth. However, sometimes times, the truth is best left alone. This is a film where you fall in love with the main character but want to reach into the screen and stop her from doing some of the things she does. This film starts as a quiet little movie about a teacher and suddenly becomes a tense thriller with much to say about the role of teachers and parents as they try to navigate the educational world that gets more complicated each day. <u>The Teachers' Lounge</u> is a story about a teacher who, like a detective, keeps pushing to find out the truth and suffers because of that search. This is a film that, once it ramps up, grabs you by the collar and won’t let go until the final frame. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.sonyclassics.com/film/theteacherslounge/" target="_blank">The Teachers' Lounge Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cVJc-Iz_aExWLl8EKFVHgz0wqXiDfU_mTEyKwKktzR8nNghikY_DU-68f8y1V8VR4REU2UU1DD3f_EkxqQ45DjeDNhrz83V7hl179moDJYQdRemlKNBb0jZGTAn3USSBLX2Zbji4EezM9_o0ZBQm55d8nQIjfKpJPhWYom6kP3soyv-58-r6tm5sHYRJ/s1500/Upgraded.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1013" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cVJc-Iz_aExWLl8EKFVHgz0wqXiDfU_mTEyKwKktzR8nNghikY_DU-68f8y1V8VR4REU2UU1DD3f_EkxqQ45DjeDNhrz83V7hl179moDJYQdRemlKNBb0jZGTAn3USSBLX2Zbji4EezM9_o0ZBQm55d8nQIjfKpJPhWYom6kP3soyv-58-r6tm5sHYRJ/w135-h200/Upgraded.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Upgraded</u> (2024) <i>R</i> Ana (Camila Mendes) is an art intern who works for an over-controlling, perfectionist boss, Claire (Marisa Tomei). Somehow, Ana has been picked to fly to London to accompany Claire. Ana meets the man of her dreams, William (Archie Renaux). The only problem is that Ana lets William think she is her company's boss.<u> Upgraded</u> is a delightful bit of fluff of a rom-com with a winning paring of Mendes and Renaux, who have sparks from the very start of their ‘meet cute.’ The film is greatly helped by Marisa Tomei as the boss who is never satisfied and by Lena Olin as William's charming mother. Tomei has a blast as the stuffy, demanding boss who starts to see that maybe Claire has something worth keeping. Olin gives the film a bit of class and fun as the famous actress who loves her son and wants him to find someone to love. Mendes has a great presence and makes you want her to succeed in both work and in love. So, find room in first class and take a trip to London to find romance and maybe a little success in work as well. <b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.primevideo.com/region/na/detail/Upgraded/0SRZMXANJ8LEB1XKPEMSLI8O9T" target="_blank">Upgraded Website</a> Now playing on Prime Video.</b></span></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6UvmORb1s1-l-P6jTE3zyLyON5bKTqOhCkTYOKmnnWjNC9xxzZgusFR5BzEYoHyaDecab7jqcSLGb5mM2uVgKoyJfOgBcqiDgoR7E6lptDnhdBcfpAc4guiVu6Wm9DdPaxbaYCxXH72-nwjGWXDCmVER6dWvaPhUhg7avzYXEWy5tk7TtQYW7iNKqeEC/s1500/The%20Taste%20of%20Things.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1013" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6UvmORb1s1-l-P6jTE3zyLyON5bKTqOhCkTYOKmnnWjNC9xxzZgusFR5BzEYoHyaDecab7jqcSLGb5mM2uVgKoyJfOgBcqiDgoR7E6lptDnhdBcfpAc4guiVu6Wm9DdPaxbaYCxXH72-nwjGWXDCmVER6dWvaPhUhg7avzYXEWy5tk7TtQYW7iNKqeEC/w135-h200/The%20Taste%20of%20Things.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>The Taste of Things</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> The story of Eugenie (Juliette Binoche), an esteemed cook, and Dodin (Benoît Magimel), her gourmet benefactor with whom she has been working for over the past 20 years. As they work together, their bond becomes one that each other can’t ignore, but Eugenie is reluctant to commit to Dodin, so he begins cooking for her. This is one of the most beautiful-looking films of the year, made by a filmmaker who loves both food and romance. <u>The Taste of Things</u> is not only a film about culinary arts, it’s about relationships. How we deal with food can tell you a lot about a person, and the cook and her benefactor are in love with preparing a meal. It’s also a film about relationships that build with time between two people who work together and, from time to time, sleep with each other. I fell in love with this film from the first ten minutes, in which we get a full, intense look at the workings of the kitchen and how each person fits in making a meal. Binoche and Magimel work beautifully on the screen as they push the boundaries of their characters' relationships. So, pull up a seat in the kitchen, though don’t be surprised if you are given a task or two. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.ifcfilms.com/films/the-taste-of-things" target="_blank">The Taste of Things Website</a> Now playing in theatres. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sjbAa0lptY-Idi7BRboVQZpLyiO6io9u-EVUUM8ycv77L-0Gx_-yJyCMzUYKCnpuHpQTWffbE6zGF1vAZS39QNcS0YgrYjxUQDZyJqIdhJrGqOS6U9cVyVLk3pVy1JJdGBrBdzZfOUSmObZWEwbXRWFGt0f-4SPz_TDZhnNhF531pw2C8vu2lplYAfMa/s1519/Perfect%20Days.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1519" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3sjbAa0lptY-Idi7BRboVQZpLyiO6io9u-EVUUM8ycv77L-0Gx_-yJyCMzUYKCnpuHpQTWffbE6zGF1vAZS39QNcS0YgrYjxUQDZyJqIdhJrGqOS6U9cVyVLk3pVy1JJdGBrBdzZfOUSmObZWEwbXRWFGt0f-4SPz_TDZhnNhF531pw2C8vu2lplYAfMa/w132-h200/Perfect%20Days.jpg" width="132" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Perfect Days</u> (2023) <i>PG</i> Hirayama (Koji Yakusho) is a toilet cleaner for a company in Tokyo. He takes pride in his work, puts up with his annoying, talkative co-worker, and has a passion for music, books, and trees. Hirayama is about to revisit a past he had hoped to forget because of a series of unexpected encounters. From the start, this film is deceptively simple. It’s about a man who has made peace with his life and his role in it. He is happy finding the routine and tasks of cleaning toilets. However, the film slowly peels back the layers of Hirayama, and we learn why he is the way he is. Perfect Days is a master class in storytelling that gives us insight into a man with just how he deals with situations and people. This film is about finding peace within yourself, finding your center, and reveling in it in small, simple ways. Koji Yakusho is brilliant as Hirayama, as his character finds delight in simple things and can handle both the small and large problems of the day with grace and wisdom. <u>Perfect Days</u> is a film that I will revisit so that I can learn a thing or two about life each time I watch it. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.the-match-factory.com/catalogue/films/perfect-days.html" target="_blank">Perfect Days Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCi40PYqntUWqdfpSNOfjPj0gr0mZiW33MJzYSsqNzxaQdNDzMRCzjRHThn9owQ4vkZqZIu09O2LP6oF4PHClRlrtER-JOLYtO8wAkYSDDn-eCIeyhFlLbAHIR94q3bCYas2hPRL77Rn6Ta03NaEpqk8Gz2IswNdFjocxZtOC20Ut9t33ffmvfpF2JPAl/s1447/The%20Monk%20and%20the%20Gun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1447" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCi40PYqntUWqdfpSNOfjPj0gr0mZiW33MJzYSsqNzxaQdNDzMRCzjRHThn9owQ4vkZqZIu09O2LP6oF4PHClRlrtER-JOLYtO8wAkYSDDn-eCIeyhFlLbAHIR94q3bCYas2hPRL77Rn6Ta03NaEpqk8Gz2IswNdFjocxZtOC20Ut9t33ffmvfpF2JPAl/w138-h200/The%20Monk%20and%20the%20Gun.jpg" width="138" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>The Monk and the Gun</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> <u>The Monk and the Gun</u> occurs when an American named Ronald (Harry Einhorn) has been sent to Bhutan to track down a priceless Civil War rifle. Ronald has arrived just as the country is transitioning from a monarchy to a democracy and is rife with change. It turns out that the rifle Ronald is looking for is in the possession of a monk, who has been sent on his mission, one that Ronald will get to know very well. I liked this film, especially the ending, but I didn’t love it. It’s a really slow build and was not as quirky as I would have liked. It’s an interesting premise and has a lot to say about culture and politics, especially the U.S. version that we tend to push onto other cultures. The film hits you over the head at times with symbolism, including naming the American Ronald Colman, who starred in the classic 1937 film <u>Lost Horizon</u>, which is about a lost culture being invaded by outsiders. The film didn’t hit the emotional punch I needed at the end, but I am still happy I went on the journey. <b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://roadsideattractions.com/filmography/themonkandthegun/" target="_blank">The Monk and the Gun Website</a> Now playing in theaters. </b></span><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6NzjXGj3zKZBf0pDfkqRes-vJZpWltf6sM6gce9W6P50oSxLQfUwVZU06jMLNFBm2vsPe_fCwl3AzLQCx6ddd1TJG6mk4Pqx02jxe-624axB_W4u_F60Jbg33P08ovVucR30gxxWzV4gR8E5YimavctoEDLGwnnGtMmGVaY6nU4Tfs6q30suMT7sx_GSG/s2048/How%20to%20Have%20Sex%20Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1382" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6NzjXGj3zKZBf0pDfkqRes-vJZpWltf6sM6gce9W6P50oSxLQfUwVZU06jMLNFBm2vsPe_fCwl3AzLQCx6ddd1TJG6mk4Pqx02jxe-624axB_W4u_F60Jbg33P08ovVucR30gxxWzV4gR8E5YimavctoEDLGwnnGtMmGVaY6nU4Tfs6q30suMT7sx_GSG/w135-h200/How%20to%20Have%20Sex%20Poster.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>Indiefest: </b><u>How to Have Sex</u> (2023) <i>R</i> Three British teenage girls go on a holiday that promises to be filled with drinking, clubbing, and hooking up in what should be the best summer of their lives. Until one of them goes missing. <u>How to Have Sex</u> is a film about expectations and how they rarely meet them. One of the three teen girls, Tara (Mia McKenna-Bruce), is a virgin and is determined to change that on this trip. I didn’t see this at a preview screening, so I saw a bunch of trailers shown before <u>How to Have Sex</u>. I think it’s fitting that most of the trailers were for horror films because that is what this film is, and the monster is a teen boy. How to Have Sex is a horror film about a naïve young woman who thinks that going out and getting drunk and then hooking up is expected of her. It’s about how social media and reality TV have warped young women to think this is the norm. Like a horror film, we see what will happen before our heroine does, and the tension builds throughout the movie as Tara tries to make her way through betrayal and heartache as her friends are more concerned with partying and Tara getting some. And like horror films where the hero emerges battered and hurt but alive, Tara does too. Mia McKenna-Bruce is brilliant as Tara, the life of the party, but someone worth more than just a few laughs. Near the end of the film, there is a scene where we see what has happened on McKenna-Bruce’s face as she goes through the cascade of emotions that is a moving piece of extraordinary acting. <u>How to Have Sex</u> isn’t an easy watch, but it’s well worth the experience of that final scene.<b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://mubi.com/en/us/films/how-to-have-sex" target="_blank">How to Have Sex Website</a> Now playing in theatres.<br /></b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFuE7p7llO-yHrV8tqL2lNh01PqMdC5nuKgk-UUMsI0UZgvVUpDS_8dSa5_-jl_0K6Z8gHmkQPDyhnAIYwevVy4L1oWqyq7vwh2Yy2RKVrjN0UIjzPX840ZqO2TtXt9KhohyphenhyphenlWALkVsvIlIhRR4N_HY6pW-9VBGqFRVKTvgV_Shh_EO_aSYoAidxU0q8l/s849/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-08%20at%207.24.30%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="555" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFuE7p7llO-yHrV8tqL2lNh01PqMdC5nuKgk-UUMsI0UZgvVUpDS_8dSa5_-jl_0K6Z8gHmkQPDyhnAIYwevVy4L1oWqyq7vwh2Yy2RKVrjN0UIjzPX840ZqO2TtXt9KhohyphenhyphenlWALkVsvIlIhRR4N_HY6pW-9VBGqFRVKTvgV_Shh_EO_aSYoAidxU0q8l/w131-h200/Screen%20Shot%202024-02-08%20at%207.24.30%20PM.png" width="131" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>They Only Kill Their Masters</u> (1972) <i>PG</i> A small-town police chief (James Garner) has his first murder case involving a suspicious death where the victim’s own dog might be the killer. This is one of those films that probably would have been better as a movie of the week on TV, but I like this film because of Garner, who is always fun to watch, and the chemistry he has with Katherine Ross, who plays the dog trainer that turns out is one of his main suspects. It’s also fun because the supporting cast is so good, including Hal Holbrook, June Allyson, Tom Ewell, Edmond O’Brien, and one of my favorite character actors, Arthur O’Connell. <u>They Only Kill Their Masters</u> isn’t a great film by any means, but getting to watch James Garner can’t be all bad. <b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069371/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_they%2520only%2520kill%2520th" target="_blank">They Only Kill Their Masters Info</a> The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon</b></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Upgraded</u>: Chaperone</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Drive-Away Dolls</u> (2024) <i>R</i> Jamie (Margaret Qualley) regrets her breakup with her girlfriend and needs to get away to forget her troubles. Her best friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) just wants to get away. The two embark on a road trip to Tallahassee in search of a fresh start. They rent a car intended for a group of inept criminals, and now the chase is on, but the girls don’t know that. This is the first film directed by Ethan Coen without the involvement of his brother Joel and has a cast that includes Bill Camp, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Beanie Feldstein, and Matt Damon. <b> In theatres on February 23rd.</b> <a href="https://www.focusfeatures.com/drive-away-dolls-tickets" target="_blank">Drive-Away Dolls Website</a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2Ogb5GPZWGoLXIUlbUhqRItTlvYw0ZQ5ADkE8lc4qDfKbmHN8qnqcOchRxoChDFRy_vNka4Gs7MZxiOjIrjQKUGVth2TM0n3wOvRAb3qR5mwMEWcSeWzBPaCliPD1g98oYLtopYWn2A-utwFvQOzcv3T08J45LOPzcoI2txTntLCRFaFMm9UI6uh7dgB/s848/Drive-Away%20Dolls.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="569" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2Ogb5GPZWGoLXIUlbUhqRItTlvYw0ZQ5ADkE8lc4qDfKbmHN8qnqcOchRxoChDFRy_vNka4Gs7MZxiOjIrjQKUGVth2TM0n3wOvRAb3qR5mwMEWcSeWzBPaCliPD1g98oYLtopYWn2A-utwFvQOzcv3T08J45LOPzcoI2txTntLCRFaFMm9UI6uh7dgB/w134-h200/Drive-Away%20Dolls.png" width="134" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Oy0RYiQRWUk" width="320" youtube-src-id="Oy0RYiQRWUk"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-64036799301880851672024-02-02T00:30:00.001-05:002024-02-02T00:30:00.127-05:00Argylle<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbsIlkpWRlkjgm9OOxb5h810oASs5KuCD1FzhmOad095ky_2ka8kR1YntZPzrDN-581NWxAmdS1UOduhF5nvR9dJMd04MB7GzTI6yzD0AFzX3Xl2Rc0cpRwu_4dZZgyR2K-rfr2-EtfHyoyAipnJ1nU8i5oW1TEIs_xtNtdHol8djrcidHFi49QZuyNPt/s3072/Argylle%20poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="2460" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbsIlkpWRlkjgm9OOxb5h810oASs5KuCD1FzhmOad095ky_2ka8kR1YntZPzrDN-581NWxAmdS1UOduhF5nvR9dJMd04MB7GzTI6yzD0AFzX3Xl2Rc0cpRwu_4dZZgyR2K-rfr2-EtfHyoyAipnJ1nU8i5oW1TEIs_xtNtdHol8djrcidHFi49QZuyNPt/s320/Argylle%20poster.jpg" width="256" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Argylle</u> (2024) <i>PG-13</i> Elly (Bryce Dallas Howard) is a best-selling spy novelist who rarely leaves home. On a train, she meets Aiden (Sam Rockwell), who tells her he is a real spy and has been sent to save her from being kidnapped. Elly is now living the life that she has only written about, and it turns out that her books are the key to saving the world. Elly and her beloved cat Alfie are plunged into a covert world where nothing and no one is as they seem. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of this film, as Elly and Aiden are thrust together as they try to stay two steps ahead of the bad guys while transporting a cat, who has a window in a backpack that gives him a ringside seat to all the action. Up to that point, the film is fun and light, with great action sequences and witty dialogue between Elly and Aiden. Unfortunately, the film takes a twist that kills all the steam the movie had built and becomes a silly mess that goes on far too long (two hours and nineteen minutes). There are a few scenes after that twist that are just outright painful to watch and far too outrageous to even have a bit of fun with. And the film wastes a few talented actors, including Samuel L. Jackson, who is there just to explain the plot. It’s seldom that when watching a film I feel sorry for the actors, who are trying their utmost to win us over with each scene, but in this case, I do. Especially with Bryce Dallas Howard, who seems game to try just about anything the director asks. There is a bonus scene at the end that ties in with another film, but even that is a letdown. <b>My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.argyllemovie.com/home/" target="_blank">Argylle Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeWENsDbDiLgruW7BOtywfX62pRD0VJawc4DXBNrQHNTWSZbAcGe2tncVKuOH6YucQbwpn11Tcij353Gvt5GOhuuAK7fmUQysVooaO5Te5mhS9kRMvflMiKpB7x7jstzR5M-vAx4dpYui23yNsSg3HwB4jVWwwXWYz7TbZIQErjkY3DU8C8qvz_1gAyrt/s1264/Screenshot%202024-02-01%20at%2010.56.22%E2%80%AFPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="876" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeWENsDbDiLgruW7BOtywfX62pRD0VJawc4DXBNrQHNTWSZbAcGe2tncVKuOH6YucQbwpn11Tcij353Gvt5GOhuuAK7fmUQysVooaO5Te5mhS9kRMvflMiKpB7x7jstzR5M-vAx4dpYui23yNsSg3HwB4jVWwwXWYz7TbZIQErjkY3DU8C8qvz_1gAyrt/w139-h200/Screenshot%202024-02-01%20at%2010.56.22%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="139" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">Indiefest</b>: <u style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">The Promised Land </u>(2023)<i style="font-variant-caps: normal;"> R</i> Former soldier Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) arrives in 1755 with a plan for the barren land of the heath of Jutland in Denmark, where he will successfully grow a crop and prove that the land can be fertile. First, he must survive not only the elements but also a neighbor, Frederik de Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg), a wealthy landowner who has plans of his own for the heath and will do anything to make sure Ludvig fails. Mads Mikkelsen gives a powerful performance as a man determined to defeat both the odds and his fellow man while believing in himself to do what no one thought possible. It’s a film about the will of two men, both determined to defeat the other, but one is willing to do anything to win. The movie reminded me of one of my favorite Robert Redford films, Jeremiah Johnson. Both are men who are escaping the past by trying to succeed in a wilderness that few have before them, and both come by a family in the most unusual ways.<u style="font-variant-caps: normal;"> The Promised Land</u> is an outstanding film about pride, honor, determination, and, along the way, maybe finding love. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="http://www.magpictures.com/thepromisedland/" style="font-variant-caps: normal;" target="_blank">The Promised Land Website</a> Now playing in theatres </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDR-o34SSflm9StDrr8juW8X0BN3gCnOIYCqdCVPaCDRwh4pn0o4YiPHstLTaP5YMFt6U8DT33Nd_TaRFQ_lpkKaqiFnf3Bbw3ETJkYpqsoYmKSdg9HjjcSwzy5l1vV4fM2NhNhoGD7Vejpv1M8wQbm3jdHDhyQuDXMgbLp8UdbfCQSvlIvNuUGyLc-ZM/s1480/The%20Greatest%20Night%20in%20Pop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDR-o34SSflm9StDrr8juW8X0BN3gCnOIYCqdCVPaCDRwh4pn0o4YiPHstLTaP5YMFt6U8DT33Nd_TaRFQ_lpkKaqiFnf3Bbw3ETJkYpqsoYmKSdg9HjjcSwzy5l1vV4fM2NhNhoGD7Vejpv1M8wQbm3jdHDhyQuDXMgbLp8UdbfCQSvlIvNuUGyLc-ZM/w135-h200/The%20Greatest%20Night%20in%20Pop.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>The Greatest Night in Pop</u> (2024) Documentary on the night of January 25th, 1985, when dozens of the era’s most popular musicians gathered in a Los Angeles recording studio to record a song in one night that would make history. In the days of MTV and when radio still ruled the airwaves in cars and homes, there was an attempt to do in America what Bob Geldof did with the song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ in Britain. Record a song to raise money for famine relief in Africa. This film takes us from the start, with an idea by Lionel Ritchie and Michael Jackson, who decided to write a song of their own and record it on the night of the American Music Awards. Lionel Richie gives us a blow-by-blow account of how it all went down, with a lot of help from the singing stars and the people doing the dirty work, like the seemingly impossible task of getting everyone there without it leaking to the press. I loved they were still writing the song while recording it. There are some incredible moments, one involving Bob Dylan and another country star, Waylon Jennings, that are just jaw-dropping. <u>The Greatest Night in Pop</u> is a fascinating look at the recording of a song played worldwide by a group of superstars (and Dan Ackroyd, of all people) that would never be in the same room again. And by the way, It’s a pretty darn good song. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81720500" target="_blank">The Greatest Night in Pop Website</a> Now playing on Netflix</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1GJdc5_zNox6czV5eA-Hm9o3NUB644rTUqZl9FQvpVUfWp7U3Xb9Nslgg1uecWp4k-Sk1hJ_WRtjyXCPmBEh5VYu8yllVQmTzsEDjJRgjcyzFip7fIu2WJO-Ce0Dq7G_CCv3hcxv_J9rgBowF1TB8jhc7cXVDnIvueqsnE5IqdgDu9IyUoE3E1jAWy4N/s845/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-31%20at%201.55.04%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="508" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1GJdc5_zNox6czV5eA-Hm9o3NUB644rTUqZl9FQvpVUfWp7U3Xb9Nslgg1uecWp4k-Sk1hJ_WRtjyXCPmBEh5VYu8yllVQmTzsEDjJRgjcyzFip7fIu2WJO-Ce0Dq7G_CCv3hcxv_J9rgBowF1TB8jhc7cXVDnIvueqsnE5IqdgDu9IyUoE3E1jAWy4N/w120-h200/Screen%20Shot%202024-01-31%20at%201.55.04%20PM.png" width="120" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">Indiefest</b>:<i> </i><u>Fitting In</u> (2023) <i>R </i> Lindy (Maddie Ziegler) is a teen who has just moved into her grandmother’s old house with her single mother, Rita (Emily Hampshire). Lindy has a new boyfriend, Adam (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), and things are heating up, so Lindy decides to go to a gynecologist to get on birth control. That doctor’s office visit will change everything for Lindy. Maddie Ziegler gives a performance they will talk about for quite a while. Ziegler shines in the role of Lindy, a popular teen who has a budding relationship with a great guy, Adam (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), with whom she is about ready to have sex with. She has a best friend, Viv (Djouliet Amara), with whom she shares everything, and a loving mom, Rita, who tries not to share too much since Rita is a therapist. When Lindy decides to get birth control from a doctor, it takes Lindy on a life-changing rollercoaster of a ride that few young women will ever experience. Ziegler gives a moving and touching performance that seems real and moving. <u>Fitting In</u> explores a wide range of topics, many of which are in the headlines, with a willingness to tackle some issues that are rarely discussed, much less explored on film. So grab a red solo cup and join Lindy on a journey to find her place in this world. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.bluefoxentertainment.com/films/fitting-in" target="_blank">Fitting In Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQyo6pv0postgJ8BQgM9RbLaAmRKtqWpjchM_b3KxAKzxKh_bWNJashntzLFe-2maKku3ZiC76VVkxmMXCCC_FCP9a5V0Y5ZlXiU_dOcJrHTAXfRgF7UzXEvkuJDonVTw_KoGtRN1jJGlVlJepOjSs_vt3bvdvcozFZxNgPb70WSoJJsUgsB187R69ZkZ/s1500/Scrambled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQyo6pv0postgJ8BQgM9RbLaAmRKtqWpjchM_b3KxAKzxKh_bWNJashntzLFe-2maKku3ZiC76VVkxmMXCCC_FCP9a5V0Y5ZlXiU_dOcJrHTAXfRgF7UzXEvkuJDonVTw_KoGtRN1jJGlVlJepOjSs_vt3bvdvcozFZxNgPb70WSoJJsUgsB187R69ZkZ/w133-h200/Scrambled.jpg" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">Indiefest</b>: <u style="font-style: normal;">Scrambled</u> (2023) <i>R</i> Ever the bridesmaid, Nellie (Leah McKendrick) seems to go from one wedding to another, along with endless baby showers and one-night stands. Nellie decides things may not be in the cards for a romantic ‘soulmate,’ so she decides to freeze her eggs and starts a journey of self-discovery. This is a raunchy comedy about a woman who speaks her mind and is determined to take her possible future pregnancy into her own hands. Nellie is a woman who has a wonderful sense of humor and loves men but doesn’t want to have a child just yet. So, she decides to freeze her eggs, which sets her on a quest to find the money and get her body ready for the operation. Nellie deals with a lot with the constant circle of women she knows getting married and or pregnant. McKendrick not only stars in the film but also wrote and directed it, showing a flair for comedy. Nellie isn’t a woman you will instantly warm up to, but once you get to know her, you will root for her to succeed. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://roadsideattractions.com/filmography/scrambled/" target="_blank">Scrambled Website</a> Now playing in theatres</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYXgRb2pdt30_iTNy8wF0IqDtPjagvWCZoWCbLCw8QQrRyueOJ82caW0m0IagR1mT7WkvjfdmQqqQ17U7i2rOiuVp25yKANqaQhfDReLVBFUYUU1zTvxVpjL-d4b9-cEn5VEBex58FAzOS5VWGKDqtVy_lVvH4pgcby5rljwA1v-nHBDpgnlF8aErjo9i/s1481/Orion%20and%20the%20Dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYXgRb2pdt30_iTNy8wF0IqDtPjagvWCZoWCbLCw8QQrRyueOJ82caW0m0IagR1mT7WkvjfdmQqqQ17U7i2rOiuVp25yKANqaQhfDReLVBFUYUU1zTvxVpjL-d4b9-cEn5VEBex58FAzOS5VWGKDqtVy_lVvH4pgcby5rljwA1v-nHBDpgnlF8aErjo9i/w135-h200/Orion%20and%20the%20Dark.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Familyfaire</b>: <u>Orion and the Dark </u>(2024) Orion (voiced by Jacob Tremblay) seems on the outside like your average elementary school kid. However, Orion is a ball of anxiety, entirely consumed by every irrational fear you can think of and a few you might not. Of all his fears, the thing he fears the most is the dark. And that’s just who shows up in his bedroom, Dark (voiced by Paul Walter Hauser), to take him on an adventure around the world to prove there is nothing to be afraid of in the night. I had fun watching this film. It’s about a kid afraid of almost anything, including going on field trips and petting dogs. I loved the storytelling, which will keep both kids and their parents interested in Orion and his adventures with Dark. Dark is out to prove to Orion that the world needs both light and dark and that there isn’t anything to fear about the dark; in fact, you just might have fun. The animation is beautiful, and I especially enjoyed the animated drawings of Orion in his journal about things he is afraid of. The storyline changes perspectives a few times, which makes it even more engaging. So get ready to go on a bit of adventure with Dark. He’s a friendly, misunderstood kind of guy.<b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81476885/" target="_blank">Orion and the Dark Website</a> Now playing on Netflix. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvlwAbfCdWLJODRNDAuGZ1Nt-S9PRTTvCv45RKQDu2_ttFdQWMTsbMkKp9Aw9OZJDena9ddSnEqcZOmvye3vF5IxBjINipOow5Ac6v1lr3zfsha0rA6zfnJqunuAIG-0swoQwpMv7LHb7qiqUxAeA9PuLQF5Y4BTKZ-h2WeOu1J4ScGaQxDED4hdl4Cje/s847/The%20Yellow%20Handkerchief.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="847" data-original-width="567" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvlwAbfCdWLJODRNDAuGZ1Nt-S9PRTTvCv45RKQDu2_ttFdQWMTsbMkKp9Aw9OZJDena9ddSnEqcZOmvye3vF5IxBjINipOow5Ac6v1lr3zfsha0rA6zfnJqunuAIG-0swoQwpMv7LHb7qiqUxAeA9PuLQF5Y4BTKZ-h2WeOu1J4ScGaQxDED4hdl4Cje/w134-h200/The%20Yellow%20Handkerchief.png" width="134" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">Forgotten Film</b>:<u style="font-style: normal;"> The Yellow Handkerchief</u> (2008) <i>PG-13</i> Three strangers meet in a backwater Louisiana town. Martine (Kristen Stewart), Gordy (Eddie Redmayne), and Brett (William Hurt) are about to go on a road trip and will learn a few secrets along the way. The cast is brilliant, with Eddie Redmayne playing a shy, scrawny teen, Stewart as the bold teen who is just trying to get somewhere else, and William Hurt, who is invited in on the trip just because it’s raining, and Stewart’s Martine feels he should come along. This is a road trip film where we get to know the characters and their stories, including Brett’s fascinating and sordid past. <u>The Yellow Handkerchief</u> is a film made at the height of the Twilight mania for Kristen Stewart, and this film gave us a glimpse of what was to come for the talented actress. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0954990/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_the%2520yellow%2520hand" target="_blank">The Yellow Handkerchief Website</a> The film is available on DVD.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Argylle</u>: Ice Choreographers </span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>:<u style="font-style: normal;"> Love Lies Bleeding</u> (2024) <i>R</i> Lou (Kristen Stewart) is a gym manager in her small town where her father, Lou Sr. (Ed Harris), runs the town with an iron hand. Into Lou’s gym walks Jackie (Kate O’Brian), a bodybuilder who takes Lou’s breath away. It’s a meeting that will change their lives forever. In fact, someone may die. I love that Kristen Stewart keeps making interesting films that push the boundaries. <b> <a href="https://a24films.com/films/love-lies-bleeding" target="_blank">Love Lies Bleeding Website</a> The film is in theatres in early March.</b></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGNziaNqbQxkGt1sPAigYtI6TsmZ5X7gbxad-yMW-i_91e9uE2oWKtS2lNAsI8YMNq-l2qNQSvv5LnJIJcoAAlP8IJmHuuRtCFbZmtzDhKcVzLuORPMYtYYxMuiLG_51bO88jtYwRA3X9Rwx7HNnVXoQFB54ty79VLFG-gph_sgVlpSYXIGs7iYqr3PK6/s850/Love%20Lies%20Bleeding.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="578" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGNziaNqbQxkGt1sPAigYtI6TsmZ5X7gbxad-yMW-i_91e9uE2oWKtS2lNAsI8YMNq-l2qNQSvv5LnJIJcoAAlP8IJmHuuRtCFbZmtzDhKcVzLuORPMYtYYxMuiLG_51bO88jtYwRA3X9Rwx7HNnVXoQFB54ty79VLFG-gph_sgVlpSYXIGs7iYqr3PK6/w136-h200/Love%20Lies%20Bleeding.png" width="136" /></a></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PDOAYulgpQ0" width="320" youtube-src-id="PDOAYulgpQ0"></iframe></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Until Next Time!</b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> </b></span><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-49115745837086494812024-01-26T00:30:00.024-05:002024-01-26T00:30:00.130-05:00Miller's Girl<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_TGjXArgLGG3c7mKUrwssw9x5nTLov7RR10zx38Bh1LT2huzdnInGhJokGTrgGbSls9OwEnYZ2bsPkwMpwPkPwqHZVzlttk32Ihn58d48jTFn6CmICjbP2KQkx_sCiuiJRSv4XDZ85EivBJT4LD8dcvEMExUkpVFVvXPC16y-GblDKJCXK34bZ0nNJUY/s1500/Miller's%20Girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_TGjXArgLGG3c7mKUrwssw9x5nTLov7RR10zx38Bh1LT2huzdnInGhJokGTrgGbSls9OwEnYZ2bsPkwMpwPkPwqHZVzlttk32Ihn58d48jTFn6CmICjbP2KQkx_sCiuiJRSv4XDZ85EivBJT4LD8dcvEMExUkpVFVvXPC16y-GblDKJCXK34bZ0nNJUY/s320/Miller's%20Girl.jpg" width="213" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Miller’s Girl</u> (2024) <i>R</i> Cairo (Jenna Ortega) is a high school student who excels at everything she sets her mind to. Her English teacher, Jonathan (Martin Freeman), sees talent in Cairo and gives her extra attention. When he realizes things may have gone too far, he rejects her, and now Cairo is out for revenge. I am a fan of both Freeman (Sherlock and Fargo TV series, The World’s End (2013)) and Ortega (Scream (2022), X (2022), Wednesday TV series), so I hoped that this wouldn’t be the mess that the trailer made it look like it could be. Sadly, it is a big mess. The film tries too hard to be cutting-edge and controversial, but the writing makes it seem like a bad attempt at a modern Tennessee Williams adaptation. I mean, you have a popular, charismatic high school teacher who can actually talk to his students, married to an alcoholic wife who spends too much of her time on her work, and a brilliant young student who is bored and wants out of the small-town life. So, she sets her sights on her English teacher, and he falls for it. Because of her over-imagination and a script that waxes poetics at the drop of a hat, we never really know if they ever did anything. Did they even kiss? We will never know. The title comes from the assignment that Jonathan gives Cairo to write something in the style of her favorite writer. So she picks Henry Miller, an author known for his pushing the window of eroticism in his writing. And Jonathan says, sure, why not? What could go wrong? The rest of the film, that’s what. <b> My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/millers-girl" target="_blank">Miller's Girl Website</a> Now playing in theaters</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcgCUuWEaUGATJZEV0QylRSBBKrmsAvuTFXkQsMRnOUu9DFlLlGOJHzI2yyojcX5exoCklA5XIsIsNNFf9SiSCRHrsjmrvYqao67BxQSUfR31iCzZRh7XpAlGKn6ZPok8dtccZpx-HwKaC0scqK-f-LXgVOq1bXG22CtTQ4RCzxQgFvCHI0r73z7SK_0n/s1477/Sometimes%20I%20Think%20About%20Dying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcgCUuWEaUGATJZEV0QylRSBBKrmsAvuTFXkQsMRnOUu9DFlLlGOJHzI2yyojcX5exoCklA5XIsIsNNFf9SiSCRHrsjmrvYqao67BxQSUfR31iCzZRh7XpAlGKn6ZPok8dtccZpx-HwKaC0scqK-f-LXgVOq1bXG22CtTQ4RCzxQgFvCHI0r73z7SK_0n/w136-h200/Sometimes%20I%20Think%20About%20Dying.jpg" width="136" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">Indiefest</b>: <u style="font-style: normal;">Sometimes I Think About Dying</u> (2023)<i> PG-13</i> Fran (Daisy Ridley) is good at her office job but is incredibly socially awkward. Fran spends most of her time alone, which gives her a way to daydream about how she could die. Fran’s world changes when Robert (Dave Merheje) starts working at her office, and he takes a liking to her. Now, the only thing standing in the way of her happiness is Fran herself. I went in thinking that this film was going to be quirky, funny, and fun. While incredibly odd, it’s not a funny film but more of a serious movie about a woman who doesn’t fit in, loves doing her job, and tries to avoid interaction as much as possible. All that changes when she finds herself attracted to her new office mate, Robert. He gives mixed signals to Fran, and she tries as hard as possible to let him know she is interested. The problem is that Fran doesn’t have a clue about how to interact with people. Instead, to escape her office mates chatting on about nonsense, she has daydreams about what it would look like if she died in the forest or on a beach. As much as she wants a relationship with Robert, he isn’t the perfect match, falling asleep on a date or not picking up the signs that she wants more than to be kissed once. Still, it’s an interesting ride that Daisy Ridley takes us on, far from her role as action adventurer roles in the Star Wars films. Fran is a role that Ridley seems to relish in, one that is profoundly understated, even so, she creates a character that we root for. We want Fran to find love or at least acceptance, but we may never know if she will ever see the happiness she finds in daydreaming about her dying. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://oscilloscope.net" target="_blank">Sometimes I Think of Dying Website</a> Now playing in theaters. </b></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheaIYqEzepzJ8fR0H5xgAtmNRkFuPb7Ad9Ufy9J3Zs9huMbGxAzyB5EKBIN2pclfECfD3sBil1goWkE6o-3tk5lpUco1axRhiuF-_yqplX9ycwLjPw_2EYc_01oP3FmKgpCmMu634Fi15XYx6g-MfuMbOcRTAJ_GJzzfLyFnI-zkAo-9l5TbOrrmmRdPcQ/s1482/Badland%20Hunters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheaIYqEzepzJ8fR0H5xgAtmNRkFuPb7Ad9Ufy9J3Zs9huMbGxAzyB5EKBIN2pclfECfD3sBil1goWkE6o-3tk5lpUco1axRhiuF-_yqplX9ycwLjPw_2EYc_01oP3FmKgpCmMu634Fi15XYx6g-MfuMbOcRTAJ_GJzzfLyFnI-zkAo-9l5TbOrrmmRdPcQ/w135-h200/Badland%20Hunters.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">My View</b>: <u style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">Badland Hunters </u>(2024) <u style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">Badland Hunters</u> takes place after a massive earthquake has transformed Seoul into an apocalyptic wasteland, where civilization has collapsed, and it’s everyone for themselves. Nam-san (Don Lee) protects a group of people living in a wasteland. When he finds out that a friend could be in trouble, he leads a couple of friends on a quest to rescue the friend, who is needed for an evil experiment by a mad doctor. Badland Hunters is a silly, fun romp with lots of grisly fights with lots of kung fu theatrics. It’s a film that includes zombies, a mad scientist, a formula to give everlasting life, and lizard men. What’s not to love when the hero’s primary weapon is a giant machete? What’s better to chop off quasi-zombie soldiers' heads with? <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81721676/" target="_blank">Badland Hunters Website</a> Now playing on Netflix.</b></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHpwc5TkyC1unerdgfvNlz3vc7bcQSvSuEZUJOGR8A_Cr-lyNY_DO-d6SzFjvN8GICp3ujuxt7aJqRH1p93heJhrqj7aZj9WA6bNYDCaeDhSjt9mRGmULJofMnE-jvBQBA-CjGWD9HzD2KteHwlfNxTspB6nsENR1-ZQ_VL8dvhR8V5b34LrldZCQ5azi/s1481/American%20Star.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjHpwc5TkyC1unerdgfvNlz3vc7bcQSvSuEZUJOGR8A_Cr-lyNY_DO-d6SzFjvN8GICp3ujuxt7aJqRH1p93heJhrqj7aZj9WA6bNYDCaeDhSjt9mRGmULJofMnE-jvBQBA-CjGWD9HzD2KteHwlfNxTspB6nsENR1-ZQ_VL8dvhR8V5b34LrldZCQ5azi/w135-h200/American%20Star.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">Indiefest:</b> <u style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">American Star </u>(2024)<i style="font-variant-caps: normal;"> R</i> Wilson (Ian McShane) is an assassin who takes a job where he is commissioned to kill a man on a tropical island. The target is delayed, and instead of going home, Wilson decides to stay on the island and becomes involved with the people there. Now, the target has arrived, and Wilson is forced to choose between his job and his newfound friendships. This film is about a man who isn’t used to connecting with people while on the job. He is a man who prides himself on getting in and out of a job before the dust has settled or the blood spatters have dried. Wilson, for reasons we will never know, decides to spend some time on the island and slowly gets to know the people, townspeople, and tourists alike. The film is a slow burn and works only because of the star power and charisma of McShane. It’s a subtle bit of acting by McShane. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t entirely give us anything other than the few interactions that Wilson allows himself with: a pretty bartender who may be involved with the man he is there to kill and a young, lonely kid who spends a lot of his time locked out of his room by his continually drunk parents. I loved the film's cinematography, and there are some beautiful shots of Wilson in his black suit exploring the island. The film ends with a bit of a whimper, which is not what the film needed to give us. What we get has been like Wilson’s constant cigarettes, a long, slow burn. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.ifcfilms.com/films/american-star" target="_blank">American Star Website</a> Now playing in theaters.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgYAc7ADihs-lq2RL6CI7oVfaFLS0PRte_AvNZOAoJYwnxtTggOssWQJSTzXAAXPpfxjM7w0RkgTjp84H0VUnSE2pQr64pzwIQiqXeHrU8-Nx396WX7YABwxHLdIJUqm3x8-1bRqJs_9euclbZ7eiPXAhlVXpZ0L9NjxtY9yGBIvrXp2nVCUr4iq0-8n1/s1046/Pictures%20of%20Ghosts%20English.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="708" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgYAc7ADihs-lq2RL6CI7oVfaFLS0PRte_AvNZOAoJYwnxtTggOssWQJSTzXAAXPpfxjM7w0RkgTjp84H0VUnSE2pQr64pzwIQiqXeHrU8-Nx396WX7YABwxHLdIJUqm3x8-1bRqJs_9euclbZ7eiPXAhlVXpZ0L9NjxtY9yGBIvrXp2nVCUr4iq0-8n1/w136-h200/Pictures%20of%20Ghosts%20English.jpeg" width="136" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Pictures of Ghosts</u> (2023) Filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho revisits the downtown of the Brazilian city of Recife, where he explores the now vacant movie palaces that made such an essential part of Brazilian life. This is a deeply personal film about life in the town where the filmmaker grew up and lives. The first third of the film is about Filho’s life in the apartment that he not only grew up in but in the same place where he lives now. His apartment is a place that not only did he live in but also one that has starred in both his childhood films that he made with video cameras and his current professional life as a narrative filmmaker. The 2nd third of the film is about the movie theatres downtown, most of which are long gone. They are the places that Filho and the rest of the community went to from the 30s on to see the world’s best films come to their downtown theatres. He gives us the history of these theatres and shows us what they once were in their glory days and what they have become. It’s a painful journey, one of looking back at the joy that these movie palaces gave to millions and millions of people. The last third is a look at what could be one last theatre trying to survive by becoming a revival house. While sad, the film is also a celebration of movies and the theatres that show them. Pictures of Ghosts show us what those theatres of yesteryear brought to a community, they were part of its lifeblood. <b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="http://grasshopperfilm.com/film/pictures-of-ghosts/" target="_blank">Pictures of Ghosts Website</a> Now playing is select theaters.</b></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugP0IEQnSRisAga5JaOcQeY9y5geiJf5lANgDqdC6sC0aBsOjgv0sts9zIG3qAm6NWq9wjIWzzmVlreDQQ8itIsMIhztzS3k1i0qEh8g37XNNh71w1hCSMcNkeyY-gtCL8Ewn0lbY5Vs96biE88fdXljrTOvobY10pIwNv-y0TQsYMwiWeeRmXOU4Oav3/s1266/Rembrandt's%20J'Accuse.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="950" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhugP0IEQnSRisAga5JaOcQeY9y5geiJf5lANgDqdC6sC0aBsOjgv0sts9zIG3qAm6NWq9wjIWzzmVlreDQQ8itIsMIhztzS3k1i0qEh8g37XNNh71w1hCSMcNkeyY-gtCL8Ewn0lbY5Vs96biE88fdXljrTOvobY10pIwNv-y0TQsYMwiWeeRmXOU4Oav3/w150-h200/Rembrandt's%20J'Accuse.png" width="150" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">Forgotten Film</b>: <u style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">Rembrandt’s J’Accuse…! </u>(2008) Documentary from filmmaker Peter Greenaway that investigates the mystery of one of the most famous paintings in the world, Rembrandt’s The Nightwatch. Using actors Martin Freeman, Eva Birthistle, Toby Jones, and others, Greenaway takes a forensic look at the painting and the implications that a murder has occurred in it. The film looks at all thirty-four painted characters and points a finger at who could be the shooter. It’s a fun film with plenty of laughs while exploring the world of one of the world’s most famous painters and a painting that has been a mystery for hundreds of years. <b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1303889/?ref_=hm_rvi_tt_i_9" target="_blank">Rembrandt's J'Accuse Info</a> The film is available for rent/buy on Amazon.</b></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Miller’s Girl</u>: Vault</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:</b> <u style="font-style: normal;">Road House</u> (2024) <i>R </i> A down on his luck, former UFC fighter Elwood Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) ends up working at a ‘Road House,’ a rowdy bar in the Florida Keys. Hired to clean up the troublemakers in the bar, it turns out the job is a lot more complicated than that. One key thing, don’t piss Elwood off. <u>Road House</u> is a remake of the 1989 film of the same name that starred Patrick Swayze and became a cult classic. Let's see what Mr. Gyllenhaal can do with the role. It should be a lot of fun. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3359350/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_road%2520hosue" target="_blank"><b>Road House Info </b></a> <b>Premiering on Prime Video on March 21st. </b></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoY1qmorPYSQyZ_X7Tz2DGGhIvI9tGvkSlnv4eCaP_YoJ_pJTHFE2uzYH6qLOqXs6plBlClUsnZdbSvZxdlRBJTjoBDgwZG-55FmS7UsoigfAFFN1FWHsWfPBo6FQbvPcig8eslzeTEWYS9-KFElYr6dB9HBHqxRSXPx1Mr_HdFbFl3DmjqhSSLbW9Hhb4/s2560/Road%20House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1728" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoY1qmorPYSQyZ_X7Tz2DGGhIvI9tGvkSlnv4eCaP_YoJ_pJTHFE2uzYH6qLOqXs6plBlClUsnZdbSvZxdlRBJTjoBDgwZG-55FmS7UsoigfAFFN1FWHsWfPBo6FQbvPcig8eslzeTEWYS9-KFElYr6dB9HBHqxRSXPx1Mr_HdFbFl3DmjqhSSLbW9Hhb4/w135-h200/Road%20House.jpg" width="135" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PD7UcjW9bVA" width="320" youtube-src-id="PD7UcjW9bVA"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Until Next Time!</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-62819236240398915842024-01-19T00:30:00.012-05:002024-01-19T00:30:00.135-05:00Origin<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAuwgHUX0co4vykAZw0Hto_DyATUD12vKdslCSb8SR2qkF96rALodbmGGBYh_33BU1UnhO9yvRreBBtBLuqiyzcUMB1N6A5uahpaO95Yd6UvLdxDrOz0ahyphenhyphen7orUBpHCxMSvQb_HwM2LcIQwSmLP4z86iSvKrBxT6uP-cjvajYetdjcFyP0oAZAo54oY83/s3000/Origin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2021" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAuwgHUX0co4vykAZw0Hto_DyATUD12vKdslCSb8SR2qkF96rALodbmGGBYh_33BU1UnhO9yvRreBBtBLuqiyzcUMB1N6A5uahpaO95Yd6UvLdxDrOz0ahyphenhyphen7orUBpHCxMSvQb_HwM2LcIQwSmLP4z86iSvKrBxT6uP-cjvajYetdjcFyP0oAZAo54oY83/s320/Origin.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></div><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">My View</span></b><span style="font-family: georgia;">: <u>Origin</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> Isabel (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who is asked to write about the murder of Trayvon Martin. At first, she doesn’t want to write the piece; however, with the support of her husband Brett (Jon Bernthal), she decides to write not about the death but about what made it possible and why. Isabel is about to go on a journey that will be the most challenging year of her life but one of great discovery. The film is based on the nonfiction book <u>Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents </u>by Isabel Wilkerson and has been adapted to a fictional narrative by Ava DuVernay (<u>Selma</u> (2015), <u>13th</u> (2017). It’s a thoughtful and imaginative film that doesn’t always work because it feels it has to hit so many complex topics. Still, the narrative is filled with the book's major ideas, and combined with a magical feel through its cinematography and the performance of Ellis-Taylor, the film is destined to make you think and feel that Isabel is onto something important, something to be discussed. Origin is a film that I came away feeling that while the film overall doesn’t quite flow and not all the parts make a good fit. However, those parts are full of moments worth experiencing and thinking about. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://neonrated.com/films/origin" target="_blank">Origin Website</a> Now playing in theatres. </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCL6Sqwe32xWpveSIv-oztdJJZ3IK6nYAeIpu_FTFsWrJQLiRBo0bDQz8fpfpvxifw6fIQtQbzjlF9zY-PeCrb_oWc4uGi8_A1LRLUwSv9F1L45fLmN-_W7RQUmMQEqOts77GmL-t23WdVkfa0kp312AgqlPrudgjsCfDiJbwNmWohN_g6MvjRgCpMgol/s1481/The%20Zone%20of%20Interest.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCL6Sqwe32xWpveSIv-oztdJJZ3IK6nYAeIpu_FTFsWrJQLiRBo0bDQz8fpfpvxifw6fIQtQbzjlF9zY-PeCrb_oWc4uGi8_A1LRLUwSv9F1L45fLmN-_W7RQUmMQEqOts77GmL-t23WdVkfa0kp312AgqlPrudgjsCfDiJbwNmWohN_g6MvjRgCpMgol/w135-h200/The%20Zone%20of%20Interest.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>The Zone of Interest</u> (2023) <i>PG-13 </i> Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) and her husband Rudolf (Christian Friedel) have built a beautiful home for their family with a lovely garden and an excellent servant staff. Rudolf is the commandant of Auschwitz, and their house is directly next to the camp. This is a disturbing film showing none of the horror and atrocities of Auschwitz. We hear the constant gunshots, and we see the plumes of smoke from the ovens, but it’s all taking place outside the walls of the house and the fields and rivers that the family interacts with. This is the story of a family living a good life while horrors are happening on the other side of that pretty garden wall. I am not as big a fan of this film as many of my fellow film critics. Primarily because we spend over two hours with this family and learn nothing about them we don’t know after ten minutes into the film. <u>The Zone of Interest</u> gives us very little to react to other than the callousness of the Nazis, but I think we already knew that. The film also does some bizarre things with the narrative, including showing us a daughter of a servant, who is leaving food for the workers in the concentration camp. The act is shown to us as if seen through a night vision lens, which just threw me out of the film altogether. <u>The Zone of Interest</u> take on viewing life next to a camp of horrors did not resonate with me and failed to convey anything other than that the Nazis were horrible people. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://a24films.com/films/the-zone-of-interest" target="_blank">The Zone of Interest Website</a> Now playing in theaters.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-NJYyRXF8VqsbX6bn3wyOMkmg13KIs_pi_tmrXXZDndzC8zFaAMfSkzVv-Vf2yLIv3LAK23ullJ8bwizOtWNYO0wGzWPTPS2EzLT2sQfkmzQFC_muGT71wJ0T6kmX_tWa6FltdLC-xDe5hnb1LPzNqkdcWKCGo-T-cCPvAhKtU7wlCB9NVZf7l8BD1X8/s2866/Freud's%20Last%20Session.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2866" data-original-width="1934" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-NJYyRXF8VqsbX6bn3wyOMkmg13KIs_pi_tmrXXZDndzC8zFaAMfSkzVv-Vf2yLIv3LAK23ullJ8bwizOtWNYO0wGzWPTPS2EzLT2sQfkmzQFC_muGT71wJ0T6kmX_tWa6FltdLC-xDe5hnb1LPzNqkdcWKCGo-T-cCPvAhKtU7wlCB9NVZf7l8BD1X8/w135-h200/Freud's%20Last%20Session.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Freud’s Last Session</u> (2023)<i> PG-13</i> World War II is about to start as the Germans have invaded Poland, and one of the world’s greatest psychologists, Sigmund Freud (Anthony Hopkins), is dying of cancer. He invites a young Oxford professor, C.S. Lewis (Matthew Goode), to debate the importance of religion in the age of war. Freud’s Last Session is a film where the acting far exceeds the material they are given. Based on a meeting that may or may not have happened, we have two men at odds over how we deal with God and Christianity. Two men are at odds in their belief in a higher power and spend the film discussing the topic. The film is based on a stage play and sometimes feels too much like that. The film finds interesting topics and then drops them to show something from each of the two men’s past in flashbacks that take away any momentum the film has. There is also a subplot of Freud’s daughter Anna, played by Live Lisa Fries, who tries to escape the gigantic shadow her father spreads over her. This also takes away from the conversations between the two men and seems as if it is added to give us another reason to question Freud’s ideas and values. I felt the film spent too much time on Freud’s couch, trying to explore their subconscious and not enough on each man’s own words. <b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.sonyclassics.com/film/freudslastsession/" target="_blank">Freud's Last Session Website</a> Now playing in theatres. </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzhx4HIB8-Y0O3_RZQs7QuMfkcgVdnTeruoKWdisepci4nHysYagzyGMA-KZoDI_ErnMkU_uhm66I-6bKZUTI9BwJIPIkXBKrtTTSlmVfE_uXDtApYgSkXUb0gYEkL268xa7aDSxJa5_eJ2mvWzt6wOBqg7ftCTBckRWqDG0fNdwprT-nN-Sm5Q3lcU4p/s3150/I.S.S.%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3150" data-original-width="2175" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzhx4HIB8-Y0O3_RZQs7QuMfkcgVdnTeruoKWdisepci4nHysYagzyGMA-KZoDI_ErnMkU_uhm66I-6bKZUTI9BwJIPIkXBKrtTTSlmVfE_uXDtApYgSkXUb0gYEkL268xa7aDSxJa5_eJ2mvWzt6wOBqg7ftCTBckRWqDG0fNdwprT-nN-Sm5Q3lcU4p/w138-h200/I.S.S.%20.jpg" width="138" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>I.S.S.</u> (2023) <i>R</i> <u> I.S.S.</u> takes place when a new group, comprised of both American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts, has just arrived at the International Space Station. Things are fantastic until they witness a war breaking out beneath them on Earth, and the astronauts are given orders from the ground: take control of the space station by any means necessary. I wanted this film to be a thriller with some smarts, but much like the astronauts that inhabit the space station, the script goes for the easy out and never creates enough tension or twists to make the film more than predictable. While watching this film about six people in a space station, what stuck with me is that other than the sleeping quarters (a closet with a vertical sleeping bag you strap into), the film never feels like a confined, closed place. At one point, two of the astronauts think they can hide in a section of the station, which just boggled my mind. For six highly trained people who are subjected to a ton of tests to get into their programs, they are some pretty stupid people. At one point, one astronaut tells our heroine, Dr. Foster (Ariana DeBose), not to let anybody else look out the space station's windows. Yeah, that will work. <b>My Rating: Cable <a href="https://bleeckerstreetmedia.com/i-s-s/" target="_blank">I.S.S. Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpyRmvUZgKJ8Ea8d_yfmwYqxblcsZW8ciToaJsVtWFDnEEfnYNHSi4VCIWj4RYQQ8kWXget3h4f_VC2WQLsON7Gvax4xTxIGRSEppXeJcgrmrb6ULq-8OJKqeUL5wlxG4f2rZC6wzIkzRViZ6sa9L9FSVzKHoRwUCcvXrz02Kmtqhy5UW2tJSvl_hlq-Q/s1185/The%20End%20We%20Start%20With.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbpyRmvUZgKJ8Ea8d_yfmwYqxblcsZW8ciToaJsVtWFDnEEfnYNHSi4VCIWj4RYQQ8kWXget3h4f_VC2WQLsON7Gvax4xTxIGRSEppXeJcgrmrb6ULq-8OJKqeUL5wlxG4f2rZC6wzIkzRViZ6sa9L9FSVzKHoRwUCcvXrz02Kmtqhy5UW2tJSvl_hlq-Q/w135-h200/The%20End%20We%20Start%20With.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>The End We Start From</u> (2023) <i>R </i> After a massive environmental crisis submerges London and a great deal of England, a mother (Jodie Comer) and her newborn son attempt to find their way home, battling the environment and the odds. <u>The End We Start From</u> is the story of a woman who is determined to not only survive but take her baby back to where he belongs, her home. This is a horror film, but only in the sense that the monsters are us and what we will do to survive. It’s also about love and friendship, finding both in unexpected places. The world can be a cruel place, but also can be filled with kindness. Jodie Comer is magnificent as the mother who takes her newborn on a journey with one thought, to get back home. The supporting cast makes this film work so well with Joel Fry as the husband, Benedict Cumberbatch as a fellow traveller also trying to get home, and Katherine Waterston as a fellow mother with a newborn who joins up on the journey. Far scarier than some of the horror films I’ve seen, <u>The End We Start From </u>is a sobering account of a world gone mad because of a natural catastrophe and the power of the pull of needing to be home. <b>My Take: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21810682/?ref_=ttco_ov" target="_blank">The End We Start From Info</a></b> <b>Now playing in theatres. </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ougfHQ6HmNdKqwaPpwA9swAt6yoCV9tiJPS50WWRbYS_4Lj1lxqlcW7V_ooHBdmkxSwXZuS15X174NBqDYWkg5XPdqddnBXZKc7HpInWM672YQZ8oYakU1OPocnhUnCshO74q-EPTzTMdmvtXzO4b3sq3yFroPj9-sDKIzaGvJYX5ZmKoyve56Xz_iQK/s2400/Driving%20Madeleine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1620" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ougfHQ6HmNdKqwaPpwA9swAt6yoCV9tiJPS50WWRbYS_4Lj1lxqlcW7V_ooHBdmkxSwXZuS15X174NBqDYWkg5XPdqddnBXZKc7HpInWM672YQZ8oYakU1OPocnhUnCshO74q-EPTzTMdmvtXzO4b3sq3yFroPj9-sDKIzaGvJYX5ZmKoyve56Xz_iQK/w135-h200/Driving%20Madeleine.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Driving Madeleine</u> (2023) Charles (Dany Boon) is a cab driver having a bad day/week/year when he picks up what he thinks will be an easy fare, an old woman named Madeleine (Line Renaud). However, Madeleine is about to move to a care home, and this could be her last cab ride in Paris. Madeleine will want to make a few stops along the way, and Charles is about to learn about the rich, adventurous, and sometimes sad life she has led. Driving Madeleine is a film that is a joy to watch because of the chemistry between Dany Boon, the rough and always angry taxi driver, and Line Renaud, the woman who takes her taxi driver on a trip through a Paris of memories. Line Renaud is brilliant as the woman who refuses to dwell on the bad things and celebrate the good times in her life. It’s a beautiful performance full of sweetness and subtlety. Dany Boon is perfect as a man who slowly lets his guard down and slowly becomes under the spell of a woman who has lived a full and interesting life. I could have used fewer flashbacks and more time in the cab, but that’s a minor problem because of the performances of the two principals. So sit back and enjoy a long cab ride full of stories and insights from a woman who has experienced life and is willing to share it. <b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://cohenmedia.net/product/driving-madeleine" target="_blank">Driving Madeleine Website</a></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXKwD2QJv-Xe8AbGTxwQ5bw2R0D5D4pccKP9C62av2A94FJQhbE6gEOGtvcmp6ebVvL_OJ9_x8PIUpo7sJMV1hFJSOoL2AMj0bfa0n9mILUCJDcCaWcRhsRTYqCs4_pOwzfvVHHmfr8_tr1IBJIEmYNIJKlPiOIVWXh7AOwVzgWx7G9B5c97VvQBLU49N/s1256/Lovely%20&%20Amazing.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="848" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYXKwD2QJv-Xe8AbGTxwQ5bw2R0D5D4pccKP9C62av2A94FJQhbE6gEOGtvcmp6ebVvL_OJ9_x8PIUpo7sJMV1hFJSOoL2AMj0bfa0n9mILUCJDcCaWcRhsRTYqCs4_pOwzfvVHHmfr8_tr1IBJIEmYNIJKlPiOIVWXh7AOwVzgWx7G9B5c97VvQBLU49N/w135-h200/Lovely%20&%20Amazing.png" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>Lovely & Amazing</u> (2001) R Jane Marks (Brenda Blethyn) is a mother of three daughters. Michelle (Catherine Keener), the oldest, is a former homecoming queen in an unhappy marriage. Elizabeth (Emily Mortimer) is an actress on the brink of stardom, but spends her time rescuing dogs, even when they don’t want to be rescued. The youngest sister is Annie (Raven Goodwin), an eight-year-old African-American Jane adopted. All the women of the Marks clan have serious issues, including body issues and insecurity. However, the Marks women have one thing in common: they love each other and seek redemption, each in their own way. What I love about this film is that the women in the movie are all dealing with problems, but none of them are superficial. They know they are flawed and are trying to deal with their problems, though sometimes not well. The film tackles a serious subject of how women are constantly bombarded with attaining the perfect body and how it’s a struggle to keep your sense of worth and, better yet, your sense of humor to deal with these issues. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0258273/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_lovely%2520%2526%2520a" target="_blank">Lovely & Amazing Info</a> The film is available on disc. </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Origin</u>: Lunchbox Driver</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Sometimes I Think About Dying</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> Fran (Daisy Ridley) is good at her office job but is incredibly socially awkward. Fran spends most of her time alone, which gives her a way to daydream about how she could die. Fran’s world changes when Robert (Dave Merheje) starts working at her office, and he takes a liking to her. Now, the only thing standing in the way of her happiness is Fran herself. The film was a Grand Jury Prize nominee at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. <a href=" https://oscilloscope.net" target="_blank">Sometimes I Think About Dying Website</a> <b>Releasing in theatres on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024.</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdG0EKHTBRE23iQ-FjyHyTTpjkxil7MI6lvyhv7GFS7ja1kYg7p-X4tSKZaYchZDcrwW6VHqbfHDZM97Os0-W3zRakr061LoyciZuvi6MjFkkc6sITmJ4LKACm8EGCWteMt6uzeFhEV6vGit3XLKCkO1DM1q0CEeiUH8dfnATg6cW85AdnYr7hgMieAIm/s1477/Sometimes%20I%20Think%20About%20Dying.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdG0EKHTBRE23iQ-FjyHyTTpjkxil7MI6lvyhv7GFS7ja1kYg7p-X4tSKZaYchZDcrwW6VHqbfHDZM97Os0-W3zRakr061LoyciZuvi6MjFkkc6sITmJ4LKACm8EGCWteMt6uzeFhEV6vGit3XLKCkO1DM1q0CEeiUH8dfnATg6cW85AdnYr7hgMieAIm/w136-h200/Sometimes%20I%20Think%20About%20Dying.jpg" width="136" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/idtCErzXixE" width="320" youtube-src-id="idtCErzXixE"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Until Next Time!</div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><div><br /></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-43251210776876819232024-01-12T00:30:00.021-05:002024-01-14T16:09:59.531-05:00Mean Girls<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9x6lqixkE2HSBLl9z-Q26o0ZsqkGSM-fruDTMG-muFSqG2SS85iyZhcQLmN0aMjwVtqxLji6odQKIFuTTlZjy7LqAzuO8BQzVEeydWrdlXn4ZUgKlGVe3IH7EzsXcTxikC4BY1SZkiqRESrmTeFpL3PIkyAWNgv3x5cFRPxxg2SxaAUaOZmd-g6FUWHmb/s1300/Mean%20Girls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="833" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9x6lqixkE2HSBLl9z-Q26o0ZsqkGSM-fruDTMG-muFSqG2SS85iyZhcQLmN0aMjwVtqxLji6odQKIFuTTlZjy7LqAzuO8BQzVEeydWrdlXn4ZUgKlGVe3IH7EzsXcTxikC4BY1SZkiqRESrmTeFpL3PIkyAWNgv3x5cFRPxxg2SxaAUaOZmd-g6FUWHmb/s320/Mean%20Girls.jpg" width="205" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Mean Girls</u> (2024) <i>PG-13 </i> New student Cady (Angourie Rice) has it made! An elite group of popular girls called ‘The Plastics’ has welcomed her into the top of the social situation at her school. The Plastics are ruled by conniving queen bee Regina (Reneé Rapp), and she isn’t someone you want to cross. However, Cady makes a major mistake by falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron (Christopher Briney), and now she finds herself in Regina’s crosshairs. Can Cady survive the wrath of The Plastics and High School? This film suffers from what I call ‘The Broadway Bloat,’ when a musical has too many songs, some of which do absolutely nothing to progress the plot or give character insight. A good example is ‘Sexy,’ which Avantika sings at a Halloween party. It’s just a waste of screen time. The film also does a horrible job of making Renee Rapp stand out. Rapp played Regina in the 2nd year of the Broadway run, and I can see how she would dominate the stage with her presence, but with her two best songs, Someone Gets Hurt and World Burn, Rapp is second to the attempt to make the film look like a TikTok video. Having recently watched the 2004 film, I was stuck on what Tina Fey cut out of the film, including some fun jokes and funny sequences from the original. A perfect example of how badly shot the film is when Cady’s two best friends are watching a horror movie (one of the Friday the 13th films) on Halloween, when Cady, dressed as a zombie bride, walks in on the two. In the original film, Cady’s sudden appearance in the doorway scares them, right out of a horror movie. It’s a funny moment. In this version, the shot is so poorly done that it seems the film, not Cady’s sudden appearance scares the two. I also didn’t like the change of songs that the Plastics sing at the Winter Talent show. I loved in the original film how Cady saves the day by singing Jingle Bell Rock when the music starts skipping because of Gretchen’s stumble, which makes Cady the center of the spotlight and the hero. The song is different in the musical and the impact of what happens misses the mark on elevating Cady in the eyes of the audience. I will say the casting of Jenna Fisher as Cady’s mother was a brilliant move, as Angourie Rice looks and acts so much like Fisher that it’s uncanny. Overall, I came away from the film wanting more. I wanted it to be funnier, the songs to stand out more, and I wanted to go away from the film humming a song or two. <b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.meangirls.com/home/" target="_blank">Mean Girls Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL585iPO9BFzg-dWWtB5Yvq4MnAD22G6D-yQmUJz6Ka5lAiuEHtGucfipozj2OC1s8KI_r3IwjjxEsuNk80oBCgIETmJquqcJywMqOfEUI-YMRi1EUo686aJu_asqHi3TddoFaD3NagbUkWPFYxEU-DGms4e90bFzvriGW2Ud8AXPaYWT33cmHwZIXfg1/s1481/The%20Beekeeper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL585iPO9BFzg-dWWtB5Yvq4MnAD22G6D-yQmUJz6Ka5lAiuEHtGucfipozj2OC1s8KI_r3IwjjxEsuNk80oBCgIETmJquqcJywMqOfEUI-YMRi1EUo686aJu_asqHi3TddoFaD3NagbUkWPFYxEU-DGms4e90bFzvriGW2Ud8AXPaYWT33cmHwZIXfg1/w135-h200/The%20Beekeeper.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>The BeeKeeper</u> (2024) <i>R </i> Clay’s (Jason Statham) world is rocked when his neighbor (Phylicia Rashad) is scammed by a phishing operation, which causes her financial ruin, and she takes her own life. Clay is about to get revenge for his neighbor because they don’t know who they messed with. Clay is a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as ‘Beekeepers.’ I saw three action films this week, and this is the only one that I had fun watching. It’s got all you want from a Statham film. Jason beats up and kills a bunch of bad guys, sometimes in very imaginative ways. Check! Jason is on the side of right vs wrong and he doesn’t care who he is taking on to get retribution. Check! Jason says a few lines commenting on how the over-confident bad guy will die. Check! Things blow up bigger than they should, and maybe even if they shouldn’t. Check! <u>The Beekeeper</u> is what I call a ‘stupid fun’ movie. It knows what it is and has fun with it. Statham, who has made an excellent living doing this kind of part, does his Statham thing and is serious throughout, even in the touching moments (there is one early on to show he has a heart). For a few minutes, I didn’t recognize Josh Hutcherson, who plays the main bad guy as the troubled son of a wealthy person. He is ok in the role, but to make up for that, we have Jeremy Irons chewing up scenery only like Jeremy can, as the bad guy’s head of security slash trouble fixer. Spoiler alert: if this is the box office, I think it will do; I can see this being a Statham series where he rights further wrongs for the weak and defenseless. How about <u>The Beekeeper II: The Sting is back!</u>? <b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://mgm.com/movies/the-beekeeper" target="_blank">The Beekeeper Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDRNJ74e_BX1G0hH-gSA2fFrzeBm6tuhh1c3vMaFoWQzXm-fP6k1CeYlM9ln3QF5NKflBfT8UTnqZN7Uxiw0_jVx29nDnYbKNXmf3oEsp6Dbbh71TmL2QVjmHISiQqBWyksd1SXcT7o0dv1pe6X4zQECeej38VYwRpo_0__IHHeO33yp4nx61fs1RFusn/s251/The%20Book%20of%20Clarence.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="201" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwDRNJ74e_BX1G0hH-gSA2fFrzeBm6tuhh1c3vMaFoWQzXm-fP6k1CeYlM9ln3QF5NKflBfT8UTnqZN7Uxiw0_jVx29nDnYbKNXmf3oEsp6Dbbh71TmL2QVjmHISiQqBWyksd1SXcT7o0dv1pe6X4zQECeej38VYwRpo_0__IHHeO33yp4nx61fs1RFusn/w160-h200/The%20Book%20of%20Clarence.jpeg" width="160" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>The Book of Clarence </u>(2023)<i> PG-13</i> Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is a hustler whose days may be numbered because he owes money to a local mobster. A mobster who happens to have a sister that Clarence is in love with. Clarence notices his brother is doing well following a local Messiah named Jesus. Clarence claims he is also a Messiah, but soon discovers that life becomes very complicated when dealing with things like God. Like his western film, <u>The Harder They Fall</u> (2021), where he played off the Hollywood westerns of the 40s and 50s, filmmaker Jeymes Samuel takes on the classic Hollywood religious spectacles and gives it his unique spin. The result is a film that is engaging and sometimes hilarious but doesn’t always succeed in what Samuel is trying to do. LaKeith Stanfield is brilliant as Clarence, who is madly in love with local mobster Jedediah’s sister (played by Anna Diop). Clarence owes a lot of money to Jedediah (Eric Kofi-Abrefa) and spends most of his time early on in the film trying to find a way to raise the money while dodging Jedediah and his henchmen. There are some shout-outs to the classic religious films, including a rousing chariot race and a couple of scenes reminiscent of Jesus Christ Superstar. The film explores Christianity, the power of belief, and how we look for messiahs in times of strife. At its heart, the film is a journey of discovery and enlightenment. It just takes a long and winding road to find it. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.thebookofclarence.movie" target="_blank">The Book of Clarence Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGvWh7VBBATKcrk-oGNZOn0ntNduQZ1wbx14KMM3mphhe0kV1SxsywspK_2JsIr1mgL3mZ20lHnLB45v8P-OocxEYOpDlpPW04T8BhuEG0SPVZKP89r11-o-mag7WXRmCmddCm2aFxnLbImnCwTo5XZ7awfzmZyYX4GBeHu8A22zpKkjxEc4QjgLEycyd/s2880/Role%20Play%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="1944" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGvWh7VBBATKcrk-oGNZOn0ntNduQZ1wbx14KMM3mphhe0kV1SxsywspK_2JsIr1mgL3mZ20lHnLB45v8P-OocxEYOpDlpPW04T8BhuEG0SPVZKP89r11-o-mag7WXRmCmddCm2aFxnLbImnCwTo5XZ7awfzmZyYX4GBeHu8A22zpKkjxEc4QjgLEycyd/w135-h200/Role%20Play%20.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Role Play</u> (2023) <i>R</i> Emma (Kaley Cuoco) is married to Dave (David Oyelowo), and they have a great life with two kids in the suburbs of New Jersey. Couples sometimes have a secret or two they keep from their loved ones. Emma’s secret is she is an assassin for hire and is wanted for murder…many murders. I am a fan of both Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo, so I was looking forward to this film, which looked like it would be a lot of fun—a sexy assassin living a double life as a housewife in the suburbs. The film starts with a nice encounter with a fellow killer, played by the always enjoyable and stylish Bill Nighy, who messes up Emma and Dave’s big night out on the town. Unfortunately, the film goes downhill from there. The film takes too long to reunite the couple once Emma’s cover has been blown and then there isn’t the fun or thrill that the encounter with Nighy’s character gave us. I wanted more of Oyelowo, as the mild-mannered husband, having to help Emma defeat the bad guys, but he mainly just reacts to his continual disbelief that his wife is a killer. Cuoco is fine as the assassin and does well in the action sequences, but the film doesn’t let her comedic talents come out at all. I think the film suffers from a villain, played by Connie Nelson, who doesn’t have the magnetic pull of Nighy’s bad guy from the early portion of the film. <b>My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Role-Play-Kaley-Cuoco/dp/B0CLZ3RWGD" target="_blank">Role Play Website</a> Now playing on Amazon Prime.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBr0Gnz_KhwI-zZIBX2jne_DHry_qxP3fRCR3TDcc6dAeVSysE5rrpIf0dN7el7DPCHZdApkYRe6k3UzWo8IiXriXWK4IW3sjy5OJaX_Cxlu90QnwZWsOqK7htkkBOsQUcg1dz31iuzvufHlh7geGdVUZo9X5SGkCpOHfuWMH7NwC6RPIPjHz89Nfcch-/s1400/Lift.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBr0Gnz_KhwI-zZIBX2jne_DHry_qxP3fRCR3TDcc6dAeVSysE5rrpIf0dN7el7DPCHZdApkYRe6k3UzWo8IiXriXWK4IW3sjy5OJaX_Cxlu90QnwZWsOqK7htkkBOsQUcg1dz31iuzvufHlh7geGdVUZo9X5SGkCpOHfuWMH7NwC6RPIPjHz89Nfcch-/w143-h200/Lift.jpg" width="143" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Lift</u> (2024) <i>PG-13</i> An Interpol agent named Abby (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and her ex-boyfriend Cyrus (Kevin Hart), a renowned art thief, are teaming up to steal 500 million in gold bullion from an evil arms dealer (Jean Reno). The only problem is that they must steal it while transported on a 777-passenger flight. Lift is a film that aspires to be clever but keeps throwing tech stuff at you to show you how brilliant the film’s heroes are. I am not a fan of movies that keep something from you until the end, and this film does a poor job of just doing that. We know the good guys will win in the end, but the build-up takes too long to get there, and I was never clear on the heist’s details to begin with. Kevin Hart tries to play the suave thief who has one weakness: he is in love with the Interpol agent (Mbatha-Raw) who is trying to catch him. The plot is razor thin on how and why the gang has to help Interpol steal the gold and then even thinner when getting an internet billionaire to lend him his fancy jet to do the heist. I am guessing that it’s an inside joke that the ‘master of disguise’ character Denton, played by Vincent D’Onofrio (who seems like he has just woken up from a nap in every scene), has some of the worst disguises in the history of film. <u>Lift </u>is a film that wants to be clever and fun but instead feels as if the writer and director felt as if we keep throwing tech stuff at them, they won’t notice we don’t really have a plan. <b>My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81446739/" target="_blank">Lift Website</a> Now playing on Netflix.</b><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwkEwHhkFFKBCSs8myuaOZllYaoXtmAOvNziG7QLXC4jaFU6xAkbeKGyJBV0JmnPflaugHew0DRcLeus2vQm1LwimaGLn0QG9wp9FsxreKdMoezl6suxgoseh2FduuOOF368raxGRr34F-1CCtnkuodDEFvGfEJC8BdB_hXaYF_Ewvfstj_uknJBgYTto/s1482/Self%20Reliance%20poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwkEwHhkFFKBCSs8myuaOZllYaoXtmAOvNziG7QLXC4jaFU6xAkbeKGyJBV0JmnPflaugHew0DRcLeus2vQm1LwimaGLn0QG9wp9FsxreKdMoezl6suxgoseh2FduuOOF368raxGRr34F-1CCtnkuodDEFvGfEJC8BdB_hXaYF_Ewvfstj_uknJBgYTto/w135-h200/Self%20Reliance%20poster.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>My View: </b><u>Self Reliance</u> (2023) <i>R</i> Tommy (Jake Johnson) is a single guy who, right off the street, is given a chance to win a million dollars on a dark web internet program. He must stay alive for 30 days while a team of assassins try to kill him. His only way to stay alive is that they can only kill him when he is alone. Can he convince someone he just met, a woman named Maddy (Anna Kendrick), to stay with him 24 hours a day for a share of the prize? So if you were single and had a nowhere job, and Andy Samberg pulled up in a limo, invited you inside, and then said you could win a million dollars, would you? Even if it meant that you could die? And so starts <u>Self Reliance</u>, a film that Jake Johnson wrote, directed, and stars in. I wanted to like this movie, but it never pushes the boundaries of comedy or drama far enough into absurdity for it to be interesting for the entire hour and twenty-five minutes. There is a great bit early on when none of his family believes his story, and for most of the film, we go back and forth on whether we think this is real or some psychotic episode that Tommy is having. Adding Maddy into the game mix was a fine addition, but that storyline gets lost when Tommy pushes things too far. I would have loved Anna Kendrick to have gone on some of Tommy’s adventures with him. Kendrick plays off of Johnson well, and she could have helped take the film over the top. <u>Self Reliance</u> has some funny moments, but it could have been more, with an ending feels rushed and dwindles away. I wish the film had gone all out, either darker or more absurd. Overall, I look forward to seeing what Jake Johnson can develop next, just let it go further.<b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.hulu.com/movie/self-reliance-b530df17-e123-4174-8d4d-75e6f422468f" target="_blank">Self Reliance Website</a> Now playing on Hulu. <br /></b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87zvQVGT7tvwvfyX_XPlHoHgl3LiwbXBGzy6wu45M53fWFXHwPZ4hpK5nMi1ea_LIGInDa9Sq1lQjOv4aF8EHsGZn7NdYb4nbrh-f1_1sXucE9RpbVZMHdIhguOQ4rb_AodUorx3s6i6QWsjqaWjpNm8L_jnCDfVbh61qb0UtyvEIhPccWNAOe41FI-dc/s1264/It's%20Kind%20of%20a%20Funny%20Story.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="848" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87zvQVGT7tvwvfyX_XPlHoHgl3LiwbXBGzy6wu45M53fWFXHwPZ4hpK5nMi1ea_LIGInDa9Sq1lQjOv4aF8EHsGZn7NdYb4nbrh-f1_1sXucE9RpbVZMHdIhguOQ4rb_AodUorx3s6i6QWsjqaWjpNm8L_jnCDfVbh61qb0UtyvEIhPccWNAOe41FI-dc/w134-h200/It's%20Kind%20of%20a%20Funny%20Story.png" width="134" /></a></b></div><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>It’s Kind of a Funny Story</u> (2010) <i>PG-13</i> Craig (Keir Gilchrist) is a high-school student who is infatuated with his best friend’s girl and can’t focus on his schoolwork. Depressed and suicidal, he checks himself into the psychiatric ward. The juvenile side is full, so he gets stuck in the adult ward, where he makes friends with Bobby (Zach Galifianakis), who takes Craig under his wing. Along the way, Craig meets Noel (Emma Roberts), who just might solve all of his problems, or at least that unrequited crush. The film has a wonderful cast that includes Zoë Kravitz, Jim Gaffigan, Lauren Graham, and Thomas Mann. Gilchrist is perfect in the role of the teen who is cracking under the pressure of high school and high expectations, and Galifianakis is fun as his guide to survive the psych ward. <u>It’s Kind of a Funny Story</u> is a warm-hearted film that didn’t deserve to get lost, and Emma Roberts shows why she was destined for stardom. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804497/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_it%27s%2520kind%2520of" target="_blank">It's Kind of a Funny Story Info</a> Available to rent/buy on Amazon and Apple TV+.</b><p></p><p><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Mean Girls</u>: Math Consultant</p><p><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Madame Web </u>(2024) Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson) is a NYC paramedic who develops clairvoyant powers and repeatedly crosses paths with three young women (Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor). Cassandra realizes these women must be protected at all costs because they are destined to become super-heroes. The film is being promoted as a stand-alone film in the Marvel Universe. I have become a fan of Dakota Johnson after trying to forget those Fifty Shades films, so I look forward to this one. <a href="https://www.madameweb.movie" target="_blank">Madame Web Website</a> <b> The film will be released on February 14, 2024. </b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIy95Ue-Z8gYEV5np7F6ijDRng4ZtFZnNyeg8eUaOkhxpCXPFLI7BJdQloQk_PgXx5K9lG6DC-ekmAzzcAlWQNItJdINN5JEigleT7Lgdf42QYL-PEcQ-W-fqTgkTqs0UWWy-kraafhyphenhyphenTP3K34Qg86mRhamK_3_-7oHcKMqg0e1rv_d4rtYIikw7UX9WaV/s1350/Madame%20Web.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIy95Ue-Z8gYEV5np7F6ijDRng4ZtFZnNyeg8eUaOkhxpCXPFLI7BJdQloQk_PgXx5K9lG6DC-ekmAzzcAlWQNItJdINN5JEigleT7Lgdf42QYL-PEcQ-W-fqTgkTqs0UWWy-kraafhyphenhyphenTP3K34Qg86mRhamK_3_-7oHcKMqg0e1rv_d4rtYIikw7UX9WaV/w160-h200/Madame%20Web.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s_76M4c4LTo" width="320" youtube-src-id="s_76M4c4LTo"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Until Next Time!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-57026062429189991382024-01-05T00:30:00.002-05:002024-01-05T06:29:52.051-05:00Night Swim<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbqoI-KZ8rkApuEnFBOsv5uFSP07i_KdP4TR6gJlGrc7Fa9sR5Lw8Z0HJvGWeTr38mwpLZpOirRV18_v5TRlkN-G1TX-y85q7cvNQVevEbMmxil-pP3vwKYpIbLqTf2LLWy7Fc664cQLQTiC_z6HDG8s9N2Hbd16-CI6HMrdPzI3XJa3Sq1YOum9cAD8i/s1350/Night%20Swim.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbqoI-KZ8rkApuEnFBOsv5uFSP07i_KdP4TR6gJlGrc7Fa9sR5Lw8Z0HJvGWeTr38mwpLZpOirRV18_v5TRlkN-G1TX-y85q7cvNQVevEbMmxil-pP3vwKYpIbLqTf2LLWy7Fc664cQLQTiC_z6HDG8s9N2Hbd16-CI6HMrdPzI3XJa3Sq1YOum9cAD8i/s320/Night%20Swim.jpg" width="256" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Night Swim</u> (2024) <i>PG-13 </i> Ray (Wyatt Russell) and Eve (Kerry Condon), along with their daughter Izzy (Amélie Hoeferle), have just moved into a house with a pool that has been drained and looks in bad shape. They decide to fix the pool, not knowing that something evil is living there, just waiting to come out and play. January is considered the worst month for movies as studios then dump’ films that they don’t think will do well. So we tend to get horror films during January, and occasionally, we get a good one like <u>Me3gan</u> (2023) or <u>Warm Bodies</u> (2013). Unfortunately, <u>Night Swim</u> isn’t one of them. Based on an excellent short film of the same name, this is a film where one great idea can’t be sustained for an entire hour and a half. Ray is a baseball player who has been diagnosed with MS, and his career is over. He and his family fall in love with a house with an abandoned pool in its backyard. They decide to do some repair work on the pool (it turns out it’s spring-fed), and things start out great, including Ray’s MS gets better. It’s a miracle of the pool! Then things go bad, including a lot of near-drownings and a missing cat. I think you can see where this is going. The film throws in some mystical stuff to explain the pool, but the reasons are murky (pun intended), and the film goes from bad to worse. Night Swim is a production of the new combination of Jason Blum’s Blumhouse and James Wan’s Atomic Monster companies, and it’s not worthy of either of them. So maybe stay out of the pool and visit a better horror film from January’s past, like <u>From Dusk to Dawn</u>, <u>Cloverfield</u>, or The Mothman Prophecies. <b>My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.nightswim.movie" target="_blank">Night Swim Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitULgck4zoay7oUuCp3kRwQ100-QwsSoQb6r666SLzU3hKDH1wp8qlNebJ9ZCA03KZK37FcmEXZK2BLpJH3pJ0MoJOA0bwj_oVUtWi-rvyQ605O4DNnl6fduoy72df65z9bjiGlaG4yINawF1MgoBK8eXaMLpWCXh3l9LfVMWKQrMDZVjNKbeVrlK-9k8f/s1490/Memory.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1490" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitULgck4zoay7oUuCp3kRwQ100-QwsSoQb6r666SLzU3hKDH1wp8qlNebJ9ZCA03KZK37FcmEXZK2BLpJH3pJ0MoJOA0bwj_oVUtWi-rvyQ605O4DNnl6fduoy72df65z9bjiGlaG4yINawF1MgoBK8eXaMLpWCXh3l9LfVMWKQrMDZVjNKbeVrlK-9k8f/w134-h200/Memory.jpg" width="134" /></a></b></div><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Memory</u> (2023) <i>R</i> <u>Memory</u> is about Sylvia (Jessica Chastain), who leads a simple and structured life as a social worker and a mom. She reluctantly attends her high school reunion, and a man named Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) follows her home. Their encounter will affect both of them as they open the door to memories of the past. <u>Memory</u> is a film about two characters: one who wants to forget the past and another who can’t remember it. Sylvia is a damaged woman who is an alcoholic and hasn’t talked to her mother in over 13 years. Saul is a man who is suffering from dementia. Saul can remember some things from the past but has trouble with the present. The two meet unexpectedly, and this chance encounter changes both of their lives. This is a film that only works if you have two strong actors that can make you instantly root for them, and filmmaker Michel Franco (<u>Chronic</u> (2015),<u> New Order</u> (2020)) has chosen two actors in Chastain and Sarsgaard who are more than up to the task. Both give us heartbreaking and profound performances that touch on how memory can make up so much of your personality. Chastain gives a moving rendition of a woman who has had her memory questioned by people close to her, and her character finds solace in a man who lives in the present and not the past. Sarsgaard gives us Saul, a man who, at first, we don’t know what to make of him, but regardless of his failing memory, he is good-hearted. <u>Memory </u>is a film to let wash over you and get to know two people as they get to know each other as best as they can. <b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.memory-film.com" target="_blank">Memory Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADb9oTB5pgMiu6h5s923elGht2MzugUg22vK9uJO3nHSXaYCRz2ayoO3aERhLvGK7pGykz29RwfgafgnauzhKBNLaxYQ0NzRolQHtOYjUq55BX2Bw_e9-w-YHTnrBL4ctoevxZN9f5-2YdVcPUbYxFsUNxVBQszMyI0H7IuzM3WiwjBSX-l9q1-URuvnD/s1481/Good%20Grief.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADb9oTB5pgMiu6h5s923elGht2MzugUg22vK9uJO3nHSXaYCRz2ayoO3aERhLvGK7pGykz29RwfgafgnauzhKBNLaxYQ0NzRolQHtOYjUq55BX2Bw_e9-w-YHTnrBL4ctoevxZN9f5-2YdVcPUbYxFsUNxVBQszMyI0H7IuzM3WiwjBSX-l9q1-URuvnD/w135-h200/Good%20Grief.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Good Grief</u> (2023) <i>R</i> After his mother’s death, Marc (Daniel Levy) jumped into a relationship with an older man and got married. However, that did not last, as his husband unexpectedly died. A year later, Marc takes his two best friends (Ruth Negga and Himesh Patel) on a soul-searching trip to Paris, revealing some hard truths about love and relationships. <u>Good Grief </u>is a film about how grief can dominate you as long as you let it and how relationships are often messy and complicated. This is Daniel Levy’s directorial debut, and it’s a good, though not great, start. The film follows three friends as they go to Paris for a weekend of fun and remembrance. Marc, who after a year is still in shock over the loss of his husband, is determined to put the past away. Sophie (played by the always vivacious Ruth Negga) has just broken up with her boyfriend right after he proposed. Thomas (played by Himesh Patel), who once was Marc’s boyfriend, is convinced he will never find someone to love. The three go to Paris to start anew, but things from the past have a way of rearing up to confront the three, and they will have to work through this before moving on. I liked this film, but I needed a bit of lightness and comedy to break up all the sadness that this film has from almost start to finish. Levy has a nice touch with the camera, letting us get to know the characters and how they react to each other so that we know where they are coming from and where they are going. Hopefully, to a life that is filled with some happiness. Because they need it. <b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81462549/" target="_blank">Good Grief Website</a> Now playing on Netflix.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqr_EVY4WnpZpfohq01l4rN5FVax98UMJ8CC8Udz3X6rBjtRxxR71QnOwUO5eQM4Hlo_yWRz51fx_Tb8OpWw-tgYlfFnGpO9tiMyfoJMDIH2rbxlvVVDPPy2Rkv56pj8EdPW2D9ddThe6W4wzR3WNJqEzrgwBrLs5TnEHpZLD_MueOqwHrjauiiQRfpX5s/s2222/Society%20of%20the%20Snow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2222" data-original-width="1500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqr_EVY4WnpZpfohq01l4rN5FVax98UMJ8CC8Udz3X6rBjtRxxR71QnOwUO5eQM4Hlo_yWRz51fx_Tb8OpWw-tgYlfFnGpO9tiMyfoJMDIH2rbxlvVVDPPy2Rkv56pj8EdPW2D9ddThe6W4wzR3WNJqEzrgwBrLs5TnEHpZLD_MueOqwHrjauiiQRfpX5s/w135-h200/Society%20of%20the%20Snow.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>Indiefest:</b> <u>Society of the Snow</u> (2023) <i>R</i> In 1972, a Uruguayan rugby team was flying on a chartered flight to Chile when it crashed on a glacier in the heart of the Andes. Only 29 of the 45 passengers survived, and now they find themselves in one of the world’s harshest environments, forced to resort to extreme measures to stay alive. Society of the Snow is not an easy watch, and frankly, I don’t think it will play very well on Netflix, where you can easily quit watching or fast forward through the tough-to-watch parts. This film is an inspiring tale of survival and will; when things are the darkest, we look for support and comfort from our friends to get through. I am not as high on this film as some of my fellow critics. The film takes an ensemble take on telling the story, and it’s sometimes hard to tell who is who. It is more about survival than letting us understand the individual personalities, and we rarely get to know any of the character’s past. The film lags as the first third of the film is just the first few days after the crash, and the film is hampered because, most of the time, the survivors are stuck inside the shell of the plane. Still, this is a remarkable tale of survival and how to accomplish the impossible when the stakes are high. <u>Society of the Snow</u> is probably the best of the three films that have told this story. I think it’s a story that is too hard to tell in a cinema. <b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee Note: The Academy Awards has put the film on their short list for nomination for the International Feature Film Award. <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81268316/" target="_blank">Society of the Snow Website</a> Now playing on Netflix.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxolotbx_GPTCeXW7-dJG4OmsGbrtDE5b0b9-rwX3zg9SooB9flPFOyloNdF9-5Mv2KgwZY37qFCFc5KT0xj86oA3hOiubZAwAN7sR0hzXj5Cdx5cYfyflwTpPkLVfqqlYM4HfOEsdNTgTn3ASCr6BfKGxwO2BXJvIi-h3nM6c-dlN6uC4RmX9d-VRx9WW/s2898/Anselm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2898" data-original-width="1962" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxolotbx_GPTCeXW7-dJG4OmsGbrtDE5b0b9-rwX3zg9SooB9flPFOyloNdF9-5Mv2KgwZY37qFCFc5KT0xj86oA3hOiubZAwAN7sR0hzXj5Cdx5cYfyflwTpPkLVfqqlYM4HfOEsdNTgTn3ASCr6BfKGxwO2BXJvIi-h3nM6c-dlN6uC4RmX9d-VRx9WW/w136-h200/Anselm.jpg" width="136" /></a></b></div><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Anselm</u> (2023) <u>Anselm</u> is a documentary on Anselm Kiefer, one of the greatest contemporary artists in the world. The artist works in different styles and shapes, sometimes in gigantic proportions, to comment on the world and its harsh realities, including fascism and war. Anselm is a film shot in 3-D and being shown in some theatres in that format. Regardless, this is a film you will want to see in theatres to grasp just how large and impressive the artwork of Anselm Kiefer is. Keifer is a man who has a massive warehouse that houses his collection. There is a shot early in the film where there is a shot of the warehouse floor from above, and a painting is being wheeled out. The size of the painting shocked me when the person pushing the item across the floor was dwarfed by the artwork he was moving. Kiefer is not only one of the most successful modern artists (his wealth is as massive as his artwork), but he is also someone who doesn’t mind being controversial, especially on topics such as war and Germany’s Nazi past. Wait until you see his 200-acre farm in France, where he has created artwork consisting of four-story towers and what seems like never-ending tunnels that open into rooms containing his artwork. <u>Anselm</u> is a fascinating look at an artist and his art, both of which are bigger than life. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.janusfilms.com/films/2146" target="_blank">Anselm Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOovmMoOUBzh8W6-OMVdFQH3gYn5Ny3QzcBp4yOh1b_5hqN5g1AHtqhXv-popmpdBlMTbdy1cANSIqmd7qL4j0vxZvRr5Gq1v7Qvvcmh3MDKTVVUA9MDu9blr4NCLGfQgdB0jPK0xxKLDeZ6KwHanjd03GegDkPqzRLf7NEyzmlyq9B5TT7HfwofFdDpGt/s1466/Monster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1466" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOovmMoOUBzh8W6-OMVdFQH3gYn5Ny3QzcBp4yOh1b_5hqN5g1AHtqhXv-popmpdBlMTbdy1cANSIqmd7qL4j0vxZvRr5Gq1v7Qvvcmh3MDKTVVUA9MDu9blr4NCLGfQgdB0jPK0xxKLDeZ6KwHanjd03GegDkPqzRLf7NEyzmlyq9B5TT7HfwofFdDpGt/w136-h200/Monster.jpg" width="136" /></a></b></div><b>Indiefest:</b> <u>Monster</u> (2023) <i>PG-13 </i> Saori (Sakura Ando) is a widow trying to bring up her son Minato (Soya Kurokawa). Minato is having a tough time at school, and Saori has noticed that his behavior has changed noticeably in the past weeks. Saori soon learns that Minato’s odd behavior is because of his teacher, who Minato says hit him. We soon realize that there are many sides to the same story. Much like Akira Kurosawa’s film Rashomon, this is a film where we get three separate viewpoints on the same story. One is told from the perspective of the mother of Minato, a woman raising her son by herself because of her husband’s death. She is a loving mother who gets frustrated with how her son’s story of abuse isn’t handled well by the school. The second side of the story is told from the perspective of the teacher, a young man whose life is turned upside down by being accused of bullying a student. Finally, we get the point of view of the student himself, Minato. I loved that this is a mystery that slowly gives us clues along the way, but we don’t get the full story until we see what happened from Minato’s viewpoint. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and loved the last third of the film, which answered all the questions we had from the other two stories. The performances are vibrant and nuanced, with a brilliant performance by Soya Kurokawa as the student who does the accusing. And yes, the title is explained by the film’s end, along with almost all of the mysteries. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://wellgousa.com/films/monster" target="_blank">Monster Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDwZjEsq-N0ouz6kwPIbshIVjIck62YkNiLucBBClI_GSf4ya2KIRCDelqfWkNkafCVENaH_LWsh7d-kPGwg665VAE4MpOKdI2nzH1VAyKn4bFeWpwf5t87WxoW7swUTCgT266qgeFamw2nGvuTtEGorlPJHAssZoIpDKrjUDo-KRtVn-J-E_Po39XuPE/s1264/I%20Know%20Where%20I'm%20Going.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="920" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDwZjEsq-N0ouz6kwPIbshIVjIck62YkNiLucBBClI_GSf4ya2KIRCDelqfWkNkafCVENaH_LWsh7d-kPGwg665VAE4MpOKdI2nzH1VAyKn4bFeWpwf5t87WxoW7swUTCgT266qgeFamw2nGvuTtEGorlPJHAssZoIpDKrjUDo-KRtVn-J-E_Po39XuPE/w146-h200/I%20Know%20Where%20I'm%20Going.png" width="146" /></a></b></div><b>Forgotten Film</b>:<u> I Know Where I’m Going!</u> (1944) I love this WWII-era British film from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, known as The Archers (<u>The Red Shoes </u>(1948), <u>A Matter of Life and Death</u> (1946)). Shot to give the British a bit of a lift from the war, this is the story of a young woman on her way to get married to a wealthy man. She is going to be married on a remote island in Scotland. She makes the trip from London and is about to take the last leg of the journey, a short boat ride to the island, but the weather turns bad, and she can’t make it to the island for a few days. There, she meets a navy officer and sparks fly. <u>I Know Where I’m Going!</u> is a fun movie with great chemistry between Wendy Hiller and Roger Livesey. The film has been restored, and the new print is beautiful. This is a film for fans of British romantic comedies of the 40s. It is notable that it utilizes the beautiful scenery of Scotland and two fantastic performances about two characters destined to fall in love. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037800/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_i%2520known%2520where%2520i%27m" target="_blank">I Know Where I'm Going! Info</a> Available to rent/buy on Amazon.</b><p></p><p><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Night Swim</u>: Creature Rigger</p><p><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>How to Have Sex</u> (2023) Three British teenage girls go on a holiday that promises to be filled with drinking, clubbing, and hooking up in what should be the best summer of their lives. Until one of them goes missing. The film has been a massive hit on the film festival circuit, and Mia McKenna-Bruce, as one of the teens, is getting praise for her performance, including winning the Best Lead Performance at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22890246/?ref_=ttco_ov" target="_blank">How to Have Sex Movie Info</a> <b> The film releases into theatres in early February. </b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPtvGe5belYX_MRR_ewfszhdjkEZQiRTUF1F2cyHpRbCmjctOALM2M5PPC98g1Zv_kHKQDW9QnZ3NuG4KEQb4ZrB98FI22iyByZOOumIfKAtbmVDHYtgtxkQdnXhfwDzf-fEat5shCBCuDUnit0YRCO555Uv6bmahWN5nNq5qA0wzy7w558O_DkAo3Icv/s1482/How%20to%20Have%20Sex.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPtvGe5belYX_MRR_ewfszhdjkEZQiRTUF1F2cyHpRbCmjctOALM2M5PPC98g1Zv_kHKQDW9QnZ3NuG4KEQb4ZrB98FI22iyByZOOumIfKAtbmVDHYtgtxkQdnXhfwDzf-fEat5shCBCuDUnit0YRCO555Uv6bmahWN5nNq5qA0wzy7w558O_DkAo3Icv/s320/How%20to%20Have%20Sex.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Until Next Time!</div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-7672457686953218302023-12-29T00:30:00.129-05:002023-12-29T18:38:40.582-05:00My Top Ten Films of 2023<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJmFJQfNEemDjXjwx8Mim7aYnpZFr76QethzYQiu7ONMN5O6Vxx57LfsXIestm51G3MsmfDMmMexw6Ie0mE37phFw77jiEyz6k-xaTg4mUm3tAnTbzCjbrrR_e0WbI8mV_rmveoCBqon63G1757aEex6wU-GNt3r4UIuPHYRPutroTum6U-B08Ck_LXeX/s1266/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.30.01%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="842" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJmFJQfNEemDjXjwx8Mim7aYnpZFr76QethzYQiu7ONMN5O6Vxx57LfsXIestm51G3MsmfDMmMexw6Ie0mE37phFw77jiEyz6k-xaTg4mUm3tAnTbzCjbrrR_e0WbI8mV_rmveoCBqon63G1757aEex6wU-GNt3r4UIuPHYRPutroTum6U-B08Ck_LXeX/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-29%20at%206.30.01%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="213" /></a></div><b>1). </b><span><u>Oppenheimer</u> (2023) <i>R</i> The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), who, at the urging of a desperate U.S. government wanting to end WWII, developed the atomic bomb. You will want to find a theatre showing the film in 70 mm film or on IMAX (the film was shot entirely with IMAX cameras) because there are scenes that will only have their full impact on a big screen. Oppenheimer is, behind the Dark Night trilogy, the Christopher Nolan film that will speak to the most people, with still a few Nolan touches (including an interesting sex scene that happens in an unexpected place). Based on the best-selling Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus, this is the story of a man who was driven by solving a problem and couldn’t or wouldn’t see the ramifications of what he was about to unleash until it was too late. Cillian Murphy is brilliant as Oppenheimer, a man who hid behind a mask of almost cool indifference while battling demons inside himself and friends that turned foes. Robert Downey Jr. delivers an exceptional performance as Lewis Strauss, who used Oppenheimer's brilliance to achieve his own goals. I think the Downey Jr. is the front runner with this performance to win the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award. The cinematography is fantastic, with incredible shots that will dazzle and, sometimes, horrify you. The film uses black-and-white scenes to up the tension of scenes as we go back and forth in the life of Oppenheimer, a man who was convinced he knew more than anyone else, even if that confidence untimely cost him dearly. I loved Emily Blunt as Kitty, Oppenheimer’s long-suffering wife, and Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, the love of Oppenheimer’s life and a woman he could never totally turn his back on.<u> Oppenheimer </u>is a long film (just over 3 hours), but you get swept up in the story about a man who leads the race to create a bomb so destructive that it would stop a World War and create something even scarier than a mad dictator who wanted to take over the world. So find a theatre with the biggest screen in your area and immerse yourself in a story about a man who stopped a war and created a new demon to deal with. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again</b><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 14.85px;"> <b> <a href="https://www.oppenheimermovie.com" target="_blank">Oppenheimer Website</a></b></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 14.85px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3I1pIpJIFTBpdr6YOkwmKYIDjmFQ8x4MCUtUwpPrG-WPJmV8kDXenAUv5JtkXM9faK4lnbRpy2uXJowsY-8QLbrl7De_1kSRj1vE9tBLjKHQq0g8cvv0rL_1CO2Wv44HGz9zMKaLkzZZKaMgStPwz4mfTYj9DQTcZDSHtGPCCaer3srsVlyDwPyWvfx4x/s1260/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.20.28%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="850" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3I1pIpJIFTBpdr6YOkwmKYIDjmFQ8x4MCUtUwpPrG-WPJmV8kDXenAUv5JtkXM9faK4lnbRpy2uXJowsY-8QLbrl7De_1kSRj1vE9tBLjKHQq0g8cvv0rL_1CO2Wv44HGz9zMKaLkzZZKaMgStPwz4mfTYj9DQTcZDSHtGPCCaer3srsVlyDwPyWvfx4x/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.20.28%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="216" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><b>2). </b> <u>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse </u>(2023) <i>PG </i> Our favorite Brooklyn-based friendly neighborhood Spider-Man Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), is about to travel across the Multiverse with his pal Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) to join up with a whole new batch of Spider-People to face off with a villain more powerful than anything they have ever challenged. I loved the first film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which was released back in 2018. I am happy to say it was worth the wait! In fact, I think this sequel is better than the original. The film is full of that eye-catching animation style we fell in love with in the first film. The humor is still there, but this film deals with much more than being a superhero. It’s about first love and how it can almost consume you. How important family is while trying to become your own person. And it is a film about fate and if you can change the future. The humor is still there, and the animation is just jaw-dropping. The amount of Easter-eggs in this film must be in the hundreds, and it will take a while to even log them all. Plus, figuring out who is doing some of the voice work will be fun because it’s a large cast. Now the length is long at two hours and twenty minutes, but that shouldn’t surprise you as the first one was in at two hours. Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld are brilliant as our star-crossed lovers, and the new addition, Oscar Isaac, doesn’t disappoint as a new addition to the Spider-Man multiverse. <u>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</u> is a film that will thrill you, delight you, and, yes, bring a tear or two, and I can’t wait until the next one! Unlike many superhero films, there isn’t a need to stay through all the credits. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.acrossthespiderverse.movie" target="_blank">Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Website</a></b></span><p></p><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs65DEZ6T7CA-KKhn9VRV6BDz_-xvfY45MJERJ5TIHnSmyE3flXviGr2Rim3q7FzKg-AeGREADXZ1GZ_CvFvJGeeLOc_k5k3A-OMbN87XFpeZNfyxSdoM97IR3S_d4K-qSQw170mlxWA8fFcKNZWTYl9zhML7cxyz7T1NprXWkW2ujL8Qezwf21rrgkbOl/s1260/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.20.56%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="852" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs65DEZ6T7CA-KKhn9VRV6BDz_-xvfY45MJERJ5TIHnSmyE3flXviGr2Rim3q7FzKg-AeGREADXZ1GZ_CvFvJGeeLOc_k5k3A-OMbN87XFpeZNfyxSdoM97IR3S_d4K-qSQw170mlxWA8fFcKNZWTYl9zhML7cxyz7T1NprXWkW2ujL8Qezwf21rrgkbOl/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.20.56%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="216" /></a></b></div><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">3).</b><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><u style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">The Holdovers </u><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">(2023) </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">R</i><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) is a history teacher at a remote prep school known for being demanding and cranky. The last thing he wants to do is babysit a student named Angus (Dominic Sessa), who has no place to go during the holidays, but he has no choice. They are now stuck together along with the school cafeteria manager (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) for the holiday break. It’s going to be a holiday that both won’t forget. This is a funny and touching film about three lost souls who aren’t happy about having to spend the holidays with each other. As you would expect, Paul Giamatti is just about perfect in the role of the teacher who looks down on his students and expects far more than they are willing to give. Da’Vine Joy Randolph is a delight as the cook with an attitude who isn’t going to take any gruff. The surprise of the film is Dominic Sessa, who holds his own with Giamatti, able to act toe to toe and hold his own. The two play off each other wonderfully, and their timing and chemistry is a wonder to behold. I also want to mention Carrie Preston, a favorite of mine, who lights up the scenes she is in as the love interest for the teacher. With its clever twists and turns, </span><u style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">The Holdovers</u><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> is a delightful and entertaining exploration of finding family and understanding in unexpected places. So class, find your places, because Mr. Hunham is about to teach us a thing or two. </span><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.focusfeatures.com/the-holdovers/watch/synopsis/" target="_blank">The Holdovers Website</a></b><p></p><p><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 14.85px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59sCZDT8Wesqd4Dx-uN95tDVVrhqjsDQ7DWOVA92wFsN-fS_8CzJ24fg7OY3lybXVMeCSKaJTibDRX6pculiM0pON667NMu8zseeoqh__aozlzajuDPReUQJXMDn1qZpJXfEHEUH_RJWaZ9kG-vNkqxVwzv5iU9iWKuSd6oeqvhfAv_0PF9BxxsjbKTD6/s1266/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.21.27%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="854" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59sCZDT8Wesqd4Dx-uN95tDVVrhqjsDQ7DWOVA92wFsN-fS_8CzJ24fg7OY3lybXVMeCSKaJTibDRX6pculiM0pON667NMu8zseeoqh__aozlzajuDPReUQJXMDn1qZpJXfEHEUH_RJWaZ9kG-vNkqxVwzv5iU9iWKuSd6oeqvhfAv_0PF9BxxsjbKTD6/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.21.27%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="216" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><b>4).</b> <u> Poor Things </u>(2023) R Bella (Emma Stone) is brought back to life by a brilliant but unorthodox scientist (Willem Dafoe) by putting a baby’s brain inside a grown woman. Bella is eager to learn and is whisked off to discover life by Duncan (Mark Ruffalo), a lawyer who only wants Bella for himself. Free from the prejudices of the times, Bella is about to discover her place in the world and her purpose, to stand for equality and liberation. Emma Stone is a force of nature in this film, and it could win her another Academy Award. It is hard to describe her performance because she goes from someone who can barely talk and walk to someone who is in control of both her body and her mind. It’s an astounding feat of acting, and it’s wonderful to watch. Now, I will warn you that you will see her character, Bella, have sex a lot. I mean a whole lot. There is a reason, and I won’t ruin it; it’s essential to the storyline. Still, it’s a bit of a shock. Mark Ruffalo is hilarious as the man who seduces Bella and then can’t keep up with her. Willem Dafoe, as the mad scientist (and he is mad), looks as if he is having so much fun in the role, and his character’s face is genuinely horrifying to look at. The story is beautifully told, and the set design, which is best described as steampunk meets 1900 European, is so much fun to look at and significantly adds to the film’s feel. <u>Poor Things</u> is one of the best pictures of the year. It's a strange and funny film filled with surprises and wonder, one I want to watch again. And did I mention that Emma Stone is pretty darn good in it? <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://poorthingsfilm.com" target="_blank">Poor Things Website</a></b></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 14.85px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUUKYEpRJl3vemeE_x4C1YM6BbrMLYyWOuFHYPqm2bnr4ZZAKzqS05F5Rd5odRBorkUPaLB60bOMc5xlNQKyndi6Wn-8mW3n-Rdc6QivhhtvJO0Q-BOlhNyg_nMVsJdDO702fKpVnSRsT8AHabOI1JX9w89hzUGbUlL-WlDr4EHHXCy2Goji8xloRI8EF/s1264/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.22.03%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="892" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUUKYEpRJl3vemeE_x4C1YM6BbrMLYyWOuFHYPqm2bnr4ZZAKzqS05F5Rd5odRBorkUPaLB60bOMc5xlNQKyndi6Wn-8mW3n-Rdc6QivhhtvJO0Q-BOlhNyg_nMVsJdDO702fKpVnSRsT8AHabOI1JX9w89hzUGbUlL-WlDr4EHHXCy2Goji8xloRI8EF/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.22.03%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="226" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><b>5).</b> <u>Godzilla Minus One</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> It’s after World War II, and a monster has been created from the nuclear radiation fallout of the bombs used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan will never be the same. The review of the film will be up Friday night. Finally, we have the Godzilla movie that we have been waiting for. Godzilla Minus One is a reboot of the classic tale of the giant lizard that comes up from the ocean to terrorize Japan. Unlike many Godzilla films that focus on the monster and how much destruction he can deliver, this film concentrates on the people he is attacking and how they respond to the attacks both in the past and in the present. I don’t want to go into too much detail as the storyline is incredibly well done, but I will let you know that WWII and its after-effects play a huge part in the film. And while the film features the people, you still get the mighty Godzilla destroying cities, blasting his heat ray and chomping on both trains and people. <u>Godzilla Minus One</u> is a film meant to be seen in the theatre so that you can experience Godzilla in all his glory, and the ending is pretty cool too. Excuse me now while I put on some Blue Oyster Cult and revel in what I just saw. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://godzilla.com/blogs/news/new-godzilla-minus-one-trailer-movie-tickets" target="_blank">Godzilla Minus One Website</a></b></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 14.85px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2zE9TvfjO89ZoFVCCsSDGew4351FrhqT-wypURgXTixKDsGqp0CxnL-5P15ed9UrjyILdq0gr2hA5WC6t3w1RhLVJov3itTRlL4hgTDiyv4wQjqt00ofcSf9Ft0J63dHL1OtkInNHtB7Si265yfexq6rzPnSOgcKL5-LmgAW3UeGImyFwrTGfyazmxZz/s1260/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.22.39%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1260" data-original-width="918" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2zE9TvfjO89ZoFVCCsSDGew4351FrhqT-wypURgXTixKDsGqp0CxnL-5P15ed9UrjyILdq0gr2hA5WC6t3w1RhLVJov3itTRlL4hgTDiyv4wQjqt00ofcSf9Ft0J63dHL1OtkInNHtB7Si265yfexq6rzPnSOgcKL5-LmgAW3UeGImyFwrTGfyazmxZz/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.22.39%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="233" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><b>6).</b> <u>Killers of the Flower Moon</u> (2023) <i>R</i> The story of the Osage tribe, who were given land no one wanted to create their reservation. However, oil was discovered on their land, and the tribe became wealthy. Because of this new development, the tribe is being murdered one by one under mysterious circumstances. Into the mix comes Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio), a WWI vet who has come to work for an uncle named King (Robert De Niro) to work on his ranch. Ernest sees himself as a man who loves women and sets his sights on Mollie (Lily Gladstone), a member of the local Osage tribe. He uses his charm to put Mollie under his spell and eventually marries her with a full blessing from King. But all is not well in the town where the Osage have become rich. They are being murdered, and no one is doing anything about it. The film is from master storyteller Martin Scorsese, and he gives us a world where it might be the 20th century, but the laws of the Wild West still prevail. I loved how Scorsese immerses us into the world of the Osage, showing us their past while also giving us a clue what their future will entail. DiCaprio isn’t in the pretty boy role of his past but portrays a man who loves a woman but maybe loves money even more. It’s a part with a lot of depth to it, and Leo is up for showing us a man who thinks he is smarter than he is. After some horrible comedies, De Niro is back with a role that may get him another Oscar. His portrayal of King is a masterful job of giving us a complex man who is always two moves ahead of everyone else, or at least he thinks he is. De Niro provides us with a man who could be your favorite uncle if you don’t ask too many questions. The film, though, belongs not to the men but to Lily Gladstone, as Mollie, a woman who is smart and deeply devoted to her family and her tribe but falls for a white man, an outsider whom she knows she should be wary of, but she can’t turn off her heart. She dazzles us every time she shows up on the screen as Mollie is slowly captivated by the charms of the man she will marry. I will warn you not to buy that large drink right before the film starts because it’s almost three and a half hours long. And that makes this film not in my top five Scorsese movies. After two and a half hours, the film starts to feel long, but Jessie Plemons' brilliant performance as a federal agent investigating the murders gives it a necessary boost. It’s a film that spends too long giving us the day-to-day workings of Ernest as he does the bidding of his brother Byron (Scott Shepard) and King. And I would have loved an intermission at some point to give us a chance to catch our breath and digest what we had seen. Nevertheless, I encourage you to see this impactful film in a cinema and be captivated by the incredible performances, especially Lily Gladstone's, and the enchanting Osage traditions. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.paramountmovies.com/movies/killers-of-the-flower-moon" target="_blank">Killers of the Flower Moon Website</a></b></span><p></p><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNehnu4Ey0Y89DGsuwSdZGXvv6mUEnYlVjhmooK4uws_ig63yZ3SoBG_la82UPc01CDZuOwamUu7Mz0eq1bE82BDoXBRVeLJa5_-AOeQLasOaHmgQdW63op98OLGOGGTsOaT2EWCbvSd1p7sS9ErIbil0jkk3OHam8OX6dstoG_dQjOj-Qj6uzYWGZRPbv/s1254/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.23.11%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNehnu4Ey0Y89DGsuwSdZGXvv6mUEnYlVjhmooK4uws_ig63yZ3SoBG_la82UPc01CDZuOwamUu7Mz0eq1bE82BDoXBRVeLJa5_-AOeQLasOaHmgQdW63op98OLGOGGTsOaT2EWCbvSd1p7sS9ErIbil0jkk3OHam8OX6dstoG_dQjOj-Qj6uzYWGZRPbv/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.23.11%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="215" /></a></b></div><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">7).</b><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><u style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">Past Lives</u><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> (2023) </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> PG-13 </i><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) were two childhood sweethearts who had a special connection. Then Nora moved away with her family to America and the two lost contact with each other. Twenty years later, they are reunited one fateful week in Seoul as they confront notions of love and destiny. One minor problem, Nora is married. Past Lives is one of the best films of the year, a sure bet to be on my top ten list. Past Lives is a film about love and how relationships don’t always work out how they should. It’s a film about what if. Nora has changed from when she was a kid living in Korea. She and Hae Sung have grown in different worlds, affecting how they view themselves and their place in society.. I loved Nora is in a good marriage with a husband, Arthur (John Magaro), who supports and understands her. Filmmaker Celine Song doesn’t make Arthur the villain of the film. Instead, the villain is time. What makes this film work is the brilliant performances of the two leads. Greta Lee is perfect as the headstrong young woman who has made a life in a new world and is happy but still wonders what her life would have been if she had stayed in Korea. Teo Yoo is fantastic as the idealistic young man who clings to a relationship rooted in the past. Hae Sung has years of living in a different culture than Nora, one with varying expectations of relationships, and that’s his downfall. Past Lives explores love and relationships, both ones that work and those that are better left in the past, because love doesn’t always end like a fairytale. </span><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://a24films.com/films/past-lives" target="_blank">Past Lives Website</a></b><p></p><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCru1ozsEUCFzN_dI9W1ksL7fgPlqqm9Nwg5obwqNCkFu_hMa_BIN5xeFwEPYiHZ4KeeQDYcXMLbdq9mUt7dJ_REzWFsKCgo4sUDAJG12l-D8Qbics1ETLH9OSmhFzIHPCh3t3l3xR_38E0lf1Mf0nAnLDovQnqu47WN7zIdmtC9yuorkan0x52Cp_EhD6/s1264/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.23.37%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="850" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCru1ozsEUCFzN_dI9W1ksL7fgPlqqm9Nwg5obwqNCkFu_hMa_BIN5xeFwEPYiHZ4KeeQDYcXMLbdq9mUt7dJ_REzWFsKCgo4sUDAJG12l-D8Qbics1ETLH9OSmhFzIHPCh3t3l3xR_38E0lf1Mf0nAnLDovQnqu47WN7zIdmtC9yuorkan0x52Cp_EhD6/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.23.37%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="215" /></a></b></div><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">8). </b><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><u style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">Barbie</u><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> (2023) </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">PG-13</i><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> </span><u style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">Barbie </u><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">is about living in Barbie Land, which is the perfect place for a perfect person in a perfect world. That is until you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. I am a big fan of both Margot Robbie and filmmaker Greta Gerwig, so I was looking forward to this film. Plus, this has become one of the most hyped summer films and will be a big box-office draw. I liked the movie but didn’t love it, and I think some people will be disappointed by the fact that Barbie goes back and forth between Barbie Land and the ‘real world.’ It’s partly a musical, and the film has some brilliant numbers, including a wonderful number called ‘I’m Just Ken’ that Ryan Gosling does that just might bring the house down. I found the film funny but not hilarious, though there is one line the narrator (Helen Mirren) says that was on the floor funny. It’s a strange film where the narrator talks to us but also speaks to the characters. The set design of Barbie Land is brilliant, and the opening sequence of letting us see a day in the life of Barbie is one of the film’s highlights. Some of the ‘real world’ scenes disappointed me, and Will Ferrell is a dud as the Mattel CEO, never giving us the laughs we want from him. There are a couple of fun cameos in the film, and Simu-Liu as the rival Ken is a lot of fun. As the often-forgotten Allan (Skipper’s boyfriend), Michael Cera is hilarious as the character that everyone ignores. Margot Robbie has the tough part of playing the perfect Barbie, and she does a nice job, but it’s hard to play someone who has the time and doesn’t have emotions. I enjoyed some of the cast-off Barbie and Ken dolls (all based on real failed Mattel toys) and how they worked them into the film’s plot. Overall,</span><u style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> Barbie</u><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> is fun, and if you owned a Barbie or two (and Ken), you will have a good time seeing them come to life. I had a good time seeing </span><u style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">Barbie,</u><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"> but I wanted more in Barbie Land and a lot less of the ‘real world.’ I guess I’ll always be a G.I.Joe (original size) guy. </span><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;">My Rating; Full Price <a href="https://www.barbie-themovie.com/home/" target="_blank">Barbie Website</a></b><p></p><p><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 14.85px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixyatpXvCwVVKfNsWU9lLKEdUHCCAkODX4I-5_y1TBbPyEwbMy0R_ENOatLKeowi4TTCxFvSqOjJHTIVb5iFTaoKwqbMhsL1JbZ6WxvW2tseS1OJeGaVuADiV-oGDZw8vJ5QGosqV6Pnm09D2A2NcJgXf7vmYLh5QUkXeb0isxcj-DtVv_6jO8OOXvwOCW/s1234/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.24.07%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1234" data-original-width="838" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixyatpXvCwVVKfNsWU9lLKEdUHCCAkODX4I-5_y1TBbPyEwbMy0R_ENOatLKeowi4TTCxFvSqOjJHTIVb5iFTaoKwqbMhsL1JbZ6WxvW2tseS1OJeGaVuADiV-oGDZw8vJ5QGosqV6Pnm09D2A2NcJgXf7vmYLh5QUkXeb0isxcj-DtVv_6jO8OOXvwOCW/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.24.07%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="217" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><b>9).</b> <u>American Fiction </u>(2023) <i>R </i> Monk (Jeffery Wright) is a writer whose last book wasn’t exactly a success. He is fed up with ‘Black’ entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. Monk decides to write a ‘Black’ book of his own, and much to his surprise, it becomes a big hit. Now Monk must play the part of a mysterious, anonymous, angry black writer, precisely whom he claims to disdain in real life. This is a film that is easily made in my top ten films of 2023, with a mesmerizing performance by Jeffery Wright and an original script that contains some incredible dialogue. American Fiction is a film that you will talk about long after leaving the theatre, and if Wright doesn’t get an Academy nomination, then there isn’t justice in the world. Wright is perfect as Monk, a man who feels that he embodies what a Black writer should be: intelligent, articulate, and confident. Unfortunately, this isn’t what the modern literary world is like anymore, and his writing style no longer sells books. The film is funny, touching, and filled with a plethora of compelling characters. <u>American Fiction</u> is a film that was a joy to watch from beginning to end, and it’s all because of the brilliance of Jeffery Wright. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.mgm.com/movies/american-fiction" target="_blank">American Fiction Website</a></b></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 14.85px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRqnfUvud8z_ryX8Al3DGu12Dr1CXGvvmpRyVl-vvEHsY1e0DiZ63USu-06o82Hfn-H2lZ3i0X4vr71miSBy8A3KFsue7p1nEhZWWCmpdCswEn7QNK-lroBlC54nBzcJuwE-gEF2PPBWpPca-Z9AC0GEOUy3h7bF_n8vigVGDxb_ymd9el7z3Jn6KjZ7R/s1268/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.24.35%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1268" data-original-width="836" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRqnfUvud8z_ryX8Al3DGu12Dr1CXGvvmpRyVl-vvEHsY1e0DiZ63USu-06o82Hfn-H2lZ3i0X4vr71miSBy8A3KFsue7p1nEhZWWCmpdCswEn7QNK-lroBlC54nBzcJuwE-gEF2PPBWpPca-Z9AC0GEOUy3h7bF_n8vigVGDxb_ymd9el7z3Jn6KjZ7R/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-28%20at%201.24.35%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="211" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><b>10)</b>. <u>Flora and Son</u> (2023) <i>R</i> Flora (Eve Hewson) is a single mom who is at her wits’ end with her son Max (Orén Kinlan), who seems almost at war with his mom. Flora decides that Max needs a hobby and rescues a guitar from a dumpster. Max rejects the gift, so Flora tries to learn how to play it. Music is the one thing they might have in common, and one person’s trash can be a family’s salvation. The film is from John Carney, one of my favorite filmmakers of the last 15 years. He loves music, having been in a band in the early 90s (The Frames), so all his movies involve the love of music and how it can change lives. Flora and Son is a brilliant film about a mother and son who seem always at odds, but there is a connection, and their love of music brings it out. Flora takes up the guitar with the help of an online teacher, Jeff, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Eve Hewson is magnificent as the mom who speaks her mind and has been hurt by love. Her chemistry with Gordon-Levitt feels natural, and you can see the connection they have from their first scene together. I loved Orén Kinlan as Flora’s son Max, who can’t seem to stay out of trouble but has a talent for creating music. The music is terrific, with Hewson and Gordon-Levitt showing off their musical chops. By the way, Eve Hewson has some music in her blood. Her dad is Bono. Be sure to stay through the credits to hear the song that Jeff writes for Flora. Shot entirely in Ireland,<u> Fora and Son</u> is a fun, fantastic journey into discovering how music can connect people, even across the internet. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt25471950/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_5_nm_2_q_flora%2520and%2520son" target="_blank">Flora and Son Info</a></b></span><div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"><b>11).<a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/12/my-view-boy-and-heron-2023-pg-13-boy.html" target="_blank"> The Boy and the Heron</a></b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"><b>12). <a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/search?q=talk+to+me" target="_blank">Talk To Me</a></b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"><b>13). <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/12/wonka.html" target="_blank">Wonka</a></u></b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"><b>14). <a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/search?q=robot+dreams" target="_blank">Robot Dreams</a></b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"><b>15). <a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/11/napoleon.html" target="_blank">Saltburn</a><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: georgia; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></b></p><p><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 14.85px;"><b>Almost Made It List: </b><u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/11/priscilla.html" target="_blank"> The Persian Version</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-hunger-games-ballad-of-songbirds.html" target="_blank">The Lady Bird Diaries</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/07/barbie.html" target="_blank">The Deepest Breath</a></u>, <u>The Mission</u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/10/flowers-of-killer-moon.html" target="_blank">The Pigeon Tunnel</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-hunger-games-ballad-of-songbirds.html" target="_blank">May December</a></u>, <u>The Taste of Things</u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/06/asteroid-city.html" target="_blank">Asteroid City,</a></u> <u>Perfect Days</u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/05/book-club-next-chapter.html" target="_blank">Blackberry</a></u>, <u>Fallen Leaves</u>, <u>The Peasants</u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-equalizer-3.html" target="_blank">Bottoms</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/07/misson-impossible-dead-reckoning-part.html" target="_blank">The League</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/06/asteroid-city.html" target="_blank">The Last Rider</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/05/book-club-next-chapter.html" target="_blank">Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/04/are-you-there-god-its-me-margaret.html" target="_blank">Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/03/dungeons-dragons-honor-among-thieves.html" target="_blank">Rye Lane</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/03/john-wick-chapter-4.html" target="_blank">John Wick: Chapter 4</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/03/scream-vi.html" target="_blank">The Quiet Girl</a></u>,<a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/02/cocaine-bear.html" target="_blank"> A House Made of Splinters</a>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/03/dungeons-dragons-honor-among-thieves.html" target="_blank">A Thousand and One</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/07/misson-impossible-dead-reckoning-part.html" target="_blank">Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/08/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-mutant.html" target="_blank">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/10/taylor-swift-eras-tour.html" target="_blank">Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/12/family-switch.html" target="_blank">American Symphony</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/12/wonka.html" target="_blank">Albert Brooks: Defending Your Life</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/12/aquaman-and-lost-kingdom.html" target="_blank">Maestro</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/12/aquaman-and-lost-kingdom.html" target="_blank">All of Us Strangers</a></u>, <a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/12/aquaman-and-lost-kingdom.html" style="text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">The Iron Claw</a>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/02/cocaine-bear.html" target="_blank">Cocaine Bear</a></u></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #212121; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); font-size: 14.85px;"><b>Worst Films of 2023:</b> <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/02/ant-man-and-wasp-quantumania.html" target="_blank">Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/04/renfield.html" target="_blank">Mafia Mamma</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/12/my-view-boy-and-heron-2023-pg-13-boy.html" target="_blank">The Oath</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-exorcist-believer.html" target="_blank">The Exorcist: Believer</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-exorcist-believer.html" target="_blank">Pet Sematary: Bloodlines</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/09/my-big-fat-greek-wedding-3.html" target="_blank">My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3</a></u>,<u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/08/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-mutant.html" target="_blank"> Meg 2: The Trench</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-little-mermaid.html" target="_blank">The Machine</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/07/joy-ride.html" target="_blank">The Out-Laws</a></u>,<a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-equalizer-3.html" target="_blank"> Slotherhouse</a>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/09/expend4ables.html" target="_blank">Expen4ables</a></u>, <u><a href="https://lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com/2023/03/dungeons-dragons-honor-among-thieves.html" target="_blank">Murder Mystery 2</a></u></span></span></p></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-39570590578056679162023-12-25T00:30:00.001-05:002023-12-25T00:30:00.338-05:00The Color Purple<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDnWH-CUDmOl5UfJ2YNJOS6MQVNKwpDNxDm1Y52kwqPxjSnd7AwjU88As5mAb4rURf_cEzXfGCWpXa-dnHIobzjzTgxBqsT13Ums7zs28Pm5A46BP_tV41dxO1ELWDsswhENo64mJphe-4A1VOjwAWo1gKDueVDD8fczxDcdc8-VWrflGmevg4W_vzCRz/s1482/The%20Color%20Purple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSDnWH-CUDmOl5UfJ2YNJOS6MQVNKwpDNxDm1Y52kwqPxjSnd7AwjU88As5mAb4rURf_cEzXfGCWpXa-dnHIobzjzTgxBqsT13Ums7zs28Pm5A46BP_tV41dxO1ELWDsswhENo64mJphe-4A1VOjwAWo1gKDueVDD8fczxDcdc8-VWrflGmevg4W_vzCRz/s320/The%20Color%20Purple.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>The Color Purple</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> Musical that follows the decades-spanning tale of Celie (Fantasia Barrino), who faces hardships in her life but finds her strength to survive through her faith and the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood. I am not a huge fan of the 1985 Steven Spielberg film, feeling it never captured the magic of the beloved Alice Walker book. Now we have a new version based on the Broadway musical. I am still not a fan. The film feels very much like a Broadway musical, with the songs taking up much of the film’s 2 hour and twenty-minute length. I loved some of the performances, especially Danielle Brooks as the fiery Sofia. I am guessing she might have supporting actress Oscar nod in her near future. However, the film never hit the mark emotionally for me, and there wasn’t a song in the bunch that I felt was a show-stopper. I think some of the fault is that Fantasia Barrino is asked to carry the film and while she can sing, I never connected with her character. Some of that is because of its Broadway roots, where we learn about the characters through their songs, but it seems like a lot of the songs were filler and not about what was going on with the characters themselves. Ultimately, this version of <u>The Color Purple</u> is too much Broadway glitter and not enough character insight like what we got from Alice Walker’s brilliant book. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/the-color-purple" target="_blank">The Color Purple Website</a> Now in theatres everywhere.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qPR-c9n-9AxP_dPQsOETPQZYIX0rzz6NAfSTcDsadmvnZl-LRsw2lDvEGRy30qqonPuQ2dF5oeFighdzOsPBf5CgAHl0_ayaulZTPknxvBt15zau-gLlhvUjWyQshoonlPp3nYMq8RFviETk_FLmb7XduwF11c624KRZREZfmTRO8DIM99u09BN5R04c/s1481/The%20Boys%20in%20the%20Boat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qPR-c9n-9AxP_dPQsOETPQZYIX0rzz6NAfSTcDsadmvnZl-LRsw2lDvEGRy30qqonPuQ2dF5oeFighdzOsPBf5CgAHl0_ayaulZTPknxvBt15zau-gLlhvUjWyQshoonlPp3nYMq8RFviETk_FLmb7XduwF11c624KRZREZfmTRO8DIM99u09BN5R04c/w135-h200/The%20Boys%20in%20the%20Boat.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>The Boys in the Boat</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> The story of the University of Washington junior eight-man rowing squad, from their Depression-era beginnings to their magical trip to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton) molds the crew into winners and picks them over the more experienced senior crew to race. It’s a pick that could end his job. Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), a self-made man who has been on his own since he was 14, joins the team as his only way to stay in college. There is nothing new in this old-fashioned sports film directed by George Clooney, and that’s ok. This is a good film that hits all the right notes in a movie about a group of young men who start as cast-offs and work together to become something great. Edgerton works well as the hard-nosed coach who is short of praise but believes in his crew and makes them believe in themselves. Callum Turner does a fine job as the main character, Joe, who has had to work for everything he has ever achieved but isn’t sure he deserves any success until he meets a man who shows him he can overcome any challenge. While not an Oscar-worthy film like <u>Chariots of Fire</u>,<u> The Boys in the Boat</u> still is everything you want in a come-from-behind sports film, and that’s ok, too. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href=" https://www.mgm.com/movies/the-boys-in-the-boat" target="_blank">The Boys in the Boat Website</a> Now in theaters everywhere.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5CeE8PX6bukw7okQHkxVo5nCTrqu-n10HrpOvhSv_q7qREXn3RSjOaoiOSCFz2l-YKgYoBptGOcGOluJiKUlxlyhQHwyeisawY-uW2JMWIkl0_zscvaVlpPF1R0ikXZsLtaaeGASCNiRLsELQchpmv7xofZDYIUok6iodHUAhzldCfY1dUdGsHDdBGBZ/s845/Ferrari.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="568" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5CeE8PX6bukw7okQHkxVo5nCTrqu-n10HrpOvhSv_q7qREXn3RSjOaoiOSCFz2l-YKgYoBptGOcGOluJiKUlxlyhQHwyeisawY-uW2JMWIkl0_zscvaVlpPF1R0ikXZsLtaaeGASCNiRLsELQchpmv7xofZDYIUok6iodHUAhzldCfY1dUdGsHDdBGBZ/w134-h200/Ferrari.png" width="134" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Ferrari</u> (2023) <i>R</i> In 1957, Enzo Ferrari’s (Adam Driver) auto empire is in trouble, and all that he and his wife Laura (Penélope Cruz) built in the last ten years is about to crumble. Enzo decides to bet it all on winning one race, the 1,000-mile trek across Italy, the iconic Mille Miglia. Enzo and Laura recently lost their son, and Laura controls the company’s finances. Complicating matters even further is Enzo’s mistress, Lina (Shailene Woodley), who has given Enzo another son. This film only works as well as it does because Adam Driver is such an outstanding actor. The problem is that Enzo is not a likable character and is a control freak who thinks he can outsmart and out-manipulate not only his competitors, but his loved ones as well. The script doesn’t give Driver a lot to work with, but he commands every scene he is in and holds his own with Cruz, who plays Laura, a woman who is constantly battling Enzo at every turn (and justly so). <u>Ferrari</u> feels a little like the cars that Enzo builds: fast and sleek but hard to control, and at times, I felt the story bogged down the back story of how Enzo’s company is failing and not enough about the man himself. I found Cruz’s Laura to be the more interesting of the two main characters and wanted more of her story to come to the surface. But this is Enzo’s story, and he will drive that car as fast as he can, no matter who tells him differently. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://neonrated.com/films/ferrari" target="_blank">Ferrari Website</a> Now in theatres everywhere.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_9vDvX6KvkEnHowdzhJj9Wg8CUuQIkKtYsv3k-svDwG2ZpUvERBtozg3b1iczXMzrjueLdWEhLHd4pMKYgtTheG_7Lze8rLK8G_z3XQmd49DYNel2tZnjrndXRlU1GBexXz5rsU3vBA6hvCQB2vGeOZpavCU6NrFKf7VZPFrBE4kwg7HHBf7CrByC-9M/s1272/A%20Midwinter's%20Tale.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="936" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_9vDvX6KvkEnHowdzhJj9Wg8CUuQIkKtYsv3k-svDwG2ZpUvERBtozg3b1iczXMzrjueLdWEhLHd4pMKYgtTheG_7Lze8rLK8G_z3XQmd49DYNel2tZnjrndXRlU1GBexXz5rsU3vBA6hvCQB2vGeOZpavCU6NrFKf7VZPFrBE4kwg7HHBf7CrByC-9M/w147-h200/A%20Midwinter's%20Tale.png" width="147" /></a></b></div><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>A Midwinter’s Tale</u> (1995) <i>R</i> Joe (Michael Maloney) is an actor who is having a bit of a crisis and decides to save his sanity and career by staging a play as soon as possible. He picks Hamlet and perform a Christmas production in a small town in England. His agent (Joan Collins) thinks it’s a bad idea, and it is. To say mildly, the talent is almost nonexistent in the small town, and Joe is forced to cast a motley crew to put on his play. Written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, a man who knows a bit about Shakespeare and theatre, it brings us a fun and funny movie where everything that can go wrong does, despite that, the troupe tries to valiantly put the play on. I love the dialogue in this film as Branagh lets his cast spout off with hilarious results. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/millers-girl" target="_blank">A Midwinter's Tale Info</a> Available to rent or buy on Apple TV or Amazon.</b><p></p><p><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>The Color Purple</u>: Child Labor Coordinator</p><p><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Miller’s Girl</u> (2024) Cairo (Jenna Ortega) is a high school student who excels at everything she sets her mind to. Her English teacher, Jonathan (Martin Freeman), sees talent in Cairo and gives her some extra attention. When he realizes things may have gone too far, he rejects her, and now Cairo is out for revenge. The film has been talked about quite a bit, with some worrying about the underage girl having a possible affair with a teacher. Ortega is a rising star, and it will be interesting to see if she has some box office draw. <b>The film comes to theatres in late January. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8310486/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_miller%27s%2520girl" target="_blank">Miller's Girl Info</a></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILIixG2r92AWq1uYCtFOWEyxfk2Ajdsd1p6zFmsv2r_3w2cVBeaOwHWnQo9CC2GcJCsn6iW9vPL0G0upMNKQqaVb7JCgWj651caec_3jKAxzdcmJahctSs-DAJBnVLjnouPrL61ByewEocAKmJiCeyq2rYT4Go_ik1TkEsV2LE1ff322_EhbxIXoes_eK/s1500/Miller's%20Girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILIixG2r92AWq1uYCtFOWEyxfk2Ajdsd1p6zFmsv2r_3w2cVBeaOwHWnQo9CC2GcJCsn6iW9vPL0G0upMNKQqaVb7JCgWj651caec_3jKAxzdcmJahctSs-DAJBnVLjnouPrL61ByewEocAKmJiCeyq2rYT4Go_ik1TkEsV2LE1ff322_EhbxIXoes_eK/w133-h200/Miller's%20Girl.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vk2OJZHutBM" width="320" youtube-src-id="vk2OJZHutBM"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-69105276074790864542023-12-22T00:30:00.005-05:002023-12-28T15:32:11.480-05:00Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom <p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ1dumcuSuucCMNd7AXC-OAURG8XIzXCH7cMMBTokRCvEpcSWeBuWUzrBx1Hg_csLQPbro0eooUQgs_pPFsHkxhwv5-XTDtzWUhFRxE-Ve4_UAB9habHpDhqgZUZ1rb34J3SYc6Few1XBVNxst88_5V0hrH3JjpUoi4XrB8bVXA4b-r7kxX9zKcm6AREHP/s3000/Aquaman%20And%20The%20Lost%20Kingdom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ1dumcuSuucCMNd7AXC-OAURG8XIzXCH7cMMBTokRCvEpcSWeBuWUzrBx1Hg_csLQPbro0eooUQgs_pPFsHkxhwv5-XTDtzWUhFRxE-Ve4_UAB9habHpDhqgZUZ1rb34J3SYc6Few1XBVNxst88_5V0hrH3JjpUoi4XrB8bVXA4b-r7kxX9zKcm6AREHP/s320/Aquaman%20And%20The%20Lost%20Kingdom.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> In <u>Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom</u>, having failed to defeat Aquaman (Jason Momoa) the last time, Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is determined to find the mythic Black Trident, a weapon that could help him defeat the man that killed his father. Aquaman must turn to his imprisoned brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) to defend his family and the world from irreversible destruction. I was not too fond of the first Aquaman film, feeling the film was too silly and only worked slightly because of the charm and charisma of Jason Momoa. This film is better than the first one but not by much. The film feels underdeveloped, and it takes forever to get going. Black Manta is back and is determined to get his revenge. He finds a magical trident that teaches him how to use ancient technology that is warming the world even faster than anyone thought would happen. Aquaman must turn to his brother, the same one he defeated and imprisoned. The plot gets complicated, the ancient technology somehow uses computers and another bad guy is supposed to be badder than the Black Manta. The film goes on too long, and the big finish is over in what seems like one mighty blow. I don’t think anyone other than Momoa will shed a tear that this will probably be the last of Aquaman. By the way, Amber Heard is in this as Aquaman’s wife/queen, but there is an Octopus named Topo who probably has more screen time than she does. <b>My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/aquaman-and-lost-kingdom" target="_blank">Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAWjvZRFVykEyWbjm7B1_fxAI3R51d_sW0KUEhwf6sLM6DxJZkYAHsdbz8Kngyr1MFNM3iSHaN9omUTVt-Gpeu9W8P_93EAuE5TjNTnuTrgbChZA3Kui9VLcr9ZqGV6koYn2aHXiv5tu3eGx4Jg3mB0C5IaexuLDk-doF-qRDb-wx8LTpndhzueDOm26d/s1480/Rebel%20Moon%20Part%20One:%20A%20Child%20of%20Fire.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAWjvZRFVykEyWbjm7B1_fxAI3R51d_sW0KUEhwf6sLM6DxJZkYAHsdbz8Kngyr1MFNM3iSHaN9omUTVt-Gpeu9W8P_93EAuE5TjNTnuTrgbChZA3Kui9VLcr9ZqGV6koYn2aHXiv5tu3eGx4Jg3mB0C5IaexuLDk-doF-qRDb-wx8LTpndhzueDOm26d/w135-h200/Rebel%20Moon%20Part%20One:%20A%20Child%20of%20Fire.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire</u> (2023)<i> PG-13 </i>Kora (Sofia Boutella) is a stranger with a mysterious past, who, after crash landing on a moon, is allowed to start a new life among a peaceful settlement of farmers. However, an evil Regent named Balisarius (Fra Fee) and his cruel emissary, Admiral Noble (Ed Skrein), come to the settlement with the intent of destruction. Now, Kora must gather a group of insurgents and mercenaries to fight Balisarius and his army. This is a mess of a film. It feels like it should have been a series, not a two-parter movie. The film starts with a voice-over that tells us a story, one which I could not tell you what that story is. And that’s how this film begins. The film feels like it’s taken the plot from a terrible YA novel and then took out what made that novel almost work and thrown it away. We spend most of the film on a quest to find warriors throughout the galaxy who will join the quest with Kora to take on the evil empire. There is a story here somewhere, but it never finds it. I like Sofia Boutella in the role of Kora, and she makes a believable fighter who could take on an empire by herself. However, the rest of the cast is given almost nothing to work with, and the writing is so clumsily done, with virtually no hope of giving us any reason why anyone would join this sure-to-be hopeless quest. Besides characters that seem to change their minds in midstream, the film’s cinematography is so poorly done that it becomes a distraction. By the end of the film, I didn’t care about any of the characters or what will happen to them in the second film. <b> My Rating: Cable <a href=" https://www.netflix.com/title/81464239/" target="_blank">Rebel Moon: Part One Website</a> Now playing on the Netflix platform.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNRa6ChyphenhyphenQEhQXqOxwzpurLNSn2D3VHxjfhHsgNd8p8ukPKG7IlaY_u1FAKvn4uqlNdiXmMBGoHLip4VDUfa0HkY7y4pr0Fy2BUA92JAzNRnrjxsARIZDPbMZ2edCtZxQ8-EPo7l0WMoBBJ3jfBfWChdkflUIEumkoH0k6UYkpR1v6-dreagVuZjFE5a0x/s1481/The%20Iron%20Claw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNRa6ChyphenhyphenQEhQXqOxwzpurLNSn2D3VHxjfhHsgNd8p8ukPKG7IlaY_u1FAKvn4uqlNdiXmMBGoHLip4VDUfa0HkY7y4pr0Fy2BUA92JAzNRnrjxsARIZDPbMZ2edCtZxQ8-EPo7l0WMoBBJ3jfBfWChdkflUIEumkoH0k6UYkpR1v6-dreagVuZjFE5a0x/w135-h200/The%20Iron%20Claw.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>The Iron Claw </u>(2023)<i> R</i> The story of the professional wrestling family, the Von Erichs, who went from fame and fortune to horrible tragedy in just a few years. I have always been a big wrestling fan, and the Von Erichs were my favorite wrestlers of the 80s. They did something that no one thought could be done, filled football stadiums with wrestling shows, and took their brand of wrestling worldwide long before WWF and Vince thought it was possible. The story of the Von Erichs is one of tragedy, of Shakespearean proportions, as like a Shakespearian king, their father was a man who believed his sons were destined for greatness and nothing would stop them from becoming world champions. Like many Shakespearian characters, they were destined for greatness and profound tragedy. The film’s center is Kevin, played by Zac Efron, a son who never quite met the expectations of his father, Fritz, played by Holt McCallany. The film is filled with foreshadowing, as a black cloud always seems to hover over the Von Erichs, even when they succeed. Efron gives the best performance of his career as the son who wants to succeed, but is always to toe the line and do what Fritz feels is the best for his sons. As someone who watched the Von Erichs during their prime, I was a little disappointed in how Kerry was portrayed, and it’s not the fault of Jeremy Allen White; it’s that the film didn’t capture the charisma and larger-than-life presence of Kerry that we saw on our TV’s every week. <u>The Iron Claw</u> is a film where you know tragedy will strike. You just don’t know how hard. And by the way, the film takes some liberties with the story; there is another son, Chris, who is not shown in the film, and his story is probably the most tragic of them all. <u>The Iron Claw</u> is a film about wrestling, but it’s about family and the heavy weight of expectations that can never be fulfilled. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://a24films.com/films/the-iron-claw" target="_blank">The Iron Claw Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNhmxtteUNcoUe2Ws48XccCKATE8Zokl3Adk5J8yg1Fbsu0pZW_P8vSAzBKNgQOORHkL0JJsYxN2LCFmqetflYPXTkS-V-q7ubRsAbvN8zOwIwwZ2MFC_-vTkZF5MTDm8nm48XTOpl7lKHtUVFNtsxQDTVoV13OUa3ox-ww-rI5Cq5ueK0LPKp8IVC9Xi/s1481/American%20Fiction.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNhmxtteUNcoUe2Ws48XccCKATE8Zokl3Adk5J8yg1Fbsu0pZW_P8vSAzBKNgQOORHkL0JJsYxN2LCFmqetflYPXTkS-V-q7ubRsAbvN8zOwIwwZ2MFC_-vTkZF5MTDm8nm48XTOpl7lKHtUVFNtsxQDTVoV13OUa3ox-ww-rI5Cq5ueK0LPKp8IVC9Xi/w135-h200/American%20Fiction.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>American Fiction</u> (2023) R Monk (Jeffery Wright) is a writer whose last book wasn’t exactly a success. He is fed up with ‘Black’ entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. Monk decides to write a ‘Black’ book of his own, and much to his surprise, it becomes a big hit. Now Monk must play the part of a mysterious, anonymous, angry black writer, precisely whom he claims to disdain in real life. This is a film that is easily made in my top ten films of 2023, with a mesmerizing performance by Jeffery Wright and an original script that contains some incredible dialogue.<u> American Fiction</u> is a film that you will talk about long after leaving the theatre, and if Wright doesn’t get an Academy nomination, then there isn’t justice in the world. Wright is perfect as Monk, a man who feels that he embodies what a Black writer should be: intelligent, articulate, and confident. Unfortunately, this isn’t what the modern literary world is like anymore, and his writing style no longer sells books. The film is funny, touching, and filled with a plethora of compelling characters. <u>American Fiction</u> is a film that was a joy to watch from beginning to end, and it’s all because of the brilliance of Jeffery Wright. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.mgm.com/movies/american-fiction" target="_blank">American Fiction Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisD1NPRMaYozdJ_4kFr1w3T5d66Qh2Qx7AE2AQ3sdLZ8wD0ZSuZkegjfe-f0hjQ0kfKN9XCRscDc0ZD7t3b6a2uHM0vxL1otHYR_YIhna0htBGXU3opODELnDlL7UYKWV7VVC-ZziKlSPKLj9f0I_aI3BRUD5eC_ChhZVFBO7BUS7y-hrzRV4lkkDNugEJ/s1481/Maestro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisD1NPRMaYozdJ_4kFr1w3T5d66Qh2Qx7AE2AQ3sdLZ8wD0ZSuZkegjfe-f0hjQ0kfKN9XCRscDc0ZD7t3b6a2uHM0vxL1otHYR_YIhna0htBGXU3opODELnDlL7UYKWV7VVC-ZziKlSPKLj9f0I_aI3BRUD5eC_ChhZVFBO7BUS7y-hrzRV4lkkDNugEJ/w135-h200/Maestro.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Maestro</u> (2023) <i>R</i> The love story chronicling the relationship of conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan). Leonard was a famous conductor because of his TV appearances and brilliant composing, but he had a secret that threatened his career and marriage. This is an ambitious film with performances that perfectly capture the man and the woman who loved and stood by him through good times and bad. Cooper is captivating as the talented but flawed man whose talent and charisma captured a nation at a time when television began dominating how we saw and understood culture and music. The film is worth the price of admission to see Cooper as Bernstein directs an orchestra for over 6 minutes in the movie, giving us the reason why everyone so loved Bernstein. While Cooper is perfect in the role of the man, it’s Carey Mulligan as the woman behind the man that makes this film work so well. Mulligan is captivating as the woman who falls for this brilliant man and is willing to bask in his shadow, even when he turns his back on her. It’s a moving performance that gives us a look into someone who was used to being in the spotlight but was willing to become part of the team Bernstein, who kept his legacy and his indiscretions away from the public, sacrificing themselves to keep Leonard’s fire of personality burring. <u>Maestro</u> doesn’t quite have the emotional punch as Cooper’s 2018 film <u>A Star Is Born</u>, but it’s still a magical ride into the world of music and the brilliance of a man who, for a time, had the world at the command of his baton. <b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81171868/" target="_blank">Maestro Website</a> Now playing on the Netflix platform.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-b2WE5VVwOMZaoDv4nUGHJrdqlFItxNoL_1b8PV8UC5Q9Cyf_LROtz0pQDMB8R3AEdprrojQVe-BEMJtGeeM0r1dadLPiYgRCrUonG-soZzvyEZ7lnRaOj9GpyfMQ5_-MrNW_d4rY8NZQ9NAAbCekXFDaJT57-ycpXyG8fCre08u6mf3KKMivXmKQXyat/s2837/All%20of%20Us%20Strangers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2837" data-original-width="1892" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-b2WE5VVwOMZaoDv4nUGHJrdqlFItxNoL_1b8PV8UC5Q9Cyf_LROtz0pQDMB8R3AEdprrojQVe-BEMJtGeeM0r1dadLPiYgRCrUonG-soZzvyEZ7lnRaOj9GpyfMQ5_-MrNW_d4rY8NZQ9NAAbCekXFDaJT57-ycpXyG8fCre08u6mf3KKMivXmKQXyat/w133-h200/All%20of%20Us%20Strangers.jpg" width="133" /></a></b></div><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>All of Us Strangers</u> (2023) <i>R</i> Adam (Andrew Scott) lives in a London high-rise that is nearly empty. He meets what seems to be his only neighbor, Harry (Paul Mescal), a stranger who shows up at his door in the middle of the night. It’s a chance meeting that could change Adam’s life. This is one of those films that is hard to review because I don’t want to give away too much of the plot. Let’s say that what happens to Adam makes us question if what is happening is in his mind or is real.<u> All of Us Stranger</u>s is a film about taking chances on love and finding a way to make things right from the mistakes of the past. The performances are brilliant, especially Andrew Scott, who plays Adam as a man who wants to love but has difficulty finding the guts to take a chance. The film is a beautiful and sometimes painful look at family, love, and finding forgiveness. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.searchlightpictures.com/films/all-of-us-strangers/" target="_blank">All of Us Strangers Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ooEEfbZi1mOZiLmwB2NFFlHfLfGuS1T2djsxLf13cOUdNII5fnGlYGJI4MA6a8M82loX2V_jROMp8bsQebt55v5foaFl8HRQrIYEb1ImRScqWIgWGcMAhP4kGwNPB0Qlp1iRRo3hp5oQU4UzxsNywHJubHkrQfvVrSu2MNn1fLbfDsJuereOWgyLr3oB/s1440/Anyone%20But%20You.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ooEEfbZi1mOZiLmwB2NFFlHfLfGuS1T2djsxLf13cOUdNII5fnGlYGJI4MA6a8M82loX2V_jROMp8bsQebt55v5foaFl8HRQrIYEb1ImRScqWIgWGcMAhP4kGwNPB0Qlp1iRRo3hp5oQU4UzxsNywHJubHkrQfvVrSu2MNn1fLbfDsJuereOWgyLr3oB/w133-h200/Anyone%20But%20You.jpeg" width="133" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Anyone But You</u> (2023) <i>R</i> <u>Anyone But You </u>starts when Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) go on a first date that has sparks at first, but then things happen that sour the two on each other. Now they have been unexpectedly reunited at a destination wedding in, of all places, Australia. Their exes are also there, so they do what two mature adults would do: pretend they are a couple. I had fun watching this film as the two leads make a good team together and have great chemistry. The story is a takeoff on Shakespeare’s As You Like It, with the couple trying to fool the rest of the wedding party into thinking that they are really into each other, even though they hate each other. We, of course, know this won’t last, and that’s part of the fun. Anyone But You is a fun rom-com that is a pleasant escape from all the Christmas films seemingly sprouting from every streaming service. It doesn’t hurt that it was filmed in Australia, though I have a feeling that it was shot during COVID restrictions, as we don’t see as much of the country as I would have liked. Still, this is a light, fun rom-com that doesn’t disappoint. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.anyonebutyou.movie/home/" target="_blank">Anyone But You Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_zxGnCXkqt_T4H7Z0IGCgip7MOHDBxJO9lwWvU-ghwOhD7pI221LEvZ0mkJni96yUtrndEeL_d5AgU-f8Qe5p7pa8MLTSbcKnZrAsPn7l806T4yiNj489TerW5ydObq5eUs9zbdvKMnUr5Z3Vt4y2DdOvFng9PEmecRNeBaAqXCaf2pMnEe68HxiVZQS/s844/Poor%20Things.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="568" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_zxGnCXkqt_T4H7Z0IGCgip7MOHDBxJO9lwWvU-ghwOhD7pI221LEvZ0mkJni96yUtrndEeL_d5AgU-f8Qe5p7pa8MLTSbcKnZrAsPn7l806T4yiNj489TerW5ydObq5eUs9zbdvKMnUr5Z3Vt4y2DdOvFng9PEmecRNeBaAqXCaf2pMnEe68HxiVZQS/w134-h200/Poor%20Things.png" width="134" /></a></div>My View</b>: <u>Poor Things</u> (2023)<b> </b><i>R</i> Bella (Emma Stone) is brought back to life by a brilliant but unorthodox scientist (Willem Dafoe) by putting a baby’s brain inside a grown woman. Bella is eager to learn and is whisked off to discover life by Duncan (Mark Ruffalo), a lawyer who only wants Bella for himself. Free from the prejudices of the times, Bella is about to discover her place in the world and her purpose, to stand for equality and liberation. Emma Stone is a force of nature in this film, and it could win her another Academy Award. It is hard to describe her performance because she goes from someone who can barely talk and walk to someone who is in control of both her body and her mind. It’s an astounding feat of acting, and it’s wonderful to watch. Now, I will warn you that you will see her character, Bella, have sex a lot. I mean a whole lot. There is a reason, and I won’t ruin it; it’s essential to the storyline. Still, it’s a bit of a shock. Mark Ruffalo is hilarious as the man who seduces Bella and then can’t keep up with her. Willem Dafoe, as the mad scientist (and he is mad), looks as if he is having so much fun in the role, and his character’s face is genuinely horrifying to look at. The story is beautifully told, and the set design, which is best described as steampunk meets 1900 European, is so much fun to look at and significantly adds to the film’s feel. <u>Poor Things</u> is one of the best pictures of the year. It's a strange and funny film filled with surprises and wonder, one I want to watch again. And did I mention that Emma Stone is pretty darn good in it?<b> My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://poorthingsfilm.com" target="_blank">Poor Things Website</a> Now playing in theatres. <br /></b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlDHaNjq1mK7L5Qy_GCAwiSJWqWyTjzwSnmly3PcM5ItbhZS0PdTBO30stRKZ_M0mkZ4BatW0AW_NTlF1DdSw8PCAvJISDIUqhvywhX_tEO2BlWX26Q1s6hCYHgBQ6idvXhr60TikHLevhBDCGGMgGqpgM20JD-1hxto9J4b2RMOhQsm_dTEafFESAB-Z/s1266/Klaus.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="850" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlDHaNjq1mK7L5Qy_GCAwiSJWqWyTjzwSnmly3PcM5ItbhZS0PdTBO30stRKZ_M0mkZ4BatW0AW_NTlF1DdSw8PCAvJISDIUqhvywhX_tEO2BlWX26Q1s6hCYHgBQ6idvXhr60TikHLevhBDCGGMgGqpgM20JD-1hxto9J4b2RMOhQsm_dTEafFESAB-Z/w134-h200/Klaus.png" width="134" /></a></b></div><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>Klaus</u> (2019) PG Jesper (voiced by Jason Schwartzman) is an entitled man who thinks the world owes him a living because of his wealthy family. The Postal Academy has different ideas about Jesper and assigns him to a remote village without postal service for years. Jesper meets a huge, bearded woodworker named Klaus (voiced by J. K. Simmons), and the two start up an unlikely friendship. It’s a friendship that will start an amazing tradition involving gifts given throughout the world. Klaus is a beautiful animated film that never got the attention (or the theatrical run) it deserved. The story is fun, about friendship and how when things look hopeless if you believe, they might turn around and surprise you. Klaus is a delight for the whole family for your Christmas weekend and beyond. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4729430/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Klaus Info</a></b><p></p><p><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Rebel Moon: Part One - A Child of Fire</u>: Mechanical Teeth</p><p><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Argylle</u> (2024) <u>PG-13</u> Elly (Bryce Dallas Howard) is a best-selling spy novelist who rarely leaves home. On a train, she meets Aiden (Sam Rockwell), who tells her he is a real spy and has been sent to save her from being kidnapped. Elly is now living the life that she has only written about, and it turns out that her books are the key to saving the world. Elly and her beloved cat Alfie are plunged into a covert world where nothing and no one is as they seem. I can’t wait to see this film as it is reminiscent of one of my favorite films of the 80s, <u>Romancing the Stone</u>. <b>In theatres on February 2, 2024. <a href="https://www.argyllemovie.com" target="_blank">Argylle Website</a></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSHIVKQSp4l9fOiJsO1StF6ubx3UmhNvuVYZrqu8jFkkBCjdNyyD98QNGJn5rHVbmCM9HnphOW6TAnH_iK4RJD0tRsb5kHtSHcCrp1Hhpv0I5tQWY1l_L1mfA-KlCed-9QZxgtSeatg_SRtAyOyFHzAFU8WVBcQMUTOhoyju98YTqUEuCCGyoeD4mUd0R/s1583/Argylle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1583" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSHIVKQSp4l9fOiJsO1StF6ubx3UmhNvuVYZrqu8jFkkBCjdNyyD98QNGJn5rHVbmCM9HnphOW6TAnH_iK4RJD0tRsb5kHtSHcCrp1Hhpv0I5tQWY1l_L1mfA-KlCed-9QZxgtSeatg_SRtAyOyFHzAFU8WVBcQMUTOhoyju98YTqUEuCCGyoeD4mUd0R/w126-h200/Argylle.jpg" width="126" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7mgu9mNZ8Hk" width="320" youtube-src-id="7mgu9mNZ8Hk"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Until Next Time!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-61164800879821925082023-12-15T00:30:00.001-05:002023-12-15T00:30:00.134-05:00Wonka<p><span style="color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); white-space-collapse: break-spaces;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFm4RPJDb69s3kjImSB8OR9IVgmYZCPU8WBPB5TAiQYUcMQGdiHzhPSmVBj5ltznv34JwzYm_yoN6uyxi6RQlvRD-PW_2WlxfugtIX0HTZ0bSPo1rQPt3eR5jX3pLKyLSD-9kS23_23jAogFihRNrpUNHs7LzLnAp0e2WgDMHtys3wfm3vHPOfYbDFuPQ/s4096/Wonka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2764" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFm4RPJDb69s3kjImSB8OR9IVgmYZCPU8WBPB5TAiQYUcMQGdiHzhPSmVBj5ltznv34JwzYm_yoN6uyxi6RQlvRD-PW_2WlxfugtIX0HTZ0bSPo1rQPt3eR5jX3pLKyLSD-9kS23_23jAogFihRNrpUNHs7LzLnAp0e2WgDMHtys3wfm3vHPOfYbDFuPQ/s320/Wonka.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Wonka </u>(2023) <i>PG</i> <u>Wonka</u> tells how the world’s greatest inventor, magician, and chocolate maker became the beloved Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet). A young and poor Willy comes to the big city to fulfill his dream of opening a chocolate shop but soon discovers that the industry is run by a cartel of greedy chocolatiers who hate new competitors. I was worried when this film was announced, thinking it might be another disaster like the very creepy 2005 Johnny Depp film that we all would like to forget. I have some great news! <u>Wonka</u> is a brilliant, funny film perfectly captures the characters created by Roald Dahl. With songs that help tell the story (unlike a much-touted movie that comes out next week) and some set designs that are out-of-this-world creative, the film is a wonder to watch. I loved the performance of Chalamet, who is perfect in the role of the very young and naïve Willy, who is set on making it in the town where chocolate is king. What I have always liked about Dahl’s writings is that the villains in his works are very evil, and the three chocolate kings in the city are dastardly so. Keegan-Michael Key is hilarious as the easily bribed Chief of Police with a sweet tooth. Olivia Colman chews up the scenery in a good way, as the evil Mrs. Scrubbit, who tricks Willy into owing her a ton of money just by staying one night in her boarding house. The songs are fun and if the studio had played it right, there is a beautiful number that Chalamet sings when he opens his new shop that should have been an Oscar contender for Best Song. The surprise of the film is Hugh Grant as a very sneaky and grumpy Oompa Loompa who wants Wonka to pay him for stealing cocoa beans from Oompa Loompa’s land. Take the kids and have a great time watching Willy and his friends figure out how to foil the chocolate kings and the evil Mrs. Scrubbit. You just might run out to the lobby and get a chocolate bar or two for the ride home. <b> My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.wonkamovie.com" target="_blank">Wonka Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); white-space-collapse: break-spaces;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2isSFYpeukSgOWE9AkxKtl50-R69BJZnkryCxbLcopCw871atnVdFp44qzUP9h23QTxDISwD4JKE6RcmwmRaMfyGDdRkLkUKvcZ_YQAo0XOEuMkwJP3u0O-mXcZmQ6gCaHp25e7FVcD2nXWNiWW5wRGi4monUu2778adJmh4jW3fwZrXNOtRkBww9Pz3w/s2222/Chicken%20Run:%20Dawn%20of%20the%20Nugget%20poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2222" data-original-width="1500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2isSFYpeukSgOWE9AkxKtl50-R69BJZnkryCxbLcopCw871atnVdFp44qzUP9h23QTxDISwD4JKE6RcmwmRaMfyGDdRkLkUKvcZ_YQAo0XOEuMkwJP3u0O-mXcZmQ6gCaHp25e7FVcD2nXWNiWW5wRGi4monUu2778adJmh4jW3fwZrXNOtRkBww9Pz3w/w135-h200/Chicken%20Run:%20Dawn%20of%20the%20Nugget%20poster.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><b>Familyfaire</b>: Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023) <i>PG</i> <u>Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget </u>takes place after the daring escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger (voiced by Thandiwe Newton) has found a peaceful island sanctuary for the flock to grow and prosper, including a family of her own with Rocky (voiced by Zachary Levi) and their young daughter Molly (voiced by Bella Ramsey). However, Molly takes off to explore the world beyond the island and gets caught by a new farm. Now, Ginger and her gang must break into the high-security farm to rescue her daughter. This is a sequel to the multi-award-winning 2000 film <u>Chicken Run</u>. I am a big fan of stop-motion animation, and I love the Aardman studios that put out movies like <u>Chicken Run </u>and Wallace & Gromit. While not as funny as the original Chicken Run, this is still a delightful family film about not a breakout but a break-in as the chickens must break into a maximum security chicken farm to save one of their own. The animation is a wonder to watch, and the action will keep youngsters engaged. The story lags a bit in the middle, but once the break-in starts, the film moves along. So go watch Ginger and the gang defeat the evil company farm and bask in the magic of stop-motion. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81223025/" target="_blank">Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget Website</a> Now playing on Netflix.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); white-space-collapse: break-spaces;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oE7I1ARnrdUeltOpYrlwcPWzhjxFH9l-PNYEEBLq9hJ1Ot2BosaRp3x9GGTXzrMeZNYXGbW_CiBY9Ms7vpi_dF1rFr1WZF1PC6q2xrbPEh8wSd9vHRFuRNpssv1xXMkNvYc3E8RALP_vOdpkO__MYI9n7glft1iym3DCLWGTGRYJAbh8o0jo4gqdOCyo/s1314/Albert%20Brooks:%20Defending%20My%20Life.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1314" data-original-width="880" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oE7I1ARnrdUeltOpYrlwcPWzhjxFH9l-PNYEEBLq9hJ1Ot2BosaRp3x9GGTXzrMeZNYXGbW_CiBY9Ms7vpi_dF1rFr1WZF1PC6q2xrbPEh8wSd9vHRFuRNpssv1xXMkNvYc3E8RALP_vOdpkO__MYI9n7glft1iym3DCLWGTGRYJAbh8o0jo4gqdOCyo/w134-h200/Albert%20Brooks:%20Defending%20My%20Life.png" width="134" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Albert Brooks: Defending My Life </u>(2023) Documentary about the life of Albert Brooks, who started as a standup comic, moved on to making short films for Saturday Night Live, and then became a filmmaker of classic award-winning movies. The film is directed by Rob Reiner, who has known Brooks since their days in high school. Brooks is an incredible filmmaker, but few know the routines that he did in clubs and on talk shows. He was a favorite of Johnny Carson’s and would do comedy routines that no one else could even imagine doing. The film is a conversation between Brooks and Reiner as they go over his life and career. I loved all the routines from his early days, and the number of people who show up in the film to praise this comic genius shows how loved and respected he is. This is a film that I didn’t want to stop watching; I had so much fun watching it. And if you have never seen <u>Defending Your Life</u>, Brooks’s comic masterpiece that stars Brooks, Meryl Streep, Buck Henry, Lee Grant, and the amazing Rip Torn, it’s your loss. If you need a laugh or two or three, watch this doc! <b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.hbo.com/movies/albert-brooks-defending-my-life" target="_blank">Albert Brooks: Defending My Life Website</a> Now playing on HBO and Max.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); white-space-collapse: break-spaces;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbV26k1fgDDjqKovxE1cSK18XiHurFhECyCjkiwN8FIP21FylXus5zM52ikwiWpaGPpZsfhYjqL0_V32CXVjAxjDq3_RchbBJdI6D5L_bJjSq8X7RDO27IwOfC7qvQZwemlZJqoNXCasDKmOoEP3p5vqjpBk94ZoW0atN3fAFFxnzwtCETl5YAn__cCA3y/s1250/the%20Man%20Who%20Invented%20Christmas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="854" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbV26k1fgDDjqKovxE1cSK18XiHurFhECyCjkiwN8FIP21FylXus5zM52ikwiWpaGPpZsfhYjqL0_V32CXVjAxjDq3_RchbBJdI6D5L_bJjSq8X7RDO27IwOfC7qvQZwemlZJqoNXCasDKmOoEP3p5vqjpBk94ZoW0atN3fAFFxnzwtCETl5YAn__cCA3y/w137-h200/the%20Man%20Who%20Invented%20Christmas.png" width="137" /></a></b></span></div><span style="color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>The Man Who Invented Christmas </u>(2017) PG The journey that led Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) to create his magical ‘A Christmas Carol’, which re-defined what Christmas means to us. I enjoyed this new and imaginative spin on Dickens’s tale. We see Dickens’ writing process as he struggles to pen a new book under the pressure of needing to provide for his family. As he struggles to write, we see how Dickens uses his imagination to help him overcome writer’s block and a very annoying father. What makes this film is the performance of Christopher Plummer as Scrooge. Plummer is perfect in the crabby and despicable Ebenezer role, giving what should have been an Oscar nomination performance. <b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6225520/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_q_the%2520man%2520who%2520inve" target="_blank">The Man Who Invented Christmas Info</a> The film is available to rent or buy on Apple TV or Amazon.</b></span><p></p><p><b style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;">Weird Credits</b><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;">: From the credits of </span><u style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;">Wonka</u><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;">: Priest Body Double</span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>:<u> The Book of Clarence</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is a hustler whose days may be numbered because he owes money to a local mobster, whom Clarence happens to be in love with the mobster’s sister. Clarence notices his brother is doing well following a local Messiah named Jesus. Clarence claims he is also a Messiah, but soon discovers that life becomes very complicated when dealing with things like God. From filmmaker Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall), this film is getting a lot of buzz. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22866358/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_6_nm_1_q_the%2520book%2520of%2520clarence" target="_blank">The Book of Clarence Info</a> <b>The film will be released to theatres on January 12, 2024.</b></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(47, 51, 51); color: #2f3333; font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPH53rReeLbH82HRnDN6IQw5_e2h0mevR2h-HDdUx_GXldD49Mfz1XPmZPtt2mzJJkW_koKxRzKtZQ_QmmK8DJONms7ZtUqbRTEH3KSamR8kVTMGJs9j2UCZYv5s4DwQj1Adc73J8x9SWrqgWGXiplle8WBX92me6TN1KCDEkdd1zdHk9bp449mXfTdxnW/s755/The%20Book%20of%20Clarence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="604" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPH53rReeLbH82HRnDN6IQw5_e2h0mevR2h-HDdUx_GXldD49Mfz1XPmZPtt2mzJJkW_koKxRzKtZQ_QmmK8DJONms7ZtUqbRTEH3KSamR8kVTMGJs9j2UCZYv5s4DwQj1Adc73J8x9SWrqgWGXiplle8WBX92me6TN1KCDEkdd1zdHk9bp449mXfTdxnW/w160-h200/The%20Book%20of%20Clarence.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ntNS-ANoMyM" width="320" youtube-src-id="ntNS-ANoMyM"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Until Next Time!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-45146275497696376362023-12-08T00:30:00.003-05:002023-12-08T06:45:54.183-05:00The Boy and The Heron<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgha9e44xpKDTNiLv07TY0s9XfLUuFE3ApxgUxaQvEVLHGU9gXElnIKG9tTsGvqAD_SEsT9Ig3tcJvC7JPyoxGAIN5TLKSV52UvfJUzpst_QhTDWeyeRkO3arEo1qsHeU2gkONdy1NsF_umvBCh9IlASJQpCYkb5aP1l0B0pPfTtV4wmfjOfPFP1CXQ98Mn/s1463/The%20Boy%20and%20The%20Heron%20movie%20poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgha9e44xpKDTNiLv07TY0s9XfLUuFE3ApxgUxaQvEVLHGU9gXElnIKG9tTsGvqAD_SEsT9Ig3tcJvC7JPyoxGAIN5TLKSV52UvfJUzpst_QhTDWeyeRkO3arEo1qsHeU2gkONdy1NsF_umvBCh9IlASJQpCYkb5aP1l0B0pPfTtV4wmfjOfPFP1CXQ98Mn/s320/The%20Boy%20and%20The%20Heron%20movie%20poster.jpg" width="219" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>The Boy and The Heron</u> (2023) <i>PG-13 </i> <u>The Boy and The Heron</u> is about a young boy named Mahito who loses his mother in a fire and is haunted by her memory. His father has remarried and moved to a new house in the countryside. Mahito keeps hearing his mother call his name, and he sets out to find her in an abandoned and magical tower that will take him to a world he never knew existed. The Boy and The Heron is a film from legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki, who has, over the years, given us some of the greatest animated films in history (<u>Spirited Away</u>,<u> Howl’s Moving Castle</u>, <u>The Wind Rises</u>). Now he gives us what may be his last film, a very personal story of a boy trying to find the answer to why his mother left him in a world that is so strange and cold. When I see animated foreign films, I try to see them in their original language, as I did with this one. However, after seeing the voice cast for the English version, including Robert Pattinson, Florence Pugh, Mark Hamill, and Christian Bale, I regret that decision. The film is beautifully told as the young boy goes on a journey of discovery, helped along the way by unique characters, including a weird and threatening big heron who initially seems to be the enemy but becomes a friend to help the boy in his quest. This is a magical tale with fantastic animation, a brilliant score, and a storyline that will move you while also delighting you. This is a little more adult than the typical Miyazaki film, like <u>Howl’s Moving Castle</u>, so small kids might sometimes be a bit bored. But older kids and adults will be filled with wonder and awe as Mahito goes on his journey accompanied by a big, talkative bird. If <u>The Boy and The Heron</u> is the last film of Miyazaki, he is leaving us with a masterpiece. This film is a sure bet to be nominated for an Animated Feature Oscar and should be seen in a theatre. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://gkids.com/films/the-boy-and-the-heron/" target="_blank">The Boy and The Heron Website</a> Now playing theatres nationwide.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0iy5R0dxfO-i0QylTkI0FsI8f6zZ-7YAyjJsvYJ0CA8P40i5ZHSHqFglrHpogTvggPKnxhy7nlHy1XhaAXCtY1xm-B5TtFoIqwb8HHYEanF8DwwIIYw35RRBKd3nIJFY-JTX-gGgzT6y_o0ncobjvX3b06RdQWQOllBty2YjvdwTPXkJTXVK_x8sPLbYX/s842/Leave%20the%20World%20Behind.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="559" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0iy5R0dxfO-i0QylTkI0FsI8f6zZ-7YAyjJsvYJ0CA8P40i5ZHSHqFglrHpogTvggPKnxhy7nlHy1XhaAXCtY1xm-B5TtFoIqwb8HHYEanF8DwwIIYw35RRBKd3nIJFY-JTX-gGgzT6y_o0ncobjvX3b06RdQWQOllBty2YjvdwTPXkJTXVK_x8sPLbYX/w133-h200/Leave%20the%20World%20Behind.png" width="133" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>:<u> Leave the World Behind</u> (2023) <i>R</i> A wife (Julia Roberts) books her husband (Ethan Hawke) and their two kids a getaway to a luxurious rental home. This dream vacation takes an ominous turn when a massive cyberattack knocks out their services just as two strangers (Mahershala Ali and Myha’la Herrold) show up at their doorstep, stating that the house is theirs. This is one of those films that should have been better. The film has an outstanding cast, but I felt that, at times, they seemed a bit out of place. The movie is never scary, even though it deals with some terrifying ideas, but the film never finds the tension it needs to make us keep watching. Other than some creepy deer that keep showing up (we don’t know if they are trying to warn the characters or get revenge for murdering Bambi’s mom) and a few attempts of shocking us with a scene or two, the film never finds its momentum. It also feels like director Sam Esmail got a little too in love with the tricky camera shots, so much so that it took me out of the film each time he did something weird with the scene. I also hated that the soundtrack kept jumping in with music, sometimes stopping the movie to a dead stop so we could listen to a selection. I never cared for the people in the film, especially the Julia Roberts character, who we hate from almost the first frame of the film to the last. <u>Leave the World Behind</u> is a film that tried to say too much and make too much of a statement, and it never succeeded in making us afraid or care. <b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81314956/" target="_blank">Leave the World Behind Website</a> Now playing on the Netflix platform.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLYVnh9fgJmCufkiJPmcfPcXzpgnTGMiNLmBVE4RBg4uzLjc-W7xNn9Z6iCa04At53igRdQYz3WQLvESOP24WAtpGi4XqmCBA5GyQ-UYsVTv3EDkOW8GgL4wWCk8793tlSjChkRroNKxkMu3rMNbybGRcqllMIPKZ5QH4zWBFUnWYRLFy46unhNi0CLRc/s3000/We%20Live%20Here:%20The%20Midwest.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2025" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLYVnh9fgJmCufkiJPmcfPcXzpgnTGMiNLmBVE4RBg4uzLjc-W7xNn9Z6iCa04At53igRdQYz3WQLvESOP24WAtpGi4XqmCBA5GyQ-UYsVTv3EDkOW8GgL4wWCk8793tlSjChkRroNKxkMu3rMNbybGRcqllMIPKZ5QH4zWBFUnWYRLFy46unhNi0CLRc/w135-h200/We%20Live%20Here:%20The%20Midwest.jpeg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>My View:</b> <u>We Live Here: The Midwest</u> (2023) The documentary highlights the individual experiences of LGBTQI+ families who faced with discriminatory laws and rising hostility, try to live their lives in the heart of the country, a place that they dearly love. This is a documentary about families trying to live their lives in a part of the country that doesn’t always welcome different lifestyles. <u>We Live Here</u> is about the love of families and acceptance of who you are. One story the film follows is about Minnesota Representative and queer mother Heather Keeler, who uses her political know-how to bring LGBTQI+ rights to the forefront despite ongoing death threats. <u>We Live Here: The Midwest</u> is a film that shows you all sorts of families living in the Midwest, on farms or in cities, who aspire to be a part of their communities and live their lives as best they can. Families that are full of love and support. We need more of that in the world. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.hulu.com/movie/we-live-here-the-midwest-99c9cb62-a936-4adc-a04b-26088477b512" target="_blank">We Live Here Website</a> Now playing on the Hulu platform.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekr7-py6gNwGTv8X4JxuN6ur6bn_ku4RWQy1ogdlrOO-WFZ3crU6eDgJcyQMaARxRhDujAtMBP4jRJeX2rzzZpfDuNXT8xAsrLVI7QH4bf3RFkti3RPjqllIzYA7aoWoUOXbYozq7GqbXKisFwLgy7QDePvVcoilvjkeinhej63iek0FI2eHBY2uNGcD8/s836/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-07%20at%209.13.50%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="571" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekr7-py6gNwGTv8X4JxuN6ur6bn_ku4RWQy1ogdlrOO-WFZ3crU6eDgJcyQMaARxRhDujAtMBP4jRJeX2rzzZpfDuNXT8xAsrLVI7QH4bf3RFkti3RPjqllIzYA7aoWoUOXbYozq7GqbXKisFwLgy7QDePvVcoilvjkeinhej63iek0FI2eHBY2uNGcD8/w137-h200/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-07%20at%209.13.50%20PM.png" width="137" /></a></b></div><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>The Oath </u>(2023) <i>PG-13</i> In 400 AD, the last warrior of his people, Moroni (Darin Scott), is trying to survive while being hunted down by a ruthless king named Aaron (Billy Zane). King Aaron has banished his mistress, Bathsheba (Nora Dale), to the wilderness after savagely beating her. Moroni takes Bathsheba in even though she is the enemy, and she’s her a kindness she has never known. Can they survive in the wilderness together as King Aaron sends out his best warriors to find the last warrior? This was a film that was a very confusing experience. The film seems to believe that I know what this story is about and the history of the religion in the movie. The story is boring, with most of the film Moroni teaching Bathsheba about his beliefs and faith. We are teetering on the fine line of the ‘white savior’, saving the savage from a bad belief system to one that teaches how to live. The film ends with the hero finding peace with his beliefs and life. All this made sense when I saw the final credits, which I was not happy with. I won’t go into any more about this film, but to say it is a promotion piece for a religion, and it’s not very well done. <b>My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again <a href="https://oathmovie.com" target="_blank">The Oath Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b><p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPjtrgnYUONTl9wHObe-irmwWKgK418NB86okZKIyTnVIlFo22DjRipFxeokRhs4bJzN4N7I4PKdWKRFN_BOiDEu2Iy-A5KCk9s0r6piI7ziAFA5P21mKrtZB_jNmvsAbwHRTLhGR9hSCsYBybV9_AgVMPs0OUQoeZy7deeOrourlFX7j9jh1UhTEqulm/s741/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-07%20at%207.36.08%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="494" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPjtrgnYUONTl9wHObe-irmwWKgK418NB86okZKIyTnVIlFo22DjRipFxeokRhs4bJzN4N7I4PKdWKRFN_BOiDEu2Iy-A5KCk9s0r6piI7ziAFA5P21mKrtZB_jNmvsAbwHRTLhGR9hSCsYBybV9_AgVMPs0OUQoeZy7deeOrourlFX7j9jh1UhTEqulm/w133-h200/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-07%20at%207.36.08%20PM.png" width="133" /></a></b></div><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>Waking Life</u> (2001) <i>R</i> Willy has returned to the town he grew up in. However, he has returned in his dreams. As he wanders around the town, he both listens to and engages in conversations with people he encounters. The discussions range from what is reality, whether their free will is really free, what makes up a relationship, and, of course, serious subjects like what our purpose on earth is. Directed by Richard Linklater (Boyhood, Before Sunrise, Slacker), this is a beautifully animated film that Linklater uses to make us feel like we are part of Willy’s dream. Waking Life is a beautiful film that celebrates ideas and the exploration of people’s dreams from all walks of life. Note there are a few surprise appearances of characters from other films, so that adds to the fun. So, go on a journey with Willy to discover what makes the world tick. <b>My Take: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0243017/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_waking%2520life" target="_blank">Waking Life Info</a> The film is available to rent or buy on Amazon or Apple TV.</b><p></p><p>Weird Credits: From the credits of <u>Leave the World Behind</u>: Dental Prosthetics</p><p><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Anyone But You</u> (2023) Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) went on a first date that had sparks at first, but then things happened. Now they have been unexpectedly reunited at a destination wedding in, of all places, Australia. Their exes are also there, so they do what two mature adults would do: pretend they are a couple. This looks like it could be a fun rom-com to see to get away from the Christmas rush. Sweeney is coming off two Primetime nominations in 2022 for <u>The White Lotus</u> and <u>Euphoria</u>. Powell impressed film lovers with his role as Lt. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin in <u>Top Gun: Maverick</u>. <a href="https://www.anyonebutyou.movie" target="_blank">Anyone But You Website</a> <b>The film is in theatres on Friday, Dec. 22th.</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFgAr7vx0m7wHNwDpLjUiuv22ww8cogN5wF8sh_5wrR4L6Ycc-OlckPmfBWYVTVCZpaste8b9F3-3f6Js1qUzpQjmXEz372398BLuB7sAYedOmN1a7MAmD0zTjXVk4NqZmGwoF5OqPugTl4E_tEbaURSjVf__RTiNTz18YP_UKecUTCdNhVGCXyF6Xi38/s849/Anyone%20But%20You.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="571" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFgAr7vx0m7wHNwDpLjUiuv22ww8cogN5wF8sh_5wrR4L6Ycc-OlckPmfBWYVTVCZpaste8b9F3-3f6Js1qUzpQjmXEz372398BLuB7sAYedOmN1a7MAmD0zTjXVk4NqZmGwoF5OqPugTl4E_tEbaURSjVf__RTiNTz18YP_UKecUTCdNhVGCXyF6Xi38/w134-h200/Anyone%20But%20You.png" width="134" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ESEc6W2h9_k" width="320" youtube-src-id="ESEc6W2h9_k"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Until Next Time!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-51903880252977575742023-12-01T00:30:00.056-05:002023-12-28T11:13:16.500-05:00Family Switch<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5hqEJ1YG1XBU4sCD_KRCBJt2jpfZ8sGwGS1mOlOQx28CIwUSOihOR9RYUAhtetX40Ng5Ff_B7HYPXL53DVkg2-r_EC5nEm4ChfX9a0qd6DVas3oO-ZOaWtUHNoURjMcllhxpwlGaUjM2ML-fi4NfjJTbt3CGiMLQYGVinZOjCI5dOIOQvlL4e4P7QvnN/s1405/Family%20Switch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5hqEJ1YG1XBU4sCD_KRCBJt2jpfZ8sGwGS1mOlOQx28CIwUSOihOR9RYUAhtetX40Ng5Ff_B7HYPXL53DVkg2-r_EC5nEm4ChfX9a0qd6DVas3oO-ZOaWtUHNoURjMcllhxpwlGaUjM2ML-fi4NfjJTbt3CGiMLQYGVinZOjCI5dOIOQvlL4e4P7QvnN/s320/Family%20Switch.jpg" width="228" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Familyfaire:</b> <u>Family Switch</u> (2023) <i>PG </i><u>Family Switch </u>takes place when, after a chance meeting with an astrological reader, the whole family wakes up to discover that they have switched bodies: the kids are now in their parents’ bodies and vice versa. Can they survive school, work, and the baby having switched with the family dog? I hate to say it, but this isn’t even close to being in the same league as Jennifer Garner’s other body switch movie, <u>13 Going on 30</u>. How a film wasted the talents of Garner, as the overly protective mom, and Ed Helms as the father who wants his kids to have as much fun as he did in high school, is a travesty. The two try hard, but when given the material of having Garner, as now the teen in her mom’s body, belching and farting for jokes and Helms, as the teen in the dad’s body, almost throwing up in his sister’s mouth, they are set to fail. Kids may enjoy the film primarily because the dog and the baby have switched bodies; the baby acts like a dog, and the dog walks like the baby. The ending is just as bad and predictable as the rest of the film, even with the always enjoyable Rita Moreno showing up for a short appearance as the person who causes the switch. So, adults put the movie on and let the kids enjoy the baby barking like a dog while you go into the other room and wrap presents. <b>My Rating: Cable Now playing on the Netflix platform.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOYImexOr2Pv5mreO_IC3QzhRqkBXXeBl331ByIFKfO_kSYBf7WL0Fx6dFVXNmoJcsq17_n8zdprINXPSDBarF7cB96AJw-0IDfwUb0ykALsePnWF91XCnzxvhYNwxAZyil2iz9QYjUmdhLHeLwAu1PORsPvC0ayjey94Cl0P9tM2jaWyeesOaIGAx32P/s2000/Godzilla%20Minus%20One.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1428" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOYImexOr2Pv5mreO_IC3QzhRqkBXXeBl331ByIFKfO_kSYBf7WL0Fx6dFVXNmoJcsq17_n8zdprINXPSDBarF7cB96AJw-0IDfwUb0ykALsePnWF91XCnzxvhYNwxAZyil2iz9QYjUmdhLHeLwAu1PORsPvC0ayjey94Cl0P9tM2jaWyeesOaIGAx32P/w143-h200/Godzilla%20Minus%20One.jpg" width="143" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">My View:</b><u style="font-style: normal;"> Godzilla Minus One</u> (2023) <i>PG-13 </i> It’s after World War II, and a monster has been created from the nuclear radiation fallout of the bombs used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan will never be the same. The review of the film will be up Friday night. Finally, we have the Godzilla movie that we have been waiting for. <u>Godzilla Minus One</u> is a reboot of the classic tale of the giant lizard that comes up from the ocean to terrorize Japan. Unlike many Godzilla films that focus on the monster and how much destruction he can deliver, this film concentrates on the people he is attacking and how they respond to the attacks both in the past and in the present. I don’t want to go into too much detail as the storyline is incredibly well done, but I will let you know that WWII and its after-effects play a huge part in the film. And while the film features the people, you still get the mighty Godzilla destroying cities, blasting his heat ray and chomping on both trains and people.<u> Godzilla Minus One</u> is a film meant to be seen in the theatre so that you can experience Godzilla in all his glory, and the ending is pretty cool too. Excuse me now while I put on some Blue Oyster Cult and revel in what I just saw. <b> My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again</b><br /> <b> <a href="https://godzilla.com/blogs/news/new-godzilla-minus-one-trailer-movie-tickets" target="_blank">Godzilla Minus One Website</a> </b> <b> Now playing in theatres. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzN4PeIBoDcTApNf7BnTqcm8wjLNtsfrVVJ6GlSwQ_SwYyxv_yLGnzuTHybGx2Wqbew9FxO5Hy_GKEpkTe-vMKI_ALBZzwDX7RETJZmvdYf1Uvie1NS_Lfv9CI0Ssc8QwwoYUp7Hk9Uo634B30c0OLn2w6bwS90vzOTNpRm3pQ0p6dSshYKZyG2K_OT3F0/s3000/Silent%20Night.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzN4PeIBoDcTApNf7BnTqcm8wjLNtsfrVVJ6GlSwQ_SwYyxv_yLGnzuTHybGx2Wqbew9FxO5Hy_GKEpkTe-vMKI_ALBZzwDX7RETJZmvdYf1Uvie1NS_Lfv9CI0Ssc8QwwoYUp7Hk9Uo634B30c0OLn2w6bwS90vzOTNpRm3pQ0p6dSshYKZyG2K_OT3F0/w133-h200/Silent%20Night.jpg" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">My View</b>: <u style="font-style: normal;">Silent Night </u>(2023)<i> R </i> <u>Silent Night</u> is about a father who is wounded, and his young son is killed when they are caught in a gang’s crossfire on Christmas Eve. The father, Brian (Joel Kinnaman), has lost his voice due to the shooting, and he makes it his life’s mission to avenge his son’s death a year later. At one time in the 90s, John Woo was considered one of the great action directors working with high violence but well-made films like <u>A Better Tomorrow</u> (1986), <u>Hard Boiled</u> (1992), <u>Broken Arrow</u> (1996), and <u>Face/Off</u> (1997). So I was excited to hear that he was directing an action film that would have no dialogue. Unfortunately, he takes a film that uses a gimmick of no dialogue to stand out but becomes dull and, at times, annoying. The film would have worked better if the wife had also been lost in the drive-by because the scenes between Brian and Saya, played by Catalina Sandino Moreno, are just uncomfortable, straining at the seams to keep the ‘no talking’ gimmick going. The scenes feel forced and contribute almost nothing to the storyline. It takes too long to get to what we want, the action sequences, where Brian has trained and retrofitted a car to become a killing machine. I kept wondering how he was paying for all the guns and the car when he was no longer working during his year of recovery and training. The film also suffers from a character who is a one-track train wreck who has trouble showing emotion and seems stuck being a sad sack of a man. Woo depends on us wanting Brian to get his revenge, but that revenge, like the movie itself, seems ill-planned and too quick to take such a long build-up, using another gimmick to get his revenge exactly one year later. <u>Silent Night</u> uses a gimmick that hurts rather than stands out a film from other run-of-the-mill action films. <b>My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/silent-night" target="_blank">Silent Night Website</a> Now playing in theaters. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5dSq0hXJ9nO2kiR-q54BBIymJtY_f-ruq-ODGQh-0N4xOTnHnItqz8uw6v7uLDzCo2DjmvUm-xTuX91O8vhRKKc_p5lABGOnKv8qMJjuzJ9dXC4iHqoZtQGBnX2Rht53Cexv7B5Dco3sq8fIOHGC80Xc1ScNsHAFhTMM1qudOsjK6DSnj4lEeRuSVqAg/s1482/American%20Symphony.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5dSq0hXJ9nO2kiR-q54BBIymJtY_f-ruq-ODGQh-0N4xOTnHnItqz8uw6v7uLDzCo2DjmvUm-xTuX91O8vhRKKc_p5lABGOnKv8qMJjuzJ9dXC4iHqoZtQGBnX2Rht53Cexv7B5Dco3sq8fIOHGC80Xc1ScNsHAFhTMM1qudOsjK6DSnj4lEeRuSVqAg/w135-h200/American%20Symphony.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">My View</b>: <u style="font-style: normal;">American Symphony </u>(2023) <i>PG-13 </i><u>American Symphony</u> is a documentary that explores a year in the life of musician Jon Batiste. Jon is on top of the world with eleven Grammy nominations, working as the bandleader on <u>The Late Show</u> with Stephen Colbert and a beautiful life partner in Suleika. Things turn when the couple finds out that her cancer has returned after a decade-long remission. This film has a good shot at making the Academy Award documentary nominations next year because it hits all the right notes (no pun intended). The movie started as a straightforward doc about Jon Batiste and his writing of a symphony that was to debut at Carnegie Hall. Then Batiste set the world on fire with eleven Grammy nominations. Then, on the same day the nominations are announced, it is discovered that his soon-to-be wife, Suleika, cancer has returned, and she will have to go through a harrowing treatment that will put her in a hospital for over a month. The film works best when the couple is in both good and bad private moments. There are some truly moving moments in the movie, and we want Suleika to survive the cancer because they work so well together. The film feels a bit out of place when it goes back to Jon creating the symphony or when he is touring with his band. However, the cancer fight and the relationship between the two bring us some powerful and moving moments that won’t be soon forgotten. <u>American Symphony</u> is about the healing power of love and music, two things we need in our lives. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81728930/" target="_blank">American Symphony Website</a> Now playing on the Netflix platform.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSg8O7C5V_X7p2tFDkKRaqkb-aaw3Eoh4kfNFbQo-Eongu7795HSQzG7r1RkpVqpegS7H1W3uv4GXsnk-59bjsQ8uz2xJX8tgAiAJ7xmtph8Z4gdxzURLMuecQiEEdR7KmtB1-gh-DOq5_iDfJxJQWM2IK4qpYZYsjP4GPTYNFaOhbsWW8Uw_a2KvijIC/s3000/Eileen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2031" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSg8O7C5V_X7p2tFDkKRaqkb-aaw3Eoh4kfNFbQo-Eongu7795HSQzG7r1RkpVqpegS7H1W3uv4GXsnk-59bjsQ8uz2xJX8tgAiAJ7xmtph8Z4gdxzURLMuecQiEEdR7KmtB1-gh-DOq5_iDfJxJQWM2IK4qpYZYsjP4GPTYNFaOhbsWW8Uw_a2KvijIC/w136-h200/Eileen.jpg" width="136" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">My View</b>: <u style="font-style: normal;">Eileen</u> (2023) <i>R</i> <u>Eileen</u> is about a twenty-four-year-old woman named Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie) who works at a juvenile detention center while trying to take care of her alcoholic dad (Shea Whigham) at night. Her world improves when a new doctor named Rebecca (Anne Hathaway) starts working at the prison and befriends her. Rebecca is everything Eileen aspires to be: brilliant, beautiful, and sure of who she is. You know what they say: Not everything is what it seems on the surface. Eileen is not your run-of-the-mill feel-good Christmas movie (it's set during Christmas week. In fact, it's more of a cold, dark film noir of a movie that takes a lot of unexpected twists and turns, some more shocking than others. Anne Hathaway is stunning as the new doctor who looks like a movie star but acts like a woman set in a 50s black and white gangster film. Thomasin McKenzie holds her own as a young woman who has gotten stuck in a dead-end job with a father who is drinking his way to his death, and there isn’t anything Eileen can do to stop it. Eileen’s life is summed up by the car she drives, which puts out so much toxic smoke she has to drive with the windows down even though it’s snowing. Eileen is looking for a way out and finds it in Rebecca, who takes an interest in the shy Eileen. We don’t know what will happen, but we know it will probably not be good. <u>Eileen</u> is a dark tale of seduction and lives that are just about lost, grasping at tiny bits of hope in a world that doesn’t provide much and cares even less. While I loved the performances, the film ends with us wanting more, just like Eileen. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://neonrated.com/films/eileen" target="_blank">Eileen Website</a> Now playing in theaters. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZk3Y8IgoVzYFXAldYmo5PLOplQTo4p1MYwiSIB2YdnGB3vILukAQTIaNLC0ueTmvU1AqCmVbPs3FVmiNM97huTcOmBaSG-kM6cdmhRax7Y13i10uLxGOgdXFxwzDfNJRs8Zd8FSAcsxGo9R4OfhB5NvXPk88jqJxmoobyPZXKXdgomOSmSYLP2ZUNelM_/s1200/Robot%20Dreams.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="839" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZk3Y8IgoVzYFXAldYmo5PLOplQTo4p1MYwiSIB2YdnGB3vILukAQTIaNLC0ueTmvU1AqCmVbPs3FVmiNM97huTcOmBaSG-kM6cdmhRax7Y13i10uLxGOgdXFxwzDfNJRs8Zd8FSAcsxGo9R4OfhB5NvXPk88jqJxmoobyPZXKXdgomOSmSYLP2ZUNelM_/w140-h200/Robot%20Dreams.jpg" width="140" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">Familyfaire</b>: <u style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;">Robot Dreams </u>(2023) Dog is living alone in an apartment in 1980s New York City when he sees what could be the solution to not having any friends, an ad for a home robot. He orders Robot, and they have a great time together until one fateful day at the beach when a horrible mistake causes them to separate. Will they find each other again? I loved this fun and quirky film about a dog who finds a pal in a robot and then keeps trying to rescue his buddy Robot when an afternoon at the beach goes horribly wrong. What more could you want from an animated film than a robot and a dog roller skating a dance to Earth, Wind and Fire’s September? Robot Dreams is a fun and sometimes touching film about finding someone to connect with, and it can bring happiness and completeness to your life. The animation is bold and colorful, set in NYC in the 80s (the Twin Towers keep showing up), and I loved all the brand name products that are part of the story, especially Cheetos, which Dog has a fondness for and always has trouble opening the bag (don’t we all). The story is a simple one that hits the heartstrings and makes you laugh and cry a bit too. Kids will love the Robot and Dog’s constantly wagging tale, and adults will love the story of friendship and love. <b>Note: While the film is from Spain, there isn't any dialogue spoken throughout the film. </b> <b style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;"> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.arcadiamotionpictures.com/en/films/robot-dreams/" target="_blank">Robot Dreams Website</a> Now playing in theaters.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivf3mqV_Zb-WfFTaA8u_2_S_FkEHkjkrzaF1PPLIBJBLzkCQxtJuiyzjbJIdiiDY8djAkw_d2zM4ZX6ImbjUiIQgLEm4uXD1cVuwZfLeBZOxF05V_q8u3R0sZ-mBVrJAN50zzwPVyqxnsG9rgN_Ss0gWYCROyYt7v9Ufc2a2gEBTpk_GVCjcWJvU_A0Tei/s1256/Brother%20Bear.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="802" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivf3mqV_Zb-WfFTaA8u_2_S_FkEHkjkrzaF1PPLIBJBLzkCQxtJuiyzjbJIdiiDY8djAkw_d2zM4ZX6ImbjUiIQgLEm4uXD1cVuwZfLeBZOxF05V_q8u3R0sZ-mBVrJAN50zzwPVyqxnsG9rgN_Ss0gWYCROyYt7v9Ufc2a2gEBTpk_GVCjcWJvU_A0Tei/w127-h200/Brother%20Bear.png" width="127" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b style="font-style: normal;">Forgotten Film</b>: <u style="font-style: normal;">Brother Bear </u>(2003) <i>G </i>When a bear kills a young Inuit hunter’s (voiced by Joaquin Phoenix) brother, Kenai seeks revenge and hunts down the bear. Instead of killing the bear, Kenai is turned into one. Visited by the spirit of his late brother (voiced by D.B. Sweeney), Kenai is told he must go on a journey to the Northern Lights if he wants to return to human form. Added by a fun-loving cub named Koda (voiced by Jeremy Suarez), the two set off on a journey that will change Kenai’s outlook on life, love, and family. <u>Brother Bear</u> is a little-seen Disney film that got lost when Pixar released movies like <u>Finding Nemo</u> and <u>The Incredibles</u>. Brother Bear is a beautiful film with glorious animation and a soundtrack featuring some Phil Collins songs. The message is inspiring, the action will keep young kids interested, and the storyline will delight their parents. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328880/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_brother%2520bear" target="_blank">Brother Bear Info</a> Available to rent or buy on Amazon and AppleTV.</b></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /></b></span>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Family Switch</u>: Soccer Coordinator</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Wonka</u> (2023) PG The story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka (Timothee Chalamet). The cast includes Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins, Keegan-Michael Key and Rowan Atkinson. Based on the character from <u>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</u> films, let's see what magic Mr. Wonka has in store for us. <a href="https://www.wonkamovie.com" target="_blank"><b>Wonka Website</b></a> <b>In theatres nationwide on Friday, December 15th. </b></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17eLHidsHSKXN_IWpsa1x2tibo9rqQb5aJnpbTwfTDpTVqXK_rSh4WWmqDZcm-06SbMam1kzgf8Qo9H1mJkKMEKDulst-2jhUL2Nn3cCUnMlAGhAPOCmPQ70TLUXSH-h7OpqKqGyqc_PfpYeI9QokU1hd9-GcrLs7w4Z8_89aHQXmFXhWe4UeZtco8m7a/s4096/Wonka.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2764" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17eLHidsHSKXN_IWpsa1x2tibo9rqQb5aJnpbTwfTDpTVqXK_rSh4WWmqDZcm-06SbMam1kzgf8Qo9H1mJkKMEKDulst-2jhUL2Nn3cCUnMlAGhAPOCmPQ70TLUXSH-h7OpqKqGyqc_PfpYeI9QokU1hd9-GcrLs7w4Z8_89aHQXmFXhWe4UeZtco8m7a/w135-h200/Wonka.jpg" width="135" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/otNh9bTjXWg" width="320" youtube-src-id="otNh9bTjXWg"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Until Next Time!</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-58616126116660981362023-11-22T00:30:00.002-05:002023-11-28T15:33:49.166-05:00Napoleon<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh3JqdxTRBRkj7HJ8FzS7YMZ3Lx41wpS-OTKn1vWRTWqUqOu45ITo8tZ5SCi4t4KRw8qdvd3qa4rfYn5vJ0apCkLvU6jaUFoZNUAiBI4t5xKZTQ8ZbM44CSBCZvwbHRdzmEecNNmBJSdv_eLl7kGG2vqsgOkZLNE0AX7dO7VBLw1ZLLjtFCvcFaPXyhNK/s1482/Napoleon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh3JqdxTRBRkj7HJ8FzS7YMZ3Lx41wpS-OTKn1vWRTWqUqOu45ITo8tZ5SCi4t4KRw8qdvd3qa4rfYn5vJ0apCkLvU6jaUFoZNUAiBI4t5xKZTQ8ZbM44CSBCZvwbHRdzmEecNNmBJSdv_eLl7kGG2vqsgOkZLNE0AX7dO7VBLw1ZLLjtFCvcFaPXyhNK/s320/Napoleon.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Napoleon</u> (2023) <i>R</i> Napoleon tells the personal story of Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix), his origins, and his swift and ruthless climb to emperor viewed through the relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). I will tell you right off the bat that this probably isn’t the film you think it is. You will be disappointed if you are expecting huge two-and-a-half hours of sweeping cinema. This is an up-close and personal film about a man who thought he was bigger than life but was also full of doubts, especially about his wife’s love for him. I am going to say something that might shock you. Napoleon is a comedy. Ok, it’s really a comedy/drama, but there is a lot of humor in the film, with director Ridley Scott making the ‘Little General’ the butt of many a joke. It’s a strange mixture of drama, comedy, and glorious battle sequences. It’s a film that doesn’t always work, but when it does, it packs a wallop. I have always enjoyed Joaquin Phoenix on the screen, and his Napoleon is an interesting take. A man who seems destined for greatness, or is he? Napoleon, at times, seems to let things happen to him instead of being the driving force you would expect. I loved Vanessa Kirby as the temptress Josephine, who knows from their first meeting (Napoleon can barely talk) that she has her hooks in him, and he is powerless to deny her anything. <u>Napoleon</u> is a film that seems to be all over the place, and sometimes it fails. Is it worth seeing? Yes, but don’t expect to be swept away by the spectacle. And by the way, spoiler alert, it doesn’t end well. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.napoleon.movie/home/" target="_blank">Napoleon Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5hhhyphenhyphenOT6lhCDyIXkx3IsAe1YnNFq422ynUvPn3fYbYLsN6qo5H3sdIGay0n54re-lroyVa4Jj4_3MJKy7qiTFtTg4dR2NHC7hOI8a8AhFDt-bjC-m6N1opu-Wf586JVzDucrPZqUuoVZEVwOzLkihrc-gRScOdSMQYBS8IZqsY39MBCSi4V0RoyZcqjc/s1482/Wish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5hhhyphenhyphenOT6lhCDyIXkx3IsAe1YnNFq422ynUvPn3fYbYLsN6qo5H3sdIGay0n54re-lroyVa4Jj4_3MJKy7qiTFtTg4dR2NHC7hOI8a8AhFDt-bjC-m6N1opu-Wf586JVzDucrPZqUuoVZEVwOzLkihrc-gRScOdSMQYBS8IZqsY39MBCSi4V0RoyZcqjc/w135-h200/Wish.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Familyfaire</b>:<u> Wish</u> (2023) <i>PG</i> A young girl named Asha (voiced by Ariana DeBose) worries that an evil force will take over her kingdom. When she wishes upon a star, her plea is answered by a boundless ball of energy called Star (Alan Tudyk). Together with her talking goat, Valentino (voiced by Alan Tudyk), Asha and Star will work to save their world and defeat evil. This is a movie that only huge Disney fans will love. Wish contains more easter eggs for fans to look for that sometimes it throws them out to keep people from figuring out that the storyline is incredibly weak. I was disappointed by the animation, as the film feels from the start full of dull and faded animated scenes that never bring any wonder or amazement. There isn’t a song that stands out in the film, even with the talents of Ariana DeBose singing them. This is a film that feels like it needed a few more rewrites, maybe to find more of a heart to move the film along. I did like Ariana DeBose as the wide-eyed young girl who realizes that perhaps the magic she has been led to believe in her whole life isn’t so magical after all. And Chris Pine as the villain is fun and does an admirable job singing his songs. But the film lacks that big number that we all want, and though the Star is adorable, that only goes so far when that creature can’t talk. Overall, <u>Wish</u> was a disappointing movie that kids might enjoy, but I think parents will be bored, and I don’t see anyone going out to buy this soundtrack. Disney needs to quit returning to the past and give us something new. And hopefully, with better songs. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://movies.disney.com/wish" target="_blank">Wish Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nqfS_zXceEvLXiQq5ILbWF6Z0T7WEWAJg5a0kdHzolBY8foxMc5JiiDpcJ8dwJMhfPIYppiS5tcKUzPR3OyAxoqcSWzpcfT3fUbPKcACOOY8KBMRL_4HPmQUPQwuEiPJ55x_Pl2DjCOnBwCNq5WwJaedqwb1G04VHL6o8NuEbOJZ1mGkC0JOAgDsC_kY/s853/Saltburn.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="567" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nqfS_zXceEvLXiQq5ILbWF6Z0T7WEWAJg5a0kdHzolBY8foxMc5JiiDpcJ8dwJMhfPIYppiS5tcKUzPR3OyAxoqcSWzpcfT3fUbPKcACOOY8KBMRL_4HPmQUPQwuEiPJ55x_Pl2DjCOnBwCNq5WwJaedqwb1G04VHL6o8NuEbOJZ1mGkC0JOAgDsC_kY/w133-h200/Saltburn.png" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Saltburn</u> (2023) R Oliver (Barry Keoghan) has struggled to fit into Oxford University. Oliver is drawn into the world of charming and aristocratic fellow student Felix (Jacob Elordi). Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer on his eccentric family’s sprawling estate. It’s a summer that will change everything. Barry Keoghan is one of the great young actors working today, and Saltburn shows us he can carry the lead. This film is full of twists and turns, and I will warn you, there are some incredibly shocking scenes. So much so that I thought one audience member I saw the film with would throw up. It’s a very clever film about people who think they are far smarter than the rest of us and let us know it. I had a blast watching the cast, including the amazing Rosamund Pike as Felix’s loopy mother, who can easily be misled by killing her with kindness and compliments.<u> Saltburn</u> is a wild film that quickly turns from a fish-out-of-water movie to one of intrigue and one-up-man-ship. It’s a story about a young man who starts as someone who wants to belong. You will have to watch to see just how well he does at doing that. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.originalmovies.amazon/saltburn/" target="_blank">Saltburn Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWy4GuRKgVyyBN8VTFB1D1h7ic7myp92ViPsBSTGDEJw2g0rwDEw3D4SkXrB8lVHefIqJnHFIa186R8-BO0IFH7-UTowW2OsyyhLhuEVke9rWno5TjPzPOmM_LbRpBSwjgSGhnGukPMFywIexXjQagUWk44sXF7wqe8sV9EAo9i5ughqq02W9DalAbm_HD/s1480/Leo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWy4GuRKgVyyBN8VTFB1D1h7ic7myp92ViPsBSTGDEJw2g0rwDEw3D4SkXrB8lVHefIqJnHFIa186R8-BO0IFH7-UTowW2OsyyhLhuEVke9rWno5TjPzPOmM_LbRpBSwjgSGhnGukPMFywIexXjQagUWk44sXF7wqe8sV9EAo9i5ughqq02W9DalAbm_HD/w135-h200/Leo.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Familyfaire</b>:<u> Leo</u> (2023) <i>PG</i> <u>Leo</u> is an animated film about a lizard named Leo (voiced by Adam Sandler) and his best friend, Squirtle the Turtle (voiced by Bill Barr), who live in a terrarium in a Florida elementary school classroom. All Leo wants to do is escape and see the world. The school’s students have a different idea for Leo, for him to be their best friend. I am not a big fan of Adam Sandler because, too many times, he goes for the easy laugh or the feeble attempt at comedy. Unfortunately, that’s this film. It’s a movie with a beautiful message that will be lost because the film has too many nonsense songs that drag the film down. Must every character sing a song? Apparently, in this film, the answer is yes. The film, I think, is meant to be a film for kids to teach them about friendship and how to be nice to each other. However, the message gets lost in all the fart jokes and the extended attempts at humor at the expense of parents. The humor sometimes gets too gross or crude for me to think this is a kids’ movie, but then it turns and gets sweet with a great message. That message is hard to find between a million songs and jokes about a missing lizard tail. <b>My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81218917/" target="_blank">Leo Website</a> Now playing on the Netflix platform.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ye_HpaNFwNCXpVtQIW5KcChyphenhyphen-POOIubenVg0A081s5zP2XJjMkDKOuzVx5ZFuoOLmmgkYHXXJDZui3ghcZ6rT_E9UjmFjXhS8cwcIZ5ad-4nqra_D3YRvEJ7CWBYTdvqZlHDnrk6xI7GXoB2F7R9DsPNFVTbilU2AGWa1wUQbp9Ha-3N08LZAPRIJzsc/s848/Screen%20Shot%202023-11-21%20at%2010.48.21%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="568" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ye_HpaNFwNCXpVtQIW5KcChyphenhyphen-POOIubenVg0A081s5zP2XJjMkDKOuzVx5ZFuoOLmmgkYHXXJDZui3ghcZ6rT_E9UjmFjXhS8cwcIZ5ad-4nqra_D3YRvEJ7CWBYTdvqZlHDnrk6xI7GXoB2F7R9DsPNFVTbilU2AGWa1wUQbp9Ha-3N08LZAPRIJzsc/w134-h200/Screen%20Shot%202023-11-21%20at%2010.48.21%20PM.png" width="134" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>:<u> All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt</u> (2023) <i>PG</i> <u>All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt</u> is the decades-long exploration of a woman’s life in Mississippi as she experiences the world through generations of people, places, and the moments that shape us. This is a film to see in the theatre. If you try to see it at home on a computer or even on your TV, the film will be lost on you because it is a film you have to commit to wholly. Otherwise, you will get bored and move on to other things. All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt is a film that jumps back and forth in time as we follow Mack from childhood to motherhood and back again. The film’s characters are constantly immersing themselves (and us) in the world of nature. This is a film full of small gestures, like a touch on a back or hand reaching into a river, and then it lets the camera linger on that movement. Faces in the film are paramount, and we are constantly looking into the face of someone while they are experiencing life. The movie is full of love. Love of life, of family, and nature. It’s about learning about life and trying new things. The film explores how a simple touch can be simple, and it can be everything. <b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://a24films.com/films/all-dirt-roads" target="_blank">All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt Website</a> Now playing in theatres. </b></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGxfjZNZ-tMDCL9kqTsF3qmEy1TlF-5gns70rbi05vrq_WpihgOeTpYi5RwrFxO5ISYHpV1LGEZ98lpxmqlFY5RpUS3J_oktvdT0TAei_KTjjl5l-gOEchGQK-iyCOiQRj8gKWQZj8mD5rmL7lDhyphenhyphenYbHYuZ86RA2j0x4Xux5HV3v_0dCn13nGDkUuxGmT/s1481/Dream%20Scenario.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGxfjZNZ-tMDCL9kqTsF3qmEy1TlF-5gns70rbi05vrq_WpihgOeTpYi5RwrFxO5ISYHpV1LGEZ98lpxmqlFY5RpUS3J_oktvdT0TAei_KTjjl5l-gOEchGQK-iyCOiQRj8gKWQZj8mD5rmL7lDhyphenhyphenYbHYuZ86RA2j0x4Xux5HV3v_0dCn13nGDkUuxGmT/w135-h200/Dream%20Scenario.jpg" width="135" /></a></div></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest: </b><u>Dream Scenario</u> (2023) <i>R</i> Paul (Nicolas Cage) is a family man who teaches at a local college. Nothing is unusual until Paul appears in people's dreams, usually just in the background. He becomes an overnight celebrity and enjoys the attention until his appearance in the dreams becomes more pronounced, sometimes violent and disturbing. Paul's newfound fame has now become a burden. The question is, how to stop his appearances in everyone's dreams? Nicolas Cage is a blast to watch in this strange film that deals with celebrity in the age of the internet. The film deals with instant celebrities, ad agencies, cancel culture, and how quickly the public can build someone up and then tear them down. I enjoyed the first half of the film, with Cage playing a college professor who is a person who you would try to avoid at a party or not invite at all. Paul is the type of guy who thinks he knows everything and lets you know it, always spouting knowledge that people rarely care about. Then, he appears in everyone's dreams and becomes a celebrity. Then things go bad, and Paul's life literally becomes a nightmare. The film peters out in the end with a third act that needs a rewrite and doesn't match the inventiveness of the film's first half. However, <u>Dream Scenario</u> is worth watching because Nicolas Cage nails it as a sad sack of a guy who wants to be liked and publish his book. Even if he hasn't even started writing it yet.<b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://a24films.com/films/dream-scenario" target="_blank">Dream Scenario Website</a> Now playing in theatres. <br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5Z70nPkagswbYLA9DItj18jvXglddb7BYehMVGvq1KRgZocaNGo9lFA3SKY4XsukK2Tm0j03zHNm0NlIcdsnBJRjK6QiXQHp0RTdGtSJxU3z71uJaiENsaByXGOT99kUBW1JQzPFTqzbK5roP6xeA-CBcj4degHz6K7lg8iD-3vM71dUDTSKXmPX8318/s852/Screen%20Shot%202023-11-21%20at%2010.51.49%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="545" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5Z70nPkagswbYLA9DItj18jvXglddb7BYehMVGvq1KRgZocaNGo9lFA3SKY4XsukK2Tm0j03zHNm0NlIcdsnBJRjK6QiXQHp0RTdGtSJxU3z71uJaiENsaByXGOT99kUBW1JQzPFTqzbK5roP6xeA-CBcj4degHz6K7lg8iD-3vM71dUDTSKXmPX8318/w128-h200/Screen%20Shot%202023-11-21%20at%2010.51.49%20PM.png" width="128" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>The Hidden</u> (1987) <i>R</i> There is a criminal who has committed a series of increasingly violent crimes. The criminal commits these crimes with almost no regard for his own safety. A cop, Tom (Michael Nouri), is assigned to help an FBI agent named Lloyd (Kyle MacLachlan) track this killer down. Tom soon realizes that there is something strange about Lloyd, and as they work together, things get very weird; the killer is taking the shapes and bodies of different people to commit further crimes.<u> The Hidden</u> is a thrilling crime drama with some sci-fi thrown in. MacLachlan is excellent as the strange FBI agent who is hiding something from the rest of the world. While not a great film, <u>The Hidden</u> a lot of fun to watch, and the storyline goes along at a fast pace. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee Available to rent or buy online.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Wish</u>: Chicken Ensemble </span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Ferrari </u>(2023) R In 1957, Enzo Ferrari’s (Adam Driver) auto empire is in trouble, and all that he and his wife Laura (Penélope Cruz) built in the last ten years is about to crumble. Enzo decides to bet it all on winning one race, the 1,000-mile trek across Italy, the iconic Mille Miglia. Directed by Michael Mann (Manhunter, The Last of the Mohicans, Heat), who has been trying to make this film for over ten years (both Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman were attached to the movie at one time). Race cars, Italy, and Penélope Cruz! I’m in. <b> <a href="https://www.ferrari-film.com" target="_blank">Ferrari Website</a> Will be released on Christmas Day.</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkffSPNtKp8MWedQ7nT-6JVY2dD9kJNI5D0Yahsj8baQWD2CYFD2I8f12PBo1KICz0yOELLaKVYDL8M0eu6O0TIcj8mvg3nb5I6xdHrDkadgE1jcOG9ahSexShOyYjPPj7QlJbcpeWQcE237p1hyphenhyphenNLvIU2BXNhJ62ms-J9PhOtzuHjUVGXgyeVKBDXpmWh/s845/Ferrari.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="568" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkffSPNtKp8MWedQ7nT-6JVY2dD9kJNI5D0Yahsj8baQWD2CYFD2I8f12PBo1KICz0yOELLaKVYDL8M0eu6O0TIcj8mvg3nb5I6xdHrDkadgE1jcOG9ahSexShOyYjPPj7QlJbcpeWQcE237p1hyphenhyphenNLvIU2BXNhJ62ms-J9PhOtzuHjUVGXgyeVKBDXpmWh/w134-h200/Ferrari.png" width="134" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ERIBTIlVVJQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="ERIBTIlVVJQ"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Until Next Time!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span><p></p></div></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-87830364708492299002023-11-17T00:30:00.007-05:002023-11-20T15:33:28.506-05:00The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRTyKRmVOkc3-zU_wA3mYwik4TRB_Yb4SxCEoFzmgQur1w7oBL3R_4s5F4MiOY7-N2MvSgliRoEs7XcyfXENeRepYc2QRKxgtrY9uJ4kHUnrhOmoHT0n6cQ5J-cZTx52YyhGw1tEooZb4lvk2lt41ypcdKpkMocSP6rMmLxF4ThRlsBLrFvQTEHhXF0F8/s1542/The%20Hunger%20Games:%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20&%20Snakes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRTyKRmVOkc3-zU_wA3mYwik4TRB_Yb4SxCEoFzmgQur1w7oBL3R_4s5F4MiOY7-N2MvSgliRoEs7XcyfXENeRepYc2QRKxgtrY9uJ4kHUnrhOmoHT0n6cQ5J-cZTx52YyhGw1tEooZb4lvk2lt41ypcdKpkMocSP6rMmLxF4ThRlsBLrFvQTEHhXF0F8/s320/The%20Hunger%20Games:%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20&%20Snakes.jpg" width="208" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> This is the story of Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), whose destiny will be to become President of Panem. But before he becomes an all-powerful man, he must rise from poverty and see his chance when asked to be a mentor for the 10th Hunger Games. His elation is dashed when he is assigned to mentor a girl tribute from the 12 District. A young woman named Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). The review of the film will be up on Friday night. I was a big fan of both the Hunger Games books and movies, so I was looking forward to this origin story of how President Snow became the man he was when he clashed with Katniss. I was not disappointed in this film. It’s got a great cast, with both Viola Davis and Peter Dinklage playing the bad guys in the movie. Davis looks like she is having a blast as the evil doctor who is the Hunger Games developer. Davis practically eats up the scenery in the film as she makes it known she is out for blood. Dinklage is more of a cerebral villain who enjoys tormenting Coriolanus as his teacher. Now, don’t expect Rachel Zegler to go full-out Katniss, as her character is more of a singer/lover than a fighter. Still, there are the Games, and how Snow will get Lucy Gray to survive them is the mystery. And add in why and how Snow becomes such a villain himself. And yes, the roses are explained. <b>My Rating: Full Price</b> <b> <a href="https://hungergames.movie" target="_blank">The Hunger Games Website</a></b> <b> </b></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorxNscXAdS_4GIhx8xFblhxJNkNUxYY8DbMNHH8cCT8q-0_Id-AbgkJ3Lwhyphenhyphenxe77kvWfPy95FXatbCDg1mNPWrMXac9e7GZg8Why8py6_UBPTDi5d6H_ajNNNOqaruEYzFeXQM_qx8b4qapUQXBC9dbArlHcmdAFwx17Bvnh3hMn12IiHmetrTNAAh3Yp/s1499/Next%20Goal%20Wins.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1499" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorxNscXAdS_4GIhx8xFblhxJNkNUxYY8DbMNHH8cCT8q-0_Id-AbgkJ3Lwhyphenhyphenxe77kvWfPy95FXatbCDg1mNPWrMXac9e7GZg8Why8py6_UBPTDi5d6H_ajNNNOqaruEYzFeXQM_qx8b4qapUQXBC9dbArlHcmdAFwx17Bvnh3hMn12IiHmetrTNAAh3Yp/w133-h200/Next%20Goal%20Wins.jpg" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Next Goal Wins</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> Film about the American Samoa soccer team, who, in 2011, suffered the worst loss in World Cup history, losing to Australia 31-0. With the 2014 World Cup approaching, the team recruits a down-on-his-luck coach (Michael Fassbinder) to get them back to respectability. It’s going to be a long road back, especially when all they want to do is score one goal. Next Goal Wins is a fun movie that may not be a blockbuster or win awards, but it's a crowd-pleasing delight. The supporting cast delivers with humorous and unique performances, notably Kaimana as the first openly non-binary and transgender woman to play in a World Cup game, and Oscar Kightley as an exceptionally positive local soccer official. Kaimana gives us a strong woman who wants to win more than anything, and Kightley is perfect as the soccer official who believes his coach can get the best out of his team if he believes in himself and his players. The film is based on an unbelievable true story and hits all the buttons on the upstart sports movie about winning against the odds. Go see <u>Next Goal Wins </u>and just have fun at the movies again. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.searchlightpictures.com/films/next-goal-wins/" target="_blank">Next Goal Wins Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9YDxhBwzAqEAEVFueWHJBBBkvSViYEJuXPTlDTWPh4rBTerUFFlkMwKkKRraCjyFwqtPj7OPlmMEV_agRvLe9Dj2sE6rdf5dfy7aU5tzWfepX-0dBaWFZv51VcLkcyjOR02TVoHrc1oEqk1p8OdTsOfqqUNuokEgFGJRxv0utjxv3RAToXyKsqN1m5Ua/s1500/Thanksgiving.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1201" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9YDxhBwzAqEAEVFueWHJBBBkvSViYEJuXPTlDTWPh4rBTerUFFlkMwKkKRraCjyFwqtPj7OPlmMEV_agRvLe9Dj2sE6rdf5dfy7aU5tzWfepX-0dBaWFZv51VcLkcyjOR02TVoHrc1oEqk1p8OdTsOfqqUNuokEgFGJRxv0utjxv3RAToXyKsqN1m5Ua/w160-h200/Thanksgiving.jpg" width="160" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Thanksgiving</u> (2023)<i> R</i> <u>Thanksgiving</u> takes place after a Black Friday sale ends in riot and tragedy when a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts. The birthplace of Thanksgiving. The review of the film will be up on Saturday night. Thanksgiving is from horror filmmaker Eli Roth, and the film’s origin is that it was a fake trailer that played during the 2007 movie <u>Grindhouse</u> that Robert Rodriquez and Quentin Tarantino did. The trailer was fun, and maybe it should have stayed a trailer. The film, a long hour and forty-five minutes, quickly petters out after the initial shock of the Black Friday riot. We move forward a year, and the community is still recovering from the tragedy when people who were involved in the riot are violently murdered by a figure in a Pilgrim costume. Some of the kills are inventive, but Thanksgiving becomes a run-of-the-mill slasher film with a bad guy who is way too easy to figure out and an ending that feels unsatisfying. <u>Thanksgiving</u> attempts to be a social satire with commentary on greed and the vulgarity of the holiday shopping season. Instead, it feels like another in a long line of gory slasher films with a few funny lines that were better in the fake trailer. <b>My Rating: Cable </b> <b>Now playing in theatres. <a href="https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/thanksgiving" target="_blank">Thanksgiving Website</a> </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3116nCgiWV-LmoKR69GsizcNasUVNhPfpWSKgY9YXYWbO9750VtbU0EkMODtYpneLIOuds6OdlVtIh5VTavnFrwnFLw4VDozEyohOCCS2nBnHFKlCqvuy9Yma87bjKfHxnKaFbfRCXtF-VIWnUgiBXftBhJVaG_yVxHtNeRlT5tYHG5lqqIsf1Nwk_fF7/s1251/May%20December.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1251" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3116nCgiWV-LmoKR69GsizcNasUVNhPfpWSKgY9YXYWbO9750VtbU0EkMODtYpneLIOuds6OdlVtIh5VTavnFrwnFLw4VDozEyohOCCS2nBnHFKlCqvuy9Yma87bjKfHxnKaFbfRCXtF-VIWnUgiBXftBhJVaG_yVxHtNeRlT5tYHG5lqqIsf1Nwk_fF7/w160-h200/May%20December.jpg" width="160" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>May December</u> (2023) <i>R</i> In the film <u>May December</u>, it’s been twenty years since their notorious tabloid romance shocked the nation. Elizabeth (played by Natalie Portman), an actress, arrives in town to research for a film about the couple (Julianne Moore and Charles Melton). Sometimes, the past is best left behind. This film explores what happens long after the tabloid headlines have disappeared and people are trying to carry on with their lives. Natalie Portman plays an actress who immerses herself in the lives of a couple who, after a shocking affair and jail time, are still together. Portman plays Elizabeth as a woman driven to find every detail and nuance from her subject, Gracie (Julianne Moore), a woman who had an affair and children with a middle school student. <u>May December</u> is a complicated film where things aren’t always what they seem to be on the surface, and an actress who doesn’t care about anyone or anything but what she can mine for her upcoming performance disturbs that surface. I loved the casting in this film, with Charles Melton as the young man who fell in love with a teacher and had children with her. He now has to be a father to children who aren’t much younger than him. It’s a striking performance, and Melton holds his own with both Portman and Moore. Moore's character is complicated and concerned about how Elizabeth will portray her, trying to exert control over a situation she can't completely control. <u>May December</u> is a film where you have a hard time liking anyone in the movie but, at the same time, want things to work out. They probably never will. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81702955" target="_blank">May December Website</a> Now playing in theatres and on the Netflix platform on Dec. 1st. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLMx2I1RnjolGBNp1vfOnqYZL4-I8lvp1J8yhCm_nBWb7EV3rVvc0xRQcp0avowLaCd1qEDhxSOy3WPeZEt0tq43KJcx-NmG4d5JAQBegh9FpCkm2Pr0XxbuncnnwGcNMvxF2aAzKvqmtMBMfGMQDc2pExbtuK4hx2YJLVWgTzNTYEJkYIXOCz38YQST7T/s1200/The%20Disappearance%20of%20Shere%20Hite%20poster%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="811" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLMx2I1RnjolGBNp1vfOnqYZL4-I8lvp1J8yhCm_nBWb7EV3rVvc0xRQcp0avowLaCd1qEDhxSOy3WPeZEt0tq43KJcx-NmG4d5JAQBegh9FpCkm2Pr0XxbuncnnwGcNMvxF2aAzKvqmtMBMfGMQDc2pExbtuK4hx2YJLVWgTzNTYEJkYIXOCz38YQST7T/w135-h200/The%20Disappearance%20of%20Shere%20Hite%20poster%202.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>The Disappearance of Shere Hite</u> (2023)<i> R</i> <u>The Disappearance of Shere Hite</u> is a documentary about Shere Hite, the woman who rocked the world with her bestselling book The Hite Report, which revealed the most private experiences of sex and the female orgasm. Shere Hite wrote a book, The Hite Report, that shocked a nation and pushed both women’s sexuality and women’s rights to the forefront. Hite had the gall to tell men that women weren’t satisfied with their sex lives and it was a man’s fault. Hite was a strange woman who was flamboyant and, at the same time, mysterious. She knew how to create press for her books and what buttons to push to make headlines. She also felt she and her work were misunderstood and, in her later years, became very defensive about her work. The documentary tells the story of a woman who wrote a book that is one the top sellers of all time but is mostly forgotten today. This documentary brings her and her thoughts on sexuality back into the limelight where they belong. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.ifcfilms.com/films/the-disappearance-of-shere-hite" target="_blank">The Disappearance of Shere Hite Website</a> Now playing in theatres. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnun-oiV4SfnxGzyXgjblEG-nq8wH0n7FLZHouzE-7XbC0QBC5zmjIPhawHtuGcQQFr6xmzJwKtQ_99ZPqI4fqUNH9TOIgIrmVG4O5MWwvD4xp6getKL7HYWwf8On_4Af0yQnWtLaBBKfRRfgMy8ucqoC_kBB8TVbcPWhxnFhv5GCnZ14qzbRqP0UepZm1/s2880/the%20Lady%20Bird%20Diaries.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2160" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnun-oiV4SfnxGzyXgjblEG-nq8wH0n7FLZHouzE-7XbC0QBC5zmjIPhawHtuGcQQFr6xmzJwKtQ_99ZPqI4fqUNH9TOIgIrmVG4O5MWwvD4xp6getKL7HYWwf8On_4Af0yQnWtLaBBKfRRfgMy8ucqoC_kBB8TVbcPWhxnFhv5GCnZ14qzbRqP0UepZm1/w150-h200/the%20Lady%20Bird%20Diaries.jpg" width="150" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>The Lady Bird Diaries</u> (2023) <u>The Lady Bird Diaries</u> is a documentary on Lady Bird Johnson, who, as President Lyndon Johnson’s wife, was one of the most influential and least understood First Ladies in history. Lady Bird Johnson has always been a hero of mine, as a strong Texas woman who was her husband’s partner and confidant. She was a remarkable woman who did extraordinary things for the environment and the citizens of the inner cities. This documentary by Dawn Porter uses Lady Bird’s own recordings to narrate her time as First Lady after the assignation of JFK. It’s a look at a woman who was a groundbreaker in the role of First Lady. I love how we get an inside look, warts and all, into the life of the White House. Lady Bird fearlessly expresses her opinions on her husband, race, economics, and the Vietnam War. She also stands by her husband and children, who both got married while she was in the White House. The film uses newsreel footage, home movies, and animation to illustrate what Lady Bird is discussing. We listen to real conversations between her and the President, as well as conversations he has with MLK Jr. and other leaders. This is a fascinating look when the U.S. was not only at war with the Viet Cong, but with it itself. We get to see and hear how it all went down in the most powerful home in the country, The White House. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.hulu.com/movie/the-lady-bird-diaries-48967c41-c397-47c2-a4b4-b087b7034017" target="_blank">The Lady Bird Diaries Website</a> Now playing on the Hulu platform. </b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFxYsigOGaOaLjnBhHjsZnpOZImDyPUApZ3g7YcmQOWNjOVIPnYKoXEJZuiJ76PjXMAuwvWgrHA2FF02CHgUzq0LrI6scY12z-IE06O8FmgunBR5rOezehI-7of6rXddLkaKb8X_VET3p0IaOTYHPSBhgIHJcTY7oaBYtJRuYKBWeU6U0K3NMv-FQ71Es/s1500/The%20Wrestler.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1013" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFxYsigOGaOaLjnBhHjsZnpOZImDyPUApZ3g7YcmQOWNjOVIPnYKoXEJZuiJ76PjXMAuwvWgrHA2FF02CHgUzq0LrI6scY12z-IE06O8FmgunBR5rOezehI-7of6rXddLkaKb8X_VET3p0IaOTYHPSBhgIHJcTY7oaBYtJRuYKBWeU6U0K3NMv-FQ71Es/w135-h200/The%20Wrestler.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>The Wrestler </u>(2008) <i>R</i> Randy ‘The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) is a broken man who has burned all his bridges and is doing the only thing he has ever done well: wrestle. Once a star, now Randy wrestles in the small halls for a little money and those few moments of glory in the squared circle. Randy has realized he has made mistakes in his personal life and is trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood). He is also trying to start a relationship with a stripper named Cassidy (Marisa Tomei). This is an incredible and moving performance by Mickey Rourke, who, like his character, was an actor at the top of his game for a while and then was his own worst enemy. If you are not a wrestling fan, you will be sucked into the story and may come away with an appreciation of a sport that is fake, but its performers take as many hits and falls as a boxer or a football player. <u>The Wrestler</u> is a remarkable film directed by Darren Aronofsky (<u>Black Swan</u> (2012), <u>The Whale</u> (2022)) and is a film that will make you sad but for the character of Randy and the performer, Mickey. Both show how good they once were and could be again. <b> My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1125849/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_7_nm_1_q_The%2520wrestler" target="_blank">The Wrestler Info</a> Available to rent/buy on Amazon and Apple Tv. </b></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Next Goal Wins</u>: Drone Gimbal Ops</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You</b>: <u>The Iron Claw</u> (2023) <i>R</i> The story of the professional wrestling family, the Von Erichs, who went from fame and fortune to horrible tragedy in just a few years. This much talked about film stars Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Stanley Simons, Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany, and Lily James. I grew up watching wrestling, and the Von Erichs were legends in Texas, filling stadiums way before WWF’s Vince McMahon even dreamed it was possible. <b> <a href="https://a24films.com/films/the-iron-claw" target="_blank">The Iron Claw Website</a></b> <b>In theatres nationwide in late December.</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBDttUM84zZCHaGbt76q4y9z5H6X-8tVYSXqU4uAMsHE8YBosiKqu7wi0-WXNGt-HlLk36X_A5Cu7ATahEL5vpyhsYuduRXMfmke7X1JPnMAPzABRPqjUXwJi6R0rfujCRA2RnHYxI8okQ5DoQKMXGesVLetcVIbuUdhZU3LM3nXWg1KtlerrMOgPO6FPr/s1481/The%20Iron%20Claw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBDttUM84zZCHaGbt76q4y9z5H6X-8tVYSXqU4uAMsHE8YBosiKqu7wi0-WXNGt-HlLk36X_A5Cu7ATahEL5vpyhsYuduRXMfmke7X1JPnMAPzABRPqjUXwJi6R0rfujCRA2RnHYxI8okQ5DoQKMXGesVLetcVIbuUdhZU3LM3nXWg1KtlerrMOgPO6FPr/w135-h200/The%20Iron%20Claw.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8KVsaoveTbw" width="320" youtube-src-id="8KVsaoveTbw"></iframe></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></b></span><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-16993030016191069682023-11-10T00:30:00.002-05:002023-11-10T21:00:37.765-05:00The Marvels<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd542mTvxo0r4DLBTmMhBviyYles1TyxPb2dCUDWi1wmSN3bywRtbCVayz_2eystsqpr9sjrR0ZmBkaFbdrXJpgpslIyohvAq4EGsJdeVC9or9xViF9o0msG1HyKWfTYah_-CUc63Nv9Hdu6DgyXuCScgZjjIWAohqwYagID8PnPn33nemLSNuDU5npdPi/s1481/The%20Marvels.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd542mTvxo0r4DLBTmMhBviyYles1TyxPb2dCUDWi1wmSN3bywRtbCVayz_2eystsqpr9sjrR0ZmBkaFbdrXJpgpslIyohvAq4EGsJdeVC9or9xViF9o0msG1HyKWfTYah_-CUc63Nv9Hdu6DgyXuCScgZjjIWAohqwYagID8PnPn33nemLSNuDU5npdPi/s320/The%20Marvels.jpg" width="216" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>The Marvels</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) is an astronaut working for S.A.B.E.R. and Nick Fury. While investigating a wormhole linked to the Kree, Monica’s powers become entangled with Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), and Ms. Marvel, Kamala Kahn (Iman Vellani). The trio will have to team up to defeat a new enemy while trying to figure out why they are swapping places with each other every time they use their powers. As a film critic, I get upset when films are judged before anyone sees them. Such is the case with The Marvels. I am a huge fan of Brie Larson as she is in two films from 2013 that I love, The Spectacular Now and Short Term 12. While I liked the <u>Ms. Marvel</u> and <u>Wandavision</u> series, I felt both ran out of steam by the end of their respective episodes. However, I had high hopes that the charisma of Larson would meld with the high energy of Iman Vellani and the cool factor of Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau. I was right. First, this works because of the brilliance of Iman Vellani as Kamala Kahn, who breathes a bit of fresh air into every scene she is in. She is so much fun to watch as Ms. Marvel, a superhero who is still figuring out what she can and cannot do but is ready to try. Vellani gives us a character full of adventure and life while still being a fangirl of Captain Marvel. You almost feel that Vellani isn’t acting, but is that excited to be an actor in this film as much as her character is. Now it is known that I am not a fan of cats, but occasionally one shows up that I like, and Moose the alien cat is hilarious as Captain Marvel’s sidekick. The film is fast, funny, and I loved you don’t have to have seen the TV series to figure out each character. My problem with the film is that the bad guy in the movie, Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), is a pretty weak one, and the final battle doesn’t live up to the rest of the film. Still, The Marvels is a lot of fun to watch, Iman Vellani is terrific, and Moose is, well, Moose. And the film is 1 hour and forty-five minutes long, which is a brisk pace for so many recent releases. And there is, as usual, a bonus scene after the first round of final credits. So go have some fun at the movies and see <u>The Marvels</u>. But be sure to watch out for Moose. He tends to spit up a hairball or something bigger occasionally. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.marvel.com/movies/the-marvels" target="_blank">The Marvels Website</a> Now playing in theaters nationwide.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Jk2fTyYTl-DBZ9n8XHnQdO6aPEh51E3sXLHY28bGtAog6E2u4tH2zahKI0KUfEgtfUe7FvI6iwCwC4VZ5UTdukdSD7rQg3ByfIag-SF8KUero1ZUeYAJaHXghhW5-FgGlPhCYcuE5LxcBMCYgXYxaN3GJ51gPJ-OV3XK4JehvedVJa1jj38G7S5Mmjrb/s1481/The%20Holdovers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Jk2fTyYTl-DBZ9n8XHnQdO6aPEh51E3sXLHY28bGtAog6E2u4tH2zahKI0KUfEgtfUe7FvI6iwCwC4VZ5UTdukdSD7rQg3ByfIag-SF8KUero1ZUeYAJaHXghhW5-FgGlPhCYcuE5LxcBMCYgXYxaN3GJ51gPJ-OV3XK4JehvedVJa1jj38G7S5Mmjrb/w135-h200/The%20Holdovers.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>The Holdovers</u> (2023) <i>R </i>Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) is a history teacher at a remote prep school known for being demanding and cranky. The last thing he wants to do is babysit a student named Angus (Dominic Sessa), who has no place to go during the holidays, but he has no choice. They are now stuck together along with the school cafeteria manager (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) for the holiday break. It’s going to be a holiday that both won’t forget. This is a funny and touching film about three lost souls who aren’t happy about having to spend the holidays with each other. As you would expect, Paul Giamatti is just about perfect in the role of the teacher who looks down on his students and expects far more than they are willing to give. Da’Vine Joy Randolph is a delight as the cook with an attitude who isn’t going to take any gruff. The surprise of the film is Dominic Sessa, who holds his own with Giamatti, able to act toe to toe and hold his own. The two play off each other wonderfully, and their timing and chemistry is a wonder to behold. I also want to mention Carrie Preston, a favorite of mine, who lights up the scenes she is in as the love interest for the teacher. With its clever twists and turns, <u>The Holdovers</u> is a delightful and entertaining exploration of finding family and understanding in unexpected places. So class, find your places, because Mr. Hunham is about to teach us a thing or two. <b>My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again</b> <b><a href="https://www.focusfeatures.com/the-holdovers/watch/synopsis/" target="_blank">The Holdovers Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjobGqKpqJSMDoFGzlijf_xIYcfVFopYq67bVGIE9AzMtb3uEJnEDfwNOI9G0R8M-NAgmob2JC0UxvDMex3-t_4PBsqO3lfM226RfD7aPQpe13dkC3RyX5S3ScG0jmmIhofDA8-QhVq2K636kzX3FI4cXnfT-_DenrcDG0Q7fU_XoxUCmZ5wMb8E_qR1T-P/s1480/What%20Happens%20Later.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjobGqKpqJSMDoFGzlijf_xIYcfVFopYq67bVGIE9AzMtb3uEJnEDfwNOI9G0R8M-NAgmob2JC0UxvDMex3-t_4PBsqO3lfM226RfD7aPQpe13dkC3RyX5S3ScG0jmmIhofDA8-QhVq2K636kzX3FI4cXnfT-_DenrcDG0Q7fU_XoxUCmZ5wMb8E_qR1T-P/w135-h200/What%20Happens%20Later.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>What Happens Later</u> (2023) <i>R</i> Willa (Meg Ryan) and Bill (David Duchovny) are ex-lovers who were together over twenty years ago. They are now stuck in an airport overnight together. Will they find the spark again, or is it too late? Meg Ryan has been in our hearts since that wondrous appearance as Goose’s wife in <u>Top Gun</u>. A queen of the rom-com in the 90s, she dazzled us on the screen. Now, after quite a few years away, she is back in a film she not only stars in but directs and co-writes. I wish I could say it’s a triumphant return, but it’s not. The film explores the theme of lost love and the regrets that come with it, as two people with a shared past meet at an airport and share their stories. <u>What Happens Later</u> tries to be too cute, with an airport announcer as the third character in the film. I would have enjoyed this film more without the announcer's voice constantly guiding the characters' discoveries at the airport. The film tries to make this a magical thing, but instead, it becomes tiring very quickly as a plot device to get the characters to do something. There is some chemistry between Duchovny and Ryan, but the film doesn’t have a lot of charm to it, and so a lot of the discussions (and there are many) don’t feel fun; they feel like the characters want to revel in the sorrow of the past regrets. I think the film might have had a chance to work without the magic airport and its announcer, but we will never know, just like we won’t know what their lives would have been like if the two characters had stayed together. <b>My Rating: Cable <a href="https://bleeckerstreetmedia.com/what-happens-later/" target="_blank">What Happens Later Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zq6qYuhYVfoSBOnPx4xbsfFtLyOU7EL4TBZSkV7Me6QUJaTILsgwDxoILLMyROrGCEIDEWUR2hsCXi7b5DDPaaO1NnRyUXU1ensPSFX2qF9q8sI84wWsPFtHEUm5xvghEjzwXdPKnczNh_Krq52nbzmz9fD8jzcDyEf6NMou2UWJtZMhAwRF3-1PRQzM/s846/AKA%20Mr.%20Chow.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="567" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zq6qYuhYVfoSBOnPx4xbsfFtLyOU7EL4TBZSkV7Me6QUJaTILsgwDxoILLMyROrGCEIDEWUR2hsCXi7b5DDPaaO1NnRyUXU1ensPSFX2qF9q8sI84wWsPFtHEUm5xvghEjzwXdPKnczNh_Krq52nbzmz9fD8jzcDyEf6NMou2UWJtZMhAwRF3-1PRQzM/w134-h200/AKA%20Mr.%20Chow.png" width="134" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>:<u> AKA Mr. Chow</u> (2023) Documentary on the life of Michael Chow, a Chinese immigrant who started a restaurant in 1968 in London that soon became a hangout for the rich and famous, including The Beatles and every fashion model on the cover of Vogue. He soon expanded to Hollywood, where stars went to be seen. I found the first part of this documentary fascinating, as Michael Chow was the son of Zhou Xinfang, the Peking Opera Grand Master performer. Michael was sent to Europe to boarding school, and he followed in his father’s footsteps and became an actor (along with his sister), appearing in films and TV shows in the 60s. The documentary becomes too much of a promo from Mr. Chow as we spend too much time on his present-day ‘job’ as a painter. I felt sorry for his assistants, who kept getting splattered with paint as Michael created his paintings using a mallet to bang paint on his canvas. The film slows down when transitioning between Mr. Chow's marriages, and I wished for more focus on the earlier days of the restaurants. I wanted to know what was happening in the 80s and 90s when there were stories coming out every week from those restaurants. Overall, I would send this dish of a film back to the kitchen; it’s just too lukewarm for my taste. <b>My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.hbo.com/movies/aka-mr-chow" target="_blank">AKA Mr. Chow website</a> Now playing on the Max platform.</b></span><p></p>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MRjmDQEsC4pi28qK7kpvc4SFvXX54xKN4hNL__2UCnWDNbmW8dGIq3AY2tNNdIaO_FKVjcwLHACn4q4_onzO-_vK1TnfjF9nNI6uSI0g85rJksLtZxMsH6PWnuGnns0mhIQJgyd3Q83w-ZxeTU3AzW0k4-2ZMTG2HJXrv-VOB497GIw0eW7RWPgZsyIS/s810/Nausicaa%CC%88%20of%20the%20Valley%20of%20the%20Wind.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="535" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8MRjmDQEsC4pi28qK7kpvc4SFvXX54xKN4hNL__2UCnWDNbmW8dGIq3AY2tNNdIaO_FKVjcwLHACn4q4_onzO-_vK1TnfjF9nNI6uSI0g85rJksLtZxMsH6PWnuGnns0mhIQJgyd3Q83w-ZxeTU3AzW0k4-2ZMTG2HJXrv-VOB497GIw0eW7RWPgZsyIS/w132-h200/Nausicaa%CC%88%20of%20the%20Valley%20of%20the%20Wind.png" width="132" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind</u> (1984) In a world where forests are poisoned and giant insects move at will, enters Princess Nausicaä, who vows to save her people living in a valley from an invading army. This is one of the first feature films of Hayao Miyazaki, and while the animation feels very 1980s, the storyline is still relevant for today’s audience. The characters are vibrant and stand out, with the Princess determined to save her people. Unlike some of Miyazaki’s other early films, like <u>Castle in the Sky</u> (1986) and <u>Porco Rosso</u> (1992), this film feels a little more adult in its storyline. Still, this is a beautiful film and a great starting point into the world of Miyazaki’s animation. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087544/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_4_nm_4_q_nausicaca" target="_blank">Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Info</a> Now available to rent/buy on most online forums.</b></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>The Marvels</u>: Blues Standby Rigger</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>The Boy and the Heron</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> A young boy, Mahito, loses his mother in a fire and is haunted by her memory. His father has remarried and moved to a new house in the countryside. Mahito keeps hearing his mother call his name, and he sets out to find her in an abandoned and magical tower that will take him to a world he never knew existed. Legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Wind Rises) brings us another tale from his inventive mind. The Boy and the Heron could be the last of Miyazaki’s incredible animated film collection and is one of the most anticipated films of the December releases. <b><a href="https://gkids.com/films/the-boy-and-the-heron/" target="_blank">The Boy and the Heron Website</a> </b> <b>The film will be in theatres nationwide on Friday, December 8.</b></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvufQLAUgsoJ_0_k7IimaiKU5t7ybys6RqY4vL_gNNDrcjSCT-HbTTUGdMWY8CqgCCkJqdqHeJZb6XMea7_-jC0Zu9xr8f2G1BMoztjeGlm2Tq9j5mHYcDmc_G0rF7Yol75uxRjYF4nnhef2H7l4ZuDK_SawWvWmkWaNbiS_xwCoXSIN6Zcca7DJH31szm/s2194/The%20Boy%20and%20the%20Heron.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2194" data-original-width="1500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvufQLAUgsoJ_0_k7IimaiKU5t7ybys6RqY4vL_gNNDrcjSCT-HbTTUGdMWY8CqgCCkJqdqHeJZb6XMea7_-jC0Zu9xr8f2G1BMoztjeGlm2Tq9j5mHYcDmc_G0rF7Yol75uxRjYF4nnhef2H7l4ZuDK_SawWvWmkWaNbiS_xwCoXSIN6Zcca7DJH31szm/w137-h200/The%20Boy%20and%20the%20Heron.jpg" width="137" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t5khm-VjEu4" width="320" youtube-src-id="t5khm-VjEu4"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-66098266305581641842023-11-03T00:30:00.066-04:002023-11-03T09:41:40.004-04:00Priscilla<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPc8UgE0KnZI9NBeG8fr2Z1v4Xg1DZbEI7jPFqN6P_9Av-xOCexLAj-n4qyCUp_ApFbJ6dl34JZPirIl6YjxKDxB8ktKllEFyJM9g-GiIlWuXE8S2dfuip3ffjGTbmFI4pI4flUUvDY81mRe16W3jcxP8Rp-48DbFJksxaKyxwBMS1MTi7u-D1BWJhoB1/s2048/Priscilla.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1387" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPc8UgE0KnZI9NBeG8fr2Z1v4Xg1DZbEI7jPFqN6P_9Av-xOCexLAj-n4qyCUp_ApFbJ6dl34JZPirIl6YjxKDxB8ktKllEFyJM9g-GiIlWuXE8S2dfuip3ffjGTbmFI4pI4flUUvDY81mRe16W3jcxP8Rp-48DbFJksxaKyxwBMS1MTi7u-D1BWJhoB1/w136-h200/Priscilla.jpg" width="136" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Priscilla</u> (2023) <i>R </i><u>Priscilla</u> tells the story of teenage Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny), who meets rock and roll superstar Elvis and begins a romance that the world followed until his death.<u> Priscilla</u> tells the story of the one woman who knew Elvis the best in private moments: a thrilling crush, an alley in loneliness, and a vulnerable best friend. The film is Pricilla’s story, and it is not always a pretty one. I can see why the Elvis estate did not allow any of his music to be put into the film, as the ‘King’ doesn’t come off very well. Cailee Spaeny does the impossible, effectively playing a young girl of 15 to a young mother in her late 20s when she left Elvis. The film gives us an inside look at what it was like to live in Elvis’s shadow, a prisoner of his celebrity and lifestyle. The film makes it clear that Elvis groomed Priscilla to be his wife, almost from their first meeting when she was just a teenager in Germany living on a base. Watching Priscilla can be uncomfortable, especially when Elvis relies on his friends and family to court her. Jacob Elordi does an outstanding job of playing the Elvis we rarely got to see, a man full of insecurities and one who was addicted to pills from the first moments that he met Priscilla. This is a beautiful-looking film, and we get to see what it was like to live inside the halls of Graceland. The opening shots of Cailee walking on the now-famous shag carpet of the home of Elvis is marvelous. The film's visuals and the main cast's performances were enjoyable, but the storyline became boring during Elvis' run in Las Vegas. I am not sure how fans of Elvis will react to this film, but fans of Priscilla will love it. I, on the other hand, just liked it. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://a24films.com/films/priscilla" target="_blank">Priscilla Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide. </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgh2k_cXP4oFR3bWk7wCAp83in1LtJmNG4LNR2SmVIUxHCGD5W-eTH2PmlSwS2vpbbtlKkear9FDxgIDyOp5TD7VaOP-4KqOZjHkzt5uWVIC95su3iyChgvdpKIc1aNgQV9uVQ3YyZTrTgLcgtf755VXDYdj7-gnFETOAOWN_lIZm6jc1FDZ0WDYXX2d4t/s4868/The%20Marsh%20King's%20Daughter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4868" data-original-width="3286" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgh2k_cXP4oFR3bWk7wCAp83in1LtJmNG4LNR2SmVIUxHCGD5W-eTH2PmlSwS2vpbbtlKkear9FDxgIDyOp5TD7VaOP-4KqOZjHkzt5uWVIC95su3iyChgvdpKIc1aNgQV9uVQ3YyZTrTgLcgtf755VXDYdj7-gnFETOAOWN_lIZm6jc1FDZ0WDYXX2d4t/w135-h200/The%20Marsh%20King's%20Daughter.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>The Marsh King’s Daughter</u> (2023) <i>R</i> Helena (Daisy Ridley) has a past that she has tried to forget. Her father, known as the Marsh King, kidnapped Helena’s mother, and two years later, Helena was born. At age ten, the Marsh King was caught and put away. Now, he has escaped and is after Helena and her daughter. Helena will use everything he taught her about surviving in the wilderness to keep her family safe. This is another in a long line of films based on a book where the source material is far better than the film. I wanted to love this film because I read a lot of books like this one, but the film doesn’t deliver the needed suspense and has an ending that we can see coming from a mile away (maybe with a rifle’s scope). I liked Ridley as the woman whose first ten years of life were spent in the wilderness, being shown how to survive using your senses and hunting skills. The film has a series of flashbacks about Helena’s life as a ten-year-old and then shows us her life as a mom and a wife. It’s a contrast that doesn’t always work, as the flashbacks are far more interesting than what is happening in the present day. I wanted more of a cat-and-mouse game between Helena and her dad after he escapes from prison, but most of what should have been thrills are wasted as just slight hints of what could happen. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/the-marsh-kings-daughter" target="_blank">The Marsh King's Daughter Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3QCiYD_QoRie16eV7ZRsRszy1FJDZFrOmGDb8AUeRcIAPFpOuB0Sl30gP4LEdQ7LoIeWdqgobNo56wMa0bOEuGTfKEdvySgemyqKKSNJv11N_rlGQIbzWL768veDnCPLJgAQJxwbau9-v1omlbyYJvtbOydU7CD9_vLLFQ59j-VmK3Z1JQ4Ft6510n8L/s1482/Quiz%20Lady.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3QCiYD_QoRie16eV7ZRsRszy1FJDZFrOmGDb8AUeRcIAPFpOuB0Sl30gP4LEdQ7LoIeWdqgobNo56wMa0bOEuGTfKEdvySgemyqKKSNJv11N_rlGQIbzWL768veDnCPLJgAQJxwbau9-v1omlbyYJvtbOydU7CD9_vLLFQ59j-VmK3Z1JQ4Ft6510n8L/w135-h200/Quiz%20Lady.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Quiz Lady</u> (2023) <i>R</i> Anne’s (Awkwafina) mother owes eighty thousand dollars to the mob because of gambling debts and has run away from the nursing home. Anne and her sister (Sandra Oh) devise a plan to get Anne on a game show to win the money to get their mother off the hit list. Quiz Lady is a film that is perfectly suited for seeing online. This film is light and funny, though it doesn't always hit the mark with its jokes and has a weak middle part. However, it ends on a high note, making it a fun watch. I am a fan of Awkwafina, and she is perfect in the role of a woman who tries to be the sensible one between her mother, the gambler, and her sister, who never can settle on what she wants to do in life. I got a little tired of Sandra Oh’s performance; it was just a little too broad for my taste, but Awkwafina is always able to reel Oh in with a look or a line. <u>Quiz Lady</u> is bolstered by a cast that includes Jason Schwartzman as a smarmy quiz show champ, Holland Taylor as the grumpy next-door neighbor, and, of course, Will Ferrell as the quiz show host who is loved by his audience. So, find a comfy place on the couch and take a trip to a quiz show that isn’t great, but still a fun ride. <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.hulu.com/movie/quiz-lady-7eddb1d7-1ff3-474a-9db7-8d708fc1308a" target="_blank">Quiz Lady Website</a> Now playing on the Hulu platform. </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJmr5R-glx1CQPyo0fxCMbRM6bNzF-zkTZfjTuQOkA-ykIMnmLTqKVe0tAKtKMGde9ZkS0awJn79j2dMYUSAyHtW6yNYd61cpDE0H_hyphenhyphenN7faF4VaeztaWXEnpGHB_GsaTiB_Owqq1sIIsETnElFem54gHxZsr3E4fyjDZRRzjU3uzO9YrV4OwSAQQp4FF/s1428/Radical.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1428" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJmr5R-glx1CQPyo0fxCMbRM6bNzF-zkTZfjTuQOkA-ykIMnmLTqKVe0tAKtKMGde9ZkS0awJn79j2dMYUSAyHtW6yNYd61cpDE0H_hyphenhyphenN7faF4VaeztaWXEnpGHB_GsaTiB_Owqq1sIIsETnElFem54gHxZsr3E4fyjDZRRzjU3uzO9YrV4OwSAQQp4FF/w140-h200/Radical.jpg" width="140" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Radical</u> (2023) Sergio (Eugenio Derbez) is a teacher in a Mexican border town where his students live in a world filled with neglect, crime, and violence. However, Sergio is a different type of teacher who challenges his students’ curiosity and drive to succeed, even when the odds seem against them. I haven’t always been a big fan of Eugenio Derbez, as he tends to overreact in his comedies. However, in this film, Derbez gives us a powerful and moving performance of a man who wants to teach kids but doesn’t want to follow the rules. Sergio, we find out, is a man who has lost his faith in his abilities to teach and reach young children. He takes a job at a school that no one wants to teach at and try something different to inspire his students to think independently and not be force-fed a curriculum that becomes a babysitter for a few years. I loved that what we see on the screen feels real, and Derbez gives off an energy that excites us to the possibilities his character is trying to do might work. <u>Radical </u>is helped by a cast of students that are all believable and touching. So join the class and sit down to be wowed by a teacher who might teach you a thing or two while having fun doing it. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.radical.movie" target="_blank">Radical Website</a> Now playing in theatres. </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-jDHI5WdKEw2OP-ZcNn81G8zwCBVoTu4pY1tDUgNo654MHTZeZvp6EFS3WSF2AQsSAAh1S3pOgCpG4dyyM57iaT0g8rsqB7QkuTCV29O4griJ65hrAp9WqVKGtb7XQ-63SqJpWbKbQjAKsV3gKacJMqoVbtyDoGH1QIoeWzi3-e0IbvL1UHys_FZaMrw/s1481/rustin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-jDHI5WdKEw2OP-ZcNn81G8zwCBVoTu4pY1tDUgNo654MHTZeZvp6EFS3WSF2AQsSAAh1S3pOgCpG4dyyM57iaT0g8rsqB7QkuTCV29O4griJ65hrAp9WqVKGtb7XQ-63SqJpWbKbQjAKsV3gKacJMqoVbtyDoGH1QIoeWzi3-e0IbvL1UHys_FZaMrw/w135-h200/rustin.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View:</b> <u>Rustin</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> <u>Rustin</u> tells the story of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin (Colman Domingo), who broke barriers everywhere he went, including helping Martin Luther King Jr. and others organize the 1963 March on Washington. Colman Domingo gives a performance that needs to be seen to be believed! It’s a brilliant portrayal of a man who was forgotten for too long because he was Black and gay at a time that either could get you arrested, beaten, or killed. Rustin, the true architect of the March on Washington, was a charismatic force of nature who used his brains and charm to get things done. However, Rustin paid a heavy price, often being put in the background because of his being gay, and never got the credit he deserved. The film drags a bit before Rustin comes up with the idea of a gathering of 100,000 people in Washington, DC, to make the President and Congress act on Civil Rights legislation. <u>Rustin</u> is a film where a performance of the leading actor dominates every scene, and Colman Domingo is nothing short of brilliant in this story that needed to be told. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81111528/" target="_blank">Rustin Website</a> Now playing in theatres and on Netflix on Friday, </b></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>November 17th. </b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHgJIsr0fOOnO-Yt14EvYx74FCtzZh9934OS-GzJK4y5q0pZM5e7kUY6GxDZ6_ot2lV95Uj9A0Z6vEf_l2adG8GwPUDcFhoqva9iVdtv8CwnAr5z9KYLWASwKFOihTmc6GeFPo_5LJFsZvG-vMqjXQhLfFmW2cezz44yJhClM-savBzZw3qo9P26A9jQBF/s3000/Fingernails.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHgJIsr0fOOnO-Yt14EvYx74FCtzZh9934OS-GzJK4y5q0pZM5e7kUY6GxDZ6_ot2lV95Uj9A0Z6vEf_l2adG8GwPUDcFhoqva9iVdtv8CwnAr5z9KYLWASwKFOihTmc6GeFPo_5LJFsZvG-vMqjXQhLfFmW2cezz44yJhClM-savBzZw3qo9P26A9jQBF/w133-h200/Fingernails.jpg" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>:<u> Fingernails </u>(2023) <i>R</i> Anna (Jessie Buckley) and Ryan (Jeremy Allen White) are in love, and their love has been proven to be confirmed by a controversial new technology. Anna has doubts and begins working at the company that uses the technology to put people together. Soon, her doubts will become more than just thoughts when she becomes attracted to her co-worker Amir (Riz Ahmed). The reason to see this film is the on-screen chemistry between Riz Ahmed and Jessie Buckley. From their first meeting, we know they will end up being drawn together. We can feel that draw right from the get-go. Unfortunately, the script doesn’t let us enjoy this very much as it revolves around a technology that doesn’t make a whole heck of a lot of sense. The film takes a long time for the two main characters to realize that maybe, despite the odds, they are meant together, no matter what technology says. <u>Fingernails</u> spends a lot of time on how stupid the technology is, but this isn’t a comedy, and it tries too hard to be a black comedy. I still had fun watching Buckley and Ahmed together, but in the end, it wasn’t worth the effort. <b> My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13968674/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Fingernails Info</a> In select theatres and on Apple TV+.</b></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix607N3HlUjrf6Zs23tkuMIuMYOcMWY9dxWUlIwXEJFhyphenhyphen_DLrpc0k3qqULLk1cXPMf3X-qfAhfKQyXU6TzMTyJzDn6MH389SCEyZGfzlA5G29mrcvhykk405YbxEUObWeZ6CI8nmxxTCb4giiCwWw7RnUUIW-0RTEj1yEl750CZNMmh1_wWjvqd53P0NjS/s1482/The%20Persian%20Version.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix607N3HlUjrf6Zs23tkuMIuMYOcMWY9dxWUlIwXEJFhyphenhyphen_DLrpc0k3qqULLk1cXPMf3X-qfAhfKQyXU6TzMTyJzDn6MH389SCEyZGfzlA5G29mrcvhykk405YbxEUObWeZ6CI8nmxxTCb4giiCwWw7RnUUIW-0RTEj1yEl750CZNMmh1_wWjvqd53P0NjS/w135-h200/The%20Persian%20Version.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>My View: </b><u>The Persian Version </u>(2023) <i>R </i> The Persian Version takes place when a large Iranian-American family gathers, and a family secret is uncovered that will force an estranged mother, Shireen (Niousha Noor), and her unconventional daughter, Leila (Layla Mohammadi) into a journey of exploration. It turns out that mother and daughter are more alike than ever imagined. Leila is a lesbian who just broke up with her wife and decides one drunken Halloween night to have sex with a guy (though it must be said he was in a Hedwig and the Angry Inch costume). Leila's mother is an unstoppable force, having come from Iran to the U.S. with her husband and now manages a big family and successful real estate business. The two do not get along. Shireen disapproves of her daughter’s lifestyle, and Leila doesn’t feel she fits in with the family. Then things happen. <u>The Persian Version</u> is one of those films you long for as a film critic. It’s a funny, smart, moving film that touches on a ton of subjects, including marriage, single living, religion, politics, and the love of family. The two leads are so much fun to watch. Layla Mohammadi is funny and gives us, through her character’s narration, a look at a family that has roots in Iran and its culture but has found a place in America. Niousha Noor has the tougher part of giving us a mother that we don’t always understand where she comes from, but we soon learn that her past has shaped her present. There are a couple of fantastic dance sequences, including a rousing number done to ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,’ courtesy of a very young Leila smuggling in a Cyndi Lauper cassette tape into Iran. <u>The Persian Version </u>is a film about fighting for your rights as a woman, as an Iranian, and as a family member. <u>The Persian Version</u> is a dazzling look at two women who seem to be miles apart but learn that they share a lot more than just the family bond.<b> My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.sonyclassics.com/film/thepersianversion/" target="_blank">The Persian Version Website</a> Now playing in theatres.<br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dDyREL9m5gq6T40rB2GV_OHlTUqoO7dEQ1KxKQXyyMzUs0EUESvAGOKkFgfwhN7EPNMVWV440kmSWMPwRSCLL3vx1W8gwq7F-HBFl83Fe6UHFktula57l3FJCdbQGVvLDgVmUXaXVtwP14IC_ggS7se7vqKx8efrlZA7DEZ_-A9exRmPYT23WfqBwDMR/s1264/Miracle%20of%20St.%20Anna.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1264" data-original-width="868" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_dDyREL9m5gq6T40rB2GV_OHlTUqoO7dEQ1KxKQXyyMzUs0EUESvAGOKkFgfwhN7EPNMVWV440kmSWMPwRSCLL3vx1W8gwq7F-HBFl83Fe6UHFktula57l3FJCdbQGVvLDgVmUXaXVtwP14IC_ggS7se7vqKx8efrlZA7DEZ_-A9exRmPYT23WfqBwDMR/w138-h200/Miracle%20of%20St.%20Anna.png" width="138" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>Miracle of St. Anna</u> (2008) <i>R</i> Set in Italy during the Allied invasion during WWII, four African-American soldiers (Michael Ealy, Omar Benson Miller, Laz Alonso, and Derek Luke) are behind enemy lines taking refuge in a small village after rescuing a small boy caught in the firefight with German soldiers. Now, its citizens and the four men must unite to protect the town and the boy against impossible odds.<u> Miracle of St. Anna</u> is a Spike Lee film, and with many of his movies, there are some fantastic moments and some that don’t work at all. The battle sequences are brilliant, and there are some beautiful moments between the soldiers and the young boy. However, there are a few scenes that seem out of place, including a dance that takes place in the village as the enemy surrounds them. Still, <u>Miracle of St. Anna</u> has some powerful moments, and the battle sequences are some of the best war scenes of the last 20 years. <b>My Rating: Full Price The film is available to rent or buy on most online platforms.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Rustin</u>: Background Taylors</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>The Fall Guy</u> (2023) <u>PG-13</u> Colt (Ryan Gosling), a former stuntman, comes out of retirement after discovering his ex (Emily Blunt) is directing a big-budget movie. It’s not a joyful reunion, but Colt is needed when the enormous star of the film has gone missing, and he must find him before the picture is shut down. This looks like it will be fun to watch with Blunt and Gosling. Based loosely on the 1980s Lee Majors TV show, which was loosely based on a real-life stuntman. <b> The film comes out in March 2024.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TTafwfuC-vq7VE2-vFP2wDEnYTUG_gNmGxn1KO7M-wB-CMEECo1eycPktdKUOWeD5dWVHa7ZtoRKxI95x4WVNUFrwGyQNREquAwuZygJJ1MLndJd9u9GSZPC0dxIwsoJaNAv_KcZxszrWKDYbUGj3Ul8vhMKfEJ8Ds2jsOyozcShaM0FELbp5f7E5uvW/s1256/The%20Fall%20Guy%20small%20poster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="792" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TTafwfuC-vq7VE2-vFP2wDEnYTUG_gNmGxn1KO7M-wB-CMEECo1eycPktdKUOWeD5dWVHa7ZtoRKxI95x4WVNUFrwGyQNREquAwuZygJJ1MLndJd9u9GSZPC0dxIwsoJaNAv_KcZxszrWKDYbUGj3Ul8vhMKfEJ8Ds2jsOyozcShaM0FELbp5f7E5uvW/w126-h200/The%20Fall%20Guy%20small%20poster.png" width="126" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QuBnHBLUKPs" width="320" youtube-src-id="QuBnHBLUKPs"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Until Next Time!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-23023168255689308922023-10-27T00:30:00.005-04:002023-10-27T22:12:32.658-04:00Five Nights at Freddy's <p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBqzNkzNwCyKO5n12gj_yUiQcfnq83J6M4km7HAtYkG3jtykD9wOPbk_tdyjNhjTr1yd5mFNHWAIqsYyRUh2OlXAKdhlcC8JgmUJ_84Tc6ABYZZ6YagP07MYR8E9GIiggSeYX5VuQFr53GuiVIwxauF8I_J8x1UVxMIuJWWYw8ALPGzZKa2VEE2tFDeh-/s1500/Five%20Nights%20at%20Freddy's%20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBqzNkzNwCyKO5n12gj_yUiQcfnq83J6M4km7HAtYkG3jtykD9wOPbk_tdyjNhjTr1yd5mFNHWAIqsYyRUh2OlXAKdhlcC8JgmUJ_84Tc6ABYZZ6YagP07MYR8E9GIiggSeYX5VuQFr53GuiVIwxauF8I_J8x1UVxMIuJWWYw8ALPGzZKa2VEE2tFDeh-/w133-h200/Five%20Nights%20at%20Freddy's%20.jpg" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Five Nights at Freddy’s</u> (2023) <i>PG-13 </i> A new security guard (Josh Hutcherson) takes his kid (Piper Rubio) to his new job, the night shift at the old, shutdown Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Once upon a time, Freddy’s was the place to be with pizza and animatronic bears singing songs. But something happened to cause the business to close, and the guard and his daughter are about to find out. A review of the film will be up Friday night. The film is now in theatres nationwide. Based on a very popular video game series, this film is not scary enough for horror fans and not gruesome enough for splatter fans. I guess this is Blumhouse/Universal’s attempt at getting kids into horror films. The film’s ending is confusing, and I had questions when it ended that only got answered by some spoiler articles on the internet. Never is a good thing when you have to go on the internet to explain who died and why. By the way, there is a bonus scene after the first part of the credits, and at the end of the credits, a strange computer voice spells out “Come Find Me.’ I believe this will all be worked out in a sequel because there is always a sequel with horror films. I wanted this to be a fun, scary ride in a pizza parlor of your nightmares, and all it got was some burned-out animatronics and no pizza. <b> My Rating: Cable </b> <b><a href="https://www.fivenightsatfreddys.movie" target="_blank">Five Nights at Freddy's Website</a> </b> <b> The film is now in theatres nationwide and on Peacock.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40hJfYK9BTPnUWfW0-0rcT2MJZ3iQBJdggdikFXQt54hh6R2s84BSJobzYXfkdP2N6PguNVRGAuvxCZxKyhgdEe0xE85GwzFoirkYVk7xdnaEs1IH2EzCLRauqaK4kHXErQwmoRBpUblZTTCMfM1mzJn6NrUCy924YbPAUpFs9pGF0hE4hbp1w60gmaDD/s1268/Screenshot%202023-10-26%20at%205.40.38%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1268" data-original-width="840" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40hJfYK9BTPnUWfW0-0rcT2MJZ3iQBJdggdikFXQt54hh6R2s84BSJobzYXfkdP2N6PguNVRGAuvxCZxKyhgdEe0xE85GwzFoirkYVk7xdnaEs1IH2EzCLRauqaK4kHXErQwmoRBpUblZTTCMfM1mzJn6NrUCy924YbPAUpFs9pGF0hE4hbp1w60gmaDD/w133-h200/Screenshot%202023-10-26%20at%205.40.38%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>The Killer</u> (2023) <i>R</i> <u>The Killer</u> is the story of an assassin (Michael Fassbender) who screws up a hit, and someone he cares about has paid the price for his mistake. Now, the assassin is out for revenge but insists it isn’t personal. David Fincher is an interesting director who has given us a wide range of films like <u>Zodiac</u>, <u>The Social Network</u>, <u>Gone Girl,</u> and <u>Mank</u>. I always enjoy his movies, but I had a blast watching this funny black comedy where we follow a hired killer around as he gets revenge on the people who tried to kill him and hurt someone he loves. The killer narrates the film, giving us an insight into how he sees life and death, which he deals with precision and reserve. The killer is a man who is good at his job and takes pride in keeping things under control, even when things don’t always go his way. There will be a great drinking game with this film, and I won’t give it away, but you will be helped by knowing classic TV. Fassbender is perfect as the killer, a man who keeps track of his heart rate, not because of health, but because a slower heart rate means he can shoot his rifle with a better chance of success.<u> The Killer</u> is a film with lots of death, some of which are surprising until you understand the killer’s thoughts. Can you root for a guy that kills people for a living? Maybe, but you can have a fun time finding out. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80234448/" target="_blank">The Killer Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide and on Netflix on November 10th.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb77vEggbTSDI784TWqgvfmxGQTeHKJf047zHDVn0CHWddDdN_Xo-CFZFztLHKHze3UmFhXiT4c8dnZvRxxHcQLxMISO5QOz_LiIoF3TYiw5GTLZQdXeFEzNI8Py196RWLZfABGmpjZEYq9FbqmSr31EXWwFUubtwvg71N0t7tWvimohTzlmr5-_83b57z/s2222/Pain%20Hustlers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2222" data-original-width="1500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb77vEggbTSDI784TWqgvfmxGQTeHKJf047zHDVn0CHWddDdN_Xo-CFZFztLHKHze3UmFhXiT4c8dnZvRxxHcQLxMISO5QOz_LiIoF3TYiw5GTLZQdXeFEzNI8Py196RWLZfABGmpjZEYq9FbqmSr31EXWwFUubtwvg71N0t7tWvimohTzlmr5-_83b57z/w135-h200/Pain%20Hustlers.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Pain Hustlers </u>(2023) <i>R</i> Liza (Emily Blunt) is a high school dropout with a young daughter (Chloe Coleman). Liza dreams of a better life for herself and her daughter. She gets a job at a failing pharmaceutical start-up in a strip mall. Liza has the smarts and charm to bring success to the company and is living the life she always envisioned. However, success comes at a price, and Liza soon finds herself at the center of a criminal conspiracy with deadly consequences. I had high hopes for this film, and it met expectations for the first thirty minutes. Unfortunately, the film loses its punch and gets lost in its storytelling while trying to hit us over the head with the idea that Pharma companies are, wait for it, evil and greedy. The film wastes performances by Emily Blunt, who portrays a woman who can talk anyone into anything, and Chris Evans, the sleazy sales guy willing to say or do anything to push the legality of the drug world right up to the line. The film runs out of gas, and in the end, we see the company go under because of greed and thinking they would never get caught. Like the drug the characters were pushing, the film worked at first and then failed to deliver what it promised due to pushing it too far. <b> My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81614419/" target="_blank">Pain Hustlers Website</a> Now playing on Netflix.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyRkXEpCOPrQD9oYh_Klb3ssqagXMkR7hyphenhyphen-UuZNWyE25dgHRsL3tjC4ybV0t_7FibX3Z9mprh_j1gXMlBXM8izaji92reJ1GbzxjUKy9-h__rEtGkcIevjPU0kMUkTobMDymg5Wvd6QsWY6M3Tin37s1vMT3uqraX_53DChXneDmp6kEa3S1sUqBqTfc1/s1500/The%20Other%20Zoey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyRkXEpCOPrQD9oYh_Klb3ssqagXMkR7hyphenhyphen-UuZNWyE25dgHRsL3tjC4ybV0t_7FibX3Z9mprh_j1gXMlBXM8izaji92reJ1GbzxjUKy9-h__rEtGkcIevjPU0kMUkTobMDymg5Wvd6QsWY6M3Tin37s1vMT3uqraX_53DChXneDmp6kEa3S1sUqBqTfc1/w133-h200/The%20Other%20Zoey.jpg" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>The Other Zoey</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> Zoey (Josephine Langford) is a brilliant computer nerd who loves to study and has her sights set on graduating with honors. Her world is turned upside down when Zack (Drew Starkey), a college soccer star, is in an accident and wakes up thinking, because of amnesia, that Zoey, the first person he saw after the accident, is his girlfriend. Told that he must remember on his own terms, Zoey goes along with the lie, and things get really complicated. In this rom-com, the main character goes through the usual storyline of putting herself in a tough spot to win a guy's heart, only to realize she's falling for someone unexpected. This is nothing out of the ordinary from other rom-coms but for the presence of Josephine Langford. She makes watching this film worth our time. Zoey, who dislikes rom-coms, unexpectedly finds herself in one. Langford's excellent performance makes us cheer for Zoey to realize what we knew from the beginning: the unexpected guy is her perfect match. <b> My Rating Bargain Matinee <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11951276/?ref_=rg_mv_close" target="_blank">The Other Zoey Info</a> Now in theatres.</b></span><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg62CdUjZKsMQPQasloM-QcL_VhFKud9pughEDS3m5gZP__aPA-nrua2gB_VkQtqPIae2QO-nUxuQbWmITdMnzDRfGZDW6dmlnG9utEm9Btv4EK7jQAmbGv4WnU4YDiKqGLRdU0eJrTkiHGtsuQ26n-yDp7PPU9ZPlKT88jIz9uPSLLturzK3_TSzl8GJ9L/s1467/Anatomy%20of%20a%20Fall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1467" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg62CdUjZKsMQPQasloM-QcL_VhFKud9pughEDS3m5gZP__aPA-nrua2gB_VkQtqPIae2QO-nUxuQbWmITdMnzDRfGZDW6dmlnG9utEm9Btv4EK7jQAmbGv4WnU4YDiKqGLRdU0eJrTkiHGtsuQ26n-yDp7PPU9ZPlKT88jIz9uPSLLturzK3_TSzl8GJ9L/w136-h200/Anatomy%20of%20a%20Fall.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>Indiefest: </b><u>Anatomy of a Fall</u> (2023) <i>R</i> <u>Anatomy of a Fall</u> tells the story of Sandra (Sandra Hüller) and Samuel (Samuel Theis), a famous literary couple living in the French Alps with their partially sighted 11-year-old son, Daniel (Milo Machado Graner). Out for a walk, Daniel finds Samuel’s dead, bloody body in the snow, having fallen from the house’s attic window. Was it an accident? Did Samuel kill himself? Or was he murdered? It’s always interesting when the main character is someone that you don’t like but wonder if you should root for them anyway. This is the case of Sandra, who, right from the start, you feel that there is something up with her as she flirts with a reporter who is interviewing while her husband is right upstairs. This is a film where you will change your mind a dozen times if Sandra is guilty. The film peels back layer after layer as we learn more about their marriage. Sandra Hüller is brilliant as the complex and self-assured writer and mom. <u>Anatomy of a Fall</u> is a movie that gets you sucked in from the opening credits and keeps you wondering beyond the ending.<b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://neonrated.com/films/anatomy-of-a-fall" target="_blank">Anatomy of a Fall Website</a> Now playing in theatres. <br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uyE9DCU3BoTIQUBq1d-avsb1dQ0foiPPG_SX9fSMabOi5zoszmXcgKhdAXe6pjIyC1OSW2-rQkPUd-JiQwz0chkbcbYujxN-AqNTRyosjC_dKzPthyJrBS8S3bMJ0v7vCDNl9-LULwXN0aDNeugYfK4bGt53-Ln05Ui_sHa__t1mhQcyQPTLQEbkjyIr/s1296/Screenshot%202023-10-26%20at%204.17.33%E2%80%AFPM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="880" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uyE9DCU3BoTIQUBq1d-avsb1dQ0foiPPG_SX9fSMabOi5zoszmXcgKhdAXe6pjIyC1OSW2-rQkPUd-JiQwz0chkbcbYujxN-AqNTRyosjC_dKzPthyJrBS8S3bMJ0v7vCDNl9-LULwXN0aDNeugYfK4bGt53-Ln05Ui_sHa__t1mhQcyQPTLQEbkjyIr/w136-h200/Screenshot%202023-10-26%20at%204.17.33%E2%80%AFPM.png" width="136" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>Mrs. Henderson Presents</u> (2005) <i>R</i> Laura Henderson (Judi Dench) is a recent widow who has inherited a lot of money and a rundown London theatre. Bored with life, she decides to reopen the theatre, which goes down in history for one thing: it’s all-nude reviews. This is one of those films that you enjoy from start to finish. Directed by Stephen Frears (<u>The Queen</u>, <u>The Grifters)</u> and a cast that includes Bob Hoskins as Vivian Van Damm, the man Mrs. Henderson hires to run the show, Christopher Guest, Kelly Reilly, and Anna Brewster. Dench has a blast as the unpredictable Mrs. Henderson, who wants to put on a show that no one will forget. Bob Hoskins is brilliant as the showman who initially tries to take over the show, but soon relents to Mrs. Henderson and her ideas. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413015/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_5_nm_3_q_mrs.%2520henderson" target="_blank">Mrs. Henderson Info</a> Available to rent or buy on Amazon and Apple TV.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>The Killer</u>: School Trainee</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Maestro</u> (2023) <i>R</i> The love story chronicling the relationship of conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan). Leonard was a famous conductor because of his TV appearances and brilliant composing, but he had a secret that threatened his career and his marriage. Bradley Cooper follows up his directorial debut, A Star Is Born (2018), with this film that could be in the thick of the Oscar race. <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81171868/" target="_blank"><b>Maestro Website</b></a> <b> In theatres in mid-December and later on Netflix. </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcW287jdJ2-7Gx05An4nDWQJg3xHyOfSw6kx9IRXL-24dNohomWT-tsqKp7pRAeXMv4mULT5-2Li-5e2Z8tyVphxuSDjfslcJjLNCkT2NCgpBHP-75Dm9j9pkXVECu7tP0z8lbpU_kPXvZADSJ6Xphhh8aQLMXKr9psL-sQa9WbnefLBzKh3VHK-zgGPGe/s1481/Maestro.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcW287jdJ2-7Gx05An4nDWQJg3xHyOfSw6kx9IRXL-24dNohomWT-tsqKp7pRAeXMv4mULT5-2Li-5e2Z8tyVphxuSDjfslcJjLNCkT2NCgpBHP-75Dm9j9pkXVECu7tP0z8lbpU_kPXvZADSJ6Xphhh8aQLMXKr9psL-sQa9WbnefLBzKh3VHK-zgGPGe/w135-h200/Maestro.jpg" width="135" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gJP2QblqLA0" width="320" youtube-src-id="gJP2QblqLA0"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Until Next Time!</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p></div></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-41141109133422649052023-10-20T00:30:00.005-04:002023-10-24T15:37:57.818-04:00Killers of the Flower Moon<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKL4rpLs3ycNGjd6q_Arm4jjYv-u2IYgWA2MuRfshixU6O0HAsHsfqxQ4NgkkeDsipYYOcuiCEyxb2XjxEy45l15YTN9DCjh18NupvvjPM9Z_A3EzasAnjuhVLOjkeYZ_Uf8zU9Wsp8-UFUX-1T9pHbj_aCliOHU6WT5uPEk9AVF-Z6fswfySkL0PeUym/s3000/Killers%20of%20the%20Flower%20Moon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyKL4rpLs3ycNGjd6q_Arm4jjYv-u2IYgWA2MuRfshixU6O0HAsHsfqxQ4NgkkeDsipYYOcuiCEyxb2XjxEy45l15YTN9DCjh18NupvvjPM9Z_A3EzasAnjuhVLOjkeYZ_Uf8zU9Wsp8-UFUX-1T9pHbj_aCliOHU6WT5uPEk9AVF-Z6fswfySkL0PeUym/s320/Killers%20of%20the%20Flower%20Moon.jpg" width="213" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>Killers of the Flower Moon</u> (2023) <i>R</i> The story of the Osage tribe, who were given land no one wanted to create their reservation. However, oil was discovered on their land, and the tribe became wealthy. Because of this new development, the tribe is being murdered one by one under mysterious circumstances. Into the mix comes Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio), a WWI vet who has come to work for an uncle named King (Robert De Niro) to work on his ranch. Ernest sees himself as a man who loves women and sets his sights on Mollie (Lily Gladstone), a member of the local Osage tribe. He uses his charm to put Mollie under his spell and eventually marries her with a full blessing from King. But all is not well in the town where the Osage have become rich. They are being murdered, and no one is doing anything about it. The film is from master storyteller Martin Scorsese, and he gives us a world where it might be the 20th century, but the laws of the Wild West still prevail. I loved how Scorsese immerses us into the world of the Osage, showing us their past while also giving us a clue what their future will entail. DiCaprio isn’t in the pretty boy role of his past but portrays a man who loves a woman but maybe loves money even more. It’s a part with a lot of depth to it, and Leo is up for showing us a man who thinks he is smarter than he is. After some horrible comedies, De Niro is back with a role that may get him another Oscar. His portrayal of King is a masterful job of giving us a complex man who is always two moves ahead of everyone else, or at least he thinks he is. De Niro provides us with a man who could be your favorite uncle if you don’t ask too many questions. The film, though, belongs not to the men but to Lily Gladstone, as Mollie, a woman who is smart and deeply devoted to her family and her tribe but falls for a white man, an outsider whom she knows she should be wary of, but she can’t turn off her heart. She dazzles us every time she shows up on the screen as Mollie is slowly captivated by the charms of the man she will marry. I will warn you not to buy that large drink right before the film starts because it’s almost three and a half hours long. And that makes this film not in my top five Scorsese movies. After two and a half hours, the film starts to feel long, but Jessie Plemons' brilliant performance as a federal agent investigating the murders gives it a necessary boost. It’s a film that spends too long giving us the day-to-day workings of Ernest as he does the bidding of his brother Byron (Scott Shepard) and King. And I would have loved an intermission at some point to give us a chance to catch our breath and digest what we had seen. Nevertheless, I encourage you to see this impactful film in a cinema and be captivated by the incredible performances, especially Lily Gladstone's, and the enchanting Osage traditions. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.killersoftheflowermoonmovie.com/home/" target="_blank">Killers of the Flower Moon Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginfJwOnJo-ewpBmuFlaI0LltqIo-A3_qcGfW23BWTl0AZolr00aDTrl7gAtBSKOXyxcuJcLqkaBDBJUhsgPLZtFsuFOB8PEnD3Q71VJ1IzjmgPZPuPsk7wmYjJMKZnYVArSrB3Ln1pdojCTbZTPPiiZkeFqkI_dJXrNyXFJXavCpyRxA1uglutrvpi6iC/s1480/Nyad.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginfJwOnJo-ewpBmuFlaI0LltqIo-A3_qcGfW23BWTl0AZolr00aDTrl7gAtBSKOXyxcuJcLqkaBDBJUhsgPLZtFsuFOB8PEnD3Q71VJ1IzjmgPZPuPsk7wmYjJMKZnYVArSrB3Ln1pdojCTbZTPPiiZkeFqkI_dJXrNyXFJXavCpyRxA1uglutrvpi6iC/w135-h200/Nyad.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></div><b>My View</b>: <u>Nyad</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> The story of Diana Nyad (Annette Bening), a retired marathon swimmer turned sports journalist. At 60, she teams up with her best friend and coach (Jodie Foster) to accomplish her lifelong goal. To swim the 100-plus mile open-water trek from Cuba to Florida. I am a big fan of Diana Nyad, both as a swimmer and as a broadcaster, so I looked forward to this biopic. And happily, I can tell you that I was not disappointed. A mark of a great sports film is when you know the outcome and are still on the edge of your seat, wondering if the task will turn out how you remember it. Two incredible performances lead the film and give it depth and feeling. Annette Bening provides us with a woman who is driven to win and doesn’t care who she runs over to get it. Bening is outstanding, making Diana seem real and making us root for her even though she is a hard act to like. I was even more impressed by Jodie Foster’s performance as Diana’s close personal friend who becomes her coach. It’s a brilliant performance that lets Bening dominate the screen while still giving us insight into both characters, especially in times of strife (which there is a lot). I loved this film, and you feel you are in the water with Diana, helping her take that next stroke. So strap on your swim goggles, take a few deep breaths, and join Diana in doing what everyone told her was impossible. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81447231/" target="_blank">Nyad Website</a> Now playing in theatres and on the Netflix platform on Nov. 3rd. </b>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMrthgQQVFfD0DVriaHwYTlrdeMdhffNrMQOLFcQjuj_1jaCm0imauvFPXSw5CmpN6C865a6PQAomy0nLs5qM4Q3uZX-0vQxliLBqtlkF1jdpvZn9KChc0c9cjZhKXQOUsgbRR1VzkQd4sjfk4ID5UeapKkh1aoxiLAXveiaOx-eg-WDJwxuh4k-aa-wW/s2222/The%20Devil%20on%20Trial.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2222" data-original-width="1500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMrthgQQVFfD0DVriaHwYTlrdeMdhffNrMQOLFcQjuj_1jaCm0imauvFPXSw5CmpN6C865a6PQAomy0nLs5qM4Q3uZX-0vQxliLBqtlkF1jdpvZn9KChc0c9cjZhKXQOUsgbRR1VzkQd4sjfk4ID5UeapKkh1aoxiLAXveiaOx-eg-WDJwxuh4k-aa-wW/w135-h200/The%20Devil%20on%20Trial.jpg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>The Devil on Trial</u> (2023) <u>The Devil on Trial</u> is a documentary that explores the first and only time ‘demonic possession’ has been officially used as a defense in a U.S. murder trial. This is a documentary that, for about an hour, is all promise but never delivers. We go through the possibility that a young man is possessed by a demonic presence, and with the help of legendary demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren (yes, the real people the Conjuring film series is based on), they successfully rid the demon out of the child, only for it to go inside his older brother. Later on, the brother was charged with murder, and they wanted to use the defense that he was possessed when he committed the crime. The problem with this film is that you can tell that the movie never takes the possession seriously, and that hampers the film, as you know how it will turn out. There is an interview that the filmmakers don't reveal until almost an hour in that hampers virtually everything they have thrown at us earlier. <u>The Devil on Trial</u> feels like the news reports of that time about the trial, all-flash and promise with no return. <b> My Rating: Cable <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81487924/" target="_blank">The Devil on Trial website</a> Now playing on the Netflix platform.</b></span>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkijYGTIbN-MbPBu8ZMCSkNpCSJ2yDoKNQHYPjyBf0VBxghGM3egw1ks_gnmux8qek-EcyRLkTXd9AX1Uw9E5GVV7yX1iQrx8Sy1rXuyZN1y6PlxGYN3zFB-p7vW2hUpH4sO813uHGIb4xNQQ8vOSnCzdBgCE-CA37Fi8SfFBzdNYWQFUqs4edbd3D0Reb/s755/The%20Pigeon%20Tunnel.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="503" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkijYGTIbN-MbPBu8ZMCSkNpCSJ2yDoKNQHYPjyBf0VBxghGM3egw1ks_gnmux8qek-EcyRLkTXd9AX1Uw9E5GVV7yX1iQrx8Sy1rXuyZN1y6PlxGYN3zFB-p7vW2hUpH4sO813uHGIb4xNQQ8vOSnCzdBgCE-CA37Fi8SfFBzdNYWQFUqs4edbd3D0Reb/w133-h200/The%20Pigeon%20Tunnel.png" width="133" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>The Pigeon Tunnel</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> Documentary from Academy Award winner Earl Morris on the legendary writer John le Carré, whose writing thrilled readers for over six decades with novels <u>The Spy Who Came in from the Cold</u> and <u>A Perfect Spy</u>. This is more than a documentary; it’s an interrogation of a man who wrote about spies for a living. Men who lied for their country and their lives. Morris interviews le Carre off camera, leading the writer to do what he does best: tell a story. This time, the story revolves around a man's troubled childhood with his father, a slick gambler and conman, constantly fleeing from the law and the mob. Le Carre first became a schoolteacher and then a spy, working for MI5 and then MI6, before writing his first international bestseller, <u>The Spy Who Came In from the Cold</u>. Le Carre is the perfect subject, able to weave a story with the best of them. Le Carre sometimes gets very personal, almost uncomfortably so, but there is always a reason he tells us something; no words are wasted. Using the vast movie and TV shows produced from his work, the film shows us how Le Carre’s life was interwoven with his writing, along with events happening in the world while he was a spy. <u>The Pigeon Tunnel</u> is a fascinating look at a man who shares a few secrets of his life and his writing while keeping a bit of mystery because a great writer always lets us fill out a few things with the imagination of our own. <b> My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28486633/?ref_=ttco_ov_i" target="_blank">The Pigeon Tunnel Info</a> Now playing in select theatres and on Apple TV+.</b></span>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XaZU9zHTwboWD3ru7DXPEUqUy-uwzwgs2hGGTPRyDG5XIWKXBS2ImaviM14audZIcTmYrU3lb_PCbOiEFvpZ4KY9jjQBqCvL91hwSdXx-_8acyGULwnAfsu8j5SjomSKKTJvw3RNrTb2a1QHutdPERgIlIZYcP_OqkndUJAEGsXgyPx1zBE29tlmnkvQ/s4000/Dicks:%20The%20Musical.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XaZU9zHTwboWD3ru7DXPEUqUy-uwzwgs2hGGTPRyDG5XIWKXBS2ImaviM14audZIcTmYrU3lb_PCbOiEFvpZ4KY9jjQBqCvL91hwSdXx-_8acyGULwnAfsu8j5SjomSKKTJvw3RNrTb2a1QHutdPERgIlIZYcP_OqkndUJAEGsXgyPx1zBE29tlmnkvQ/w135-h200/Dicks:%20The%20Musical.jpeg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Dicks: The Musical</u> (2023) <i>R</i> The simple plot of this film is Dicks: The Musical is a story about two business rivals (Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson) who find out they’re twins. They come up with a wild plan to reconcile their parents. This explanation does not even come close to what this movie is about (I wrote it for my Preview This! column). Let’s just say this film is about as wild a musical as I have ever seen. The movie immediately sets the tone with a song where the main characters boast about their sexual prowess in graphic detail. This film is based on a musical that played at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, where Sharp and Jackson played all the parts. Dicks is an outrageous musical where two gay men play straight guys who don’t look at all alike but are supposed to be identical twins. The twins realize their parents separated them at birth, and they want to be part of a ‘real family,’ so they hatch a plan to get their parents to remarry. The problem is that their father, played by Nathan Lane, is gay, and their mother, played by Megan Mullally, is just plain nuts. There are a bunch of musical numbers, with lots of background dancers that seem to follow the cast around, ready to fill in the scenery with dancing at a moment’s notice. There are a lot of short cameos in the film, which is fun to spot, but the film comes (no pun intended) into its own with a rousing, extremely dirty number by Megan Thee Stallion, who plays the twins’ boss. The film gets a little too silly at times and keeps trying to shock us, but you become numb after a while to all the outrageousness. <u>Dicks: The Musical</u> is a movie that isn’t for everybody and will insult many people. However, if you like lots of gay humor and maybe have a taste for John Waters films, you might have a good time. Many of you will ask, how did this film ever get made? <b>My Rating: Bargain Matinee <a href="https://a24films.com/films/dicks-the-musical" target="_blank">Dicks: The Musical Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b></span>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9QSGgsrv6yJXA52fB8xBTQFa9O7FLLrEeM_QBiPyZhjIzyhBteN82YOORsr2bYkpZdRhWZaNRsGK5ksBaV6rYhRNvU2nVlZqayaW-SNnSxU1TWmSNV8USz3qiW5fGWajmyD7-RSvQCTK0Q0B8jDhGk9ho449N2PTxA0SRZ1d7GSlmnvxASjRmVujfZXy/s849/Screen%20Shot%202023-10-19%20at%2010.12.36%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="572" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9QSGgsrv6yJXA52fB8xBTQFa9O7FLLrEeM_QBiPyZhjIzyhBteN82YOORsr2bYkpZdRhWZaNRsGK5ksBaV6rYhRNvU2nVlZqayaW-SNnSxU1TWmSNV8USz3qiW5fGWajmyD7-RSvQCTK0Q0B8jDhGk9ho449N2PTxA0SRZ1d7GSlmnvxASjRmVujfZXy/w135-h200/Screen%20Shot%202023-10-19%20at%2010.12.36%20PM.png" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Silver Dollar Road</u> (2023)<i> PG</i> Documentary that tells the story of a Black family in North Carolina who has owned their waterfront property for generations are harassed and tormented for decades by developers who want to take away their property by any means necessary. This is a film that the more you watch it, the more you will get mad. Mad at the system that is rigged against poor landowners. Rigged for developers and the rich. And rigged to keep poor people in jail because they can’t afford lawyers. All this is in play in this documentary that lets you get to know the people living on Silver Dollar Road and the ancestors who proudly started their families on the land no one else wanted. Now, it’s prime land for development, and the documentary follows the struggle through the years to try to keep the land their ancestors rightfully bought. What I loved about this film is you get to meet and learn about the families that call this area home. Let’s hope justice will prevail, though I am not counting on it. But one thing this film taught me is not to give up. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28503626/?ref_=ttco_ov" target="_blank">Silver Dollar Road Info</a> Now playing in theatres and on Amazon Prime. </b></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJWYtYEMfXlIbXnBpdcuLr3_FU9Af3Mhc_KC0QbM0R25i1lnDVk0tFdjoY5K1MUTXviVfdwuAWb_MwuE0U1rh9jxfFKxDJddyoedKg4J0EHFZ7i0kbbmaUVWJV5eVni946j_LLAcTJ90q9rorZ2VO_ap1gm61HfQ49l1AX1S_t3d__Dao39ZRG-RbczOD/s1480/Butcher's%20Crossing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJWYtYEMfXlIbXnBpdcuLr3_FU9Af3Mhc_KC0QbM0R25i1lnDVk0tFdjoY5K1MUTXviVfdwuAWb_MwuE0U1rh9jxfFKxDJddyoedKg4J0EHFZ7i0kbbmaUVWJV5eVni946j_LLAcTJ90q9rorZ2VO_ap1gm61HfQ49l1AX1S_t3d__Dao39ZRG-RbczOD/w135-h200/Butcher's%20Crossing.jpg" width="135" /></a></div></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest: </b></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><u>Butcher’s Crossing</u>(2023) <i>R</i> Will (Fred Hechinger) has dropped out of Harvard to explore the American West. He joins a group of buffalo hunters led by Miller (Nicolas Cage), who is out to bring back a record haul. Will’s great adventure will turn into a journey that risks his life and sanity. <u>Butcher’s Crossing</u> is a movie with an admirable message that it never delivers with any punch. Miller’s obsession with killing more buffalo than anyone else shows us man’s ability to put greed above all else, even if it means killing off a species. The problem with this film is that it takes its time getting to the killing of the buffalo, and then when it does, we never feel the impact that the scene should have given us. <u>Butcher’s Crossing</u> is a film that takes place over a year, but through some poorly done montage sequences, we don’t get the full effect of how long and arduous the journey was to get to the buffalo and how long it took to get back. Nicolas Cage gives a restrained performance, and I wanted a little of that madness that only Cage can provide us with, but it is only hinted at and never really comes out. I expected a journey into madness and instead got a travelogue on the majesty of the Montana wilderness.</span><b style="font-family: georgia;"> My Rating: Cable <a href="http://www.altitudefilment.com/film/sales/92/butchers-crossing" target="_blank">Butcher's Crossing Website</a> Now playing in theatres. </b></div><div>
<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jH0_goztdZxO1ie5sByA_qio6ymReaZWUBA-vJSJns0fU40EJ-trA55QWP2hwWU3-ITbTPADI3w__ngrGxsldQd9AnxJ6xF0JCfG-7j0PmapOea0h0Z4ahvJ6ediAMdH36biF-DjDUvIHjCMSbseid1BBcdOvOrnLBvOvK0oubtSL3PduqKSGX_nK4JS/s843/To%20Die%20For.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="570" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-jH0_goztdZxO1ie5sByA_qio6ymReaZWUBA-vJSJns0fU40EJ-trA55QWP2hwWU3-ITbTPADI3w__ngrGxsldQd9AnxJ6xF0JCfG-7j0PmapOea0h0Z4ahvJ6ediAMdH36biF-DjDUvIHjCMSbseid1BBcdOvOrnLBvOvK0oubtSL3PduqKSGX_nK4JS/w135-h200/To%20Die%20For.png" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>To Die For</u> (1995) Suzanne (Nicole Kidman) is a local weather forecaster for a small station, but she has big plans for her career, and her husband (Matt Dillon) has become a person who she believes will get in her way to fame. She convinces three local idiots, Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix), Russell (Casey Affleck), and Lydia (Alison Folland), who are just happy to be in the presence of a ‘celebrity,’ to kill her husband. With a script by the legendary Buck Henry and directed by two-time Academy Award nominee Gus Van Sant, this is a master class in taking a minor story and turning it into gold. Matt Dillon is brilliant as the young husband who slowly starts failing in the eyes of Suzanne. Nicole Kidman gives us one of the great performances of her career as a woman who knows she is bound for greatness, or at least an anchor role on a network news broadcast. <b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114681/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">To Die For Info</a> The film is available for rent/buy on Apple TV+ and Amazon.</b></span><p></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>Nyad</u>: Synthetic Voice Artist</span></p>
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<p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Screen Near You</b>: <u>Napoleon</u> (2023) R Directed by Ridley Scott (<u>Gladiator</u> (2001), <u>Black Hawk Down</u> (2002), and <u>The Martian</u> (2016)) and staring Joaquin Phoenix in the starring role, it tells the personal story of Napoleon Bonaparte, his origins, and his swift and ruthless climb to emperor view through the relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). Many think this is a sure thing for many Oscar nominations, including Vanessa Kirby. <a href="https://www.napoleon.movie" target="_blank">Napoleon Website</a> <b>In theatres nationwide on Nov. 22, 2o23.</b></span></p><p style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHQ2HtvAVuW8shaEPrcadl4nv9ZaYYVmq81m9ZXAV6b9h5N1vjE2qA1mrn2rvPLrUhIHVjrK4jJhUjRGiTpiuIj_tEnxFbqiD2BrCd1wpKiGfh2E5mCuNxkt62syRxPX4Sk5t1fOF0tFKL90m7fGOjPmqX7acE6hbh3Qm5ut7Zs5eaRAOZdref8kQWG71/s1482/Napoleon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHQ2HtvAVuW8shaEPrcadl4nv9ZaYYVmq81m9ZXAV6b9h5N1vjE2qA1mrn2rvPLrUhIHVjrK4jJhUjRGiTpiuIj_tEnxFbqiD2BrCd1wpKiGfh2E5mCuNxkt62syRxPX4Sk5t1fOF0tFKL90m7fGOjPmqX7acE6hbh3Qm5ut7Zs5eaRAOZdref8kQWG71/w135-h200/Napoleon.jpg" width="135" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4zdMzTCZBVI" width="320" youtube-src-id="4zdMzTCZBVI"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Until Next Time!</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p></div></div>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6268754411383801484.post-63552534903596947872023-10-13T00:30:00.019-04:002023-10-30T19:16:37.178-04:00Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYulWxuOvktHTJ6Tc-AxY3US68OIxsic2alILrTywJjA0Y2qVEFT7_lGHJeFfqtAGzWSMMs6ekcvkLfV9JJVsAoVA6XGiYw-fkQfF8dlao8Y1lYldGTew3KxcqPc1rTr7OItxRpUYAV1i6E-1BlyBIpl1lzk8RD1nvkIUnKAuKtmGS2zOmTtYj1sJJAWwg/s1171/Taylor%20Swift:%20The%20Eras%20Tour.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1171" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYulWxuOvktHTJ6Tc-AxY3US68OIxsic2alILrTywJjA0Y2qVEFT7_lGHJeFfqtAGzWSMMs6ekcvkLfV9JJVsAoVA6XGiYw-fkQfF8dlao8Y1lYldGTew3KxcqPc1rTr7OItxRpUYAV1i6E-1BlyBIpl1lzk8RD1nvkIUnKAuKtmGS2zOmTtYj1sJJAWwg/s320/Taylor%20Swift:%20The%20Eras%20Tour.jpg" width="273" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><br />My View</b>: <u>Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour</u> (2023) This documentary brings the phenomenon to the big screen as Taylor Swift brings her Eras Tour to the cinema, bringing us this once-in-a-lifetime concert film experience that made this a history-making tour. This film has already sold over 100 million dollars worth of tickets. The concert tour that caused parents to take a second mortgage on their house so that they could buy a ticket to Taylor's concert tour has been put on film. Is this film worthy of that devotion? Well, I don't know about a 2nd mortgage, but it's worth the price of a movie ticket. The film gives Swifties, who couldn't see Taylor live, the next best thing in a concert film that packs a punch with hit after hit done in spectacular fashion. This film makes you feel like you're right up on stage with Taylor as she sings your favorite songs. Taylor Swift knows how to work an audience. And that goes for the audience sitting in the movie theatre seats, too. She masterfully interacts with her dancers, backup singers, and band, giving each a share of the spotlight. The stage is massive and interacts with Taylor and the dancers as they move across it, changing its structure and lights as they dance across the floor. The sets change as the albums do so that, in one song, Taylor is singing in a multi-layered office setting and then later is lying on top of a moss-covered roof of a cabin. I'm not a huge fan of Swift's music, but I came away thinking she is a great performer and a brilliant storyteller through her songs. So buy a ticket and dance in the aisle as Taylor sings about a boyfriend who has done her wrong. Maybe you should think about that 2nd mortgage thing the next time Taylor decides to tour again. My Rating: Full Price<span style="font-weight: bold;"> My Rating: Full Price </span><b> <a href="https://www.tstheerastourfilm.com/home/" target="_blank">Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Website</a> Now playing in theatres nationwide.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDdfmA2bPbapWuDF5j5JoKWthisvnm8AxAnmYlhS444wnv-PPYn_-xGMNEaowQp5pANRelqj6h6KGm2kfwhB6UkGVfXnhUxCwRhHMScXvOZxabWLDVT0bOWR44-aiXvVvBhI-H2rAgDawIlu6AGshiN4N3Fj3P5HnyNAJHkIW9viOW6aeu4IxrpjLpX3l/s1250/The%20Burial.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDdfmA2bPbapWuDF5j5JoKWthisvnm8AxAnmYlhS444wnv-PPYn_-xGMNEaowQp5pANRelqj6h6KGm2kfwhB6UkGVfXnhUxCwRhHMScXvOZxabWLDVT0bOWR44-aiXvVvBhI-H2rAgDawIlu6AGshiN4N3Fj3P5HnyNAJHkIW9viOW6aeu4IxrpjLpX3l/w160-h200/The%20Burial.jpg" width="160" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>My View</b>: <u>The Burial</u> (2023) <i>R </i> Jeremiah (Tommy Lee Jones) is about to lose his family-owned funeral home business to a corporate behemoth known for ruthlessly taking over small businesses. Jeremiah turns to the only lawyer with the guts to take the big guys on, the one and only Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx), who feels he can’t lose when the truth is on his side. Based on a true story, The Burial is a crowd-pleasing courtroom drama that depends on the characters’ personalities to make this a film to watch. Jamie Foxx is a lot of fun as the larger-than-life Willie Gary, who is so successful as a lawyer that he has appeared on the TV show <u>Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous</u>. However, Willie only takes cases of personal injury, which can make his clients and him big money, and more importantly, cases he feels he can’t lose. That’s important because Willie hasn’t lost in 12 years. Into Willie’s life comes Jeremiah, who is being cheated out of his family business. Willie, at first, doesn’t want to take the case but is won over by Jeremiah, played expertly by Tommy Lee Jones, and his story. This is a story of David vs. Goliath if Goliath has a luxury yacht with a helipad, and David wore expensive suits and had his own 737 plane. <u>The Burial</u> is an enjoyable film that lets Foxx and Jones run with what they do best. Foxx playing the splashy good guy, and Jones playing the down-home everyman who you wish was your grandfather. There is a pivotal scene in the film’s latter half that only an actor like Tommy Lee could carry off, and he does it so well the audience will be prone to applaud. Be sure to stay during the first portion of the credits to see the real Willie Gary make an appearance in the film. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Burial-Tommy-Lee-Jones/dp/B0B8MXN232" target="_blank">The Burial Website</a> Now playing on Amazon Prime.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkg6P8Wk8BWwJQYEghlbUIv3_rmSqcLqjb7HGRsQEAEPdDgqC8t_UUL0PiBpGry6efQNRTBumlXpt_Vzj96V_6LyUmHxdCehv3uXUFgaRCsulMjKZ99MFfkzhv-yZw9JzHMuQttJTvkUUAqKESx0f7iEHuJ-fEMp6dRKf3UHkI2tvbSjR2dYNpF8py6uD/s4868/Joan%20Baez%20I%20%20Am%20A%20Noise.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4868" data-original-width="3286" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkg6P8Wk8BWwJQYEghlbUIv3_rmSqcLqjb7HGRsQEAEPdDgqC8t_UUL0PiBpGry6efQNRTBumlXpt_Vzj96V_6LyUmHxdCehv3uXUFgaRCsulMjKZ99MFfkzhv-yZw9JzHMuQttJTvkUUAqKESx0f7iEHuJ-fEMp6dRKf3UHkI2tvbSjR2dYNpF8py6uD/w135-h200/Joan%20Baez%20I%20%20Am%20A%20Noise.jpeg" width="135" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Indiefest</b>: <u>Joan Baez I Am a Noise </u>(2023) Documentary on legendary singer and activist Joan Baez, who, after a 60-year career, goes on one last concert tour. In this film, you will learn about Joan Baez and her life, but for the first time, Baez will share her personal struggles she has kept secret for all her years in the spotlight. Joan Baez has been in the spotlight since she burst onto the scene as a folksinger in the sixties and dated Bob Dylan right when he became a huge star. Baez has always been known for her beautiful voice and has always made it her mission to be in the thick of things such as protesting the Vietnam War, women’s rights and being in the thick of things during the Civil Rights movement in the sixties. What we didn’t know is that throughout her life, Joan Baez has battled anxiety and depression. Through home movies and Baez’s own writings and drawings, we see how she saw herself and her life during both good times and bad. Through years of therapy and self-discovery, Joan Baez has determined that something happened to herself and her sister in their early years that deeply affected how Joan dealt with life and her mental well-being. <u>Joan Baez I Am a Noise</u> explores the journey of an artist who struggled with self-worth but now embraces the love and hope she has given to the world. <b> My Rating: Full Price <a href="http://www.magpictures.com/joanbaez/" target="_blank">Joan Baez I Am a Noise Website</a> Now playing in theatres.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWK6dhgN7I_j4fwD7ZDgzH8vQ3T6vlLH-EA6rUMtlx8tOLHRy7Phjbv7a7_e62rGnwa_p_1s0jYzz4LpveYMiFo13ce1m06x6x9qL8z9fI-_C3retnp5GMJy7qP6wiilfCMdMxJMsIUeuc5OXzKKgVzU9MQ-oyE_tDvIyJoyB4d1OPE6e68Yzerlj5G-c/s1262/Just%20Peck.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1262" data-original-width="932" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWK6dhgN7I_j4fwD7ZDgzH8vQ3T6vlLH-EA6rUMtlx8tOLHRy7Phjbv7a7_e62rGnwa_p_1s0jYzz4LpveYMiFo13ce1m06x6x9qL8z9fI-_C3retnp5GMJy7qP6wiilfCMdMxJMsIUeuc5OXzKKgVzU9MQ-oyE_tDvIyJoyB4d1OPE6e68Yzerlj5G-c/w148-h200/Just%20Peck.png" width="148" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Forgotten Film</b>: <u>Just Peck</u> (2009) Michael Peck (Keir Gilchrist) is a sophomore in high school who has overbearing parents and struggles to fit in at home and school. His parents force him to join the Science Club when he is kicked out of band. After skipping school with his best friend Geiger (Kyle Kaplan), he meets Emily (Brie Larson), who is way out of his league. Somehow, Peck makes friends with Emily and soon realizes that Emily’s world isn’t as perfect as everyone thinks it is, and Peck is going to figure out a way to make sure that everyone sees her the way he does. <u>Just Peck</u> is a fun coming-of-age film with a great cast and vastly helped by a script that doesn’t go for the easy laughs. Instead, it gives us a kid with actual problems that can’t be fixed, but he can figure out a way to cope with some help from his friends. <b>My Rating: Full Price <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1230387/?ref_=tt_rvi_tt_i_3" target="_blank">Just Peck Info</a>The film is available to buy or rent on Amazon and is on Freevee.</b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Weird Credits</b>: From the credits of <u>The Burial</u>: Drone Observers</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You</b>: <u>The Marvels</u> (2023) <i>PG-13</i> Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) is an astronaut working for S.A.B.E.R. and Nick Fury. While investigating a wormhole linked to the Kree, Monica’s powers become entangled with Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), and Ms. Marvel, Kamala Kahn (Iman Vellani). The trio will have to team up together to defeat a new enemy while trying to figure out why they are swapping places with each other every time they use their powers. I am a big fan of Brie Larson and hope this film does her justice. <a href="https://movies.disney.com/the-marvels" target="_blank">The Marvels Website</a> <b> The film will be in theatres on Friday, November 10, 2023.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cuWHR0uNMvYgmFmu99EWbYx33NNjds-KflCDJpU39ycTIf0RpwG2RCXiS4gjHMnsm2oK6-lNH4fj8oZWlJZC71pklPKOY7NgRA4xaCGrkVHNEo7o9Ypul36q76wYgaTeCht-oeWruRI4m-0n4wjy_YOG9gS2-OOi_BMJtzvD0ChVwL571btT0qw3lkC1/s1481/The%20Marvels.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cuWHR0uNMvYgmFmu99EWbYx33NNjds-KflCDJpU39ycTIf0RpwG2RCXiS4gjHMnsm2oK6-lNH4fj8oZWlJZC71pklPKOY7NgRA4xaCGrkVHNEo7o9Ypul36q76wYgaTeCht-oeWruRI4m-0n4wjy_YOG9gS2-OOi_BMJtzvD0ChVwL571btT0qw3lkC1/s320/The%20Marvels.jpg" width="216" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wS_qbDztgVY" width="320" youtube-src-id="wS_qbDztgVY"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Until Next Time!</span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p>Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.com0