Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

My View: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) PG-13   Two mighty forces, the fearsome Godzilla and the mighty Kong, will have to unite to defeat a new enemy that threatens our world and challenges their very existence and our own. While watching this film, I realized it was a wrestling movie. It uses the age-old wrestling troupe of two mortal enemies to come together to create a tag team to defeat a possibly worse evil wrestler that can only be defeated if they work as one. That’s what this film is about, and there are even a few wrestling moves that Kong and Godzilla use to defeat the bad guy, or should I say bad guys. Yeah, instead of one evil force, there are two. My big problem with this film, besides that it’s almost two hours long with a lot of people talking about what is about to happen, is that the bad guys aren’t all that evil. I never felt that the combined forces of Godzilla and his new best bud, Kong, wouldn’t defeat these new baddies. It’s a lot of build-up that never delivers. Fans of Godzilla and Kong will have fun with all the battles and yeah, Godzilla destroys a lot of stuff even when he is trying to save the world (clean up on aisle Rome!). And sure, that’s fun, but man, there are some plot holes three Godzillas could walk through. I also had trouble remembering what the heck happened in the last film, Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), which introduced a bunch of the characters like the scientist that Rebecca Hall plays or the internet blogger that Brian Tyree Henry plays. Some big names from the past Kong/Godzilla films are gone, like Alexander Skarsgard and Millie Bobby Brown. I think the biggest problem that this film has is the hangover that the brilliant film from last year, Godzilla Minus One, has caused, making us spoiled for films that value the human element to these films versus, let’s see how much stuff these monsters can wreck on the screen. And I am guessing that if this film does some box office business, we will get more of these films because I bet there are more worlds to discover in the hollow world that Kong now lives in. I will say this, there is a new addition to the Kong universe and I won't give it away but it's going to give Baby Yoda a run for his money.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Website Now playing in theaters nationwide.

My View: Steve! (martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces (2024) The documentary Steve! (martin) chronicles how Steve Martin became one of the biggest figures in comedy, from his early years as a writer to filling arenas as a standup and then as a respected writer and actor in films and TV. The documentary is separated into two parts, ‘Then’ and ‘Now’. ‘Then’ is about Steve’s childhood and how he got into performing at an early age with the help of magic and Disneyland. And then his slow ascent to becoming a standup comedian over the years to filling arenas and stadiums that made rock stars jealous. All to quit the standup game at the very height of his fame. ‘Now’ is the 2nd half of Steve’s career; first as an actor, then as a writer and musician. And now (no pun intended), back telling jokes on stage but as a part of a comedy team with Martin Short. I expect you will laugh a lot in the ‘Then ‘ film as we see the intellectual madness of Martin and how he pushed the boundaries of comedy. I love Martin gives us a behind-the-scenes thinking of why he did the routines that he did and how he perfected them. But like the man himself admits, you didn’t really get to know who Steve Martin was in those years, and they make it very clear that he felt very alone and isolated, especially at the heights of his fame. The ‘Now’ film is a gentler look at Martin as he got out of the standup spotlight and started making movies. Martin lets us see him as a man who has become comfortable in his life, has finally found love, and has come to terms with his past, including a father who never could show Steve any love or support. ‘Then’ is a much more personal look at Martin and how he has become someone who is finally happy and loved. I think the pairing with Martin Short as his on-stage partner also has mellowed Steve, and we see that the back and forth they do on the stage goes on behind the scenes. As a massive fan of Steve Martin, someone who not only treasures his standup years but also loves his books and his stage show with Short, this is a couple of documentaries that I will go back and watch again.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See Them Again  Steve! (martin) Info Both films are now on Apple TV+.

My View: In the Land of Saints and Sinners (2023) R  Finbar Murphy (Liam Neeson) is a man who has killed many times, working for a local mob boss (Colm Meaney). Finbar wants to retire, but his plans go south when a terrorist cell blows up a local pub in Belfast, killing three children, and is now hiding out in Finbar’s area. Finding out who is responsible and making them pay for their mistakes is Finbar's task now. I know what you are thinking: another Liam Neeson film where he kills a bunch of people using a particular set of skills. But wait, this is a bit of a different movie, as Finbar is a killer who is tired of killing and wants to live in his little town and have a pint or two. Neeson portrays a man who is haunted by the past and delivers an understated performance that elevates this film. The problem is that Finbar cares too much for his fellow townspeople, and when some IRA terrorists use his town as a hideout and start causing trouble, Finbar must react. The IRA terrorists are led by Doireann, played by the always interesting Kerry Condon. Doireann is filled with a sense of righteous indignation, believing that blowing up pubs is God's work. Condon plays Doireann as a woman who isn't afraid of confrontation and will do the unexpected if it gets her bloodshed and revenge. The scenes between Neeson and Condon make this a film to watch, as they practically bring sparks to the screen as the two face off, with us not knowing when they are both going to erupt into violence. In the Land of Saints and Sinners is a film about redemption, friendship, and doing the right thing, even when morality is not in play. My Rating: Full Price    In the Land of Saints and Sinners Website   Now playing in theaters.

Indiefest: La Chimera (2023) La Chimera is about Arthur (Josh O’Connor), an Englishman in Italy looking to make some money. He joins a group that locates and digs up artifacts that can be sold on the black market. Can Arthur keep ahead of the authorities trying to hunt him down before he can make the big sale? This is not an ordinary tale, as the film used different film stocks and mixed the aspect ratios to give the movie a surreal feel. I am not always a fan of films that push the boundaries between real and fantasy, where you question what is happening at any moment. The story is about a man who has lost the love of his life but thinks he has found a treasure that will make him rich. However, things go from bad to worse as we meet a cast of characters that seem right out of a Fellini movie from the 60s. I didn’t find the film funny, even though it tries to be comedic most of the time. And I hated the ending that tries to tie everything up in a bow that won’t tie.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  La Chimera Website Now playing in theatres.

My View: The Beautiful Game (2024) PG-13 The Beautiful Game takes place during the Homeless World Cup, a soccer tournament organized to end homelessness. Mal (Bill Nighy) manages England’s homeless soccer team and takes a chance on a talented but troubled player named Vinny (Michael Ward). Vinny has to learn how to trust and depend on others for his team to succeed. The Beautiful Game is a film that, while not great, has heart and shows us that something so simple as a soccer tournament can change people’s ideas about the homeless and give us insight into their world. The film is saved by Bill Nighy, who puts together a team with the idea that they may not win the tournament but will win when they believe in themselves and their teammates. Nighy is perfect as a man who knows how to interact with his players, getting them to mold as a team. The Beautiful Game is also helped by a moving, stellar performance by Michael Ward, playing Vinny, the one person on the team who really has soccer talent but refuses to believe that he isn’t above his fellow players, that he doesn’t belong on a team full of life’s losers. The Beautiful Game is about finding a purpose and a way to believe in yourself and see your fellow man/woman as people worth knowing and celebrating.   My Rating: Full Price  The Beautiful Game Website  Now playing on Netflix.

Indiefest: Carol Doda Topless at the Condor (2023) R  Documentary that tells the story of Carol Doda, a cocktail waitress who turned dancing on a piano, into an overnight sensation by becoming the first dancer to go topless. Carol became a tourist attraction, a center of controversy, and a woman who changed the landscape of San Francisco entertainment. With a cast of characters that would be home in a Mickey Spillane crime thriller and a woman who loved the spotlight, this is a documentary that is a fascinating look at the 60s world where people wanted to say goodbye to the boring 50s and explore a free-wheeling world. The film has a ton of interviews from newsreels and people who somehow survived those days to give us an up close and personal look at what it was like to live and work in the San Francisco entertainment area. The film loses a bit of steam when it travels into the 70s and 80s, when, like Carol, the novelty wore off and the world had gotten over the shock of the nudity. I came away not knowing as much about Carol as I did about some of the people who shared her world, but that has to do with Carol herself. She was someone who loved the spotlight, but only as long as it was when she was on the stage.   My Rating: Full Price  Carol Doda Topless at the Condor Info  Now playing in theaters.

Forgotten Film: Cactus Flower (1969) M   A middle-aged dentist, Julian (Walter Matthau), has a mistress, Toni (Goldie Hawn), whom he has told he can’t leave his wife because of the children. Julian has fallen in love with Toni, but he has a problem: he isn’t married. So he convinces his dental assistant, Stephanie (Ingrid Bergman), to act like she is his wife so that they can then get a ‘divorce’ and he can marry Toni. However, Toni takes Stephanie’s side and things get messy. This film is very dated, but Goldie Hawn is brilliant in the role of the naïve young girl who sees the good in everyone. In her first feature role, Hawn got an Academy Award nomination for her performance. Based on the hit stage play, the script is written by the talented I.A.L. Diamond, and the jokes are fast and furious. So go back in time and fall in love with Goldie; it’s worth the trip.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Cactus Flower Info Available to rent/buy on Amazon.

Weird Credits: From Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire: Soft Furnishing Lead

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Civil War (2024) R Civil War follows a small team of journalists who are traveling as the country is embroiled in its first Civil War since the 1800s. California and Texas have seceded from the United States to form the Western Forces and its war. The cast includes Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Cailee Spaeny, Nick Offerman, and Jesse Plemons, and is directed by Alex Garland (Ex-Machina (2015)).  Civil War Website  Releasing in theatres on Friday, April 12th. 

Until Next Time!

Missing

My View: Missing (2023) PG-13  When her mother (Nia Long) disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend (Ken Leung), June (Storm Reid), stuck thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, uses everything she can to search for answers. The further June digs, the more questions she gets, and June soon learns that she never really knew her mom at all. This film uses the same idea that a 2018 film that I liked a lot, Searching, did, where our protagonist stays at home and uses a computer to put the pieces together to find their loved ones. Both films had solid leads, and Storm Reid does a fantastic job as the young teen who uses her willpower and knowledge of the Internet to discover what happened to her mother. The film takes various twists and turns that keep you guessing until the end. I was pleasantly surprised by how well the film flowed and how the movie kept our interest in the chase to find June’s mom. It’s a nice touch to have Joaquim de Almeida as Javi, the guy June hires (at a very cheap rate) to be her eyes and ears on the ground in Columbia, where June’s mother went missing. Having that interaction gave us a chance to understand better June’s pain of losing her father and her terror of possibly now losing her mother. So please turn off your cell phone (because June will do enough web surfing for all of us) and see Missing.   My Rating: Full Price  Missing Website Now in theatres nationwide.

Indiefest: Living (2022) PG-13  Set in 1950s London, where Williams (Bill Nighy) has always prided himself on his work ethic, attention to detail, and not letting anything get personal. Williams finds out some shocking news, and he explores how to better his life and help people around him. Bill Nighy gives us another one of his brilliant performances as Mr. Williams, a stuffy, by the letter, civil servant who rules his little office like it’s a fiefdom. Some horrible news turns Williams’s life upside down, and he decides that maybe it’s time to take a chance and make a difference in this world. This is a film about redemption, about making choices to change and trying to connect with people, no matter how small the gesture is. Based on the classic Kurosawa film Ikiru, Bill Nighy gives us a performance for the ages, and he does more with just sitting in a park by himself than most actors speaking tons of lines. It’s a magical ride that Nighy takes us on, and that will make you feel you could do something nice for someone today which could make a difference in their lives. All it takes is taking an interest in someone.   My Rating: Full Price  Living Website  Now in select theatres.

Indiefest: Alice, Darling (2022) R  Alice, Darling is about a young woman (Anna Kendrick) who is in an abusive relationship that could become deadly, but doesn’t want to see the warning signs. Her friends stage an intervention at a weekend getaway to make her realize she is in trouble, but her boyfriend shows up unexpectedly, which could get ugly. I’m a big fan of Anna Kendrick and always love when a film challenges her to do more than just be cute. In Alice, Darling, Kendrick gives us a woman who is suffering not from physical abuse but the constant abuse of psychological means, where she has been conditioned to question every move she makes. The man she loves controls her whole life. However, Alice decides to go on a weekend getaway with her two best friends, Tess (Kaniehtiio Horn) and Sophie (Wunmi Mosaku), who have seen firsthand how controlling Alice’s boyfriend, Simon (Charlie Carrick), is. To do this, Alice lies about a business trip. A lie that she will soon regret. It’s a fine performance by Anna Kendrick, but I expected more from the film, as the final confrontation feels shallow and not the cathartic release I wanted. It’s an interesting performance that is let down by a script that didn’t know how to finish.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Alice, Darling Website  Now in select theatres.

Indiefest: When You Finish Saving the World (2022) R  Ziggy (Finn Wolfhard) is a teen who lives for making music for his online fans. Ziggy thinks he is successful because of how many fans follow him, but his idea of happiness is about to change when he meets a fellow student named Lila (Alisha Boe), who sees something more in Ziggy. This is all the while Ziggy’s mom (Julianne Moore) tries to help a young teen (Billy Bryk) while working at a domestic abuse shelter. This film is about a bunch of self-centered people who want to impress someone but can’t keep the spotlight off of themselves. There are some wonderful performances in this film, especially Julianne Moore, the mother of Ziggy, who can’t connect with her son on any level. Still, instead of trying to fix that relationship, she fixates on another teen, trying to make him into the son that she wants. The problem is that the script, written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, can never figure out where it wants to go, and we can’t get a handle on what makes these characters think the way they do. All I know is that after an hour and a half, I didn’t want to spend any more time with them because I didn’t like them. I just didn’t care if they succeeded or changed, and regardless of the ending, I’m not sure they ever will.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  When You Finish Saving the World Website   Now in select theatres.

Indiefest: After Love (2020)   Set in the port town of Dover, England, where Mary (Joanna Scanlan) is grieving the loss of the love of her life, her husband, Ahmed. Going through his wallet, Mary finds an ID card belonging to a French woman, a secret Ahmed kept just twenty-one miles across the English Channel in Calais. Joanna Scanlan gives us a heartbreakingly wonderful performance of a woman who learns that her husband had a secret that she decides she must explore herself. This film is about love, trust, and that everyone has secrets, but some are so devastating when they are found out. I don’t want to give too much out, but let’s just say that the film goes down a road where Mary finds herself in the position of whether to go along for the ride or reveal everything. It’s a decision Mary must make quickly, which will have far-reaching consequences. About Love is a film that moves slowly but with heart and substance, with Scanlan giving us an incredibly moving performance that gets better by the minute.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  After Love Website  Now in select theatres.

Indiefest: The Son (2022) PG-13 Peter (Hugh Jackman) and his partner Beth (Vanessa Kirby) are struggling along with a new baby when Peter’s first wife, Kate (Laura Dern), tells Peter that he must take their teenage son, Nicholas (Zen McGrath). Kate has run out of ideas to help Nicholas, who suffers from depression, and the hope is that Peter can reach him. Peter hopes to be a better father than his dad and find a way to help Nicholas. I thought this would be a sequel of sorts to filmmaker Florian Zeller’s 2020 film The Father because of the title and the fact that Anthony Hopkins, the star of that film, plays a father in this film. This is not the case, and Hopkins, though a delight to watch in a very evil role, is only in one scene in The Son. Hugh Jackman puts everything he has into the role and gives one of his best dramatic performances. Jackman provides us with a performance that starts with empathy and a sureness that borders on cocky but ends with confusion and, yes, pain. I just wish it was in a better film. The film should have been The Father II, as the focus is not on the son, a deeply depressed teen, but on Peter, the father, and how he deals with someone he loves who is having trouble with life. As hard as Jackman and Laura Dern try, I never connected to the couple and didn’t get the emotional impact I wanted from the film. The film feels shallow and gives us an ending I felt cheated by. As good and spellbinding The Father was, The Son feels so much less. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Son Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Forgotten Film: I Capture the Castle (2003) R  Set in 1930s England, 17-year-old Cassandra (Romola Garai) lives in a rundown castle with her very eccentric and growing poor by-the-day family. Her father (Bill Nighy) is a novelist who hasn’t written a word in 12 years. Her sister (Rose Byrne) has boys on the brain and is mad at the world, and Cassandra’s stepmother is a nudist. Into the madness come two Americans (Henry Thomas, Marc Blucas) who could change the family’s fortunes if the girls can get the boys to fall in love with them. I Capture the Castle is a fun romantic story based on the book by Dodie Smith, and Romola Garai is terrific as the fiery Cassandra who loves her family but wants to see the world and write about it. The dinner sequence where the two families get together is the highlight of the film and is hilarious. I Capture the Castle is a sweet look at first love and what we do to make our families happy. My Rating: Full Price   I Capture the Castle Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Living: Home Economist

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Amazing Maurice (2022) PG A talking tomcat named Maurice goes on an adventure with a kid who has a group of rats following him and a young woman who loves mysteries. Based on the beloved book by Terry Pratchett and with a voice cast that includes Hugh Laurie, Gemma Arterton, Emilia Clarke, Hugh Bonneville, and David Tennant, this should be a lot of fun. Coming to theatres in early February.  The Amazing Maurice Website

Until Next Time!

Swallow

Indiefest: Swallow (2019) R   Hunter (Haley Bennett) is a pregnant housewife who finds herself increasingly compelled to consume dangerous objects. Feeling the pressure from her husband (Austin Stowell) and her family, she must come to terms with the dark secret that is behind her new obsession. Swallow is not an easy film to watch, just because Hunter starts swallowing larger and more dangerous objects as the film progresses. Haley Bennett is mesmerizing as a woman whose troubled past, along with her miserable marriage, causes her to try to find solace in swallowing objects. I loved the look of this film, with its post-modern furniture and Hunter’s outfits that could make the 50s TV moms jealous. While not a horror film, it is terrifying at times, as Hunter goes through both mental and physical travails. What I love about this film is that through Bennett’s performance, we are always on Hunter’s side, even when it seems that she is hell bent on harming herself.   My Rating: Full Price    Swallow Website      Available for rent on participating on-demand services.

Indiefest: The Bygone (2019)   A young rancher, Kip (Graham Phillips), falls for a Lakota woman, named Waniya (Sydney Schafer) from a nearby reservation. When the young woman goes mysteriously disappearing, Kip goes on a search that uncovers a harrowing past and a possibly deadly future. The Bygone is one of those films that tries too hard to tug at the heartstrings. The film covers prostitution, sex trafficking, fracking, prejudices, greedy landowners, and the dying of the family ranch. Add in a young cowboy who instantly falls in love with a Lakota woman who has been taken into a life of prostitution, and you have just about the whole plot. The ending feels rushed and not well thought out, as all the bad guys seem to want Waniya at the same time, while our hero, Kip, puts on a pair of antique six-shooters to save the woman. The film starts with such promise but ends with a resounding thud.   My Rating: Cable    The Bygone Website     Currently available on Netflix.

Indiefest: Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (2020)   Documentary on Camp Jened, a camp in the Catskills ‘for the handicapped.’ The camp was an attempt to create a place for teenagers with disabilities in the early 70s that shaped lives and celebrated a group of teens who had faced discrimination and institutionalization. It’s hard to think of a time that we didn’t have bathrooms that could accommodate wheelchairs, much less sidewalks, and entryways. Nevertheless, before the 80s, this was the life of people with disabilities. The film does a magical job, through home movies and videos, of showing us how much the camp made an impact on teenagers that had never been around other teens like themselves. The film follows many campers as they went on to be crusaders in the fight for disabled equality. I had a great time watching this film as we get to know so many of these brave and interesting people who made a difference in the world. Have a blast, and go back to camp with a great group of kids.   My Rating: Full Price    Crip Camp Website      Currently available on Netflix.

Revisit Theatre (Mike watches and reviews a film he didn’t like the first time he saw it): Blow (2001) R   The story of George Jung (Johnny Depp) who goes from small-time pot dealer to being responsible for over 70 percent of all cocaine brought into the US in the 70s and early eighties. I didn’t like this film the first time I saw it in the theatres, and I still don’t. I will admit that I am not the biggest Johnny Depp fan, and I feel his performance in this film is a pretty smooth ride for Depp. Other than the early scenes of George making his mark in pot selling, I just never liked the character. George only cares about himself, and yes, near the end of the film, George finds a conscious and devotes himself to his daughter, but I thought that was an easy plot point to make him likable. The film has a hard time balancing the light and sometimes funny scenes during the first half of the film, with the dark and seedy scenes that fill out the 2nd half of the film. Still, not one of my favorites, and I stand by my original call.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Blow Info

Forgotten Film:   Just One of the Guys (1985) PG-13   Terry (Joyce Hyser) is smart, popular, and a great writer, but when she loses a summer intern at a newspaper because she is a woman. Terry decides to turn the tide, dress as a boy and go to a different school, and write an article on how easy guys have it in the world. At first glance, this looks like another 80s teen comedy, and at times it does go there, but at its heart, the film has a very timely quality about it, dealing with a lot of subjects that we are still debating today. Hyser gives a winning performance, though, at times, it’s tough to see how any of her classmates can’t figure her secret out. While the music and the fashions are dated, the subject matter still works today.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Just One of the Guys Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Bygone: Animal Colorist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Always Sometimes Never (2018) PG-13   Alan (Bill Nighy) Is a tailor who, for years, has been searching for his missing son, Michael. Alan last saw his son when Michael stormed out of the house. Now with his younger son Peter (Sam Riley), Alan goes on a quest to find his missing son. Hey, anything with Bill Nighy is worth watching!     Sometimes Always Never Website

Until Next Time!

The Invisible Man

My View: The Invisible Man (2020) R   Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) is in an abusive relationship with her husband (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), and with the help of her sister (Harriet Dyer), and their childhood friend (Aldis Hodge), she escapes and goes into hiding. When her husband takes his own life, Cecilia is the sole beneficiary of his will, leaving her millions of dollars. Cecilia was always told by her husband that he would hunt her down if she ever left him, even from the grave. Now Cecilia is convinced that her husband has figured out a way to become invisible, making her life a living hell. Over the past couple of months, I have seen some incredibly crappy films that have tried, very unsuccessfully, scare me. I am happy to tell you that finally, we have a suspense film (its not quite a horror film) that, through a smart and skillful script, creates scenes that are filled with tension and fear. In the age of ‘Me Too,’ it is refreshing that a film captures the real horror and panic of a woman being terrorized, and no one will believe her side of the story. What I love about this film is that while most of the characters, including some of Cecilia’s closest friends, feel that she is going nuts, we, the audience know that what Cecilia is experiencing isn’t a figment of her mind, but something that is really happening to her. The film deftly treats Cecilia as a strong woman who has legitimate fears of what her husband is capable of, even if it seems that he is attacking her from beyond his grave. Moss is perfect as the everywoman who is determined to solve what is happening to her, even if she has to do it by herself, powered on by only her wits and will power.   My Rating: Full Price     The Invisible Man Website

Indiefest: Emma. (2020) PG  Emma (Anya Taylor-Joy) is a young, beautiful woman, who much to the delight of her father, Mr. Woodhouse (Bill Nighy), refuses to marry. Instead of matrimony for herself, she feels it is her mission to play matchmaker for her friends and family. Emma’s plans don’t always work out, and Emma may find that love may be just around the corner, whether she wants it or not. Anya Taylor-Joy brightens up the screen in every scene she is in, making it so much fun to watch her character weave her magic with her friend's lives. Emma is a beautiful film to watch, filled with luscious scenery and amazing costumes. The film is a delight for not only your eyes but is filled with very amusing situations as Emma tries to influence everyone she encounters with her ideas about relationships. And, any film that has Bill Nighy as a hypochondriac father who is always on the lookout for a draft that he is convinced is in every corner of his household, is worth the price of admission. This Jane Austin adaptation is a film that the words delightful and enchanting kept coming into my mind as I was watching it.   My Rating: Full Price    Emma. Website

Indiefest: The Traitor (2019) R  The life of Tommaso Buscetta (Pierfrancesco Favino), the ‘boss of two worlds’ who was a high-ranking mafia chief who became an informant and brought down the Sicilian mafia in the 1980s. I go every year to the Cinema Italy Film Festival here in Atlanta and have seen some outstanding Italian mafia films. Unfortunately, this isn’t one of them. In what seems like a vanity project for lead actor Pierfrancesco Favino, the film is a slow, meandering film that seems much longer than its 2 hours and 25-minute length. I found the movie incredibly dull as I didn’t care what happened to any of the characters in the film and never truly understood why, after years of service, did Buscetta turn state’s witness for a crime family that made him a lot of money. The film wants to be a Godfather-like saga, but instead, we get a watered-down movie that has minimal action and a lot of scenes of courtrooms with very little substance or style. The film has won some awards and was up for the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, how? I have no clue. The only thing I know is I never want to see this film again.   My Rating: Cable    The Traitor Website

Indiefest: Beanpole (2019)   In 1945, post World War II Leningrad, two women (Viktoria Miroshnichenko, Vasilisa Perelygina) who bonded after fighting side by side as anti-aircraft gunners, are trying to put their lives back together when a shocking accident brings them closer and seals their fates. I want to warn you that very early in this film, there is a scene that is extremely uncomfortable and painful to watch. I have a feeling some people may leave the theatre after that scene, and it’s probably for the best because this is a film that is full of pain and misery. The film is about two women who have been damaged, both mentally and physically, by the horrors of war. Is the movie worth staying for? I believe so, mostly due to the moving performances of the two leads who are playing two characters that aren’t always likable, but you still want some piece of small happiness to happen in their lives. I was struck by how this film looked, where an occasional splash of color, like a green dress, seems like a tiny miracle to a landscape of cloudy days and old, dirty wallpaper. I don’t know if I will ever forget these characters, two women that try to survive with the help of each other.    My Rating: Full Price    Beanpole Website

Indiefest: Blood on Her Name (2019)   Leigh (Bethany Anne Lind) accidentally kills a man on her property, which Leigh decides to cover up. Leigh’s life becomes unraveled as she struggles to keep her son safe, her livelihood secure, and the deceased’s girlfriend (Elizabeth Rohm) at bay. Blood on Her Name is a hauntingly beautiful southern film noir movie that never feels the need to explain everything as we are thrown into the mix right from the start when we, along with Leigh, discover a dead body in her place of business. In a film where it seems, everyone is guilty of something and has something to hide, it’s hard to determine who to believe, but we do choose to root for Leigh because she may be involved with something dark and seedy, we can see that at her heart, she is a good person. Bethany Anne Lind gives a complex and multilayered performance as Leigh, that propels the film to its gritty finale. Leigh lives in a world where your mistakes will eventually catch up to you, and you hope that those mistakes of the past don’t cost you your life.    My Rating: Full Price   Blood on Her Name Website   

Forgotten Film: In The Loop (2009)   Shot in mock-documentary style, this hilarious film is about the people who work in the upper elections of government and how one badly miscommunicated statement can mushroom into a major problem. The US and Britain are trying to decide if they will declare war against an unnamed Middle Eastern country. I love this film and its quick and witty dialogue. The cast is brilliant with James Gandolfini, as a US general who is anti-war and Peter Capaldi as the communication director of the British Prime Mister stand out in roles that they just go nuts in. Why this film didn’t do well at the box office is beyond me because there are lines spoken that should be part of the banter of anyone who loves to quote movies.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again     In the Loop Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Invisible Man: Head of Music Preparation

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Climb (2019) R   The friendship of two guys (Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin) as seen in a series of different chapters of their lives through the years. The film was the talk of the Sundance Film Festival as it is shot in a series of long takes. My fellow film critics that have seen the movie haven’t stopped talking about it. have seen the movie haven’t stopped talking about it.     The Climb Info

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The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

My View:  The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel  (2015)  PG   The hotel that Sonny (Dev Patel) manages is now a success, so much so they have only one room available, just in time for Guy (Richard Gere) to move in.  I enjoyed the first film, and it was fun to see actors as Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, and Bill Nighy explore India and its wonders.  This film has very little of that wonderment or exploration.  The film has too many storylines and rushes at the end to tie them all up.  Richard Gere is not given much to do, and Dev Patel’s Sonny is extremely annoying throughout the film.  It’s not a bad film; it just doesn’t bring anything new to the story   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Website  

Indiefest:  Kidnapping Mr. Heineken  (2015)  R   A group of down on their luck men decide to kidnap one of the richest men (Anthony Hopkins) in the world, the heir to the Heineken beer fortune.  The film is based on a true story, and the first thirty minutes are fun and interesting.  There is a great chase scene through the streets of Amsterdam that is thrilling and imaginative.  Unfortunately, the film slows down to a crawl by the time Mr. Heineken is successfully kidnapped.  There is no tension built in the film, and the last portion limps to a very slow and inevitable conclusion.       My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Kidnapping Mr. Heineken Website

Indiefest:  Mr. Turner  (2014)  R The life of legendary artist J.M.W. Turner (Timothy Spall) considered one of the great painters of the 1800s.  It’s a hard life being a painter and Mr. Turner treats everyone as if they are beneath him.  Mike Leigh wrote and directed this film that takes place over the last twenty-five years of Turner's life. The film plays out in little vignettes, as we see slices of Turner's life. It makes for a rather disjointed film, as you try to figure just how much time has elapsed since the last scene, and Leigh uses his typical character actors to fill out the cast. This allows Spall to dominate the scenes, making his performance even more remarkable. Spall’s performance is outstanding, and it's sad that he didn't get the Oscar nod. Dorothy Atkinson is terrific as the put-upon housekeeper willing to do just about anything to keep her employer happy. Marion Bailey is lovely and a joy to watch as a widow who takes Mr. Turner in first as a border and later as a lover late in his life.  Mr. Turner is a film where the performances are better than the script.  It’s a beautiful film to watch, but there just isn’t enough substance to the script to make this film interesting.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    Mr. Turner Facebook Page

Indiefest:  Human Capital  (2013)    The lives of two families are changed forever when a cyclist is killed on a road by a person driving a Jeep late at night.   This is a stunning film that will keep you guessing until the very end.  The story is interwoven between two families on the opposite sides of the economic and social worlds of Italy.  One family is desperate to become rich; the other family is desperate to keep their lifestyle and status, and both are threatened by the death of the cyclist.  It’s an extremely well-paced and well-written film that keeps the story moving from the first frame to the last.  This is one of those films you will be talking about for a long time.  My Rating:  Full Price  Human Capital Website

Forgotten Film:  The Moderns  (1988) R   A starving artist (Keith Carradine) in 1920’s Paris, is shocked to see the woman he was married to (Linda Fiorentino) is now involved with a ruthless millionaire (John Lone).  The attraction between the artist and his former wife is still there and will complicate their lives forever.  While not a great film, it is an interesting look at a time when the world’s greatest writers and artists all seemed to live in the same city.  Linda Fiorentino gives an outstanding performance as the unlucky in love woman.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Moderns Info

Weird Credits:  From The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel:  Crowd Runner

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Salt of the Earth  (2014)  PG-13  Photographer Sebastiao Salgado has taken some of the greatest pictures ever, traveling around the world while witnessing some of the major events of the planet.  Now in this documentary, he goes to discover and document pristine territories of wild fauna and flora.   The Salt of the Earth Website

Until Next Time!