Blue Beetle

My View: Blue Beetle (2023) PG-13  Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) is picked by an alien relic, a scarab, as its symbiotic host, giving Jaime a suit of armor capable of extraordinary but unpredictable powers. Jaime is about, no matter if he wants it or not, to become the superhero Blue Beetle. However, he is not alone. He has a family that always has his back. I loved this film. The film is about family and how when you need them, your family is there, ready to fight along with you. You will want to see this film with a crowd because it is so much fun. Xolo Maridueña is perfect as Jaime, a recent college graduate who comes back to find that his family is not doing well financially and health-wise. He has a ‘meet cute’ moment with a wealthy heir to a big corporation, Jenny (Bruna Marquezina), who gives Jamie a mysterious object that soon changes Jamie from an ordinary guy to a superhero. This film works because Maridueña’s Jaime is such a likable guy with a love for his family and his heritage. The LatinX portion of the film is the film’s center and how no matter the obstacles, Jaime and his family will overcome them. I felt the film’s only weak point was the evil bad guy, played by Susan Sarandon, who wants the scarab to power her company’s quest to become a supplier of symbiotic warriors. Sarandon doesn’t get to do much, but say a few lines and look like a powerful businesswoman. Adriana Barraza, who plays Jaime’s grandmother, overshadows Sarandon. Barraza steals the movie in the last 20 minutes of the film, and it’s worth the price of admission to see her. I even liked George Lopez as Jaime’s uncle, though it takes a while to warm up to his character. This is a superhero film that has lots of heart, and it does such a better job of making us enjoy the characters than some films that have come out in the past few years. I can’t wait to see this character develop and hope that Blue Beetle is one of the centerpieces of the new DC Universe.   My Rating: Full Price  Blue Beetle Website   Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Strays (2023) R  Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell) is a dog whose owner (Will Forte) has abandoned him in the city. A pack of stray dogs led by Bug (Jamie Foxx) adopts Reggie, and they are off to find Reggie’s owner and get revenge. With a little help from his friends, Reggie is going to figure out how to survive on the streets. Strays is a R-rated film and is not for kids, though some of the dogs, including Reggie, are adorable. What’s not adorable are the things these dogs say and do. A lot of what these dogs do and talk about are peeing, smelling, and humping any and everything. Reggie and Bug are joined on the quest to find Reggie’s owner by Maggie (voice by Isla Fisher), a dog with a nose that can find anything, and Hunter (voiced by Randall Park), a big dog who washed out of the police academy and wears a cone because it comforts him. There are some laugh-out-loud funny bits, one of which had me on the floor, but the film should have been a short. Strays is a film whose novelty wears out by the last third of the film. The film is R-rated and probably deserves it, but I felt that, at times, the movie didn’t push the raunchiness enough. It’s a strange film, but dog lovers (like myself) still will have a good time, though it might make you wonder what the heck your dog is thinking about.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Strays Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

Indiefest: Landscape with Invisible Hand (2023) R  Landscape with Invisible Hand is set in the future, where aliens have invaded and taken over Earth. The alien’s bureaucratic rule and advanced technology have left most of the Earth impoverished and unemployed. Two teenagers, Adam (Asante Blackk) and Chloe (Kylie Rogers) hatch a plan to ensure their family’s futures, but it’s risky and involves them being in love, even if they aren’t. The film is from Cory Finley, whose two previous films, Thoroughbreds (2017) and Bad Education (2019), I liked. This film starts with a strong premise, but I felt it lost its way when the story focused almost solely on Adam, and Chloe is left on the back burner. I would have loved it if the two had continued with their relationship, but instead, the story veers off of that and goes more into how Adam and his mom, played by Tiffany Haddish, try to keep the family from losing their home. I am not a fan of Haddish, and I found that her character’s storyline was the weakest part of the plot. There are some fun scenes that comment on our society and how we love to document every aspect of our lives, but the film lost me for the 2nd half of the film and never got me back in for the end of the film. I enjoyed the two teens and their chemistry on the screen, I just wish they had more time together.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Landscape with Invisible Hand Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

My View: Reinventing Elvis: The '68 Comeback (2023) Elvis, who in 1968, was considered a has-been and a sellout, overshadowed by The Beatles and other rock acts. He needed a vehicle for his comeback, and Steve Binder was hired to produce a TV special to put Elvis back on the map. Conflicts with Elvis’s manager, Col. Tom Parker, and a highly doubtful Elvis made this an almost impossible task. However, it was Elvis, after all. This is a wonderful and insightful documentary about one of the most iconic concert specials ever seen on TV. The 2022 film Elvis gave us a brief look at what went on, but this film lets Steve Binder tell how the special came about and how the battle with Col. Tom Parker went on and on. There are plenty of songs from the special, but what is really cool is all the behind-the-scenes footage that we get to see, along with interviews with the dancers and audience members that were there to witness a historic taping. You get to see Elvis not only as the consummate performer but also as someone who was at home on the stage and knew he was indeed ‘The King.’ My Rating: Full Price  Reinventing Elvis: The '68 Comeback Special  Now playing on the Paramount+ platform. 

Familyfaire: The Monkey King (2023)  PG  The Monkey King (voiced by Jimmy O. Yang) believes that he is destined for greatness. Challenged to defeat 100 demons, he sets out to take on demons, dragons, gods, and his greatest adversary of all, his ego. Sometimes you get animated films that feel designed more for adults than for kids. This is one of those films where the storyline is overcomplicated, one of the film’s songs is heavy-metal based, and a lead character is obnoxious and full of himself. I was unfamiliar with the storyline, and maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had been since it’s based on a famous story over 1000 years old. There were some of the fight scenes that I liked, but even those get a little old after a while. I did like the twist at the end, but it sure took a long time to get there.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Monkey King Website   Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Afire (2023)   Leon (Thomas Schubert) is a novelist who is about to share a work retreat house on an Island with his artist friend Felix (Langston Uibel). When they arrive, they learn they are sharing the house with Nadja (Paula Beer), who is dating a local lifeguard. As a forest fire threatens their house, Leon tries to finish his latest novel, but Nadja becomes a distraction he cannot ignore. We have another protagonist that you will not like, but this time, unlike some other films (I’m looking at you, Shortcomings), you end up rooting for the guy in the end. Leon is a man who can’t do the right thing, even when it’s right in front of him. It’s clear from the start that Leon is infatuated with Nadja but can’t seem to say anything close to something that would even begin for Nadja to pay attention to him. And yet, there is still a chance because Nadja sees something that we don’t, and she is willing to dig a little to find it. Leon isn’t an easy character to root for, and he keeps sticking his foot in his mouth, even when things get serious. But in the end, we see the genuine writer at work and what makes this man do what he does. It just takes a long time to get there.   My Rating: Full Price  Afire Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Indiefest: Between Two Worlds (2021)   We learn that Marie (Juliette Binoche) is not the job-seeking housewife she says she is, but a journalist researching what it’s like being unemployed and willing to do any type of work. Marie makes friends wherever she goes, but how far is she willing to go to write a book that could make her famous? Juliette Binoche does almost the impossible, allowing the spotlight to focus not on her but on her co-stars, the actors portraying the workers Marie is trying to get to know and understand. What comes across in this film is the kindness and humanity that people who work in thankless jobs show to each other. Time and time again, Marie is taken under somebody’s wing to help her survive, even when it could hurt them. We get to see how challenging a job service work is, and it gives us an idea of just how tough it is to survive when everything seems stacked against you. I loved some of the performances in this film, giving a real-life feel to a story that touches the heart.   My Rating: Full Price  Between Two Worlds Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Forgotten Film: Chan is Missing (1982)   Two San Francisco cab drivers (Marc Hayashi and Wood Moy) go looking for a man who has mysteriously disappeared named Chan, who owes them money. This isn’t about a hard-boiled detective but two ordinary guys looking for a guy and asking questions. We learn about life in San Francisco, the people who live there, and their views on life and love. Chan is Missing is one of those low-budget films that perfectly captures a city and a time. So spend a little time with two guys who go around knocking on doors and talking with people about a guy named Chan but really talking about life in America in the 80s.   My Rating: Full Price  Chan is Missing Info   The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon and Apple TV.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Blue Beetle: Store Person

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Fair Play (2023) R An unexpected promotion at a hedge fund is given to Emily (Phoebe Dynevor), who is in a relationship with another employee, Luke (Alden Ehrenreich). The couple is recently engaged, but this job will test their relationship to the brink and may threaten to unravel far more than their love for each other. Netflix is high on this film (it got a Grand Jury Prize nomination at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival), so much so they are releasing the movie in theatres first.  Fair Play Website   Set to be released in theatres in late September.

Until Next Time!

Joy Ride

My View: Joy Ride (2023)  R  Four friends go on a once-in-a-lifetime trip when one of them adds a quest to their trip to China to find her birth mother. Audrey (Ashley Park) is a successful businesswoman who wants to find her birth mother. Lolo (Sherry Cola) is her best friend since childhood, Kat (Stephanie Hsu) is their college friend who is now a massive TV star in China, and Deadeye (Sabrina Wu) is, well, Lolo’s very eccentric cousin. It’s going to be a life-changing trip if they survive it. Think of this film as a combination of The Hangover, Crazy Rich Asians (without the love story), and any Seth MacFarlane film. Written by Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao, who were staff writers on the TV series Family Guy, the film is very raunchy, with lots of drug use (that requires a bit of reality suspension from viewers) and lots of jokes about sex. I did not enjoy this film, but the audience I saw the movie with had a blast, and several of my fellow critics thought the film was hilarious. I don’t have a problem with over-the-top comedy (heck, I loved both Borat movies), but I felt the jokes/comedy went for the easy joke too many times. The plot line, including where the foursome is kicked off a train in China, was a little far-fetched for me, not because they got caught with drugs, but because they were annoying. I will say I thoroughly enjoyed the performance of Sabrina Wu as the strange but lovable Deadeye, who stole a lot of scenes in the film just by being weird. You may thoroughly enjoy Joy Ride, but it wasn’t my cup of tea (pun intended).   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Joy Ride Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide. 

My View: Insidious: The Red Door (2023) PG-13  The Lamberts have fought evil for years. Now to put their demons to rest for once and all, Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Dalton, his college-age son (Ty Simpkins), must go back into The Further, deeper than ever before, and face their family’s secrets and all the evil that those secrets hold lurking behind the red door. The Insidious franchise has always been a weak horror group of films, starting with the first Insidious film back in 2010. We even had a movie in the series that starred Lin Shaye, a minor character in the first three films. This film returns to its roots, where Josh and Dalton get hypnotized to forget what happened in The Further. But just like a bad meal, those evil bad guys want to come out again and wreak some havoc. The film is directed by Patrick Wilson, which is very clear because Ty Simpkins, as the college-aged kid with severe memory problems, has to do most of the heavy lifting. The film is your typical ‘jump out of the dark’ scare-filled film that contributes almost nothing to the series other than we get the idea that father and son don’t get along because of their past hidden trauma. Rose Byrne, who did a lot of screaming in the first two films, doesn’t do much other than be a supportive divorced mom. There is a reason this film wasn’t screened for critics. It is worse than all the rest of the Insidious franchise of films, and that’s saying a lot My Rating: Cable  Insidious: The Red Door Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: The Out-Laws (2023) R  Straight-laced bank manager Owen (Adam Devine) is about to marry the woman of his dreams in Parker (Nina Dobrev). When the infamous Ghost Bandits gang holds up his bank during his wedding week, Owen has a sneaking suspicion that his future in-laws (Ellen Barkin, Pierce Brosnan) could be the gang. Instead of in-laws, they could be The Out-Laws. Directed by Tyler Spindel, known for his dreadful films Father of the Year (2018), Deported (2020), and The Wrong Missy (2020), and produced by Adam Sandler, this film fails on just about every level. The plot is held together with baling wire and bubblegum, and quoting the immortal Roddy Piper, the film is ‘all out of bubblegum.’ The film is filled with unfunny jokes and an ending that makes no sense. I hope the paycheck for Barkin and Brosnan was huge because anybody who had to deliver lines like they had to without breaking down deserved it.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again The Out-Laws Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.  

Indiefest: Biosphere (2022)  Biosphere is about Billy (Mark Duplass), who used to be the President of the United States, and Ray (Sterling K. Brown), Billy’s political advisor and his best friend since childhood. They are stuck in a Biosphere together, and by the way, they may be the last two people alive on Earth. What could go wrong? I really wanted to like this film as I am a fan of Mark Duplass and his movies/standup, but about halfway through this film, it takes a turn and falls apart. Up to that point, I was having fun with this concept of two guys stuck together that have been friends since childhood and know each other’s biggest secrets. The film feels a bit like it needs one or two more screenplay drafts to find its footing and that maybe there were too many idea cards on the writer’s wall. A single idea dominates the second half of the film (I won’t give away that plot point), and the film falls apart as it goes from being a comedy about two guys into some bizarre topics that it never recovers from, kind of like an improv skit that goes on too long.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Biosphere Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

My View: Wham! (2023) Wham! is a documentary about two best friends who formed a band and set out to conquer the world. In four years, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley took Wham! farther than their wildest dreams, dominating the pop scene for four years. However, good things sometimes only last as long as both members can control their egos. I never was a big Wham listener. They were way too pop oriented, with their early songs too close to disco for me. I think big fans of Wham will enjoy this film the most, narrated by Michael and Ridgeley, without any interviews with members of their band, including Shirlie Holliman and Pepsi DeMacque. I would have liked a few different views from these forgotten women of the group. Wham!, the movie, spends a great deal of time on the duo’s early years before they became Wham!, with George Michael going by his given name of Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou. The fascinating part of the film is that the duo were so young when they started the band and how quickly they went from playing small clubs to stadiums. Wham started as Andrew’s band, with Michael happy to be the singer, but as the band matured a bit, it was Michael’s talent for both singing and producing that made the band a worldwide hit. The film does quite a bit of telling the story of Michael having to stay in the closet to keep the band’s fans from finding out and how, for a while, Ridgeley was more in the news for his wild ways, taking some of the spotlight off of Michael. The film does a great job of also showing how Michael’s solo career started and how it eventually broke up the band, but with Andrew Ridgeley’s full support. Did I come away from the film as a fan? No, but it confirmed just how talented George Michael was and how his presence is missed to this day.   My Rating: Full Price  Wham! Movie Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Indiefest: The Lesson (2023) R  Young aspiring author Liam (Daryl McCormack) takes a job tutoring the son of a world-famous author J. M. Sinclair (Richard E. Grant). The job becomes complicated when Liam is asked to help with J. M.’s latest book. The Sinclair house holds many secrets, and some are about to emerge. The Lesson is one of those films destined to be part of my Forgotten Film series in ten years, as this isn’t a great film, but it has an outstanding performance by Richard E. Grant to make it worth watching. Grant, as a pompous writer who thinks the world revolves around his work, is brilliant and amazing. Grant revels in being a man who believes that he is the smartest person in the room and that your intellect can’t even be compared to his. He rules his home with an iron fist, making his wife, played by the equally impressive Julie Delpy, and his son (Stephen McMillan) bend to his every whim, whether it be music played during dinner or their opinions on any topics he brings up. The film has a tension that keeps on building for the first two-thirds of the film. Unfortunately, the film crashes a bit in the third act, with an ending that doesn’t meet the viewer’s expectations. I enjoyed Daryl McCormack’s performance as the cocksure young writer who gets to work with his idol only to discover what everyone knows. Never meet your heroes.   My Rating: Full Price  The Lesson Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Forgotten Film: Lord of War (2005) R  Yuri (Nicolas Cage) is your ordinary, successful salesman, except that Yuri sells weapons to anyone that can pay. As Yuri says, “I’ve done business with every army but the Salvation Army.” Lord of War is a very dark comedy where Yuri gets the bad news that a major conflict is in peace talks and says he won’t deal with Osama Bin Laden because ‘he bounces his checks.’ This is a fun film (as any film about arms dealing can be) with an outstanding cast that includes Bridget Moynahan as Yuri’s girlfriend who thinks he is in the import business, Ethan Hawke as an Interpol agent out to stop Yuri and Jared Leto as Yuri’s brother who is always causing problems. Many people want Yuri dead, but more want what he sells, which makes Yuri tick.   My Rating: Full Price  Lord of War Info The film is available to rent or buy on Amazon, Apple Tv, and Google Play.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Joy Ride: Stitcher

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Blue Beetle (2023) PG-13  Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) is picked by an alien relic to be its symbiotic host, giving Jamie a suit of armor that capable of extraordinary but unpredictable powers. Jaime is about, no matter if he wants it or not, to become the superhero Blue Beetle. I think the world is ready for a full-on Latino superhero movie!  Blue Beetle Website  In theatres on Aug. 18th.

Until Next Week!