Tron: Ares

My View: Tron: Ares  (2025)  PG-13 Tron: Ares follows a highly sophisticated program named Ares (Jared Leto), who has been sent from the digital world into our real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings. The first film in the series, 1982’s Tron, was an animation wonder, using computer animation combined with live action to create a mind-blowing (at the time) theater experience. Unfortunately, the plot was weak and didn’t make much sense. But the visuals made it a minor hit. It’s been 15 years since the second film in the series, Tron: Legacy, and this film takes place after those events. An evil CEO named Julian (Evan Peters) has developed the Tron technology so that computer programs can come to life, but only for 29 minutes. A program named Ares is sent out into the world, and guess what, he wants to stay. He teams up with the CEO of Julian’s rival company (Greta Lee), and this leads to a whole lot of explosions, chases, and deaths. Fans of the first two films or the video games will likely enjoy this new installment. For others, the impressive action sequences may be the only draw, but true to the Tron legacy, the plot quickly falls apart within the first five minutes. The film drags on for too long, running for two hours, and the Nine Inch Nails soundtrack is overwhelming and intrusive. Tron: Ares is best experienced on a big screen; if you plan to watch it at home, you might find yourself folding a lot of clothes.  My Rating: Cable   Tron: Ares Website   In theaters nationwide, including IMAX

My View:  Kiss of the Spider Woman  (2025)  R Kiss of the Spider Woman is the story of Valentin (Diego Luna), who has been put into prison as a threat to the current government. His new cellmate is Molina (Tonatiuh), a window dresser convicted of public indecency. The two bond as Molina retells the plot of a Hollywood musical starring his favorite silver screen diva, Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez). I am a big musical fan (having been in some local high school productions), so I was looking forward to seeing what the film and Jennifer Lopez could do to capture the old classic Hollywood musical look and feel. Lopez gives an inspired performance as a classic old-school Hollywood musical song and dance performer. This isn’t your typical Lopez song/dance act from her concerts and music videos. Instead, these are set pieces that would be right at home in a 50s musical film. Tonatiuh holds his own with Lopez, putting himself into the role of playing opposite Lopez’s character in the retelling of the Hollywood musical. Tonatiuh has an incredible voice, and the film works when in the dance numbers. The film’s weak point is the character Valentin and Diego Luna’s performance, particularly during the musical numbers. Luna looks and sounds uncomfortable in the numbers, and I had trouble buying the love story between Valentin and Molina. I think this film worked better on the Broadway stage, where Chita Rivera could captivate an audience with her style and charisma. Lopez has both, but can’t save the scenes where she isn’t present, and that’s a lot. My Rating: Cable Kiss of the Spider Woman Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  A House of Dynamite  (2025)  R  In A House of Dynamite, a foreign power has launched a nuclear missile aimed at the U.S. mainland, and government officials have just minutes to make decisions that will have lasting consequences for America and the rest of the world. Any time you make a movie about nuclear warheads heading anywhere, the stakes are high. As it is with A House of Dynamite, a film filled with tension and nail-biting scenes, it somehow didn’t hit the mark for me. It’s not the performances; Rebecca Ferguson and Idris Elba stand out in a huge ensemble cast. It’s not the subject matter, as it seems now more relevant than ever, with some of America’s enemies either having nuclear weapons or being very close to it. I think it was the format of this film. We spend the same 20 or so minutes from the viewpoints of different people in the White House, observing the decisions and possible mistakes made, and gaining insight into why they reacted the way they did during this stress-filled time. The film just never gelled for me as I never connected to it, especially with the retelling of the same time period. A House of Dynamite is a film that will stick with me for a while, but only because I can’t quit figuring out why I didn’t like it more. My Rating: Bargain Matinee A House of Dynamite Website  Now in select theaters and on Netflix on Friday, October 24, 2025.

My View:  Roofman  (2025)  R Roofman follows the exploits of Jeffery Manchester (Channing Tatum), a criminal known for breaking into stores through their roofs, earning his nickname, Roofman. After escaping from prison, Jeffery hides out in a Toys ‘R’ Us store, remaining undetected for several months. However, when he falls for Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced mom who works for the store, his life in the free world could come to an end. I enjoyed this likable film with two winning performances from Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst. Channing gives Jeffery the Roofman Manchester an air of nice guy vibes while also being a bit of an idiot. Jeffery is a nice guy robber (though when confronted, he can become violent) who does things like give up his coat when he is locking a manager into a freezer. Jeffery needs a place to hide after escaping from prison, and he finds a Toys ’R’ Us store that is the perfect hideout. The problem is that he is a good guy robbing businesses, which he is good at, but only for a short time. His kindness allows him to meet Leigh at a church, where they quickly start a relationship. Roofman is a fun, somewhat romantic film about a relationship destined to crash and burn, but not before a lot of funny stuff happens. I thoroughly enjoyed Kirsten Dunst’s performance as a single mom of two who had given up on romance until a handsome guy crashed into her world. This film is based on a true story, and be sure to stay through the credits to see actual interviews with all the people who had interactions with the Roofman. My Rating: Bargain Matinee Roofman Website Now playing in theaters

My View: Predators  (2025)  Predators is a documentary that explores the controversial NBC series “To Catch a Predator,” which used multiple camera sting operations to catch child predators. The TV series was a huge ratings success until it was abruptly cancelled after the suicide of one of the men it profiled. “Understanding is not the goal of the show” is a quote from this thought-provoking documentary that sums up what the show was about. One problem is that while no longer on NBC, it continues in many forms, most with little or no input from law enforcement. The film is in three sections. The first section discusses the NBC show itself, which aired from 2004 to 2007 and was a massive hit for a while. In fact, the documentary highlights how integral the show was to the culture by showing clips of Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien, and John Stewart making jokes or skits about it. The second part is about the ‘actors’ in their early twenties who posed as kids to ‘catch the predators.’ The third part discusses To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen, how he continues to do this type of show, and how it has destroyed lives that may never recover. This documentary asks a lot of questions, some of which are incredibly complicated. As for why the filmmaker wanted to make this film, the answer is revealed about an hour in. Predators shows some compassion and even hesitation towards the people that are on the screen. And that’s something that the original show never did.   My Rating: Full Price Predators Website  Now playing in select theaters

My View: John Candy: I Like Me  (2025)  PG-13  John Candy: I Like Me is a documentary about the beloved actor who starred in the TV series SCTV and in films that delighted audiences. I was a big fan of John Candy. I loved him on SCTV, and some of my favorite movies of his are Splash, where he stole the movie from Tom Hanks; Uncle Buck, which was probably his best role; and a little-seen movie called Only the Lonely, notable for his scenes with Ally Sheedy that felt real and charming. Directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Ryan Reynolds, John Candy: I Like Me is a touching and insightful documentary about this comedy legend, who was not only immensely talented but also a genuinely nice person who loved people and cherished his wife and family. The film features some excellent interviews with Candy, and what resonated with me was how kind he was even to interviewers who weren’t nice to him. As you would expect, all his SCTV buddies are interviewed, along with Bill Murray, Tom Hanks, and Steve Martin. We see how much they loved and respected the man, but also how much fun they had working with him. I learned a lot about his early years, especially his early SCTV days, and I thoroughly enjoyed going down memory lane with a man who was loved not only for his talent but also for his character. They say, ‘Never meet your heroes; they’ll surely disappoint,’ but man, I wish I had met John Candy. I have a feeling he would have lived up to all my expectations; I know this documentary did.  My Rating: Full Price  John Candy: I Like Me Website  Now playing on Amazon Prime

Forgotten Film: Streets of Fire  (1984) PG  A rock star (Diane Lane) is kidnapped by an outlaw biker gang led by a bad guy named Shaddock (Willem Dafoe). A mercenary named Cody (Michael Pere) and his sidekick, McCoy (Amy Madigan), are hired to bring her back. Directed by Walter Hill (The Warriors, Southern Comfort, 48 Hrs.), this film is a weird mix of 1950s and 1980s cultures, featuring a soundtrack that is a wonder to listen to. While not as good as some of Hill’s other films, it’s still a fun ride, and Amy Madigan as a tough-nosed fighter who smokes cigars and loves to kill bikers is a blast to watch. Even if you just watch the first five minutes of this film, with Lane singing her heart out, you will have fun with this one.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Streets of Fire Info Available to rent/buy on Amazon

Weird Credits: From the credits of Roofman: Products Used With Permission: Tickle Me Elmo

Coming Soon to A Screen Near You:  Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere  (2025) PG-13  Just when Bruce Springsteen is climbing into the stratosphere of rock stardom, he decides to craft and record an album in 1982 called Nebraska that caused him to reconcile his stardom with the ghosts of the past. Jeremy Allen White stars as Bruce Springsteen and is considered one of the favorites to be nominated for an Oscar. Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere Website The film will be in theaters nationwide on Friday, October 24, 2025. 

Until Next Time!

Blink Twice

My View:  Blink Twice  (2024)  R  Blink Twice starts when Frida (Naomi Ackie) and her best friend Jess ( Alia Shawkat) sneak into a big fundraiser party for tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum). Never in their wildest dreams did they think they would be invited to Slater’s private island to party with his friends. What follows is a dream of wild nights and sun-soaked days that slowly reveals itself to be a nightmare. Blink Twice is a solid debut by Zoë Kravitz as a director, with a film that tries a little too hard to impress with images and loses its intent to create a message at the end. The film is part mystery, part horror, as Frida slowly figures out that not everything is right on the island and that maybe her luck at meeting Slater wasn’t as lucky as she thought. Channing Tatum is perfect as the tech guru who thinks he is smarter than everyone in the room and oozes with a little too much charm and caring for it to be true. I believe that most moviegoers will recognize the clues that Frida begins to assemble, and that's the enjoyable part of the film. Where I felt the film fell apart was when it tried too hard to hit the landing of the ending too cleanly. When we see the horrors start happening, they don’t have the impact we need. Sorry about the bit of spoiler there, but this is what I would call a dark comedy with a lot of horror thrown in. It’s just not horrific enough to make it a great film. Still, Blink Twice is worth seeing for the performances and all the fantastic shots that Kravitz throws in. I look forward to seeing what Zoë Kravitz does next.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Blink Twice Website   Now playing in theatres.

My View:  The Crow  (2024)  R   In The Crow, soulmates Eric Draven (Bill Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA Twigs) are brutally murdered when Shelly’s dark past catches up with them. Eric is given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, becoming a man who rises from the dead to seek revenge, traveling between the worlds of the living and the dead. The 1994 version of The Crow starred Brandon Lee, the son of Bruce Lee. Unfortunately, Brandon Lee died due to an accident on the set. The entire film was dark, gothic and Lee looked amazing in the black trench coat as Eric, who rises from the dead with the help of a crow, kicks bad guys’ butts right and left. The film had a dual theme of revenge and protecting the innocent. This version is so chaotic I’m not quite sure what happened for most of the film. In this version, Eric is a troubled youth. We know that because when we meet him, he is being bullied by other ‘youths’ at some sort of facility. He meets Shelly, and they instantly fall in love, but she has a video that implicates some big whig, played by Danny Huston. I never figured out how it implicates him, but he wants that video and sends his bad guys to get it back, killing Eric and Shelly. Eric goes to an afterlife-holding place, and a weird guy tells him that if he kills Danny Huston’s character, he and Shelly can go back to living on Earth. I have no idea why. And I don’t care. The plot gets messier from there as Danny Huston’s character is some kind of demon that can make people kill. Eric finds a sword with the strongest and sharpest blade I’ve ever seen, and many people die. I like Bill Skarsgård as an actor, but he’s no Brandon Lee, and Bill’s Crow character can’t fight, only shoot a gun and swing an incredibly sharp sword. Once Eric turns into the full Crow, he looks like an punk rock kid from a low budget 80s film, bad makeup and all. The film never creates a backdrop of darkness and creepiness that is needed for this film to have a chance to succeed. Instead, we get a story that takes forever to start moving forward, and we never find the magic feeling that the original film had.  My Rating: Cable   The Crow Website  Now playing in theaters.

Indiefest:  Between the Temples  (2024)  R Between the Temples tells the story of Ben (Jason Schwartzman), a cantor who is grief stricken over the death of his wife and has lost his voice. Ben is a man who is lost until he meets Carla, his 70-year-old grade school music teacher (Carol Kane). Carla longs for her bat mitzvah, which she had never had the opportunity to experience, and it could be the turning point in Ben’s life. Between the Temples is a film that is both quirky and funny, depicting a man who is lost and the woman who helps him find his way back. Despite the constant attempt by everyone to find Ben a date (including his Rabbi, who throws his willing daughter at him), Ben has found someone he likes. The problem is that she is 70 years old. But Carla isn't your ordinary 70-year-old, but someone who shows Ben that life is something to be treasured and explored. The chemistry between Kane and Schwartzman is incredible and their timing is superb. The film drags a bit in places, spending too much time on a sequence when the two get high together, but the two leads make this film move along. The ending is a little different, but so is the couple it highlights.  My Rating:Bargin Maintee  Between the Temples Website  Now playing theaters.

Sorry I Missed It (A film that I didn’t see in theatres but have seen recently): Dance First  (2023)   As the ceremony that gave him the Nobel Prize, Irish writer Samuel Beckett (Gabriel Byrne) leaves his body to have a conversation with himself. The two Beckett’s revisit his childhood, his early days in France interning for James Joyce, working for the French Resistance in WWII, his successes, and all his loves. A film about the playwright who created one of the most puzzling plays of all time, Waiting for Godot, has to be a little weird, right? Other than Beckett talking to Beckett as they introduce another flashback sequence, the film is rather conventional. Certainly, the film gives us a few clues about what made up Beckett, including a childhood that wasn’t a lot of fun. And we see Beckett has a lot of guilt, as it is brought up at almost every conversation the two Beckett’s have. The problem is that we don’t get a handle on the man’s work. It’s almost as if the film thinks we are all Beckett scholars, knowing which play, book, or short story was reflected in his personal life. The only time we see his personal life in his work is when he wrote Play, a work we see performed for about a minute (it’s notable because of the three actors throughout the play are immersed up to their necks in funeral urns). I did enjoy the performances of Byrne as Beckett from the 50s on and the brilliant, reserved performance by Fionn O’Shea as the Beckett of his late teens and twenties when he was still trying to figure out what he would do with his life. Dance First is an attempt to tell us the story of a man who was so full of mysteries while being someone who didn’t want the spotlight that maybe the story should have been told less conventionally.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Dance First Website  Now available for rent on most online services including Amazon and Apple TV. 

Indiefest:  Strange Darling  (2023) R  Strange Darling is a story where nothing is what it seems when a one-night stand between two people (Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner) turns into a tale of a murder spree of a serial killer or does it? It's been awhile since I've been on such a wild and crazy ride with a film. The film is broken up into six chapters, but they don't always follow the order, so you're constantly trying to figure out what just happened and why. There are so many twists and turns in this film that when you see the final credits, you aren’t sure the film is over. Willa Fitzgerald as ‘The Lady’ and Kyle Gallner as ‘The Demon’ (remember, things aren’t always as they seem) are so much fun to watch in this film as their characters try to best the other in a battle of wits and endurance. The film is a bloody mess (in a good way) as your brain tries to keep up with what is happening on screen. Just when you think you have it figured out, I guarantee you that you haven’t. Strange Darling is a violent mess, where there are lots of surprises, including Barbara Hershey and Ed Begley Jr. as two former hippies that…never mind, you’ll find out. This is the best thriller of the year, one that needs to be seen in the theater so you can hear your fellow theatergoers gasp. Strange Darling is one big, long, bloody rollercoaster of a ride where the designer decided you needed one last big unexpected drop before trying to find your sea legs to get off the ride.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Strange Darling Website Now playing in theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Into the West (1992)  PG  Two young boys growing up in a high-rise slum in Dublin with their alcoholic father (Gabriel Byrne) are given a white horse by their grandfather. They move the horse into their apartment, but that doesn’t last long as the police show up, and through a shady deal, the horse ends up in the hands of a horse breeder. The boys go to get their horse, and they are off on an adventure that all of Ireland will soon know about. The cast is outstanding, with David Kelly as the grandfather and Ellen Barkin and Colm Meaney as friends of the father who enlists them to help find his boys and stop the horse breeder from taking the horse. This film reminds me a lot of The Black Stallion, as one of the boys (Ciaran Fitzgerald) has such an instant report with the horse that it can almost read his mind. Into the West is a beautiful tale that families will enjoy as they ride on the back of a white horse through the beautiful countryside of Ireland. My Rating: Full Price  Into the West Info  The film is available on online services, including Amazon and Google Play.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Blink Twice:  Dental Prosthetics 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Joker: Folie à Deux  (2024)  R  Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), the failed comedian, has caused a lot of trouble and has been put away in the Arkham State Hospital. There he meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga), and they soon embark on a journey of mayhem and romance. This is the sequel to Todd Phillips’s Oscar-winning 2019 film Joker. Joker: Folie à Deux is one of the most anticipated films of the year and the only question is: is it a musical or not?   Joker Website  The film will be in theaters on Friday, October 4, 2024.

Until Next Time!

Trap

My View:  Trap  (2024)  PG-13 A father (Josh Hartnett) and his daughter (Ariel Donoghue) attend the concert of a lifetime. However, not everything is as it seems, and something dark and sinister is about to make its appearance at this concert. So it’s not much of a spoiler since it’s in the trailer and kind of on the poster: the father is a serial killer, and a trap has been set to catch him with every cop/FBI agent in the tri-state area in attendance. It's the idea that when you are at a large-attended event, you have no idea what the people around you are capable of. So why not have a serial killer at a pop concert filled with teenage girls? Critics had hoped that filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan had turned the corner and started producing watchable films again. Instead, we get a film that feels like it was written solely to showcase his daughter, Saleka Shyamalan, who sings what has to be at least ten songs in the movie as she plays Lady Raven, the pop star giving the concert. The film crashes to a halt as the plot holes get larger and larger. The film is so out of touch with what happens at a must-see concert, including the fact that it seems most people at this concert leave their seats to wander in the hallways as their favorite artist is performing on stage. The suspense of whether the guy is going to be caught never builds in the film because the security force is idiotic. I loved the notion that if the killer turns on the fire alarm, the FBI agent in charge (played by Hayley Mills) tells her team they will let all the women and teens out of the building but not the men. Yeah, that’s not a recipe for mass hysteria. The last thirty minutes keep getting sillier as M. Night gives his daughter even more screen time. And the final scenes feel as if they were written by a first-year college film major, not by a man who was nominated for two Academy Awards. This is one concert you will want to miss.  My Rating: Cable Trap Website Now playing in theaters.

Familyfaire:  Harold and the Purple Crayon  (2024)  PG  Harold and the Purple Crayon is about Harold (Zachary Levi), who has a magic purple crayon that allows him to create anything he can imagine. Harold has grown up and has now drawn himself off the book’s pages and into the physical world. Is the world ready for Harold and his magical crayon? Harold and the Purple Crayon is a film that only the five-year-old and younger crowd will enjoy. Making Harold an adult, along with Moose and Porcupine, is a little creepy. It doesn’t help that most of Harold’s creations aren’t very imaginative. The film thinks it's funnier and cuter than it actually is. Although the film is safe for children of all ages and has a good heart, most will be bored by the beginning of the second act. I wish they had adapted the book instead of making a sequel of sorts. It just doesn't have the charm or creativity of the beloved book, and that's a shame. In fact, it's almost a crime that they use the title of the book to fool people into thinking it's an adaptation, instead of a whole new story. There is a short bonus scene after the first portion of credits to find out what happens to one of the characters in the film.  My Rating: Cable   Harold and the Purple Crayon Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Kneecap  (2024)  R Kneecap starts on that fateful day in West Belfast when a disillusioned music teacher JJ met two self-confessed ‘low life scum’ and decide to create a band. That band, Kneecap, will change the sound of Irish music forever. The first glimpses of this film give you a sense that this is not an ordinary bio-pic. Instead, you discover very quickly that you are in for an in-your-face, funny, and bold piece of filmmaking, all the while feeling that sometimes you are taking the same drugs the guys in the band are. If big-time Hollywood tried to sell you on this film’s plot, you would go, ‘It never could happen.’ What’s fantastic is that it did, and this hip-hop group, using Irish lyrics instead of English to show their independence and creativity, became a success. Even more impressive is that the three leads are portraying themselves. They bring such energy and honesty to the film that it makes the film flow (though with a whole lot of profanity). Naoise (Móglaí Bap) is dealing with a mother who hasn’t left the house since her husband, presumed-dead IRA operative, disappeared years ago. His best mate since childhood is Liam (MO Chara), who is up for anything. Then, you have JJ, the music teacher (portrayed by DJ Próvai), who became part of the band but must hide his identity on stage to keep his job and his relationship with his girlfriend. Added to the mix is that almost everyone, including the local police and a local political underground gang, wants the guys to stop making music. Adding a mysterious and infamous father (portrayed by the always amazing Michael Fassbender), you have a movie with just about everything, including a rousing end. Turn up the volume and prepare to crowd surf with Kneecap. Maybe, just maybe, you'll be able to speak some Irish by the end of the film.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Kneecap Website Now playing in theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Accidents Happen  (2009)  R  Billy (Harrison Gilbertson) and his family have the worst luck. Accidents seem to follow them around like a puppy. The family is a mess. After an accident killed one of his siblings and made another a permanent resident of a hospital. Billy’s father has left and filed for divorce, and Billy’s mom (Gena Davis) is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Billy is just trying to survive, but those accidents keep happening, even when he tries to stop them. Accidents Happen is a black comedy that doesn’t always work but is worth watching for the performance of Gena Davis as the mom who throws out sayings and jabs at a moment’s notice, sometimes to make fun of things and other times to hurt. Some of the accidents are funny, but some are also tragic, sometimes bringing the film to a halt. Still, Davis is remarkable in her role.  My Rating; Bargain Matinee  Accidents Happen Info    The film is available on most online services. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Trap: Set Dec Trackers

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Blink Twice  (2024) R  When Frida (Naomi Ackie) and her best friend Jess ( Alia Shawkat) sneak into a big fundraiser party for tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum), never in their wilder dreams did they think they would be invited to Slater’s private island to party with his friends. What follows is a dream of wild nights and sun-soaked days that slowly reveals itself to be a nightmare. Zoë Kravitz directs the film and has a cast that includes Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Kyle MacLachlan, and Geena Davis. Blink Twice Website In theatres on Friday, August 23, 2024.

Until Next Time!

Fly Me to the Moon

My View:  Fly Me to the Moon  (2024)  PG-13  Fly Me to the Moon occurs before the first lunar landing. NASA has been having a rough couple of years with its attempts to reach the moon. Due to failed tests, successes by the Soviet Union, and a launch pad disaster that resulted in the death of three astronauts, NASA is in danger of losing its funding. The White House has hired marketing maven Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) to come in and get the public behind the U.S.A.’s race to the moon. With her constant demands and interference, Kelly has made the job of strait-laced launch director Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) even more difficult. Little does Cole know that Kelly has an even bigger task: to stage a fake moon landing as a backup. If you avoid getting too caught up in the plot, which can be insultingly ludicrous, Fly Me to the Moon can be a fun and funny movie. Johansson and Tatum share an incredible chemistry, and it's a love where the two characters are almost opposite but are meant to be together. Johansson is having a great time in this role, which allows her to play with accents while manipulating men with charm and intelligence. Tatum is a by-the-book kind of guy who has a past that haunts him. The problem is that this is a screwball comedy that sometimes gets too serious and pushes the boundaries of believability too far. Still, watching the two characters spar while knowing they will end up together is fun. And yes, spoiler alert, we do land on the moon.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Fly Me to the Moon Website Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View:  Longlegs  (2024)  R  In Longlegs, FBI Agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) is a gifted new recruit assigned to an unsolved case involving a serial killer and the occult. Agent Harker discovers she has a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again. Film critics, just like the rest of the theatre going audience, can get caught up in the buzz of films coming out. That’s the case with Longlegs, a film that the buzz said the film was terrifying and shocking. It doesn’t help that the film has a plot that isn’t dissimilar to Silence of the Lambs, with a rookie agent on the trail of a serial killer. Well, unfortunately, the film doesn't live up to the hype. The film’s first half is scary and full of incredibly moody cinematography, as we see that Agent Harker has a personal stake in catching the serial killer Longlegs. What I loved about the film’s first portion is that we don’t see Nicolas Cage’s face as the man who is Longlegs. That creates tension and some mystery. The problem with the film is the 2nd half can’t match the intensity of the first half. Cage’s Longlegs looks too weird to be anyone other than an actor in bizarre makeup. The oddness of it makes me believe that Mr. Cage designed it himself. The film also ventures down the path of Satanism, with some voodoo magic thrown in. The third section of the film takes the story further downhill, with a simplified explanation of how the killings were committed. I was all in for the first third of this film, especially with the performance of Maika Monroe as not your typical FBI agent, but someone who can sense evil without knowing why. But then Cage goes overboard, the story gets caught up with the devil, and the plot grinds into almost nothing at the end.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Longlegs Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Touch  (2024)  R  Touch spans decades and several continents as Kristopher (Egill Ólafsson) has been told he is running out of time, and he sets off to find his one true love, who disappeared over 50 years ago. The story of finding love in an unexpected place, losing it, and trying to find it again is beautifully captured in this film. The film is broken up into two storylines: one is right before COVID is about to shut down the world when Kristopher searches to find a woman he was in love with that he lost touch with 50 years ago. 50 years ago, there was a love story that took place in the other storyline. What I loved about this film is that we get to see this love story almost in real-time. We are there when the two lovers, Kristopher (Palmi Kormákur) and Miko (Kôki), meet at her father’s Japanese restaurant. Kristopher has quit school and, on a lark, applies to work at the restaurant owned by Miko, her father, Takahashi-san (Masahiro Motoki). Takahashi likes what he sees in Kristopher and lets him wash dishes. Kristopher loves the restaurant, so much so that he learns Japanese and how to cook. Kristopher also has fallen for Miko, who, though she has a boyfriend, is intrigued by the young man from Iceland. As the elder Kristopher travels the world trying to find Miko, in what seems like an impossible task, we see why he is so passionate because we see how in love he was with Miko 50 years ago. Touch is a film that lets things develop, and it’s a film that is full of youthful love and the melancholy that is brought on by old age and loves that have been lost. So bring a tissue or two and go on a journey to find love again.  My Rating Full Price  Touch Website Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Sing Sing  (2023)  R Devine G (Colman Domingo), a man in jail for a crime he did not commit, survives by acting in a theater group with other inmates. This is a powerful and emotional film about a group of men in a hopeless situation who find comfort and power in the theater. Led by an incredibly moving performance by Colman Domingo, we see how inspired the men are to find an outlet for their emotions and thoughts. The cast is made up mostly of former convicts who were in the theater program. Because of the casting, we see how moving and powerful acting is to let the men get in touch with their feelings and emotions in a system that doesn’t always allow you to do so. We get to see the men start the process of finding a play, in this case, written for them, that melds Shakespeare with modern spoken word to significant effect. I was struck by how much this cast made us feel what they were going through, giving us an inside look at a world we can only imagine. Sing Sing is a film about healing, no matter what you have done in the past, and using the power of theater and acting to find that way.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Sing Sing Website   Now playing in theaters.

Indiefest: Sorry/Not Sorry  (2023) Sorry/Not Sorry is a documentary about comedian Louis C.K., accused of sexual harassment in 2017. The film investigates his comeback and how it impacted the women who publicly spoke out about his behavior. The film is told in seven parts, as you see the rise of Louis C.K. from a standup comedian to someone who was starring/directing movies while producing TV shows, along with his record-breaking standup shows. Sorry/Not Sorry centers on three female comedians, Jen Kirkman, Abby Schachner, and Megan Koester, who all have stories to tell of their encounters with Louis C.K. and the aftermath. Sorry/Not Sorry is a film that will make you mad and possibly make you reconsider if you think his standup is funny. This is a movie about a troubled man who had/has power and, though he suffered for about a year, seems to have done nothing to make up for his horrible treatment of women. The film asks many questions about how we treat women who speak out, how the powerful can go for years doing things that ordinary people would get in trouble for right away, and how quickly they should be forgiven. Sorry/Not Sorry gives us an inside look at what it's like to work as a woman in standup, and it's not pretty. Especially when someone can’t even say sorry with a straight face.   My Rating: Full Price  Sorry/Not Sorry Website  Now playing in theaters and On Demand. 

Indiefest:  Dandelion  (2024)  R  Dandelion (KiKi Layne) is a singer-songwriter whose career is filled with small venues and even smaller towns. Desperate for a gig, she takes a job at a motorcycle rally in South Dakota, where she meets Casey (Thomas Doherty), a guitarist who left his dreams of stardom long ago. Casey will ignite something in Dandelion that she thought was long forgotten. Casey and Dandelion begin to mesh together, and Dandelion starts to believe in herself and her music again. However, Casey isn’t perfect and has baggage that could end things before they get started. Dandelion is a beautifully shot film that lets the scenery tell the story. I enjoyed a terrific scene where Casey and Dandelion collaborate on a song on a picturesque hilltop, which shows their passion for making music. The film’s second half flounders as Casey and Dandelion flirt with romance, but I had trouble getting to know Dandelion and just what she was thinking, especially at the end of the film. KiKi Layne gives us a performance that at times is dazzling, especially in those duets with Doherty, but she is let down by a script that doesn’t let her character grow enough to make the ending satisfying.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Dandelion Website Now playing in theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Coach Carter  (2005)  PG-13   Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) is a man of standards and rules. He was a high school record-setting sports hero, had a standout career in the military, and was a successful businessman. Now, Coach Carter has taken the job as basketball coach of a high school. Coach believes that high school is for learning, with sports secondary. The high school doesn’t know what they have gotten into, but they will soon realize that the coach means business. Coach Carter is an inspirational film based on the true story of a man who stood up to the administration and the parents when he ensured his players were students first. Jackson is outstanding as the coach who commands respect from the first whistle but also gives it to those who earn it. My Rating: Full Price  Coach Carter Info  The film is available for rent/buy on Amazon. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Touch:  Tattoo Art

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Trap  (2024)  PG-13  A father (Josh Hartnett) and his daughter (Ariel Donoghue) are attending the concert of a lifetime. However, not everything is as it seems, and something dark and sinister is about to make its appearance at this concert. The film is from M. Night Shyamalan. His daughter, Saleka Shyamalan, portrays the concert performer, Lady Raven, that the father/daughter are seeing.  Trap Website  The film will be released in theaters on Friday, August 2, 2024. 

Until Next Time!

Magic Mike's Last Dance

My View: Magic Mike’s Last Dance (2023) R  Mike (Channing Tatum), after a business deal that has gone bust, is bartending when he meets a woman, Maxandra (Salma Hayek Pinault), who could change his life, again. Maxandra persuades Mike to come to London and do what he does best: dance. This is the third and possibly final dance for Magic Mike. Unlike the first two films, this film doesn’t revolve around Mike but around Max, a fiery, wealthy woman who wants to prove to her soon-to-be ex-husband that she can be powerful and successful. As with the first two films, there is plenty of dancing done by men with their shirts off. The best is early in the movie when Mike dances/seduces Max at her house. The plot is not as fun as the first two films, and the plot of Mike creating a show-stopping dance revue in four weeks is a little unbelievable. Still, Tatum looks like he is having a blast, and he does, surprise, surprise, takes off his shirt and dances quite a bit for a character that claims he has given up performing.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Magic Mike's Last Dance Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide. 

My View: Sharper (2023) R  Madeline (Julianne Moore) is a woman who sets out to seduce and bag a famous and wealthy financier (John Lithgow). Her adult son, (Sebastian Stan) is a conman known for planning scams that earn big payouts. Set among New York City’s wealthiest bedrooms, bars, and boardrooms, nothing is as it seems in a game for riches and power. I loved the first third of the film, where we get to know the players in this con and how they know each other. Sharper is a movie, like most films about conmen and women, that has a ton of twists and turns. The problem with Sharper is the last third is not as smart, interesting, or thrilling as the first two-thirds of the film. Still, it’s a fun ride with Julianne Moore and Sebastian Stan as two characters who seem to be competing on who can out-con who.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Sharper Info  Now playing in select theatres and on the Apple TV+ platform on Friday, February 17, 2023. 

My View: Somebody I Used to Know (2023) R  On a trip to her hometown, Ally (Alison Brie) meets up with her old flame, Sean (Jay Ellis), and it seems like old times. The only problem, Sean is engaged to Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons), and it’s like Ally is meeting the person she used to be. The film, an old rom-com plot of a girl wants the boy back who is about to be married, is fun because of Alison Brie. Brie has terrific comedic timing, and even though Ally is very self-centered, we still want her to figure out how to be happy. The film puts a nice spin on the rom-com plot when Ally realizes Cassidy is lovely, talented, and needs a friend, not a rival. There is some excellent chemistry between Brie and Ellis, with a get-together near the film’s beginning that shows just how well their characters interact. Somebody I Used to Know is one of those films where you can tell the cast had fun making it. And by the way, stay beyond the initial credits for a bonus scene.   My Rating: Full Price  Somebody I Used to Know Website Now playing on the Amazon Prime platform. 

My View: Your Place or Mine (2023) PG-13 Debbie (Reese Witherspoon) and Peter (Ashton Kutcher) are best friends but live on opposite coasts. Peter is headed to LA and convinces Debbie, a single mom, that he will take care of her kid, Jack (Wesley Kimmel), while she travels to New York City and takes a vacation in his apartment. Peter is about to find out that taking care of a kid is hard, made more challenging when Debbie meets someone in New York. The problem with this film is that there isn’t a lot of chemistry between Witherspoon and Kutcher, but I am not sure that it’s their fault, as for most of the film, the two either talk on the phone or FaceTime. I enjoyed the fact that the two main characters have a great relationship, but we can see from a mile away that Peter is in love with Debbie, and we also know how all this will play out. The film never finds its footing and wastes the talents of the two leads, though it is worth watching if just for the sidekick deadpan lines of Tig Notaro, who plays an old friend of Debbie and Peter.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Your Place or Mine Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Indiefest: Seriously Red (2022) R Red (Krew Boylan) is a realtor who isn’t happy with her life. Red quits/gets fired from her job and discovers that she has a genuine talent; she is a fantastic Dolly Parton impersonator. I want to like this film. I mean, who doesn’t love Dolly Parton? However, the problem with the film is that you come off not liking the main character, the person you are supposed to be rooting for. Red isn’t a likable person. She is unreliable, lets her friends/family down constantly, and will do anything to get into a relationship. I will say this: Krew Boylan does a great job when her character is on stage as Dolly, but isn’t very funny when she is Red. Seriously Red is a strange film with Rose Byrne as an Elvis impersonator who hits on Red/Dolly and then becomes her rival and Bobby Cannavale, as the man who owns the celeb impersonator business and is a Neil Diamond impersonator himself. Dolly fans might enjoy the film (her inspirational quotes are featured throughout the film), but for the rest of us, the Dolly impersonation gets a little old.  My Rating: Cable  Seriously Red Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

My View: At Midnight (2023) R Sophie (Monica Barbaro) is a world-famous actress who has been dating another famous star for five years, and they are starring in a superhero movie together. When she catches him cheating on her on the set, she breaks up with him. At the hotel the cast is staying at, she meets Alejandro (Diego Boneta), who works at the hotel, and these two are destined to begin secretly meeting ‘At Midnight.’ When you do a rom-com, you need two things: a chemistry that shows up on the screen between the two leads and a good plot where we know we will get a happy ending, but we still worry the two won’t end up together. In At Midnight, we get the first. Monica Barbaro and Diego Boneta have some magic going on between them, making us like their characters and want them to fall in love. The problem is the script is so weak, with plot holes that make you shake your head in wonder that the stars can’t overcome it, along with a soundtrack that wants us to relive the screen romances of the past but seems so out of place. Also, for a film that wants us to fall in love with Mexico, other than a brief musical montage of an outing in Mexico City, the film could take place in just about any coastal or island resort. I think it will take a few more margaritas ‘at midnight’ before I want to see this film again. My Rating: Cable  At Midnight Info  Now playing on the Paramount+ platform.

Indiefest: Consecration (2023) R After the alleged suicide of her brother, the priest, Grace (Jena Malone), travels to the remote Scottish convent where he fell to his death. There she discovers that the Church’s account makes little sense and that the convent has a deadly and disturbing past. I thought this would be more a jump out of the dark horror film, but it’s mostly a slow suspense film. The film starts out promising as Grace experiences ghosts from her past in both flashbacks and actual ghosts showing up at both her apartment and when she visits the convent. The scares are few, and the plot slows down to a crawl when Grace stays at the convent to discover what happened to her brother. Jena Malone has a fabulous presence on screen as Grace but can’t overcome a film that never finds its way to make the movie feel and look scary. I wanted more scares and chills from Consecration and instead I got less. My Rating: Cable  Consecration Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Forgotten Film: Antwone Fisher (2002) PG-13 Antwone (Derek Luke) is a young man who is a good sailor but has trouble controlling his temper. He is forced to see a Navy psychiatrist (Denzel Washington) who slowly peels back the layers of Antwone’s past and finds out why Antwone is so damaged. Directed by Denzel Washington and written by the man whose story it tells, Antwone Fisher is an amazing film about a man who has to confront his past and find a way to heal. This is an emotional rollercoaster of a film that is beautifully acted and directed. Derek Luke holds his own while performing with Denzel. And the film features a role for Viola Davis, who plays Antwone’s mother in a scene you won’t forget.  My Rating; I Would Pay to See it Again  Antwone Fisher Info  The film is available to rent on most online platforms.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Somebody I Used to Know: River Safety

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Air (2023) R The story of a shoe salesman, Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), who convinces the head of Nike, Phil Knight (Ben Affleck), to develop and market a shoe around a basketball player that has never played a professional game. That player, Michael Jordan. The cast includes Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans, and Viola Davis, and is directed by Ben Affleck. Lace-up your shoes! I am betting that this will be fun.  Air Info  Film will be in theatres in early April.

Until Next Time!