The Bride!

My View:  The Bride!  (2026) R The Bride! is a retelling of the story of the Bride of Frankenstein. In the 1930s, Frankenstein’s monster (Christian Bale) had traveled to Chicago to seek the aid of Dr. Eupronius (Annette Bening) in creating a companion. Together, they revive a murdered woman, creating The Bride (Jessie Buckley), who is far more than expected. This sparks a romance, police attention, and more. It’s very hard to describe what this film is. Is it a horror film? Sort of. A musical? Sort of. A comedy? Sometimes. A romance?Nearly. Hard to follow? Absolutely. It is a film with some outstanding performances by Christian Bale as the love-lorn monster and Jessie Buckley as his intended love interest, but to say this movie is off-the-wall bonkers and all over the place would be putting it mildly. I mean, this film even has an homage to Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein. Buckley gives an incredible performance of a young woman who is raised from the dead and has a second person in her brain. That person is Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, credited with creating a story that is the origin of both horror and science fiction. Few actors could master this role, but Buckley mesmerizes, switching smoothly between characters, even within a single line. Bale’s monster is mostly a sidekick to The Bride and is happy to go along for the ride. Writer/director Maggie Gyllenhaal went for way over the top with a storyline that just gets weirder as it goes along, with musical numbers, murders, and lots of yelling. It’s a big swing by Gyllenhaal that just never connected for me and, frankly, by the end of the film, gave me a bit of a headache. A little of this film goes a long way, and I wasn’t willing to go that far with it. Still, Bale’s monster in tux and tails, doing a song-and-dance number, will stick with me for a long time. Ultimately, The Bride! left me more exhausted than entertained. There is a mid-credit scene if you can make that far.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Bride! Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Hoppers  (2026)  PG  Hoppers takes place after a group of scientists invent a way to “hop” a human mind into a lifelike robot-animal body. Mabel (voiced by Piper Curda), an animal-loving teen, ‘hops’ into a robotic beaver to thwart a construction company from destroying an animal habitat. Mabel discovers that the animal world is full of surprises, including her unwitting role in an animal uprising. Hoppers is a fun, funny, and delightful return to good filmmaking for Pixar. The storyline is inventive, and the humor works from start to finish. Hoppers message about taking care of the environment is effective without being preachy. The film is fast-moving, and young kids are going to love all the talking animals. The humor makes this film stand out, and while the kids will be laughing at the antics, adults will enjoy all the side quips the characters make. Hoppers keeps the storyline moving as we go on a riotous adventure into the animal world that you won’t soon forget. The film has two post-credits scenes you'll want to stick around for. My Rating: Full Price  Hoppers Website  Now playing in theaters

My View: Protector  (2025)  R  Protector is about Nikki (Milla Jovovich), a decorated ex-soldier who left that life to raise her daughter, Chloe (Isabel Myers). When Chloe is kidnapped, Nikki sets off in a race against time to find her daughter, combing through the seamy criminal underworld. Nikki will stop at nothing to find and destroy the people who threaten her daughter. I have a feeling that they either didn’t have a huge budget or Milla wanted to take a day off, because once the film gets to the kidnapping, we are just told about Nikki’s first attempt to rescue Chloe. Then, later in the big battle sequence, there are a couple of times when we hear gunshots but see nothing other than Nikki coming through the doors where the shots were fired. I think fans of Milla will be disappointed with the action sequences, which mostly feature her shooting people rather than hand-to-hand combat. And Protector has an ending that just feels like the writer wanted a twist at the end and then said screw it, here’s a twist that will mess with you. Instead, it just makes you mad. My Rating: Cable   Protector Website   Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Dolly  (2025)  R  Macy (Fabianne Therese) is out in the woods with her boyfriend when they encounter a monstrous, doll-masked figure, Dolly (Max the Impaler), who takes Macy back to a house of horrors, where Dolly intends to raise Macy as their own child. This gore-fest horror film starts out strong but runs a bit out of steam by the end. The film is shot on 16mm film, which gives it a great 70s horror vibe, with plenty of Texas Chainsaw Massacre homages thrown in, but it lacks the scares to keep our interest in the slender storyline throughout. Fabianne Therese does an admirable job as our heroine, but there’s not enough in this film to make it more than an interesting idea that just doesn’t have enough substance for a full-length film. My Rating: Cable  Dolly Website     Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Heel  (2025)  Heel follows 19-year-old Tommy (Anson Boon), whose life revolves around drugs, parties, and violence. After a night of debauchery, he is kidnapped by a married couple (Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough) who hold him in the basement and subject him to relentless mind games in an attempt to put him on the right path and make him a ‘good boy.’ This is an interesting concept for a film that spends too long developing the story and then ends up very predictable. However, the film is worth watching for the two leads, with Stephen Graham as the dad/kidnapper/jailer and Anson Boon as the punk imprisoned and subjected to constant brainwashing. Stephen Graham has just the right amount of creepiness, making his character seem sincerely nuts while also showing a bit of caring. Anson Boon is perfect as the young man who thinks he can live forever and get away with anything he wants to, including violence. Boon keeps the film moving, and we never know when he will erupt and unleash the retribution he promises. Still, the film feels stunted in its character background, and we never find out why the whole family accepts the kidnapping. We just know that Tommy will never change. Or will he?  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Heel Website  Now playing in select theaters and available to rent on some streaming platforms.

My Rating: Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man  (2026) R Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is set in 1940 Birmingham, amidst the chaos of World War II. Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy), against his better judgment, has returned to face his own demons and choose between confronting his legacy or destroying it. This is a must-see for fans of the TV series, but if you haven’t seen the TV program, you can still get the gist of the plot pretty easily. This is a wonderful and interesting character study of two men: Tommy, who has lost everyone he cares about, and Tommy’s son, Duke (Barry Keoghan), who has taken over the Peaky Blinders gang. Duke is trying to make his own way in the world, but he's making some risky decisions that will have major consequences. Tommy has escaped into the countryside and is writing his memoirs. Two people show up to convince Tommy to save his son from a major mistake. His sister, Ada (Sophie Rundle), pleads for him to come back with little result, and Kaulo (Rebecca Ferguson), the twin sister of Duke’s mom, who was the love of Tommy’s life. Kaulo, though some seducing and Romani Gypsy logic, convinces Tommy to come back. Now the question is, can he reach Duke in time, and will Duke betray him? The film is a blast to watch, as Cillian Murphy does what he does best: brood and be imposing. Adding to the mix is Keoghan, who plays the wild-card kid perfectly, whose choice we don’t know what it will be or when he will erupt. This is a perfect companion to the series, and even if you don’t know the story, the film’s storyline and performances will keep you on the edge of your seat.  My Rating: Full Price  Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man Website   Now in select theaters and on Netflix on Friday, March 20, 2026

Forgotten Film:  Best in Show (2000) PG-13  A behind-the-scenes mockumentary about what goes on in the cut-throat world of competitive dog shows. We follow a group of dog owners who are willing to do anything to ensure that their pampered canines have every chance of winning. Directed by Christopher Guest and co-written by Guest and Eugene Levy (though much of the film features improvised dialogue), the film is a hilarious look at a special group of people who believe their dogs are better than even they are. I picked this film out because, even though it has an all-star cast, the late Catherine O’Hara stands out as Cookie Fleck, the co-owner with her husband, Gerry (Eugene Levy), of their dog, Winky. Cookie, it seems, has slept with everyone at the show with the possible exception of her husband. O’Hara’s performance is a masterclass in how to deliver comedy with such ease and is a delight to watch. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Best in Show Info The film is available on most streaming platforms.

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Bride!: Special wigmaker to The Bride

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: They Will Kill You (2026)  R  A young woman (Zazie Beetz) takes a job as a housekeeper at a NYC high-rise that has a history of mysterious disappearances. She soon realizes that the high-rise is a deathtrap, and she is its latest victim. They have no idea who they hired, but the high-rise is about to find out. Zazie has been on a hot streak with her Supporting Actress Emmy nod in the TV series Atlanta, and films like Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, and Joker: Folie a Deux.  They Will Kill You Website The film will be in theaters on Friday, March 17, 2026

Until Next Time!

M3GAN

My View: M3GAN (2023) PG-13 Gemma (Allison Williams), a robotics engineer, suddenly becomes a caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet McGraw). Gemma realizes she is unprepared to be a parent and decides to pair her robotic companion prototype M3GAN with Cady. It’s a pairing that will become deadly. January is usually a place where horror films go to die. It’s a time when studios look to make a quick buck on a low-budget scary film before the serious competition comes back to the theatre. That’s why M3GAN is such a surprise! It’s a film that has fun with what it is trying to do, making a horror film about a creepy doll that is scary just to look at her. Full of humor and some cool special effects, we have a horror star who makes Chucky look like an amateur. There are plenty of scares and some unbelievably creepy scenes with M3GAN, like when she dances in the hallway right before killing a few people. M3GAN has some things to say and sing about the state of parenting today while winking at us that this is just a movie, though a scary one. So go meet your new best friend and welcome M3GAN to the family. I guarantee you may think twice about interacting with Alexa or Seri again. And I hope there is a MEGAN4, or would it be M4GAN?   My Rating: Full Price  M3GAN Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: A Man Called Otto (2022) PG-13 Otto (Tom Hanks) is a grumpy old man who just wants to be by himself after the loss of his wife. Otto’s world will be turned upside down by a new family next door and a cat that won’t leave him alone. After two horrible performances in the Robert Zemeckis film Pinocchio as Geppetto and Colonel Tom Parker in Elvis, I was wary of this remake of a two-time Oscar-nominated Swedish film called A Man Called Ove. I’m happy to report while not a great movie, this remake is likable, and so is Tom Hanks. Hanks plays a man mourning his wife's death and takes it out on his neighbors or anyone else who disagrees with his viewpoints. Along comes a family that somehow, someway, melts Otto’s heart a bit, and he begins to warm up, though it’s a really slow thaw. The reason to see this film isn’t Hanks and his performance; it's Mariana Treviño, who plays the new neighbor who won’t take Otto being a cranky old man anymore. Treviño is a joy to watch as she brings life to the neighborhood and to the film itself. It’s a magical performance, and I can’t wait to see her in more roles in the future. The film isn’t as good as the original (Ove is much worse as a person than Otto, so the turn is even better), but the film hits all the right spots, and you won’t go away disappointed, though you may need a few tissues a time or two.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  A Man Called Otto Website  Now playing in select theatres and nationwide on Friday, January 13th. 

My View: The Pale Blue Eye (2022) R  In 1830, a former West Point cadet and now detective, Augustus Landor (Christian Bale), is hired to investigate the suicide of a West Point cadet. Augustus discovers this isn’t an ordinary case of suicide and insists on another cadet to help him solve the possible crime. That young cadet’s name is Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling). I enjoyed this film, mostly because I love mysteries that involve famous people (I read a lot of crime novels that do the same thing). The film has plenty of twists and turns to keep you interested, and the interplay between Poe and Landor is fun. It’s hard to upstage Christian Bale, but Harry Melling does a great job creating Poe as a likable character that makes the film work. I thought the cinematography was outstanding, capturing the look and feel of a very cold, dark New England in the 1800s. The final act is a little disappointing, but still, I had a good time trying to figure out the mystery along with Augustus and Edgar.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Pale Blue Eye Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Indiefest: The Old Way (2023) R Colton Briggs (Nicolas Cage) was one of the most feared gunfighters before he decided to hang up his guns and get married. Colton’s past comes back to haunt him when the son of a man Colton killed returns to exact revenge, resulting in the death of Colton’s wife. Accompanied by his daughter, Brooke (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), Colton is on a mission to find his wife's killer and avenge her. I love westerns and Nic Cage, but in this case, the two don’t make for a good picture. The film is about a man who changed his ways due to meeting his wife, and now that she is gone, he has returned to being, as he describes to his daughter, ‘dead inside.’ The film has way too many scenes where the characters sit around and talk, and too few action sequences, making the film feel slow and unmoving. I did like Ryan Kiera Armstrong, the headstrong daughter who talks her way into joining her father on his trip to revenge. Armstrong holds her own in scenes with Cage (not an easy thing to do) and is the bright spot of a film that takes too long to develop.  My Rating: Cable   The Old Way Info  Now playing in select theatres and available On Demand on January 13th.

Forgotten Film: Joe Gould’s Secret (2000) R In 1940, a The New Yorker staff writer, Joseph Mitchell (Stanley Tucci), hears about a man, Joe Gould (Ian Holm), who is writing an Oral History of the World from his over twenty-thousand conversations he’s had and overheard. Joseph is about to meet a man who is many things, but is he a writer or a con man? This is a fascinating film directed by Stanley Tucci about Joseph Mitchell and his meeting a man who will change Joseph’s outlook on life and views of how the world operates. Holm is brilliant in the role of Gould, a man Joseph hopes is telling the truth about his book, but the more he spends with Joe, the less he feels the book is real. The film has an outstanding cast, including Patrias Clarkson, Hope Davis, Susan Sarandon, Sarah Hyland, and Steve Martin.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Joe Gould's Secret Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of M3GAN: Puppet Hair

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Maybe I Do (2023) PG-13 Michelle (Emma Roberts) and Allen (Luke Bracey) have been dating for a while, and they decide it’s time to decide if they should get married or breakup. They invite their parents to meet and help them figure out their relationship. It turns out the parents know each other well, in fact, too well. The cast includes Richard Gere, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, and William H. Macy. That’s enough right there to see this film.    Maybe I Do Info   In theatres late January, 2023.

Until Next Time!

Amsterdam

My View: Amsterdam (2022) R  Set in the tough times after WWI, three friends (Christian Bale, John David Washington, Margot Robbie) witness a murder. They become suspects and, in the attempt to clear their names, uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American History. For a film that boasts 3 Academy Award winners (Christian Bale, Rami Malek, Robert De Niro) and three Oscar nominees (Michael Shannon, Margot Robbie, and writer/director David O. Russell), you would have thought this would be a film for the ages. However, it's a bit of a mess, an enjoyable mess, but still a mess. Based very loosely (and that’s being kind) on a true story, the film tries to show us that history has a way of repeating itself. With a cast this big, it’s hard to stand out, but I must say that Margot Robbie tends to dominate every scene she is in, in a good way. Robbie plays a nurse who gets involved with two soldiers during WWI as they are both recovering from injuries. They become great friends and pledge to always have each other's back, in good times and bad. Fast forward, and the two former soldiers (Bale, Washington) are set up to look like they have murdered a woman. What the two discover is a plot that could have far-reaching consequences, and oh, by the way, that nurse is involved in some way too. Russel seems to have tried to give every actor in this impressive cast something significant to do, that there is the problem. The film gets bogged down in letting every cast member have a moment in the sun. Now, is it worth seeing? Yes, just because everyone looks to be having a great time, including Christian Bale as the soldier who now tries to help his fellow vets, sometimes in unconventional ways. Amsterdam is a film that could have used a few more rewrites and maybe a few less scenes. Disappointing but still watchable.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Amsterdam Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Luckiest Girl Alive (2022) R   Ani (Mila Kunis) has everything going for her, with a great job and a wedding just around the corner. Despite appearances, Ani is harboring a secret. Something in her past could threaten everything she has worked for. It could all unravel before her eyes. When I first started watching this film, I thought it might be going down the horror angle because we constantly see Ani either having flashbacks to some sort of traumatic event or she fantasizes about knives (either bloody ones or her stabbing somebodies hand). However, the film is about dealing with trauma and how people reinvent themselves to deal with their past. In Ani’s case, she is someone who has figured out how to play the rich, even though she isn’t. I think this is the case of where a book (a NY Times best-seller) is probably better left as the written word. The film does a horrible job with the traumatic events that Ani suffers, showing us in too graphic detail what she went through, making those scenes feel like we are a voguer looking on and not someone sympathetic to Ani’s plight. I can’t fault Mila Kunis for the mistakes of the film, as she gives us another one of her multifaceted performances, playing a woman who is sharp, witty, and trying to deal with her ugly past. I just wish the script (written by Jessica Knoll, who also wrote the book) and the director would have taken a more sensitive approach to the subject and not made it feel like another night of watching a true-crime story on TV.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Luckiest Girl Alive Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

My View: Hellraiser (2022) R  A young woman named Riley (Odessa Z’zion) is struggling with addiction, and she comes into possession of an ancient puzzle box. Riley is unaware that if she solves the puzzle, she will unleash an evil that could destroy her and everyone around her. The original Hellraiser came out in 1987 when slasher films with bad guys like Michael and Freddie ruled the horror landscape. Hellraiser was different because the bad guys weren’t some troubled, wronged man from the past but some sort of explorers. Clive Barker, who wrote the book that he then turned into the film, created one of the iconic looking horror icons of all time, Pinhead. I like horror films, and that film was a new take, though an incredibly bloody one, and was worthy of joining the hallowed halls of past scary movies. After numerous sequels, this is a relaunch of the series, and it doesn’t work. The film takes too long to get going, and other than Riley, we don’t care about the people the evil box is targeting. I found that Hellraiser wasn’t scary, just gory, and it never gave me the chills I wanted. Fans of the original, I think, will be disappointed in the new ‘Pinhead’ and its world of blood and guts.   My Rating: Cable  Hellraiser Website  Now playing on the Hulu platform.

My View: Mr. Harrigan’s Phone (2022) PG-13  Craig (Jaeden Martell) befriends an older man named Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland). When Mr. Harrigan dies, Craig has Mr. Harrigan’s phone in his procession. Soon after, Craig is beaten up by a classmate, and Craig calls Mr. Harrigan’s phone just to vent. Then people start dying, and Craig thinks he knows how and why. Based on a Steven King novella, I liked this film, though if you are looking for a movie to scare you, this isn’t one. It reminded me a bit of the Ray Bradbury story Something Wicked This Way Comes, in how the two main characters bond over their love of books and the stories they tell. Craig is a kid who tries to keep a low profile in school, but there is a bully (Cyrus Arnold) who delights in tormenting Craig. When Craig asks Mr. Harrigan how he dealt with bullies, he tells Craig ‘Harshly.’ A foreboding line if there ever was one. Though I was disappointed that it wasn’t scary, I enjoyed this film due to the chemistry between Jaeden Martell and Donald Sutherland, whose character, Mr. Harrigan, reluctantly and slowly takes Craig under his wing. After Mr. Harrigan dies (spoiler alert, not really, the poster has Craig lying on Mr. Harrigan’s grave), things get weird, and the film loses a bit of the momentum it had earlier. Still, Mr. Harrigan's Phone is an enjoyable film about a young man wishing for things that maybe he shouldn’t wish for.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Mr. Harrigan's Phone Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Family Faire:  Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile  (2022)  PG  Lyle the Crocodile (voiced by Shawn Mendes) lives in New York City. He grew up under the care of a wannabe entertainer, Hector P. Valenti (Javier Bardem). After Hector has to get out of town, Lyle is left with the Primm family, helping out with chores and taking the Primm’s young son, Josh (Winslow Fegley), under his wing or should I say, stumpy arm. However, not everyone is happy with Lyle living in the city, and Lyle’s neighbor, Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman), feels Lyle belongs in a zoo. Lyle will do his best to prove to Mr. Grumps that he isn’t as bad as others might think. This is a fun and charming tale of a crocodile who can sing but can’t talk. All Lyle wants to do is belong to someone while doing his favorite thing, singing, and dancing. The songs are a mixture of original and some pop favorites, with the best one a rousing duet between Lyle and Hector, as Hector tries to get Lyle to perform in a theatre. Kids will enjoy Lyle, a ham at heart, and the songs, sung by Shawn Mendes, are catchy. The film falls a bit in the second act, when the bad guy, Mr. Grumps, gets involved with putting Lyle away from his new family, but the big number near the end makes up for it. Overall, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile is a good time; parents will enjoy the music, and the kids will enjoy a rather large crocodile singing his heart out. My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Forgotten Film: Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980) PG   The life of singer Loretta Lynn (Sissy Spacek), who grew up poor, married when she was 13, and had, by age 18, four children. Her husband, Doolittle (Tommy Lee Jones), gave her a guitar, and Loretta began singing songs she wrote about her life. Those songs would propel her into a career that would make her a superstar and one of the country's greatest singer/songwriters. Loretta Lynn died this week, and I thought of this movie where Sissy Spacek gives the performance of a lifetime and an Oscar-winning one to boot. Tommy Lee Jones is perfect as the country-bred man who saw greatness and believed in his wife's talent. Beverly D”Angelo is magical as the legend Patsy Cline, who takes the raw talent of Loretta Lynn under her wing and shows her how to handle fame both on and off stage. Full of beautiful songs, most of which are sung by Spacek, this is a tale of grit, determination, and love. Coal Miner's Daughter is one of those rare films worthy of the great artist it depicts.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Coal Miner's Daughter Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Hellraiser: Gender and Sexuality Consultant 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Menu (2022) R  An obsessed foodie (Nicholas Hoult) and his girlfriend (Anya Taylor-Joy) are a last-minute addition to a trip to a secluded island, where a world-famous chef (Ralph Fiennes) is to serve them the meal of a lifetime. Unfortunately, it just might be their last. The film is from two-time Emmy Award winner Mark Mylod (Succession) and is getting great word of mouth from its screening at the Toronto International Film Festival.    The Menu Website  Scheduled to be released in Mid-Nov. 2022.

Until Next Time!

Breaking

My View: Breaking (2022) PG-13   Brian (John Boyega) is a Marine war veteran who faces the mental and emotional challenges of returning to civilian life. Conversely, Brian is at a breaking point, both financially and mentally. Something has to go his way. Sometimes a performance overcomes a weak script, which is the case with Breaking. Based on a true story, John Boyega gives an outstanding and moving performance as the troubled vet who just wants the money the government has promised him to be put back into his bank account. Brian is a disturbed man who has never adjusted back into civilian life after a stint in the Marines. He is a good man but troubled just the same, someone, who loves his daughter but has too many demons to fit into this world. The film is greatly helped by powerful performances by the late Michael K. Williams as a hostage negotiator and Nicole Beharie as the branch manager of the bank that Brian is holding hostage. The film is based on a true story, much like the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon that starred Al Pacino, but this film doesn’t quite have the emotional impact that the Pacino film hit us with. Breaking, while its heart is in the right place and has some powerful performances, it never gives us enough of Brian’s inner torment to understand the pain he was under to do something so bold and doomed.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Breaking Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Samaritan (2022) PG-13   It’s been twenty years since super-powered vigilante Samaritan was killed in a fiery warehouse battle. Since then the city has declined to the brink of chaos and needs a savior. Thirteen-year-old Sam (Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton) is convinced that Samaritan didn’t die but went into hiding and is his mysterious and reclusive neighbor Mr. Smith (Sylvester Stallone). I have always been a fan of Stallone, and I have enjoyed some of his choices in the last few years. While not a great film, I did enjoy the movie because of the chemistry that Walton and Stallone had on the screen. Stallone plays a man who just wants to live his life in the shadows, but heroes can’t always choose to stay there. Mr. Smith becomes involved with Sam’s life not because he wants to but because he has to. It’s in Smith’s blood to do the right thing and stand up for the kid, even if it means he will reveal his true super-human self. The plot is a little sketchy, with a crime boss discovering a long-lost tool of Samaritan’s alter-enemy, Nemesis, and deciding to take over the streets using Nemesis's weapon and identity. The action is sometimes a bit ragged, but I loved that Stallone is playing a superhero that needs to take a breather from time to time before continuing the battles with evil. Samaritan has a few nice twists and turns, and though the CGI of a youthful Stallone doesn’t work at all, it’s a fun film to watch.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Samaritan Website  Now playing on the Amazon Prime platform.

Indiefest: Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022) R  Alithea (Tilda Swinton) is a world-renowned scholar specializing in myths and legends. While in Istanbul, Alithea buys a small lidded jar in a local shop. When cleaning it, the lid comes off, and a magical Djinn (Idris Elba) appears with an offer to grant her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. If this film had ended about 2/3 of the way through, I would probably be putting Three Thousand Years of Longing in my top ten films of the year. The film is filled with beautiful stories (think 1001 Arabian Nights) as the Djinn tells his story to Alithea as she ponders what three wishes she would like. It’s a magical tale that the Djinn weaves as we discover who has imprisoned him in the bottle and why. The film is filled with beautiful scenes, flowing with lush landscapes of magnificent palaces and tales of intrigue and lost loves. Unfortunately, the film can’t sustain the magic throughout, and the last third of the film is a bit of a letdown (which I won’t go into, so I don’t give away too much of the story). Let’s say that when the Djinn is weaving his tales of mystery and magic, it’s worth going on the journey with him. It’s always sad when reality seeps its way into fantasy.   My Rating: Full Price   Three Thousand Years of Longing Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Alienoid (2022)   Two swordsmen are on a search for a legendary blade that is said can bend time. They are about to encounter people from the future chasing after an alien prisoner who has escaped and could alter the world's fate. Ok, so this film is a combination of martial arts film and sci-fi film. It has time travel, aliens, robots, space ships, wizards, gunfights, flying kung fu battles, and some kung fu cats (sort of). What more could you ask for? The film is almost impossible to explain, but I can say that it travels back and forth between present day and the 1300s. There is some humor, lots of fight sequences, including battles between aliens and robots, and of course, humans versus humans with lots of jumping in the air and magical fans. I had fun watching this wild film that seems not to care how much they throw into the plot, as this is part one of a two-part series. Both parts have already been filmed, and a bonus scene at the end of the first credits gives you a taste of what is coming in part two. So if you like martial arts and robots, Alienoid is for you.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Alienoid Website  Now playing in select theatres.

My View: Running With the Devil: The Wild World of John McAfee (2022): Documentary about John McAfee, best known for developing the first commercial anti-virus software. He later ran for president and was wanted for murder and tax evasion at the time of his death by suicide. Or was he murdered? This is one of those films where you wanted more. I wanted more background on John. I wanted to know more about why he did what he did or didn’t do. Instead, we got a travelogue of a man who was nuts, full of drugs and alcohol. Watching the film, I could never get a handle on what John claimed. Why was he on the run, and why did he do what he did? We don’t get much information on what happened with the murder of a neighbor of John. In fact, we don’t get a lot of information about just about anything. This is more of a story of the men who tried to document John’s attempt to escape than to document what John did or didn’t do, and that’s the frustrating part of this film. I understand that we may never get all the answers, but this film never even tries to answer anything other than that it was nuts being on a camera crew around John. That’s not enough to make a movie interesting or enjoyable (in a macabre way). Instead, it makes it one frustrating and maddening ride about the people who shot the footage and not about the subject that wanted desperately to be the center of the story. My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Running With the Devil Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

My View: Me Time (2022) R  Sonny (Kevin Hart) is a husband and a dad to a loving family. When his wife takes the kids on a trip, Sonny finds that he is alone for the first time in a long time. He decides for some ‘me time and reconnects with a long-lost friend (Mark Wahlberg). It’s a wild week Sonny will never forget. Me Time is one of those movies I call a ‘Watch film.’ It’s a film that I keep looking at my watch, wanting to know how soon it will end and being disappointed that the film still has many more minutes before its end. First off, it takes forever for the film to get moving, as we get so much setup to the story that it drags the film down from the beginning. Sonny is a stay-at-home dad, overly involved with his kids’ lives, while his wife is a successful architect who has a client that Sonny is worried is too interested in his wife to be real without other motives. In walks Huck, played by Mark Wahlberg, a wealthy playboy known for his wild and adventurous birthday extravaganzas. Sonny decides to take Huck up on his offer, and the high jinks occur. If you think vomiting, using buckets for bathrooms, running over animals, and people taking their clothes off for no reason, then you will enjoy this film. For the rest of us, as I did, you will be looking at your watch; asking when is this going to end. The answer: not soon enough.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Me Time Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Funny Pages (2022) R  Robert (Daniel Zolghadri) is a seventeen-year-old who decides to quit high school and go out into the real world to become a comic book artist. Robert is about to meet a group of people that could either change his world or make him go back to his parent's house. This was a tough film to watch. Filled with characters right out of an R. Crumb comic and takes a very dark and rough look at a kid who desperately wants to be a comic book artist but loses the one person that believed in him. Robert is a character you don’t like, almost from the beginning, who thinks too highly of himself and not about anyone else. It’s a bizarre film, filled with people you wouldn’t want to spend any time with. Too often, the filmmaker goes overboard trying to shock or show you something revolting, making it a very uncomfortable film to watch. I can’t even recommend this film to comic book fans, as it tends to hate the people who love the medium. For that reason, I can’t recommend it to anyone.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Funny Pages Website  Now playing in select theatres and On Demand.

My View: The Invitation (2022) PG-13  Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) has discovered through a DNA test that she has a long-lost cousin, who, after meeting her, invites her to a lavish wedding in England. Evie is about to discover that her new-found family has deep dark secrets. I liked this film because it reminded me of the old Hammer horror films of the 70s, with a creepy mansion full of dark hallways, some suspect relatives lurking about, and a possible romantic partner (Thomas Doherty) that seems too good to be true. The film needed a few more scares to make you put yourself on the edge of your seat, but I loved the setup and the stuffy British relatives, especially ice queen Viktoria (Stephanie Corneliussen). Nathalie Emmanuel does a fine job as the woman who could quickly be in a lot of trouble. I especially enjoyed the ending, and I think you will have a bloody good time. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Invitation Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Forgotten Film: Auggie Rose (Beyond Suspicion) (2000) R John (Jeff Goldblum) is a successful insurance salesman whose life takes a drastic turn when he witnesses the death of a grocery store worker named Auggie, who dies in his arms. John decides to investigate the man’s life and soon assumes his identity, taking the place of a man many didn’t know. Along the way, he meets the man’s girlfriend (Anne Heche), who only knows Auggie through his letters. John goes deeper and deeper into Auggie’s life, and it's one that is full of secrets and hidden dangers. I am a big fan of the late Anne Heche, and she gives one of her better performances as the woman who loved Auggie without really knowing him. Auggie Rose is a moving and thoughtful film that questions what we are doing with our lives. Note that the film was released on DVD under the title Beyond Suspicion after its theatrical release.   My Rating: Full Price   Auggie Rose Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Three Thousand Years of Longing: Octopus Wranglers

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Amsterdam (2022) R  Set in the 1930s, three friends (Christian Bale, John David Washington, Margot Robbie) witness a murder. They become suspects and, in the attempt to clear their names, uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American History. You look at the cast and then see that it’s been written/directed by David O. Russell (American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook), and you go; yes, I want to see this! In fact, please give it to me now!   Amsterdam Info

Until Next Time!

The Bad Guys

Familyfaire: The Bad Guys (2022) PG   The Bad Guys is about a gang of master thieves led by the Big Bad Wolf (voiced by Sam Rockwell). When the gang is caught trying to steal a priceless award, Professor Marmalade (voiced by Richard Ayoade) vows to turn the gang into ‘The Good Guys.’ Undoubtedly, Wolf and his gang will turn the attempt into another way to steal the award back. I liked the Ocean’s Eleven aspects of the plot with slow motion and split screens, and I loved Craig Robinson’s Shark character, who though a giant shark, is a master of disguise. Kids will love the not stop action and the silly characters, though I quickly got tired of the farting piranha. There is enough substance to the plot, including a very cool twist at the end, to keep parents from getting bored. Overall, not a bad way to spend some time with a motley group of thieves led by a big, bad wolf who has a weakness for a little kitty.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Bad Guys Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

My Take: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent   (2022) R  A cash-strapped Nicolas Cage (yes, that Nic Cage) has decided to retire from acting and agrees to make an appearance for 1 million dollars at a billionaire’s (Pedro Pascal) birthday party. It gets complicated when Nic learns that the billionaire is not only a fan but is a drug kingpin, and the CIA wants Nic to spy on him and save a kidnapped teenager. I am a big fan of Nicolas Cage (having discovered him in a Forgotten FIlm of mine, Valley Girl), and I love it when actors aren’t too full of themselves to be able to make fun of their personas. Well, Mr. Cage, I salute you. Unbearable Weight is a fun film full of letting Nic Cage be Nic Cage. If you are a fan of any of his movies, this is one for you. There are constant references to Cage’s films, both good and bad. Pedro Pascal is hilarious as the billionaire with a Nic Cage crush. The scenes where Cage and Pascal go to town while on LSD had me constantly cracking up. The plot is a little silly, and I had a tough time with Tiffany Haddish’s over-the-top portrayal of a CIA agent who forces Cage to become a spy looking for a kidnapped girl. However, this is too much fun of a film to be ruined by one bad performance. So go and take a ride on the Nicolas Cage experience. You won’t be disappointed.   My Rating: Full Price   The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

My Take: Polar Bear (2022) PG  Polar Bear is about a new mother as she raises her cubs in a world that has become increasingly hard due to the polar bears shrinking habitat. I am going to warn you right off the bat that you will need some tissues while watching this film. Nature can be cruel, and this film is about how polar bears are quickly losing their habitat, and very soon, if things don’t change, they won’t be able to survive. Yes, there are some beautiful shots of the two cubs playing with each other in the snow and scenes where we see just how much the mother loves her cubs. And there is a wonderful scene where two adult bears play and dance about on the snow and ice. But, and this is big, there is also hardship and death, where the film doesn’t pull any punches in its hard-hitting reality. The film is beautifully narrated by Catherine Keener, who lets us experience the movie through the eyes of one of the young cubs as they grow up under the protection and guidance of their fierce but loving mother. Polar Bear is a film that will touch your heart and maybe, just maybe, inspire you to help protect these magnificent creatures. My Rating: Full Price   Polar Bear Website  Now playing on the Disney+ platform.

My Take: The Northman  (2022) R   The Northman is a tale about a Viking prince, Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård), who, after years away, has come back to avenge his father’s (Ethan Hawke) death and rescue his mother (Nichole Kidman). Filmmaker Robert Eggers is known for making films that are a little strange, a little weird. I was expecting a whole lot of strange, but instead, I got a fantastic Norse tale that has some magic and a few horse-riding gods, but overall it’s a bloody story of revenge and fate, with a little bit of Shakespeare thrown in. Alexander Skarsgård fills the screen with his hulking body as he fights his way, one bloody step at a time, to get revenge on his father’s brother, who killed his father, stole his crown, and took Amleth's mother as his bride. Amleth witnesses all this as a boy, and as he escapes, he vows revenge. We skip to years later, and Amleth is on the search for his mother and his uncle. Along the way, he meets a slave, Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy), who is eager to help Amleth in his quest, and little by little, Amleth starts killing his uncle's tribe, all the while hiding out as a slave. The Northman is a magical tale full of blood and chopped-off heads, along with a healthy dose of Viking lore and a landscape that is beautiful but harsh. The fight sequences are savage, and the revenge is ruthless, but so are the people that inhabit this world. This is a tale of one man’s obsession and how far he will go for that revenge he can almost smell and taste.    My Rating: Full Price  The Northman Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Forgotten Film: Birth (2004) R   It’s been ten years since losing her husband, Sean, to a heart attack while jogging, and now Anna (Nicole Kidman) is about to get re-married. At the party to celebrate a family birthday, a mysterious young boy shows up uninvited and tells everyone that he is Sean, Anna’s late husband. And so starts the strange and captivating film Birth. As you can imagine, Anna is so slow to believe that her husband has been reincarnated into this little boy, but as she gets to know the new ‘Sean,’ she learns that he knows facts about her and her family that only the original Sean could know. The question is, will you, the viewer believe that Sean the boy is Sean the husband. Kidman gives a spectacular performance of a woman who loved her first husband and wants that feeling to return. Cameron Bright is convincing as Sean, who takes his place in the world very seriously and wants Anna back in his life. Birth is a film that takes a turn near the end that may or maybe not answer all your questions.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Birth Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Bad Guys: Wolf’s Car Design

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is trying to deal with the aftermath of the Avengers' battle with Thanos. Should he retire and give up being a superhero? But there is a new foe to fight, Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), and Thor asks his friends to help take down Gorr, who intends to make the gods extinct. Directed by Taika Waititi, appearances by the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Christian Bale? I think that’s enough to see this next Marvel film, don’t you?   Thor: Love and Thunder Website

Until Next Time!

Ford v Ferrari

My View:  Ford v Ferrari (2019) PG-13   Legendary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) is hired by the Ford Motor Company to create a race car that can take on the seemingly to defeat Ferrari racing team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Against Ford’s wishes, he hires the brash and outspoken driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) to drive the car. Can Shelby manage Mlle’s temper long enough to win the race? One of the best films of the year and maybe the finest racing film of all time. The plot is expertly laid out with the two leads at the top of their game, and the racing sequences are thrilling to watch. At no time does this film feel like a movie that is over two and a half hours in length. I loved the relationship that Miles has with both his wife (played by Caitriona Balfe) and his son (Noah Jupe), making Miles a man that you can root for from the start. Damon, as the brash and bold Shelby, holds his own with Cable on the screen, and their fight scene, while Miles’s wife looks on from a lawn chair in the front yard, is one of the highlights of the movie. Even if you aren’t a racing fan, you will love this film for its deep and complex characters and their ever-evolving relationships.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Ford v Ferrari Website

My View: The Irishman (2019) R   The story of Frank “The Irishman’ Sheeran (Robert De Niro) who went from a truck driving WWII vet to the right-hand man of the Bufalino crime family. Sheeran’s claim in the later years was that he was the hitman that killed his long-time friend Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), the former president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who mysteriously vanished in 1975. Director Martin Scorsese brings us another gem of a film. This isn’t a film that glamorizes the mob life like The Godfather, Goodfellas or Casino. This is a movie about the dark, bloody life of a man who, through good luck and bravado, makes it to be the right-hand man of a mob boss and a close friend of one of the most powerful men in the country in Teamsters boss Hoffa. Much has been made of the CGI effects used to ‘de-age’ De Niro and Joe Pesci (playing mob boss Russell Bufalino) for a good third of the film, but you very quickly accept it, and it never interferes with the flow of the movie. The performances in this film are just draw-dropping good, and while the film is three and a half hours long, you never notice or feel the length of the movie. I can’t stress how powerful and sometimes moving this film is. Note that while this film is based loosely on real events, don’t believe everything you see actually happened, especially with the death of Hoffa. I think we can allow a master filmmaker like Scorsese to have a little fun with history to create a film that is an instant classic in the making.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    The Irishman Website

My View: Charlie’s Angels (2019) PG-13   A systems engineer, Elena (Naomi Scott), joins Jane (Ella Balinska) and Sabina (Kristen Stewart) to work for the mysterious Charles Townsend. The Townsend Agency is guided by multiple Bosleys (Elizabeth Banks, Patrick Stewart, Djimon Hounsou) to stop the world’s mastermind criminals. Can we please stop making films about crappy TV series from the past? The film is a bloated mess of a movie that has plot twists that you see almost from the start of the movie. Other than Patrick Stewart (who chews up scenery like he hasn’t acted in ten years), Kristen Stewart looks like the only actor in this cast that is having a good time making this film. Djimon Hounsou is absolutely wasted in a small role, and Elizabeth Banks acts like she is in a bad 70s cop show, which is what this film is based on. The film is summed up by a dance sequence near the end of the film that Balinska and Stewart join in on, somehow knowing all the intricate dance moves that contribute nothing to this film but making the running time pad out to almost two hours. If Charlie calls, don’t answer the phone. If you make it to the end, there are bonus scenes during the credits, which a bunch of cameos.   My Rating: Cable    Charlie's Angels Website

My View: The Good Liar (2019) R   Career con artist Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen) meets wealthy widow Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren) in an online dating service, and he can’t believe his luck. He begins a courtship with the intent of milking her dry, but he never thought for a moment that he would start to have feelings for her. The performances of McKellen and Mirren can’t overcome a weak plot whose major twist is seen almost from the start of the film. I wish that director Bill Condon and screenwriter Jeffrey Hatcher gave us a much more vibrant and complex plot, but the film finds its self in a corner at the end of the movie that it quite can’t get out of. I hate it when films let down the actors, especially ones of this talent, but The Good Liar can’t overcome its attempt to fool us.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Good Liar Movie

Indiefest: The Warrior Queen of Jhansi (2019) R  Rani Lakshmibai (Devika Bhise) must rise up and lead her people to take on the formidable British East India Company when it threatens her family and her country with expansion. I saw the trailer of this film and thought it might be a cool film to check out, a warrior queen who leads a group of women warriors to take on the mighty British empire. Unfortunately, this film feels like a poorly made TV docudrama, with long periods of people discussing how to put down the rebellion. The action sequences are too far, and few between and aren’t very exciting. The left me wanting more of this story, never quite delivering what it promised.  My Rating: Cable    The Warrior Queen of Jhansi Website

Indiefest: Frankie (2019) PG-13   Three generations deal with life-changing experiences during one day on vacation in Sintra, Portugal, a historic town known for its water that heals. I enjoyed the performances in this film, especially Isabelle Huppert, who plays the title role, a world-famous actress and the matriarch of the family, and Marisa Tomei, a friend of Frankie who has come to spend time with Frankie and her family. This is a film that is all about conversations between a lot of miserable people. There are a few really touching moments, especially between Brendan Gleeson, who plays Frankie’s devoted and loving husband, and Huppert, a woman who wants to plan out everything in her life and usually gets her way. Spend the day in the beautiful countryside, getting to know this strange and troubled family.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Frankie Website

Indiefest:  Light from Light (2019) A single mom and part-time paranormal investigator, Shelia (Marin Ireland), is asked to look into a possible ‘haunting’ at a widower’s (Jim Gaffigan) home. I really enjoyed this small, quiet film about a mother and son, Owen(Josh Wiggins). While the paranormal aspect of the film is part of the story, the heart of the film is how the mother, son, and the widower are dealing with loss. Marin Ireland gives a multi-layered performance of a mom who may have the gift of being able to contact ghosts but is more concerned about how the widower is dealing with the loss of his wife. Josh Wiggins gives a winning performance as the son who is slow to develop his friendship with Lucy (Atheena Frizzell), a fellow student who shows all the signs that she wants to be more than friends with Owen. Jim Gaffigan gives a moving and restrained performance as the grieving widow who wants to know if his wife really is a ghost in his house or is it all in his imagination. This is a film that I savored every moment it was on the screen and loved getting to know the characters in the movie, pleased in the end how everything turned out.   My RatingRating: Full Price    Light from Light Website

Forgotten Film:  Eureka (1983) R   In the 20s, a prospector, Jack McCann (Gene Hackman), finds a gold mine through mysterious ways. He becomes the richest man in the world, but money can’t always buy happiness. Boasting an all-star cast that includes Theresa Russell, Rutger Hauer, Mickey Rourke, and Joe Pesci, this film is a wild ride of a movie that is part reality and part fantasy. Your job as a viewer is to figure out which part is real and which is fantasy. Hackman is fantastic as the role of a man whose life hasn’t turned out the way he wanted it to, and Theresa Russell is brilliant as his troubled daughter who has fallen for the wrong man (Hauer). This isn’t a great film, but man is it fun to watch Hackman just go nuts with the role.    My View: Bargain Matinee    Eureka Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Charlie’s Angels: Chaperon: Turkey

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Jumanji: The Next Level (2019) PG-13 The gang (Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan) is back, and this time it’s a rescue mission. In order to escape the most dangerous game, they will have to go into an unknown country full of arid deserts and snowy mountains. The first film was an unexpected pleasure, so let's hope two times a charm.    Jumanji: The Next Level Website

Until Next Time!