Disclosure Day

My View: Disclosure Day  (2026)  PG-13   Disclosure Day follows Daniel (Josh O’Connor), a cybersecurity expert who has access to long-held government secrets about extraterrestrial life. As it becomes evident that an alien presence is on Earth, Margaret (Emily Blunt), a local TV meteorologist, starts speaking an alien language during a live telecast. Steven Spielberg has always been fascinated by the possibility that aliens have been visiting Earth for quite some time. Daniel is our hero, a man who decides that the world should know that we are not alone in this universe, and he has proof that the government has known for over 75 years. Like Close Encounters and E.T., this is a film about one person who goes against big government and feels it’s his duty to the world to let everyone know that extraterrestrials are real. The government and a secret organization are convinced that if this information gets out, the world will go into chaos, and our lives will fall apart. What Spielberg does so well is get us to back Daniel and want him to succeed against all odds. This is a wonderful cat-and-mouse chase film, filled with car chases, big brother constantly just around the corner, and our hero, along with his loyal girlfriend and a new recruit in a shell-shocked weather caster, tries to find a way to broadcast their findings before being caught, or worse, being killed. The best thing about this film is Emily Blunt's performance, who once again shows she has the acting chops to play comedy and drama in the same film. It’s a brilliant performance (though I have some trouble with her choice of voices for Margaret, who sounds 20 years younger) and brings a lightness to the story sorely needed when things seem hopeless. This is a film that doesn’t feel anywhere close to its almost two-and-a-half-hour runtime. The film moves constantly from scene to scene as Daniel and, soon, Margaret are on the run, barely escaping the big bad government bad guys, led by a creepy performance from Colin Firth. I think anyone who has an interest in the possibility of alien life will absolutely go nuts for this film. Everyone else will be just on board for a great time. You don’t have to believe in aliens to enjoy Disclosure Day, but you do have to believe in the goodness of humanity to enjoy its ending.  My Rating: Full Price  Disclosure Day Website  Now playing in theaters everywhere

My View:  The Furious  (2025)   R  Set in Hong Kong, The Furious follows Wang Wei (Xie Miao), a mute tradesman whose life is shattered when he witnesses his daughter, Rainy, being kidnapped by an international human trafficking syndicate. He goes on a one-man rescue mission to save her and then finds an ally in an undercover journalist who is trying to find his wife, who is also missing from the same gang. I became a fan of Kung Fu films when, as the newest member of the film department of a TV station, I was given the job of editing for time and content our weekly Kung Fu Theater films. The genre has gone from campy and exploitative to films like The Raid or John Wick, where the action sequences are so well done that they dazzle you with speed and sequences that seem to go on forever. Along comes The Furious, which starts out as a father/daughter film and soon becomes a quest to utterly destroy an entire network of badges. Our hero Wang Wei (played by the incredibly athletic Xie Miao) is joined by a chain-smoking reporter, Navin (Joe Taslim), who is Wang Wei’s equal in martial arts. There is an extensive scene in a nightclub where, unbeknownst to each other, both men have gone to find a way to get information from the bad guys and locate their loved ones. The two separately fight countless attackers and then end up inside the bowels of the club, and start fighting each other until the reporter sees the picture of Wang Wei’s daughter and realizes that the two are out for the same thing. This is an incredibly violent film (I saw a father and young son leave very early in our screening) where bones are constantly being broken, and heads are being smashed with sledgehammers. The fight sequences are off-the-wall amazing, and there is a scene where Wang Wei fights what seems like a never-ending group of bad guys in a mixed martial arts ring, as he continually climbs above the bodies that are piling up beneath him. The audience at the screening I saw the film at was cheering and screaming with glee at some of the action sequences, including a huge bad guy who keeps showing up and fighting anyone within reach. If John Wick or The Raid films are your sweet spot, then this is a film you don’t want to miss. For action fans, this is a smorgasbord of flying bodies and bones being broken by the ton, and is not to be missed.   My Rating: Full Price  The Furious Website Now playing in theaters

My View:  Stop! That! Train!  (2026)  R  Stop! That! Train! follows best friends Tess (Ginger Minj) and DeeDee (Jujubee), train stewardesses facing unruly passengers, snooty first-class attendants, and a catastrophic storm. Together with the President (RuPaul), they must stop a runaway, high-speed train, all while keeping their mascara from running. It is very obvious that the cast was having a blast while making this film. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the audience. Although the jokes come fast and furious, the humor is lacking throughout. Most of the jokes fall incredibly flat, and the attempts at physical humor just fall, or should I say fail. I am sure fans of RuPaul and the Drag Race TV show will have fun for a while watching a ton of drag performers cascade across the screen, but I just wanted it to be funnier. There are a couple of funny running gags, one of which features Sarah Michelle Gellar and one where one of the flight attendants keeps having fantasy moments about the hunky pilot of the plane, which work really well. I just wish the rest of the script had kept that momentum going. The comedy runs out of steam long before the end. There are some outtakes and a few surprises during the credits.My Rating: Cable   Stop! That! Train! Website  Now playing in theaters 

Forgotten Film:  Lady Snowblood  (1973) In order to place blame on tax collectors, 5 people from a small village attack a family. They kill the father and daughter and then rape the mother. That mother, while in prison, then gives birth to a daughter and curses her to get revenge on the 5 people who attacked the family. The daughter, Yuki (Meiko Kaji), trains for twenty years with an assassin and then sets out to find and kill the 5 people responsible for the deaths of her parents. After the success of the Lone Wolf and Cub samurai series, the studio decided to make a samurai film with a female lead. Like the Lone Wolf films, the violence is filled with arms being chopped off and blood spurting everywhere. Yuki uses the idea that she can go just about anywhere without worrying that people will figure out she is on a mission to kill. The film’s action sequences are not quite up to par with the Lone Wolf films, but they are still fun to watch, and it is filled with some outrageous characters. The film has a bit of a surprising finish. This was definitely a film that not only inspired Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill series, but Tarantino also featured the music from Lady Snowblood (sung by the lead actress Kaji) in the films.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Lady Snowblood Info   Lady Snowblood is available on most streaming services

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Furious: Washroom Attendants

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Girls Like Girls  (2026) R  Girls Like Girls takes place in rural Oregon, where Coley (Maya da Costa), a 17-year-old, is dealing with the death of her mother. Things look up when she meets the ever-popular Sonya (Myra Molloy), and the two quickly become friends. Coley realizes she is having stronger feelings for Sonya than Sonya will admit. The film is co-written and directed by Hayley Kiyoko, adapted from her best-selling book, which was an adaptation of a song with the same title she recorded in 2015.   Girls Like Girls Website  In theaters on Friday, June 19, 2026.

Until Next Time!

Firestarter

My View: Firestarter (2022) R   As a result of a secret government experiment, a young girl, Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), has gained the power to start fires with her mind. Subsequently, Charlie is now being hunted by a group named The Shop, but Charlie isn’t going without a fight. It’s sad when the only positive thing you can say about a movie is that the film's score was enjoyable (by Halloween director John Carpenter, no less). The 1984 film starring Drew Barrymore and a host of early 80s icons (with a rare motion picture appearance by Heather Locklear) was a lousy film, and this remake doesn’t improve on the storyline one bit. The plot is pretty much the same (there are a few changes to try to update it) that don’t make any difference to us caring about any character in the film. Ryan Kiera Armstrong does, from time to time, looks a little like Barrymore, but that doesn’t help her center a picture where we don’t care if little Charlie gets found or not. The bad guys of the film, Gloria Reuben as the Captain (of what, I don’t know) who chews up the scenery at a regular interval and Michael Greyeyes, as a mysterious bounty hunter who kills without any plan, are toothless and not at all scary. Firestarter is supposed to be a horror film, but it comes off as even more boring than the original film, which was, I thought, impossible. There is a reason why the studio did not give film critics a screening and only offered screener access after it had premiered on the Peacock platform. I would light a fire to burn this film to the ground, but I am all out of lighter fluid, much like the film.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again    Firestarter Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide and on the Peacock platform.

My View:  Senior Year  (2022) R   Stephanie (Rebel Wilson) is a high-school student who, after a cheerleading accident, is left in a coma for 20 years. Now she is awake and ready to return for her senior year of high school…as a 37-year-old. I like Rebel Wilson, and as a side-kick in films like Pitch Perfect and JoJo Rabbit, she has been hilarious and scene-stealing. As a lead actress in such duds as Isn’t It Romantic and The Hustle, she hasn’t shown that she can handle the main spotlight. After taking a few years off to remake herself, now comes Senior Year. Unfortunately, Wilson has picked a film that is dull and unfunny right from the start. The film continually mines the ‘fish out of water’ premise, constantly bringing up horrible references to what was essential to teens 20 years ago with lines about MTV videos or mistaking Lady Gaga for Madonna. The film feels every bit of its hour and fifty-minute runtime taking forever to get going with the plot and running some jokes into the ground(like the fact that the high school is constantly making sure no one is offended by anything, including positive message cheers). I had high hopes when I saw the trailer, but now, I wish that Stephanie had stayed in the coma a bit longer for the writers to work on the script.    My Rating: Cable   Senior Year Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Happening (2022) R   Anne (Anamaria Vartolomel), a student in 1963 France, is about to finish her studies when she finds out that she is pregnant. Consequently, she decides to abort the baby against the law and goes on a journey to do so in a society that censures women’s rights and desires. I won’t lie to you; this is a tough film to watch as we follow Anne through the weeks of her pregnancy that she is desperate to end with some scenes that will be upsetting to watch. This is a painful and sometimes very graphic and chilling story about a woman who can’t see her future with a baby in tow and finds that everyone, including her friends, abandon her in her time of need. Anamaria Vartolomel is mesmerizing as Anne, letting us see her every emotion on her face, even when trying to be stoic or lying (especially in her moments with her unsuspecting mother). Truly a painful and full of despair look at the plight of a woman whose society has put up so many obstacles to overcome that it seems to be doomed from the start. Happening is an amazing movie that will be talked about for a long time and maybe, just maybe, open some hearts and minds to this complex issue. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again Happening Website   Now playing in select theatres.

My View: Operation Mincemeat (2022) PG-13   In order to try and fool Germany during WWII about the planned Allied invasion of Sicily, a group of intelligence officers come up with a plan to take a deceased man, dress him up as an officer, and place fake plans about an alternate invasion and place him via submarine on the coast where German soldiers can find him. This is based on an incredible true story that saved countless Allied lives by tricking the Germans into thinking Greece was the next invasion target instead of Sicily. The plan is a fantastic bit of deception that worked only because of the brilliance of the people who planned it and then kept working on it, even when others doubted it would succeed. I loved the secondary story of Colin Firth’s character, Ewen Montagu, a married man whose marriage is in trouble and starts working with a brilliant and funny woman, played perfectly by Kelly Macdonald, who is attracted to the dashing Ewen. I also loved that Ian Fleming, the creator of the iconic James Bond books, is a character in the film that always seems to be in the right place at the right time to collect material for his future books. Operation Mincemeat is a spy film where the main spy is a dead man, a remarkable tale about a group of people who created one of the greatest spy tricks of all time.   My Rating: Full Price     Operation Mincemeat Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest:  Monstrous  (2022)  PG-13   Laura (Christina Ricci), traumatized and fleeing from an abusive relationship, who takes her 7-year-old son, Cody (Santino Barnard), to a remote house in the woods. The two should be safe; however, there is something in the pond, a bigger, more terrifying monster than an ex-husband. This is a fun little horror movie that is bolstered by the performance of Christina Ricci and the 1950s setting. Ricci plays a woman who has taken her son to an isolated home in a small town. Her son begins saying that a monster is in the pond and is coming for him. Laura thinks, at first, that Cody is just scared, settling into a new environment, but Laura starts experiencing troubling feelings and sights herself. Like many fifties horror films, there is the conflict of thinking that everything is good and safe in a small town, but as always, there is something evil lurking behind the petticoats and the commercials for dishwashers built with the housewife in mind.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Monstrous Website  Now playing in select theatres and On Demand.

Forgotten Film: A Month in the Country (1987) PG   In the summer of 1919, a battle-scarred veteran, Tom (Colin Firth), comes to a small village to work on restoring a mural that is believed to be hidden inside the thick walls of a medieval era church. While working on finding and repairing the mural, Tom befriends a fellow vet, John (Kenneth Branagh), an archeologist working on a dig nearby. The two develop a friendship, and the two friends begin a long road to recovery with the help of their work, the village, and a vicar’s wife (Natasha Richardson). A Month in the Country is an enjoyable movie about healing and coming to terms with the past. Very early in their careers, the three stars show why they all went on to make their mark on cinema.   My Rating: Full Price   A Month in the Country Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Firestarter: Fire Stunt Safety

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)   Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is an outsider in her community. Kya is called the ‘Marsh Girl’ by the locals since she was abandoned in the marshlands of North Carolina and raised herself to adulthood. Kya begins to explore outside the world of her marsh when a young man she has befriended is found dead and is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect. Now Kay’s life will be under the microscope, and many secrets of the marsh are about to be revealed. Based on the best-selling book by Delia Owens and an up-and-coming star in Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People), this has the makings of a really cool movie to see this summer.     Where the Crawdads Sing Website

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

My View:  Kingsman: The Golden Circle  (2017)  R  After the death of Harry (Colin Firth),  Eggsy (Taron Egerton) is now the main man for the Kingsman. After his headquarters are destroyed, Eggsy, as the new Galahad, heads to America, along with Merlin (Mark Strong) to team up with a group called the Statesman, headed by a man named Champ (Jeff Bridges). Their mission is to stop a drug lord named Poppy (Julianne Moore) and her gang named ‘The Golden Circle.’ I liked the first Kingsman movie (except for the church sequence, which I hated) but this movie never quite captures the fun and magic that one had. I found the film cartoonish and filled with too many characters. Channing Tatum, as a cowboy agent for the Statesman, is just there to be a talking point in the film. Also wasted in the film is Hallie Berry, who plays Merlin’s counterpoint. She is given almost nothing to do in this film, although if there is a third, she might have a bigger part. The film feels every minute of its 2 hours and twenty-minute length. At one point, I looked at my watch thinking we are about to wrap this up, and we still had thirty-five minutes to go. I wanted to have a fun time watching this film. Instead, it just made me miss the Colin Firth performance from the first Kingsman.   My Rating:  Cable   Kingsman: The Golden Circle Website

Family Faire:  The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017)  PG  By day, six young friends are just trying to survive high school, but, at night, they change into ninjas who have been given the task of defending their island home from evil.  This is the third film in the ‘Lego’ series, in which I loved the first, The Lego Movie. While not anywhere near the quality or creativeness of the first film, The Lego Ninjago Movie is a fun watch that kids will eat up. I loved the character voiced by Jackie Chan, Master Wu, who is guiding the six warriors. The warrior getup is fun as they control robots, much like the Power Rangers do, and they are innovative and clever in their appearance and implication. I like the bad guy in this film, Garmadon, who is voiced by Justin Theroux. His character brings quite a bit of humor and makes a worthy opponent to the Ninjas. Be sure to stay through the first batch of credits as there are some humorous outtakes with Jackie Chan.  My Rating: Full Price   The Lego Ninjago Movie Website

My View:  Friend Request  (2016)  R  A college student (Alycia Debnam-Carey) accepts a social outcast’s (Liesl Atlers) online friend request, and soon she finds herself fighting a demonic presence that wants to kill her friends. This is your run-of-the mill, ordinary jump out of the dark, scary movie. It brings nothing new to the horror genre, and the whole movie is so predictable that the only thing that kept me guessing was which friend would die next. The performances are ordinary, and the film never builds the tension that it desperately needs. I like scary movies, just not ones that are this lazy.  My Rating: Cable   Friend Request Facebook Page

Indiefest:  Brad’s Status  (2017)  R  A father, Brad (Ben Stiller), takes his son (Austin Abrams) on a tour of colleges on the East Coast and meets up with an old friend (Michael Sheen) who seems to have everything that Brad wants in life.  Anchored by a dazzling performance by Ben Stiller and a script that is witty and deep, Brad’s Status is a movie that any parent would enjoy. Stiller gives a very subtle and nuanced performance aided with voice overs done by Stiller that give us insight into his characters' thoughts and feelings. Now I will say this: you may want to throttle Stiller’s character, as one of the characters he encounters on the trip points out, Brad does have a good life and should be proud of the son that he has created. Austin Abrams, as the son, has immense chemistry with Ben Stiller, and it makes their scenes together feel real and emotional. This is a fantastic film that sometimes is painful but has love at its core as a father goes through a gamut of emotions when he realizes his role as a parent is changing.  My Rating: Full Price   Brad's Status Website

Indiefest:  Polina  (2016)   A young Russian girl named, Polina (Anastasia Shevtsova), is about to achieve her dream and become a classical ballet dancer at the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet.  She meets a free-spirited Frenchman, and she decides to take a different life path. This is a beautiful and enchanting tale of a young woman trying to, somehow, channel her emotions into her dance routines. Polina is a good dancer, but something is missing that would make her a great dancer. She leaves ballet and Russia to try and find what is missing in her life. The film gives us insight into how a dancer thinks, as we see movement and dance in even the most routine task. The dance sequences are breathtaking, especially one where Polina and her dance partner/lover (Jeremie Belingard) improvise along the banks of a river in Antwerp. It’s a spellbinding and marvelous moment, one where Polina learns to not only feel the moment but also enjoy it. If you love or even just like dance, this is a film that you do not want to miss.  My Rating: Full Price   Polina Website

Indiefest:   Year by the Sea  (2016)  Joan (Karen Allen) decides to part ways with her husband and move to Cape Cod, hoping to reclaim who she was before she got married and had children.  I liked Karen Allen in the role of Joan who feels that, after years of being a wife and mother, she doesn’t know who she is anymore. I also enjoyed that the star of this film is over 60, and the subject matter is aimed at adults. What I didn’t like about this film was the soundtrack that sounded like every bad song from the 70s and dialogue right out of a self-help book. The film moves at a snail’s pace making it feel much longer than its almost two hours in length. I wanted to like this movie but it never delivers its promise. My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Year by the Sea Website

My View:   Stronger (2017)  R  The story of Jeff Bauman (Jake Gyllenhaal), an ordinary man who lost his legs in the Boston Marathon bombing and must start his life again. This is an inspirational film about how hard it is to deal with and recover from such a traumatic event. Jeff gets pulled between his family wishes, who want him to be celebrated as a hero, and Jeff’s needs to get the time to recover. Jake Gyllenhaal gives a complex, moving performance of a man who just wanted to live his life, never asking for the life he gets after the explosion. Tatiana Maslany gives a mesmerizing performance as the on again/off again girlfriend who is thrust into a role that she isn’t prepared to deal with. Some of the best scenes are the ones with Maslany and Gyllenhaal are alone, whether they are quietly loving each other or arguing full out in the car. This is a powerful film that doesn’t sugar coat how hard people have to work after a traumatic event to put their lives back together again.   My Rating:  Full Price   Stronger Facebook Page

Forgotten Film:  General Idi Amin Dada (1974)  Documentary on the murderous ruler of Uganda during the 70s. This is a fascinating film where the subject is an insane, egotistical despot who thinks that agreeing to be the subject of this movie will help the world understand him. This is a rare film where the subject is both intriguing and horrifying at the same time. My Rating: Full Price    General Idi Amin Dada Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Kingsman: The Golden Circle:  Sculptor

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Lucky  (2017)  Lucky (Harry Dean Stanton) is a 90 year-old man who loves his routine. He knows his life is coming to a close, and he begins pondering what his life has meant. This was one of the most talked about films at SXSW, and the late Harry Dean Stanton gives his last performance. I know I won’t be missing this one.   Lucky Website

Until Next Time!

Bridget Jones's Baby

My View:  Bridget Jones’s Baby  (2016) R  Bridget (Renee Zellweger) is 43 and single again after breaking up with long-time boyfriend, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Her fortune seems to change when she meets the handsome American named Jack (Patrick Dempsey).  Nothing, though, is ever easy for Bridget, and, suddenly, she realizes she is pregnant and doesn’t know which of the two men are the father. I enjoyed this funny film, mostly due to the slapstick abilities of Zellweger who is brilliant in this movie. Patrick Dempsey, as the cocksure relationship expert Jack is perfect as the opposite of the restrained and stiff Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy. I was almost on the floor laughing at one scene which involves a revolving door and a very pregnant Bridget. While it doesn’t quite have the charm of the first film, Bridget Jones’s Diary  (2001), it’s still a great addition to the Jones’s film legacy.   My Rating:  Full Price    Bridget Jones's Baby Website

My View:  Blair Witch  (2016) R  After seeing a video of his sister and her experiences in the woods of Blair Witch, James (James Allen McCune) sets out with friends to find his sister.  It could be the last thing he does in his life. If you are prone to motion sickness, then pass this film by because just like the first “found footage” film, The Blair Witch Project (1999), this is a movie that is all hand-held camera-work. Instead of just one camera, this film has more than you can count, including little ear piece cameras and a drone that allow the director, Adam Wingard, to get even more angles to add to the scary parts of the film. Unfortunately, the film comes off as almost a retelling of the first (with just more camera viewpoints), and I never really got scared. The first film was groundbreaking and scary as heck, but this movie comes off as a tired copy.    My Rating:  Cable   Blair Witch Website

My View:  Snowden  (2016) R  Based on a true story of an American computer professional named, Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who believes that the U.S. government was illegally collecting data on its citizens.  Snowden decides to steal classified information from the National Security Agency and release it to the British newspaper, The Guardian. My biggest problem with this film is that about a third of the movie takes place in the hotel room where Snowden hid out while The Guardian was releasing the data. We have already seen these scenes in the Oscar-winning documentary Citizenfour (2014) by Laura Poitras (portrayed in Snowden by Melissa Leo). So why would I want to see a dramatization when I have witnessed the real thing, which by the way had far more tension than Snowden? The film wastes excellent performances by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley. There is also a fun portrayal of a CIA instructor by Nicolas Cage, though his scenes are too few to make any lasting impact. I came away from this film learning very little about Edward Snowden that I didn’t already know. Maybe it’s just too soon to make a movie about things that just went down a few years ago.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Snowden Website

Indiefest:  Kicks  (2016)  R  Brandon (Jahking Guillory) is a 15-year-old boy living in L.A. who dreams of one day owning a pair of Air Jordans.  Brandon is convinced his life will change if he can just make enough money to swing buying the shoes. While he is right, his life isn’t about to get easier but real complicated real after he gets his “kicks.” This is a gritty, tough film to watch due to its hard-hitting portrayal of life in L.A. Be warned - the kids in this movie live a hard, rough and tumble life, filled with violence and alcohol. It’s a tale of revenge and the quest of a young boy to find his place in this world full of hazards. I did like the way the film was broken up into chapters by hip-hop/ rap songs, and the satisfying ending was the best part.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    Kinks Website

Indiefest:  The Hollars  (2016)  PG-13  John Hollar (John Krasinski) is a struggling New York City graphic novelist who is forced to move back home when his mother (Margo Martindale) is diagnosed with a brain tumor. Returning home brings back all the old problems John had with his family and friends before he left for the big city. Complicating matters is his girlfriend (Anna Kendrick), whom he left in New York, just might be pregnant. With a cast that includes Richard Jenkins, Josh Groban, Charlie Day and Sharito Copley, this film should have been better. There are some funny scenes and a few touching ones, but, overall the film never quite finds its footing. Martingale gives a remarkable, moving performance as the mom who holds the family together, and Josh Groban gives a surprisingly winning performance as a youth pastor who helps Copley’s character deal with his failed marriage. Unfortunately, most of the characters come off as very two-dimensional, shallow portraits that don’t help move the story along. This is John Krasinski’s second attempt at directing a feature film (his first was 2009’s Brief Interviews with Hideous Men), and it’s obvious that he needs to work on his directing skills.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Hollars Website

Indiefest:  Demon  (2014)  R  Peter (Itay Tiran) has come from England to Poland to get married to Zaneta (Agnieszka Zulewska). He has been given an old home by his father-in-law, and the wedding ceremony is to take place at the house. One night, Peter finds some old bones buried on the grounds and wakes up in the house with no knowledge of what went on. As the ceremony and the reception go on, the bridegroom becomes possessed by something. It’s a night that the families of this small town will ever forget. This is a strange film that doesn’t always work ( a lot of time is spent leading up to Peter’s possession which slows down the movie). The film is beautifully shot, with lots of strange and creepy shadows contributing to the overall feel of the film. There is an underlying message about giving one's self up to marriage but I never quite figured out what exactly the filmmaker was trying to say. There are a few scary moments but the film never can build momentum, and the ending feels abrupt and unsatisfying.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Demon Info

Forgotten Film:  Nightwatch  (1997)  R  A law student, Martin(Ewan McGregor), takes a job as a night watchman at a morgue.  He finds himself in the midst of a murder mystery, one where he becomes the main suspect. A detective (Nick Nolte) is obsessed with finding the murderer, and he becomes Martin’s only hope. A great cast that includes Josh Brolin, Lauren Graham, and Patricia Arquette make this film a watch, especially with all the twist and creepy turns.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Nightwatch Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Snowden: Dialog Coach: American Accent Rhys Ifans

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Lovers and the Despot  (2016)  Documentary of the story of a famous film director and an equally famous actress who are kidnapped and forced to make films in North Korea for movie-obsessed dictator Kim Jong-il. Having seen the fascinating documentary on North Korea called, “Under the Sun,” I am looking forward to seeing this film.   The Lovers and the Despot Info

Until Next Time!

Finding Dory

Family Faire:  Finding Dory  (2016)   PG  It’s been six months since the gangs last adventure, and suddenly Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) remembers stuff from her childhood. She remembers something about “the Jewel of Morro Bay. Dory takes off on an another adventure with Nemo (Hayden Rolence) and Marlin (Albert Brooks) in tow, this time, to find her family. While not as perfect as Finding Nemo was, it’s still a beautiful, funny and touching film that has an incredibly meaningful message about overcoming disabilities by having faith in yourself and your ability to persevere. Both kids and adults are going to fall in love with this film, and the 3-D animation is worth the extra bucks. There is a whole host of new characters in this movie with Ed O’Neil as a crusty octopus being the standout. This film has lots of heart, and you just might find yourself seeing it more than once. There is a small bonus scene after all the credits, and I really enjoyed the short film, Piper, about a baby bird learning to eat on his own that played before the feature film.   My Rating: Full Price    Finding Dory Website

Indiefest:  Genius  (2016)  PG-13  The story of Max Perkins (Colin Firth), who worked for the famous publishing house Scribner, oversaw  some of the greats writers of all time, including Ernest Hemingway (Dominic West)  and F. Scott Fitzgerald (Guy Pearce.) Now a new author is on the scene, Thomas Wolfe (Jude Law), and Max is going to be challenged like never before. I enjoyed this film about the close and sometimes contentious relationship between brilliant writer and his equally brilliant editor. It’s a unique partnership, and Firth and Law are up to the task. Law portrays Wolfe as a man who is so full of life that he can’t contain himself, Firth portrays Max as an almost the exact opposite, a man who is fully in control of himself and his surroundings, his only quirk is that he rarely takes off his hat. Both men are brilliant in the roles. Law chews up scenery like it’s his passion and that ok for this part, as Wolfe was a larger than life personality that commanded and demanded attention. Firth is perfect as the restrained Max, who only wants his writers to produce their best work and is willing to give it his all to see that they do. My only quibble with this film is the part that Nicole Kidman plays. She portrays the lover and benefactor of Wolfe, and it seems that her part is there only to move to plot along at times or to show what the future of Max’s relationship with Wolfe will be, but that’s a minor aspect of the film. What this movie does the best is show us the incredible talent that Thomas Wolfe had, letting his words just flow on the screen. If you love books and reading, this is a film that you will want to explore. My Rating:  Full Price   Genius Website

Indiefest:  De Palma  (2016)  R  This is a documentary about the writer and director, Brian De Palma, who directed some of the greatest films of the Twentieth century including Carrie and The Untouchables.  I have never been a big fan of Brian De Palma’s movies, though I do like The Untouchables and Sisters is one of my Forgotten Films, but I enjoyed this documentary and found it fascinating as De Palma goes through his entire career. He is extremely frank and probably hurts quite a few filmmakers and especially, some actors feelings. De Palma has always been accused of ripping off the work of Alfred Hitchcock and in this film he basically says, “yeah, so what?” The film goes back and explores this concept throughout his career, and we do see how much he was influenced by Hitchcock, especially what many consider his masterpiece, Vertigo. I have much more respect for De Palma and his craft because he never sold out to Hollywood but always stayed true to his work. Even if you aren’t a movie buff, you will thoroughly enjoy this documentary about a fascinating man who loved his work.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   De Palma Website

Forgotten Film:  The Last American Hero  (1973)  PG  Junior (Jeff Bridges) is a bootlegger who works alongside his brother (Gary Busey)  for their father (Art Lund).  When Junior’s dad is arrested, Junior decides to go on the racing circuit to make some money. There are some thrilling races in this film and Bridges gives a sizzling performance as the brash Junior.  The supporting cast works well in this movie, especially Valerie Perrine, who plays a girl that’s never met a stock car driver she did like.  It’s a fun story that works because of the winning performances of the cast.  My Rating: Full Price    The Last American Hero Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Finding Dory: Music Copyist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Legend of Tarzan (2016)  PG-13  Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgard) is called back home to Africa when he hears of natives being treated unfairly by a mining company.  As a kid, I read every book that Edgar Rice Burroughs (creator of Tarzan) wrote, so I am looking forward to this film. Plus, the film has a killer cast including Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz, Djimon Hounsou, and Jim Broadbent.   Legend of Tarzan Website

Until Next Time!

Kingsman: The Secret Service

My View:  Kingsman:  The Secret Service  (2015)  R  A secret spy agency recruits a young man to join the organization just as a global threat emerges. This film was directed by Mathew Vaughn, who directed the 2010 film Kick-Ass.  If you liked/loved Kick-Ass, you will enjoy this film. If you didn't, then don't see this one, as it is ultra-violent with a sense of humor. I enjoyed Colin Firth as the super-cool secret agent, and Taron Egerton is up to the task as the young apprentice, but there is a major scene in this film that I have a real problem with and, in my opinion, it brings down the whole film. Without giving anything away, the scene is incredibly violent, with people dying in every way imaginable. I don't have any problems with that, but I do have a problem with Colin Firth's character participating and doing most of the killing in the scene. I did enjoy Samuel L. Jackson as the Steve Jobs-like villain with a lisp.  And, the ending of the film is highly enjoyable, but the scene in the middle, which is a game changer, does not fit and makes me not like this film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Kingsman: The Secret Service Website

Indiefest: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) In a town that is full of people doing bad things, no one notices that there is a new woman (Sheila Vand), a woman who just happens to be a vampire. I loved this film, and it has one of the best soundtracks of any film of the  past five years. It's very stylish, shot in black and white, with the main character, the mysterious woman, almost uttering no lines throughout the film. It's a mixture of a  modern vampire film with bits of an Italian Spaghetti Western thrown in. Vand is perfect in the role of the woman who only comes out at night and wears a long, black cape. If you are a fan of horror films  I highly recommend this one.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night Website

Forgotten Film:  The Day I Saw Your Heart  (2011)  Melanie Laurent plays Justine, an x-ray technician who refuses to keep a boyfriend.  Every time she starts going out with someone, her father (Michel Blanc) secretly befriends the boyfriend.   She is bored with her job and would rather create art from her x-rays than do her actual job.  Now it’s going to take a major event to propel Justine out of her funk.  Laurent is brilliant as Justine and just shines on screen.  I loved the message of this film, and it’s worth checking out this French gem.   My Rating: Full Price  The Day I Saw Your Heart Info

The 50 (A Movie from My Best / Worst Films of All Time)

#1 Worst Film:  Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)  Directed by the legendary director Ed Wood, who directed some of the worst films of all time, this one is the ultimate in bad filmmaking. The acting is horrible, the special effects are incredibly bad, and the storyline makes no sense. If you tried to make a crappy film, you couldn't do it as pathetically as Wood does in this one. Be sure to look for the flying saucer, which is two paper plates glued together, spray painted and suspended by a string. The legendary actor Bela Lugosi, known for playing Dracula, makes an appearance.  He died before principle shooting, but there were test shots of him done, so producers just put those in the film.  I mean, why wouldn't you have Dracula in a film about space aliens invading the earth and creating zombies?   Plan 9 from Outer Space Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Kingsman: The Secret Service:  fight arranger

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Cinderella (2015)  While it sounds like a bad idea to remake a classic as a live action film, the trailer looks incredible and it’s directed by Kenneth Branagh, so I have hope that this will be fantastic.   Cinderella Website

Until Next Time!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

My View:  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) PG-13 Shredder and his evil gang have taken over New York City, that is until a certain group of four brothers rise up from the sewers.  Those brothers are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!  First, let me say that I have never seen a movie with more blatant product placement.  And, this movie should be called April O’Neil and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as Megan Fox, playing O’Neil, has as much screen time as the Turtles.  It’s a movie that takes forever to get going and seems to want to explain every little item in the history of the Ninja Turtles. There are a few good action sequences, and there are a few funny scenes, but it wasn’t enough for me to enjoy the film.  And I never want to see Megan Fox trying to act ever again.  My Rating: Cable  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Website

My View:  Into the Storm (2014) PG-13 A group of storm chasers try to follow the storm of a lifetime.  While the residents of Silverton try to take shelter and survive, the storm chasers are out in the elements risking their lives to document this Category 6 storm.  The dialogue is bad, and the acting is mediocre, but that’s not why you see one on these films. It’s all about the special effects, and this movie has them!  Who doesn’t want to see a tornado made of fire next to a church or cars flying into the air like they are pieces of paper?  This is a fun ride that doesn’t take itself too seriously and full of exciting action sequences almost from the start.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Into the Storm Website

Indiefest:  Magic in the Moonlight (2014) PG-13 A stuffy English magician (Colin Firth) is brought in to expose a clairvoyant (Emma Stone) who has worked her way into the good graces of a very wealthy family. This should have been a better movie with this cast.  While Firth and Stone have good chemistry on-screen, their age difference, combined with the fact that it’s a Woody Allen film, make their romance a little creepy.  The film starts off with a bang, showing Firth, the magician, working on-stage during a performance, but the film goes downhill once it gets to the south of France, where Firth is trying to prove that Stone’s character is a fraud. The film is rarely funny and wastes the cast’s talents. My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Magic in the Moonlight Website

Indiefest:  The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014) PG Hassan (Manish Dayai) and his family have moved to France from India to open a restaurant.  Unfortunately, they have opened their restaurant right across the road from Madame Mallory’s (Helen Mirren) fine French establishment.  Now it is a battle between the two restaurants, and Madame Mallory is one tough chef!  I liked the first two-thirds of the film, especially the early scenes where the young Hassan is learning how to cook. While Helen Mirren is enjoyable as the cranky Madame Mallory, the role isn’t up to her lofty standards.  I did like the love interest for Hassan, and Marguerite, played by Charlotte Le Bon, but the film feels flat and weak.  Also, I never quite felt the passion for the food, like I did when I watched the much better Chef (2014).  It’s not a bad film, just one without a lot of substance.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee  The Hundred-Foot Website

Indiefest:  Mood Indigo  (2014)  Colin (Romain Duris) is a wealthy bachelor who likes to invent things.  He is unlucky in love until he meets Chole (Audrey Tautou), and they soon fall in love.  Their romance is threatened when Chole develops a mysterious illness, caused by a flower growing in her lungs.  Now he fights to discover how to cure Chole.  The start of this film is an amazing treat to watch as it is filled with stop motion animation.  Colin’s apartment is piled with his inventions, most of which interact with him on a daily basis, such as a door alarm that crawls down the wall like a bug.  But the film becomes an unhappy mess as it goes along, getting darker and darker, ruining what was a light-hearted romance.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Mood Indigo Website

Forgotten Film:  The Duelists  1977)  Two French officers, during Napoleonic times, repeatedly duel through the years as the brash Ferraud (Harvey Keitel) seeks justice through a duel with the noble D/Hubert (Keith Carradine).  This intriguing film, directed by Tony Scott, is a fascinating look at how someone can be obsessed with revenge, so much so that he forgets what the original insult was. The editing and the performance of Keitel are what makes this film so interesting to watch.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Duelists Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: stunt pre-viz

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Left Behind (2014)  Millions of people have vanished, and a small group of survivors are left behind to figure out what happened.  Can we have a telethon or Kickstarter campaign to raise money for Nicolas Cage so he can stop making movies for awhile?  Left Behind Website

Until Next Time!