The Naked Gun

My Take:  The Naked Gun  (2025)  PG-13   The Naked Gun is about one man, and one man alone who has a particular set of skills to lead Police Squad and save the world! Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) is following in his father’s footsteps by fighting crime and drinking coffee. Lots of coffee. I am a huge fan of the comedy team of Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker, who brought us the comedy gems Airplane! (1980), Top Secret (1984), and the original The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988). I can tell you which theater I saw Airplane! in, and that it was a double feature with the god-awful 007 film Moonraker (1979). I was worried when I heard they were making a new Naked Gun film and it was not involving the original Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker team. I am happy to say that director/co-writer Akiva Schaffer has done a magnificent job of rekindling the magic of those past films. The new movie is packed with laughs—so many, in fact, that you might need to watch it twice to catch them all.  The film is an almost avalanche of goofy gags, corney jokes, and wonderful stunts that keep going, like a long-running gag of Frank being handed coffee cups at nearly every turn, including while driving on the highway.  Like Leslie Nielsen before him, Liam Neeson has perfected the art of deadpan delivery, making his performance a delight to watch.  Add in Paul Walter Hauser as Drebin’s partner and the fantastic Pamela Anderson as Drebin’s love interest, and you have some brilliant scene stealers, with Anderson doing a hilarious jazz scat performance to draw attention away from Frank trying to sneak into a back room at a jazz club. Danny Huston is fun as an evil Elon Musk wannabe villain who is the only one in the club who thinks Anderson’s jazz singing is enchanting. Don’t wait to see this at home. See it with an audience, as it was fun just listening to the crowd laughing harder and harder as the film went along. Maybe you will get lucky like at our critic screening when Drebin does something completely stupid, and a woman shouted out, “Oh, no!”. She was surprised that someone could be that dumb. Why yes, yes, he can, and thank goodness he is just that. And by the way, stay through the credits for two bonus scenes. Also, please read the credits, as in the Zucker/Abrahams films of the past, there are some funny easter eggs hidden in them.  My Rating: Full Price  The Naked Gun Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

Familyfaire:  The Bad Guys 2  (2025)  PG   When The Bad Guys 2 starts, the newly minted “The Good Guys” are struggling to make it as upstanding citizens, when they are pulled out of retirement and forced to do one last job by an all-female band of criminals. I mildly enjoyed the first film, finding the shark humorous and the Ocean's Eleven-style plot engaging. However, I didn't enjoy this sequel as much. I had several issues with the team going into space, and unlike the first film, this one lacked the twists and turns that made it enjoyable to watch. Additionally, I found the mismatch of animation styles distracting, especially the old-school animation used for the characters' eyes.. On a positive note, I appreciated the new additions to the voice cast, including Natasha Lyonne as Doom and Maria Bakalova as Pigtail who both bring a bit of needed life to the film. However, it seems the plot may have been too complicated to keep the younger audience members interested, as many of the kids were jumping around in their seats. If the film does well (and I bet it does), the ending sets up the next adventures for the gang.  Also, be sure to  stay through the first half of the credits for a bonus scene.  My Rating: Cable   The Bad Guys 2 Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide

Indiefest:  Together  (2025)  R   Together follows Tim (Dave Franco) and Millie (Alison Brie), a couple who, years into their relationship, relocate to the countryside in hopes of saving their marriage. As tensions rise to an all-time high, they confront an unnatural force that threatens to disrupt their relationship, their lives, and even their physical well-being. Together is a horror film that is going to make you extremely uncomfortable. The film has a few early ‘jump out of the dark’ scares, but mostly, this is about a couple that begins to experience an unnatural attraction to each other, one where, when one is away, the other person experiences withdrawals. I will warn you that as the film goes along, the attraction takes drastic turns, some of which are incredibly gruesome and gives ‘body horror’ films like last year’s The Substance a run for their money. I didn’t like the pacing of the film, and it’s hard to root for two characters that don’t belong together, much less like each other. Still, I found myself fascinated to see how far the film would go. It turns out, a long way. Together is a film that may stick with you for a while (pun intended).  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Together Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My Take:  My Oxford Year  (2025)  PG-13  In My Oxford Year, an American Rhodes Scholar, Anna (Sofia Carson), is about to spend a year at Oxford, where she intends to study hard. That is until a teaching assistant, Jamie (Corey Mylchreest), enters her life. It’s just for one year, correct? My Oxford Year is a charming romance set and shot on the campus of the University of Oxford at Magdalen College and based on the best-selling book of the same name by Julia Whelan. We have their meet-cute when Anna goes out exploring on her first day and gets drenched by a speeding sports car that splashes through a puddle. She then meets the driver of the car, Jamie, at a fish and chips shop as he ducks down to avoid a woman who is looking for him across the street from the shop. As it turns out, as we knew it would, Jamie is teaching the course that Anna is taking. Will Anna succumb to Jamie’s charm, or will she avoid him because of his reputation as a ladies’ man who has left behind many a broken heart? I think you will figure that part out. I loved the chemistry between Carson and Mylchreest, as their banter is the highlight of the film (well, that and the fantastic scenery). Sofia Carson is perfect as the determined Anna, who wants to spend a year at Oxford studying her passion for poetry before having to work in the corporate world. Carson plays Anna as an intelligent, playful woman who goes into the relationship with Jamie (sorry for that bit of a spoiler, but it wouldn’t be much of a romance if it didn’t happen) with her eyes open, knowing that what they have is temporary. Or is it? You will have to watch to find out. As with any romance, you might want to have a tissue or two handy—or perhaps even a whole box.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  My Oxford Year Website    Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Indiefest:  She Rides Shotgun  (2025)  R   In She Rides Shotgun, Nate (Taron Egerton) is an ex-con on the run to protect his estranged daughter, Polly (Ana Sophia Heger), who has been targeted for death by Nate’s former gang. If Polly and her dad want to survive, they must quickly form a bond they have never had. She Rides Shotgun is an extremely violent movie that, unlike many action films about criminals, is at its heart a heartwarming and touching story about a father who is desperate to connect with a daughter he barely knows and the daughter who decides to trust him. The stand out of this film isn’t Rocketman himself, Mr. Egerton, but Ana Sophia Heger, who steals every scene she is in as Polly. She is kidnapped by a father she doesn’t know and then goes willingly on the run to escape not only the police but a ruthless gang that wants to kill not only Nate for something he did but Polly too. I was blown away by Heger’s performance; she brings a unique perspective to this drama/action film as we witness a relentless world of violence and danger through her young and shocked eyes. It’s a brilliant and heart-wrenching performance that you won't want to miss. Taron Egerton also delivers a strong performance, skillfully transitioning from beating someone to a pulp to quickly comforting his daughter. She Rides Shotgun is a thrilling roller coaster ride that packs an emotional punch, thanks to its two lead actors.   My Rating: Full Price  She Rides Shotgun Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Cloud  (2024)   In Cloud, Yoshii (Masaki Suda) excels at finding items online and selling them at a substantial markup. This success allows him to quit his job and move into a larger house with his girlfriend. However, Yoshii will soon discover that reselling inexpensive items for more than they are worth comes with its own set of consequences. Cloud is a film that explores the theme of greed and highlights how online shopping and selling aren't always as beneficial as they seem, especially when sellers are more focused on making money than providing value. After experiencing early success by selling medical equipment at a substantial profit, Yoshii becomes convinced that he is destined for millionaire status through deceitful practices, such as selling counterfeit products or drastically inflating prices due to high demand. What Yoshii is slow to realize is that you can’t always hide behind a fake internet name, and the more people you piss off, the more likely they will find you. I wasn’t prepared for the final thirty minutes of the film and the number of twists the film takes. I enjoyed the performances, especially Yoshii’s assistant, Sano (Daiken Okudaira), who is a local whom Yoshii hires when his business takes off. Filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa effectively blends different genres throughout the film, keeping the audience on edge. The tension builds as Yoshii learns that his unethical business dealings are about to catch up to him, no matter how cleverly he tries to hide behind his online alias.   My Rating: Full Price  Cloud Website  Now playing in select cities 

Forgotten Film:  For Your Consideration  (2006)  PG-13   An indie film with a tiny budget and actors from the dregs of TV shows in the production of a story about small-town life in the mid-40s set in the American South. The cast learns that the film is generating a lot of buzz, including speculation that Oscar could come calling. For Your Consideration is another mockumentary from the mind of Christopher Guest, and the cast comprises a who’s who of comedy legends, including Catherine O’Hara, Parker Posey, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, Fred Willard, Jane Lynch, and Jennifer Coolidge. As with many of the Guest films, the actors mainly improvise the dialogue, and the laughs don’t stop from the opening credits until the end. Catherine O’Hara as long-time character actress Marilyn Hack is the standout, with some great support from Harry Shearer as an actor who has sold out to become a commercial mascot of a hot dog, and Parker Posey as a struggling actress who lets the attention get into her head. While not as good as some of the other Guest films, in my humble opinion, Catherine O’Hara should have been nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  For Your Consideration Info The film is available on most streaming services. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Together:  Millie Contortionist Double

Coming to a Screen Near You: Nobody 2  (2025)  R  Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk), a former lethal assassin, has been away from his family too long. Time to make up for it by going on a family vacation. Unfortunately, Hutch has picked the wrong place for him and his family to relax at. This is a sequel to the unexpected 2021 hit Nobody. The cast includes Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, Sharon Stone, Colin Hanks, and Colin Salmon.  Nobody 2 Website The film is in theaters on Friday, August 15, 2025.

Until Next Time!

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

My View:  The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) PG-13    The Fantastic Four: First Steps is about four people forced to balance the life of a family with being superheroes. The Fantastic Four must defend Earth from an evil space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his Herald, the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). I am a huge fan of Jack Kirby, who, in the early days of Marvel, was one of their leading artists and helped shape and create many of their iconic superheroes. Kirby had a unique drawing style, one that could be identified in almost any panel he drew. The scale and monstrousness of his villains was always impressive. So I was thrilled to see that Kirby’s influence was very present in this latest attempt at bringing us The Fantastic Four to the screen. First Steps is not an origin film, as it takes place four years after the four gained their superpowers in that accident in space. The world has accepted the four, and they have saved the world many times before Galactus and his servant, the Silver Surfer, show up intending to consume the Earth and all its inhabitants. The film is set in the 1960s, but it’s a comic book setting with tall, streamlined rocket ships, flying cars, and black and white TVs. The Fantastic Four is composed of Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). I was content with Pascal’s portrayal of Reed, and I thought Ebon Moss-Bachrach had the right amount of humor and clumsy grace for The Thing. I wasn't happy with Joseph Quinn as the Human Torch, feeling that he gave a rather wooden performance that didn't give Johnny much personality. Vanessa Kirby's performance as Sue Storm is the driving force behind the film. Kirby is the glue that keeps the team focused and moving forward, even when things seem bleak. I was never a big fan of the Silver Surfer when I read comic books, and Julia Garner isn’t given much to do other than show up and make a few pronouncements, along with wrecking about everything she comes in contact with. I had a great time with this film and feel that Marvel is back on track with a group of superheroes that have personality (except Johnny), humor, and can carry a movie. I look forward to seeing more from this gang. And by the way, stay through all the credits. There is a substantial mid-credit sequence and a fun end-credits sequence. My Rating: Full Price  The Fantastic Four: First Steps Website Now playing in theaters nationwide, including IMAX.  

My View:  Happy Gilmore 2 (2025)  PG-13  Happy Gilmore 2 takes place thirty years after Happy (Adam Sandler) won his first Tour Championship. He now must come out of retirement to pay for his daughter’s ballet school. I knew we were in trouble from the very beginning when just two minutes in, there's a joke about how Happy and Virginia had four kids in four years, followed by Virginia landing Happy a gig for a condom commercial. With a ton of cameos, numerous callbacks to the first film, loads of bad jokes, and Happy as an alcoholic, the film tries too hard to capture the magic of the first film and fails for almost its entire two-hour length. Bad Bunny as a waiter who becomes Happy’s caddie is about the only bright spot in this mess of a sequel. However, I’m not sure even golfers will find this film amusing, although one joke about Scottie Scheffler getting arrested did elicit a brief laugh (you might want to Google it). Ultimately, Happy Gilmore 2 feels like nothing more than a vehicle for Sandler to create another film with his friends, similar to his previous unfunny works like Murder Mystery or Grown Ups 2. Just like Happy's golf game at the beginning of the movie, Happy Gilmore 2 is a big slice that goes way out of bounds.  My Rating: Cable   Happy Gilmore 2 Website Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Indiefest:  Oh, Hi!  (2025) R  In Oh, Hi! Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) go on a romantic weekend road trip. On their first night at the rental, they engage in some playful bondage scenarios. While Isaac is tied to the bed, he reveals to Iris that he is not looking for a relationship at this point in his life. Talk about the wrong time to mention that, Isaac! I thoroughly enjoyed this film, even if it occasionally pushes the plot a bit too far, because Molly Gordon is brilliant in the role of Iris. Seemingly the perfect girlfriend, Iris goes overboard when she finds out that Isaac is not only not interested in a relationship, but that he has been dating other women. Gordon is perfect as the funny and impulsive Iris, who is convinced that if she makes a case for herself (after a night of googling what seems to be every self-help guru out there), Isaac will come to his senses and see that she is perfect for him. The film would be a bit of a chore if it were just these two characters, but it has a great supporting cast in David Cross as a nosy neighbor and Geraldine Viswanathan as Iris’s best friend, who drops everything to come and try to help Iris. However, this is Gordon’s movie, and she rises to the challenge and shows off a dance move or two to our delight. The main question is whether you will feel sorry for Isaac or join Iris in her quest. Wait until the end to make your decision. My Rating: Full Price    Oh, HI! Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Shoshana  (2023)  R  Shoshana is set in 1930s Tel Aviv, during the period of British control over the region. The story follows Thomas (Douglas Booth), a British police officer who falls in love with a beautiful Israeli woman named Shoshana (Irina Starshenbaum). As Thomas investigates the whereabouts of a Zionist independence fighter, he suspects that Shoshana’s family may be supporting his ideas. Shoshana is a fascinating film about the start of Israel under British rule and how complex the idea of a Jewish state even then was, full of so many factors that made it almost impossible to solve. The film is based on a true story of star-crossed lovers who attempt to stay together despite the world conspiring against them. Shoshana has the love story at its center, but it’s really a film about just how fractured that part of the world was — and still is. Booth and Strashenbaum have excellent chemistry, and we do root for the two to find happiness, but we also know that in that part of the world at that time, that happiness was going to be short-lived. Shoshana is a thriller that has a romance at its heart, and that heart can be broken when the world continues to fight.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Shoshana Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Forgotten Film: The Patriot  (2000) R  Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) is a widower who is raising seven boys on a farm. He has preached peace with the British in the past, but when a British officer murders one of his sons and burns his home down, Benjamin takes on the British, joining the Colonials on their quest for independence. This film harkens back to the blockbuster that could open big on the back of just one star like Mr. Gibson. Nominated for three Oscars, the cinematography is magnificent, and the battle sequences are thrilling (though I doubt how authentic they are). With a cast that includes Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson, Chris Cooper, and Logan Lerman as one of Benjamin’s sons, the film works well as a big blockbuster film featuring a score by John Williams. There are worse ways to spend an evening than watching Gibson beat the British almost single-handedly.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Patriot Website The film is available on many streaming platforms. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Fantastic Four: First Steps:  Prop Hand Improver

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Together  (2025) R  Together follows Tim (Dave Franco) and Millie (Alison Brie), a couple who, years into their relationship, relocate to the countryside in hopes of saving their marriage. As tensions rise to an all-time high, they confront an unnatural force that threatens to disrupt their relationship, their lives, and even their physical well-being.  Franco and Brie are married in real life.  Together Website   In select theaters on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.

Until Next Time!