Moana

Familyfaire:  Moana (2026) PG  Moana is about the young, inquisitive daughter (Catherine Laga’aia) of a village chief. Moana has always felt that she was destined to do something great and is summoned by the ocean to undertake a voyage to save her community. She will need help and finds it in Maui (Dwayne Johnson), a legendary shapeshifting demigod who, along with Moana’s dimwitted rooster, Heihei, undertakes a journey that will test her will and belief in herself. I loved the 2016 animated film, saying, “The animation is crisp and gorgeous, taking advantage of the tropical look of the islands,” and loving the message to young girls that you can do anything you put your heart and soul into. So now Disney has decided to bring back the story as a live-action film. Why? I have no clue, other than making money (but with a reported budget of 200 million, that could be in serious doubt). Does this bring anything new to the storyline? No. Unlike the 2025 live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch, which did a fantastic job of making changes from the animated film to make it work with live action, Moana is almost a shot-for-shot remake and not for the better. The film feels exactly as if it were shot on a soundstage in front of a green screen. The film fails to capture the beauty, brightness, and fun of the animated film. And it uses animation to bring to life Mona’s pet rooster and piglet, both of which don’t look real and feel like props for the film, rather than bringing fun and life to it as they did in the animated film. And then there’s Dwayne Johnson as the demigod Maui. I loved his character in the animated film, thinking that, while he can’t sing very well, he is perfect as an animated character, bringing fun and life to the storyline. The problem, like actors like Vin Diesel, Arnold, and Johnson, is that they are larger than life, and you sometimes see them not as their characters but as the actors themselves. The animated film let Maui dance and be a virtual ball of energy, bouncing around as Johnson sang songs like "Your Welcome" to our delight. The problem is that the live-action Johnson can’t match the action of animated Maui, and so the songs become more about Johnson posing than dancing around. Your Welcome song still works, but it’s not as much fun as the animated film song; it just can’t recreate it, no matter how much his animated tattoos move around in this version. The bright light in all this is Catherine Laga’aia’s performance, who shines on screen and has a wonderful, powerful voice that makes her solos worth watching the film for. Kids are still going to like this film, especially watching the rooster do his stupid stuff, but I don’t see them falling in love with it as they did with the animated one. The magic just isn’t there, and that’s a sad thing to say about a Disney film.  My Rating: Cable  Moana Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass  (2026)  R   Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass follows Gail (Zoey Deutch), who is devastated that her fiancé has slept with his “celebrity pass” Jennifer Aniston. She goes to a fortune teller, who tells her that to make things right and go on with the marriage, she must sleep with her own celebrity pass. Gail, along with her best friend, Otto (Mile Gutierrez-Riley), travels to Hollywood to find her own ‘free pass’: Jon Hamm. This is a wild and crazy film that reminded me of those wonderful Zucker and Abrahams films like Airplane! and Top Secret!, where jokes and ridiculous scenes came at you at an incredibly fast pace. This is a film where lines like “We have three years’ experience between us” and “I can make you sick” are just thrown out at you at a rapid pace. Zoey Deutch, who is on a roll this summer, is amazing as the incredibly naïve and earnest Gail, who is determined to sleep with Jon Hamm to save her wedding plans. Zoey plays her perfectly as she greets everyone she meets with a “Hi, I’m Gail” and is amazed by the big city of L.A., where everything seems wonderful to her, even when it’s not. The film is full of incredibly stupid and funny scenes, like an overzealous concierge who gets out a map and shows Gail and Otto all the sights they need to see, which include 7-Eleven, Starbucks, McDonald's, and a back alley where you can meet a guy for a good time. Then we see the two going to all these places and acting as if they have just discovered the most amazing city in the world. You have to see the film to understand the plot, but just say there is the old luggage switcheroo, a gang of bad guys after Gail and Otto, and the quest to find Jon Hamm. The film is if the Zucker brothers and Jim Abrams took the Wizard of Oz and turned it into a sex quest with martial arts and bloody deaths. There are so many cameos in this film, you could get drunk taking shots of when someone shows up that doesn’t even say a line. And wait till you see what Jennifer Aniston does in the film! Can Dorothy, I mean Gail, find her celebrity pass and get her long-awaited marriage ceremony back on track? Not without a lot of help and a few dead bodies.   My Rating:  Full Price  Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass Website   Now playing in theaters

My View:  Evil Dead Burn  (2026)  R   In Evil Dead Burn, Alice (Souheila Yacoub) has just lost her husband. Seeking comfort, she visits his family at their secluded home. But grief turns to terror as her in-laws morph into Deadites, monstrous creatures bent on her destruction. Trapped and hunted, Alice’s only hope is a makeshift scrapbook containing the forbidden Book of the Dead. I am a big fan of the original trilogy starring the man, the myth, the legend, Bruce Campbell. The series is now going on without Mr. Campbell, and it loses some of its mojo because of it. This film appears to be using the Evil Dead moniker and the ‘Book of the Dead’ as an excuse for making a film that is incredibly violent (mostly towards women) and almost pointless, other than a knife that the Deadites want to destroy or have (I never quite figured that part out). Not only do the Deadites take a lot of hits (or gunshots), so do the humans they are trying to kill, with an incredible amount of damage that professional wrestlers take fewer hits. The film is worth seeing for one scene in the final ten minutes (kind of right out of the Terminator films) that makes up for most of the mess it is. And yes, by the way, there is a mid-credits scene that is kind of fun. Just wish the rest of the movie was as much fun as its predecessors.  My Rating: Cable    Evil Dead Burn Website Now playing in theaters 

Indiefest:  The Isolate Thief  (2026)  R   The Isolate Thief is set in a snowbound Civil War-era outpost, where a young caretaker, Ada (Mackenzie Foy), isolated from the nearest town,  finds a hidden stash of stolen gold. She must use her wits and perseverance to survive both a deadly winter and a gang of ruthless outlaws who want their gold back. I am a big fan of westerns, a genre that dominated the early days of film but is rarely seen in today’s marketplace. Ada is barely coping with running the outpost because her father, a military man who was in charge of the outpost, has died. This is a film about survival, and Ada uses both her skills and her wits to survive a gang that has come to find a stash of gold. Sean Bean plays the leader of the gang, who at first pose as soldiers, but Ada soon figures out that they aren’t who they say they are. This is a film about surviving in a brutal world where danger is just around the corner, and it takes guts to do so. The story goes on a little too long, but it’s worth seeing for Mackenzie Foy’s performance as a woman who defies the odds to stay alive and Sean Bean as a crafty gang leader who is willing to play the long game to get what he wants.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Isolate Thief Info Now playing in theaters

My View: The Invite  (2026) R   The Invite starts at a point where Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela’s (Olivia Wilde) marriage is going quickly down the drain. When they invite their mysterious neighbors, Hawk (Edward Norton) and Pina (Penélope Cruz), over for a dinner party, the night quickly spirals into chaos in very unexpected places. I am not a big fan of films where I don’t like the main characters, and when this film starts, I hated Joe and Angela. They don’t like each other and aren’t interested in each other at all. They are just one big fight that starts the moment they see each other. Into this mess of a marriage come Hawk and Pina, a beautiful and cool couple that Joe and Angela have been hearing having deafening sex almost on a nightly basis. At first, only Angela seems to want the other couple in their lives, but as the night goes on, Joe becomes intoxicated by this dynamic couple. This is a hilarious film that continues to push boundaries, making Joe, Angela, and us very uncomfortable as the evening progresses. I loved the performances in this film, with Rogan as the combative Joe, who at first just wants them to leave but slowly comes around to enjoying their company while still trying to push his wife’s buttons. Wilde is hilarious as the overeager hostess who sees every slip-up (like serving ham to the vegan Pina) as a crashing ruin to her night. Edward Norton is so much fun as the overly attentive Hawk, the former “firefighter” who seems overly amused at how uncomfortable the other couple seems, especially Joe. And Penélope Cruz is amazing as the almost overly sexy Pina, who, it turns out, is a sex therapist and is willing to analyze everything at a moment’s notice. This is a sex farce as we find out more about both couples, and as the evening becomes more than just a dinner party. So get ready to laugh a lot and squirm a bit in your seat because it’s going to be a bumpy but highly enjoyable night.  My Rating: Full Price  The Invite Website Now playing in theaters

Sorry I Missed It (A film that I didn’t see when it first came out but have seen recently): Chris & Martina: The Final Set  (2026)  TV-MA  The story of two tennis legends, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, who met in tournaments 80 times, with both winning 18 major titles in their careers. Chris was the All-American girl who broke on the scene at age 16 and started winning tourneys right away. Martina was the outsider, having defected in 1975, when she was just 18, from communist Czechoslovakia to the US. Chris was cool, determined, and loved by the media. The media saw Martina as reckless, combative on the court, and sometimes as the villain when they faced each other. What is fascinating about this documentary is that it is not just about their careers but also about their friendship. Chris took Martina under her wing early on, even teaming with her in doubles, and they were friends. Then Martina got serious about winning, and their friendship became combative. Both spent years as the world's number one women's tennis player, and often the other was number two. Then, later in their careers, they became friends again. And then both women had battles with cancer, and that made their bond even stronger. What I enjoyed about this film was watching the two of them together, their matches, and how they get carried away by the emotions of the time. This is a wonderful film about not only two great athletes who changed the face of women’s tennis, but also about friendship and overcoming the obstacles life throws our way.   My Rating: Full Price  Chris & Martina: The Final Set Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform 

Forgotten Film:   The Evil Dead  (1981)  R  Five college students (Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker, and Theresa Tilly) go on an outing to a remote cabin in the Tennessee mountains. They find in the cellar a book, “The Book of the Dead,” and a tape recording of an archaeologist. When one of them plays the tape, a legion of demons and spirits are released, and the group starts to suffer from demonic possession. Will anyone survive? Shot on location in Tennessee by Sam Raimi (Spider-Man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire), the film was shot with almost no money and took over a year to complete, with the cast/crew shooting on weekends and the director turning 20 during the shoot. The film made over 30 million worldwide and spawned a film franchise that is still going today. The film was part horror film, part gore-fest, with a bit of the Three Stooges thrown in. It’s one of my favorite horror films, with some truly stunning scenes and lots of blood splattering everywhere. The Evil Dead is a film that set the standard for the low-budget horror genre with its intense scenes and terrific special effects. The film continues to inspire and amaze film fans and filmmakers worldwide.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Evil Dead Info  The film is available on most online platforms

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Moana:  Tattoo Artist Coordinator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  The Odyssey  (2026)  R  The Odyssey follows Odysseus (Matt Damon), the Greek king of Ithaca, who goes on a long and perilous journey home after the Trojan War and his encounters with mythical beings as he attempts to reunite with his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and his son, Telemachus (Tom Holland), before Penelope succumbs to a nefarious suitor, Antinous (Robert Pattinson). The film is written and directed by Christopher Nolan, who shot for the first time completely with IMAX 70mm cameras.  The Odyssey Website   In theaters and IMAX on Friday, July 17, 2026

Until Next Time!

The Smashing Machine

My View:  The Smashing Machine  (2025)  R A look at three years (1997-2000) in the life of mixed-martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson). Supported by his girlfriend, Dawn (Emily Blunt), Mark struggles to overcome addiction and make a comeback in the UFC universe, when the sport was beginning to gain popularity at the time. After seeing this film, which runs at a little over two hours, I kept thinking about the old Peggy Lee song “Is That All There Is.” The Smashing Machine is the first film Benny Safdie has made without his brother, Josh, and I feel as if he created a sports bio film that breaks all the rules of that genre. Unfortunately, what we are left with is a film that feels as if the plot is stuck in neutral and can never gain any momentum. I came away thinking that Mark Kerr, played by a heavily prosthetic Dwayne Johnson, is neither the hero of the film nor the most interesting character in it. Instead, Mark Coleman, Mark’s best friend and sparring partner slash manager, played by real-life MMA fighter Ryan Bader, comes off as the hero of the story. We never really get to know Mark Kerr or his girlfriend Dawn. Both are annoying and one-dimensional in the film, characters who seem to stay in one lane throughout the entire film. Sure, we get Mark as a man who develops an addiction to pain pills, but his journey is too simple and quick in his addiction and his recovery. We gain almost nothing from what should have been an essential part of his character and life. Emily Blunt is given the job of being the bad guy of the film, and it’s a thankless job that Blunt gives her all, but Dawn comes across as just a nut job and not a real person. Is this a different performance by Johnson from his usual action roles? Sure, but Kerr is such a weird guy that I didn’t see the role as being challenging or groundbreaking for Johnson to take on, mainly because we never get to know what makes Mark Kerr tick, other than the high he gets from beating the crap out of other men in the ring. The fight sequences are brutal and may make some viewers look away, but the film does a poor job of conveying that the early days of MMA were incredibly brutal, to the point where it was almost outlawed in both the U.S. and Japan. I came away wanting to see a film about Mark Coleman, as I think his story was far more interesting and exciting than that of Kerr’s. Benny Safie picked the wrong man in this fight.  My Rating: Cable The Smashing Machine Website  Now playing in theaters everywhere 

Indiefest:  Anemone  (2025) R   Anemone centers on a man (Sean Bean) who ventures into the isolated woodlands of Northern England to find his estranged brother (Daniel Day-Lewis). They haven’t seen each other in 20 years, and the brother has been living alone in the forest. As they reconnect, they will confront the personal and political traumas that have long been buried between them. Anemone is a film where style and bravado attempt to compensate for a weak script that provides us with very little information until it is too late. With a lush and almost surreal look, cinematographer Ben Fordesman gives us the look and feel of a horror film set in the woods. Instead, we get two men who are trying to come to terms with their past while attempting to save the life of a young man who is making the same mistakes they did in their own lives. I loved the score by Bobby Krli, which adds tension and, at times, dread to the film. However, two great actors like Sean Bean and Daniel Day-Lewis can’t overcome a script that gives us only bits and pieces of their characters, who spend a lot of their time together not speaking at all. It takes too long on the journey to provide us with the vital information about a man who ran away from life because of who he had become. My Rating: Bargain Matinee Anemone Website   In limited release on Friday, October 3, 2025, and wide release on Friday, October 10, 2025

My View:  Good Boy  (2025)  PG-13 In Good Boy, a loyal dog named Indy and his owner, Todd (Shane Jensen), move to a rural family home. Soon, the dog learns supernatural forces are lurking in the shadows. Only Indy realizes the threat, and he must do everything he can to fight off the dark entities that threaten his human companion. For once, this is a horror film that lives up to the hype it has generated. Indy, the dog, comes across as a better actor than many working in big-budget blockbusters. While it is a horror film and quite scary at that, it’s also about facing fear and prioritizing others’ well-being over your own. The film does have a short runtime, but I think the novelty might have worn thin if it had gone on much longer. Instead, we get a tight horror film with plenty of scares and a hero who is brave, trustworthy, and ready to defend the household from all that is evil. Heck, even cat lovers will root for Indy to protect his owner. You should definitely see this in theaters, as there is a short feature included after the final credits that discusses how the film was made and explains why it took three years to shoot.  My Rating: Full Price  Good Boy Website Now playing in theaters

My View:  Bone Lake  (2024)  R  Bone Lake is about Sage (Maddie Hasson) and Diego (Marco Pigossi), who are on a romantic getaway to a secluded estate. Their romantic weekend is upended when they discover a mysterious couple (Alex Roe and Andra Nechita) have also rented the estate. The two couples decide to share the estate, and the retreat devolves into a world of deception, desire, and manipulation. Sage and Diego may never be the same loving couple they were before they arrived.  I’m sorry, but calling this a horror film is very misleading and inaccurate. It’s kind of a mild erotic thriller, but I didn’t find it very erotic, and there weren't many thrills. I didn’t like any of the characters, which is a problem when you are supposed to root for one couple over another, but I wanted them all to meet a gruesome end. There is a problem with a thriller when you figure out the twist way before any of the characters figure it out. I had hopes that there would be a “double twist,” but the big reveal barely registers as a single twist. To say that Bone Lake doesn’t stick the landing would be an understatement.  My Rating: Cable  Bone Lake Website Now playing in theaters

My View: Play Dirty  (2025) R  Play Dirty is about Parker (Mark Wahlberg), a thief who is on the hunt for a woman, Zen (Rosa Salazar), who he wants to find after a night of passion. It turns out that Zen is about to commit a major heist, and Parker wants in on it, with his fellow thief, Grofield (LaKeith Stanfield). The only problem is that to carry out the plan, they must outsmart a South American dictator, the New York mob, and the world’s richest man. I am a huge fan of two Shane Black films: The Nice Guys (2016) and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), which I included on my Top 25 Films of the First 25 Years AFCC ballot. So I was excited to see Black’s new film, Play Dirty. Sadly, this film is a tremendous disappointment. I am not a big Mark Wahlberg fan, and he is not right for the part of Parker, a character created by writer Donald E. Westlake. Wahlberg is the type of actor who always seems to be on the verge of breaking up or wanting to say a funny quip. Westlake’s Parker doesn’t have a sense of humor. Play Dirty is a film that I think wants to be a comedy with a twist, but I found it lacked both. The twists the film does are too simple and feel right out of a 60s detective show. The film attempts to cover up the lack of a worthy plot with lots of action and a ton of killing. I haven’t seen this many kill shots since a ‘90s Hong Kong action film. The cast, which includes LaKeith Stanfield and Keegan-Michael Key, is wasted with horrible throwaway lines that don’t work. And Tony Shalhoub looks uncomfortable playing a mob boss who hates Parker. Play Dirty is a film, like its star, that has no charisma, made by a filmmaker who has lost his bite, humor, and wit.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again Play Dirty Website   Now streaming on Amazon Prime

Indiefest:  Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror (2025)  Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror is a documentary that explores how a London theater play evolved into the beloved and groundbreaking cult phenomenon that continues to thrive through midnight screenings worldwide. I’ve seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show probably five or six times over the years. It was always a fun experience being part of a group of people who love a film and want to express that love with toast, newspapers, and lines shouted to the screen as fans dressed as their favorite characters dance and mouth lines in front of the movie screen they are parroting. Strange Journey is a fascinating film that recounts the history of a film that refused to die, even when it seemed destined to be a bomb. The documentary is directed by Linus O’Brien, the son of Richard O’Brien, the creator of the musical, who also starred in the film as Riff Raff, best known for the Time Warp song. I learned a great deal about the film’s history, including the fact that it was a hit on stage in London and LA (at the infamous Roxy) long before it became a movie. Besides Richard O’Brien and musical director Richard Hartley, the film features interviews with stars of the film, including Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick, and Susan Sarandon. What I loved about this film is that it not only tells the story of how the film was made but also how it became a cult classic, highlighting the fans who made the movie the longest-running film in cinema history. Strange Journey is a film for fans of Rocky Horror and really shouldn’t be seen by “Virgins” (those who haven’t seen the film in a theater with an interactive crowd). Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror hit the right notes for me, who has always thought of The Rocky Horror Picture Show as a B-film with an A-crowd watching it.  My Rating: Full Price   Now playing in select theaters

My View: The Lost Bus  (2025)  R  The Lost Bus is about a bus driver, Kevin (Matthew McConaughey) who has to navigate a bus carrying children and their teacher (America Ferrera) through the 2018 Camp Fire, which was the deadliest fire in California history.The Lost Bus is a gripping and terrifying portrayal of a fire that devastated a community and killed 84 people. The film does an effective job of letting us into the life of Kevin, a man who is driving a bus to get by for another day. McConaughey teams up with the always brilliant America Ferrera, a teacher who is in charge of children whose parents are out of town. Together, they embark on a harrowing bus trip through danger, as most of the film's two-hour runtime unfolds on the bus, navigating their way out of peril while firefighters battle to contain the blaze. The film does a fantastic job of maintaining tension as Kevin tries to find a way out of the fire's path. The special effects are incredible, and the action sequences of the bus are worthy of any car chase in any film. The Lost Bus will keep you on the edge of your seat, leaving you breathless and in need of some water and fresh air after this thrilling journey through a hellish landscape filled with fire and smoke. My Rating: Full Price The Lost Bus Website  In select theaters and now streaming on Apple TV+

Forgotten Film:  Jane  (2017) Jane is a doocumentary about the life and work of primatologist Jane Goodall, who in the 1950s became world famous when, at 26 and untrained, she was sent by Louis Leakey to observe chimpanzees in the jungles of Tanzania. Jane spent five months observing a chimp compound and discovered something that no one had ever known. Chimps used tools. From there, she became a star with specials on TV through the National Geographic Society. The documentary, directed by Brett Morgen, was created from over 140 hours of footage and is an amazing and moving film about a woman who single-handedly changed our understanding and attitudes about chimpanzees in the wild. It is a remarkable story about an even more remarkable woman. The film was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards and won two, including Outstanding Directing for a Documentary or Nonfiction Program. RIP: One of my childhood heroes, Jane Goodall  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again The film is available on most streaming platforms.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Smashing Machine:  Personal Groomer to Dwayne Johnson

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Tron: Ares  (2025)   PG-13   Tron: Ares follows a highly sophisticated program named Ares (Jared Leto), who has been sent from the digital world into our real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings. The film is the third installment in the Tron series and a sequel to Tron: Legacy (2010). In theaters nationwide, including IMAX, on Friday, October 10, 2025

Until Next Time!

The Long Walk

My View:  The Long Walk  (2025) R   The Long Walk is set in the near future, as a group of teenage boys compete in the annual contest known as “The Long Walk.” The winner is awarded whatever he wants for the rest of his life. The game is simple; maintain a pace of three miles per hour or you’re out - permanently.This film is incredibly difficult to watch. Bleak and heartbreaking, The Long Walk tells a story of desperation and how friendships can develop even when the world is falling apart, providing hope when it seems there is none. The two main characters on the walk are Raymond, #47, portrayed by Cooper Hoffman, and Peter, #23, portrayed by David Jonsson, who, to keep each other going, strike up a friendship and slowly learn about each other’s lives. Through their conversations, we learn why each boy is doing the walk and what they hope to gain from winning. The Long Walk, written by Stephen King during the height of the Vietnam War, is a bleak film that, despite being set in the late 1960s, still holds significant meaning and relevance to the issues facing our society today. As the film progresses, the stakes become higher, as boys are killed for not being able to keep up with the pace.This is a horror film in the sense of impending doom that can strike at any moment and often does, sometimes in shocking ways. Hoffman, showcasing his growth as a powerful and nuanced actor much like his late father, is the center of the film. His character, Raymond, tries to play peacemaker at the start and is willing to risk his own life to help others keep going. Raymond has a winning way about him that makes others want to be around him. However, as the grim task becomes harder as boys Raymond has gotten to know have fallen, he seems to take each death harder and harder. David Jonsson portrays Peter as a boy who has had a horrible life and is willing to go the distance to have a chance at a better one. Peter serves as the perfect companion for Raymond, always being the stronger one who keeps his and Raymond’s focus on the task ahead and not on what has happened in the past. I will warn you that this is a brutal watch and does not pull any punches in showing the violence. Watching this film can be challenging, especially in the last 30 minutes when you have become attached and vested in the characters, all of which, except one, are going to die. The Long Walk explores the themes of despair, loss of faith, and brutality, but it’s also tells a story about friendship, love, and family, even if it is fleeting. The Long Walk is one of the best films of the year, bolstered by performances from two brilliant actors who make us fall in love with their characters, even though we know that this love will be short-lived.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again  The Long Walk Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale  (2025  PG  In Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, the household is on the brink of social disgrace with Mary (Michelle Dockery) in the middle of a very public divorce and the family facing financial ruin. The Crawleys will have to embrace change if Downton Abbey is to survive. While I did not watch the TV series, I have enjoyed my time with the Crawley family and their servants in the three films, including this one. I thought the first film, Downton Abbey (2019), did a brilliant job of letting fans of the series continue with the family, while letting us ‘newbies’ understand the dynamics of the family and who everyone was. I felt the 2nd film was a little too simple in its plot, but I am happy to say that this third and final (sniff) film in the series is a wonderful goodbye to the family (which I include with the servants) that we have all come to love. The film is filled with various plot-lines, including a scandal, the potential downfall of the family’s fortune, and the retirements of longtime servants. Throughout the story, we also experience a royal ball, a day at the races, a county fair, and a visit from a legendary writer, all of which keep us entertained.  What I loved is that we get to see the growth of the characters and how they have evolved over the years, though some continue to make a mistake or two along the way. For fans of the series and the movies, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is an enjoyable sendoff and lets us take our time saying goodbye to characters that we have grown to love.  My Rating: Full Price  Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Spinal Tap II: The End Continues  (2025) R  In Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, the band reunites after 15 years for one final concert, and documentary filmmaker Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) is there to document it all. Will the band survive the rehearsal, let alone the concert? Rob Reiner brought us the hilarious mockumentary This is Spinal Tap back in 1984. While not a hit at upon its initial release, when the home video version hit the market, it found an audience, and a classic was born. The film introduced a pseudo-documentary style that was later used to great success in TV shows like The Office and Modern Family. Now, 40 years after that film, Reiner is back, giving us a glimpse into what the band members are up to, and it’s not much. Their endeavors include running a combination cheese and guitar shop, managing a glue museum, and creating hold music. I had fun watching the guys being idiots once again. There are some fantastic running gags and lots of cameos that allow us to revisit a few friends from the past. Of the new cameos, the extensive scenes with Paul McCartney and Elton John are particuarly enjoyable as both preform with the band. Still, the film overextends its welcome, even with the slim run time of eighty-three minutes. The subplot of a feud between Nigel (Christopher Guest) and David (Michael McKean) goes on way too long without a decent payoff. I also grew tired of Simon (Chris Addison), a concert promoter who can’t process music and seems to hate everything that the Tap boys stand for. That said, I did laugh quite a bit, and it was enjoyable seeing the band in all its glory during the reunion concert (the venue became available because a Stormy Daniels event fell through).  I believe that fans of the first film will have a good time with this sequel, but I wonder if those who haven't seen the original will find it as funny. It's unfortunate because the band could use the work, but perhaps a cruise ship gig will come their way. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Spinal Tap II Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle  (2025)  R Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle follows the Demon Slayer Corps as they launch an assault on Muzan’s Infinity Castle, the headquarters of the demon king. The slayers face off against the Upper Rank Demons and Muzan himself, striving to finally bring an end to the centuries-long battle. Unless you follow the TV series, have seen the other films (6, I think), or have read the manga series, you will be lost like I was (having never seen any of it). The film starts as one of our heroes is trying to run through the castle to find the head demon, someone named Muzan. It’s called a castle, but it seems like some sort of always-changing multi-dimensional maze to me. There are a bunch of other Demon Slayer Corps members also trying to find and kill Muzan, but they keep finding other demons to slay. Apparently, the demons are on some sort of ranking system, and some are harder to kill than others. There are a lot of Demon Slayers, and I had a hard time keeping up with who was who and who they were battling. All I know is that this film was 2 hours and forty-five minutes of Demon Slayers running (lots and lots of running), demons talking a lot, and some battles where no one seemed to win. To say I was confused and lost would be an understatement, though the crowd I saw it with was enthusiastic about the battle sequences and sad when a Demon Slayer died or passed out. I did enjoy the origin arc of a demon named Akaza, which reminded me a lot of some of the ‘50s/’60s samurai movies I have seen. The film ended on a cliffhanger, with a couple of our heroes passed out because of a battle, and Muzan bragging that he would never be defeated.The film feels like it tried to cram too much into the plot, with too many characters to keep up with and a main villain who talks a lot. Demon Slayer: Infinite Castle attempts to play on our emotions, but without the knowledge of the series backstory, those scenes felt hollow to an uninitiated filmgoer like me. Fans of the series will have fun with the battles, but for someone new to this series, it seemed like a lot of story with little outcome. Being thrown directly into the action without understanding the characters or the reasons for their conflict was quite challenging for me as an outsider. There will be two more of these films to complete the battle between the Demon Slayer Corps and Muzan. I have a headache just thinking about it.  My Rating: Cable  Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  The Wrong Paris  (2025)  The Wrong Paris tells the story of Dawn (Miranda Cosgrove), who has been accepted to a Parisian cooking school but doesn’t have the money to fly there. To cover her expenses, Dawn enters a dating contest to win the heart of a bachelor (Pierson Fode), a contest that takes place in Paris. Unfortunately, the contest is in Paris, Texas. I like Miranda Cosgrove, primarily due to her starring in iCarly, but this lackluster rom-com never takes off. The first 20 minutes are promising, when we see Dawn on her grandmother's farm, and there is a chance encounter with Trey at a country dance bar. Had that storyline had continued, I would have enjoyed it, but we were soon off to Paris, Texas (which is in the northeast corner of the state above Dallas). The Wrong Paris could have been a humorous take on the romantic contests that occur seemingly every few months on TV and streaming, giving us an inside look at how they manipulate everything. Instead, the film relies on slapstick comedy that is never funny and misses the mark. The romance between Trey and Dawn seems forced, and we never get the feeling that the two are really meant to be together, other than that they both wear cowboy boots. By the end, I didn’t quite know how everything wrapped up, which sums up the film as a whole. My Rating: Cable  The Wrong Paris Info  The review of the film will be up Friday night. 

Indiefest:  Bang Bang  (2024) R  Bang Bang is about retired boxer Bernard “Bang Bang” Rozyski (Tim Blake Nelson), whose promising career was cut short by rumors of Bang Bang taking a dive. Now he has a chance for redemption when he starts training his grandson (Andrew Liner) to box. Tim Blake Nelson gives a tour de force performance of a man who is stuck living in the past. It’s a down and dirty performance of a man who only knows how to fight and sees his grandson as a ticket to get back into the game and get redemption. Bang Bang is a character study where you won’t like many of the people that inhabit its world, but you will be fascinated to find out what happens to them.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Bang Bang Info Now in select theatres. 

Indiefest:  The Baltimorons  (2025) R  In The Baltimorons, Cliff (Michael Strassner) has a dental emergency on Christmas Eve and meets Didi (Liz Larsen), a dentist who treats him. Both of them realize they have nowhere to go for the holidays, and Cliff persuades Didi to explore Baltimore together. It’s an accident that brought them together, but it’s love that will keep them together.  I loved this romantic and funny movie, which is a joy to watch as we follow Didi and Cliff on a night of adventure, discovery, and a little trouble. Strassner and Larsen have sizzling chemistry, playing off each other to create both comedic and romantic moments. This isn’t a knee-slapping comedy, but one that brings plenty of smiles and a few chuckles while we watch two people find they enjoy each other's company and want to spend as much time together as possible. The Baltimorons is a film that cherishes its city and the people who inhabit it, especially Didi and Cliff. My only minor quibble is that I wished Cliff had been better and funnier at improv. He didn’t deliver the goods, as they say in improvland. However, that’s an insignificant problem in a film that has heart and is a delight to watch, as two people discover that maybe life is worth living when shared with someone who cares. My Rating: Full Price  The Baltimorons Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Boys Go to Jupiter  (2024)  In the animated film Boys Go to Jupiter, a teenager who calls himself Billy 5000 (voiced by Jack Corbett), is trying to make money working for the food delivery agency Grubster and thinks he has figured out a way to play the system and make some big money. Boys Go to Jupiter is a delightful and funny film about a teen who is living in his sister’s garage and has set a goal for himself to make 5,000 dollars to pay her for letting him stay there after being abandoned by his mother. We watch as Billy makes deliveries (using his hoverboard) to a host of strange characters that inhabit his ocean-side city. Billy falls for the daughter of a local orange juice manufacturer. Her mother is an inventor whom we only see through her robot. The film is part sci-fi comedy, part manifesto on the evils of corporations and capitalism, while also having a heart and soul that highlights the importance of friends and family. It’s a bold adventure that uses animation to capture a strange combination of the ordinary and the weird to a delightful mix. So go root for Billy 5000 to meet his goal and maybe find a little romance and happiness along the way.  My Rating: Full Price  Boys Go to Jupiter Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Amateur  (1994)  R  Isabelle (Isabelle Huppert) is a virgin who lives in New York, was a nun for fifteen years, and now writes pornography for a living. She meets Thomas, who walks into the diner where Isabelle writes her pornography stories. Thomas has amnesia, and the Dutch money he has on him is the only clue to who he is. That’s how this wild, mystery/drama/comedy starts, which includes a prostitute and former porn actress (Elina Lowensohn) who used to be married to Thomas and is out to kill a businessman named Jacques, whom she blames for all her trouble. Amateur is a bizarre yet enjoyable movie, set in 1990s New York City, that is enjoyable to watch because of Isabelle Huppert, the former nun who is drawn to Thomas and decides to help him. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep it interesting. Hal Hartley, known for his award-winning films The Unbelievable Truth (1989) and Trust (1990), directs the film. Look for Parker Posey in a small role as a squatter and Currie Graham as a video store clerk.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Amateur Info  Available to rent/buy on Amazon.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale:  Home Economist 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Smashing Machine  (2025)  R   A look at three years (1997-2000) in the life of mixed-martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson). Supported by his girlfriend, Dawn (Emily Blunt), Mark struggles to overcome addiction and make a comeback in the UFC universe, when the sport was just beginning to gain popularity at the time. The film has been the talk of the fall film festival circuit. When I first watched the trailer, I didn’t recognize Dwayne Johnson until near the end; I kept thinking, “Where did they find an actor with such a massive physique?” The Smashing Machine is the first solo film from writer-director Benny Safdie, who, with his brother Josh, brought us Good Time (2017) and Uncut Gems (2019).   The Smashing Machine Website  In theaters on Friday, October 2, 2025.

Until Next Time!

Moana 2

Familyfaire:  Moana 2  (2024)  PG   Moana 2 takes place when Moana receives a message from her wayfinding ancestors and must go on a journey to the far seas of Oceania. Moana and her friends will sail into dangerous, long-lost waters to seek out an island that could unify all the people of Oceania. I really liked Moana (2016). I thought it had a great message, some cool songs, and Auli’i Cravalho, who was delightful in the title role. Even Dwayne Johnson was fun in the role of the demigod. Unfortunately, I can't say the same thing about Moana 2. Despite Auli'i Cravalho's excellent performance and top-notch singing, the plot and rest of the film are lacking. The film was originally conceived as a series, and that's what it feels like. It’s a bunch of 15-minute stories woven together, with some very forgettable songs and a plot that is incredibly hard to follow. The film has an ending that seems rushed and all too easy to happen when the rest of the movie was leading up to this breakthrough point. And don’t get me started on how Johnson’s demigod character has become annoying and bland. Add in Johnson once again trying to sing, and it makes for a long film to watch that only young kids will have fun with, mostly due to the stupid chicken that keeps popping up everywhere. A bonus scene at the end of all the credits explains what happened to one of the main characters in the film and sets up a Moana 3. Let’s hope they get better songs and a better plot.  My Rating: Cable  Moana 2 Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Maria  (2024)  R  Maria is about Maria Callas (Angelina Jolie), who was at one time the world's most famous opera singer with a voice that thrilled the masses. Now Maria has retired and has retreated to Paris, where she is attempting to mount a comeback but cannot escape the past. Maria is a film where the lead's performance lifts a meandering and weak script and makes it watchable. The film follows Maria during the last week that she was alive. She has been retired for five years but wants to mount a comeback. Her problem is twofold: she has a strong addiction to drugs, and her voice, once one of the world's greatest, has become a shadow of her former self. Jolie is brilliant in the role, playing a character who was a huge star whose every move was documented by the paparazzi. Jolie reveals the agony of realizing that Maria will never have that voice back, but she still believes she is a star. The film, though, lets Jolie’s performance down, mired in a series of weird flashbacks and drug-induced fantasies that don’t give you the emotional punch you need. The film never gives us in the flashbacks the big moments in her life, just glimpses of them as Maria stumbles through her last days. Still, Maria is a film to see because Jolie is spectacular in the role. I just wish it had been a different film that showed us why she was the star who captivated the world with her voice.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Maria Website  Now playing in select theaters and on the Netflix platform on December 11, 2024. 

My View:  Dear Santa  (2024)  PG-13   In Dear Santa, every year, tons of kids send letters to Santa. This year Liam (Robert Timothy Smith) sent his letter to someone else because he is a crappy speller: that man, Satan (Jack Black). Who the heck thought that giving Bobby Farrelly, one of the brothers behind films such as Shallow Hal and There’s Something About Mary, the reigns to a Christmas movie for kids would be a good idea? It is rated PG-13, so "it may not be suitable for children." I have no clue who this film is for. I just know that Dear Santa isn’t funny, has Jack Black making some pretty raunchy jokes, jokes that a kid Liam's age shouldn't be hearing and has an incredibly lazy ending. I wasn’t happy with this film almost from the start, as Liam isn’t a crappy speller (as I put in the description). Liam has dyslexia because that’s so funny. And the film goes downhill from there. Liam agrees to a deal with the Devil, granting him three wishes in exchange for his soul, and there are still more ha-ha moments to come. Maybe the kids will enjoy Post Malone being goofy but even that isn't funny. It's just kind of sad. If you find Jack Black dancing around in a leotard hilarious, go ahead and watch Dear Santa; otherwise, watch any other Christmas movie out there. They have to be better than this. My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Dear Santa Info     Now playing on the Paramount+ platform.

Indiefest:  All We Imagine as Light  (2024)   All We Imagine as Light is about Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha), nurses who work at the same Mumbai hospital and are roommates. Prabha and her husband, who is currently away in Germany, have not seen each other in a year, and the phone calls have stopped coming. Anu is younger and in a relationship with a Muslim boyfriend, which is challenging because of their conflicting religious beliefs. Prabha and Anu take a trip to a coastal town to get away, and there, they learn about life and love. All We Imagine as Light is a beautiful and touching story of love told from the perspective of two women. They are opposites in their lives, yet they are connected by a marriage custom that removes love from the picture. Anu is a young woman in the first stages of love, where you will do just about anything to steal time with that special person. Anu is blinded by love in the moment, not knowing or wanting to care about the future. All she wants is to be with the man she loves. The issue is that her parents won't approve of the relationship. In actuality, they are already preparing candidates for her to wed. Prabha is older, and she never had the chance to find love. Her marriage was arranged, and her husband is off in Germany, seemingly having forgotten her. There is a doctor who she likes and who is interested in her, but it can never happen because she is married. I loved the performances of the two leads. Kani Kusruti, as the sad and lonely Prabha, is brilliant in the role, letting us see Prabha’s true feelings in those small moments when she is alone and her thoughts take over. Divya Prabha, as Anu, is like a breath of fresh air when she is on the screen, making Anu someone who can contain herself when she is in her loved ones’ presence. This is also a love story about Mumbai, the city where they live. We are constantly shown the city as a warm and lively place where romance can happen, with the possibility of getting lost in the crowd on a train or in a restaurant. All We Imagine as Light is a story about love, loneliness, and the hope a city can bring you if you look hard enough. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  All We Imagine as Light Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

My View:  Beatles ’64  (2024)  Beatles ’64 is a documentary about the Beatles US debut, which created a frenzy that changed the world of music forever. Beatles ’64 is an inside look at the tour of America that the Beatles did in 1964, just months after President Kennedy had been assassinated. Two brothers, Albert and David Maysles, were given unprecedented access to the tour, as we join the Beatles in hotel rooms, trains and backstage at their legendary concerts. We get to experience what it was like for the four lads to tour America for the first time and experience the madness of how America’s teens went nuts over them. The footage includes interviews, both past and present, that detail the experience of being on that tour. And we get to see some of their legendary concert footage, not just the songs they sang on the Ed Sullivan Show, but also concerts in Miami and Carnegie Hall. You will fall in love with the four young men from Liverpool who are just as mystified by the mania that they inspired as the press is. Beatles ‘64 is a Beatles lover’s dream, but it’s also a way to understand how something like the Beatles coming to America could start the healing process of a country that had just lost a leader. My Rating: Full Price  Beatles '64 Info Now playing on the Disney+ platform. 

Forgotten Film:   A Hard Day's Night  (1964) G  Two days in the life of The Beatles as they prepare for an important live TV broadcast. Richard Lester directed this fantastic and fun look at The Beatles in a fictional look at what it was like to be them in England in 1964. The film allows the guys to have fun and showcase their personalities. While the plot is incredibly thin, and the boys mostly do a lot of jokes and winking at the camera, we do get to see how much fun they had at the time being together. Plus, we get a ton of their music. What is forgotten about this film is that it garnered two Academy Award nominations: Best Original Screenplay and Best Score.  My Rating: Full Price A Hard Day's Night Info The film is available to stream on Max and buy/rent on Amazon. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Moana 2: Environment Lighting

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Babygirl  (2024) R  A high-powered CEO (Nicole Kidman) has everything she's ever desired except one thing. She finds it in a torrid affair with her much younger intern (Harris Dickinson). Nicole Kidman has won a couple of awards from film festivals for this role. Could an Academy Award nomination be coming next year?  Babygirl Website  The film will be in theatres on Christmas Day. 

Until Next Time!

Red One

My View:  Red One  (2024) PG-13 In Red One, after Santa Claus (J. K. Simmons), aka Red One, is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) teams up with the world’s greatest bounty hunter (Chris Evans) to find Saint Nick and save Christmas. Red One is a film that has no idea what it is. Is it a kid's movie (then why all the cursing?)? Is it an action film for adults? Is it a Christmas movie that wants to be included in your yearly viewing around holiday time? After seeing this film (in 4DX, which is like watching a movie while having motion sickness and being continually punched in the back), I have no clue what this film is besides one big mess. I liked that Santa is in shape (which explains how he can visit so many places in one night), and the film smartly has Bonnie Hunt as Mrs. Claus, but that’s about it. Johnson and Evans have no chemistry between them; it’s as if those rumors of turmoil on the set were accurate. The CGI is horrible, the film wants you to believe that there is a toy store in every city in the world (not these days), and Santa has a brother (named Krampus, yes, that one) who came up with the naughty list. The film feels much longer than the little over two hours, which answers the question of whether this is a kid’s movie. In this day and age, do you think kids want to sit down for over two hours in a theater? The laughs are few and far between, and there is a slap contest that is supposed to be funny but seems way over-the top violent (again, not a kid’s movie). Oh yeah, and the film’s villain is a witch, played by Kiernan Shipka, which answers the question: is this a Christmas movie that can be added to our yearly viewing list? Uh, nope. My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See It Again  Red One Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Ghost Cat Anzu  (2024)  Ghost Cat Anzu is about Karin, a teenager whose father has left her in the care of her grandfather, who lives in a temple. Anzu, a giant ghost cat, has been tasked with looking after Karin. Karin and Anzu are about to find out making a deal with the devil is a terrible idea. This animated film feels almost like an anti-Ghibli film, in which the film uses rotoscoping for its animation and with a lead character who loves to fart and thumb his nose at society. That being said, it’s a sweet, funny film that takes a bit to get going, but once it does, it goes at almost a breakneck speed towards a lot of fun. Ghost Cat Anzu is about a young girl who feels abandoned (her mother is dead, and her father is a deadbeat) and is looking for a place where she can belong and be loved. It’s a world where our main character gets introduced to a huge, talking cat, and she just accepts it with little fanfare. That’s just the beginning of us exploring a world where ghosts walk the earth, demons come up for a visit, and a giant talking cat is a hero to a little girl who is desperate for heroes in her life.  My Rating: Full Price  Ghost Cat Anzu Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  A Real Pain  (2024) R  A Real Pain is about two cousins, David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin), who reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. Their trip will explore tensions that have been simmering for a long time. Writer/director/star Jesse Eisenberg has created a film where he isn’t the star. In fact, of the two main characters, we could have done away with about half of David’s interactions with the rest of the cast. That’s because Kieran Culkin is the main force in this film, and it’s to his credit as an actor that even though we occasionally don’t like Benji, we always want to see what he will do or say next. It’s an amazing performance you are always drawn to when he is on the screen, making us love Benji, even with all his faults. The film is about discovery, pain, and lost innocence, and trying to come to an understanding of both the cultural past of your ancestors and the recent past of two cousins who feel more like brothers. Brothers who have lost their connection to each other and are trying to find it again. My Rating: Full Price  A Real Pain Website  Now playing in theaters.

Indiefest:  Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point  (2024)  PG-13  On Christmas Eve, a huge family gathers together for their annual party in what could be the last gathering in their ancestral home. As tensions rise, drinking begins, and the teenagers sneak out of the house to make it another memorial time in Miller’s Point. Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point is a movie that feels like you have been invited to a family home for Christmas Eve but have never met anyone in the family before. From the start, we are thrown into the family car, sharing the back of the station wagon with a kid looking at the Christmas lights from upside down, as the father drives with almost uncaring abandon. We arrive at the home and the party is already going, with no introductions to anyone. This is a film where you will get to know some of the family better than others, as they bicker over whether the aging mother should be put in a home, kids run rampant in the house, and teens are sullenly waiting for the adults to start drinking so they can sneak away. Some of the family’s stories are left open-ended, and for others, we see the consequences by the film’s end. Christmas in Miller's Point is a film that allows us to share in the excitement of a big and loving family on a night where gifts are given and love is present.  My Rating: Full Price Christmas Eve in Miller's Point Website Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Chasing Chasing Amy  (2024)   Chasing Chasing Amy is a documentary exploring the complex legacy of Kevin Smith’s film Chasing Amy (1997) and its impact on the LGBTQ+ community. The origins of this documentary are a TED talk that the director of the film, Sav Rodgers, did about how the film Chasing Amy helped him deal with high school, feeling alone with suicidal thoughts, and his awakening sexual orientation. Sav watched the movie over 200 times, and as time went on, the film took on different meanings to him. Through that TED talk, Kevin Smith got in touch with Sav and the genesis of the documentary started to take shape. The film explores both the good and bad of the film through Sav’s story and interviews with people like filmmaker Guinevere Turner, whose screenplay for the groundbreaking indie film Go Fish came out simultaneously with Kevin Smith’s Clerks. Sav, with help from Kevin Smith, interviews members of the cast and crew from Chasing Amy, including a very memorable and touching interview with its star, Joey Lauren Adams. What started as an odyssey to discover what the film meant for Sav and others turns into a journey of self-discovery for Sav. It seems that Sav no longer needs a film to feel comfortable about himself and his place in this world. And that's okay.   My Rating: Full Price  Chasing Chasing Amy Website  Now playing in select theaters.

Forgotten Film:  Off the Map  (2003) PG-13  Bo (Valentina de Angelis) is an eleven-year-old girl who lives in New Mexico with her father, Charley (Sam Elliot), and mother, Arlene (Joan Allen). They live simply off the land, selling cut flowers to make a few bucks. Charley has become depressed, and neither his wife nor his best friend, George (J.K. Simmons), can pull him out of this darkness. Into their lives walks William (Jim True-Frost), an IRS agent, who is there to audit them. Off the Map is a film that poses questions but rarely gives us answers. Things slow down on the property, and the longer William stays there, the more he becomes under the spell of a place where things will be dealt with in their own time. Sam Elliot is wonderful as the father who has lost his spirit and needs to get it back or lose his wife. Bo, played beautifully by Valentina de Angelis, is the only person who will probably leave as she has a fire inside her that the rest of the cast of characters don’t have. My Rating: Full Price  Off the Map Info  Available to rent/buy on Amazon

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Red One:  Precision Car Coordinator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Wicked  (2024) PG  Wicked is about Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a misunderstood young woman who has been looked down upon because of her green skin. Glinda (Ariana Grande) is a spoiled rich girl who is a little boy crazy. At Shiz University in the Land of Oz, they find themselves becoming unlikely friends. We are about to learn that there are always two sides to a story. Wicked is one of the most anticipated films of the season, based on the Broadway musical. The film will be in two parts as the director, Jon M. Chu, felt that there was too much story to explore in just one film.  Wicked Website The film is in theaters nationwide on Friday, November 22, 2024. 

Until Next Time!