The Good Nurse

My View: The Good Nurse (2022) R   Amy (Jessica Chastain) is a single mom who juggles caring for her daughter and working the overnight shift as a nurse in a hospital. She befriends a new nurse, Charlie (Eddie Redmayne), and they are soon fast friends. Amy is hiding a secret, and soon she finds out that Charlie is too. Which secret will come out in the open first? Jessica Chastain plays the nurse you want in your service when you end up in a hospital. Amy is a warm, loving person who tries to learn about her patients' lives and make them as comfortable as possible, even if it means breaking a rule or two. Amy is on the overnight shift, and she soon finds a fellow worker who feels the same way that she does in Charlie, who, in a time of need, offers to help Amy. Charlie seems too good to be true, and then we learn that maybe he is. This film is based on a true story, which makes it much more horrific when we learn about what is going on in this hospital and others in the area. Redmayne is perfect as the soft-spoken Charlie, who seems like a nice guy, but you, as the viewer, feel a bit wary about him, especially how quickly he becomes important in Amy’s life. As usual, Jessica Chastain is remarkable as a woman with a secret that could destroy her life. The Good Nurse is a film that will keep you guessing until the end if our Amy will come out of this story with her life still in one piece.   My Rating: Full Price  The Good Nurse Website  Now available on the Netflix platform.

My View: Run Sweetheart Run (2020) R  Cherie (Ella Balinksa) is excited to go on a blind date set up by her boss. However, her date Ethan (Pilou Asbaek), who seemed perfect at the start, has become a monster and has told Cherie that if she can survive the night, he will forever leave her alone. It’s a night Cherie will never forget if she lives. This is a fun, scary romp of someone trying to escape from the bogeyman from the viewpoint of a woman who isn’t afraid to kick a bit of butt. Ella Balinksa is terrific in the role of Cherie, a single mom who has an idea of what she sees for herself and her daughter. But we get almost from the start that Cherie is dealing with a man’s world, where ride-share drivers can be openly creepy, and bosses can demand that you figure out how to get them out of overbooked situations. Along comes Ethan, who seems like a guy Cherie could enjoy dating until things turn quickly wrong. We get to try, along with Cherie, to learn the rules of this deadly game and how she can escape what seems to be an escapable scenario. While the ending feels a little too easy, I enjoyed this horror/run-for-your-life film with a definite female twist.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Run Sweetheart Run Website  Now available on the Amazon Prime platform.

My View: Call Jane (2022) R  In the 1960s. Joy (Elizabeth Banks) is a married woman with an unwanted pregnancy that endangers her life at a time in America when abortion is illegal. Joy meets a group of suburban women who have created a safe but underground network to give women the help they need. Joy gets the help she needs and then decides to join the other women to help people in need. The problem is this story is based (loosely) on true events, and the film’s story is better told in the HBO documentary The Janes that came out earlier this year. The film decides to center the movie around Joy, an upper-middle-class woman who, before her pregnancy, biggest decision was to have a second drink with her next-door neighbor or if she should start cooking now for her husband and teenage daughter. Joy becomes involved with the Jane organization when she is in need of an abortion. She is told she has a 50/50 chance of surviving the pregnancy due to a heart condition but is turned down by the medical staff (all men) of a hospital for the abortion because it might cause problems for the hospital (sound familiar right about now?). I would have loved for the film to be more focused on the woman who formed this amazing underground group of women who wanted to give women a way to make a decision about a life-altering choice. I wanted more scenes between Banks and Sigourney Weaver, who runs the Jane group. Their interactions are the best part of the film, but instead, we get a lot of Joy’s home life, with a husband who is more concerned about his own job and that his wife has his dinner ready, and a daughter who feels that her mother is spending too much time away from home. The film takes a turn that I did not like (I won’t go into what that turn is) and makes the film more about Joy and less about the amazing group of women who risked everything to keep women safe and given a choice.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Call Jane Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Familyfaire: Wendell & Wild (2022) PG-13   Kat (Lyric Ross) is a 13-year-old orphan living at a boarding school. Little does Kat know that she has a connection to two scheming demon brothers, Wendell (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key) and Wild (Jordan Peele). The two brothers hatch a plan to get Kat to summon them to the land of the living, but they have never met someone like Kat. This is a film that I wanted to love because I so enjoy stop-motion animation, and I admire the filmmaking that Jordan Peele is creating. Unfortunately, even with a standout voice cast and stunning animation, the film is packed with too much storyline, too many characters, and a plot that sometimes comes off the rails. Kids will enjoy the antics of Kat and the two demons but may get a bit bored by the plot. Still, it’s a fun film to watch, especially around Halloween time. I just wish the story had been a little simpler.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee Wendell & Wild Website   Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues (2022) R Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues is a documentary on the life and legacy of the man, the myth, and the legend Louis Armstrong. Armstrong was not only a ground-breaking jazz artist but was America’s first pop star and a cultural ambassador to the world. Most people today know Armstrong from his singing songs like Hello Dolly or What a Wonderful World. That is a shame because Armstrong was one of the greatest jazz trumpet players of all time. To hear other jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Wynton Marsalis not only sing his praise but are out and out astounded by his ability to hit high notes or capture phrases of music that they could only dream of achieving is mind-blowing. An incredibly popular artist who became an icon, his musical talent shines most in this documentary. The film does a magnificent job of giving us insight into the man behind the myth, letting us in behind the curtain through his own recordings of conversations he had in his home and around the world with friends and loved ones. I loved that Louis Armstrong created picture books and decorated his home walls with cutouts of quotes and pictures of his life and the film uses this technique throughout the film to highlight what Louis is saying in his interviews/talks. There is a decisive moment where the legendary actor Ozzie Davis talks about what he thought about Armstrong when Davis was younger and how that changed when he made a film with Louis and saw the man behind the mask that he usually held up to the world. We could all use more of Louis Armstrong, both in his music and his outlook on life and this film helps us discover the joys of his music and life.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues Website  Now playing in theatres and on the Apple TV+ platform.

My View: Prey for the Devil (2022) PG-13 Sister Ann (Jacqueline Byers) is a nun who has been allowed to attend the School of Exorcism at St. Michael The Archangel as an observer. She becomes involved with an exorcism that has her come face to face with a demonic force from her past. This is a pretty ordinary exorcism film with a few ‘jump out of the dark’ moments but overall is rather bland in the scares department. The plot is relatively easy to figure out, and other than seeing a couple of favorite actors of mine in Virginia Madsen and Ben Cross, there wasn’t much to this film. I enjoyed that the church has a high-tech headquarters in Boston to combat the devil. I kind of was hoping Q would pop up and give us a demo of a cross that can shoot holy water over distances. But no, just a nun who wants to be an exorcist and a little girl who has to be a demon.  My Rating: Cable   Prey for the Devil Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Forgotten Film: Pascali’s Island (1988) PG-13  Basil Pascali (Ben Kingsley) is a spy on a small island in 1908. Basil has been on this island writing reports for over 20 years that no one probably reads. He is secretly, or so he thinks, in love with an artist, Lydia (Helen Mirren), who sees men as a way to spice up her life. Basil’s life is turned upside down when an archeologist named Anthony Bowles (Charles Dance) is instantly interested in Lydia. This is one of those films in which you don’t know who to root for, for all the characters in the film have secrets and flaws that make them almost unlikable. Still, we want to stick around and see what happens, especially when an archaeological find could change everyone's lives. This is a masterful performance by Kingsley, who is much happier being behind the scenes, looking on as others lead their lives. He is a man who would rather dream about life than live it.   My Rating: Full Price   Pascali's Island Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues: Detroit Filed Producer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Empire of Light (2022) R Hilary (Olivia Colman) is a troubled woman who is having an affair with the married boss (Colin Firth), who owns the movie theatre she manages. Hilary’s life is changed when a new worker is hired, Stephen (Michael Ward), and they quickly form a bond that will change their lives forever. Written and directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, 1917), cinematography by two-time Oscar winner Roger Deakins and a cast composed of Oscar winners in a movie about the power of film. Yeah, I think I would watch this.   Empire of Light Website  In theatres in early December.

Until Next Time!

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

My View:  Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore  (2022) PG-13   Professor Dumbledore (Jude Law) has entrusted Newt (Eddie Redmayne) to lead a team of wizards, witches, and one brave Muggle baker to go on a dangerous mission to stop the powerful Dark wizard Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) from seizing control of the wizarding world. Newt and his team will encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald’s legion of followers to save the world. The question is, just how long can Dumbledore remain on the sidelines? So this is the third (and possibly final) film in the Fantastic Beasts series. I enjoyed the first film but didn’t like the 2nd one, finding it confusing and lacking the wonder and fun of the first film. I am also not a fan of Johnny Depp, who, after a stellar career early on, has become someone who mails in his performances and brings a campiness to films that don’t need it. I’m happy to say that for this third installment, Depp has been replaced by Mads Mikkelsen in the role of Grindelwald, the villain of the story. Mikkelsen gives a much more restrained version of Grindelwald and makes the villain more menacing than Depp’s cartoonish interpretation. That being said, while I enjoyed this film much more than the 2nd installment, it is very evident that J.K. Rowling, who wrote the script of the first two films and the Harry Potter books, is making this film about the politics of the last ten years and the film suffers for it. I also had trouble with the fact that Porpentina ‘Tina’ (Katherine Waterston), the love interest of Newt and his main supporter in the previous two films, is barely in this film, with almost no explanation. Now, all that being said, I still enjoyed the movie, primarily because of Eddie Redmayne’s performance as Newt, who has this wonderful screen presence, making Newt someone who sees the wonder in the world and wants to protect these fantastic, magical creatures. Also, the film is helped by Dan Fogler, as the love-lorn Jacob Kowalski, the Muggle baker who, with his good nature and humor, helps the team in sticky situations, all the while morning that his beloved Queenie has gone to the bad side. It is rumored that there will only be more Fantastic Beasts films if this one does well at the box office. I’m ok, either way, as this is a fine ending to the Fantastic Beasts saga.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Fantastic Beasts Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Father Stu  (2022) R  Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) has been a boxer and a wannabe actor, constantly failing and getting into trouble. After a near-fatal accident, Stu decides to become a priest. Along the way, Stu will be given many more obstacles to overcome along his journey from self-destruction to redemption. Father Stu is one of those films whose heart is in the right place but can’t deliver the power or emotional impact that this film sorely needs. It is very evident that Wahlberg put a lot into the role of Stuart, and it has come out that Mark also put a lot of his own money into the film. I wish that passion made it to the screen. The film moves along at a barreling pace, packing Stuart's life into a series of ups and downs (mostly downs), including getting drunk a lot and getting arrested even more. The film wants us to love Stuart, but it’s hard even to like the guy, as we wonder what Carmen (played by the fantastic Teresa Ruiz) sees in him, as Stuart clumsily romances a woman who will only consider dating Stuart if he becomes Catholic. The film is helped by an outstanding supporting cast, including Jacki Weaver as Stuart's long-suffering mother and Mel Gibson as Stu’s not-so-loving deadbeat father. The film is based on a true story, and I wish that Stuart’s remarkable transformation from a troubled young man into an inspirational priest was made into a better, more nuanced movie. But instead, we get a predictable film that never captures the magic of what the real Stuart must have been like.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Father Stu Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Choose or Die (2022)   Down on her luck, coder Kayla (Iola Evans) finds a mysterious 1980s video game that has the possibility of having unclaimed prize money. Straightaway, Kayla, with the help of a fellow coder, Isaac (Asa Butterfield), fire up the game, and they step into a surreal world of next-level terror where the game brings pain and death to reality. I think that people who will enjoy this film are the older viewers who remember the early years of computer gaming, where you used a cassette tape and a monochrome monitor to play games that mostly asked you questions like ‘Do you want to go left or right?’. Otherwise, this film is a pretty ordinary horror film where the characters are forced to choose one bad choice versus another bad choice. Like a lot of horror films of the past ten years or so, this is another in a long line of horror films where the hero of the film must make hard choices, often where the hero must decide who dies while trying to figure out how to get the game to stop. While not a horrible film, Choose or Die doesn’t bring much to the horror table other than an initial nostalgic look at a gaming past that kind of sucked.   My Rating: Cable    Choose or Die Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Dual   (2022) R   Sarah (Karen Gillan) has been given a terminal diagnosis and has opted for a cloning procedure. After the procedure is done, Sarah finds out that she isn’t dying. Consequently, Sarah tries to have her clone decommissioned, only to be told by a court that she will be dueling her clone to the death in one year. This is a strange little film about a woman who doesn’t seem to care that she is dying until she realizes her replacement double is a better version of herself and that even her mother likes her more than the real Sarah. This is a dark comedy that doesn’t always work, a film that skims the line too much between being deadpan and outlandish. I am a fan of Karen Gillan, especially her work on Doctor Who, but the film seems to have lost that Gillan can play with her roles, making them seem fun and energetic. Gillan’s Sarah is lost in restraint, and that makes this film feels slow and dull, even in a quite funny sequence where Sarah’s ‘duel’ trainer, played by Aaron Paul, tries out ‘killing dancing’ with Sarah as another way Sarah can attack her double in the upcoming duel. I never could get into this film where the main character was so dull, even when she wasn’t supposed to be.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Dual Website   Now playing in select theatres.

Forgotten Film: House of Sand And Fog   (2003)  R  Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) is a woman whose life is slowly crumbling around her. She is a woman who has had a drinking problem in the past, her husband has left her, and now, her family home has been taken away from her. Behrani (Ben Kingsley) is a man who once was successful in his home country of Iran but now works two jobs to support his family here in America. He buys Kathy’s house in an auction hoping that his fortunes have turned around. Instead, the two people are on a collision course that could destroy both their lives. House of Sand and Fog is a film where the two main characters are both right, and that’s the problem. One or both most lose in this game. Jennifer Connelly gives a brilliant performance as the troubled woman who sees Behrani as the enemy, someone who has taken her life from her. As only he can, Kingsley gives us a man who is full of grace until he is pushed to the edge and his family is threatened. House of Sand and Fog is a film that will stay with you and make you wonder who was right and who was wrong.   My Rating: Full Price    House of Sand and Fog Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore: Animal Coordinator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Top Gun: Maverick  (2022) PG-13  Maverick (Tom Cruise) has for 30 years served his country but has done it his way, as one of the Navy’s top aviators, pushing the envelope as a test pilot. Maverick has been able to dodge the advancement in rank that would ground him until now. Maverick is back where he started, and he is still flying by the air tower, rank be damned. Finally, we get a film that has been pushed back due to COVID for what seems like forever. Can Tom capture the magic again? We all will be there to see it.   Top Gun Website

Playmobil: The Movie

FamilyFaire: Playmobil: The Movie (2019)  A brother and sister, Charlie (voiced by Gabriel Bateman) and Marla (voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy), are still getting over the death of their parents. Charlie sneaks out to visit a toy museum with a Playmobil exhibit. Marla goes after Charlie, and after she scolds him, a lighthouse in the display illuminates them and transports them to the Playmobil world. The film is an attempt to ride the coattails of the Lego series of movies but fails on almost every count. The starts and ends with live-action, before the two kids are transported into the world of Playmobil. The songs in the film, making this a quasi-musical, are boring, except for a Meghan Trainor song where she plays, yes, the kid’s Fairy Godmother. Very young kids may enjoy the brightness and colors of the Playmobil world, but adults will be looking for the exit as soon as the first song starts.    My Rating: Cable     Playmobil: The Movie Facebook Page

My View: The Aeronauts (2019) PG-13   Scientist James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) is convinced that he if learns more about the weather conditions in the upper atmosphere that he can eventually predict the weather, helping farmers know when to plant/harvest their crops and warn citizens of impending bad weather. James convinces a balloon pilot, Amelia Rennes (Felicity Jones), to build and fly the largest ever gas balloon to fly almost into outer-space. It turns out that the flight will be an epic fight for their survival, a trip they might not return from. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, which took the difficult task of making a balloon flight seem mysterious and deadly. As you would expect, there is outstanding chemistry between Redmayne, as the meek scientist and Jones as the bold, outspoken pilot. The film unveils the flight in real-time, as we watch both the clock and the altimeter as the balloon flies up to heights that no one had ever gone before. I loved Felicity Jones’ character of Amelia, a woman who overcomes a tragedy in her life to push the boundaries of science.    My Rating: Full Price    The Aeronauts Website

Indiefest: Little Joe (2019)     Alice (Emily Beecham) is a single mother and a scientist who specializes in plant breeding. She has been working on a plant that she has called Little Joe, which can ‘make you happy.’ Alice brings one of the plants home to her son, Joe (Kit Connor), as a gift. Alice notices that as the plant grows, it begins changing her fellow worker’s personalities, and ‘Little Joe’ might be not as harmless as the nickname suggests. Little Joe is an exciting suspense film with a bit of Sci-Fi thrown in. Emily Beecham gives a moving and multifaceted performance as a woman who knows something is wrong with the plant she created, having seen the changes in her child first had, but she can’t get anyone to acknowledge that anything could be wrong. The film effectively builds the tension through the film, with us the audience wanting Alice to find a way to win what seems to be an impossible fight. The film does the unthinkable, makes a beautiful little flower an evil force that could ultimately destroy humankind.    My Rating: Full Price    Little Joe Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Ready or Not (2019) R   A bride, Grace(Samara Weaving), is told that she must participate in a game of hide and seek before coming a part of the groom’s family. What she doesn’t know is if they find her in the family home before sunrise, she will be killed. This film is the perfect example of the definition of a ‘dark comedy,’ a movie that makes light of a subject that is generally considered taboo. In this case, the family that is hunting her is made up of a bunch of crazy individuals, all who believe that if they don’t kill Grace, something horrible will happen to the family. You will be laughing one moment at the ridiculous events that occur, and other moments you will be scared at the jump out of the dark moments in the film. This film does an excellent job of building the tension until the end of the film. The performance of Sara Weaving makes this film worth watching, as she shows she has the chops for both comedy and drama, all in one character. Weaving is a delight to watch on the screen as she starts as the innocent bride, then turns into a victim who is running for her life, and finally, an in your face antagonist who is willing to fight for her life. Go see this film, it’s so much fun to watch and the audience I saw it with had as good a time as I did.   My Rating: Full Price   Ready or Not Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  My Spy (2019)  PG-13   A legendary CIA agent, JJ (Dave Bautista), has been demoted and is sent undercover to surveil a 9-year-old, Sophie (Chloe Coleman) and her family. Sophie is a tech genius, and she discovers where JJ’s operation is set up. She blackmails him into letting her hang out with him and learn what it means to be a spy. I love Bautista in the Guardians series, but I don’t think he has the acting chops or the charisma to overcome this horrible plot.    My Spy Website

Forgotten Film: Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) G    Three brothers go into World War I with hope and love of country only to discover that the songs they sing in the trenches gloss over the reality of death and destruction of trench warfare. Directed by two-time Academy Award-winning director Sir Richard Attenborough, this is a rather strange musical where all the songs that are sung are from the time period of WWI. Many of the scenes depicted are critical moments in the war, showing the folly of warfare and how it destroys lives. The film is full of some of the most significant British stars of the time and was made at a time that America and the world were discovering the horrors of the Vietnam War. One of the great films in the history of cinema that dealt with the madness and atrocities of war.   My Rating: Full Price      Oh! What a Lovely War Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Aeronauts: Knitted and Crochet Textile Artist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  1917 (2019) R    Two young British privates (Sam Mendes, George MacKay) during the First World War are given what most likely is an impossible task: to deliver a message deep behind enemy lines that will stop a massacre of 1,600 British soldiers. This film is already gathering awards, including a top ten listing on the Atlanta Film Critics Circle 2019 Awards.     1917 Website

Until Next Time!

Black Panther

My View:  Black Panther (2018)  PG-13  After the events of Captain America: Civil War, King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns to his country only to be challenged by a rival faction. Now T’Challa as the Black Panther teams up with C.I.A. agent Ross (Martin Freeman) to try and defeat the evil Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) and keep his countrymen free.  This is a groundbreaking superhero movie because it doesn’t focus on the action sequences (though they are incredible) but focuses on the people and their back stories. The film feels extraordinarily personal and close up. You get to know why the heroes and villains become who they are now and why they are so driven. Michael B. Jordan’s character, Erik Killmonger, is the best Marvel villain ever. His backstory is exceptional and riveting. He is a character whom you hate, but you also understand why he does what he does. What I loved about this film is how many female characters kick butt. Letitia Wright, as the younger sister of T’Challa, steals every scene that she is in as the smart but snarky woman who is the brains behind the technology that T’Challa uses as Black Panther. I loved the humor in this film, which feels real and personable. This is one of the best Marvel films out there, but it’s also one of the best films of the year. Be sure and stay through all the credits as there are two bonus scenes.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again

Family Faire:  Early Man  (2018)  PG  Forced out of their homeland by the evil Lord Nooth, Dug, and his fellow tribe members unite to take on the Bronze Age City dwellers in a game of soccer.  I loved this film as I do much of the movies by Nick Park, creator of the Wallace and Gromit films. The film has a great comedic feel about it and is so much fun to watch. The stop-motion animation is bright and brilliantly done, giving the film a light tone. The storyline is funny and moving, hitting all the right notes. The voice actors are perfect for the roles, and I especially loved Eddie Redmayne as our hero, Dug. The film is a blast to watch, and I had a great time seeing it.  My Rating: Full Price

Indiefest:  Happy End  (2017)  R  Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant), the patriarch of the family, is gradually succumbing to dementia.  His son (Mathieu Kassovitz) and daughter  (Isabelle Huppert) are slowly destroying his business. This is a dark and bleak look at a family that is falling apart at the seams. From the patriarch who continually tries to kill himself to the young daughter who has killed her mother, the film paints a bleak picture of a family who seemingly has everything but is rotten to the core. Not one person in this Michael Haneke film is happy in their lives, and we see their pain scrawled across the screen. This is a brutal film to watch but is worth seeing.   My Rating: Full Price

Forgotten Film:  My Blueberry Nights  (2007)  PG-13 A lonely young woman (Norah Jones) trying to get over a broken relationship takes a trip across America and encounters a series of offbeat characters along the way. This is a beautiful film about relationships and how they define us. The heart of this film is the performances of a brilliant cast, including Rachel Weisz, Natalie Portman, and David Straitharm. The film explores a person who is broken but heals herself through helping others find their way in life.  My Rating: Full Price

Weird Credits: From the credits of Black Panther:  Creature Technical Director

Coming Soon To a Theatre Near You:  Annihilation  (2018)  R  A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don't apply. I’m not sure what this film is about, but the trailer looks impressive and advanced word from film critics is excellent.

Until Next Time!

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

My View:  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them  (2016)  PG-13  Seventy years into the future, Harry Potter will read writer Newt Scamander’s (Eddie Redmayne) book. First, Newt has to have the adventures in New York’s secret community of witches and wizards.  If you are a fan of the Harry Potter film and book series, then you will want to see this film. The film uses the Harry Potter world as its basis but makes this its own world. The action is fun and fast paced with special effects that bring the many, and I do mean many, beasts alive. Redmayne is obviously having fun with the role, and it shows in his performance. His boyish charm makes his character come alive on the screen. Alison Sudol is dazzling as the headstrong love interest for Newt, Queenie, and I adored Katherine Waterston as the sweet and mind reading-sister. Dan Fogler steals the movie as the hilarious human who becomes Newt’s sidekick. There isn’t a closing credit scene, and the film was not shot in 3-D, so save a few bucks. You will enjoy this fantastic ride full of beasts and wizards.    My Rating:  Full Price   Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Website

Indiefest:  The Edge of Seventeen  (2016)  R  High school life for Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) is already pretty bad, but it gets worse when her best friend (Haley Lu Richardson) starts dating her popular older brother (Blake Jenner).  Writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig brings us the adolescent adventures of Nadine in the hilarious and smart “The Edge of Seventeen.” Many filmmakers have tried to document the hardship of the awkward teenage years of young women who just don’t quite fit in. Juno, Kings of Summer, Ghost World, Spectacular Now and of course, Sixteen Candles come to mind. This film is their equal with smart writing, quick dialogue, and excellent performances, especially from Hailee Steinfeld and Woody Harrelson. Steinfeld is dazzling in this movie, commanding the screen, even with scene-stealers such as Sedgwick and Harrelson. She embodies this role, and we fully believe that Nadine is as socially awkward and just a little “weird.” The Edge of Seventeen is a teen coming-of-age comedy that feels real. I had so much fun watching this film that I wouldn’t mind spending a day or two hanging out with these characters, even if meant going through the pain of attending high school again.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   The Edge of Seventeen Website

My View:  Bleed for This  (2016)  R  World Champion Boxer Vinny Pazienza (Miles Teller) is in an automobile crash and is told he might never walk again. Vinny is determined not only to walk again but to fight again.  In spite of this true story of a man committed to do the impossible, the film never gets behind the facade of Vinny. The movie lacks the big emotional breakthrough that the story and we, the audience, deserve. Just because the real-life story is amazing doesn’t mean that it’s going to be a fantastic movie. Miles Teller has shown us in the past that he can carry a film, but, unfortunately, he is let down by the storyline and the dialogue. He’s never given that big, impassioned and moving scene. The emotional tone of the film is flat, and try as hard as he does, Teller rarely provides us with the in-depth look into the makeup of who Vinny really is as a person. Bleed for This becomes just another ordinary boxing film, which is too bad because its star and its true story are far more remarkable than the movie, itself.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Bleed for This Website

Forgotten Film:  Fly Away Home  (1996)  PG  Amy (Anna Paquin) is thirteen years old when her mother is killed in New Zealand. She goes to live with her father (Jeff Daniels) whom she barely knows. Amy then stumbles upon a nest of abandoned goose eggs and decides to hatch them. When they hatch, she becomes their mother. The birds need to fly south for the winter and to get them there she and her father make their ultra-light planes look like geese and lead the birds on a magical trip to the south. This is a warm film, perfect for families. Paquin is better than most young actors her age, and she works extremely well on screen with Daniels. The film is based on a true story which makes it seem even more spectacular.   My Rating: Full Price   Fly Away Home Info

Weird Credits:  From Fantastic Beasts and Where You Find Them:  Russian Arm Operator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Mifune: The Last Samurai  (2015)  Toshiro Mifune was the greatest Japanese actor of his time. This documentary explores his life including the legendary films he made with Akira Kurosawa. Mifune starred in one of my all-time favorite (and top ten films) Seven Samurai  (1954) which was remade twice as The Magnificent Seven.   Mifune: The Last Samurai Info

Until Next Time!

The Boy Next Door

My View:    The Boy Next Door (2015)  R  High school teacher Claire (Jennifer Lopez) has just come off a messy divorce. She has a one-night stand with a young neighbor (Ryan Guzman) who then develops an obsession with her. I was looking for the door about five minutes into this film. The idea that Jennifer Lopez's character, who looks like Jennifer Lopez and therefore, could get any man out there, would lust for and have a one-night stand with a nineteen-year-old is laughable, but then again, so is the dialogue. The plot holes in this film are about as wide as the empty theatres.  My Rating: Cable   The Boy Next Door Website

Indiefest:   Cake (2014)  R   Claire (Jennifer Aniston) suffers from constant pain. Not only does Claire have physical scars, she also has mental ones. She has driven away everyone, including her chronic pain support group. Now she only has her housekeeper (Adriana Barraza). Claire’s world is shaken when a fellow group member commits suicide. This film was written, it seems, to give Aniston every advantage of getting an Oscar nomination. Make her look slightly ugly but still look like Jennifer Aniston. Check. Make her character slightly unlikable but not so much that she isn't redeemable. Check. Have a bunch of well-respected actors show up for bit parts so we can put their names on the poster. Check. Have something in her past that we don't talk about for two-thirds of the film and then finally reveal what we already knew happened. Check. The one thing the producers missed to get Aniston her Oscar?  Write a good script.  My Rating: Cable  Cake Website

Familyfaire:   Song of the Sea (2104)  PG  Saoirse is a child who is the last of the selkies, a legendary group that can transform from seals into people. Now she is on a journey to free fairy creatures who are trapped in the modern world. This is one of the best-animated movies I have seen over the past five years, and it will become a classic, I believe. The film is beautiful and moving. The classically done animation is a joy to watch, and the storyline is original. Great blending of classic Celtic folk tales and a modern setting make this film one of the most inventive and imaginative films I have seen.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Song of the Sea Website

Indiefest:   The Humbling (2014)  R   Simon Axler (Al Pacino) is an actor whose world is turned upside down when he starts an affair with Pegeen (Greta Gerwig). This is Al Pacino playing Al Pacino with an insecurity complex. For most actors, the amount of scenery chewing scenes would be overwhelming and tedious, but Pacino pulls it off. There is great chemistry between Pacino and Gerwig. Their scenes together are the best moments in the film. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and watching a esteemed actor in an impressive part was the reason.  My Rating: Full Price   The Humbling Website

Forgotten Films:   Martin (1977)  R   An awkward, teenage boy (John Amplas) has a secret; he thinks he is an 84-year-old blood craving vampire. He has just moved into a new town to live with his cousin and doesn’t know anyone. Trying to make new friends isn’t easy, especially when you tend to kill the people you meet and drain their blood. With an unusual and interesting take on the vampire movie, this film, directed by horror legend George a. Romero, never lets you know if Martin really is a vampire or just nuts. The directors of current horror films could learn a lot from watching this film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Martin Info

Weird Credits:   From the credits of The Boy Next Door: cat trainer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Jupiter Ascending (2015)  PG-13  Not sure exactly what this film is about other than Channing Tatum has a dye job but it got him, Mila Kunis and Eddie Redmayne, so I will watch it.   Jupiter Ascending Website

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Dumb and Dumber To

My View: Dumb and Dumber To (2014) PG-13   It’s been 20 years since their last adventure, so the boys (Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels) are ready for a new road trip. This time Lloyd and Harry try to find Harry’s daughter. If you are a fan of the first film, then stay away from this one. This film isn't funny (I saw the film with a screening full of fans of the first film, and not much laughter occurred.).  This film is mean-spirited and badly written, and, too often goes for the easy, predictable joke. The first film has a sweetness to it, a film about really stupid but loveable guys. This film is full of fart jokes, harmful practical stunts and a plot that takes way too much time to get going. Apparently, you can get too dumb with your material. There is a very short bonus scene at the end of the credits but it's not worth staying to see it.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Dumb and Dumber To Website

My View: Beyond the Lights (2014)  PG-13  A young musician (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) has been trained her whole life by her manager / mother (Minnie Driver) to become a pop star at any price. It all becomes too much until the striving star encounters a knight in shining armor - a police officer named, Kaz (Nate Parker). This is a good film made better by the amazing performance of Gugu Mbatha-Raw as the talented pop star who is trying to find her place and get out from under her dominating mother. Mbatha-Raw just radiates on the screen, as your eyes just constantly follow her. The film has a great supporting cast including Minnie Driver as the mother and Danny Glover as Nate's father. The film moves at a nice pace and will remind you of the old Whitney Houston / Kevin Costner film, The Bodyguard (1992). It's a feel-good romantic movie that hits all the marks.  My Rating: Full Price  Beyond the Lights Facebook page

Indiefest: Rosewater (2014)  R   Journalist Maziar Bahari (Gael Garcia Bernal) was back in his home country of Iran to cover the national elections for the BBC. After reporting on protests going on in the country, he was arrested and held for more than 100 days in solitary confinement, enduring both mental and physical torture. This is a good, first effort from director / writer Jon Stewart. Bahari, played by the talented Garcia Bernal, uses humor as one of his coping mechanisms, so this film isn't all torture and despair. There are some moving scenes in the film, and Gael Garcia Bernal gives it his all. While it is a film about the power of journalism, at its core, it's really a film about the importance of family and love.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Rosewater Facebook page

Indiefest: The Theory of Everything (2014) PG-13  The love story between the famous physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his wife, Jane (Felicity Jones). Redmayne and Jones are extraordinary in this film about the love between two people who decide to live every day like it could be their last. They give unbelievable performances and have an incredible chemistry on screen. It's a beautiful story and has a lot of up and downs, as two people team up to achieve remarkable things, not only in their professional lives but also in their personal lives. If you are a fan of romantic films, then this one is for you.  My Rating: Full Price  The Theory of Everything Website

Indiefest: The Way He Looks (2014) PG-13  Leonardo (Ghilherme Lobo) is a blind teenager who is searching for his place in the world. His world changes when Gabriel (Fabio Audi) enters his life. This is a great coming-of-age film that is a sweet, touching look at first love. Lobo is perfect in the role of Leonardo, a boy who is a little shy but is determined to live life on his own terms. This Brazilian film has won awards at a number of film festivals, and it doesn't disappoint, hitting it out of the park. This is a film that will move you and make you root for the underdog.  My Rating: Full Price  The Way He Looks Website

Forgotten Film: A Simple Plan (1998) R  Hank (Bill Paxton), Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton) and Lou (Brent Briscoe) find a deserted plane out in the woods filled with millions of dollars. They figure out a plan to claim the money, and then everything goes wrong. This is a combo of a rather dark comedy, mixed in with a bit of a mystery/thriller vibe. Paxton and Thornton give some of their best performances in this film that explores what happens when ordinary men are overwhelmed by greed.  My Rating: Full Price  A Simple Plan Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Rosewater: Audience Engagement Strategist

Coming to a Theatre Near You: Into the Woods (2014) PG  A witch (Meryl Streep) sets out to teach important lessons to various characters of popular children's stories. The film has an outstanding cast, including Anna Kendrick, Streep, Chris Pine and Emily Blunt. The trailer for this film makes you want to buy your tickets now! Into the Woods Website

Until Next Time!