Disclosure Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until Next Time!

The Devil Wears Prada 2

My View: The Devil Wears Prada 2  (2026)  PG-13  In The Devil Wears Prada 2, Miranda (Meryl Streep) is nearing retirement, and the sharks are circling around. In walks Andy (Anne Hathaway) to help Miranda, and is forced to take on her former assistant turned rival: Emily (Emily Blunt). Ever go back to your hometown and go out for a night with friends that you used to stay out until 4 am? And you realize around 10 pm that it’s not as fun as it was back then, and there is no way you are staying until 4 again. That’s what it’s like seeing The Devil Wears Prada 2. It’s fun and enjoyable, but it’s not the same feeling you got from the first film. The problem is, it’s been 20 years, and Andy is no longer naive, young, and eager to please. Well, maybe still eager to please. There isn’t anything wrong with this sequel, and all the actors are giving their all to the roles, but it’s hard for lightning to strike twice, and it never quite hits the mark like the first one. The saving grace of this film is the chemistry between Andy and Emily, making this film more about the two of them than about Andy and Miranda. Yes, there are dazzling fashions, and Miranda is still snarky with Streep giving great looks, but the film doesn’t have the bite or the charm of the first film. You will still have a good time, but you won’t want it to keep going (like those old parties you used to go to), and you'll be ready for it to be over.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Devil Wears Prada 2 Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Hokum  (2026)  R  Hokum follows Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott), a horror writer, who travels to a remote part of Ireland to spread the ashes of his deceased parents, unaware that his rental property is haunted by a witch. Ohm is a person whom you don’t want to be around. He is self-righteous, hates interruptions, and people who want him to do anything, even sign a book. He goes to Ireland because he is tired of seeing his parents’ urns on the mantle, and we get the feeling that he hates his father. While staying at a hotel his parents loved and always wanted to return to, he encounters some strange people who believe the witch is real. Hokum is a very scary, well-made horror film that does a superb job of building tension while feeding us a few scraps of clues about the mysterious hotel and its past. Scott does a fabulous job of making us hate the man from the start, then root for him to uncover the hotel's hidden mysteries. It’s creepy, with only a few jump scares, as the fear factor keeps ramping up the longer Ohm is in the hotel, and keeps us guessing on what is going on until the very end. Does Ohm solve the mystery, and does he get out alive? You will have to wait until the last chapter to find out.  My Rating: Full Price  Hokum Website Now playing in theaters

Indiefest: Omaha  (2025)   PG-13  Omaha follows a widowed father (John Magaro) who takes his two young children (Molly Belle Wright, Wyatt Solis) on a sudden, mysterious cross-country road trip. This is a film that, at times, is heartwarming and funny, and at other times, it just rips your heart out. The film puts you in the car with the family (dog included) on a road trip; we don’t know where it’s going, or even whether the family will get there, since the car only starts with a running push from the father and daughter. The kids are a treat to watch as they go on this roller coaster of a trip, full of many highs and lows. This is a film you know will probably not end well because the father won’t give up on where the family is going, and we see throughout that the family is in trouble. John Magaro gives us a performance in which we only see glimpses of what he is going through, but we can feel the weight of the world on his shoulders. I loved Molly Bell Wright as the older of the two, who keeps trying to figure out what is going on and makes every effort to be as supportive to her dad as she can. There is a reason the family is traveling to Omaha, and it is masterfully revealed in the film's last frames. Omaha is a slow-moving, engaging look at a family that loves each other, but sometimes that isn’t enough. John Margaro’s performance is going to stay with you long after you leave the theater.   My Rating: Full Price  Omaha Website  Now playing in theaters

Forgotten Film: My Summer of Love  (2004)  R  In the Yorkshire countryside, two young girls from very different backgrounds, a tomboy, Mona (Natalie Press), and a rich girl, Tamsin (Emily Blunt), meet and start a friendship that will help both survive the summer of chaos and change. This is Emily Blunt’s feature film debut, and she is amazing as the exotic, rich girl with some hidden secrets. Natalie Press is equally brilliant as the girl who knows that she can’t stay in Yorkshire and be happy. The cinematography perfectly captures the summer countryside. While it’s a romance, the film is more about finding your way among the trouble and tribulations of being young and unhappy with your life.  My Rating: Full Price  My Summer of Love Website  The film is available to rent on Apple TV+ and Amazon. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Devil Wears Prada 2:  Helium Balloon Supervisor

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Disclosure Day  (2026)  PG-13  Disclosure Day follows Daniel (Josh O’Connor), a cybersecurity expert with access to long-held government secrets about extraterrestrial life, as it becomes evident that an alien presence is on Earth, including Margaret (Emily Blunt), a local TV meteorologist who starts speaking an alien language during a live telecast. The film is from Steven Spielberg, who gave us two of the classic extraterrestrial movies of all time: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982).   Disclosure Day Website  The film will be in theaters on Friday, June 12, 2026

Until Next Time!

Lee Cronin's The Mummy

My View: Lee Cronin’s The Mummy  (2026)  R   Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is about a young daughter (Natalie Grace) of a journalist who disappears without a trace in the desert. Eight years later, the daughter suddenly appears, but what should be a joyful reunion is quickly shattered by a nightmare that may never end. I liked Cronin’s Evil Dead Rises, calling it ‘one of the better horror / possession films of the past few years.” I can’t say the same thing for a film that I am calling “Evil Dead Rises for Mummies”. And because moms take center stage in this gore fest, you can say mommies, too. The first problem with this film is that it’s incredibly, butt-numbingly long at two hours and thirteen minutes. The second problem is that I didn’t like the parents, who are the most irresponsible pair I have ever seen in a film. They apparently don’t know that their kidnapped daughter, missing for eight years, was found inside a three-thousand-year-old sarcophagus wrapped in ancient wrappings. And while the mom (Lala Costa) is a nurse (I think), they aren’t set up for the 24-hour care that their catatonic, twitchy, old as heck looking daughter, who has a tendency to projectile vomit, spit, and crush hands. Your first clue to their incompetent parenting is dragging the child up what seems like 20 flights of stairs in a wheelchair (which I kept waiting for the child to fall out of). The father (Jack Reynor) was a rising news anchor before the kidnapping, but he misses all the clues that this film hits us over the head with, and takes almost two hours to figure out that something is wrong with his daughter. The film tries to outgross itself at every opportunity, including a toenail-clipping scene that drags on for what seems like ten minutes. I could go on about how stupid this family is, including a grandmother who keeps getting close to the girl, even though every time she does, it seems she gets the crap beaten out of her. Or the Mummy’s two siblings, both of whom, even though the girl is weird as crap, get fooled by the old “cute voice through the door” trick. The tagline for this movie is “Some Things Are Meant To Stay Buried.” I sure wish the script had been one of those things. Well, at least with the director/writer putting his name in the title, we know who to blame for this mess of a film.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Lee Cronin's The Mummy Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Normal  (2025)   R  In Normal, Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk) has come to the sleepy town of Normal, Minnesota, to become the temporary sheriff after the passing of the long-time sheriff in the town. Not only did the sheriff die under suspicious circumstances, but things get really weird after the local bank is robbed, and Ulysses suspects that the town might be hiding a huge secret. I find it very enjoyable that Bob Odenkirk has gotten into the action-hero game, and this film certainly delivers a lot of action. Odenkirk plays a flawed hero who is just passing through as a caretaker for a few weeks and then moving on to the next town. However, this town isn’t what it seems, and it has some very serious connections (which we see right from the start), and Ulysses is in for a mess of a fight. I had fun with this film for a while, but I had trouble keeping up with who had been killed (the kill rate in this film is incredibly high) and how. I did enjoy how Ulysses finds allies in very unexpected places while the whole town is out to kill him. Then the film kind of became more of the same, and I started wanting it to resolve itself (which it does, unconvincingly). I have a feeling critics will compare this film to Fargo (because of the small-town weirdness) and to John Wick (the nonstop violence), and I will admit that, about halfway through, I kept thinking I had seen this film before. Then I realized Odenkirk had just done the Nobody films. But hey, we have plenty of history with action heroes doing the same version of their films over and over, and we have continued to see them. So go ahead, Bob, and become the next Liam Neeson. I won’t mind. Just don’t become the next Steven Seagal. We don’t have the stomach to go through that again.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Normal Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Lorne  (2026)  R  Lorne is a documentary about Lorne Michaels, who created Saturday Night Live in 1975 and is still the driving force behind the legendary late-night comedy show. I have been a fan of SNL since it started. I still remember sitting with my dad watching the first episode back in 1975 (yes, I’m that old), when the first host was George Carlin (his first monologue bombed so bad he asked the audience if they had heard the jokes before). So I was excited to see a documentary about the man who created the show. This is a film that, while I really enjoyed at the time, the more I think about it, the less I like it. Award-winning director Morgan Neville, who brought us the Academy Award-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom and the delightful Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, tells us right from the start that this is about a man who not only doesn’t enjoy being interviewed, he also doesn’t like being filmed at all. And that’s the problem. It’s about a man whom even his close friends know little about. So we get a film more about how the show is put together, and we get a ton of highlights on how the show has impacted comedy and the nation with its continued look at what is happening in America at any given time. There are a ton of clips from old shows and even more interviews with cast members (most of the interviews seem to be from casts from the last ten years). Looking back at this documentary, my enjoyment came from watching the vast array of comedy gems the show has given us, along with interviews with (surprise) very funny people who know how to tell a story or deliver a quip. I came away with the idea that this man does have an eye for talent, knows what is funny and what works on TV, but I already knew that. The problem is that this is a film about one man, Loren Michaels, not his show or the sketches, and we learn almost nothing about him. Lorne is like going on a blind date and realizing at the end of the evening, while you had a great time, you did all the talking.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Lorne Website  Now playing in theaters

My View: #Skyking  (2026)   #Skyking is a documentary about Richard ‘Beebo’ Russell, a troubled 28-year-old ground service agent with no pilot experience, whose impulsive decision to hijack and pilot a commercial plane shocked a nation. I vaguely remember a pilot taking a plane out for what I thought was a joyride that went wrong. I don’t remember learning that it wasn’t a joyride but a suicide. Director Patricia E. Gillespie does a masterful job of giving us a look at Beebo and why he did what he did. It’s an amazing story that gives us insight into why someone without any piloting experience would do what he did. The film does a brilliant job of letting us get to know both Beebo and his family and friends, and how shocked they were when he did this. Suicide is always a tricky subject, mostly because a lot of times we don’t know why they felt their only choice was to take their own life. We listen to Beebo’s flight recordings as his friends and family also listen in, many for the first time. It’s a gut-wrenching watch to see how many people cared about him and didn’t know the extent of his hurt. #Skyking gives us the reasoning why Beebo felt that maybe his suicide would make an impact and wake up the company he worked for on how they treated their employees. The film is moving, mostly because Beebo seems like a guy you would want to know. It’s horrible that we will never get that chance.   My Rating: Full Price  #Skyking Info    Now playing on the Hulu platform

Indiefest: The Christophers  (2025) R  In The Christophers, the grown-up children of a once-famous artist, Julian (Ian McKellen), hire a forger, Lori (Michaela Coel), to complete some of his unfinished and long abandoned paintings so they will have an inheritance when he dies. This is one of those rare films where I was having such a good time that I looked at my watch and said, “Crap, only fifteen more minutes of this.” I want more, much more. Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel are an absolute delight to watch. McKellen, as you would expect, spouts lines so effortlessly that you wonder if he even breathes. Coel, on the other hand, is the perfect foil, allowing McKellen to spout those lines while keeping us wondering what her character is thinking and whether there will be any sort of reaction. The Christophers is a fascinating film about lost youth, lost faith in your talent, and how life can knock you down, and you just might never get back up. This is a funny, moving film with witty, meaningful dialogue and, surprisingly, warmth. This is a film that captures what it must be like to see McKellen on the stage, as he seemingly floats along, with witty lines coming fast and furious, as Julian has an opinion on everything and everyone. Go for the absolute blast of seeing McKellen duel with Coel, but stay for the wonderful feeling you get as you leave the theater. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Christophers Website  Now playing in theaters 

Indiefest:  Bunnylovr  (2025)  Bunnylovr follows Rebecca (Katarina Zhu), a Chinese American webcam model, as she navigates a toxic client relationship while reconnecting with her dying, estranged father (Perry Yung). Rebecca is the type of person who is always late, shows up to meet friends, leaves ten minutes later with an excuse, and has an assistant job she is horrible at. She makes extra money by doing webcam chats. Nothing too dirty, but she wears skimpy clothes and will do some slightly risqué things to keep the chats going. She encounters a client who wants some private time but doesn’t want to be seen. Rebecca is also trying to reconnect with her father, with whom she hasn’t been in contact for a long time. As her father tries to keep up with her, she becomes more and more involved with the client, who gives her lots of money to be at his beck and call. Writer/director Katarina Zhu has a winning style on camera, and we like Rebecca at first. However, the film’s biggest problem is that it meanders, touching many storylines without giving us much depth. There are only a few times when you really connect with Rebeca, as she spends a lot of time on the screen walking from one acquaintance to another, never spending too much time with anyone, as she seems to commit only to a few moments. This gives the film a shallow feel, never letting us connect with Rebecca, not caring whether she succeeded or not. The film ends as it starts,, with Rebecca alone in bed listening to a self-help recording, making us feel that we never really knew her. My Rating: Bargain Matinee Bunnylovr Website Now playing in select theaters 

Forgotten Film: The Omen (1976) R  An American ambassador (Gregory Peck) to Britain and his wife (Lee Remick) deal with a series of increasingly deadly ‘accidents’ that always seem to happen around their son Damien (Harvey Spencer Stephens). This 70s film distinguished itself from most horror films of the 60s and 70s by the stylish work of its director, Richard Donner, and its cast, which included Academy Award winner Peck and Oscar-nominated Remick. The film has one of the creepiest performances by a child and some shocking deaths, some of which come out of the blue. Even the ending sets this film apart from the run-of-the-mill horror films that came before. By the way, the horror that Lee Remick shows when the car is attacked by baboons (has to be seen to be believed) was real because they had an actual baboon in the car with her.    My Rating: Full Price  The Omen Info  The film is available to rent on Apple TV+ and Fandango

Weird Credits: From the credits of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy: Hurdy Gurdy

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026) PG-13  Miranda (Meryl Streep) is nearing retirement, and the sharks are circling around. In walks Andy (Anne Hathaway) to help Miranda, and is forced to take on her former assistant turned rival: Emily (Emily Blunt). If anyone can pull off a sequel, it’s Meryl.  The Devil Wears Prada 2 Website  Coming to theaters nationwide on Friday, May 1, 2026

Until Next Time!

The Fall Guy

My View:  The Fall Guy  (2024)  PG-13   Colt (Ryan Gosling), a former stuntman, comes out of retirement after discovering his ex, Jody (Emily Blunt), is directing a big-budget movie. It’s not a joyful reunion, but Colt is needed when the enormous star of the film has gone missing, and he must find him before the picture is shut down. Sometimes a movie works because an actor’s star power elevates it beyond what the script or the director can provide. This is the case of The Fall Guy, as Ryan Gosling shows us why he has become a major star who has charisma to burn. Gosling is perfect as the burned-out and battered Colt, who was injured doing a stunt on a movie, just as his romance with Jody, a camera person in the film, was just blooming. He takes the job because he finds out that Jody has asked for him and wants to see her again, possibly making amends for disappearing and leaving her behind. Gosling does an outstanding job of playing the lovesick stuntman who will do anything to try to get Jody back, even if it means becoming a bounty hunter, trying to hunt down a missing lead actor, one whom he doesn’t like or respect. Blunt is perfect as the headstrong woman who is getting to do something she has dreamed of for so long, directing a major motion picture, and is still hurt by Colt’s actions, so much so that she is willing to torture him a bit on the set. There is a great scene where, in front of everyone, Jody, using a bullhorn, lets everyone know just how angry she is with Colt while making him do a stunt that sets him on fire, over and over again. The film flies by as the action is fast and the stunts are out of this world amazing. There are shootouts, car chases, fights, and explosions, and those aren’t from making the movie but from Colt’s adventures of trying to find the missing actor. You will have a blast (pun intended) as Colt tries to stay alive long enough to win Jody back, or at least apologize to her. By the way, stay through all the credits. You will see that almost all the stunts in the film were actually done and not through green screens. Also, there is a bonus scene you will not want to miss at the end of all, and I mean all, the credits.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Fall Guy Website   Now playing in theatres nationwide. 

My View: Unfrosted  (2024)  PG-13  It’s 1963, and bitter rivals in Battle Creek, Michigan, Kellogg’s, and Post are rushing to create a breakfast cake that could change how the world eats breakfast. While watching the Seinfeld TV series, you knew Jerry wasn’t a very good actor, but that was some of the series’ charm. He was a guy who was really a standup, moonlighting as an actor on a series where he was playing himself. I had high hopes for this film, primarily because the cast was a who’s who of comedy. I mean, you get actors like Rachael Harris, Christian Slater, Hugh Grant, Amy Schumer, Melissa McCarthy, and more, and it’s got to be good. Right? Right? Sadly, this film is already in the running for the worst film of the year. Painfully unfunny, with a script that keeps throwing jokes up against a wall where nothing, and I mean nothing, sticks. Put Hugh Grant in a Tony the Tiger outfit as an out-of-work Shakespearian actor who has to moonlight as a breakfast cereal mascot, and that’s funny? Nope, as the jokes lay there like the flop sweat of Grant’s character in the costume. Halfway through this film, I just wanted it to end. Instead, we get an hour and a half of unfunny jokes after unfunny skits. I swear I thought the film was over two hours long and was shocked when writing this review that it was only 93 minutes long. That’s 93 minutes, and I will never get back.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Unfrosted Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Indiefest:  I Saw the TV Glow  (2024)  PG-13  Two teenagers, Owen (Justice Smith) and Maddy (Brighter Lundy-Paine) who bond over a TV show called The Pink Opaque. As their bond grows, things start getting weird. This is a film that you will either fall in love with or hate it. I don’t think there will be a lot of opinions in the middle. It’s a film where, almost from the start, you question what is real and what is imagined. The blending of real and imagined continues throughout the film, keeping you off center and guard as we follow Owen as he grows up. He meets Maddy in a chance encounter. Owen doesn’t fit in with his fellow schoolmates and sees that Maddy might be someone who doesn’t either. She tells him about the TV show and begins secretly giving him tapes of the show. He becomes a huge fan of the show and wrangles an invitation to see the show with her in her house. I won’t give any more of the plot away, but let’s say it gets stranger and stranger as we follow Owen into adulthood, with Owen’s first thought almost always to run away. The film reminds you of how TV shows can become incredibly important to you, even in this day of binge-viewing and streaming. The film got me thinking of past shows like Buffy and Stranger Things, but also shows that I fell in love with and were canceled, sometimes heartbreakingly so. I guess I’m in the fall in love with side on this film, because this was such an interesting and complex film to watch.   My Rating: Full Price  I Saw the TV Glow Website  Now playing in theatres 

My View:  The Idea of You  (2024)  R   The Idea of You takes place after a chance encounter at the Coachella Music Festival, Solène (Anne Hathaway), a 40-year-old single mom, begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. It’s not long before Solène discovers that life in the spotlight might be more than she bargained for. I am a big fan of Anne Hathaway, and she doesn’t disappoint in this winning rom-com that pares a 40-year-old single mother who owns an art gallery with a 24-year-old who has been in a huge boy band since he was a teen. This is a fun rom-com that has two dynamic leads with tons of charisma and sparks that fly every time they are on screen together. The film puts together two people who are looking for love and have been burned before. I thought that by making Hayes a vet of the boy band scene, where he has been in the spotlight for years, was wise. Yes, he is 24, but because of his life in the spotlight, it’s an old 24, making the attraction between the two seem natural and not at all creepy. I was surprised by the amount of music in the film, as we get a lot of songs that Hayes is singing with his bandmates, as well as his exploring creating music on his own. I enjoyed this film and wanted the two to enjoy their time together, even if it, like a good song, will eventually end. Although, there is always that 'repeat' function.   My Rating: Full Price  The Idea of You Website  Now playing on the Amazon Prime platform.

Indiefest:  Wildcat  (2023)  R    Flannery O’Connor (Maya Hawke) is determined to be a writer. We follow her as she works on her craft and commits to deeply personal writing, so personal that it will haunt her until she can get the words on paper. I saw this film last year at the Rome International Film Festival, right here in Georgia, the birthplace of Miss O’Connor. Ethan Hawke was at the festival and told us he wrote the film because his daughter, Maya, wanted to play Flannery before she got too old for the role. The film takes place as Flannery is visiting her mother (Laura Linney) when she finds out she has Lupus, the same disease that took her father’s life. As Flannery struggles to become a writer, she starts writing stories that blend reality with fiction. Wildcat is a film where we see the day-to-day struggle of Flannery trying to become the writer that she knows she can be while we are transported into her stories, with Maya playing a character and her mother another character, as Flannery tells tales that weave her experiences in the south with her fiction. This film doesn’t always work, as Flannery’s real life and fiction blur too much, and it’s hard to tell where reality ends and the fiction starts. I like Maya Hawke as O’Connor, but we spend too much time in the fictional stories and not enough time in the real world, where we would get to see what makes this interesting writer tick.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Wildcat Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest:  The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed  (2023) R The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed is about Ann (Joanna Arnow), a woman going nowhere fast. She is stuck in a low-level job she hates, has been in a long-term BDSM relationship with a man who barely remembers her name, and her family loves to argue at the drop of a hat. It’s time to change things, but that won’t be easy. This is one of those films that will never be a big hit, so when you see it, you feel like you are part of its fan club. It’s a very funny and sometimes a little strange, centering around a mid-thirties woman who loves being a sex slave to an older man, is good at her job even though it looks as though she isn’t even trying, and loves her parents, who happened to be some of the most boring people on the face of the earth. Joanna Arnow, who not only stars in the film but wrote and directed it, spends about half the film naked, mostly lying on a bed with one of her lovers, who are also her master, as Ann gets off by being made to do repetitive things or just being made to wait for a command that may never come. Ann is a woman who seems to be happy just being in the moment, whether it’s with a lover or with her parents. The film is little slices of life, as we go from her naked on the bed being ignored by her ‘master’ or sitting with her parents as her mother complains that Ann isn’t spending enough time with them. This film reminded me a bit of some of Woody Allen’s films, where we just got little slices of life, bits of weird and funny moments that suddenly move on to the next moment. The sum of the moments makes for an enjoyable film that stars a very strange but lovable character who we want to be happy, just not too happy.   My Rating: Full Price The Feeling That The Time Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Forgotten Film:  The Indian Runner  (1991) R  Joe (David Morse) has made a good life for himself and his family as the deputy sheriff in a small country town. His younger brother, Frank (Viggo Mortensen), has decided to return to town after having had some bad times. Frank tells his brother that this time will be different, and he just wants a fresh start. However, Frank is a man with a temper, and seemingly, his only skill is getting in trouble. Sean Penn directs the film and has an outstanding cast that includes Patricia Arquette, Sandy Dennis and Charles Bronson, who gives one of his best performances of his career. The Indian Runner is a film where the good guy isn’t always good, and the bad guy has some good qualities. We don’t know until the end if good will win out over bad.   My Rating: Full Price  The Indian Runner Info Available on various streaming services. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Fall Guy:  Art Runner

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Dead Don’t Hurt  (2023) Right before the Civil War, Vivienne (Vicky Kreips) meets a Danish immigrant, Holger (Viggo Mortensen), who convinces her to follow him to his ranch outside of a small town in Nevada, where they start their life together. The outbreak of the Civil War happens, and Olsen joins the Union Army to fight for his newfound country, leaving Vivienne to fend for herself on their homestead. It’s a decision that will haunt them for the rest of their lives. The film is written and directed by Viggo Mortensen. The Dead Don't Hurt Info  The film will be in theaters on Friday, May 31st.

Until Next Time!

Five Nights at Freddy's

My View: Five Nights at Freddy’s  (2023)  PG-13   A new security guard (Josh Hutcherson) takes his kid (Piper Rubio) to his new job, the night shift at the old, shutdown Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Once upon a time, Freddy’s was the place to be with pizza and animatronic bears singing songs. But something happened to cause the business to close, and the guard and his daughter are about to find out. A review of the film will be up Friday night. The film is now in theatres nationwide. Based on a very popular video game series, this film is not scary enough for horror fans and not gruesome enough for splatter fans. I guess this is Blumhouse/Universal’s attempt at getting kids into horror films. The film’s ending is confusing, and I had questions when it ended that only got answered by some spoiler articles on the internet. Never is a good thing when you have to go on the internet to explain who died and why. By the way, there is a bonus scene after the first part of the credits, and at the end of the credits, a strange computer voice spells out “Come Find Me.’ I believe this will all be worked out in a sequel because there is always a sequel with horror films. I wanted this to be a fun, scary ride in a pizza parlor of your nightmares, and all it got was some burned-out animatronics and no pizza.  My Rating: Cable  Five Nights at Freddy's Website   The film is now in theatres nationwide and on Peacock.

My View: The Killer (2023)  R  The Killer is the story of an assassin (Michael Fassbender) who screws up a hit, and someone he cares about has paid the price for his mistake. Now, the assassin is out for revenge but insists it isn’t personal. David Fincher is an interesting director who has given us a wide range of films like Zodiac, The Social Network, Gone Girl, and Mank. I always enjoy his movies, but I had a blast watching this funny black comedy where we follow a hired killer around as he gets revenge on the people who tried to kill him and hurt someone he loves. The killer narrates the film, giving us an insight into how he sees life and death, which he deals with precision and reserve. The killer is a man who is good at his job and takes pride in keeping things under control, even when things don’t always go his way. There will be a great drinking game with this film, and I won’t give it away, but you will be helped by knowing classic TV. Fassbender is perfect as the killer, a man who keeps track of his heart rate, not because of health, but because a slower heart rate means he can shoot his rifle with a better chance of success. The Killer is a film with lots of death, some of which are surprising until you understand the killer’s thoughts. Can you root for a guy that kills people for a living? Maybe, but you can have a fun time finding out.   My Rating:  Full Price  The Killer Website   Now playing in theatres nationwide and on Netflix on November 10th.

My View: Pain Hustlers (2023) R  Liza (Emily Blunt) is a high school dropout with a young daughter (Chloe Coleman). Liza dreams of a better life for herself and her daughter. She gets a job at a failing pharmaceutical start-up in a strip mall. Liza has the smarts and charm to bring success to the company and is living the life she always envisioned. However, success comes at a price, and Liza soon finds herself at the center of a criminal conspiracy with deadly consequences. I had high hopes for this film, and it met expectations for the first thirty minutes. Unfortunately, the film loses its punch and gets lost in its storytelling while trying to hit us over the head with the idea that Pharma companies are, wait for it, evil and greedy. The film wastes performances by Emily Blunt, who portrays a woman who can talk anyone into anything, and Chris Evans, the sleazy sales guy willing to say or do anything to push the legality of the drug world right up to the line. The film runs out of gas, and in the end, we see the company go under because of greed and thinking they would never get caught. Like the drug the characters were pushing, the film worked at first and then failed to deliver what it promised due to pushing it too far.  My Rating: Cable   Pain Hustlers Website   Now playing on Netflix.

My View: The Other Zoey (2023) PG-13  Zoey (Josephine Langford) is a brilliant computer nerd who loves to study and has her sights set on graduating with honors. Her world is turned upside down when Zack (Drew Starkey), a college soccer star, is in an accident and wakes up thinking, because of amnesia, that Zoey, the first person he saw after the accident, is his girlfriend. Told that he must remember on his own terms, Zoey goes along with the lie, and things get really complicated. In this rom-com, the main character goes through the usual storyline of putting herself in a tough spot to win a guy's heart, only to realize she's falling for someone unexpected. This is nothing out of the ordinary from other rom-coms but for the presence of Josephine Langford. She makes watching this film worth our time. Zoey, who dislikes rom-coms, unexpectedly finds herself in one. Langford's excellent performance makes us cheer for Zoey to realize what we knew from the beginning: the unexpected guy is her perfect match.   My Rating Bargain Matinee   The Other Zoey Info  Now in theatres.

Indiefest: Anatomy of a Fall (2023) R  Anatomy of a Fall tells the story of Sandra (Sandra Hüller) and Samuel (Samuel Theis), a famous literary couple living in the French Alps with their partially sighted 11-year-old son, Daniel (Milo Machado Graner). Out for a walk, Daniel finds Samuel’s dead, bloody body in the snow, having fallen from the house’s attic window. Was it an accident? Did Samuel kill himself? Or was he murdered? It’s always interesting when the main character is someone that you don’t like but wonder if you should root for them anyway. This is the case of Sandra, who, right from the start, you feel that there is something up with her as she flirts with a reporter who is interviewing while her husband is right upstairs. This is a film where you will change your mind a dozen times if Sandra is guilty. The film peels back layer after layer as we learn more about their marriage. Sandra Hüller is brilliant as the complex and self-assured writer and mom. Anatomy of a Fall is a movie that gets you sucked in from the opening credits and keeps you wondering beyond the ending.   My Rating: Full Price  Anatomy of a Fall Website  Now playing in theatres. 

Forgotten Film: Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005) R  Laura Henderson (Judi Dench) is a recent widow who has inherited a lot of money and a rundown London theatre. Bored with life, she decides to reopen the theatre, which goes down in history for one thing: it’s all-nude reviews. This is one of those films that you enjoy from start to finish. Directed by Stephen Frears (The Queen, The Grifters) and a cast that includes Bob Hoskins as Vivian Van Damm, the man Mrs. Henderson hires to run the show, Christopher Guest, Kelly Reilly, and Anna Brewster. Dench has a blast as the unpredictable Mrs. Henderson, who wants to put on a show that no one will forget. Bob Hoskins is brilliant as the showman who initially tries to take over the show, but soon relents to Mrs. Henderson and her ideas.   My Rating: Full Price  Mrs. Henderson Info  Available to rent or buy on Amazon and Apple TV.

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Killer: School Trainee

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Maestro (2023) R  The love story chronicling the relationship of conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan). Leonard was a famous conductor because of his TV appearances and brilliant composing, but he had a secret that threatened his career and his marriage. Bradley Cooper follows up his directorial debut, A Star Is Born (2018), with this film that could be in the thick of the Oscar race.   Maestro Website   In theatres in mid-December and later on Netflix. 

Until Next Time!

Jungle Cruise

Note to readers: I have started going to movies in the theaters, having received my two shots and passed the two-week standby period, wearing a mask at all times and following social distancing. Most of the films I am reviewing are still movies that I watched at home, but I will note in the review if I saw them in a theatre. I am not going to tell you whether or not to attend a theatre. Just be aware of the risks, do your research, and follow the instructions to the letter.

My View: Jungle Cruise   (2021)  PG-13   Captain Frank Wolf (Dwayne Johnson) is used to taking some tourists on a typical jungle cruise aboard his boat. But Capt. Wolf has never met Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt), a determined explorer on a research mission, has other plans for her trip. Along with her brother, MacGregor (Jack Whitehall), she is looking for a magic cure hidden in the Amazon jungle for centuries. Captain Wolf, Lily and are about to go on the adventure of a lifetime, one that no one has ever returned from. This film reminded me of the classic Walt Disney adventure films of the fifties and sixties like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, with lots of action, a somewhat over-the-top villain, and some really scary henchman that does the villain’s bidding. What makes this film work is the chemistry between Johnson and Blunt. They play off each other perfectly, with lots of charisma but even better, great timing. As with any good romance of this nature, the two don’t get along at first, but we know right from the start that they are made for each other. The action sequences are fast and highly enjoyable with Blunt, using her experience with action-adventure roles from Edge of Tomorrow and A Quiet Place to great effect. Jesse Plemons is terrific as the evil (there is a great bit where Jack Whitehall’s character can’t understand that Plemons character is saying the word ‘jungle’), filling every scene with glee and mayhem. The film moves at a quick pace and is helped by a few nods to the Disneyland Jungle Cruise ride (watch out for those vicious headhunters!). Jungle Cruise is a lot of fun and is worth seeing on the big screen (I wish I had) due to all the wild and wooly action sequences. So go on a bit of a ride down the Amazon with the Captain and Lilly. You won’t need a refund for this trip.    My Rating: Full Price     Jungle Cruise Website  The film is now playing in theatres and is available on the Disney+ platform.

My View:   Stillwater   (2021)  R   An American oil-rig roughneck from Oklahoma, Bill (Matt Damon) travels to France to visit his daughter, Allison (Abigail Breslin), who is being held in jail for a murder that she claims she didn’t commit. With no help from her lawyer or the police, both of whom think she is guilty, Bill, in a foreign country, battling language barriers and a system set up to have him fail, is determined to find evidence to exonerate his daughter and bring her back home, to Stillwater. While not quite the Oscar performance that I am sure Damon was hoping for, this is still a good movie due to Damon's quiet and restrained performance as Bill, a man trying to do right by his daughter, who he has failed for most of his life. The film is two parts; one is a father trying to reconnect with a daughter he doesn’t know, and the other is a love story between Bill and the French woman, Virginie, played by Camille Cottin, who becomes at first his friend and then his love interest. Bill is determined to help his daughter in any way he can, if it is just being near to her, so Bill can visit her in prison from time to time. Soon, though, Bill gets it into his head that maybe he can do more; that maybe, just maybe, he can find a crucial person in the murder case that just might get his daughter out of prison or at least, a new trial. The film is helped by the secondary story of Bill getting involved with Virginie and her adorable daughter, Maya (Lilou Siauvaud), as we get to see Bill get a second chance at both love and having a family, making us like Bill more and more as the film goes on. The film drags a bit, feeling every bit its two hour and twenty-minute length, as we wait for the break in the case that we hope (and know) is coming. Overall, Stillwater is a good character study of a man who has sinned in the past and is trying to make up for those sins, no matter what it costs him.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Stillwater Website  The film is now playing in theatres.

Indiefest: The Green Knight  (2021)  R   The story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur’s nephew, who is determined to make his own legend as he takes on the Green Knight, a gigantic green-skinned stranger. Filmmaker David Lowery has always been hit or miss with me. I really liked his films Ain’t Them Bodies Saints and The Old Man & the Gun, and I absolutely hated his movie A Ghost Story and wasn’t a big fan of Pete’s Dragon. So, be warned that this is a beautifully told tale of a classic knight of the round table story that is very much what I would call an ‘Arthouse Picture.’ It’s a film that critics will love, including me, but probably won’t find a wide audience because it isn’t a conventional telling but more in line with what the 14th-century poem followed, a tale of a knight on a quest, and it’s up to you to decide if the knight failed or succeeded in that quest. The film is filled with magical images that make the film feel part of all those 14th and 15th tapestries showing knights on their quests to serve King Arthur and the ideal of the honest and brave knight. Interestingly, Lowery has chosen to make Gawain not a knight but a wannabe, a young man who dreams of being a knight but would rather sleep with women and drink. This makes Gawain a flawed character from the start, and Dev Patel uses this to his advantage, making Gawain get by on his good looks and connections (he is King Arthur’s nephew and his mother is a sorceress). The film follows Gawain on his quest, one where he makes many mistakes, almost dies (primarily due to those mistakes), and relies on the kindness of strangers, some of which also can’t be trusted. The Green Knight is a moving, visually stunning film that anyone who loves the classics (like I do) will fall in love with. Now, if you are looking for a knight’s tale with lots of romance and sword-fighting, this isn’t your film, but if you want to go on a quest and experience a fantastic tale, this is a film for you.    My Rating: Full Price     The Green Knight Website  The film is now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest:  Twist   (2021) R    Twist (Raff Law) is a gifted graffiti artist trying to find his way after the loss of his mother. He meets Fagin (Michael Caine), the head of a street gang, and Twist is on his way to becoming an integral part of the gang when an art theft goes wrong, and Twist finds himself caught between Fagin, his love for Red (Sophie Simnett), the police, and a loose-cannon enforcer (Lena Headey). I enjoyed some of this film, mainly the parkour bits where Twist and Red went all over London via its rooftops. Still, the film falls flat with a weak plot that involves what should have been a very clever break-in into a high-security art museum, but instead, we get a lame heist film that never quite jells, even with pros like Michael Caine and Lena Headey in its cast. It would help if Raff Law had some of the star power of his father, Jude, but he doesn’t, and while he and Simnett, playing the tough and agile Red, have some chemistry, it's not enough to help the weak script in its attempt to do a contemporary tale of Oliver Twist.  Dickens Oliver Twist is a great story and has inspired many a wonderful film, but this adaptation isn’t one of them.     My Rating: Cable     Twist Info  Now playing in select theatres.

My View:   Resort to Love     (2021)  PG   It’s been a tough year for Erica (Christina Milian) after she broke up with her fiancé (Jay Pharaoh). Her fortunes look up when she accepts a job as an entertainer at a fabulous Island resort only to find out that she will be the highlighted entertainment at her ex-fiancee/s wedding. Think of this film as a Hallmark Channel film with better music. The storyline is predictable, Millian’s acting wavers a bit (she does well at the drama parts but not with the comedy), and the ending is what you expect, but fans of Millan will enjoy this film because she sings a lot. Sinqua Walls, playing the brother of Jay Pharaoh, is fine as the love interest that we know Erica will end up, and the film gives him plenty of chances to take off his shirt to make the viewers swoon a bit. Resort to Love is a very lightweight film perfect for a Saturday afternoon or maybe a late-night viewing with a glass of wine. In fact, perhaps a couple of glasses of wine and a fast-forward button to get to Millan singing a tune or two.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Resort to Love Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest:   Ride the Eagle   (2021)   Leif (Jake Johnson) is left a picturesque Yosemite cabin he inherits from his estranged mother. Her only condition is that he has to complete a to-do list that she has compiled to teach him some lessons about life. I am a big fan of Jake Johnson, having loved him in films such as Drinking Buddies and Safety Not Guaranteed, and I was not disappointed in this film about a guy who has never gotten over the fact that his mother left him when he was young for a cult and never did make amends…until now. Leif, via tapes his mother has left him, has to complete some tasks that his mother has decided will teach Leif about life and how to live it. This is Johnson’s film; he is on screen the whole time and, with the exception of his loyal dog (with whom he talks to all the time), is pretty much on his own, trying to faithfully complete the tasks his mother has left him to do. I loved the phone conversations that he has with an old girlfriend (played by always charming D’Arcy Carden), who Leif has called as part of his mother’s quest. Susan Sarandon plays Leif’s mom (who we only see through those videotapes) and is hilarious as she gives Leif his tasks to undertake. Ride the Eagle is one of those small, independent gems that is worth not only your watch but a wider audience if only to see J.K. Simmons, as one of Leif’s mother's lovers, rage at Leif, calling him a hilarious bunch of names that I can’t publish but would really like to.    My Rating: Full Price     Ride the Eagle Website  Now playing in select theatres and available to rent on available online platforms.

Forgotten Film:   Changes   (1969)  R   Kent (Kent Lane) is a lost young man. As the filmgoers along, we see his life in flashbacks, including his unhappy relationship with his girlfriend, who ended up committing suicide. He crashes his car and then goes on a walking quest to figure out his life. Along the way, he meets people that he thinks can help him, including a journalist (Marcia Strassman). This is one of those films that was made in the late 60s, early 70’s when Hollywood was trying to figure out what would appeal to the young people in a country that was changing incredibly fast. Changes isn’t a great film, much too experimental for my taste, but it gives you a great look at a time when Southern California was changing and Hollywood was trying to keep up. It helps that the film has an incredible soundtrack, including Joni Mitchell singing ‘Both Sides Now and look for an incredibly young Terri Garr in the movie playing a waitress.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Changes Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Jungle Cruise: Men’s Head Cutter

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:   King Richard   (2021)   The story of how Richard Williams (Will Smith) turned Venus and Serena Williams into two of the greatest tennis players in the game's history. The film is from Reinaldo Marcus Green, who gave us the marvelous Monster and Men (2018) and we all know that when given a good part that Will Smith can act, so I am looking forward to this film.      King Richard Info

Until Next Time!