Plane

My View: Plane (2023) R Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) is an airline pilot who always puts his passengers first. When his plane encounters horrible storms, Brodie is forced to land the plane in a foreign country controlled by a powerful warlord. Brodie’s only ally to save his passengers is a convicted murderer (Mike Colter). Okay, you know what you are getting when you see a Gerard Butler film with a one-word title. It’s going to be a little dumb and you might laugh at the silliness of it all sometimes, but you will have fun. Butler plays an earnest pilot who puts his passengers above all else. What I liked about Brodie is that he isn’t your ordinary hero from this type of film. He isn’t a former special forces guy, just a guy who wants to rescue his passengers. Luckily for those passengers and us, Brodie does have a guy like that next to him in the convicted murderer, played by Mike Colter (Luke Cage Tv series), who we find out is a former French Foreign League soldier. The action, including some very well-done flying sequences, is fun, and the bad guys are just evil enough for you to hate immediately. So make sure your tray table is up, your belongings are secured, and your seat belt is on because it’s going to be a bumpy ride on ‘Plane.’   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Plane Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Dog Gone (2023)   A father (Rob Lowe) and son (Johnny Berchtold), whose relationship is in pieces, are forced to travel the Appalachian Trail to search for their beloved lost dog. Finding the dog is not the only problem, as the dog will die in less than two weeks if he doesn’t get his medication. It’s a story that captured the world’s heart. The film is based on a true story, and I will admit (as a dog lover) that I did tear up a few times, as it’s a remarkable story of a dog that winds up incredibly far from where he was lost. The film is more about the reconnection between a father and son than a lost dog story. If fact, other than a few scenes of Gonker (yeah, that’s the dog’s name) lying down in the woods for the night, we only follow the father and son traveling around handing out flyers while the mother (played by Kimberly Williams-Paisley) handles the phones and coordinates the search. The film feels like there is more to the story of what is causing the problems between the father and son, but things get fixed pretty quickly, a little too easily. Still, you will probably need a tissue or two. And the dog is pretty darn cute.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Dog Gone Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

My View: The Drop (2022)  Mani (Jermaine Fowler) and Lex (Anna Konkle), a couple, are on a trip to see friends get married on a tropical island when their relationship is tested when one of them drops a baby. This is a film about relationships and how we often think they are perfect, but we can’t see the problems that keep popping up as we pretend to be happy. Mani and Lex seem to be a perfect couple, in love and trying to get pregnant. However, when one of them drops a baby on her head (she is fine), things go downhill quickly. The film starts out a lot of fun, and there is a plane ride where we get to see the group together (most are former college pals who apparently have all slept together), which is hilarious. Unfortunately, the film goes a bit downhill at that point, turning into a bit of a black comedy that goes off into some rather icky subjects, and it is very apparent the cast is doing quite a bit of improvising (a couple of times that improvising just grounds the film to a halt). It’s kind of weird to say, but the film went off the rails when they dropped the baby.   My Rating: Cable  The Drop Website  Now playing on the Hulu platform.

Indiefest: Saint Omer (2022) PG-13   Rama (Kayije Kagame) is a novelist researching her next work at the trial of Laurence Coly (Guslagie Malanda), who is accused of drowning her child. Laurence claims she did it because of demons. This is a film you watch knowing that it will not give you all the answers you want, and you are ok with that. Set mainly in a courtroom, the film is a long look at two women bound by motherhood. The film asks you to let it slowly reveal the facts of the case in the trial, and then you have to decide if you feel the woman accused is guilty. Saint Omer is a gritty look at something shocking but asks you to look with compassion. What I loved about this film is that we get more information from the faces of the two actors than from what they say or do. It’s a blow to your gut, but this film is worth watching.   My Rating: Full Price   Saint Omer Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest: Broker (2022) R  In Broker, a young woman, So-young (Ji-eun Lee), leaves a baby at an adoption drop-off. Her baby is taken by a team of brokers (Song Kang-ho, Dong-won Gang) who steal infants left off for adoption and then sell the babies to parents wanting children, who the official process has denied. Little do the baby snatchers know that they are being watched by a couple of detectives trying to bring the snatchers to justice. This is a challenging film to describe as the cast of characters gets larger as the film goes along. Every character in this film has a flaw, and they are all on a collision course that will not end well. This is a film about finding family where you can find it and how hopelessness can propel you to do things you thought you never would do. Broker is a beautifully acted film with some outstanding performances, including Song Kang-ho, playing a man who desperately needs money but has a heart that makes him make choices that we know he will end up paying for. Song Kang-ho plays off the rest of the cast with ease, and it’s his charm that overwhelms you on the screen. Broker is a film you know will probably end in heartbreak, but you are willing to go along for the ride just to find out if it does happen.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Broker Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Indiefest: Women Talking (2022) PG-13 Women Talking takes place in 2010, where the women of an isolated religious community must decide on one of three things: do nothing, stay and fight, or leave. A group of women are meeting to decide what to do after discovering that the religious sect's men have done something horrible. At first, we think the women are from the 19th century, but we soon find that the women in this sect are entirely isolated from the rest of the world, with no knowledge of what it’s like in the modern world, not able to read, write or even read a map. Filmmaker Sarah Polley brings us a talkfest of a tale about women trying to figure out an almost impossible situation. The cast, including Jessie Buckley, Rooney Mara, Judith Ivey, Claire Foy, and Frances McDormand, are given amazing speeches that seemed to flow out of the women. Unfortunately, while the performances are brilliant, I found the film a bit too much like a stage play, with almost the whole movie taking place inside a barn. Of the cast, Rooney Mara, who plays a pregnant woman constantly putting down the rest of the women, and Jessie Buckley, who is in an abusive relationship, stand out. I wish this outstanding cast had been given more to do than give speeches to each other. Still, the slowness of the plot doesn't overshadow the incredible performances that make Women Talking worth watching.   My Rating: Full Price   Women Talking Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Forgotten Film: When Eight Bells Toll (1971) GP  When ships carrying gold bullion go missing off the coast of Scotland, the Treasury department sends in their best man, Philip Calvert (Anthony Hopkins), to investigate. Calvert hides on the next ship carrying the gold and finds himself knee-deep in bad guys. Based on an Alistair MacLean book (he also wrote the screenplay), the movie attempted to start up a new James Bond-like character in Philip Calvert, hoping for a series of films. The film didn’t catch on, and we never got to see Anthony Hopkins kick butt like this again. It’s a fun film, reminiscent of the other Alistair MacLean-based movies like Ice Station Zebra and The Guns of Navarone, and Hopkins is rather dashing as the secret agent.    My Rating: Full Price  When Eight Bells Toll Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Plane: Scenics

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Bosch & Rockit (aka: Ocean Boy) (2022) It's summer on the Australian coast and Bosch (Luke Hemsworth) goes on the run, wanted for dealing drugs with his surf gang. In tow is his son, Rockit (Rasmus King), who has no idea what his father has done and thinks he is on a magical vacation with his dad. I want to see this film just for the location shots alone.    Bosch & Rockit Info  In theatres in early February.

Until Next Time!

Greenland

 Note to readers: I currently am not willing to risk my health (I’m 62 and an asthmatic) by visiting a theatre. All films that I have seen for review have been screened in my home. 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: Greenland (2020) PG-13   News that cities around the world are being leveled by the fragments of a comet that has entered the earth’s atmosphere. John (Gerard Butler), his estranged wife Allison (Morena Baccarin), and their young son, Nathan ( Roger Dale Floyd), are on a desperate trek to find a possible safe haven as the world around them evolves into chaos and madness. I liked the first third of this movie as it sets up nicely the stakes; no one expects the comet to do any damage and when it is apparent there is a real danger, that John and his family must make hard choices. The problem with this film is after the comet starts its destruction, the plot becomes full of holes, some as large as the craters that are being made by Clarke (the comet is named after Sci-Fi writer legend Arthur C. Clarke). We are repeatedly hit over the head with the fact that Nathan is diabetic, so much so that it seems the kid is constantly in need of his insulin. I’ve seen addicts on horrible TV dramas that didn’t need a hit as much as Nathan does. The plot goes even thinner to create problems for the family, including separating all three members from each other, and (small spoiler alert) I’m not clear exactly how they find each other again. One of the fun things about disaster films is watching all the destruction as our heroes navigate through the wreckage and carnage. Greenland keeps hinting at the destruction, but it rarely interacts with our characters; it just left out there as a possible occurrence. The film asks us to think about the possibility of the end of the world, but I just kept wondering only about the possibility of how soon this film would end instead.   My Rating: Cable    Greenland Website    The film is available to rent on participating on-demand services.

My View: Fatale (2020) R  Derrick (Michael Ealy), a successful sports agent, has a one-night stand with a sexy and mysterious woman (Hilary Swank). Derrick picked the wrong woman to mess with, and now his life, his family, and his career are in peril as he tries desperately to put the pieces together as he falls deep into her trap. I had hope for this film about 20 minutes in when the plot could have gone two ways; unfortunately, the film took the easy route, and we get a movie about a man who makes a mistake and the bad cop that is determined to take him down to pay for it. Swank plays a decorated cop who likes to blow off steam in Vegas and sleeps with our ‘hero’ Derrick, who feels like his wife just might be cheating on him. After a break-in and assault at their home, Derrick is surprised to find out that the lead detective is the woman he slept with in Vegas. The plot gets messy after that reveal, and it never finds its way back to reason, with an ending that will have you saying ‘really?’ to the screen.   My Rating: Cable   Fatale Website   Now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest: Hunter Hunter (2020)   Joseph (Devon Sawa), his wife Anne (Camille Sullivan), and their daughter Renée (Summer H. Howell) are a family living in the remote wilderness, struggling to survive as they earn a living as fur trappers. To their dismay, a rogue wolf has returned and is robbing their traps. Joseph leaves his family behind to trap the wolf, with Anne and Renée to fend for themselves in woods that have become dark and deadly. Okay, let us get this out in the open right now; this movie's ending is one of the most brutal scenes I have seen. A real blow that will have you stunned. That being said, this is an immensely enjoyable film full of wonderful moments and a plot that ramps up the suspense as the film goes along. The world that Joseph and his family live in is challenging, harsh, and not easy. They are bringing up their daughter Renee in this world of hunting and trapping, all the while, staying away as much as possible from the outside world. Anne is starting to feel maybe this isn’t the world for her daughter to grow up in, that Anne chose this life when she got involved with Joseph but that Renee didn’t. All this is moot when it is evident that a lone wolf that has terrified the family in the past has returned. Joseph is determined to hunt down the wolf and leaves his family behind to do so, leaving his family venerable to an attack. I love this film and the robust and compelling performance of Camille Sullivan, who gives a gritty, impassioned role that makes her character feel real and moving our emotions to tears.    My Rating: Full Price   Hunter Hunter Website   Now playing in select theatres and is available to rent on participating on-demand services.

Indiefest: Modern Persuasion (2020)   Wren (Alicia Witt) is a successful working woman who has never gotten over a lost love from college. In walks Owen (Shane McRae), her old college sweetheart who wants to hire Wren’s company to promote his new app. Can Wren juggle working with Owen with her past staring her in the face? I have a soft part in my soul for Indie films that don’t try to be too arty, don’t try to be so cutting edge with their movie. Modern Persuasion is a fun, light romantic movie that uses Jane Austin’s Persuasion as a basis for its plot. While not breaking any new ground, the film is aided by a strong supporting cast that includes Mark Moses, Liza Lapira, and the marvelous Bebe Neuwirth, making it stand out from the Hallmark Chanel films it will be compared to. The likable, dependable Alicia Witt in the lead role as the forlorn Wren also helps the film move along at a nice pace. It’s an enjoyable foray that, while is predictable, is just what you want from this genre, a romance with everyone getting what they want and need in the end.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Modern Persuasion Info    The film is available to rent on participating on-demand services.

Forgotten Film: The Birdwatcher (2015)   Saffron (Camille Sullivan) is a single mother of two who discovers that her cancer has turned terminal. Saffron goes on a quest to find her birth-mother, Birdy (Gabrielle Rose), a woman that never wanted to see her after giving up Saffron for adoption. Saffron wants to find her birth mother to see if she will take in her children after she dies. The Birdwatcher is a wonderfully filmed movie that takes place mostly outdoors, as Saffron’s birth-mother is an ornithologist. The film isn’t always a comfortable watch because most of the characters, including Birdy, are not easy to like. Most of the relationships in the movie are strained, with people who have a hard time feeling connected to one another. The film is worth watching because the performances are so compelling, with Camille Sullivan standing out as the flawed but determined Saffron, a woman forced to make tough decisions as her world crashes around her.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee     The Birdwatcher Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of Hunter Hunter: Animal Wrangling Coordinator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Chaos Walking  (2021)  PG-13  In a world where a virus killed all the women and living creatures have the ability to read each other’s minds, Todd (Tom Holland) encounters Viola (Daisy Ridley), a strange woman who others on the planet want to hunt her down. Todd vows to protect Viola and discovers that he has a hidden power that can help to unlock his planet’s dark secrets. Hey, a sci-fi film directed by the guy who did Edge of Tomorrow and stars Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley? It sounds like a fun film to watch.    Chaos Walking Facebook Page

Until Next Time!

Angel Has Fallen

My View: Angel Has Fallen (2019) R Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) is on the run after being framed for the attempted assassination of the President (Morgan Freeman) and now he has to evade his own agency and the FBI to try and find out who is behind the assassination attempt.  I liked the action sequences but the plot is incredibly dull and implausible. If our Secret Service and the FBI are this dumb in real life than we are in a lot of trouble. Past of the Olympus Has Fallen series, this film feels like it’s a plot that the writers lifted off some old 90’s cop series. Butler is ok in the part but the rest of the cast looks like they are sleepwalking through the film. Skip this film and go see anything else that is coming out this week. Note: There is a bonus clip after the first round of credits.   My Rating: Cable    Angel Has Fallen Website

My View: 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 grooms 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 film 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 a good job of building the tension until the end of the film. The film is made by the performance of Sara Weaving, who 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 out 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 had as good a time watching it as I did.   My Rating: Full Price    Ready or Not Website

Indiefest: David Crosby: Remember My Name (2019) R  Documentary on the life and music of David Crosby, a founding member of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young and a member of the Rock in Roll Hall of Fame. This is a documentary about a very unhappy musician who has undermined almost every relationship he has had, survived a drug addiction that should have killed him ten times over and is about a man who knows he is on borrowed time, determined to play as much music as he can before he is gone. I have always enjoyed David Crosby’s music, especially when he was with CSNY and CSN but man, after watching this film, I don’t like the man. He has lived his life selfishly, always thinking he was right and everyone else was wrong. Other than the wonderful music and some great behind the scenes shots of his early career, this is not an easy film to watch. By the end of the film, you want to slap David and tell him to go apologize and makeup with all the people that you wronged. The problem is, you know he will never do that.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee David Crosby: Remember My Name Website 

Indiefest: After the Wedding (2019) PG-13  A manager of an orphanage in Kolkata, Isabel (Michelle Williams) travels to New York City to meet with a possible benefactor (Julianne Moore). The benefactor invites Isabel to her daughter’s wedding, so they can get to know each other better before the benefactor makes her decision. Little does Isabel know that when she accepts the infestation, her past will rear its ugly head. I liked the two performances of Williams and Moore (who wouldn’t), but this film left me wanting more of an emotional punch. I never really connected with either character and had a hard time understanding their feelings and cations throughout the film. To put it bluntly, the film lacks heart, it all substance on the top but underneath, there is nothing to support the film by connecting with the audience. A big disappointment in my book with the cast that this film had. My Rating; Bargain Matinee     After the Wedding Website

Indiefest: The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) PG-13 Zak (Zack Gottsagen), a young man with Downs syndrome runs away from his care home to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. On the road, he encounters Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) a small-time outlaw that’s on the run that becomes an unlikely coach. They also convince Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), a nursing home worker to join their quest. I’m not a big fan of Shia LeBeouf or Dakota Johnson but both giving wonderful and winning performances in this warm and beautiful film about finding a group of people that can become your family. As good as the two leads are, it’s Zack Gottsagen who steals the movie as the young man who is determined to travel a great distance, so he can attend his hero’s (Thomas Hayden Church) wrestling school. I can’t recommend this film more; it is brilliantly scripted and the performances are real and you can see the love on the screen. This is the feel-good film of the summer. You will enjoy every minute of this film.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    The Peanut Butter Falcon Website

Indiefest: Cold Case Hammarskjold (2019)   Documentary about Danish director Mad Brugger and Swedish private investigator Gorna Bjorkdahl trying to solve the mysterious death of Dag Hammarskjold who at the time was the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The film tries to determine if the plane of controversial Secretary-General died in an accidental plane crash or was he murdered. The problem the two investigators have is that the crash took place over 50 years ago and therefore, a lot of the suspects are dead. Some that are alive won’t talk or don’t remember the accident. Furthermore, hurting the two investigators is the fact that they cannot excavate the site of where the plane is buried. The film is interestingly put together as the director Brugger sits in a hotel room and dictates the ideas of the film to two different secretaries (to get their separate opinions on things). It is still a mystery by the end of the film but there is plenty of evidence to make up your own mind on if Hammarskjold was assassinated.    My Rating: Full Price    Cold Case Hammarskjold Website

Forgotten Film: Warrior (2011)  PG-13  Two brothers, who are struggling to survive in today’s world, meet in the finals of a mixed martial arts tournament. The youngest brother (Tom Hardy) is fighting to escape the demons of his past; the older brother (Joel Edgerton) is fighting for the survival of his marriage and family. But one brother has an edge over the other, as his trainer is their father(Nick Nolte). What I love about this movie is that it asks you to root for one of the two brothers but both are fighting the good fight and you want both to come out winners. I also like the contrast between the two brothers: Hardy’s character is full of rage, Edgerton’s is the family man who is forced to fight for his family.  My Rating: Full Price    Warrior Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Peanut Butter Falcon: Sticher

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Judy (2019)  PG-13  A penniless and most considered washed up Judy Garland (Renee Zellweger) arrives in London to restart her career with a series of sold-out concerts. Looking at the trailer, this could be a tour-de-force performance by Zellweger and maybe an Oscar for her.     Judy Info   

Until Next Time!

London Has Fallen

My View:  London Has Fallen  (2016)  R  Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler)is in London with the President for the funeral of the Prime Minister, and Banning doesn’t like what he sees. A last minute funeral means that all the world’s leaders will be sitting ducks in one place on a foreign country’s soil. It’s going to be up to Banning to make sure that the President gets back home alive. This film reminded me of the Chuck Norris films of the 80s like Delta Force; one man takes on terrorists in the name of America. I liked this movie because it just went all out with the action and the one-liners, making it fun to watch. I would love to know the body count of Banning (I know he killed at least 25 on his own in the first film, Olympus Has Fallen) because it’s got to be in the high 30’s. Butler, as you would expect, does an outstanding job with the action sequences, and he has brilliant chemistry on screen with Arron Eckhart, who plays the President whom he is trying to keep alive. The action is fast-paced and fun to watch with some fast and furious car chases through the streets of London. I liked this film more than the first film, which is rare for a sequel. If you like action movies with a little bit of one-liners thrown in, then this film is for you.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  London Has Fallen Website

Family Faire:  Zootopia  (2016)  PG   In a city populated by anthropomorphic animals, a con artist Fox (Jason Bateman) and a rookie bunny cop (Ginnifer Goodwin) must team up to uncover a conspiracy. “Zootopia” is a magical movie that combines the beautiful animation Disney is famous for with a hilarious script that has some serious undertones and messages. While never spelling it out, the film approaches the subjects of racism and profiling. The message never hits you over the head, and the reasons learned are never fully spelled out to the audience, but the message comes over loud and clear. Part buddy film, part mystery, “Zootopia” uses humor at every turn to keep the movie moving at a rather quick pace. There are funny lines and rapid asides that make fun of past Disney films (including one about a “frozen” girl) , so many so that you may have to see the movie several times before getting all the jokes. “Zootopia” is a little long, and very young children may get a bit scared of a few scenes of animals acting ferocious, but this is one film everyone is going to enjoy. And, the DMV scene with the sloths that is teased in the trailer will have you rolling in the aisles with laughter.    My Rating: Full Price   Zootopia Website

My View:  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot  (2016)  R  Kim (Tina Fey) is tired of being behind the scenes and volunteers to be a war correspondent in Afghanistan and Pakistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. She finds a fellow woman reporter (Margot Robbie) who shows her the ropes and lets her know that she may have been a “four or five at home but is a ten here.”  Kim, who always was in the background in the states, is suddenly front and center and has the attention of a dashing war photographer (Martin Freeman). First off, this is not a comedy.  Yes, there are some comedic asides, but it’s mostly to release the tension. And that’s the problem with this film, there isn’t enough tension. Even when out in the field and under fire, I never felt that Kim was in trouble and never really worried about her well being. This isn’t a bad film, and the chemistry between Freeman and Fey is easy going and believable. I loved Billy Bob Thornton as a hard nose Marine general who warms up to Kim’s can do attitude. I just wish the film had a harder edge to it, to give it some realism.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Website

Forgotten Film:  The White Countess  (2005)  PG-13  Set in Shanghai in 1936, a Russian Countess (Natasha Richardson) has fled her country and must work as a bar-girl to survive. She meets Jackson (Ralph Fiennes), a former American diplomat who is blind and owns a classy bar. As the world closes in, they develop a relationship, while curious at first, becomes stronger with time.  This is the last of the famous filmmaking team of Merchant and Ivory and has their trademark of complex characters, intricate plots and luscious scenes that made their films stand out. Fiennes and Richardson make this film worth watching as their characters find a glimmer of hope in each other.   My Take:  Full Price   The White Countess Info   

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016)  PG-13  It’s hard for lightning to strike twice.  The first film worked because there was such great chemistry between Nia Vardalos and John Corbett, and Vardalos had such a pleasing presence on the screen that just made you love her.  After seeing the trailer, it looks like it’s the same film, with a few additional characters - which rarely works.   My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Info      

Weird Credits:  From the credits of London Has Fallen:  Russian Arm Operator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Maggie’s Plan  (2016)  R  Maggie (Greta Gerwig) stole John (Ethan Hawke) from his marriage to Georgette (Julianne Moore). Now Maggie realizes that John isn’t the man she thought he was, so she has a plan to get Georgette and John back together, if only Georgette will cooperate.  This looks like a good old screwball comedy and what’s not to love with a cast that also includes Travis Fimmel, Maya Rudolph, and Bill Hader? Plus, Julianne Moore is speaking with some sort of accent!   Maggie's Plan Info

Until Next Time!

Eddie the Eagle

My View:  Eddie the Eagle (2016)  PG-13  Eddie the Eagle (2016)  PG-13  Eddie (Taron Egerton) has always wanted to compete in the Olympics, and he discovers there hasn’t been a British Ski jumper since the 1920’s.  So, if Eddie can just figure out how to jump, he can compete for his country and achieve his dream though, he needs help learning how to jump. Can he persuade Bronson (Hugh Jackman), a former US ski jumper to coach him?  I loved this feel-good film. It’s not at all what I expected, and I credit Egerton for giving such a warm and funny portrayal of a man who was fearless and wouldn’t quit no matter what the odds. Jackman is perfect for the washed-up former ski jumper who doesn’t like to be reminded of his past. Egerton and Jackman have superb chemistry which is important as much of the dialogue in this film is between just the two of them. Go see this film and root for Eddie!   My Rating: Full Price   Eddie the Eagle Website  

My View:  Gods of Egypt (2016)  PG-13  Bek (Brenton Thwaites) joins the god Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) in a battle to save the world from the god of darkness Set (Gerard Butler). This is a mess of a movie. It’s as if the writers decided to throw most of what we know about ancient Egypt and create superheroes from the Egyptian gods. The gods are twice as big as the humans, so the scenes between the two species look weird, the Gods bleed gold when cut and not to mention that Sun God Ra (Geoffrey Rush) flies around in a spaceship. Set’s chariot is pulled by giant beetles, and the bad guys ride on the back of giant sand serpents. The specials effects are so dreadful I could almost see the “green screen” used for almost the entire film. Some of the actors, Rush especially, look downright depressed that they agreed to make this mess of a movie. This is a bad film, and, because it takes itself so seriously, it’s not fun to watch. It's the kind of film that, thirty minutes into it, I wished it would end.  My wish was granted an hour and thirty-seven minutes later.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Gods of Egypt Website

Indiefest:  The Club  (2015)  Four retired Catholic priests share a house in a small Chilean beach town.  Their world is turned upside down when a fifth man shows up and makes them relive the past. This is an hard film to watch. The four priests have all done bad things (most seem to be child molesters) and have been moved to a small remote village on the coast. A fifth priest is sent to figure out if the house should be disbanded and so he interviews, at length, each priest about their past sins. The performances are riveting, especially the role of the housekeeper, played by Antonia Zegers, who has a past sin of her own. This is not a movie for the easily offended, but if you can tolerate the in-depth look at the subject, it’s well worth watching.  My Rating: Full Price   The Club Website

Forgotten Film:  The American Friend  (1977)  Directed by the great German filmmaker, Wim Wenders, this film is a modern film noir story. An American forger (Dennis Hopper) is living in Germany when he becomes a middleman between a dying picture framer (Bruno Ganz) and French gangster (Gerard Blain). The gangster needs a hit man, and, since the picture framer is dying, he decides to do the job. The American soon finds out that not everything is on the up and up. The film is shot almost as if it were a black and white film using shades of color to create what looks as almost textured darkness on-screen. Hopper gives one of his better performances, and the film will keep you guessing until the end.   My Rating:  Full Price   The American Friend Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Eddie the Eagle: Special Effects Teeth

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You (Repeated from June 2015.  That’s how long it has taken for this film to premiere):   The Bronze (2015)   R  A foul-mouthed former gymnast (Melissa Rauch) has made a living on the fact that she won an Olympic bronze medal. Now she is asked to put her ego aside and help mentor a new up-and-coming star. I love Melissa Rauch and am looking forward to seeing what director Bryan Buckley can do with this material. Buckley has directed some of the best commercials of the past ten years.    The Bronze Website

Until Next Time!

Olympus Has Fallen

My View:   Olympus Has Fallen  (2013)  R   After a tragic accident, Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) has been taken off the Presidential Detail and has been given a desk job. Banning finds himself trapped in the White House, just as it is invaded by terrorists and the President captured. Now Banning must use his Special Forces training, along with his Secret Service knowledge to rescue the leader of the free world. While not a perfect film, it is a fast moving, well-paced action film.  Butler is impressive and believable as the Secret Service agent who can take a man down with one karate shot. The film has an all-star cast, with Aaron Eckhart as the President, Morgan Freeman as the Speaker of the House, Melissa Leo as the Secretary of Defense and Angela Bassett as the Director of the Secret Service. The villain in the film is a little one-dimensional and the special effects for a few action sequences are a little cheap looking, but overall the film gives the action film fan a good run for their money.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    Olympus has Fallen Website

Family Faire:   The Croods  (2013)  PG  The Croods consist of Grug (Nicolas Cage), his wife Ugga (Catherine Keener), grandmother Gran (Cloris Leachman), son Thunk (Clark Duke) and daughter Eep (Emma Stone) are your ordinary, run-of-the-mill caveman family. Their world is turned upside down when their beloved cave is destroyed and they must find a new place to live. Then, Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a nomadic cave boy who would rather use his brain than his brawn, enters the picture and their lives will never be the same. This is a fantastic film that kids and adults will find amusing and enjoyable. I loved Emma Stone as the headstrong Eep, but the actor that makes this film is Nicolas Cage as the loveable father Grug. Cage is perfect for the ridged but caring Grug. The film is filled with almost Dr. Seuss style animals, which will make it enjoyable for even the youngest of filmgoers. It is worth seeing in 3D, as there are a number of action sequences that utilize the technology to its fullest. This is a fun, funny film that everyone will enjoy.    My Rating:  Full Price    The Croods Website

Indiefest:    Admission  (2013)  PG-13  Portia (Tina Fey) is an admissions officer for Princeton University, who is up for a promotion. She is determined that no stone will go unturned looking for the best and brightest students in the country for her university. When she visits a small alternative school, at the behest of a former classmate (Paul Rudd), she discovers a secret that she had hoped would forever be forgotten. This is one of those films that you really want to love but you end up just sort of liking it. The biggest problem with this film is the lack of chemistry between Fey and Rudd, as you just never quite see the attraction between the two. I also did not like the ending to this film, as Fey’s character does something so wrong that it makes you uncomfortable to witness it. The supporting cast, including Wallace Shawn as Fey’s boss and Lily Tomlin as her ultra-pro woman mom, are fun to watch but overall this film doesn’t quite hit the mark.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Admission Website

Indiefest:   The Gatekeepers  (2013)  PG-13  A documentary that for the first time gives you an inside look at the Israeli Shin Bet, the secretive governmental group that is in charge of Israel’s security service. The film combines interviews, archival footage and computer animation to show the role of this government faction that has been around since the Six-Day War. This is a fascinating film that is worthy of its Academy Award nomination. This film gives the filmgoer an insight into the complex puzzle of how Israel has dealt with the Palestinian population since the Six-Day War. The filmmakers interview six former heads of the Shin Bet, something that is utterly unheard of since the organization is highly secretive and usually doesn’t give interviews. This is the type of film that you will learn things about a subject matter that you thought you knew and one that will prompt many discussions afterword.    My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again    The Gatekeepers Website

Forgotten Film:   Lucas  (1986)  PG-13  Lucas (Corey Haim) is a shy, nerdy 14-year old boy who has never been popular at school. During the summer, Lucas develops a friendship with Maggie (Kerri Green), a beautiful girl that has just moved to town. Lucas becomes infatuated with Maggie, but when she becomes a cheerleader and becomes interested in a football player (Charlie Sheen), Lucas’s world seems to crash down upon him. This isn’t your typical 80’s teen comedy, but rather a film that has a heart and soul, that treats the main character with compassion and warmth. Haim gives one of the better performances of his career and the rest of the cast, including Sheen as the football player who actually cares about Lucas, does an impressive job of giving us real teenagers, not just charactures of high schoolers.    My Rating:  Full Price   Lucas Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Olympus Has Fallen:  Creative Executive for Gerard Butler

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Frances Ha  (2013)  R  I think Greta Gerwig is one of the best young actresses out there and I can’t wait to see her in this film about a single girl in New York that is trying to chase her dreams.     Frances Ha Website

\

Until Next Time!