Captain America: Brave New World

My View:  Captain America: Brave New World  (2025)  PG-13  In Captain America: Brave New World, following the election of Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) as President of the United States, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) now holds the mantle of Captain America. Sam finds himself at the center of an international incident that could threaten the world and must work to stop the true masterminds behind it. My father (a professor and playwright) always said that the film had trouble if you see more than three writers in the credits, and this one has five. That’s very evident in this film, where scenes seem to be stuck together by bubble gum and baling wire. Sam is trying to figure out how to be Captain America without damaging the very large shadow that Steve Rodgers left. Along the way, Sam has to decide whether to trust new President Ross or go on his own. Since the trailer and the poster give it away, it takes a heck of a long time for us to see Red Hulk and I think you will be disappointed in the showdown between Captain and Red Hulk. The film's roots are in the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk, which starred Edward Norton as Banner/Hulk, Liv Tyler as his love intrest/scientist Betty Ross, and William Hurt as General Thaddeus Ross. With Harrison Ford now playing Ross (for the late William Hurt), we get a lot of playbacks from that film, including Liv Tyler showing up in a phone call to daddy Ross. Now I love Tim Blake Nelson as an actor, but his villain is another in a recent line of villains that don’t work on screen. I was pretty bored by the film, notwithstanding that I enjoyed some of the action sequences, but they seemed like filler between lots of talking about duty and country. And yes, there is a post-credit sequence at the end of all the credits, giving us a really weak taste of what is coming for the next MCU films. Maybe instead of doing a bunch of reshoots, Marvel should take a few years off and rethink everything.   My Rating: Cable  Captain America: Brave New World Website   Now playing theatres nationwide.

Familyfaire:  Paddington in Peru  (2024)  PG   Paddington in Peru tells the story of Paddington when he receives a letter from his Aunt Lucy from her retirement home in Peru, saying that she deeply misses him. Paddington and the Browns travel to Peru to cheer up Aunt Lucy, only to find she is missing and has left a map that might be a clue of where she is. Now, Paddington must go on a journey into the Peruvian jungle to find his aunt and bring her back. I am a huge Paddington fan (I made Paddington 2 one of my top 10 films of 2018), and I am happy to say that while not quite up to the first two films, Paddington in Peru is still a delight for all. As usual, Paddington is still getting into all sorts of trouble, always with a great attitude and often with a thank you after causing some ruckus. This time, Paddington and his beloved Brown family are on an adventure in Peru. What I love about this series is that it doesn’t talk down to kids, that they, as the audience, are asked to follow along and root for the marmalade-loving little bear. The good-feeling humor works for both kids and adults. Paddington in Peru is a fun and funny film that has a lot of action sequences to keep the smaller ones happy and a few twists and turns in the plot to keep the older kids interested. Adults will be pleased with the rather substantial and humorous roles played by Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas. So, put on your hat and coat and join our little Paddington on an adventure that you won’t soon forget.  My View: Full Price   Paddington in Peru Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy  (2025) R   In Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, it’s been four years since Bridget’s (Renée Zellweger) beloved husband, Mark, died, and she is still trying to figure out how to navigate life as a widow and a mother of two. With the assistance of family, friends, and perhaps an app or two, Bridget is ready to get back into dating in this new world. Are we certain that the world is ready? I loved the first two movies, Bridget Jones' Diary (2001) and Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason (2004). I wasn't as impressed with the third film, Bridget Jones's Baby (2016), but perhaps I was missing Hugh Grant too much. We now get a fourth installment, and this time, there isn’t a Mr. Darcy, as Mark has died, and Bridget is raising their two kids alone (with a lot of input from her friends). I have always loved Renée Zellweger, from her early roles in Empire Records and The Whole Wide World to her breakout hit Jerry Maguire to her Oscar-winning roles in Cold Mountain and Judy. What this film does really well is give Zellweger the space and the spotlight to have fun in the role again. There is a fantastic scene near the middle of the film when she is back producing a TV show and, in a rehearsal, takes the place of a singer so that the lighting people can practice for the show. Zellweger goes all out in that scene, dancing up a storm and having fun, so much so that it is infectious. Do we miss Mr. Darcy? Sure we do. But the film knows that and lets us grieve a bit before Bridget goes all out in the dating world and once again she will have to choose between two suitors. I hope this is the last Bridget Jones film in the series because it’s an excellent send-off of a character we have loved for all her kookiness and smart-aleck thoughts.  My Rating: Full Price  Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy Website  Now playing on the Peacock platform.

My View:  The Gorge  (2025)   PG-13  The Gorge is about two elite snipers (Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller) assigned to a mysterious mission: guarding a deep and seemingly impenetrable gorge. They are in guard towers on opposite ends of the gorge, forbidden from contacting each other and not knowing what actually lies beneath them. I liked the first hour of this film, which is a romance with a bit of action. The film does a great job of giving us insight into both characters, who kill for a living and are haunted by it. By utilizing high-powered binoculars and printing out large notes for each other to see across the vast expanse of the gorge, they begin flirting with one another. The second half of the film is all action, with the two fighting off evil forces. The second half of the film feels as if it was filmed on an old Star Trek set from the 60s, and the action sequences make you keep wanting to know how much ammunition these two can actually carry. I would have enjoyed this film more if they had gone a more conventional route rather than the Sci-Fi/horror way that the film turns. It’s too bad because Taylor-Joy and Teller have great chemistry, and sparks fly every time they look at each other across the gorge. It's a shame that the scary parts had to show up.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Gorge Website Now playing on the Apple TV+ platform.

My View:  La Dolce Villa  (2025)  In La Dolce Villa, successful business executive Eric (Scott Foley) travels to Italy when his daughter Olivia (Maia Reficco) buys a villa for next to nothing. The only problem is that the villa is in horrible shape, and Eric has little time to convince his daughter to return to the States. That and the town’s mayor, Francesca (Violante Placido), is single and interested in Eric. La Dolce Villa is your typical romantic film where the widower falls for a local while dealing with his wayward daughter. The film is a little light on a storyline, but the Italian scenery and the chemistry between Placido and Foley works. I was surprised that the daughter’s romance never became a plot point. This is a lovely romance that you can watch once and move on to the next one. My Rating: Bargain Maintee  La Dolce Villa Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

My View:  Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius) (2025)  The documentary Sly Lives! focuses on the life and legacy of Sly Stone, who, along with his group Sly and the Family Stone, was one of the most popular groups of the 60s/70s. Sly rose to the top, only to fade out due to Stone’s drug use and continued erratic behavior, which he never completely recovered from. The director of the film, Questlove, won an Oscar in 2022 for his documentary Summer of Soul. I remember seeing Sly and the Family Stone performances on TV, and the band’s high energy stage show was one of the highlights of the documentary Woodstock, where they had the giant crowd in the palm of Sly’s very large keyboard-playing hands. I also remember when Sly got married in 1974 in Madison Square Garden and thinking, ‘huh, he’s still around?’ The film celebrates the genius of Sly, who, from his early days as a radio disc jockey, also produced bands from English rock to Motown. And then he started his own band. It was unusual because it had a mix of Black and White musicians, as well as female musicians in critical roles, such as keyboards and trumpets. Sly and the Family Stone were huge hitmakers in the late 60s and early 70s, filling auditoriums and stadiums with their music. Then, the pressure of being an enormous star got the better of Sly, and it all started falling apart. The documentary does an incredible job of letting us get to know the man through interviews with both Sly (all done in the past) with interviews with not only his band members but also his many romantic partners, his kids, and artists like George Clinton, André 3000, and Chaka Khan. Even if you don’t know who Sly was, you know his songs, as they show up in commercials and movies all the time, along with all the songs that hip-hop and rap artists have sampled. Now it’s time to get to know a man who, for a while, was one of the most creative and popular musical artists in the world.   My Rating: Full Price  Sly Lives! Website      Now playing on the Hulu platform. 

Forgotten Film:  Maurice  (1987) R  Two English university students, Maurice (James Wilby) and Clive (Hugh Grant) find themselves falling for each other. They go their separate ways to keep their place in society, with Clive marrying Anne (Phoebe Nicholls). While visiting the married couple, Maurice discovers a new love, Alec (Rupert Graves), a gamekeeper. Maurice is a film from the team of Merchant and Ivory (Remains of the Day, A Room with a View, Howard End), and as usual, the cinematography and set designs are stunning. Grant gives the best performance of the two very early in his career, and we can see why he was destined to be a star. The film is helped by a stellar supporting cast, including Ben Kingsley, Simon Callow, Billie Whitelaw, and Denholm Elliott. While not one of Merchant/Ivory’s best, watching a very young Hugh Grant find his acting chops is still fun.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Maurice Info    The film is available to buy/rent on many online servers. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Captain America: Brave New World: Stunt Office Assistant 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:   Novocaine (2025) R Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid) has finally found the courage to ask Sherry (Amber Midthunder) out, and their date was incredible. Now, right in front of Nathan’s eyes, the bank that she works at is held up, and she is taken hostage. What’s a guy to do but go to her rescue? What her kidnappers don’t know is that Nathan has a condition where he is incapable of feeling pain. He’s going to need it to get her back.  The trailer is a blast, so I hope this film matches that fun.  Novocaine Website   The film will be in theaters on Friday, March 14, 2025.  

Until Next Time!

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

My View: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) PG-13  Archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is near retirement and feels the world has gone by him. But evil returns in the form of an old rival, and Indy must don the hat and pick up his whip one more time to keep a powerful artifact from falling into the wrong hands. The question is, will his God-daughter, Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge,) help or hinder this new adventure? The bigger question is this film better or worse than Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? It’s far better than that dud of a movie, but that isn’t saying much. Dial of Destiny is a fun ride that takes you back to when Ford was younger (with the magic of CGI, which I did not dislike but some of my fellow critics hated) and was fighting Nazis. The CGI sequence was longer than I anticipated, but it helped set up the storyline for the rest of the film. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a lovely addition to the cast of characters that Indy has joined up with in past movies (many of which make an appearance or two). Helena is someone Indy loves, but simultaneously can’t always understand her motives for doing what she does. Her character subtlety brings up the idea that maybe what Indy has done for years (i.e., stealing artifacts for museums) is just as bad as Helena stealing them for profit. I loved the action sequences, with a fun and thrilling chase sequence that is a little on the unbelievable side but I still enjoyed it. My problem with the film is the final action sequence, which ends too easily and wraps up too tidily. Still, Dial of Destiny is an enjoyable sendoff to an iconic character that has become part of film history. I loved the last scene, and let’s hope this is Indy’s last adventure. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny allows our hero to kick a few more Nazi butts before riding off into the sunset, and that’s all we can ask.   My Rating: Full Price  Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide  

Familyfaire: Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken (2023) PG  Ruby (voiced by Lana Condor) wants to be an ordinary high-school student. However, Ruby learns she comes from a fabled royal family of legendary Krakens and that her destiny lies in the depths of the waters. To make matters worse, Chelsea (voiced by Annie Murphy), the most popular girl in school, is a mermaid, the arch-enemies of Kraken. What’s a girl to do? This is your ordinary DreamWorks film (The Boss Baby, Trolls, The Croods, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar) with a storyline that teaches something and animation that doesn’t dazzle but is well done. In this case, learning how to embrace who you really are. The storyline is basic, and the twist is easy to figure out. Besides a weird little pet creature of Ruby’s, the characters aren’t very appealing, and none stand out. I liked Lana Condor as Ruby, and Annie Murphy does a great job as the popular girl in school who happens to be a mortal enemy mermaid, but both aren’t given much to work with. I think the underwater scenes will entertain little kids, but I wonder if the bad guy at the movie’s end is a little too scary for young kids. Overall, I think kids may have a good time watching Ruby discover who she is, but parents will be bored and watching the clock to signify the end.   My Rating: Cable    Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken Website   Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Familyfaire: Nimona (2023) PG  A knight, Ballister Boldheart (voiced by Riz Ahmed), in a futuristic, medieval world is framed for a crime he didn’t commit; the only one who comes to his defense is Nimona (voiced by Chloë Grace Moretz), a mischievous teen that causes mayhem everywhere she goes. The only problem is that the one who can help the knight prove his innocence, Nimona, is a shapeshifting creature he has vowed to destroy. I loved this movie. It’s a mix of old Arthurian knights mixed with futuristic flying motorcycles and magic. Nimona is not your typical character, as she wants desperately to become Ballister’s ‘sidekick’ while creating as much chaos as she can muster. This is not your ordinary kid’s animated film, as the main character, the brave knight Boldheart, is in a loving relationship with another male knight. That relationship crumbles when Boldheart is seen by everyone murdering the Queen, and Boldheart’s own love, Ambrousisu Goldenlion (voiced by Eugene Lee Yang), is forced to attack him to apprehend him. Nimona offers her help and uses her shapeshifting powers to rescue Boldheart. One catch: Boldheart must accept Nimona as his sidekick. The film is a wonderful tale of finding acceptance and even love for people different from you. What you fear (in this case, monsters) sometimes is just fear itself, and what you feared wasn’t the person but the unknown. Nimona is one of the best-animated characters I’ve seen in the last ten years, full of fun and fight. Nimona is a misunderstood character who wants to be seen and heard, not feared. Chloë Grace Moretz is a favorite of mine, and she lends her voice to a character filled with vitality, unable to contain her feelings and longing to find a place in this world. It’s a brilliant and fun performance. Let’s hope we see more adventures of the good knight Boldheart and his unique sidekick Nimona.   My Rating; I Would Pay to See It Again.  Nimona Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Indiefest: Run Rabbit Run (2023)   Sarah (Sarah Snook) is a doctor and a mother. Sarah had a sister when she was younger who went missing at age seven and was never found. Now Mia (Lily LaTorre), Sarah’s daughter, begins claiming she is Sarah’s long-lost sister. Sarah must challenge her own beliefs and confront a ghost from the past. This film sadly wastes the talents of Sarah Snook, who is asked to constantly give us either a look of horror or surprise every minute or two of the film. The movie never finds a way to keep the momentum, as the film keeps abruptly stopping just as things get interesting. Run Rabbit Run is a film where you never know if what is happening is real or in Sarah’s mind. Most of the film’s horror aspects are either jump-out-of-the-dark scares or foreboding scenes that never pay off. I wanted more scares from this film, but it kept promising them, only to drop them for another cut to Sarah waking up to discover her daughter wasn’t where she was supposed to be. The film became repetitive very early on and never found a way out. I would give this a lower rating, but I loved how much Sarah Snook and Lily LaTorre put into their performances. I just wish the story had more substance.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Run Rabbit Run Website    Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

My View: Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed (2023)  Documentary on superstar actor Rock Hudson who was a top office draw for most of his career and a ‘ladies man’ who hid his life as a gay man for decades. The documentary is less about Rock Hudson and his career and more about the Hollywood system that allowed gay men like Hudson to live their lives while the studios projected their stars to the public as heterosexual men who loved women and wanted to get married. The film gives us an inside look through countless interviews and pictures of Rock Hudson’s private life as he seemingly bedded every handsome man in Hollywood for 30 years. I came away from the film with the feeling that Hudson was a man who was loved by many and just was a man who had to hide who he was. Hudson was a man who loved life and lived it to its fullest while carrying on a separate public life as one of the biggest stars of the 50s and 60s. Things changed when in the 80s, the AIDS crisis hit, and Hudson was suddenly in the spotlight. A spotlight that he had hidden for a long, long time.   My Rating: Full Price  Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed Website Now playing on HBO and the Max platforms.

Indiefest: Every Body (2023) R   Every Body is a documentary about three individuals who are part of the intersex population. They make up one percent of the population born with bodies that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female. They have had to overcome shame, secrecy, and unauthorized surgery throughout their childhood to become successful adults. The term intersex isn’t something that comes up in everyday conversation, and more often than not, it’s not even mentioned when speaking about LGBTQ topics. This is a documentary that hopefully helps put members of the intersex community in the open and have a better understanding of who they are. The documentary features three such intersex individuals who have fascinating and sometimes sad stories to tell. The film explores their stories and how they have all dealt with being part of the intersex population. It helps that all three are engaging, funny people you enjoy listening to and hearing their stories and how they see themselves in today’s society. I found the information in this film enlightening, especially how badly the way the medical establishment handles the treatment of intersex children.. All three subjects of the documentary are activists for intersex children. The film is an eye-opener, but it is done with respect for its three activists and love for who they are now. I strongly suggest watching Every Body, a documentary that encourages people to live without fear or boundaries.  My Rating: Full Price  Every Body Website  Now playing in select theaters.

Forgotten Film: A Month by the Lake (1995) PG   At a lake resort in Italy in 1937, a British spinster, Miss Bentley (Vanessa Redgrave), is on holiday when she meets the dashing Maj. Wilshaw (Edward Fox) and falls for him. Unfortunately, the Major only has eyes for a tall, beautiful American, Miss Beaumont (Uma Thurman), who loves to toy with men just because she can. This is a beautiful film, and Vanessa Redgrave is perfect as the older woman who lacks the confidence to think she could compete with a woman like Miss Beaumont. However, Miss Bentley discovers that there is a skill in flirting, and she just might have a chance. A Month by the Lake is a delightful British romantic comedy that we see little of nowadays.  My Rating: Full Price   A Month by the Lake Info   The film is available to rent/buy on both Amazon and Apple TV.

Weird Credits: From Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny: Balloon Decorator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Meg 2: The Trench (2023) PG-13. I could describe what is going on, but all you need to know is in the trailer. The music is Heart’s ‘Barracuda’ and giant sharks are eating tourists, and Jason Statham is on a Wave runner with a samurai sword. And the poster is epic!  Meg 2: The Trench Website The film is in theatres on Aug. 4th.

Until Next Time!

The Call of the Wild

My View: The Call of the Wild (2020) PG   Buck is a beloved family dog whose heart is even bigger than his enormous size. Buck is kidnapped and sent to the frozen tundra of the Yukon. Buck learns to be a sled dog and eventually a companion to John Thornton (Harrison Ford), a man who wants to get lost in the winter wilderness, leaving his former life behind. The film starts out with an introduction of a dog, who is clumsy, running amuck in a large household, destroying the reception of a wedding, and showing up for the family photo with a Turkey leg in his mouth. Is this the latest Scooby-Doo movie? No, it’s an adventure film starring a dog that is created entirely by CGI at the cost of at least 120 million dollars (possibly up to 150 million after retakes). Buck, the dog, never looks real throughout the film, because the filmmakers constantly go to closeups of the dog as he gives expressions that an actual dog would never give us. If you are a fan of Harrison Ford, please note that he is only in about half of the film, the rest of the film is Buck’s experiences of being abducted to be sold as a sled dog in the Yukon and his attempts to become a sled dog for a mail delivery team. The film tries to pull the heartstrings every chance it can, mostly relying on those facial closeups of Buck, but it never comes close to delivering any sort of emotion. Young kids may enjoy some of the action sequences, but even those fail to create any tension as too often they end in attempts at humor. I recommend that you watch the 1935 version of the film instead. While not great movie, it at least has Clark Gable and a real dog as Buck.   My Rating: Cable   The Call of the Wild Website

Indiefest: Ordinary Love (2019) R   Joan and Tom (Liam Neeson, Lesley Manville) have been a happily married couple for years. Their relationship and their marriage are threatened when Joan is unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer. Ordinary Love is one of those small, intimate films that handles the relationship between two people with compassion and exploring how a severe illness can break down even the most robust and most secure couple. Neeson and Manville give us honest and sometimes brutal performances as two people trying to help each other deal with a horrible situation, where the cure (chemotherapy and extensive surgery) are as bad as the disease itself. Underneath the trials and tribulations that they are going through, the couple has already suffered a serious blow in the past. A serious blow which rears up in their relationship to compound the potential tragedy they are presently going through. This isn’t a big, splashy film but one that lets two masterful performers give us something extraordinary.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See This Film Again    Ordinary Love Website

Indiefest: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) R   On an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a young artist, Marianne (Noemie Meriant), is hired to paint a wedding portrait of a mysterious, silent woman, Heloise (Adele Haenel). A beautiful and magnificent look at the love between two women who know that no matter how deep their love is for each other, they are doomed to only experience their togetherness for a brief period of time. The film is a slow and steady look at a relationship where the two women gradually, almost too deliberately, explore their budding feelings for each other through short glances or slight touches of their hands. Writer/director Celine Sciamma shrewdly handles the relationship through the eyes of Marianne as she becomes enchanted by the young woman she has been hired to create a portrait of Heloise so that a nobleman can see her beauty and marry her. Marianne's job is to finish a painting that a male artist wasn’t able to complete because Heloise would not sit for him. There is a secret that the family is Heloise is hiding from the nobleman, one that hangs over Heloise’s almost every move. The film is a movie, much like the painting, that takes time to complete but is worth seeing the finished product.   My Rating; I Would Pay to See it Again     Portrait of a Lady on Fire Website

Indiefest: Banksy and the Rise of Outlaw Art (2020)   Documentary on the world’s most infamous and mysterious street artist, Banksy, and the revolutionary art movement that he/she has inspired around the globe. You got to love a film that opens up with one of Banksy’s famous pranks. A Banksy art piece is auctioned off, with the winning bid of over a million dollars. As soon as the gavel goes down for the final sale, the artwork starts to shred itself. The film, while concentrating on the life and artwork of Banksy, gives us a great background of the history of the graffiti and street art scene that not only Banksy but other artists came from. The film contains excellent footage of Banksy as a young artist, always hiding his identity. I am guessing that Banksy is a male due to the footage in the film, but that’s as close as you get to figuring out who he is. The film contains interviews from some of the leading street artists, including Steve Lazarides, who, for many years, was Banksy’s, right-hand man. If you are a fan of Banksy and his art, you will want to see this film and revel in how Banksy has become one of the most famous artists of the modern age.   My Rating: Full Price    Banksy and the Rise of Outlaw Art Website

My View:  Brahms: The Boy II (2020) PG-13   Unaware of the horrific history of Heelshire Mansion, a young family (Katie Holmes, Owain Yeoman), moves into the guest house on the estate. The couple’s son (Christopher Convery) soon discovers on the grounds a new friend, a life-like doll he calls Brahms. Oh, Katie Holmes, I had so much hope for your career back when you were playing that sweet kid on Dawson’s Creek. Now you are stuck doing horrible horror films, which is sad to me. I will admit the doll is pretty creepy for about the 1st five minutes of the film, but after that, the movie resorts to a lot of music that is meant to be scary and not much else. The ending of the film feels rushed and isn’t satisfying at all, with almost everything leading up to that point predictable. The film never builds any tension, and Convery as the son just isn’t creepy enough to make it interesting. My advice to Ms. Holmes, get a new agent and my advice to you, the moviegoer, skip this sleep-inducing plot of a film.    My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again     Brahms: The Boy II Website

Forgotten Film: The Addiction (1995)   A New York philosophy meek grad student, Kathleen (Lili Taylor), who is obsessed with how evil is portrayed in literature, encounters a stranger (Annabella Sciorra) who it turns out is a vampire. This black-and-white film is hard to describe (part horror/part comedy) but is worth watching just for the performance of Christopher Walken as a vampire that becomes Kathleen’s guide to the blood-sucking life and a college mixer that turns into a party of vampires.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee     The Addiction Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Call of the Wild: Buck On Set (a man is listed, not an animal).

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Hunt (2020) R  Twelve strangers wake up in a clearing and don’t have any idea where they are or how they got there. They are about to find out why they have been chosen, chosen for 'The Hunt.' I don’t know if it’s true, but the trailer says that The Hunt is the most talked about film of the year.    The Hunt Website

Until Next Time!

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

My View:  Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) PG-13   The surviving Resistance faces the First Order in a showdown to close out the final chapter in the Skywalker saga, as both Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey (Daisy Ridley) struggle with the power of the Dark Side. I wanted to love this film as I did with The Force Awakens, but alas, I only liked it. The film feels somewhat incomplete and, at times, rushed, especially the ending sequence. I did thoroughly enjoy the fighting sequences that Rey is involved with, and it’s always a blast to watch Driver do anything on the screen. There are some significant plot holes in this film, and I felt terrible for Oscar Issac playing Poe, whose big scenes seem overshadowed by the other characters in the movie. Unfortunately, the film clumsily incorporates the scenes with the late Carrie Fisher (Leia), making them stand out for how badly they were patched together (Fisher died before she could film her part, so they used old footage of her). I am a big fan of the Star Wars saga, but I felt a little let down by this film. It just didn’t deliver everything I wanted in a conclusion to an epic series.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Website

My View: Bombshell  (2019) R   A group of women, including anchors Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman and Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), decide to take on Fox News chief Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) and the toxic atmosphere he created and presided over at the network. The film is a certainty to make the Oscar nomination for makeup, because Charlize Theron, as Megan Kelly is one of the best impersonations of a real person I have ever seen in a film. The film starts a little unnerving as Theron as Kelly gives us a tour of the Fox News building, breaking the fourth wall. The film teeters between drama and comedy, sometimes to the determent of the movie. Bombshell is an interesting film to watch, but I wonder who is the audience this film is meant for. Fans of the Fox Network won’t want to watch it, and people who don’t like the network already know the story of Ailes and his downfall. I thought it was fascinating that the film used a lot of very familiar actors to round out the cast, even in smaller parts, like Jennifer Morrison as Juliet Huddy, a former Fox reporter who was demoted when she spoke up about Ailes plays on women. I enjoyed this film, especially the performances of Theron and John Lithgow as the villain of the film, Roger Ailes himself.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee      Bombshell Website

My View: Cats (2019) PG   A tribe of cats called the Jellicles must decide every year which one of their clan will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new Jellicle life. Ok, if you love the Broadway musical, you will probably like, maybe even love this film. For the rest of us, it is just a bizarre movie-going experience. With the only human character in the film showing up at the beginning to toss a cat into an alley, the movie is populated by singing and dancing cats. There is almost no plot to this film, as we go from song to song, introducing us to the cast of characters in the movie. The most famous song, Memories, is sung several times, by Jennifer Hudson, playing the down and out cat Grizabella and Francesca Hayward as the innocent newcomer, Victoria. At times, the film feels like a bad parody that Saturday Night Live might put on, as some of the songs/dances are just unbelievably campy. There is a lot of talent in this cast, but most, including Idris Elba and Ian McKellen, are given roles that are on the verge of embarrassing. And yes, Taylor Swift sings a song, Golden Globe nominated 'Beautiful Ghosts', as the cat, Bombalurina, where she gets everyone high on catnip. My viewing of this film was not helped by several of the audience members who thought the film was a comedy (it’s not) and were laughing out loud throughout the film. Stay at home and watch a classic musical like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, you will have a much better viewing experience.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again     Cats Website

Indiefest: A Hidden Life (2019) PG-13   Bl. Franz Jägerstätter (August Diehl), with the support of his wife, Fani (Valerie Pachner) and his children, refuses to fight for the Nazis in World War II, even when threatened with execution for treason. I am not a big fan of filmmaker Terrence Malick ( Tree of Life, Knight of Cups). A Hidden Life is another Malick film that takes forever to tell the story as Fraz gets jailed about an hour into the film and spends the rest of the two hours languishing in various prisons. As with most Malick films, he tells his story through a plethora of shots, so many so that it must have taken over a year to shoot this film. I also did not enjoy the fact that sometimes the cast said their dialogue in English, but at other times, especially in times of anger or anguish, the exchange was in German, making us in the dark on what was being said. The film moves at an incredibly slow pace, and because Franz is never going to back down to the Nazi’s, we know how this film is going to turn out. The two leads are outstanding in their roles; I just wished I had seen quite a bit less of them and the numerous shots of the Austrian countryside.   My Rating: Cable    A Hidden Life Website

Forgotten Film: Victor Victoria (1982) PG   A struggling singer (Julie Andrews) in 1934 Paris, with the help of a gay cabaret singer Toddy (Robert Preston), pretends to be a man named Victor and gets a job at a club as a female impersonator named Victor, with his on stage persona named Victoria. Victor becomes the hit of Paris. Things get complicated when Chicago nightclub owner, King (James Garner), falls head over heels for Victoria, only to find out that Victoria is a man, or is he? Andrews is brilliant in the role, and Garner is perfect as the man who has to reconcile his romantic feelings for ‘Victoria.’ Lesley Ann Warren practically steals the movies as King’s very jealous girlfriend, Norma, who is determined to take Victor/Victoria down. A great cast with some beautiful and fun cabaret songs makes this film so much fun to watch.   My Rating: Full Price      Victor Victoria Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Cats: Magic Consultant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Call of the Wild (2020)   A grizzled explorer (Harrison Ford) finds a dog named Buck, and they go on an adventure of a lifetime in the wilderness of the Yukon. I am a sucker for a movie that features a dog, plus its got Karen Gillan and Harrison Ford, so I am going to make sure I see this one.    The Call of the Wild Website

Until Next Time!

Blade Runner 2049

My View:  Blade Runner 2049  (2017)  R  A new Blade Runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), discovers a dark secret that could bring an end to the human race. Along the way, he meets Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former Blade Runner who disappeared 30 years ago. First, let me say that you do need to have seen the first film for this film to make sense. It would also be helpful, but not necessary, to see the three short Blade Runner shorts that were recently produced. I think this is one of those rare occasions where the sequel is better the original movie. The film did not feel it’s two hours and forty minute length as the storyline is fast moving and complex, keeping you guessing until the very end. There isn’t a bad performance in this film but make no mistake that this is Gosling’s film as he is in almost every scene. I think this could be a big Oscar winner, as the film looks and sounds stunning and Gosling gives another brilliant performance. I loved this movie, and I highly recommend that you see this remarkable film on the biggest screen you can find.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Blade Runner 2049 Website

My View:  The Mountain Between Us  (2017)  PG-13  After their small plane crashes in the mountains, two strangers (Idris Elba, Kate Winslet) must work together to survive the extreme elements of a remote snow-covered mountain.This is a strange movie which mixes genres of disaster films with romance films and doesn’t quite work. This is the story of two strangers who spend a lot of time thinking that they are going to die, and eventually fall in love, despite of their differences. Two of the best actors in the business, Idris Elba and Kate Winslet, make the film watchable until the end when it turns into a Hallmark of the week movie. If not for the ending I could probably recommend you seeing this but unless you are a big Elba or Winslet fan, I have to say it’s just not worth the time.    My Rating: Cable   The Mountain Between Us Website

FamilyFaire:  My Little Pony: The Movie  (2017)  PG  In order to stop a threat to Equestria, Twilight Sparkle and her friends Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Spike must travel to far-away places to save their home.This is exactly what you think it is, an sickly sweet film that only the very young will enjoy. I did appreciate a couple of the seven original songs in the film, including the credits song by Sia. The plot is simple, the animation is nothing out of the ordinary and it’s about a group of ponies, some of them unicorns that have names like Fluttershy. There is even a singing pony, played by Sia, called Songbird Serenade, so you just know what this film is about, ponies, butterflies and rainbows. Unfortunately, there isn’t a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow of this film, just more cutely named ponies.   My Rating: Cable   My Little Pony: The Movie Website

Indiefest:  Loving Vincent  (2017)  PG-13  The complicated life and controversial death of one of history’s most celebrated artists, Vincent Van Gogh. This incredible film took six years and used over 125 artists to animate this film using oil paints and over 65,000 panels. The movie takes 120 of Van Gogh most famous paintings and incorporates them into the scenery and the characters. It makes his paintings come to life right before your eyes. The film is told through the eyes of a Postmasters son, Armand (Douglas Booth) who is given the task of taking a letter Van Gogh wrote on the day of his death to Vincent’s brother. As Armand travels he begins seeking information of why Vincent committed suicide making the film more of a mystery than just your typical biographical picture. The animation is gorgeous and fans of Van Gogh will love how his paintings fill the screen. To fully appreciate the wonder of this film, it has to be seen on the big screen as this movie creates a love letter to Van Gogh’s magnificent, stunning paintings. Van Gogh produced works that continue to bring joy to a world, even if that world didn’t understand him at that time. As Vincent used to sign his letters to his beloved Theo with the saying “Loving Vincent,” you too will be loving Vincent if you go see this film.   My Rating:  Full Price    Loving Vincent Website

Indiefest:  Dolores  (2017)  Documentary on Dolores Huerta, who, in the 1950’s, went from a working-class wife and mother of eleven to helping establish the first farm workers union. This is a fascinating film about a women most of don’t know but should. Dolores is a woman who stood up to irate farmers, strong-armed unions and local police forces with a determination and will that never quit. Her sheer presence would gather crowds and promote change, all of which is expertly shown in this film. This film isn’t also afraid to show that Dolores, as powerful and inspirational as she is, has flaws; several failed marriages, placing the union in front of the needs of her children (most of which are interviewed in the film), and a fiery temperament that often got her in trouble with her co-workers. The film brings to light what an extraordinary individual Dolores is and continues to be, fighting for the rights of people. It’s a phenomenal film about an exceptional woman who the whole world needs to know and follow her example.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    Dolores Website

My Rating:  Cold Moon  (2016)  The Larkin family has suffered a terrible tragedy in their sleepy Southern town. The town starts exhibiting strange things such as traffic lights blink an eerie warning; a ghostly visage prowls in the streets and graves erupt from the local cemetery. Soon, beneath the murky surface of the river, a shifting, almost human shape slowly takes form to seek a terrible vengeance. If you are a fan of horror films, then this one is for you. I especially enjoyed the stellar special effects and the score that was reminiscent of any of John Carpenter’s films. The stellar cast that includes Christopher Lloyd, Candy Clark, Josh Stewart and Frank Whaley helps make this film fun to watch. For the Tommy Wiseau (The Room) fans out there, he does make a very brief appearance in the film. If you are looking for a fun scare for the coming Halloween season, you can do worse than this movie.     My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Cold Moon Facebook Page

Forgotten Film: Stir of Echoes (1999)  Tom (Kevin Bacon) is an ordinary guy who works as a telephone lineman and plays in a band. At a party, his sister-in-law (Illeana Douglas) convinces him to undergo hypnosis. This awakens something that Tom never knew about himself, he is a Receiver, someone able to see ghosts. He is visited by a little girl ghost that tells Tom “dig.”  Tom discovers that the little girl has been missing from the neighborhood for months and Tom goes on a mission to find out what happened to her. This film is part mystery and part suspense film that uses a clever plot and interesting characters to tell a story that becomes more complex as it goes along. Kevin Bacon has never been better as the ordinary man who is being driven mad by a talent he didn’t know he had. I loved the finish to this film, making it a cliffhanger to the very end.  My Rating: Full Price   Stir of Echoes Info

Weird Credits: From Blade Runner 2049: Contact Lens Painter

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  78/52  ( 2017)   Documentary on the infamous shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic 1960 film Psycho. It gives us a detailed look at the director and the on-screen murder that continues to influence filmmakers to this day. I am a huge Hitchcock fan, so you know I will see this one.   78/52 Infor

Until Next Time!

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