Jurassic World: Rebirth

My View:  Jurassic World: Rebirth  (2025)  PG-13  In Jurassic World: Rebirth, scientists are on the brink of a groundbreaking medical breakthrough. The only problem is that they need DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures that are living on an isolated and forbidden island. Zora (Scarlett Johansson), a mercenary-for-hire, is tapped to lead a group of scientists to obtain the samples. I am going to call this film “Island of the Misfit Dinos.” While I think this is a better film than the last two Jurassic World pics (Fallen Kingdom, Dominion), primarily because of the action sequences, the plot is razor thin, with the film telling us that dinosaurs were genetically cross-bred to give the viewing public more exciting and thrilling dinosaurs to stare at (or get killed by when things go wrong) as if Raptors and T-Rex weren’t scary enough! The film blends two groups of people: one, a family out on a sailboat trip (along with one lazy boyfriend) and a group of mercenaries hired to take a paleontologist (Jonathan Bailey) to an island to get DNA samples from three gigantic dinosaurs to make a heart cure that will save millions and make even more money. The two groups come together when some dinos decide that they don’t like boats or people trying to take their DNA. The film makes numerous callbacks to the original film, but the sense of wonderment and stunning visuals we experienced then are not matched by this film. There is a lot of needless setup, mostly to let us know that the pharmaceutical rep Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend) is a bad dude and that some of our heroes have lost people in the recent past. Adding to the fun is a family that, in most films, would be chomped by the dinosaurs in the first few minutes because they keep doing really stupid stuff. And don’t get me started on the dinosaurs, some of which are genetically modified creatures, including the big, bad dinosaur that we are supposed to be terrified of at the end of the film. The problem is that its head looked a lot like Sloth from The Goonies, and it looked to me to keep changing sizes in the last fifteen minutes of the film. There are some fun action sequences, and there is some good chemistry between Johansson and Bailey. However, Jurassic World: Rebirth takes too long to get going and then throws in lots of nostalgic vibes while also introducing numerous dinosaurs that we know nothing about.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Jurassic World: Rebirth Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

My View:  The Old Guard 2  (2025)   R  The Old Guard 2 is about Andy (Charlize Theron) and her team of immortal warriors who continue on their mission to fight evil and protect humanity. They have to face a formidable new foe who threatens the very fabric of the Old Guard and, at the same time, deal with the return of an immortal thought to be long lost. Just one catch.  Andy is now mortal, and so the stakes are much higher. In my review of the first film, I mentioned I wouldn’t mind seeing the gang from The Old Guard make another film. I got my wish, but it would have been nice to have been here sooner. If you haven’t seen The Old Guard film or only saw it when it was released in 2020, I recommend watching it before seeing this film. I didn’t rewatch the film, and I will admit that I was lost for about the first fifteen minutes before I got my bearings and figured out what was happening. The film features two new principal characters: one, played by Veronica Ngo, is from Andy’s past and may be out for revenge, and the other, a new villain in Discord, is played by Uma Thurman. While not as enjoyable as the first film, as it forgets how good the banter and chemistry was between the gang of immortals, the action sequences still are kick-ass, and Theron doesn’t disappoint with her star power in commanding a scene. Add in the fact that we get to see a couple of nasty battles between Thurman and Theron’s characters, and it still makes it an enjoyable film to watch. A bit of warning: there is a setup at the end of the film for a third movie to follow.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Old Guard 2 Website    Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

My View:  Heads of State  (2025)   PG-13   In Heads of State, the UK Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) and US President Will Derringer (John Cena), who don’t like each other, must form an alliance when they escape from a terrorist attack and are stuck out in the world where they are targets of a powerful enemy. Allied with Noel, a brilliant MI6 agent, Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), they must thwart a conspiracy that threatens the free world if they can just get along. This is a fun comedy/action film reminiscent of the buddy cop action films of the 1980s and 1990s. It’s a film where two characters don’t like or respect each other but are forced to work together for the good of keeping the world safe from evil forces. Cena is perfect as Will Derringer, a former action star who, because of his popularity and nice-guy persona, has been elected President of the United States. Idris Elba plays Sam Clarke, a career politician who openly supported Derringer’s opponent, and resents the fact that Will’s idea of politics is what he used to do up on the screen. Added to the mix is Priyanka Chopra Jones, playing a British MI6 agent who shares a past with Sam. I wish I had seen this film on the big screen instead of my TV as the action sequences are fun and thrilling, with a great opening sequence when Noel and her agents take on the bad guys during the La Tomatina festival in Spain, where everyone joins in a tomato throwing battle that turns into a real fight. When President Derringer and Prime Minister Clarke barely escape an assassination plot, they are forced to band together and try to find their way back to safety, but the bad guys aren’t far behind. I will admit the banter between the two leads gets a little overdone, with some lines feeling forced. However, the action sequences are fun and exciting, with an outstanding car chase sequence that is thrilling to watch. Heads of State is a fun action film to watch with the family over a weekend, accompanied by lots of popcorn and maybe a bit of fish and chips for an after-movie dinner.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Heads of State Website   Now playing on the Amazon Prime platform. 

My View:  40 Acres  (2025)  R  40 Acres takes place in a famine-decimated future where Hailey Freeman (Danielle Deadwyler) and her family are the last remnants of African American farmers who settled in rural Canada in 1875. Their descendants survived the first Civil War, and now the Freemans must make their own stand against those intent on taking their home. Danielle Deadwyler gives a spellbinding performance of a single-minded leader of a family who she constantly drills into her family that they can’t let their guard down in order to ensure their safety in a world where the only thing they can depend on is each other. Right from the opening sequence, when we see Hailey and her family take down an invading force with skill and precision, without remorse or hesitation, it becomes clear that this is a very different world in which the family is living in. It’s a world where everyone wants what the Freeman family has: a farm that provides them with food. What sets this film apart from other recent horror films is that the invaders coming aren’t zombies, but ordinary people desperate to take what the Freemans have. The film constantly ups the tension, fueled by Hailey’s constant paranoia as she keeps watch from the outside world invading her beloved farm. 40 Acres features some outstanding twists and turns, some of which I didn’t see coming, culminating in a final sequence that offers heart-pounding action sequences that will have you wondering if you can survive this movie, much less if the Freeman family can.   My Rating: Full Price  40 Acres Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  North Country  (2005)  R  Josey Aimes (Charlize Theron) takes her two kids, leaves her abusive boyfriend, and moves back to her hometown in Minnesota. Josey takes a job as a miner, but she is not welcome by the men in the mine, as she has ‘taken a job from a man.” There are other women miners in the company, but most keep their heads down and suffer from harassment and obscenities hurled at them. Josey is picked on because she is new and because she shares a past with her supervisor, Bobby (Jeremy Renner), who wants her to quit. Her only ally is a union rep, Glory (Frances McDormand), who tells her the only way is not to confront the men. Josey can’t take it anymore and hires a local lawyer (Woody Harrelson) to take the owners of the mine to court. Based on a true story, North Country is anchored by two Academy Award-nominated performances by Theron and McDormand. It is a movie that will make you mad and cheer when Josey gets the better of the men and the mine owners. It’s a moving film that packs a powerful punch. My Rating: Full Price  North Country Info   The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Jurassic World: Rebirth:  Personal Hair to Miss Johansson 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Weapons  (2025)  R   One morning, at 2:17 am, every child except one from Mrs. Gandy's class woke up and left their homes, never to be seen again. What happened to the seventeen children, and how can a community discover their fate? The cast includes Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan, and June Diane Raphael. Weapons is from filmmaker Zach Cregger, known for his award-winning 2023 film Barbarian.  Weapons Website The movie is in theaters nationwide on Friday, August 8, 2025. 

Until Next Time!

Beast

My View: Beast (2022) R A father (Idris Elba) and his two teenage daughters (Iyana Halley, Leah Sava Jeffries) are in the African Savannah to go on a photo safari. Instead of a fun outing, they encounter a rouge lion determined to show that there is only room for one apex predator. So it’s man vs. beast, or should I say Elba vs. CGI? With some dialogue that seems to be right out of a bad TV soap and a CGI lion that doesn’t always look real, this film is a bit of a disappointment. There are some cool action sequences, but you can’t overlook that the last third of the film feels very contrived and goes to an ending you can see from a Savannah away. I just wanted more thrills and scares from Beast; instead, I got a few roars and a lot of whimpers.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee Beast Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Look Both Ways (2022)   On the eve of her college graduation, Natalie (Lili Reinhart) discovers she might be pregnant. We follow Natalie’s story as she takes two different paths: she is pregnant and stays in Austin to have the baby, or she isn’t pregnant and moves to LA to pursue her dream job. The reason to watch this film is the performance of Lili Reinhart, who makes Natalie someone you like and can root for. Reinhart has an effortless grace to her, making her performance seem real and fun. This is a strange film that flows back and forth without any warning between the two stories of Natalie’s life. In both cases, it's her choices that keeps the film moving along, whether it’s pining for the man who got away or having to decide on what she wants in life with her job. Look Both Ways could have ground to a halt very easily, but Reinhart keeps us interested in what happens to Natalie, with or without the child.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Look Both Ways Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

My View: Orphan: First Kill (2022) R  Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman) has escaped from a psychiatric facility in Estonia. Esther finds her way to America and cons her way into impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. We know what the family doesn’t; she isn’t their daughter and isn’t well. The original 2009 film, Orphan, was a darn good horror movie with a great cast, including Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard as the married couple who has suffered a tragedy and decided to fill the void by adopting. Isabelle Fuhrman made the film work, who scared the crap out of you with a performance so creepy it's downright horrific. But it’s hard to capture magic twice in this prequel to the first film. Not to give too much away, Fuhrman plays Esther again, and despite a plot that tries to tie up a few loose ends from the first film, the film doesn’t deliver. The film isn’t scary, with Esther more of a sadistic killer than a disturbed young girl. The film, after the setup, goes off the rails about halfway through the film and never gets back on track. A disappointing revisit with one of the great horror characters in the history of scary movies. My Rating: Cable  Orphan: First Kill Website  Now playing in select theatres and on the Paramount+ platform.

Indiefest: Spin Me Round (2022)   Amber (Alison Brie) is a manager of a chain Italian restaurant who dreams of a better life. When Amber is selected to travel to Italia and take an immersive cooking course, she thinks her life has turned a corner. Boy, was she wrong. I was disappointed in this film, as it never quite got going, leaving a lot to be desired. The film starts out well with Amber in a dead-end job and no life to speak of; she is given the chance of a lifetime to go to Italy and spend a week learning about the craft of cooking, Italian style. Right off the bat, it's one disappointment after another until she meets the CEO and founder of the company, who begins to whisk Amber off her feet. Soon Amber feels that she is living a dream, but that dream turns into a nightmare. This should have been a better film, with all the heavy hitters in the cast, including Aubrey Plaza, Molly Shannon, and Fred Armisen, to name a few. Instead, we get a plot that tries too hard to make points right and left and a mystery that comes out of left field. I did enjoy the interplay between Brie and Plaza, but even that became a bit tired by the end of the film. I wanted Spin Me Round to be funnier, but instead, the comedy came out a little too al dente.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Spin Me Round Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Forgotten Film: Central Station (1998)  R  Dora (Fernanda Montenegro) is a former school teacher with a small stand in the rail station where she makes her living writing letters for illiterate people. One day she is asked to write a letter for a mother of a young boy. When the boy’s mother is killed in an accident, the young boy, Josue (Vinicius de Oliveira), finds the only adult that he knows, Dora. This starts a journey that will change Dora's and Josue's lives. Central Station isn’t a feel-good, happy movie, but at its core, it's a film about people finding out that they need each other to survive in this hard, harsh world. To tell you how good this film is, the movie garnered two Academy Award nominations, including one, Best Actress in a Leading Role for Montenegro, a rare thing for a foreign film actor in the 90s. I don't know if you will even like Dora, but I guarantee that you will fall in love with the relationship between a hardened woman and the boy who she decided to help.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Central Station Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Spin Me Round: Ballon Tech

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: See How They Run (2022)  R A Hollywood film producer sets out to turn a popular play into a film, but one problem, members of the production are being murdered, one by one. In to solve the mystery and catch the killer are the world-weary Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and his over-enthusiastic rookie Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan). This looks like so much fun, with Ronan possibly stealing the film from a great cast.   See How They Run Info

Until Next Time!

Mr. Malcolm's List

My View: Mr. Malcolm’s List (2022) PG   Mr. Malcolm’s List takes place in 1800s England when a young woman helps her friend to get revenge on a man who has rejected her because she didn’t meet the requirements on his list for a bride. Fans of Jane Austin and Bridgerton will be happy with this romantic comedy, though the film is not quite as witty as Austin’s work or as steamy as the Netflix hit. This is an enjoyable tale of trickery and finding love in the most unexpected places (though you can see what will happen from almost the first frame). The film is helped by a winning cast led by Freida Pinto as Selina, the friend who reluctantly helps her best friend, Miss Thistlewaite (Zawe Ashton), get revenge when Miss Thistlewaite is quickly rejected by England’s most eligible bachelor, Mr. Malcolm (Sope Dirisu). Of course, plans turn into romance and betrayal, as with any period romance of this time. It’s up to fate and maybe a little meddling to help everyone figure out who loves who and achieve that happy ending we all want. While it might not meet all your ‘Bridgerton’ needs, Mr. Malcolm’s List is a fun romp that just might tide you over until the next season appears.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Mr. Malcolm's List Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide

My View: The Forgiven (2021) R  A wealthy London couple (Ralph Fiennes, Jessica Chastain) are on their way in the Moroccan desert to a lavish weekend party when their car strikes and kills a local teenage boy. Consequently, the couple, with the help of their friends, cover up the incident. However, trouble arrives when the boy’s father arrives seeking justice. This is a dark tale about the rich, where they are proud of their lack of morals if only to give them something to do because they are so bored with life. Fiennes and Chastain are a couple that can barely stand each other. She is a failed children’s book writer who hasn’t written a thing in eight years, and he is a doctor whose practice is falling apart due to his alcoholism. They are on their way to a party in a remote location in the desert hosted by a gay couple, Richard (Matt Smith) and Dally (Caleb Landry Jones). Along the way, the doctor and his wife hit and kill a young man with their car. Once the couple finally arrive at the party, with the dead body in their backseat, the story branches off into two stories; the seduction of the doctor’s wife by a wealthy American playboy (Christopher Abbott) and the doctor’s journey to go with the dead boy’s father back to their home to bury his son. This is a story full of people you don’t like, making shallow and self-serving choices, with the only question being, will the father of the dead young man get his revenge, or will somehow the doctor talk/will his way out. I enjoyed the dance of seduction that Chastain and Abbott have, but I got tired of the bashing over the head that the rich are horrible, ugly, and shallow. The ending can be seen from a sand dune away, and the film gives one a bit of a feeling like the aftereffects of a party that didn’t quite meet your expectations.   My Rating; Bargain Matinee   The Forgiven Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: The Princess (2022) R  A young princess (Joey King) refuses to marry a man she does not love and is locked away in her father’s castle. Now the man she spurned is hell-bent on taking her father’s throne, and the Princess must escape and fight back to save the kingdom. They have no idea who they are messing with because she is The Princess. Let me say that I was surprised, almost shocked at the start of this film, when little Joey King, star of The Kissing Booth series, killed 7 or 8 bad guys in very bloody ways in the first five minutes of the film. Kind of a ‘The Raid’ in reverse, The Princess must escape from the very top of the castle and fight her way down to the ground to rescue her family from the evil wanna-be King, played by Dominic Cooper. Little does this man, who is trying to steal a kingdom, know that our heroine has been training her whole life for this occasion. The Princess fights her way, killing and maiming numerous soldiers until she meets her match in the evil wanna-be King’s lead assassin, Moria (Olga Kurylenko), a woman who wields a deadly whip with the best of them. I love sword fights, and this film has plenty of them, with a bit of martial arts thrown in. The action is fast and heavy, and King makes a nimble and fun action hero kicking bad guy butts all over the place. Fans of King will have fun with The Princess as she fights through a gauntlet of bad guys on her way to a showdown that won’t disappoint.   My Rating: Full Price   The Princess Website  Now playing on the Hulu platform.

Indiefest: Doula (2022)   When a couple’s (Troian Bellisario, Arron Shiver) midwife suddenly dies, the couple decide to hire the late midwife’s son, Sascha (Will Greenberg), to replace her. It’s a decision that could change all of their lives. This is a film that explores relationships and how the trials and tribulations of pregnancy can affect them. Deb and Silvio are a couple who found out that Deb was pregnant three weeks into their relationship. Silvio is dealing with an ex-wife and son, while Deb is realizing that her world has quickly changed from being the center of her life to one that will be responsible for another life. Add in that Silvio is pretty spineless when dealing with his ex-wife and tends to forge ahead with plans without consulting Deb. Adding to the tension is Sascha, who seems to just go with the flow, willing to allow Deb to do just about anything she wants, including smoking weed and drinking. Deb is a woman who doesn’t want to give up her very active life, including playing basketball with her friends so close to her delivery date. The film doesn’t always hit the right notes ( there is a bizarre set of scenes where Silvio goes to a party and gets high on mushrooms), but it does a great job of giving us a look at all the emotions and stresses that pregnancy can provide us with, making a mess of things until a certain someone makes an appearance and changes their outlooks forever.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Doula Info Now available on most digital platforms.

Indiefest: Accepted (2021)   Accepted is a documentary about the students of the TM Landry Prep School, a learning institution where a remarkable 100% percent of its students go on to college, most to some of the elite and prominent colleges in the nation. However, an explosive NY Times article exposes the controversial teaching methods of the school and the possible cheating that the school fosters. This is three documentaries in one. The film starts as a documentary about an unlikely success story of how a small school, using unconventional methods, is getting students into college at an astounding success rate. Then the documentary turns when a NY Times report (along with some other red flags) tells a different story of not only the possible fabrication of records but also abuse. When the documentary crew is no longer given access to the school, the filmmakers then turn to the students who were left behind to deal with the mess of a school that begins to fall apart at the seams. This is an exploration of the college admissions scandal from not the rich and privileged side of the story but from those who don’t have the resources or the money to make it into the top schools. This is a film that gives us a look at just how hard it is to get into ‘the best schools’ and how the early success of a small school may have bred a culture of immense pressure to live up to an almost impossible standard to keep. The film is full of heroes and villains, but sometimes it's hard to tell which is which. All we learn from this emotional and powerful film is that the children are the victims.   My Rating: Full Price  Accepted Website   Now playing in select theatres and On-Demand.

Forgotten Film: 28 Weeks Later (2007) R  Six months after a virus that made people into zombies moved across England, the US Army has secured a small area of London to allow people to start living their lives again. Unfortunately, the best-laid plans can’t anticipate the ruthless march of the zombies. Rare is it that a sequel matches the original, but in this case, 28 Weeks Later matches the glory of 28 Days Later (2002). The two films do feel different (Danny Boyle directed the first film with built suspense slowly), as this film, directed by Juan Carlos Frenadillo) right from the start hits you hard with zombies attacking a farmhouse and then doesn’t let up. The film is aided by a great cast, including Jeremy Renner, Imogen Poots, Rose Byrne, and Idris Elba. You can see this film without seeing the first one (though it does help a bit), and the action is both scary and thrilling as the zombies seem to be multiplying in both their population and their determination. However, a warning; this film may create a few nightmares for you.   My Rating: Full Price    28 Weeks Later Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Princess:  Phantom Camera Operator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Beast  (2022)  R  A father, Dr. Nate Samuels (Idris Elba), and his two daughters (Leah Jeffries, Iyana Halley) are on vacation in Africa. They soon find themselves hunted by a massive lion that has gone rogue and is on a killing spree. Nate and his daughters encounter a lion that is hell-bent on proving that the Savanna has but one apex predator. I think all I need to know is in the trailer. I’m in!  Beast Website

The Dark Tower

My View:  The Dark Tower  (2017)  PG-13  The last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), is locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim (Mathew McConaughey), also known as the Man in Black, determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle as only Roland can defend the Tower from the Man in Black.  While not a hit out of the park, this film is watchable and sometimes enjoyable. The problem with this movie is it feels incomplete coming in at only 95 minutes in length. McConaughey is brilliant as the bad guy; he’s so good you want more of his character, and this film gives it to you. Idris Elba is does an outstanding job as the hero, the Gunslinger, and he has exceptional chemistry with Nicholas Hamilton, the young boy who is the key to defending the Dark Tower. I have not read the books, but after talking to a fellow critic who has, the film is very different from the first book and may upset fans of Steven King because it is so different. This isn’t a bad film. It’s just not the spectacle that you want.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Dark Tower Website

Indiefest:  Step  (2017)  PG  Documentary of the senior year of a girls’ high school dance team. The girls strive to make their dancing a success against the backdrop of social unrest in the troubled city.  This uplifting movie is one of the best films of the year. The film centers on three girls at a school whose mission is to have not only a 100 percent graduation rate, but also that every girl is accepted into a college. The three girls are very different. One is driven to get into Johns Hopkins, a second is distracted by a new boyfriend, and a third girl has never applied herself to school work and realizes that she has to do better in her senior year or she won’t fulfill her dreams. It’s a fascinating look at young women who are determined succeed, not only in high school but in life. The film hits all the right notes, and you just might clap at the end.  I know the audience that I saw it with did.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Step Website

My View:  Kidnap  (2017)  R  A mother (Halle Berry) is on a mission to save her son’s life after he is kidnapped from a park.  A note first: when I saw this film, the movie kept freezing for 10 to 15 seconds, so it made it very hard to judge the pacing. This is a one trick pony movie with Halle Berry’s character chasing after the people who kidnapped her son. It’s tough to keep a chase film going, especially when most of the movie is one car chasing another one. Some of the car chase sequences are not well done and are quite confusing. It’s a very shallow story, and it’s hard to watch Berry consistently go from crying to screaming and back to crying. I wish for the days where Berry was given a script where she could use all of her acting skill.  This just wasn’t one of those.    My Rating: Cable   Kidnap Facebook Page

My View:  Armed Response  (2017)  R  A team of special forces soldiers approach the designer of a high-tech military compound to investigate the disappearance of another team guarding the facility.   The compound, known professionally as a Temple, is an artificial intelligence powered facility designed for interrogating high-level prisoners.  Upon entering the Temple, the soldiers quickly find the earlier team horrifically slaughtered, but there is no evidence of who is responsible.  This is more of a psychological thriller than an action film, as Wesley Snipes only has one fight sequence in this movie, and it’s near the end. The cast features Colby Lopez aka WWE wrestler Seth Rollins, Dave Annable, and Anne Heche. The movie builds the tension well, and it has an intriguing ending. If you like thrillers and a bit of a horror movie thrown in, this could be your film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Armed Response Website

Indiefest: Person to Person (2017)  The film follows a variety of New Yorkers as they work, live and play in the big city. I loved this movie about a bunch of New Yorkers living their lives. All the characters (there is a lot of them) are funny and strange and are just trying to find happiness in their lives. Some of the characters are interlocking but most are just part of the story. The standouts of the cast are Bene Coopersmith,  who is in search of a Charlie Parker rare album, Abbi Jacobson, who is working her first day on the job with a reporter played by Michael Cera, and Tavi Gevinson who plays a high school girl who is full of opinions and is just too cool for school. There are a few characters that aren’t developed enough but with such a large cast, it doesn’t really matter. Spend a little time with this quirky cast of characters as they live their lives in NYC.  My Rating: Full Price    Armed Response Info

Forgotten Film:  Gone in 60 Seconds (1974)  PG  Maindrian Pace (H.B. Halicki) and his gang are hired to steal 48 cars. They are successful until it gets to the last car, a supped up Mustang, because the police have been tipped off that the car was stolen. Maindrian is then chased by seemingly every cop in the greater LA area. This is a very low budget film (it was written and directed by the star), and some of the acting is horrible, but it has a 40-minute car chase that has to be seen.  This film was shot in the days before computers could animate everything, so every car crash you see in this film, and there are a lot of them, were done by stuntmen.  If you love car chase movies, this one is for you.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Gone in 60 Seconds Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Kidnap:  Biscuit Technician

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Ingrid Goes West  (2017)  An unhinged social media stalker moves to LA and figures out a way to become part of an Instagram Star’s life. Aubrey Plaza and Elizabeth Olsen lead the cast of this film, so you know that I am there.   Ingrid Goes West Facebook Page

Until next time!

Wonder Woman

My View:  Wonder Woman (2017)  PG-13  Before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, Princess of the Amazons and a trained warrior. When a pilot named Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crashes his plane on the Amazons island, he tells Diana about a war that is going to end all wars.  Diana decides to go with Steve to help defend liberty.  Wow, we finally have a DC film that gets it right. All it took was a woman director with a story about a female superhero. What has been severely lacking in the DC universe has been a lack of humor in their films (something Marvel excels at). Due to incredible chemistry and timing of the two principles (Gadot and Pine), this movie works. I loved the fight scenes, and we already knew from her appearance in Batman v. Superman, that Gal Gadot can do action sequences.  The first big fight sequence is a spectacular example of choreography and directing, with Amazon warriors flying off of massive cliffs while shooting arrows at their enemy.  This big, dramatic action movie is meant to be seen on the big screen, but it was not shot in 3-D, so save a few bucks.  There is no bonus scene in the closing credits.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Wonder Woman Website

Family Faire:  Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie  (2017)  PG   When two school pranksters (Kevin Hart, Thomas Middleditch) are threatened by the Principal (Ed Helms) to be sent to separate rooms, the boys use a magic ring to hypnotize the Principal and turn him into the superhero Captain Underpants. I loved the first half of the movie, with the friendship of the two boys being the center of the film and they creatively use three types of animation. My problem with this movie, though, is it starts to go downhill when they introduce the bad guy, Professor Poopypants (Nick Kroll), whom I found very annoying and one dimensional.  From talking to kids at my screening, the film does an excellent job of making the characters of the book series come alive. This is another one of those family films that kids will love, and parents will be very bored.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie Website

Indiefest:  Obit  (2017)  A look at the staff obituary writers at the New York Times, having, to sum up, a life in a 500-word article.  Obit is a fascinating film about one of the last newspaper obituary staffs. The writers of the obituaries often have to do research, question loved ones of the deceased and write a story in a matter of hours.  What I adore about this movie is you get to hear the stories behind the writing of the obituary, why the writers write what they write, how they pick the pictures they use, what the writers leave out, and whom they talked to. Some of the obits in the film are about very famous people, and then others are about equally interesting people who are not well known.   My Rating:  Full Price   Obit Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-ray):  Before I Fall  (2017)  PG-13  Samantha (Zoey Deutch) is a high school student who keeps reliving the same day over and over. If you had one day to do all over again, how would you do things differently?  This is a “groundhog” type of movie which doesn’t work because the main character keeps doing the same things. This film wants us to root for Samantha, but the problem is she isn’t a likable person. She is part of a “mean girls” group of friends who are self-centered and only concerned about having a good time.  The storyline is boring and predictable with an ending that is too simple to work.    My Rating: Cable   Before I Fall Website

Forgotten Film:  Top Five  (2014) R  It’s sad that this film only made 25 million at the box office (it got lost on a weekend that Wild got released). This amusing and touching film is about a comedian (Chris Rock) who is trying to make it as a serious actor. His fiancée (Gabrielle Union) convinces him to allow their wedding to be broadcast on her reality TV show. Everything is going well until a reporter (Rosario Dawson) shows up to do an interview that just may change his life. I loved this witty, sometimes raunchy comedy written and directed by Chris Rock. The film, while very funny, also has a lot of heart.  There is great chemistry between Dawson (in one of her best performances) and Rock. The film also looks at what it’s like to be successful and still have doubts about your life and your career.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Top Five Facebook Page 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Wonder Woman:  The filmmakers would like to thank Linda Carter.

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Mountain Between Us  (2017)   Two people (Idris Elba, Kate Winslet) are in a small plane that crashes on the side of a remote snow-covered mountain. These two strangers must now come together to survive a perilous journey across miles of wilderness. Two incredibly gifted actors and a trailer that looks stunning makes me wish this film was coming out today and not in months.   The Mountain Between Us Info

Until Next Time!

Star Trek Beyond

My View:  Star Trek Beyond  (2016)  PG-13  The USS Enterprise is halfway into their five-year mission. The ship is attacked by an unknown alien force and, after having to abandon ship, the crew finds their lives are hanging in the balance. This is the first for the reboot series not to be directed by J.J. Abrams, so no more lens flare in every shot. What I liked about this film is that this series is no longer the Kirk and Spock show as this movie allows the rest of the cast to share the spotlight, especially Zoe Saldana, who plays Uhura, whose character is just as important to the plot as Kirk and Spock. Idris Elba is everything you want in the bad guy, strong and powerful with a great screen presence. The film moves at a fast pace, the action sequences are well done, and the film deals well with the passing of Leonard Nimoy, who was such a vital cog in the first two reboot films. You will love how they battle the bad guys near the end of the film. Overall, even a mild Star Trek fan is going to thoroughly enjoy this movie. Beam me up Scotty!  My Rating: Full Price   Star Trek Beyond Website

Family Faire:  Ice Age: Collision Course  (2016)  PG   Manny (Ray Romano), with the help of Buck (Simon Pegg), must lead his family and friends on a journey to try and find a way to stop an asteroid from hitting the earth.  Can Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox please stop making these films?  The series wasn’t the strongest of animated ideas, to begin with, but now it’s downright annoying.  The film features the weakest of the Ice Age characters, Scrat, the acorn-addicted squirrel. This movie isn’t fun or funny, and the kids that were at my screening couldn’t care less about the film. You know it’s a bad film when you look at your watch two hours into the movie, and it’s really only been thirty minutes.    My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me to See It Again   Ice Age: Collision Course Website

My View:  Lights Out  (2016) PG-13   Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) and her brother Martin (Gabriel Bateman) are being tormented by a spirit that is only visible in the dark.  I normally don’t like the “jump out of the dark” kind of scary movies, but this is the exception to the rule. The bad guy in this film is some sort of Demon who lives in the dark and can’t stand the light. Teresa Palmer is perfect as the strong-willed and slightly flawed Rebecca.  Maria Bello, as Rebecca’s mentally unstable mother, is ablaze on the screen, giving a frenzied performance of a woman on the hinge of insanity. There are plenty of screams built into this rollercoaster ride of a horror film.    My Rating: Full Price   Lights Out Website

My View:  Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie  R  Edina (Jennifer Saunders) and Patsy (Joanna Lumley) are having to hide out in the south of France after causing a worldwide incident by knocking Kate Moss into the River Thames.  I was a big fan of the TV show so I’m sorry to say that the Ab Fab girls should have stayed away from the big screen.  The laughs are too few and far between, and the humor is very broad, which most of the time lands with a thud. The film feels as if it was only made for a British audience.  I didn’t recognize some of the countless cameos in the movie that maybe were lost on me.  I guess we just can’t revisit the 90’s, at least not with these two.  My Rating: Cable   Absolutely Fabulous Website

Indiefest:  Captain Fantastic  (2016) R  Ben (Viggo Mortensen) is raising his family of six kids “off the grid” in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. His wife suddenly dies while she was away in an institution for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Ben, against the wishes of his wife’s parents, decides to take the family on a road trip to his wife’s funeral.  Mortensen is a force of nature on the screen as the father who is trying to keep his very unusual family together. Right from the start you know this is not a normal family, as we see the kids hunt down and kill a deer with only a knife. We see the family dynamic at work as the family returns to their home out in the wilderness.  Some of the kids are dressing the deer as others read or make art, all the while the father tells them they have training in an hour. This film is a treat to watch, mostly due to the kids in the cast.  Each one of them has great chemistry with Mortensen, making this strange family seem real. This is part a coming of age film and part travel film, as the family experiences things like junk food for the first time. This movie is a joy to watch, and you will root for this family to succeed in its “mission.”    My Take:  Full Price   Captain Fantastic Website

Indiefest:  Microbe and Gasoline  (2015)  R  Daniel (Ange Dargent) and Theo (Theophile Baquet) are two misfit kids who decide to build their unique car and travel across the country.  I enjoyed this coming of age adventure which explores two boys trying to figure out their place in the world. Microbe comes off as the much more serious of the two, with his several perceived problems always weighing him down. Theo is more of a fun-loving kid with a devil-may-care attitude. What I liked about this film are the conversations that the two boys have as they are on their adventure.  The chemistry between Theophile Baquet playing Theo and Ange Dargent playing Daniel is spectacular. The two share a bond on the screen that makes this film entertaining and work so well. Microbe & Gasoline is an adventure with two boys on their way to manhood.   My Rating: Full Price   Microbe & Gasoline Info 

Forgotten Film:  The New Centurions  (1972) R  Roy (Stacy Keach) is a rookie cop who has joined the LAPD to make ends meet while he finishes law school. His partner is a gruff veteran (George C. Scott) who breaks all the rules to keep the streets of L.A. safe.  This is a gritty look at what it looked and felt like being a cop in a big city in the early seventies.  Scott is brilliant as the vet cop. I especially enjoyed the performance of Rosalind Cash, who plays the love interest for Keach. The film has a few flaws, feeling especially dated from time to time, but Scott and Cash make it worth a watch.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The New Centurions Info   

Weird Credits: From the credits of Star Trek Beyond: Off Camera Singer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Suicide Squad  (2016) PG-13  A secret government agency turns to a group of super-villains to stop a black ops mission.  If the movie is half as good as its trailers, it’s going to be astonishing. I think this will make Margot Robbie a superstar.    Suicide Squad Website

Until Next Time!

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