Speak No Evil

My View:  Speak No Evil  (2024)  R  In Speak No Evil, a married couple, Ben (Scoot McNairy) and Louise Dalton (Mackenzie Davis), and their young daughter, Agnes (Alix West Lefler), on vacation, meet another couple, Paddy and Ciara (James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi), along with their daughter and son. A friendship is develops, and the other family invites the Daltons to stay at their country home for the weekend. Their stay is fun at the start, but the hosts’ behavior soon turns sinister as dark secrets are exposed, and the family realizes that they will be lucky to get out alive. Speak No Evil is produced by Blumhouse, who gave us horror movies like the Paranormal Activity films, Insidious, The Purge, and Happy Death Day. So you would expect when buying a ticket it’s going to be another scary horror film. Not so fast. Speak No Evil is more a suspense film than a horror film. However, given the reaction of the audience that I saw the screening with, this is more of a black comedy than anything else. That’s the only way I can explain how this film pushes the boundaries of plot and common sense. While the audience I saw the movie with had fun shouting at Ben and Louise to get the hell out of Dodge, they also became frustrated as the couple continually did the old horror trick of ‘going back into the house’ or ‘going upstairs to escape the bad people’ tropes. A few times, I can accept, but this became a running joke as Ben, who has to be one of the weakest decision makers in the history of film, either can’t make a decision (one of the weaker moments in the movie) or keeps leading his family into worse positions. Louise is the hero of the story, someone who wants to leave almost immediately from the moment she enters Paddy’s home. She only agrees to go on the trip because her husband, Ben, has a little pity party fit. Unlike some of my fellow filmgoers, I did not enjoy Speak No Evil, except when watching James McAvoy just go nuts in almost every scene. It was a scary movie with no scares and a couple who couldn’t find their way out of a paper bag, much less a home filled with a couple of nutty people.  My Rating: Cable  Speak No Evil Website   Now playing in theaters nationwide.

My View:  The Killer’s Game  (2024) The Killer’s Game is about Joe (Dave Bautista), an assassin for hire who has been diagnosed that he will die in a few months, so he orders a hit on himself to get it over. Once the hit has been ordered, Joe finds out that the doctor made a mistake and he isn’t dying. The problem is an army of assassins are on the loose, and are out to kill him anyway. I had fun with this film for about the first hour, but then things were pushed too far; with a plot already put together with balling wire and bubblegum, it went off the deep end and never came back. I love Bautista, and I think he has become a delightful actor as he gives his character a clumsy charm that works so well you can see a woman (played by Sofia Boutella) being smitten by him. The film has fun with Joe as the killer with a heart of gold (he only does hits on bad people) but goes a little too far trying to be cute, giving us too many characters with cutesy names to follow, all introduced in a bloody haze of flying body parts and individual soundtracks. Wrestling fans may enjoy seeing WWE wrestler Drew McIntyre as one of the assassins sent out to kill Joe, but they will be disappointed by the fight sequence he takes part in.  The fight sequences are well done, but too often the film goes for the big ending for each assassin out to kill Joe, which becomes almost numbing to watch. The final thirty minutes doesn’t work at all, especially a trip to a church (flashbacks to John Woo’s The Killer, maybe?) that is so poorly done that it almost hurts to watch it. I had high hopes for The Killer's Game after seeing the trailer, but it was a disappointment because it tried too hard to be funny and cute.   My Rating: Cable  The Killer's Game Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Uglies  (2024)  PG-13  Uglies takes place in the future, where a society is obsessed with physical appearance, Tally (Joey King) is looking forward to when she turns sixteen. That’s when every citizen undergoes extreme cosmetic surgery to erase any imperfections, turning a person from an ‘Ugly’ into a ‘Pretty.’ Tally’s world is going to change when she meets Shay (Katherine Langford), who is part of a group of rebels living in the wilderness known as ‘the Smokies,’ who refuse to undergo the operation. For a while, we were getting a lot of these dystopian YA book-based films about a future where young people are the only hope for saving the world from tyranny and destruction. Films like The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and Divergent came out, all based on YA best sellers. It’s been a few years, and now a new film has come out based on a best-selling YA series, Uglies. Joey King plays a young woman who can’t wait to become a ‘pretty’ on her sixteenth birthday. She soon learns that what she has been told her whole life might be a lie and that getting turned into a ‘Pretty’ comes at a price. Turning YA films into movies is not always a sure thing. For every Hunger Games, there is a Vampire Academy or Ender’s Game that doesn’t capture the magic that made those book series so successful. Despite the efforts of Joey King as our hero and Laverne Cox as our very stylish evil scientist, Uglies comes up short. The Uglies books were huge best-sellers, and fans have long waited for the series to be turned into movies, but I think those fans will be disappointed in this film. What works in a book doesn’t always translate to the visual medium of movies, and this film feels like they picked a few of what they thought were the best parts of the book and threw them against the wall to see what stuck. The CGI is at times lacking (there is a horrible hoverboard sequence that looks so bad I thought the sequence might be hand drawn) and the film seems like one long set up for the next movie, taking such a long time to set everything up. I think I’ll just read the books next time.  My Rating: Cable   Uglies Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest:  Seeking Mavis Beacon  (2024) Seeking Mavis Beacon is a documentary about searching for the woman who graced the cover of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, an incredibly popular computer program in the 1980s. Jazmin Jones (director) and Olivia McKayla Ross (associate producer) go on a quest to find this mysterious woman who taught so many people to type. I saw this film at the Atlanta Film Festival and was enchanted by a film about solving the mystery of who Mavis was and why she was on the cover. This is a film about two people who go on a journey of discovery. What I loved about the film is that the heart of the film is really about the journey and the people that the two investigators meet. The lives that were impacted by this computer program and how just a simple photo could inspire people around the world to think they could learn to type from the person on the cover. And yes, they find out who the woman in the photograph is and give her the attention she deserves.   My Rating: Full Price  Seeking Mavis Beacon Website  Now playing in theaters.

Sorry I Missed It (A film that I didn’t see when it was first released but have seen recently): Rebel Ridge  (2024)  TV-MA  In Rebel Ridge, all Terry (Aaron Pierre), an ex-Marine, wanted to do was post bail for his cousin, but a small-town police chief, Chief Sandy Burne (Don Johnson) has taken his money, and Terry is about to get it back anyway he has to. Rebel Ridge is one of those films where you go, that actor is killing it, and I can’t wait to see what he does next. Up to this, Aaron Pierre has mostly been a TV actor, but I’m telling you that Aaron Pierre is a movie star. From the first moments of Rebel Ridge, the tension builds and builds. The film has been compared to the Stallone film First Blood (the first Rambo film), but that’s a misplaced comparison. In Rambo, there isn’t much of a plot other than a sheriff (played by Brian Dennehy) who hates another man and will do anything to get rid of him. Rebel Ridge slowly gives us reasons why Terry is so determined to get his cousin out on bail and why the police chief is trying to keep Terry’s money. Rebel Ridge isn’t your typical, one-man-against-the-system movie, though Aaron Pierre as Terry can kick a lot of butt, all without killing anyone. Terry gets help from a court staffer, Summer (played by AnnaSophia Robb), who becomes Terry’s ally in his quest to get his cousin out on bail. It turns out there is a lot to Summer’s story too. There are plenty of action sequences to keep the film moving, and then there is Don Johnson, who is so good at playing a slick, cocksure Chief who thinks he can get away with anything because he has a badge. Well, he hasn’t met a man like Terry.  My Rating: Full Price  Rebel Ridge Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest:  How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies  (2023)  How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is about M (Putthipong Assaratanakul), a university dropout without a job, who sees his cousin strike it rich, caring for a dying relative and then being named in the relative’s will. A motivated M volunteers to care for his terminally ill grandmother (Usha Seamkhum) with the goal of achieving the same outcome. This is a moving film about family, commitment, and how it takes time to know someone. M is someone who you don’t like at first, mostly because he is such a slacker, living off his mother while trying to make it as an online gamer, which he sucks at. Seeing his cousin hit it big, he moves in with his grandmother and trying to become the perfect grandson in her eyes, all so he can have her house to sell when she dies. However, the more he cares for his grandmother, the more he becomes attached to her. M also observes how the rest of the family doesn't pay much attention to her, even when she falls and needs to go to the hospital. The film doesn’t mince with making most of the characters self-involved, almost always showing us their worst sides, like Amah’s son, who she waits patiently for him to show up, which he only does when he is in trouble and needs money. M learns about his grandmother's life, both present-day (her loneliness) and in the past, when she was in an arranged marriage. What makes this film stand out is that the characters are fully fleshed out. We get to know them, and they seem real with all their flaws. I also loved that the film has a few twists and turns, some you don’t expect that take you down a few paths you didn’t know you needed to walk on. And yes, you will need a box of tissues for the ending, but I think you will come away feeling that M is a better person than he was when his scheme started.  My Rating: Full Price  How to Make Millions before Grandma Dies Info  Now playing in select theaters.

Indiefest:  The 4:30 Movie  (2024) The 4:30 Movie takes place in the summer of 1986, where three sixteen-year-old friends (Reed Northrup, Nicholas Cirillo, and Austin Zajur) spend their Saturdays sneaking into movies at the local multiplex. This Saturday, they may learn a thing or two about life and love. Filmmaker Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma) can be hit or miss with his films, with a lot of misses lately. I am happy to say that this film is a delight, especially for moviegoers of the 1980s. The film takes you back to a time when teens would spend their whole Saturday going from one film to another, no matter how many times they had seen some of them. The film revolves around Brian (Austin Zajur), a movie fanatic who has just gotten the guts to ask out the girl of his dreams, Melody (played by the wonderfully cute Siena Agudong), to see an afternoon movie. It took Brian a year to ask her out after kissing her in her parent’s pool. She says yes, but his best friends, Belly (Reed Northrup) and Burny (Nicholas Cirillo) aren’t too happy about the idea that Brian has asked a girl to their day of movie-watching. From the moment they arrive at the theater, things start going wrong, and at one point it appears that Brian won't be able to get his dream date. The 4:30 Movie is a love letter to Kevin Smith’s teen life, with references to everything from Billy Idol to discussions on if the first movie of a series can be called Poltergeist I if the films sequels have numbers attached to the titles. The 4:30 Movie works when we are just dealing with the three friends or when Brian is hanging out with Melody. Characters in the film feel like real teens, and the chemistry between Austin Azajur and Siena Agudong, which is everything you want in a first romance, makes us want more of their scenes together. The film does a horrible job of creating fake movie trailers that don’t come close to the look and feel of the 80s exploration films (though the trailer for the Nun by day and hooker by night one is enjoyable for a bit). There is also a touching scene between Brian and one of the ushers (played by Genesis Rodriguez), where she tells Brian that he should think about becoming a director because of his love of film. Overall, I had a good time with the film. I wish Smith had done one more re-write and tightened up some scenes that go on a little too long. Still, it’s fun going to the local cinema with Brian and his friends and trying our hand at sneaking into a few R-rated films. There are two bonus portions in the credits. One an additional scene after the first bit of credits and then outtakes during the rest of the credits.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The 4:30 Movie Website Now playing in theaters.

Forgotten Film:  Bright Young Things  (2003)  R  The film takes place in 1930s England when young aristocrats wore tuxes, partied all night, and slept all day. They all thought their days of fun and debauchery would go on forever. Adam (Stephen Campbell Moore) has written a novel he is convinced that the world is going to love. Having already spent the advance, his only manuscript is seized as pornography, and he is now out of luck. What’s a guy to do when his fiancé Nina (Emily Mortimer) expects to be supported in the life she has grown accustomed to. Adam, desperate for money, starts writing an anonymous column in the biggest newspaper in the country, giving everyone an inside scoop into what goes on at all those parties that everyday people are never invited to. Bright Young Things is a fun and enjoyable film with a cast of soon-to-be stars like Emily Mortimer, David Tennant, and James McAvoy. It also has some brilliant performances by Stockard Channing, Jim Broadbent, Dan Aykroyd, and scene-stealer Peter O’Toole. It’s a look at a life that didn’t last as long as they thought it would.  My Rating: Full Price  Bright Young Things Info  The film is available on most streaming services.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Speak No Evil:  Skipper

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Saturday Night  (2024)  R  On October 11th, 1975, at 11:30 pm, a group of young, wild performers and writers launched a new live TV show that changed the landscape forever. This is the story of what happened in the 90 minutes before the first broadcast of what was to be later named Saturday Night Live. I want to see it just to see J. K. Simmons as comedy legend Milton Berle.  Saturday Night Website  The film releases in theaters on Friday, October 11, 2024.  

Until Next Time!

Candyman

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

My View:  Candyman  (2021)  R   The supernatural killer Daniel Robitaille, aka the Candyman, used to terrorize the residents of the Cabrini Green neighborhood. It’s been ten years since the Cabrini towers have been torn down, and Candyman has been forgotten. Anthony (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is an artist whose career is on the downswing, and looking for inspiration, he unknowingly opens the door to the Candyman, and Anthony’s sanity begins to unravel as a terrifying wave of violence is unleashed. I was excited when I heard that Jordan Peele, who won an Oscar for Get Out (2017), was writing the screenplay for this film. I liked the original 1992 film that starred Virginia Madsen and Tony Todd, thinking it was a creative work on the horror/slasher film. I just wish this film has more of that horror in it and less of trying to make too many points on gentrification and how urban planning has always hurt the low-incoming households. I did love the stick-figure animation that gave us clues to the past of the Candyman, and be sure to stay through all the credits as the animation gives you a history lesson on all the people throughout history that the characters in the film talk about. This Candyman never was scary enough for me; in fact, the scary scenes in the film aren’t due to the ‘’Candyman’ but to the police force, that beat or shot first and asked questions later. And maybe, that is the point of this film, that no matter how scary someone or something like the ‘Candyman’ is, it’s not anywhere close to being as frightening as living in that urban dwelling.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Candyman Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Indiefest:   Flag Day   (2021) R   When growing up, Jennifer (Dylan Penn) looked up to her father, John (Sean Penn), a man that seems larger than life to her. John taught his daughter about love, joy, and how to make life feel like a grand adventure. However, John had a secret; he was one of the most notorious counterfeiters in American history and always on the run. Now Jennifer must confront her father’s past and reconcile the bond between a daughter and her father. This film felt a bit like a vanity project for Sean Penn, as he lets the film wander all over the place, creating a lot of pretty scenes which looked great in the theatre (but slow down the pace of the film), as his daughter thinks back and idolizes what it was like growing up in her father’s (played by Sean) large shadow. The film is worth watching for the performance of Dylan Penn, who gives a moving and powerful look at a daughter who, until she became an adult, never knew the true nature of her father. At times, Dylan looks incredibly like her mother, Robin Wright, and has that same screen presence that you must follow her, no matter who else is on the screen, ever her real-life dad. Flag Day is based on a true story, one that the realize Jennifer wrote into an acclaimed book, and like a lot of movies based on books, I am betting the story is better told on paper than on the screen.      My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Flag Day Website  Now playing in select theatres.

My View:  Vacation Friends (2021)  R   Marcus and Emily (Lil Rel Howery, Yvonne Orji), while on vacation, meet a couple (John Cena, Meredith Hagner) who are wild and thrill-seekers. Marcus and Emily decide to let loose and have a blast with their new ‘vacation friends.’ Months later, Marcus and Emily are back at home and about to get married when guess who shows up uninvited at their wedding? It seems that what happens on vacation doesn’t always stay on vacation. Look, I like John Cena and Lil Rel Howery. They can be funny with the right material, but this isn’t it. If you think watching two guys walk around a animated forest for two minutes while laughing, high on mushrooms is funny, then this is the movie for you. We have seen this all before. Stuck up couple meets outrageous couple and by the end of the movie, they are best friends and all their lives have been changed for the better. I actually kind of enjoyed the Cena/Hagner couple, as they weren’t as annoying as this type of storyline usually makes that couple out to be, but the Marcus character is so unlikable and the material never lets Lil Rel have fun with the part. The plot is predictable, the laughs are few and far between, making this film feel much longer than its hour and forty-five minute run time. I will say this for everyone that has never been to Atlanta. The film is right, there are Waffle House's on almost every corner.  My Rating: Cable    Vacation Friends Website  Now playing on the Hulu platform. 

My View:   He’s All That   (2021)   Padgett (Addison Rae) is a famous influencer who has just suffered a breakup with a boyfriend that went viral, a boyfriend that she made a star. She decides she can do it again and accepts the challenge of taking loner Cameron (Tanner Buchanan), considered her high school’s biggest loser, and give him the ultimate makeover. Oh, where to start? How about the fact that Addison Rae is not a very good actress (she is mainly known as a Tik Tok personality). You would think she could carry off the role of an influencer, but she can’t. The storyline is a reverse of the 1992 film She’s All That, which starred Freddie Prinze Jr. and Racheal Leigh Cook. Fans of that film (hey, it wasn’t a great film but worth a watch on a Saturday afternoon with a likable cast and some good lines) are going to be disappointed with this update. I lost count on the product placements in the film, though maybe the best line in the whole film is ‘Hey can I have some of that Pizza Hut pizza?’ The loner kid, Cameron, doesn’t seem to be much of a loser, just someone that doesn't try to get along with most of the high school crowd and looks pretty good in the long hair and plaid shirts. The plot is predictable, the dialogue isn’t creative, and the acting is wooden at best. Skip this version and rent the '92 film, or better yet, something else using the Pygmalion formula, like Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady or Sabrina.     My Rating: Cable    He's All That Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest:   Together     (2021)  R   A couple(James McAvoy, Sharon Horgan) are only together because of their child. Now because of COVID, they are stuck in lockdown and must re-evaluate their relationship and themselves. This is a fun movie to watch, as the two characters, who at times hate each other, are forced to live together while in lockdown. The film takes place over a year, with the characters either talking to us, the audience directly, or to each other. The young son is rarely in the picture, though he seems always to be listening off on the stairs, kind of looking down at his parents as they fight or discuss what is happening to themselves and the world around them. We get to see just how personal the pandemic got as the couple discuss their lives, both in the past and in the present. At times this is a funny film, and at other times, as you would expect, it is painful and sometimes incredibly sad. Still, Together is a wonder to watch brilliant actors in McAvoy and Horgan banter off each other, making us believe in their hate and love for each other.   My Rating: Full Price    Together Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest: Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed     (2021)    The untold story of painter Bob Ross, the host of longtime TV series The Joy of Painting, who brought us an appreciation for nature with his kind and gentle demeanor. Beyond the soothing voice, the hair and the nostalgia for his series is a mystery that many have yet discovered. Almost everyone knows who Bob Ross is; that afro-headed guy who talks softly and paints landscapes really fast, but to a lot of us in the 80s and 90s, he was a staple of weekend television on your local PBS station. He always seems like a happy guy, painting his ‘happy little trees,’ but there was also something kind of strange about him that you just couldn’t put your finger on. Well, this documentary gives you all the details of his life and what happened to his painting empire after he died. The filmmakers were hampered by the fact that over a dozen of Bob's closest friends and co-workers did not want to be interviewed for the film (which becomes very evident why as the film goes along), but it does a brilliant job of giving us insight into the man who loved to paint his favorite subject, nature. I don’t want to give too much of the film away because there is some juicy stuff in it, as the filmmakers do interview Bob’s son, his first wife, and several close friends and co-workers to fill out the missing pieces of a man that we knew almost nothing about, other than he loved his ‘happy little trees.’    My Rating: Full Price   Bob Ross: Happy Accidents Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest:   Summer Days, Summer Nights   (2018) It's the summer of 1982, and life is good on Long Island. JJ (Pico Alexander) is working for his dad (Edward Burns) at the Beach Club when he falls for Debbie (Lindsey Morgan), while Frankie (Anthony Ramos) reconnects with the girl who got away (Caitlin Stasey). Summer is coming to a close, and will those relationships last or just be a summer fling. The film is a loving look at the summer romance films of the 70s and 80s (without the T&A that those films almost always had). The film is helped by the fact that not all the cast is of high school years; a bunch are in their 20s, including an impressive performance between the two long lost lovers (Ramos and Stasey) who broke up right after high school and now after seven years have rekindled their romance. Summer Days, Summer Nights is a fun, lighthearted film with some great music that captures a time in a youth’s life where the summer seemed like it would never end and romance was always in the air.    My Rating: Full Price    Summer Days, Summer Nights Website  Now available for rent online. 

Forgotten Film: Untamed Heart   (1993)   PG-13   A waitress, Caroline (Marisa Tomei), works at a diner and never notices the shy busboy, Adam (Christian Slater), who never talks. One night, on her way home, she is attacked, and the busboy comes to her rescue. This sparks the relationship (he has been secretly in love with Caroline all this time), but the busboy is hiding a secret, one that could mean disaster for the newly found lovers. Untamed Heart is your typical 90s romance, except that the cast is outstanding. Tomei is a delight to watch on the screen, and Slater is, as always, good as the brooding, silent guy with a secret. The film is also helped by a terrific performance by Rosie Perez, as Tomei’s sidekick, constantly smoking, best friend.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Untamed Heart Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Candyman: Stitcher 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Spider-Man: No Way Home   (2021)    Spider-Man (Tom Holland) has been unmasked, and now everyone knows who he is, making it hard to separate his private life from being a superhero. He turns to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a spell that everyone will forget who he is, only that spell has lasting consequences, including bringing back an old enemy. I am always up for a Spider-Man movie, and this one promises to be a good one with it setting up some of the next few Marvel Universe films.      Spider-Man: No Way Home Info

Until Next Time!

xXx: Return of Xander Cage

My View:  xXx: Return of Xander Cage  (2017)  PG-13  Just when you thought Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) was dead, he comes out of exile to help the CIA recover a powerful weapon known as “Pandora’s Box” before the evil villain Xiang (Donnie Yen) can acquire it.  This is the kind of movie that I call “stupid fun.” You know going in that it will be over-the-top, the plot will be there just to do more and more stunts, and Vin Diesel will do some things that even Superman couldn’t do. Have there been better action films? Sure, Fast and Furious 6 comes to mind, but I did enjoy this film where Vin Diesel skis down a mountain that doesn’t have any snow.  There are new additions to the xXx group and a couple of surprise guests that help move the film at a quick pace. The ending seems a little forced, but I had a good time watching all the action sequences.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   xXx: Return of Xander Cage Website

My View:  Split  (2016)  PG-13  After a birthday party, three girls (Haley Lu Richardson, Jessica Sula, Anya Taylor-Joy) are kidnapped. Their captor Kevin (James McAvoy) suffers from the rare dissociative identity disorder where he has 23 split personalities. The girls must now find one of those personalities to help them escape before the arrival of the 24th and final personality, the “beast.” This is a strange film to watch, mostly due to the 23 personalities that James McAvoy portrays. This is a solid piece of horror filmmaking plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing.  It’s a wild ride that makes an excellent thriller. The film’s backstory on Anya Taylor-Joy’s character is well thought out, and her performance is one of the best things in this film. And there is a very big reveal at the end of the film that is jaw dropping. This is certainly more in line with what we expected that M. Night Shyamalan would put out after his groundbreaking The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable.   My Rating: Full Price   Split Website

My View:  The Founder  (2016)  PG-13  The story of Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), who turned a small hamburger shop into Mc Donald’s, the biggest restaurant business in the world.  Ray Kroc wasn’t a nice guy, as he would do just about anything to get his way. Michael Keaton gives a scintillating performance of a ruthless, unlikeable man. The film is highly enjoyable in the first half of the film, but it loses its way when the most interesting characters in the movie, the McDonald brothers (Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch), are forgotten during most of the second half of the movie. It’s a hard look at a man who hid behind the American flag and family values to steal a company from two honest to a fault brothers.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Founder Website

Indiefest:   20th Century Women  (2016)  R  Set in Santa Barbara, California in 1979, a free spirit mother (Annette Benning) seeks help from her two housemates (Greta Gerwig, Elle Fanning) with raising her son (Lucas Jade Zumann).  Benning has never been better in the role of a woman who seems to be stuck in the 1960s. Her character appears to be constantly trying to figure out each person whom she meets, and her performance is nuanced and never over-the-top. The rest of the cast is outstanding with Greta Gerwig putting in an excellent performance as a photographer who is a cancer survivor. The film is an enjoyable look at a teenage boy and the three women who are collectively raising him.   My Rating:  Full Price   20th Century Women Website

Forgotten Film:  The Dark Half (1993)  R  After writing under an assumed name, writer Thad Beaumont (Timothy Hutton), decides to write under his own name. Thad’s life is turned upside down when he is framed for a series of murders that he could not have committed. This is one of the better adaptations of a Stephen King work, and while flawed, George A. Romero knows how to open a horror film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Dark Half Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Founder:  Choreographer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Lego Batman Movie  (2017) PG   Bruce Wayne as Batman must deal with the criminals of Gotham City, but he also has to deal with a young boy he has adopted. I can’t wait for this film to come out.  The teaser trailer was so much fun.  The Lego Batman Movie Website

Until Next Time!

X-Men: Days of Future Past

My View: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) PG-13 Professor X  (Patrick Stewart) discovers that there is an event that could destroy both mutants and humans.  So, the X-Men send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back in time to team up with the X-Men of the past to stop the event from happening.  This film is an exciting addition to the Marvel film universe that moves at a rip-roaring pace.  There are some great action sequences throughout the film with a couple of battle sequences that really use the full 3-D effects.  It also helps that the movie’s best actors, Jackman, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy and Jennifer Lawrence, are the main characters in this film.  The storyline is well thought out and, with the best of the Marvel films, contains some humor to lighten the load.  I think any Sci-Fi fan is going to be happy with this film and, as usual with Marvel films, stay for an extra scene that appears after the credits.  My Rating: Full Price  X-Men: Days of Future Past Website

Indiefest: Chef  (2014)  R Chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) was once the toast of the culinary world.  But, Carl is stuck in a rut and loses his job when he tries to change up the menu.  He decides to travel with his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara) to take care of their son (Emjay Anthony) while she goes to meetings.  There, Carl discovers a used food truck and decides to buy it.  He then travels in the food truck, across country, back to L.A., taking his son on a trip they will never forget.  I loved this film about a man trying to find his passion for cooking and reconnect with his son.  This is a film that foodies will just eat up as there are extraordinary  shots of food being prepared and served. The biggest surprise of this movie is what a wonderfully restrained performance Sofia Vergara gives as the Carl’s ex-wife.  I also liked that Carl and his ex-wife communicate in an effort to work together for the benefit of their son (unlike other recent films where the couple just yells at each other; I’m looking at you Blended).  This is a road trip film that will make you want a grilled cheese sandwich right after you get out of the theatre.  My Rating:  Full Price  Chef Website 

My View: Blended  (2014) PG-13 Jim (Adam Sandler) and Lauren (Drew Barrymore) went on a blind date that turned out horribly.  Now they both find themselves stuck with each other and their families on a dream vacation to Africa.  What can go wrong?  This biggest problem with this film, and there are many, is that it can’t decide if it’s a family film or a film for frat boys.  Unfortunately, it’s both, and the mix isn’t good.  The film is almost two hours long but felt like three.  The chemistry that Sandler and Barrymore had isn’t there anymore.  I also didn’t think either parent was doing a good job to begin with (Barrymore lets her kid have a temper tantrum on the Little League field), so why should we root for them to get together?  I don’t think I laughed once as this film goes for the cheap and easy joke.  My guess is Sandler wanted to spend time in Africa, so he made this movie.  Next time, can we just see the family slide show?  My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Blended Website 

Forgotten Film:  The Commitments (1991) R Jimmy (Robert Arkins) is on a mission, and he won’t let anyone stop him.  He decides to form, “The World’s Hardest Working Band” and bring soul music to Ireland.  The music in this film is impressive and moving. Everyone on screen can actually sing and play instruments, and it shows on screen.  This is an entertaining and  lively film with some stunning performances.  If you like films that have lots of music, and you like to root for the underdog, then this one is for you.  My Rating: Full Price  The Commitments Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-ray): 3 Days to Kill (2014) PG-13 Kevin Costner plays a Secret Service agent where he has to kill a wanted terrorist before he retires.  It’s a very strange film that doesn’t work on any level.  Costner has been making some good movies lately but this isn’t one of them. My Rating:  Cable  3 Days to Kill Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Only Lovers Left Alive: Prop Truck Driver

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)  Hey, who wouldn’t want to see a film with a raccoon that shoots high powered machine guns? Guardians of the Galaxy Website

Until Next Time!

42

Thursday, April 11, 2013 7:23 PM

My View:  42 (2013)  PG-13  This film tells the courageous story of Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) who was signed by Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) to the Brooklyn Dodgers to become the first African-American player to break the baseball “color line.” Unfortunately, this film doesn’t live up to the legend of Robinson as it’s filled with clichéd moments, some of which made me cringe. Chadwick Boseman just doesn’t have the charisma that Robinson had, making it hard to see why people were so enamored not just with the baseball player, but with the man, himself. And I hated Harrison Ford in the role of Rickey, as Ford plays him way over the top, almost making it a parody of the man who changed baseball. I also wanted to see the time that Robinson spent in Montreal, playing Triple A baseball, as I know that city rallied behind Jackie, but the film skips over that time period. There is an impactful scene between Robinson and Pee Wee Reese (Lucas Black) on the baseball field near the end of the film, but unfortunately that’s the only part  that really stands out, making the rest of the film feel like a made for TV film from the 70’s.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   42 Website

Indiefest:  Trance (2013) R  Simon (James McAvoy) works as an art auctioneer at a prestigious auction house. While auctioning off a painting worth millions of dollars, the auction house is hit by robbers, resulting in Simon getting hit over the head. When he wakes up, the burning question everyone has, including the robbers is, where is the painting? But Simon can’t remember a thing about the robbery. This is one of those films that you never know what is real and what is made up, and I guarantee that you won’t see the ending coming. I liked McAvoy in the role of the auctioneer who gets in with the wrong people, but the performance that really impressed me was Rosario Dawson in the role of the hypnotherapist who is hired to help Simon remember. While I didn’t enjoy this film as much as some of director Danny Boyle’s other work (127 Hours, Slumdog Millionaire), it was fun to watch it spin its tale of intrigue.   My Rating: Full Price   Trance Website

Indiefest:  Starbuck (2013) R  David (Patrick Huard) is in a world of trouble. He has a low paying job delivering meat for his family’s butcher shop. He owes money to the mob and, to complicate matters even more, he has just found out that his policewoman girlfriend, Valerie (Julie LeBreton), is pregnant with his child and doesn’t want him to have anything to do with the child once it’s born. But, that’s nothing compared to the latest news David gets.  Under the name, Starbuck, David deposited sperm at a local sperm bank over 600 times, resulting in David fathering over 500 children. Now David decides to find out what kind of kids his children have become. This film is funny, warm and has a lot of heart, and Huard is the reason why this film works, as he makes David a very likeable guy and someone that you would want to be in your life. This is one of the better feel good films of the year, a film about family, both lost and found.   My Rating: Full Price    Starbuck Info

Forgotten Film:   Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979)    Student Riff Randell (P.J. Soles) runs the school, and new principal, Miss Togar (Mary Woronov) just doesn’t know it yet. The only thing that Riff loves more than her high school is the punk rock band The Ramones. When Principal Togar bans Rock n Roll from the high school, Riff gets the Ramones to help her take back the school. This is a goofy, fun film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Soles is adorable as the Ramones obsessed Riff, who brings a high energy and enthusiasm to the role. If you want to experience a little of the punk rock scene in the 70’s, this is the movie for you.   My Rating: Full Price   Rock n Roll High School Info

In Case You Missed It ( A Film Just Released on DVD):   Hyde Park on Hudson (2012)  R  Set in 1939, this film is about the love affair between President FDR (Bill Murray) and his distant cousin, Margaret Stuckley (Laura Linney). The backdrop of the film is the coming to America of King George IV (Samuel West) and the historic meeting at Hyde Park between the Roosevelt's and the King/Queen of England. I liked the performances in this film, which made it enjoyable to watch, but the film didn’t have a lot of substance to it.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Hyde Park on the Hudson Website

Weird Credits: From the credits of 42: Baseball Costumer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Now You See Me (2013)  PG-13  A team of Illusionists are pulling off bank heists while performing on stage in Las Vegas, all the while the FBI is trying to figure out how they are doing it. I will go see any film that Melanie Laurent (Inglourious Basterds, Beginners) is in, but this film looks like it’s going to be a blast to watch with a cast that includes Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg.    Now You See Me Info

Until Next Time!