Send Help

My View: Send Help  (2026) R  Send Help follows Linda (Rachel McAdams), who has the boss from hell in Bradley (Dylan O’Brien), who tells her she has one last chance to impress him on an upcoming trip, or she will be fired. When their plane crashes and the two find themselves stranded on a deserted island, things have changed. Linda is now in charge, and Bradley is in danger of being fired or killed. Director Sam Raimi (Spiderman trilogy, The Evil Dead series, Drag Me to Hell) must have had a blast directing this film, which is off-the-wall fun, with lots of blood and two characters who play a game of who can, quoting Linda’s favorite TV show Survivor, “outwit, outplay, and outlast’ the other. Rachel McAdams is a delight as the put-upon office worker who is now stranded with the one person she hates, her boss, Bradley. This is a horror film with a sense of humor, plenty of scares and thrills, and a plot that will keep you guessing. I loved this film, and McAdams and O’Brien are a blast to watch as they match wits, with Linda having the skills and Bradley the overconfidence of a man who has always gotten his way. This is a bloody, sometimes look the other way, physical romp where two people try not only to survive on an island but also to survive each other. Send Help is a tale that you think might become one of those Hallmark rom-coms where two people who can’t get along realize that they are in love with each other, but instead is as if they are on Survivor, but with swords and lots of blood flowing.  My Rating: Full Price  Send Help Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Shelter  (2026)  R   In Shelter, Mason (Jason Statham) is living a solitary life in a remote area by the sea when he rescues a young girl, Jesse (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), from drowning. This act set off a chain reaction that soon brings violence his way, something Mason had hoped he had put behind him. Jason Statham is one of my favorite action stars. Like Keanu Reeves, he seems to know what works in his wheelhouse and then delivers exactly what you want and are expecting. That’s what you get in Shelter, a delightful tale of a man whose past has caught up with him, and he is going to do everything he can to ensure that the young girl he rescued will survive whatever the bad guys throw at them. What makes this such a fun ride is the chemistry between Statham, playing a man of few words, and Bodhi Rae Breathnach, who plays the headstrong young girl who has lost her last family member and now is all alone, unless she can convince Mason to take her along on his adventures. Breathnach is having a moment in cinema, in this role and in her role in the Academy Award-nominated Hamnet. She makes this film work because we understand how quickly Mason can develop feelings for Jessie through her performance. The action sequences are fun to watch, and Jason beats the crap out of a lot of bad guys. Adding to the fun, as the mastermind bad guy is the always enjoyable Bill Nighy, playing a man who is convinced he is the puppet master, but Mason has other ideas. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Shelter Website   Now playing in theaters

My View:  The Wrecking Crew  (2026)  R  The Wrecking Crew centers around two half-brothers, Jonny (Jason Momoa) and James (Dave Bautista), who have to work together to discover the reason for their father's murder in Hawaii. Long-buried secrets will be uncovered, which threaten to tear their family apart. I had a hard time with this film at the start, as we are thrown into the storyline without much backstory. However, because of the fun that Momoa and Bautista are having playing off each other as two brothers who can’t get along, the film is enjoyable to watch. There is even a very funny and thrilling chase sequence where even Morena Baccarin makes an appearance to have some fun. The film is a little too complicated for its own good, but watching Momoa play the brother who is always doing the wrong thing and Bautista, who is constantly judging Jonny, it’s an action film that works only because of the two leads.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Wrecking Crew Website  Now playing on Amazon Prime.

My View: Arco  (2025)  PG  Arco is a ten-year-old boy who lives in the year 2932. Arco’s parents time-travel without him, and he decides to go out on his own. Arco travels back to 2075, but on the way, his time-travel device breaks, leaving him with no way to get back to his family. This is a beautiful and thrilling story about a boy who wanted to be included in his family's adventures and goes out on his own, only to realize that he may never see them again. What he finds in this new world is friendship and hope for a world that is quickly devouring itself. The animation is almost magical in its look and feel, and the storyline will captivate both young and old, making Arco worthy of its Academy Award nomination.  My Rating: Full Price  Arco Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest: Iron Lung  (2026)  R   The Iron Lung takes place in the near future, where an event known as ‘The Quiet Rapture’ causes all known planets and stars in the universe to disappear. A convict has been sent on a suicide mission using a small submarine to explore a moon that has an ocean of blood. One of the most anticipated movies of January is based on a video game and features filmmaker Mark Fischbach, who has an incredible number of social media followers. Fischbach wrote (with the help of the video game creator David Szymanski), directed, and stars in the film. The film has garnered over 7 million dollars in presales. I wish the over 2-hour movie was worth all that attention, but it’s not. The movie and game revolve around a person alone in a submersible with no windows, guided by a map and pictures taken by a camera every few moments. If that sounds like fun to you, then go right ahead. I was bored out of my mind and kept looking at my watch (always a bad sign) to see when this film would end. Half the time, you have no idea what is going on, why he is down there, and if what we are seeing is real or a figment of his imagination, something that you will not get an answer to, even by the end of the film. This is a mess of a film and wouldn’t even be a fun watch at a midnight film festival platform. Man, I hope the video game is more fun than this film. I have no intention of finding out.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again Iron Lung Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  A Private Life  (2025) R  A Private Life follows a renowned psychiatrist, Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster), as she investigates the death of a patient of hers. While others believe Lilian did nothing to prevent the suicide, Lilian believes that her patient might have been murdered. A Private Life only works because of Jodie Foster, who commands the screen with her presence and blends in perfectly with her command of the French language to make a mystery better than it should be. The plot is shaky as it is more about Lilian discovering more about herself and her faults than it is about solving a possible murder. We learn more about Lilian and her relationships than we do about her patient’s life in Lilian’s quest to find out if her patient committed suicide. I loved the back-and-forth between Lilian and her ex-husband, as we see there is still an attraction and draw between them, no matter what happened in the past. By the end of the film, I was sorry the mystery was solved and wouldn’t mind if Lilian went on to solve more mysteries.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  A Private Life Website  Now playing in select theaters 

Indiefest: Mr. Nobody Against Putin (2025)   Pavel “Pasha” is a teacher and event organizer who always has a video camera in hand to record his students' activities. Pasha lives in a small Russian town that was once famous as the world's most polluted city (tourists from all over used to visit). Pasha is well-liked by teachers and students and cares about his students. He recognizes he is a little strange, and sometimes his frankness gets him into trouble, but his office at school is a gathering place for students who also feel like they don’t belong. Then Russia’s invasion of Ukraine begins, and Pasha sees his school turn almost overnight from a fun, happy place to one where the students are force-fed government propaganda. A place where school has become a place not to learn about the world, but only about how great Putin is and how the rest of the world is inferior to the Russian way of life. So, our strange little teacher documents everything that is going on at the school, recording hundreds of hours of footage while doing some subversive things on his own, including playing Lady Gaga singing the American national anthem over the school’s loudspeakers. I loved this film, and you too will fall in love with Pasha. At one point, he decides to resign because he can’t stand what his school has become, but then rescinds his resignation so he can create a documentary to show the world what has become of his beloved school. This is a shocking look at how quickly the propaganda forces work and how some teachers quickly take advantage of the situation for their own greed and power. Throughout the film, you worry about Pasha getting caught, and through his own narration, he realizes that his time is quickly running out. The film, with Pasha as our guide, is funny, thoughtful, courageous, and shows how powerful a documentary can be in revealing to the world how wrong a government can be. Mr. Nobody Against Putin is worthy of its Academy Award nomination and is a must-see for documentary lovers. If there were more Mr. Nobodies in the world, it would be a better place. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Mr. Nobody Agains Putin Website   Now playing in select theaters and available to stream on the Kino Film Collection

Forgotten Film: The Anderson Tapes (1971) GP  Duke Anderson (Sean Connery) is a master thief and has just been released from jail after 10 years. His first stop is to see his girlfriend, Ingrid (Dyan Cannon), who lives in a posh apartment building courtesy of a sugar daddy. Duke realizes that Ingrid’s building is a gold mine full of rich people with lots of things to steal, so he contacts gangster Tommy(Alan King) to help plan the heist, and then puts together a crew to pull off the job, including an art expert (Martin Balsam) and a young safecracker (Christopher Walken). Connery is good in this post-007 role, but the fun of this film is the film debut of Christopher Walken, and it’s a blast to watch him perform on screen. Five-time Oscar-nominated Sidney Lumet directs the film, and you can see his steady hand throughout. The film falls apart a bit when the twist is revealed, but watching Walken on the screen makes up for it. My Rating: Bargain Matinee The Anderson Tapes Info Now available to rent on Amazon and Apple TV+.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Shelter: Chess Advisor

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Bride  (2026) R  This is a retelling of the story of the Bride of Frankenstein. In the 1930s, Frankenstein’s monster (Christian Bale) had traveled to Chicago to seek the aid of Dr. Eupronius (Annette Bening) in creating a companion. Together, they revive a murdered woman, creating The Bride (Jessie Buckley), who is far more than expected. This sparks a romance, police attention, and more. Maggie Gyllenhaal wrote and directed the film, and the cast includes Penelope Cruz, Julianne Hough, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Peter Sarsgaard.  The Bride Website  In theaters on Friday, March 6, 2026.

Until Next Time!

Fast X

My View: Fast X (2023) PG-13   Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family seem to be at a good point in their lives, but their past is about to catch up with them when they are targeted by the vengeful son (Jason Momoa) of the drug kingpin Hernan Reyes. I have enjoyed this series, especially when they decided they were all superheroes that could fly midair from one car to another and take hits like John Wick only dreams about. I had fun with this film because of one actor, Jason Momoa, but more on that later. The film has Vin Diesel’s thumbprint or, should I say, the entire hand on the script, as his character Dom gets to constantly make speeches about, say it with me, ‘family.’ And he even gets to shed a tear or two. The film has a gigantic cast that keeps getting bigger and bigger, even bringing back a few ghosts from the past. The film brings up the late Paul Walker’s character a few times and how Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and Han (Sung Kang) have come back to the gang (one by regaining her memory, the other by coming back from the dead), which should give you a clue as to what is going to happen in this film. Now for the reason to see this film. Jason Momoa. Even with a cast that doesn’t mind overacting, Momoa goes to the extreme and has the time of his life playing the bad guy of the film. In a performance that reminds me of Jack Nicholson as The Joker in Batman, Momoa revels in his role as the crazy, bat-out-of-hell bad guy who wants revenge for Dom and his gang killing his dad. Momoa, wearing outfits that would make Prince jealous, mugs his way through the film, giving Dom a Bronx cheer while passing him going a hundred miles an hour on a motorcycle. The stunts are outlandish, though I didn’t enjoy the fact that they let the cars be the superheroes in this one. The plot has about five hundred subplots, all of which will continue with the next film or two (it’s rumored that there are two more films in the works). Look, Fast X is stupid, but it’s stupid fun, and Jason Momoa gives us a bad guy to delight in. And yes, stay through the first bit of end credits to see who shows up.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Fast X Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Indiefest: Sanctuary (2023) R  A night in a room becomes a cat-and-mouse game between Hal (Christopher Abbott), a wealthy client who has just inherited a fortune, and Rebecca (Margaret Qualley), his dominatrix. It’s a night where roles will switch many times, with surprising results. This is one of those films that is such a cat-and-mouse game between two characters that you get lost in what is real and what is make-believe. The film keeps pulling back layers from the start so that you constantly question who to root for and if anyone will get out alive by the film’s end. I loved the chemistry between Abbott and Qualley, as their characters play games with each other, sometimes in love with each other and other times in hate. Sanctuary is a film about desire and how it can take many forms. It’s a film that will keep you guessing until the end, and even then, you will wonder what happens to these characters next.   My Rating; Full Price  Sanctuary Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest: Master Gardener (2022) R  A horticulturist, Narvel Roth (Joel Edgerton), is devoted to tending the grounds of a beautiful estate owned by a wealthy dowager, Norma (Sigourney Weaver). When Norma’s estranged grandniece Maya (Quintessa Swindell) shows up unexpectedly, Norma decides Narvel should take on Maya as his apprentice, something that Narvel does reluctantly. Maya doesn’t know that Narvel has a past about to rear its ugly head and everyone is in danger. I enjoyed this film by filmmaker Paul Schrader, which is a film about finding redemption in the simplest things. The film is a little kinky, but what do you expect from a man who gave us Hardcore (1979) and American Gigolo (1980)? I loved the chemistry between Quintessa Swindell and Joel Edgerton, who play two people with pasts that they both want to hide from each other. The film explores just how much a person can be forgiven for and how much that person’s atonement makes up for what they did in the past.   My Rating; Bargain Matinee  Master Gardener Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Indiefest: The Night of the 12th (2022)  They say every investigator is haunted by one crime. For investigator Yohan Vives (Bastien Bouillon), it is the murder of Clara. And it’s a case that Yohan may never solve. This is a film about the crimes that aren’t cracked and how no matter how hard the detective’s work, some crimes will haunt you forever. The film centers on Yohan (Bastien Bouillon), who has just taken over a homicide squad, and this is their first big case under his command. A young woman has been murdered, and there aren’t any witnesses and too many suspects. The film follows Yohan and his squad as they diligently try to solve the crime, but every time they think they have a clue who the killer is, it slips through their hands. The film shows how we see crime and all the factors that help and hurt in solving those crimes. Not everything can be solved, no matter how hard we try.   My Rating: Full Price  The Night of the 12th Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

My View: Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me (2023)  Documentary on the iconic Playboy and Guess jeans model who became one of the first big reality stars before dying at age 39. The film brings us some new footage of Anna Nicole’s life but doesn’t give us any new answers. In fact, the film seems to take the road that her story is sad, but it’s one that she chose to live. I learned very little from this documentary about Anna that I didn’t already know. Near the end of the film, there is an interview that she gave near the end of her life, where Anna claimed that her mother abused her and that she was sexually assaulted. It turns out the story wasn’t Anna’s; it was the life story of what was her best friend during Anna’s stripper days in Houston. That sums up the life of Anna Nicole Smith; you never knew what was real about her, and this documentary doesn’t help us find that out. Like all the tabloids that followed her every move, the film never scratches more than the surface of who she was.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Anna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Monica (2022) R  Monica is about a woman named Monica (Trace Lysette). She returns home to help care for her dying mother (Patricia Clarkson), who suffers from a brain tumor. Her mother does not recognize Monica because she has transitioned and rolls with it. Monica’s showing up causes problems with her brother (Joshua Close) as Monica deals with the ghosts of her past self. Monica is a film about coming home, mending fences that looked like they might stay broken, and the power of forgiveness. Trace Lysette is stunning as Monica, a woman who has fought for everything she has become but still wants more. She comes back home, unsure if she should, and is afraid of what reception Monica will receive when she arrives. Monica isn’t a film with big speeches or ground-breaking moments. Instead, it’s a film where those tiny slices of life become more powerful than any speech could. A small gesture, like a hand being held by another during a picture, tells everything you need to know about what is happening, and that’s the magic of this film.   My Rating; Full Price  Monica Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Indiefest:  The Eight Mountains (2022) The story of two friends who, as boys, meet while one is on a summer vacation. Pietro is the city boy, and Bruno is the boy from the mountains. The city boy longs to stay in the wilderness, while the boy from the mountain only wants to leave it. Years later, the two meet again, this time as adults. Pietro (Luca Marinelli) is a lost soul who doesn’t know what he wants to do with his life. Bruno (Alessandro Borghi) has changed and wants to follow in his family’s footsteps and become a cheese maker. The two learn in the shadow of the Italian Alps that their friendship will always survive no matter where they are. I loved this breathtaking film that gives us so many astounding shots of the Alps, as the two friends travel on the mountains, Pietro always searching for the deep meaning and Bruno happy with living the moment. The Eight Mountains is the story of brotherly love, who of two men develop a connection early on and keep it alive as their lives change. Both men find happiness, sometimes in very different ways, but they will always have the mountain to return to.   My Rating: Full Price   The Eight Mountains Website Now playing in select theatres.

Forgotten Film: Shooting Fish (1997) PG Dylan (Dan Futterman) and Jez (Stuart Townsend) are two guys who dream of making enough money to buy the house of their dreams. The only problem is that the two guys are con artists, and not all their schemes work. They hire Georgie (Kate Beckinsale) to be their secretary for a job. Soon the two men are both in love with Georgie, and to make things even more complicated, she is about to get married. Shooting Fish is an enjoyable film with a plot that gets a little complicated, but the cast is so likable that you don’t care. Kate Beckinsale steals the movie in one of her first starring roles before she became a star with The Last Days of Disco (1999). The scams are fun, Beckinsale is charming, and the ending is delightful.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Shooting Fish Info  Available to buy on Amazon.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Fast X: Fight Arranger

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: No Hard Feelings (2023) R Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence) has had her car repossessed and is on the brink of losing her home. Maddie finds an intriguing job position: parents (Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti) of a 19-year-old boy (Andrew Barth Feldman) want their shy, introverted son to ‘become a man’ before going to college. This reminds me of all the teen/college films that came out in the late 70s and early eighties, where teen boys were on a mission to have sex. Some were good, like The Sure Thing (1985), directed by Rob Reiner and starring John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga, and others were horrible. The Last American Virgin (1982) comes to mind. What a four-time Academy Award nominee and winner of the 2013 Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook is doing in this film, I don’t know. But hey, I’m game for anything Jennifer Lawrence wants to be in.  No Hard Feelings Website   The film will be in theatres in mid-June.  

Until Next Time!

Dune

My View:  Dune  (2021) PG-13   A son of a noble family, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), is destined to become the leader of a planet that contains the most vital element in the galaxy, spice. Paul will face untold horrors, challenges, and sadness as he battles forces for control of a world and a people that have been waiting for their hero for centuries. Frank Herbert’s novel Dune was a life-changing book for me, as it was the first ‘adult’ sci-fi book that I read as a kid, and it blew me away with its story of a young man who is destined to be the savior of a people on a distant planet. I was greatly disappointed in the 1984 David Lynch attempt at putting an over 500-page book into a 2-hour film. I can say that this is a much better attempt at adapting such a sprawling and dense book into a watchable movie. First, go into this film knowing that Dune is part one of a two-part film series and that the film is two hours and thirty-five minutes long (so pack a lunch and go to the bathroom before seeing it). Also, please don’t watch this film at home; watch it, like I did, on the big screen, where the glorious cinematography and the wondrous score by Hans Zimmer can surround and overwhelm you. Timothee Chalamet is an excellent choice for Paul, the man destined to lead, as he is young enough that Paul’s enemies will underestimate him and charismatic enough on the screen to believe that a nation of people suppressed for centuries will rise up and follow him. The cast is impressive, with Oscar Isaac, as the steadfast father of Paul and Josh Brolin as his loyal right-hand man, stand out in their performances. I loved Jason Momoa, as the brash pilot (shades of Hans Solo) who is a hero to the young, impressionable Paul. Momoa has some great action sequences, and his chemistry with Chalamet is warm and genuine. Fans of Dave Bautista and Zendaya may be a little disappointed in this film, as their parts as mostly hinted at on what they will be in the next movie. Overall, the film feels slightly lacking, only because the world that Frank Herbert created in Dune is so complex, and most of the action will take place in the second film. Still, that being said, this is a film spectacle that is one not to be missed on as big a screen as you can find.   My Rating: Full Price    Dune Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide and on the HBO Max platform. 

Indiefest:  The Electrical Life of Louis Wain  (2021)  PG-13  British artist Louis Wain (Benedict Cumberbatch) becomes famous for his paintings of cats, which transform the public’s perception of how we see and deal with our house pets. But Louis, an eccentric man responsible for the care of his five sisters, has bigger ideas brewing; unlocking the ‘electrical’ mysteries of the world. I loved the first half of the film as we get pulled into the world of Louis and his large, strange family. Into the madness of Louis and his five sisters walks Emily (Claire Foy), who is given the task of teaching the younger of Louis’s sisters, much to the unhappiness of Louis’s older sister, Caroline (Andrea Riseborough), who has taken over the role of both mother and father to her sisters and Louis himself. Emily brings life to both the family and Louis himself, and they fall in love, creating a great scandal, where a nobleman like Louis would love and marry a spinster, governess, who is of a lower class. However their happiness is short-lived, as Caroline becomes sick, though Louis discovers his love of cats when on a walk, the couple finds a kitten abandoned in the rain. The second half of the film begins to fail as Louis, having lost Caroline, starts to lose his sanity and slowly delves into madness. The film takes such a dark tone from its first half that it feels like it is two different films, and the pace becomes so slow that it is almost painful to watch Louis slowly descent into a shell of what he once was. The film is based on a real man, who almost single-handedly, through his drawings, made cats more than just something to keep around to catch vermin. Louis captivated his audience with whimsical depictions of cats that inspired a nation to see them as companions, something to love and cherish. I wish I felt the same way about this film, but it left me wanting more.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Electrical Life of Louis Wain Website  Now playing in select theatres and available on the Amazon Prime platform on Nov. 5th.

Indiefest: Becoming Cousteau  (2021) PG-13  Documentary looking at the life of Jacques Cousteau, the explorer and environmentalist who because famous for his sailing vessel, Calypso, his invention of the diving apparatus, the Aqua-Lung, and for his documentaries and TV specials on marine conservation. Cousteau is someone who has been somewhat forgotten. Still, for someone like me, who grew up in the 60s/70s, he was a part of our family, showing up for TV specials that not only entertained but also astonished with its beauty but always with a warning that the beauty of the sea was fragile. The film does a wonderful job of giving us a look at a man who became a symbol of the attempt to save the world from poisoning itself with pollution and the reckless abuse of the sea. The film has a ton of behind-the-scenes footage, some of which has just recently been discovered. The film explores how Cousteau, whose early explorations were funded by oil companies, became aware of how we were destroying the planet and how he became someone who preached about global warming as early as the 80s. The underwater footage alone is worth the price of admission, but Becoming Cousteau's message about a man who made it his mission to save the seas is worth more.    My Rating: Full Price   Becoming Cousteau Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest:  Mass (2021)  PG-13  Years after an unspeakable tragedy has occurred, two sets of parents (Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton, Reed Birney, and Ann Dowd) agree to meet to talk privately in an attempt to deal with what happened. The meeting will be a journey of grief, anger, denial, and finally, acceptance by those left behind. I will warn you that if you are a parent, this will be a hard film to watch, as the story is one of a parent’s nightmare; your child has been killed by another in a senseless act of violence. The film mainly takes place in one room with the two couples as they slowly go over what happened to their children and try to understand why. From the start, you feel the rage and hurt from Martha Plimpton, who is bubbling over with her feelings, wanting to point fingers at the other couple, especially at Ann Dowd, who plays the mother of the kid who pulled the trigger. The contrast between the two couples is stark and makes for some of the tension in the film, as the parents of the kid who died in the shooting are looking for answers, and the parents of the kid who did the shooting, really don’t have them. The tension in the film ebbs and flows between the two couples as the film goes along, and we see that both sides have been hurt to the core. This is a film that is hard to watch due to the subject matter, but the performances are so real, raw, and emotional that you can’t look away. As the mother of the kid who pulled the trigger, Ann Dowd is exceptional in the role of a woman who loved her child and is as shocked and guilty as a person can be, all the while looking for some way to find forgiveness. Mass is a powerful film with four outstanding performances that will shake you to the core.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    Mass Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest: Found (2021) PG   Three American teenage girls, each adopted from China, discover that they are blood-related cousins through the 23andMe website. Their meeting inspires them to confront the burning questions of their shared past and lost history. Found is a fascinating and lovely story of three young women who are looking for answers. All three girls were adopted from China, probably abandoned by the parents due to the ‘one child’ rule that China had for many years that heavily punished families for having more than one child. The three girls were adopted by Americans, and all three have grown up in loving homes and are doing well. But there is that lingering wonderment that the girls have; why were they given up, and who are their natural parents. All the girls wonder; do their birth parents regret what they did, and do they ever think of them. This is a touching film about trying to find out these questions and how much the girls want to know. The film follows the girls as they discover that they aren’t alone in being adopted and finding solace in the fact that they have cousins of roughly the same age and from simular circumstances. Found is a film that is filled with not only hurt feelings, regret and guilt but also love. The love of family, of not just the ones that are related to you but also the family that chooses you.    My Rating: Full Price    Found Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest:  Ouija Japan  (2021)   Karen (Ariel Sekiya) is an American housewife living in Japan and desperate to fit in with her Japanese community. She joins other homemakers to play the Kokkuri-san (the Japanese Ouija board), and they unwittingly disrespect a local deity, which starts a game that will pit each housewife against each other in a battle that can only have one winner. This is one of those films that deserves to be seen at a small film festival as a midnight horror showing. There, an audience could have fun with it and enjoy it for what it is, a fun, somewhat amateurish version of a horror film. The film, while unlike a lot of small movies, does have some good qualities, with excellent sound and cinematography. But, it’s hard to overlook the somewhat clumsy dialogue, a plot that seems to forget how many people are in the group, and acting that is sometimes painful to watch. The film does combine two aspects that show up in a lot of Japanese horror films; the love of Ouija boards and the battle royal and I had fun watching this film move along, but it needed a stronger cast and a few re-writes of the script to make it more than just a nice film to see at a midnight screening.   My Rating: Cable    Ouija Japan Info  Now playing On Demand.

Indiefest: Bergman Island (2021) R  Chris (Vicky Krieps) and Tony (Tim Roth) are an American filmmaking couple who move to Swedish island to each write screenplays. They hope to be inspired by the landscape where famed filmmaker Ingmar Bergman created some of his best works. The couple soon finds out that the lines between reality and fiction have become blurred. This is an interesting film that doesn’t always work. More of a slice of life film combined with a bit of mystery (is the film within the film real or a figment of Chris’s imagination?) than a full-fledged narrative, the film explores the dynamics of a couple whose writing process is exposed to us, while the couple explores the life and meaning of a famous filmmaker. I have never been a fan of Bergman’s films, but I know that his films mean a great deal to his fans and critics worldwide. The film explores what goes into the creative writing process, as the two writers talk about their work, though Chris is more forthcoming about her work than her husband is. The film is a bit frustrating, much like some of Bergman’s films, in that we never get a resolution; we are left with the couple continuing to work and live on the island, and what tensions that have been created, aren’t truly resolved.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Bergman Island Website  Now playing in select theatres and On Demand.

Familyfaire:  Ron’s Gone Wrong (2021) PG   Barney (voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer) is an awkward middle-schooler who just wants to fit in. He is given a Bot, a new walking, talking, digitally connected device meant to be your best friend. The problem is right from the start, Barney’s Bot, named Ron (voiced Zack Galifianakis), is defective. Can Ron and Barney still be friends? This is a fun film that tries too hard to carry the message of self-worth via the internet is bad. I liked the relationship between Barney, a kid who doesn’t fit in with anyone at school and just want’s to be a part of the crowd. He sees his salvation in a Bot, but it turns out the Bot he is given has a lot of problems, making it and Barney not fit into the rest of the kids. Barney learns that friendship is imperfect that not fitting in isn’t a bad thing. I don’t know if there is enough action for really small kids to get into, but I think most kids will enjoy the story and the silly antics of Ron.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee      Ron's Gone Wrong Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Forgotten Film: Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains (1982) R   Corrine Burns (Diane Lane) is still recovering from her mother's death when she is fired from her job on live TV. Using the publicity from that event, she and her band, The Fabulous Stains, get hired to open for a tour of a washed-up glam-rock group and an up-and-coming British punk band. Soon, through outlandish outfits and attitude, the Fabulous Stains become the headliner, but fame can be hard to handle, and Corrine learns that love and fame can be fleeting. Seeing both Diane Lane and Laura Dern as teenagers is worth watching this film alone, but it’s the performance of Ray Winstone, as the leader of the punk band who falls for Corrine, that makes this film worth watching. Plus, the song that his band plays is a darn good punk song, and the best of all the songs are in this film. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains isn’t a great film, but it’s fun watching Lane as the lead singer of a band that shouldn’t be out on the road, much less headlining.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Dune: Sandwalk coordinator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Last Night in Soho (2021) R  Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) is a fashion student in London, living a good life, but she has always dreamed of being alive in the 1960s. Eloise begins dreaming at night about a glamorous wannabe singer named Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy), living the nightlife in 60s Soho. Be careful what you wish for because Eloise’s dreams are about to become dangerous as she uncovers something ugly. I am a big fan of Edgar Wright (Baby Driver, Shaun of the Dead), so I can’t wait to see this film. Add in the fact that Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit), Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit), and Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones, The Avengers), and it makes it one not to miss.   Last Night in Soho Website

Until Next Time!