Tony

My View:  Tony  (2026)  R   In Tony, it’s 1975, and Anthony (Dominic Sessa) hasn’t gotten the writing fellowship he was counting on and has followed a girl from school that he has a crush on, Nancy (Emilia Jones), to the seaside town of Provincetown. With no money and no place to stay, he stumbles upon a restaurant and somehow convinces the chef/owner (Antonio Banderas) to give him a job and a place to stay. Oh, Anthony’s full name. Anthony Bourdain. And this summer will change his life and the culinary world. I am a big fan of the late Anthony Bourdain. I loved his book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, and his travel shows. This is the origin story of how Anthony, or as he calls himself in the film, Tony, got his start in the kitchen. Right from the start, the film uses a quote to show Tony is a selfish, pompous asshole. That’s the reason this film works so well. It’s a film about a man lost in his own selfishness who encounters a group of people, most good, a few not so much, that help Tony find his way in life and how to be a better person. This is a magical performance by Dominic Sessa, who burst onto the scene in one of the best films of 2023, The Holdovers. Sessa captures Bourdain's personality, showing his wit but maybe not the wisdom he showed later in life. Sessa's chemistry with the cast is brilliant, especially in his scenes with Antonio Banderas and Emilia Jones. It’s hard to portray a person whom you don’t like, but Sessa can win us over and root for a guy that sometimes isn’t worth rooting for. It’s a raw story about a boy becoming the man that he is destined to become, all because of the love and support of a family of strange and wonderful people in a small coastal town. We get to see that by the end of the film, Tony is worthy of the name Anthony Bourdain, and we are all the better for it.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Tony Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Mutiny  (2026)  R   Mutiny follows Cole Reed (Jason Statham), whose billionaire industrialist boss is murdered right in front of him, and Cole is set up to take the fall for the murder. Cole goes on the run and uncovers an international conspiracy. I usually have fun with Jason Statham films. The Bee Keeper was a blast to watch. But it's not good when a Steven Seagal film (Under Siege) does Die Hard on a ship better than your film. The problem is that we want Statham to bust some heads and break a lot of bones. Instead, for the most part, we get a Statham character who shoots a lot and fights a lot less. You don’t go to a Statham movie for its plot, and that’s part of the problem: it takes forever for the action scenes to happen. And can you guess what is in one of the shipping containers? I did. And the film has an ending so badly developed that I am pretty sure it was written in about 5 minutes on the back of a script rejection letter. I’ll keep going to Jason Statham films, but you really should miss this one. Book a train or a plane and skip this voyage on the choppy seas.  My Rating: Cable  Mutiny Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Insidious: Out of the Further  (2026)  PG-13  Insidious: Out of the Further is about Gemma (Amelia Eve), a young mother raising her daughter in the house where she grew up. Gemma discovers she can enter The Further and can bring back what lives there to the real world. Once demons realize she has this power, she becomes a target. The sixth installment of the Insidious series, and while the first one was great, I have a request. Please, please stop making these films. Having Lin Shaye show up as Elise Rainier for three minutes (ok, maybe six) doesn’t make this movie part of the series, just like having Stan Lee show up in Princess Diaries 2 doesn’t make it part of the Marvel Universe. The scares are minimal, although getting stuck in a couch fort has some merit, and some attempts at scares are just stupid (i.e., stuff taking place in a dentist chair). The plot was too easy to figure out, and the big reveal was one of those times when the audience goes “duh!” And don’t get me started on the ending. Gemma’s neighbors will not be too happy with her. I’d make a joke out of the Further part of the movie’s title, but this series just isn’t worth the effort. Note: There is a bonus scene after the first portion of credits.  My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me To See It Again    Insidious: Out of the Further Website Now in theaters

Familyfaire: The Magic Faraway Tree  (2026)   PG   The Magic Faraway Tree follows the Thompson family as they move from the city to the country, dreaming of starting a home-grown tomato sauce business. The kids soon discover a magical tree that leads to a group of eccentric inhabitants and a whole new world of fantasy lands. This is a highly enjoyable family film that leans heavily on whimsy and less on a structured plot. But that’s okay because we have a great time following the kids, especially Fran (Billie Gadsdon), who doesn’t talk and is withdrawn, unlike her older sister Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy), who hates the outdoors, and her younger brother Joe (Phoenix Laroche), whose entire world is gaming. The parents (Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy) are fulfilling the dream that they had long ago. Fran is the first to discover that the woods contain magical worlds where you can visit places where candy is plentiful, or wishes are granted. This film is best suited for a younger audience, who will find the antics of the magical tree's inhabitants funny and colorful. The film isn’t Willy Wonka, but it’s not meant to be. It’s a fun, joyful trip to a magical place where kids can turn off their phones and join in, exploring a world made for having a great time. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Magic Faraway Tree Website Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  It Ends  (2025)  R    In It Ends, four friends, out of a late-night drive, discover that the road they are on has turned into a never-ending two-lane ride to hell, where they are surrounded by untold horrors and a drive that may never end. We all know that road trips can mess up even the closest of relationships. What if you were stuck in a car forever? Where if you stopped, bad things would happen, and the road you are on never ends? How would you handle it, and how long before you would give up? That is the premise of this film, which I found completely frustrating to watch. It’s an interesting idea, but I kept thinking it would make a great short film (I saw it at the Atlanta Film Festival), but there isn’t enough story to sustain it as a feature. The film is part horror film, but the scares are few and far between. It’s more a character study of four friends and how each one handles the idea that they will never get off this road or get home. In the end, I didn’t care who would be left or whether they would keep going or give up. I kept hoping they would run out of gas, but only the plot did that.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  It Ends Website Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Late Fame  (2025)   Late Fame follows Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe), a New York mailroom worker whose once-forgotten poetry is suddenly discovered and revered. Ed is invited to meet a group of young creatives, The Enthusiasm Society, including actress Gloria (Greta Lee). This is a movie that, because of the cast, should be better than it is. However, the film feels like it has a story worth telling but just can’t find it. And yes, any film with Willem Dafoe in the lead is still a film worth watching, but I never felt fully invested in the film, knowing how it was going to pan out, and I was right. Greta Lee is fun as the actress who winds men around her little finger, including Ed, but we know from the first meeting that Ed will get infatuated with her, and it will not end well. I could see from the start that the friendship Ed makes with the Enthusiasm Society will be a letdown at some point. Late Fame is a story of how fleeting fame can be and how even the smallest spotlight can light that flame again. Unfortunately for us, that spotlight isn’t bright enough for us to care. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Late Fame Website   Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  Hot Spot  (2026)  R  Hot Spot is set in the near future, where a sentient A.I. rules society. Jan 623 (Andrzej Konopka) is an investigator sent to solve a murder in a refugee camp. He discovers a rebel group led by Rana (Noomi Rapace) that is plotting to overthrow the digital overlord. The more Jan 623 investigates, the more his identity unravels, and his world soon falls apart. This is one of those films where I walked out of the theater going, “What the heck did I just see?” I have no clue what the plot is beyond the first fifteen minutes, and even then, it’s pretty murky. Everyone is hooked up to a sentient A.I., which allows you to talk to people without a phone, and get this, you see executions of rule breakers in the collective hive mind. Fun stuff. I guess it’s a mystery, but I have no clue if that's really right. I’m just guessing because our “hero” is sent to investigate a murder, but I don’t think he ever solves it, or does he? Noomi Rapace is wasted as a leader of a rebellion group, and she seems to have a connection with Jan 623, but over what, I don’t know. As the film goes along, it just gets weirder and weirder, and that’s saying a lot when we see the family pet in the first fifteen minutes that is some kind of giant grub that apparently has teeth. In the theater I saw it in, two people walked out after about 20 minutes, and we hadn’t gotten to the really strange parts. People die, Jan 623 keeps having visions, and Noomi’s character enjoys wearing a veil that covers half her face. Other than that, I’ve got nothing, other than this movie is just out and out weird for weirdness’ sake. I don’t think you will be singing the song that comes at the end of the film as you walk out of the theater wondering, ‘What the heck did I just see?'  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Hot Spot Website  Now playing in select theaters 

Forgotten Film:  Train to Busan  (2016) R   A divorced father (Gong Yoo), more interested in his job than his young daughter (Kim Su-an), takes the morning train to Busan to take her to live with her mother. Unbeknownst to them, a virus has broken out, creating zombies, and one is now on their very train. It’s a journey that may never reach its destination. This is one of the greatest zombie films ever made, and it’s a thrill ride that never lets up once we get on the train. This film contains some of the scariest scenes I have ever seen. What I love about this film is the cast of characters, from the high school baseball team to the evil executive to the couple that is going to have a baby; we have a range of people on the train that we get to know and love (except for the evil executive), wanting them to survive this train of horrors. The zombies are scary, and the choreography of their attacks is mind-blowing. There is a scene near the end of the film that you won’t believe how scary and brilliant it is. The ending delivers a perfect callback to an earlier scene. So get a ticket and hop aboard. Don’t get too comfortable in your seat because it’s going to be a bit bumpy.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Train to Busan 10th Anniversary Website  The film is celebrating its 10th anniversary and is in theaters.    

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Magic Faraway Tree:  Angry Pixie Stunt Double

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  The Dog Stars  (2026)  R   The Dog Stars is set after a devastating pandemic that almost wiped out humanity. The film follows Hig (Jacob Elordi), a former pilot, and Bangley (Josh Brolin), a gun-toting former Marine, as they live on an abandoned air base, constantly on watch for roaming scavengers called Reapers. After hearing a mysterious radio voice, Hig flies his plane past the “safe zone” hoping to find a better life.The film is based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Peter Heller.  The Dog Stars Website  In theaters on Friday, August 28, 2026.

Until Next Time!

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!

Mean Girls

My View: Mean Girls (2024) PG-13   New student Cady (Angourie Rice) has it made! An elite group of popular girls called ‘The Plastics’ has welcomed her into the top of the social situation at her school. The Plastics are ruled by conniving queen bee Regina (Reneé Rapp), and she isn’t someone you want to cross. However, Cady makes a major mistake by falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron (Christopher Briney), and now she finds herself in Regina’s crosshairs. Can Cady survive the wrath of The Plastics and High School? This film suffers from what I call ‘The Broadway Bloat,’ when a musical has too many songs, some of which do absolutely nothing to progress the plot or give character insight. A good example is ‘Sexy,’ which Avantika sings at a Halloween party. It’s just a waste of screen time. The film also does a horrible job of making Renee Rapp stand out. Rapp played Regina in the 2nd year of the Broadway run, and I can see how she would dominate the stage with her presence, but with her two best songs, Someone Gets Hurt and World Burn, Rapp is second to the attempt to make the film look like a TikTok video. Having recently watched the 2004 film, I was stuck on what Tina Fey cut out of the film, including some fun jokes and funny sequences from the original. A perfect example of how badly shot the film is when Cady’s two best friends are watching a horror movie (one of the Friday the 13th films) on Halloween, when Cady, dressed as a zombie bride, walks in on the two. In the original film, Cady’s sudden appearance in the doorway scares them, right out of a horror movie. It’s a funny moment. In this version, the shot is so poorly done that it seems the film, not Cady’s sudden appearance scares the two. I also didn’t like the change of songs that the Plastics sing at the Winter Talent show. I loved in the original film how Cady saves the day by singing Jingle Bell Rock when the music starts skipping because of Gretchen’s stumble, which makes Cady the center of the spotlight and the hero. The song is different in the musical and the impact of what happens misses the mark on elevating Cady in the eyes of the audience. I will say the casting of Jenna Fisher as Cady’s mother was a brilliant move, as Angourie Rice looks and acts so much like Fisher that it’s uncanny. Overall, I came away from the film wanting more. I wanted it to be funnier, the songs to stand out more, and I wanted to go away from the film humming a song or two.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Mean Girls Website Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: The BeeKeeper (2024) R   Clay’s (Jason Statham) world is rocked when his neighbor (Phylicia Rashad) is scammed by a phishing operation, which causes her financial ruin, and she takes her own life. Clay is about to get revenge for his neighbor because they don’t know who they messed with. Clay is a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as ‘Beekeepers.’ I saw three action films this week, and this is the only one that I had fun watching. It’s got all you want from a Statham film. Jason beats up and kills a bunch of bad guys, sometimes in very imaginative ways. Check! Jason is on the side of right vs wrong and he doesn’t care who he is taking on to get retribution. Check! Jason says a few lines commenting on how the over-confident bad guy will die. Check! Things blow up bigger than they should, and maybe even if they shouldn’t. Check! The Beekeeper is what I call a ‘stupid fun’ movie. It knows what it is and has fun with it. Statham, who has made an excellent living doing this kind of part, does his Statham thing and is serious throughout, even in the touching moments (there is one early on to show he has a heart). For a few minutes, I didn’t recognize Josh Hutcherson, who plays the main bad guy as the troubled son of a wealthy person. He is ok in the role, but to make up for that, we have Jeremy Irons chewing up scenery only like Jeremy can, as the bad guy’s head of security slash trouble fixer. Spoiler alert: if this is the box office, I think it will do; I can see this being a Statham series where he rights further wrongs for the weak and defenseless. How about The Beekeeper II: The Sting is back!?   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Beekeeper Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: The Book of Clarence (2023) PG-13  Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) is a hustler whose days may be numbered because he owes money to a local mobster. A mobster who happens to have a sister that Clarence is in love with. Clarence notices his brother is doing well following a local Messiah named Jesus. Clarence claims he is also a Messiah, but soon discovers that life becomes very complicated when dealing with things like God. Like his western film, The Harder They Fall (2021), where he played off the Hollywood westerns of the 40s and 50s, filmmaker Jeymes Samuel takes on the classic Hollywood religious spectacles and gives it his unique spin. The result is a film that is engaging and sometimes hilarious but doesn’t always succeed in what Samuel is trying to do. LaKeith Stanfield is brilliant as Clarence, who is madly in love with local mobster Jedediah’s sister (played by Anna Diop). Clarence owes a lot of money to Jedediah (Eric Kofi-Abrefa) and spends most of his time early on in the film trying to find a way to raise the money while dodging Jedediah and his henchmen. There are some shout-outs to the classic religious films, including a rousing chariot race and a couple of scenes reminiscent of Jesus Christ Superstar. The film explores Christianity, the power of belief, and how we look for messiahs in times of strife. At its heart, the film is a journey of discovery and enlightenment. It just takes a long and winding road to find it.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Book of Clarence Website  Now playing in theatres.

My View: Role Play (2023) R  Emma (Kaley Cuoco) is married to Dave (David Oyelowo), and they have a great life with two kids in the suburbs of New Jersey. Couples sometimes have a secret or two they keep from their loved ones. Emma’s secret is she is an assassin for hire and is wanted for murder…many murders. I am a fan of both Kaley Cuoco and David Oyelowo, so I was looking forward to this film, which looked like it would be a lot of fun—a sexy assassin living a double life as a housewife in the suburbs. The film starts with a nice encounter with a fellow killer, played by the always enjoyable and stylish Bill Nighy, who messes up Emma and Dave’s big night out on the town. Unfortunately, the film goes downhill from there. The film takes too long to reunite the couple once Emma’s cover has been blown and then there isn’t the fun or thrill that the encounter with Nighy’s character gave us. I wanted more of Oyelowo, as the mild-mannered husband, having to help Emma defeat the bad guys, but he mainly just reacts to his continual disbelief that his wife is a killer. Cuoco is fine as the assassin and does well in the action sequences, but the film doesn’t let her comedic talents come out at all. I think the film suffers from a villain, played by Connie Nelson, who doesn’t have the magnetic pull of Nighy’s bad guy from the early portion of the film.   My Rating: Cable  Role Play Website  Now playing on Amazon Prime.

My View: Lift (2024) PG-13   An Interpol agent named Abby (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and her ex-boyfriend Cyrus (Kevin Hart), a renowned art thief, are teaming up to steal 500 million in gold bullion from an evil arms dealer (Jean Reno). The only problem is that they must steal it while transported on a 777-passenger flight. Lift is a film that aspires to be clever but keeps throwing tech stuff at you to show you how brilliant the film’s heroes are. I am not a fan of movies that keep something from you until the end, and this film does a poor job of just doing that. We know the good guys will win in the end, but the build-up takes too long to get there, and I was never clear on the heist’s details to begin with. Kevin Hart tries to play the suave thief who has one weakness: he is in love with the Interpol agent (Mbatha-Raw) who is trying to catch him. The plot is razor thin on how and why the gang has to help Interpol steal the gold and then even thinner when getting an internet billionaire to lend him his fancy jet to do the heist. I am guessing that it’s an inside joke that the ‘master of disguise’ character Denton, played by Vincent D’Onofrio (who seems like he has just woken up from a nap in every scene), has some of the worst disguises in the history of film. Lift is a film that wants to be clever and fun but instead feels as if the writer and director felt as if we keep throwing tech stuff at them, they won’t notice we don’t really have a plan.   My Rating: Cable  Lift Website  Now playing on Netflix.

My View: Self Reliance (2023) R  Tommy (Jake Johnson) is a single guy who, right off the street, is given a chance to win a million dollars on a dark web internet program. He must stay alive for 30 days while a team of assassins try to kill him. His only way to stay alive is that they can only kill him when he is alone. Can he convince someone he just met, a woman named Maddy (Anna Kendrick), to stay with him 24 hours a day for a share of the prize? So if you were single and had a nowhere job, and Andy Samberg pulled up in a limo, invited you inside, and then said you could win a million dollars, would you? Even if it meant that you could die? And so starts Self Reliance, a film that Jake Johnson wrote, directed, and stars in. I wanted to like this movie, but it never pushes the boundaries of comedy or drama far enough into absurdity for it to be interesting for the entire hour and twenty-five minutes. There is a great bit early on when none of his family believes his story, and for most of the film, we go back and forth on whether we think this is real or some psychotic episode that Tommy is having. Adding Maddy into the game mix was a fine addition, but that storyline gets lost when Tommy pushes things too far. I would have loved Anna Kendrick to have gone on some of Tommy’s adventures with him. Kendrick plays off of Johnson well, and she could have helped take the film over the top. Self Reliance has some funny moments, but it could have been more, with an ending feels rushed and dwindles away. I wish the film had gone all out, either darker or more absurd. Overall, I look forward to seeing what Jake Johnson can develop next, just let it go further.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Self Reliance Website  Now playing on Hulu. 

Forgotten Film: It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010) PG-13  Craig (Keir Gilchrist) is a high-school student who is infatuated with his best friend’s girl and can’t focus on his schoolwork. Depressed and suicidal, he checks himself into the psychiatric ward. The juvenile side is full, so he gets stuck in the adult ward, where he makes friends with Bobby (Zach Galifianakis), who takes Craig under his wing. Along the way, Craig meets Noel (Emma Roberts), who just might solve all of his problems, or at least that unrequited crush. The film has a wonderful cast that includes Zoë Kravitz, Jim Gaffigan, Lauren Graham, and Thomas Mann. Gilchrist is perfect in the role of the teen who is cracking under the pressure of high school and high expectations, and Galifianakis is fun as his guide to survive the psych ward. It’s Kind of a Funny Story is a warm-hearted film that didn’t deserve to get lost, and Emma Roberts shows why she was destined for stardom.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  It's Kind of a Funny Story Info  Available to rent/buy on Amazon and Apple TV+.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Mean Girls: Math Consultant

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Madame Web (2024) Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson) is a NYC paramedic who develops clairvoyant powers and repeatedly crosses paths with three young women (Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor). Cassandra realizes these women must be protected at all costs because they are destined to become super-heroes. The film is being promoted as a stand-alone film in the Marvel Universe. I have become a fan of Dakota Johnson after trying to forget those Fifty Shades films, so I look forward to this one.  Madame Web Website   The film will be released on February 14, 2024. 

Until Next Time!

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until Next Time!

Wrath of Man

Note to readers: I currently am not willing to risk my health (I’m 63 and an asthmatic) by visiting a theatre. All films that I have seen for review have been screened in my home. I am not going to tell you whether or not to attend a theatre. Just be aware of the risks, do your research, and follow the instructions to the letter.

My View:  Wrath of Man (2021) R    A man only known as H (Jason Statham) is hired by a delivery company responsible for moving hundreds of millions of dollars around Los Angeles each week. On one such job, H’s truck gets held up at gunpoint, and H handles the robbers alone with advanced combat skills and training. There is more to H than meets the eye. Of course, there is, otherwise it wouldn’t be a Jason Statham film. First, the dialogue is horrible, and there are a few scenes meant to show us how H is a man not to be messed with that are downright laughable, but you don’t go to a Statham movie to see those. You go to see Jason Statham kick butt, and he does it quite a lot. The film can be a little confusing at times, and there is a scene that is the key to the reason H is the way he is, that we see way too many times in flashbacks, but you do get to see H kill a whole lot of bad guys. Up until the final battle, there isn’t a lot of hand-to-hand fighting that H does, which may disappoint Statham fans, as H is more a gunfighter than a fist-fighter. Still, I enjoyed Wrath of Man for what it does well, let Jason Statham be tough, menacing, and kill a whole bunch of people without breaking much of a sweat.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Wrath of Man Website   Now playing in select theaters.

My View: Here Today (2021) PG-13   A veteran comedy writer working on a TV show with a group of writers 50 years younger than he is, Charlie (Billy Crystal) meets New York street singer Emma (Tiffany Haddish), and they form an unlikely friendship. My first problem with the film, like many films before it that try to show the world of comedy, is that the skits that the writers come up with just are not funny, not even close. Charlie has a problem; he is at the start of oncoming dementia. In walks Emma, who he meets a lunch where she has an allergic reaction to something she eats. This is meant to be funny and cute but comes off so heavy-handed that it is painful to watch. Emma becomes friends with Charlie, and the film starts to fall apart when Emma gives up a promising career to take care of Charlie. The film feels too much like Billy Crystal, who directed and co-wrote the film, is patting himself on the back all the time. Emma doesn’t know anything about Charlie initially, but he is quick to tell her about all the famous people he has worked with and shows off all the awards he has won. Haddish tries to save the film, especially when she gets to sing a few numbers, showing off that charisma and talent that we love her for, but Here Today tries way too hard to tug on the heartstrings and the ending is just too sappy to endure.    My Rating: Cable   Here Today Website    Now playing in select theaters.

Indiefest: The Truffle Hunters (2020) PG-13   Documentary about a handful of men in Italy, all between seventy and eighty, that use dogs to hunt the rare and expensive white Alba truffle. This is a sweet and, at times, hilarious film about a group of complex, eccentric characters who love the hunt of finding truffles almost as much as they love the dogs that find the buried treasure. These are men who are a dying breed, who have honor and would rather die than give up where they find their precious bounty. The cinematography is breathtaking, and you haven’t lived until you go on a truffle hunt from the perspective of the truffle sniffing dog. The film at times feels as if you are back in time, with men who would be at home in the 1800s until things like money and greed rear their ugly heads to tell you that you are in the modern world. It’s an occupation that we knew little about where the prize is a delicacy that most of us will never experience, but for a while, we can experience the joy that a dog has in finding that treasure.   My Rating: Full Price    The Truffle Hunters Website     Now playing in select theaters.

Indiefest: Undergods (2020)   In a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world, K (Johann Myers) and Z (Géza Röhrig) roam the streets on the lookout for corpses and something even more valuable — fresh meat. This is a collection of loosely connected tales of a world where things have gotten really bad. A world that is permanently grey, with lives full of sadness and doom, where one false move could get you killed. Where greed and capitalism has taken over everyone's lives, and there seems no hope. I really enjoyed escaping into this world of despair, though I wouldn’t want to stay there. The stories the film tells were all different, but they all had that feeling that things wouldn’t turn out well. Some of the stories told have endings, and others just end, which seems to be a way of life in the Undergods film world.    My Rating: Full Price    Undergods Info   Now playing in select theaters and is available for rent on participating on-demand services.

Indiefest: Queen Marie (2019)   Devastated by the First World War and with a country divided into political controversy, Romania’s only hope is if its Queen (Roxana Lupu) can persuade the world to recognize its unification at the 1919 peace talks. It's hard to make a biopic about a subject where most of the action took place in a meeting room where men make speeches to each other. The storyline is filled with exposition to tell us just what the stakes are and how rare it was that a woman would be sent on such a critical diplomatic mission. The problem with the film is that it takes forever to get to the Paris Peace talks, with lots of speeches given about what will or could happen, and then the final result is so anticlimactic that you wonder if it was worth it. Queen Marie is a dull, slow ride down, a piece of history that is incredibly important to the country of Romania but, on-screen becomes unimportant to us in the movie theatre.   My Rating: Cable   Queen Marie Website   The film is available for rent on participating on-demand services.

My View: Monster (2020)    Steve (Kelvin Harrison, Jr. ) is a brilliant, well-liked film student from Harlem attending an elite high school when he is charged with felony murder. Now Steve is in the battle for his life that, if he loses, could leave him spending the rest of his life in prison. Steve is a high-school student whose favorite movie is Dead Presidents and knows the locations of every movie filmed in New York City. Steve dreams of making movies, and his fate is changed when he meets and befriends a local dealer (ASAP Rocky). Steve has a good life; his parents (Jeffrey Wright, Jennifer Hudson) have given him a loving, stable family home, and he goes to a prestigious high school. But Steve, wanting to experience life on the streets, falls into a friendship with the dealer, and because of that, he becomes a suspect in a murder of a shopkeeper. Kelvin Harrison Jr. gives a strong, poignant performance that can’t quite overcome a script that takes too long to develop and at times feels like an episode of a generic lawyer show on TV. The film gets a little too caught up in Steve’s obsession with filmmaking, making the narrative like it was part of a script Steve has written, filled with shots of Steve always looking through the lens of his camera. Monster is a story about a young man who is being tried by the system before he even gets into the courtroom but gets lost in its storytelling technique and can’t find its way back in what could have been a powerful film.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Monster Website  The film is currently available on the Netflix platform.

Forgotten Film: Candleshoe (1977) G   Candleshoe is a once-stately English manor that has seen better days. It’s the home of Lady St. Edmund (Helen Hayes), and with the help of her butler Priory (David Niven), is a home for orphans. Rumor has it that the manor is the resting place of a fortune in Spanish doubloons that a swashbuckling pirate hid long ago. Bundage (Leo McKern) is a con man who recruits Casey (Jodie Foster) to pose as Lady St. Edmund’s long lost granddaughter so that she can search for the location of the treasure. This is one of those live-action films that Walt Disney did a lot of in the 60s and 70s. It's not a great film, but it sure is fun watching Josie Foster work her magic on the screen, and David Niven has a blast as the butler who puts on disguises to fool Lady St. Edmund that she has a more significant staff to keep her from knowing how badly things have gotten. The film is notable for being the last feature film that legendary actress Helen Hayes was in and also that Jodie Foster turned down the role of Violet in Pretty Baby to make this film (the part then went to Brooke Shields).  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Candleshoe Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Wrath of Man: Balloon Electricians

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Finding You (2021) PG   Finley (Rose Reid), an aspiring violinist, is spending a college semester abroad in a small coastal village in Ireland. There she meets Beckett (Jedidiah Goodacre), a famous young movie star, in town to shoot a movie. Beckett takes the uptight Finley on an adventurous reawakening, and a romance blooms. Unfortunately, life and stardom get in the way. Hey, a romantic film set in Ireland? I’m in!      Finding You Website

Until Next Time!