Scream 7

My View: Scream 7  (2026)  R   In Scream 7, Sidney (Neve Campbell) has retreated to a quiet new town with her daughter, Tatum (Isabel May). But peace shatters when a new Ghostface emerges, targeting Tatum. Now, Sidney must confront a relentless evil that’s closer than ever. The first Scream was a great horror film, with incredible writing and some fun kills that kept you guessing until the end. However, the franchise has gotten progressively worse as it has gone along, including the last couple that just defied any sort of logic, even for horror films. So after Neve got lowballed by the studio and didn’t appear in 6, I had high hopes with her coming back and Kevin Williamson, the writer of the first film, at the helm. I enjoyed the opening of this film, with two idiots visiting the Scream BNB, but after that bit of fun, the film goes downhill fast. The kills are unimaginative; there isn’t any of the Williamson wit in the script, and the movie seemed to go on forever. The film even tries to make Sidney/Neve guilty for not appearing in Scream 6. Really, Kevin? I think it’s time to retire the black gown and the Ghostface mask and move on to something new. My Rating: Cable   Scream 7 Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide

Indiefest:  Pillion  (2025)  R  Pillion follows Colin (Harry Melling), who lives at home with his parents and works as a parking enforcement officer, a job he hates. The only thing he seems to love is singing in a barbershop quartet. One night, while singing with his group in a bar, he meets Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), a man Colin feels is way out of his league, and Ray asks him out. Soon, Colin is swept off his feet by this motorcycle-riding, incredibly handsome man. Just one catch: Ray wants Colin to be his submissive. This is a romantic love story in which we join Colin on his journey into a relationship in which one person dominates the other, and they both enjoy it. What makes this film work is that we are clueless about where this relationship is going, as Colin is, so we see everything, every new experience, through his eyes. And we are often as surprised as he is about where the relationship goes. My favorite scene is very early in the film, when Colin is allowed to visit Ray’s apartment. Nothing is explained to Colin; he must figure it out on his own, and we see where he fits in when Ray sits on the couch and pats the seat next to him. Instead of it meant for Colin, it’s an invitation for Ray’s dog, and Colin is left to stand behind the couch, as we wonder what the heck he has gotten into. The film does a magical job of keeping us as unbalanced as Colin is. In fact, at some point, you go along as Colin does, allowing the film to take you on a ride into a strange love story. The film works because of the chemistry between the two actors, and we get the feeling that Ray will not make Colin do anything he isn’t willing to do. I will warn you that this film shows quite a bit of the sexual nature of this relationship and may not fit everyone’s taste. That being said, I loved this strange, unconventional, heartwarming story with a bit of humor that works thanks to the performances on screen, which feel real. Strange, but real.  My Rating: Full Price  Pillion Website  Now playing in select theaters

My View:  Man on the Run  (2025)  R   Man on the Run is a documentary about Paul McCartney forming his new band, Wings, after the breakup of the Beatles. The film features home videos and photos of Paul and Linda from the band’s formation in the 1970s and its tours through the years. This documentary from Morgan Neville does an outstanding job of showing how difficult it was for McCartney to continue his career after the Beatles. The film is a treasure trove of home movies, recording sessions, and interviews with both Paul and Linda, as well as numerous band members who made up Wings over the years. What surprised me was the songs I had forgotten from those early post-Beatles McCartney albums. Some great, some good, and a few were pretty bad, but it was an artist discovering his voice again without his partner in crime. This is a film not about an ex-Beatle but about an artist finding his way into adulthood and bringing us along for the ride through his music, including his love for Linda. It’s an amazing journey into a life that the world thought it knew but really didn’t.   My View: Full Price   Man on the Run Website     Now playing on Amazon Prime

My View: The Bluff  (2026)  R  The Bluff is set in the 19th-century Caribbean, where former pirate, Ercell “Bloody Mary” Bodden (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) is forced to protect her family from a past that she wishes she could erase when her former captain, Connor (Karl Urban), shows up seeking revenge. I enjoyed this action romp that revisits the pirate motif with lots of action and some rousing fight sequences. Priyanka Chopra Jonas gives the action sequences her all and, after a slow start, is believable as a feared and formidable bloodthirsty pirate. The last third of the film is a blast (no pun intended) as Bloody Mary fights for her family against seemingly overwhelming odds, but she has a few tricks (and bombs) up her sleeve, along with a knife or two.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Bluff Website   Now playing on Amazon Prime

Indiefest:  Dreams  (2025) R  In Dreams, Jennifer (Jessica Chastain) is a powerful American socialite who is in charge of a foundation that supports the arts. She meets Fernando (Isaac Hernandez), an undocumented Mexican ballet dancer, with the idea of helping him get work. Their friendship starts a secret affair that could destroy everything Jennifer has worked for. The film is directed by Michel Franco, known for his award-winning films Heroic (2023), New Order (2020), and After Lucia (2012). I am a big fan of Jessica Chastain, but this is not one of her best. She seems somewhat uncomfortable in the role, and some of the dialogue she is given sounds as if it were written in another language and then poorly translated into English. The film is dull, except for the ballet sequences, and Isaac Hernandez is magnificent in those scenes. However, the rest of the film is filled with Chastain wearing incredible outfits, and that’s about it. The film feels cold, and what little heat it provides is just in those dance sequences.  My Rating: Cable  Dreams Website   Now playing in theaters

Forgotten Film:  Urban Legend  (1998) R  Like the original Scream (1996), this is a film where the victims are very aware of what could happen to them, which makes it all the more fun. It takes place on a college campus where a group of students have taken an Urban Legends class, and then students start dying from being killed like the legends that they learned about. Like Scream, the cast is what makes this film work, with Jared Leto, Tara Reid, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Michael Rosenbaum, Rebecca Gayheart, and Alicia Witt as our heroine who figures out why the killings are happening. Added to the mix is our old horror friend, Robert Englund. While not as good as the original Scream, it's still a fun horror film with some grisly kills and a few twists to keep you guessing. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Urban Legend Info  The film is available to rent on Apple TV+

Weird Credits: From the Credits of The Bluff: Leading Helpers

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Hoppers  (2026) PG  Hoppers takes place after a group of scientists invent a way to “hop” a human mind into a lifelike robot-animal body. Mabel (voiced by Piper Curda), an animal-loving teen, ‘hops’ into a robotic beaver to thwart a construction company from destroying an animal habitat. Mabel discovers that the animal world is full of surprises, including her unwitting role in an animal uprising. The film was inspired by scientists using robotic animals to study their behavior without a human being present.  Hoppers Website  In theaters on Friday, March 6, 2026.

Until Next Time!

Night Swim

My View: Night Swim (2024) PG-13  Ray (Wyatt Russell) and Eve (Kerry Condon), along with their daughter Izzy (Amélie Hoeferle), have just moved into a house with a pool that has been drained and looks in bad shape. They decide to fix the pool, not knowing that something evil is living there, just waiting to come out and play. January is considered the worst month for movies as studios then dump’ films that they don’t think will do well. So we tend to get horror films during January, and occasionally, we get a good one like Me3gan (2023) or Warm Bodies (2013). Unfortunately, Night Swim isn’t one of them. Based on an excellent short film of the same name, this is a film where one great idea can’t be sustained for an entire hour and a half. Ray is a baseball player who has been diagnosed with MS, and his career is over. He and his family fall in love with a house with an abandoned pool in its backyard. They decide to do some repair work on the pool (it turns out it’s spring-fed), and things start out great, including Ray’s MS gets better. It’s a miracle of the pool! Then things go bad, including a lot of near-drownings and a missing cat. I think you can see where this is going. The film throws in some mystical stuff to explain the pool, but the reasons are murky (pun intended), and the film goes from bad to worse. Night Swim is a production of the new combination of Jason Blum’s Blumhouse and James Wan’s Atomic Monster companies, and it’s not worthy of either of them. So maybe stay out of the pool and visit a better horror film from January’s past, like From Dusk to Dawn, Cloverfield, or The Mothman Prophecies.   My Rating: Cable  Night Swim Website   Now playing in theatres.

Indiefest: Memory (2023) R   Memory is about Sylvia (Jessica Chastain), who leads a simple and structured life as a social worker and a mom. She reluctantly attends her high school reunion, and a man named Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) follows her home. Their encounter will affect both of them as they open the door to memories of the past. Memory is a film about two characters: one who wants to forget the past and another who can’t remember it. Sylvia is a damaged woman who is an alcoholic and hasn’t talked to her mother in over 13 years. Saul is a man who is suffering from dementia. Saul can remember some things from the past but has trouble with the present. The two meet unexpectedly, and this chance encounter changes both of their lives. This is a film that only works if you have two strong actors that can make you instantly root for them, and filmmaker Michel Franco (Chronic (2015), New Order (2020)) has chosen two actors in Chastain and Sarsgaard who are more than up to the task. Both give us heartbreaking and profound performances that touch on how memory can make up so much of your personality. Chastain gives a moving rendition of a woman who has had her memory questioned by people close to her, and her character finds solace in a man who lives in the present and not the past. Sarsgaard gives us Saul, a man who, at first, we don’t know what to make of him, but regardless of his failing memory, he is good-hearted. Memory is a film to let wash over you and get to know two people as they get to know each other as best as they can.   My Rating: Full Price  Memory Website   Now playing in theatres.

My View: Good Grief (2023) R  After his mother’s death, Marc (Daniel Levy) jumped into a relationship with an older man and got married. However, that did not last, as his husband unexpectedly died. A year later, Marc takes his two best friends (Ruth Negga and Himesh Patel) on a soul-searching trip to Paris, revealing some hard truths about love and relationships. Good Grief is a film about how grief can dominate you as long as you let it and how relationships are often messy and complicated. This is Daniel Levy’s directorial debut, and it’s a good, though not great, start. The film follows three friends as they go to Paris for a weekend of fun and remembrance. Marc, who after a year is still in shock over the loss of his husband, is determined to put the past away. Sophie (played by the always vivacious Ruth Negga) has just broken up with her boyfriend right after he proposed. Thomas (played by Himesh Patel), who once was Marc’s boyfriend, is convinced he will never find someone to love. The three go to Paris to start anew, but things from the past have a way of rearing up to confront the three, and they will have to work through this before moving on. I liked this film, but I needed a bit of lightness and comedy to break up all the sadness that this film has from almost start to finish. Levy has a nice touch with the camera, letting us get to know the characters and how they react to each other so that we know where they are coming from and where they are going. Hopefully, to a life that is filled with some happiness. Because they need it.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Good Grief Website  Now playing on Netflix.

Indiefest: Society of the Snow (2023) R  In 1972, a Uruguayan rugby team was flying on a chartered flight to Chile when it crashed on a glacier in the heart of the Andes. Only 29 of the 45 passengers survived, and now they find themselves in one of the world’s harshest environments, forced to resort to extreme measures to stay alive. Society of the Snow is not an easy watch, and frankly, I don’t think it will play very well on Netflix, where you can easily quit watching or fast forward through the tough-to-watch parts. This film is an inspiring tale of survival and will; when things are the darkest, we look for support and comfort from our friends to get through. I am not as high on this film as some of my fellow critics. The film takes an ensemble take on telling the story, and it’s sometimes hard to tell who is who. It is more about survival than letting us understand the individual personalities, and we rarely get to know any of the character’s past. The film lags as the first third of the film is just the first few days after the crash, and the film is hampered because, most of the time, the survivors are stuck inside the shell of the plane. Still, this is a remarkable tale of survival and how to accomplish the impossible when the stakes are high. Society of the Snow is probably the best of the three films that have told this story. I think it’s a story that is too hard to tell in a cinema.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee Note: The Academy Awards has put the film on their short list for nomination for the International Feature Film Award.   Society of the Snow Website  Now playing on Netflix.

Indiefest: Anselm (2023) Anselm is a documentary on Anselm Kiefer, one of the greatest contemporary artists in the world. The artist works in different styles and shapes, sometimes in gigantic proportions, to comment on the world and its harsh realities, including fascism and war. Anselm is a film shot in 3-D and being shown in some theatres in that format. Regardless, this is a film you will want to see in theatres to grasp just how large and impressive the artwork of Anselm Kiefer is. Keifer is a man who has a massive warehouse that houses his collection. There is a shot early in the film where there is a shot of the warehouse floor from above, and a painting is being wheeled out. The size of the painting shocked me when the person pushing the item across the floor was dwarfed by the artwork he was moving. Kiefer is not only one of the most successful modern artists (his wealth is as massive as his artwork), but he is also someone who doesn’t mind being controversial, especially on topics such as war and Germany’s Nazi past. Wait until you see his 200-acre farm in France, where he has created artwork consisting of four-story towers and what seems like never-ending tunnels that open into rooms containing his artwork. Anselm is a fascinating look at an artist and his art, both of which are bigger than life.   My Rating: Full Price  Anselm Website  Now playing in theatres.

Indiefest: Monster (2023) PG-13  Saori (Sakura Ando) is a widow trying to bring up her son Minato (Soya Kurokawa). Minato is having a tough time at school, and Saori has noticed that his behavior has changed noticeably in the past weeks. Saori soon learns that Minato’s odd behavior is because of his teacher, who Minato says hit him. We soon realize that there are many sides to the same story. Much like Akira Kurosawa’s film Rashomon, this is a film where we get three separate viewpoints on the same story. One is told from the perspective of the mother of Minato, a woman raising her son by herself because of her husband’s death. She is a loving mother who gets frustrated with how her son’s story of abuse isn’t handled well by the school. The second side of the story is told from the perspective of the teacher, a young man whose life is turned upside down by being accused of bullying a student. Finally, we get the point of view of the student himself, Minato. I loved that this is a mystery that slowly gives us clues along the way, but we don’t get the full story until we see what happened from Minato’s viewpoint. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and loved the last third of the film, which answered all the questions we had from the other two stories. The performances are vibrant and nuanced, with a brilliant performance by Soya Kurokawa as the student who does the accusing. And yes, the title is explained by the film’s end, along with almost all of the mysteries.   My Rating: Full Price  Monster Website   Now playing in theatres.

Forgotten Film: I Know Where I’m Going! (1944)   I love this WWII-era British film from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, known as The Archers (The Red Shoes (1948), A Matter of Life and Death (1946)). Shot to give the British a bit of a lift from the war, this is the story of a young woman on her way to get married to a wealthy man. She is going to be married on a remote island in Scotland. She makes the trip from London and is about to take the last leg of the journey, a short boat ride to the island, but the weather turns bad, and she can’t make it to the island for a few days. There, she meets a navy officer and sparks fly. I Know Where I’m Going! is a fun movie with great chemistry between Wendy Hiller and Roger Livesey. The film has been restored, and the new print is beautiful. This is a film for fans of British romantic comedies of the 40s. It is notable that it utilizes the beautiful scenery of Scotland and two fantastic performances about two characters destined to fall in love.   My Rating: Full Price   I Know Where I'm Going! Info  Available to rent/buy on Amazon.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Night Swim: Creature Rigger

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: How to Have Sex (2023) Three British teenage girls go on a holiday that promises to be filled with drinking, clubbing, and hooking up in what should be the best summer of their lives. Until one of them goes missing. The film has been a massive hit on the film festival circuit, and Mia McKenna-Bruce, as one of the teens, is getting praise for her performance, including winning the Best Lead Performance at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards.  How to Have Sex Movie Info  The film releases into theatres in early February. 

Until Next Time!

The Good Nurse

My View: The Good Nurse (2022) R   Amy (Jessica Chastain) is a single mom who juggles caring for her daughter and working the overnight shift as a nurse in a hospital. She befriends a new nurse, Charlie (Eddie Redmayne), and they are soon fast friends. Amy is hiding a secret, and soon she finds out that Charlie is too. Which secret will come out in the open first? Jessica Chastain plays the nurse you want in your service when you end up in a hospital. Amy is a warm, loving person who tries to learn about her patients' lives and make them as comfortable as possible, even if it means breaking a rule or two. Amy is on the overnight shift, and she soon finds a fellow worker who feels the same way that she does in Charlie, who, in a time of need, offers to help Amy. Charlie seems too good to be true, and then we learn that maybe he is. This film is based on a true story, which makes it much more horrific when we learn about what is going on in this hospital and others in the area. Redmayne is perfect as the soft-spoken Charlie, who seems like a nice guy, but you, as the viewer, feel a bit wary about him, especially how quickly he becomes important in Amy’s life. As usual, Jessica Chastain is remarkable as a woman with a secret that could destroy her life. The Good Nurse is a film that will keep you guessing until the end if our Amy will come out of this story with her life still in one piece.   My Rating: Full Price  The Good Nurse Website  Now available on the Netflix platform.

My View: Run Sweetheart Run (2020) R  Cherie (Ella Balinksa) is excited to go on a blind date set up by her boss. However, her date Ethan (Pilou Asbaek), who seemed perfect at the start, has become a monster and has told Cherie that if she can survive the night, he will forever leave her alone. It’s a night Cherie will never forget if she lives. This is a fun, scary romp of someone trying to escape from the bogeyman from the viewpoint of a woman who isn’t afraid to kick a bit of butt. Ella Balinksa is terrific in the role of Cherie, a single mom who has an idea of what she sees for herself and her daughter. But we get almost from the start that Cherie is dealing with a man’s world, where ride-share drivers can be openly creepy, and bosses can demand that you figure out how to get them out of overbooked situations. Along comes Ethan, who seems like a guy Cherie could enjoy dating until things turn quickly wrong. We get to try, along with Cherie, to learn the rules of this deadly game and how she can escape what seems to be an escapable scenario. While the ending feels a little too easy, I enjoyed this horror/run-for-your-life film with a definite female twist.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Run Sweetheart Run Website  Now available on the Amazon Prime platform.

My View: Call Jane (2022) R  In the 1960s. Joy (Elizabeth Banks) is a married woman with an unwanted pregnancy that endangers her life at a time in America when abortion is illegal. Joy meets a group of suburban women who have created a safe but underground network to give women the help they need. Joy gets the help she needs and then decides to join the other women to help people in need. The problem is this story is based (loosely) on true events, and the film’s story is better told in the HBO documentary The Janes that came out earlier this year. The film decides to center the movie around Joy, an upper-middle-class woman who, before her pregnancy, biggest decision was to have a second drink with her next-door neighbor or if she should start cooking now for her husband and teenage daughter. Joy becomes involved with the Jane organization when she is in need of an abortion. She is told she has a 50/50 chance of surviving the pregnancy due to a heart condition but is turned down by the medical staff (all men) of a hospital for the abortion because it might cause problems for the hospital (sound familiar right about now?). I would have loved for the film to be more focused on the woman who formed this amazing underground group of women who wanted to give women a way to make a decision about a life-altering choice. I wanted more scenes between Banks and Sigourney Weaver, who runs the Jane group. Their interactions are the best part of the film, but instead, we get a lot of Joy’s home life, with a husband who is more concerned about his own job and that his wife has his dinner ready, and a daughter who feels that her mother is spending too much time away from home. The film takes a turn that I did not like (I won’t go into what that turn is) and makes the film more about Joy and less about the amazing group of women who risked everything to keep women safe and given a choice.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Call Jane Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Familyfaire: Wendell & Wild (2022) PG-13   Kat (Lyric Ross) is a 13-year-old orphan living at a boarding school. Little does Kat know that she has a connection to two scheming demon brothers, Wendell (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key) and Wild (Jordan Peele). The two brothers hatch a plan to get Kat to summon them to the land of the living, but they have never met someone like Kat. This is a film that I wanted to love because I so enjoy stop-motion animation, and I admire the filmmaking that Jordan Peele is creating. Unfortunately, even with a standout voice cast and stunning animation, the film is packed with too much storyline, too many characters, and a plot that sometimes comes off the rails. Kids will enjoy the antics of Kat and the two demons but may get a bit bored by the plot. Still, it’s a fun film to watch, especially around Halloween time. I just wish the story had been a little simpler.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee Wendell & Wild Website   Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues (2022) R Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues is a documentary on the life and legacy of the man, the myth, and the legend Louis Armstrong. Armstrong was not only a ground-breaking jazz artist but was America’s first pop star and a cultural ambassador to the world. Most people today know Armstrong from his singing songs like Hello Dolly or What a Wonderful World. That is a shame because Armstrong was one of the greatest jazz trumpet players of all time. To hear other jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Wynton Marsalis not only sing his praise but are out and out astounded by his ability to hit high notes or capture phrases of music that they could only dream of achieving is mind-blowing. An incredibly popular artist who became an icon, his musical talent shines most in this documentary. The film does a magnificent job of giving us insight into the man behind the myth, letting us in behind the curtain through his own recordings of conversations he had in his home and around the world with friends and loved ones. I loved that Louis Armstrong created picture books and decorated his home walls with cutouts of quotes and pictures of his life and the film uses this technique throughout the film to highlight what Louis is saying in his interviews/talks. There is a decisive moment where the legendary actor Ozzie Davis talks about what he thought about Armstrong when Davis was younger and how that changed when he made a film with Louis and saw the man behind the mask that he usually held up to the world. We could all use more of Louis Armstrong, both in his music and his outlook on life and this film helps us discover the joys of his music and life.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues Website  Now playing in theatres and on the Apple TV+ platform.

My View: Prey for the Devil (2022) PG-13 Sister Ann (Jacqueline Byers) is a nun who has been allowed to attend the School of Exorcism at St. Michael The Archangel as an observer. She becomes involved with an exorcism that has her come face to face with a demonic force from her past. This is a pretty ordinary exorcism film with a few ‘jump out of the dark’ moments but overall is rather bland in the scares department. The plot is relatively easy to figure out, and other than seeing a couple of favorite actors of mine in Virginia Madsen and Ben Cross, there wasn’t much to this film. I enjoyed that the church has a high-tech headquarters in Boston to combat the devil. I kind of was hoping Q would pop up and give us a demo of a cross that can shoot holy water over distances. But no, just a nun who wants to be an exorcist and a little girl who has to be a demon.  My Rating: Cable   Prey for the Devil Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Forgotten Film: Pascali’s Island (1988) PG-13  Basil Pascali (Ben Kingsley) is a spy on a small island in 1908. Basil has been on this island writing reports for over 20 years that no one probably reads. He is secretly, or so he thinks, in love with an artist, Lydia (Helen Mirren), who sees men as a way to spice up her life. Basil’s life is turned upside down when an archeologist named Anthony Bowles (Charles Dance) is instantly interested in Lydia. This is one of those films in which you don’t know who to root for, for all the characters in the film have secrets and flaws that make them almost unlikable. Still, we want to stick around and see what happens, especially when an archaeological find could change everyone's lives. This is a masterful performance by Kingsley, who is much happier being behind the scenes, looking on as others lead their lives. He is a man who would rather dream about life than live it.   My Rating: Full Price   Pascali's Island Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues: Detroit Filed Producer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Empire of Light (2022) R Hilary (Olivia Colman) is a troubled woman who is having an affair with the married boss (Colin Firth), who owns the movie theatre she manages. Hilary’s life is changed when a new worker is hired, Stephen (Michael Ward), and they quickly form a bond that will change their lives forever. Written and directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, 1917), cinematography by two-time Oscar winner Roger Deakins and a cast composed of Oscar winners in a movie about the power of film. Yeah, I think I would watch this.   Empire of Light Website  In theatres in early December.

Until Next Time!

Mr. Malcolm's List

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mike's Fearless 2022 Oscar Picks

I am picking who I think will win, not who I think should win. If I think there could be an upset or another winner, I’ll give you that alternate pick. 

Best Picture: CODA       Possible: The Power of the Dog

Directing: Jane Campion - The Power of the Dog

Lead Actress: Jessica Chastain - The Eyes of Tammy Faye     Possible: Penélope Cruz - Parallel Mothers

Lead Actor: Will Smith - King Richard     Possible: Benedict Cumberbatch - The Power of the Dog

Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose - West Side Story

Supporting Actor: Troy Kotsur - CODA  

Adapted Screenplay: Siân Heder - CODA      Possible: Jane Campion - The Power of the Dog

Original Screenplay: Kenneth Branagh - Belfast      Possible: Paul Thomas Anderson - Licorice Pizza  

Animated Feature: Encanto      Possible: The Mitchells vs. The Machines

Documentary Feature: Summer of Soul      Possible: Flee

International Feature: Drive My Car      Possible: The Worst Person in the World

Cinematography: Greig Fraser - Dune     Possible: Ari Wegner - The Power of the Dog

Costume Design: Jenny Beavan - Cruella

Fim Editing: Joe Walker - Dune     Possible: Myron Kerstein,Andrew Weisblum - tick, tick…Boom!

 

Makeup and Hairstyling: Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram, and Justin Raleigh - The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Production Design: Dune

Score: Hans Zimmer - Dune

Original Song: No Time to Die - No TIme to Die     Possible: Dos Oruguitas - Encanto

Sound: Dune

Visual Effects: Dune

Animated Short: Robin Robin

Documentary Short: The Queen of Basketball      Possible: Audible

Live Action Short: The Long Goodbye      Possible: Please Hold

The 355

My View:  The 355  (2022)   PG-13    A top-secret weapon has fallen into the wrong hands, so CIA agent Mace (Jessica Chastain) gathers a group of international spies to help her find and defeat the mercenary that stole the weapon, while a mysterious woman tracks their every movement. First, let me say that I am a massive fan of the women who star in this film. I just wish this was a better film. I especially love Jessica Chastain, who exploded on the scene back in 2011 when it seemed she was in every movie and got two back-to-back Oscar nominations (The Help, Zero Dark Thirty). This is her film, as the film centers around her character and her production company produced the film. Chastain stated that she pitched the movie to the director as a combination of Mission Impossible and James Bond. Unfortunately, it feels a lot like those James Bond films of the 70s, where the plot didn’t always make sense, and characters magically made it to the other side of the world in a matter of hours, decked out with the latest gadgets that could do the impossible. The film tries to do too much with too little of a plot and has a few twists and turns that are surprising at all. I liked the chemistry between Chastain’s CIA agent character, Mace, and Diane Kruger’s German spy, Marie. They play off each other with a sense of humor and grit. Unfortunately, there isn’t any chemistry at all between fellow CIA agents Chastain and Sebastian Stan, who, while on a caper, decide to move their friendship into a romance. The action sequences fall flat as they feel sloppy and are not what this film needs. The film lost me when we are introduced to Chastain’s character Mace, who is supposed to be a badass but looks awkward and unskilled in hand-to-hand combat in the opening fight scene. It’s not the opening that we needed to see. And the film goes downhill from there. Maybe The 355 should have centered more around Diane Kruger’s character, whose back story is much richer, and Kruger looks like she can kick anyone’s butt in a fight.    My Rating: Cable   The 355 Website  The film is playing in theatres nationwide.

Indiefest: A Hero    (2021)  PG-13  Rahim (Amir Jadidi) is in prison because he could not repay a debt. While out on a two-day leave, he comes into some ‘found money,’ and things quickly go out of control. It’s an age-old dilemma; you find some money you desperately need, do you keep it or try to find the rightful owner? That is the start of this film as Rahim has to make that decision. After going back and forth, he decides to find the person who lost the money, and when he does, he returns it. That act of kindness at first works in his favor, but, and I won’t give too much away, his tale of how he found the money becomes a lie that explodes in the face of publicity, and Rahim goes down a rabbit hole he may never come out of. This is another beautiful, complex, and intriguing look at life from filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, who gave us the brilliant Oscar-winning film The Separation. A Hero is a story of a man whose life went downhill when technology destroyed his vocation, and he never recovered from it. A good man who, even when he does the right thing, is punished for it. It’s a tale where there is a fine line between right and wrong, and forgiveness is a hard thing to both get and give. A Hero is a sure bet to be nominated for the International Feature Film category and possibly a few more.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   A Hero Website  Now playing in select theaters and available on the Amazon Prime platform on January 21st.

Indiefest: See for Me    (2021)    Sophie (Skyler Davenport) is a house sitting in a place she has never been before, an isolated vacation home. This could be a problem because Sophie is visually impaired, but with a new app called See For Me and a helpful customer service person, Kelly (Jessica Parker Kennedy), Sophie will do just fine. But Sophie is in danger when three thieves break into the home to rob the place, and now Sophie must depend on Kelly, an Army vet, to survive the home invasion. Bad guys attack an alone blind woman is an old premise, like the 1967 Audrey Hepburn film Wait Until Dark. The difference between that film and a lot of others like it, and this film, is the main character in this film, Sophie, isn’t your usual innocent person. Sophie, we see from the start, when she tries to leave her house without her mother knowing, that Sophie has an attitude and that attitude could get her killed. Skyler Davenport gives us a Sophie who is out for herself and herself alone, willing to push the boundaries to get what she wants. The film has some great twists that I didn’t see coming, and though the ending is a little too easily put together, the film moves at a quick pace, and the action sequences are both thrilling and suspenseful as Sophie, and her See For Me helper Kelly, try to outwit and outrun the thugs who have invaded the home that Sophie is house-sitting.   My Rating: Full Price   See for Me Website  Now playing in select theatres and On Demand.

Indiefest: June Again (2020)   During a short bout of clarity from her dementia, June (Noni Hazlehurst) decides to go on the run. June is on a mission to find a family heirloom, bring her estranged family together, possibly save the family business and maybe even rekindle an old flame. This is about the impact that dementia has not only on the person who suffers from it but also on family and friends as the person they know and love slowly disappears before their eyes. The film explores, much like the Rip van Winkle tale, what would happen if someone came back five years after they left? In this case, June suddenly awakens from her dementia to find that her world has changed drastically, and being the headstrong woman who is used to getting her way, she attempts, in the limited time she has, to make things right again. June will learn that things have changed and that world has kept going on as she slept. Aided by a beautiful and moving performance by Noni Hazlehurst, June Again is a film that will touch you and will make you wonder what you would say to a loved one you have lost, who, through some miracle, would come back for a brief time.    My Rating; Full Price   June Again Website  Now playing in select theatres and On Demand.

Indiefest:   Aware: Glimpses of Consciousness   (2021)   Documentary that explores life's big questions: What is consciousness? Is it in all living beings? And what happens when we die? I wish I had seen this film in the theatre instead of watching a screener on my computer screen as there are countless shots that are breathtakingly beautiful. From scenes in a lush forest to a turtle swimming in the sea to a glorious sunset, the film shows us the world's beauty around us. This film explores the attempt to understand the mind and how not only us but all living things deal with consciousness. All the people featured in the movie have explored the idea of consciousness and how we interact with each other and the world. This is a film that explores the concept of consciousness through different viewpoints. Some of those viewpoints are scientifically based, and others are more about our connection within ourselves and our connection to the physical planet. I loved that many of the people interviewed in this film started out believing in one thing, but as time went on and they explored the idea of consciousness, their thoughts and beliefs changed. I will warn you that in the last ten minutes of the film, there is an animal sacrifice, that while is not shown on camera, is disturbing to watch. I learned a lot about how consciousness works and how we are connected to everything living in this world. We have a long way to understand where we as humans make our place in this world, but this film gives you a lot to think about and is an excellent place to start that exploration.    My Rating: Full Price   Aware: Glimpses of Consciousness Website    Now available On Demand.

Forgotten Film: Blindsight   (2006) PG   Documentary about a team of climbers that take six blind Tibetan teenagers, who have never climbed before, to climb the Lhakpa-Ri peak of Mount Everest. The team is led by blind mountain-climber Erik Weiheenmayer, the first blind person to climb the seven tallest summits in the world. This is a remarkable film about overcoming the odds, but it’s also about how blind people are treated in the world and how they see themselves in it. The cinematography is just mesmerizing, but it's the kids that make this film worth watching. Most have been made to feel like they are not a part of their community, even by their own parents, but Weiheenmayer won’t let these kids quit, believing that they can do anything that they put their minds and wills to.   My Rating: Full Price   Blindsight Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The 355: Crowd Welfare PA

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Batman (2022)   In his second year of fighting crime, the caped crusader, Batman (Robert Pattinson), uncovers corruption in Gotham City that connects to his own family while battling a criminal known as The Riddler for control of his city. With a cast that includes Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, Andy Serkis as Alfred, and Robert Pattinson as the lead character, this is one of the most anticipated films of 2022. The only question is, will The Batman still be released in March or be pushed back due to the continuing COVID crisis.   The Batman Website

Until Next Time!