I Know What You Did Last Summer

My View:  I Know What You Did Last Summer  (2025)  R   In I Know What You Did Last Summer, five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident and decide to cover it up, choosing to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences. A year later, they are confronted by a horrifying truth: someone knows what they did and is out for revenge. The friends discover this has happened before and ask for survivors of the Southport Massacre of 1997 for help. The original 1997 film had a script by Kevin Williamson (Scream, creator of Dawson’s Creek and The Vampire Diaries) and featured a cast that included Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anne Heche, Johnny Galecki, and Freddie Prinze Jr. While not as creative as Scream, it was still a fun movie with a cast that was talented and that knew what they were doing. I can’t say the same for this movie. This version is a re-tread of the original film but without any creativity. We go to these types of films to be scared and for the inventive kills. The only scares in this drab film are the ‘jump out of the dark’ moments, accompanied by loud music to cue us to the scary moment. The killings are unimaginative and poorly done. And don’t get me started on how the accident occurs and why they hide it, which brings down the film from the start. And if you haven’t figured out who the killer is by the first third of the film, you don’t watch a lot of this type of film. The dialogue was terrible (at my screening, some of the lines were laughed at), and none of the cast members had the charisma to carry the film. Fans of the series might enjoy this film, but the rest of us will likely find it a snore. And yes, there is a bonus scene in the middle of the credits, which sets up another film to come, and that one scene was better than the movie that just followed.   My Rating:  Cable  I Know What You Did Last Summer Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View:  Eddington  (2025)  R  Eddington is set in a small town in New Mexico in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) is running for Mayor against incumbent Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal). As the election unfolds, the town descends into chaos, with mask mandates, conspiracy theories, and a sense of society unraveling in the background. I am not a big fan of filmmaker Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar, Beau is Afraid). I feel that too often he goes too far in trying to make a point, and his films have a tendency to start strong but falter in their third act, which ultimately brings down the rest of the film. Eddington is the story of a small town grappling with COVID-19 and the Eddie George killing, featuring a Mayor who advocates for mask-wearing and a Sheriff who refuses to wear a mask and dislikes, maybe even hates, the Mayor. I enjoyed the first half of this film, with a cast of characters that are funny and weird. It’s a war of wills between the Sheriff and the Mayor, and we want to see who will win. Unfortunately, the film falls apart in the second half, shifting from being an amusing black comedy and satire to something that feels directionless—perhaps like a roadrunner cartoon? The film, which starts so smartly, devours itself with absurdity that goes overboard. After viewing Eddington, you realize it did not provide any answers to the questions that were constantly popping up in your mind. That’s disappointing, especially in this day and age when we could all use a few answers. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Eddington Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight  (2024)  R Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight is about 8-year-old Bobo (Lexi Venter), whose family’s Rhodesian farm and their way of life are threatened by the Bush War. This is about a family that is being torn apart at the seams by a country that doesn’t want them and a mother who refuses to leave. Lexi Venter delivers an incredible performance as Bobo, a young girl who rides a motorcycle, smokes cigarettes, and questions everything around her.  It’s a riveting performance by a young actress that carries the whole film on her shoulders. The narrative unfolds through Bobo’s eyes as her beloved country undergoes rapid change, and her way of life hangs in the balance. Embeth Davidtz, who serves as writer and director, provides Venter with a unique voice that highlights the contrast between the mother, an alcoholic refusing to give in, and the father, who recognizes when the battle is lost.   Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight features a groundbreaking performance by a young actress, Lexi Venter, that has to be seen to be believed. Bobo is a character who will win your heart, even as her family's story may break it.  My Rating: Full Price   Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Indiefest:  Sorry, Baby (2025) R  Sorry, Baby takes place over five years following the life of Agnes (Eva Victor), who is trying to put her life back together after a trauma that almost destroyed her. Sorry, Baby is one of those films that you fall in love with almost from the first frame. This film captivates you from the very first frame. Eva Victor has created a remarkable piece for a first-time director, especially one who also stars in it. Sorry, Baby is a film that deals with a horrible situation, but with such a deft touch that you come away feeling good about the character surviving, especially since she mentions dying a lot. It’s a film that tackles a sensitive subject with humor and compassion. Some scenes will make you cry, and others will make you laugh, and that’s to the credit of Eva Victor, who gives us a performance and a character who is witty, resilient, and warm-hearted, whose sense of humor comes out, sometimes at the strangest times. Additionally, Sorry, Baby highlights the importance of friendships in overcoming difficult times. This is a remarkable film that you won’t want to end, as you’ll find yourself wishing to continue Agnes's journey alongside her friends. You know she will keep moving forward, fighting the good fight, and striving to live fully. Sorry, Baby is definitely destined to be among my this year's top five films directed by a first-time filmmaker.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Sorry, Baby Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Boy (2011) Note: This is my review from 2011 and is a film that I talk about all the time, telling everyone to see this film:   Boy, an 11-year-old, who lives in Waihau Bay, New Zealand with his younger brother, Rocky (who thinks he has superpowers), and his grandmother, is obsessed with Michael Jackson. His mother died giving birth to Rocky, and Boy spends a good deal of his day thinking about what his long-lost father is doing.  Is he a spy, a famous rugby player, or maybe a brilliant artist?  Boy’s world is changed when his father suddenly shows up, and he must come to grips with the realization that his father will never live up to the image he created of him over the years.  The director (who also stars as Boy’s father), Taika Waititi, gives us a wonderful world of interesting characters, where Boy’s fantasies about his father come to life, and cartoon drawings illustrate what Rocky thinks is going to happen when he applies his imagined superpowers. It’s no wonder that this film won the Audience Award at the American Film Institute Festival in 2010. My Rating:  Full Price  Boy Info  The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of I Know What You Did Last Summer:  Marine assistant

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Naked Gun (2025) I am just going to quote the press release for the film: “Only one man has the particular set of skills... to lead Police Squad and save the world! Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. follows in his father’s footsteps.”  The movie stars Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr., and the supporting cast comprises Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder, and Kevin Durand.  The Naked Gun Website The movie will be in theaters on Friday, August 1, 2025.

Until Next Time!

Joker: Folie à Deux

My View:  Joker: Folie à Deux   (2024)  R  In Joker: Folie à Deux, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), the failed comedian, has caused a lot of trouble and has been put away in the Arkham State Hospital. There, he meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga), and they soon embark on a journey of mayhem and romance. Joker: Folie à Deux is a musical by a director, Todd Phillips, who doesn’t like musicals. I say this because all the musical numbers are shot so flatly and without flash that it feels as if there wasn’t a lot of thought put into them. Joaquin (who we know can sing from his Oscar-nominated performance as Johnny Cash in Walk the Line) sings like a man who, even in fantasy sequences, hasn’t found his voice yet. Even the fantastic Lady Gaga sings some of her songs like an amateur at a high school talent show. The tone of the film is set with an opening animation cartoon where The Joker is about to go on stage and is beaten up and thrown in a closet by his shadow, who then assaults a bunch of people and then goes away when Joker is arrested and beat up by police for the crime. Phillips has created a sequel that is almost a hate letter to the fans of his first Joker film, as for most of the film, the Joker part of Arthur is held in check, only coming a few times, mostly during the trial portion of the film. The first film centered around madness and its ability to take over a person and feed on the chaos they create. This film is about trying to control that madness while letting someone else take control. We first see this with how he is subversive with both the guards, especially the main one (played by Brendan Gleeson) and his lawyer (played by Catherine Keener). Then Arthur meets Harley, who wants to be the girlfriend of the Joker, and tries everything she can to bring him to the forefront. This is a frustrating film to watch because there is a good story in there somewhere; maybe if the musical numbers had been more over the top, more fantasy-looking and sounding than they were on screen. Joker: Folie à Deux is a film that feels like the filmmaker is thumbing his nose at all the fans of the first film. One of the hallmark scenes of the first Joker is the incredible shot of Joker dancing down the vast amount of stairs while a Gary Glitter song is blasting. Take a look at the movie poster for this film. It’s a scene on those same steps with Harley and Joker dancing together. That scene never makes it into the movie. See what I mean, thumbing his nose at us.  My Rating: Cable  Joker: Folie a Deux Website   Now playing in theaters, including IMAX.

My View:  Hold Your Breath  (2024)  R  Hold Your Breath takes place in 1930s Oklahoma amid the region’s horrific dust storms. An evil presence named The Grey Man is killing people, and one mother (Sarah Paulson) is determined to stop him from killing her two daughters. This is another of a long line of films recently that have wasted the talents of their leads, this time Sarah Paulson. The film fails to elicit the necessary chills, as it takes an incredibly long time to establish the final third of the movie when things finally come to a head. The film tells too many stories instead of focusing on the feeling of helplessness and fright that is a combination of isolation, loss of loved ones, and the constant threat of blinding dust storms. I think this film would have worked better if it had been a more conventional horror film, then a film where a troubled mother falls into a hole of madness that she has trouble climbing out of. The bogeyman that is promised is never delivered, and instead, we get a tale that provides few chills and even less suspense than it should have.  My Rating: Cable  Hold Your Breath Website  Now playing on the Hulu platform.

Indiefest:  The Outrun  (2024)  R  In The Outrun, Rona (Saoirse Ronan) is a troubled young woman whose life in London was filled with alcohol and mayhem. To get sober, she travels back home to Scotland’s Orkney Islands, hoping that she can find something to bring her peace in its wild beauty and isolation. Once again, Saoirse Ronan proves she is one of the finest young actors in film today. She puts the film on her back and leads us down a very bumpy road to sobriety and appreciation for finding joy in small things you can anchor to. The film gives us flashbacks to how, because of her drinking, she pushed away everyone who loved her and how Rona figures out that she needs isolation to come to terms with her addiction. The film brilliantly lets us see the island’s beauty; even when the weather is brutal, there is still something to admire and find joy in, like recording the howling wind on a bitterly cold night. Even in the flashbacks, we have hope for Rona, and Ronan lets us see glimpses of hope, something that she can build on when she is on the island. The Outrun is a powerful film about learning to love the small things in life and finding hope in the beauty of the world around us.   My Rating: Full Price  The Outrun Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Monster Summer  (2024)  PG-13  Monster Summer is about Noah (Mason Thames) and his friends, who are ready for a big summer of fun on Martha’s Vineyard, but their plans are disrupted when some kids they know are suddenly turned into almost lifeless zombies. Noah seeks the assistance of a retired police detective (Mel Gibson) to embark on a harrowing journey to save their beloved vacation spot. Monster Summer is a fun adventure film for both kids and adults, with a nostalgic feel for the 70s and 80s films that featured ordinary kids taking on supernatural beings. Monster Summer might be the only recent movie with Mel Gibson that is a kid’s film, so at least we have that. The scares aren’t too bad (except near the end) for young kids and adults will enjoy a plot that moves along. It’s a pretty simple film that gives us a little mystery for Noah and his friends to solve, with help from a police detective with his own scary reputation.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Monster Summer Website  Now playing in theaters.

Indiefest:  ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor!  (2024)  Casa Bonita is a Mexican restaurant in Denver that was started in the late 70s as a place where families could come for a meal and get lost in all that there was to do, including puppet shows, live performances, Mariachi bands, caves, and cliff divers. It was even featured in an episode of South Park. It turns out the co-creator of South Park, Trey Parker spent many a birthday inside this magical restaurant described as Colorado’s own little bit of Disneyland. Trey and his South Park partner, Matt Stone, discover that the restaurant has fallen on hard times and is being auctioned off. Stone and Parker successfully bid on getting the restaurant and that’s when the story becomes interesting because the two had no idea how much money and time they would have to put into this Denver cultural icon to bring it back to its glory days. I am reminded of a line from the 1986 film The Money Pit, where the Hanks character says: 'Here lies Walter Fielding. He bought a house, and it killed him.' Like that movie, the restaurant the two South Park guys want to save becomes a massive money pit, where every crook and corner of the massive place has hidden problems, like right out of a South Park episode, where things seem to blow up in their faces. I had a great time watching this film, as the two go from being heroes in Denver for saving the restaurant to thinking about giving up on the dream and letting the place die. As you would expect, there are plenty of laughs as the guys tend to deal with problems using their sense of humor when things look bleak. How could you not like a documentary that weaves in South Park flashbacks and scenes from the obscure Elvis Presley film Fun in Acapulco while Trey Parker goes on an extended riff on how the puppet show should be R-rated? Even if you aren’t a South Park fan, you will fall in love with this quirky Mexican restaurant and the people who love it.  My Rating: Full Price Casa Bonita Info   Now playing on the Paramount+ platform.

My View:  Apartment 7A  (2024) R  Terry (Julia Garner) is a young dancer living her dream of being in a musical on the stage when during a performance, she shatters her ankle and is now suffering in pain every time she tries to dance. Terry loses her apartment, is hooked on painkillers, and after a grueling audition that she once again fails, she passes outside an apartment complex. A middle-aged couple (Dianne Wiest and Kevin McNally) rescues her, who not only nurse her back to health but give her an apartment just down from theirs to live in while she tries to get back into the game. Soon, she discovers that this nice couple have connections that keep giving Terry hope until she discovers dark forces are making those good things happen for Terry. Apartment 7A is a prequel to the 1968 horror classic Rosemary’s Baby, giving us a look into what happened before Rosemary and Guy moved into this same apartment building. That film was shocking for its time with some terrifying scenes, written and directed by Roman Polanski, and was bolstered by outstanding performances by Mia Farrow and Ruth Gordon (who won an Oscar for the role of the next-door busybody neighbor Minnie). It’s a film that is still scaring people to this day. Unfortunately, this film doesn’t. Even with three-time Emmy-winning (Ozark) actress Julia Garner and Dianne Wiest in the Ruth Gorden part, the film fails to have any of the suspense and horror that the original film did so well. The pace of the film is incredibly slow, and unlike Mia Farrow’s character in the 68 film, Terry seems to accept just about everything that she is given, even when things seem way out of the ordinary. What little bits of horror that do show up are poorly done with little effect and create very little foreboding that should be ever present in this tale. The ending is predictable (how could it not be), making this film seem like a poor attempt to jump on the coattails of a classic, and like Terry’s accident in the first part of the film, it suffers from a lame (pun intended) plot. My Rating: Cable  Apartment 7A Info  Now playing on the Paramount+ platform.

My View:  White Bird  (2023)  PG-13  After being kicked out of one school for being a bully, Julian (Bryce Gheisar) is having trouble fitting in at his new school. His grandmother, Grand-mere Sara (Helen Mirren), tells Julian how she, a young Jewish girl, was hidden by a family in a French village during World War II. She tells Julian how a boy she made fun of and bullied became her savior and best friend. White Bird is a sequel to the 2017 film Wonder. We find out what happened to Julian, the bully of that story. It turns out that Julian didn’t learn much from his interactions with Auggie and his Grand-mere decides he is in need of a story. The story is a pretty conventional one, with the Nazis taking over the town and Sara (Ariella Glaser) is saved by the heroics of a young man named Julian (Orlando Schwerdt). Julian was always being picked on at school because of a severe limp caused by polio, and even Sara looked down on him. Through Julian, Sara learns about kindness and how to be more concerned about her fellow man. Glaser and Schwerdt work well together on screen, and they make the simple plot more impactful. The film is also helped by Helen Mirren’s narration and by a subdued Gillian Anderson playing Julian’s mother. The film doesn't go too much into the horrors of the Nazis or the Holocaust, making it suitable for young adults to watch. It's a tale that tries a little too hard to hit the heart strings, but is propelled along by strong performances by the two leads. If you haven't already figured it out, present-day Julian was named after Julian from WWII. My Rating: Bargain Matinee   White Bird Website   Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  A Different Man  (2024)  R  In A Different Man, Edward (Sebastian Stan) is a man with neurofibromatosis, a condition that causes facial tumors that make his face almost unrecognizable. Edward is barely making a living as an actor in corporate videos and dreams of someday impressing his neighbor (Renate Reinsve). Edward’s life is about to change when he is given the opportunity to undergo facial reconstructive surgery that will transform his face. Be careful of what you dream of! This black comedy is about getting what you wished for and then realizing that maybe you were the problem and that nothing has really changed. Edward is a miserable man who hides from others on the subway and doesn't even complain about the leak coming from his ceiling that is growing day by day. Edward gets a miracle treatment and almost overnight, becomes a good-looking guy with a well paying job and even gets the girl of his dreams. That is until Oswald (Adam Pearson) shows up in Edward’s life, and though Oswald also has the neurofibromatosis condition, he is everything that Edward, even the new Edward, isn’t. Oswald is sophisticated in manner and dress, comfortable in any situation, the life of the party, and everyone loves him. Slowly, Edward sees the life he wanted, and it’s Oswald’s. Adam Pearson, an actor who has neurofibromatosis, is brilliant as the cock-sure Oswald, who takes over every room he is in and is the man that Edward always dreamed of being. Pearson is magical on screen who brings depth and meaning to the storyline, with a flair that makes you see why everyone in the movie thinks he is someone they want to be around. Things go from bad to worse for Edward, and we know it wasn’t a bad hand that life had dealt Edward; it’s just that he didn’t know what to do with the cards.  My Rating: Full Price  A Different Man Website  Now playing in theaters.

Forgotten Film:  Martha Marcy May Marlene  (2011)  R Elizabeth Olsen (yes, she is the sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley) stars in the title role, as a woman who suddenly shows up on her sister’s doorstep after she was missing for two years.  The reunion, though, is difficult and forced as Martha is hiding secrets, and her deception starts tearing apart the sisters. We discover, in flashbacks, that Martha lived in a cult led by a charismatic man (played by the very creepy John Hawkes). This is a dark film, and you won’t always be able to decipher reality and what is just happening in Martha’s mind. Olsen is amazing. Her appearance changes when she exhibits a remarkable range of emotions as the film progresses, and she gets pulled deeper and deeper into the cult. Hawkes is perfect as the cult leader who never uses physical violence to meld his members. His control is all accomplished with a calm, quiet demeanor that is far scarier. Olsen is almost certain to get an Oscar nomination in this interesting study of a cult mind. When I wrote this review in 2011, I predicted Olsen would get an Oscar nomination. Unfortunately, she didn’t get that nomination, but she received a bunch of critic awards. I am still astounded that she is the sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again  Martha Marcy May Marlene Info  The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Joker: Folie à Deux:  Vintage Camera Operators

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Red One  (2024)  PG-13 After Santa Claus (J. K. Simmons), aka Red One, is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) teams up with the world’s greatest bounty hunter (Chris Evans) to find Saint Nick and save Christmas. This looks like a lot of fun with a very in-shape Santa, a talking polar bear, Bonnie Hunt as Mrs. Claus, Lucy Lui, giant warrior snowmen, and a Krampus who loves to fight. The film opens in theatres on November 15th.  Red One Website

 

                                                                        Until Next Time!

Napoleon

My View: Napoleon (2023) R Napoleon tells the personal story of Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix), his origins, and his swift and ruthless climb to emperor viewed through the relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). I will tell you right off the bat that this probably isn’t the film you think it is. You will be disappointed if you are expecting huge two-and-a-half hours of sweeping cinema. This is an up-close and personal film about a man who thought he was bigger than life but was also full of doubts, especially about his wife’s love for him. I am going to say something that might shock you. Napoleon is a comedy. Ok, it’s really a comedy/drama, but there is a lot of humor in the film, with director Ridley Scott making the ‘Little General’ the butt of many a joke. It’s a strange mixture of drama, comedy, and glorious battle sequences. It’s a film that doesn’t always work, but when it does, it packs a wallop. I have always enjoyed Joaquin Phoenix on the screen, and his Napoleon is an interesting take. A man who seems destined for greatness, or is he? Napoleon, at times, seems to let things happen to him instead of being the driving force you would expect. I loved Vanessa Kirby as the temptress Josephine, who knows from their first meeting (Napoleon can barely talk) that she has her hooks in him, and he is powerless to deny her anything. Napoleon is a film that seems to be all over the place, and sometimes it fails. Is it worth seeing? Yes, but don’t expect to be swept away by the spectacle. And by the way, spoiler alert, it doesn’t end well.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Napoleon Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Familyfaire: Wish (2023) PG A young girl named Asha (voiced by Ariana DeBose) worries that an evil force will take over her kingdom. When she wishes upon a star, her plea is answered by a boundless ball of energy called Star (Alan Tudyk). Together with her talking goat, Valentino (voiced by Alan Tudyk), Asha and Star will work to save their world and defeat evil. This is a movie that only huge Disney fans will love. Wish contains more easter eggs for fans to look for that sometimes it throws them out to keep people from figuring out that the storyline is incredibly weak. I was disappointed by the animation, as the film feels from the start full of dull and faded animated scenes that never bring any wonder or amazement. There isn’t a song that stands out in the film, even with the talents of Ariana DeBose singing them. This is a film that feels like it needed a few more rewrites, maybe to find more of a heart to move the film along. I did like Ariana DeBose as the wide-eyed young girl who realizes that perhaps the magic she has been led to believe in her whole life isn’t so magical after all. And Chris Pine as the villain is fun and does an admirable job singing his songs. But the film lacks that big number that we all want, and though the Star is adorable, that only goes so far when that creature can’t talk. Overall, Wish was a disappointing movie that kids might enjoy, but I think parents will be bored, and I don’t see anyone going out to buy this soundtrack. Disney needs to quit returning to the past and give us something new. And hopefully, with better songs.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Wish Website   Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Saltburn (2023) R Oliver (Barry Keoghan) has struggled to fit into Oxford University. Oliver is drawn into the world of charming and aristocratic fellow student Felix (Jacob Elordi). Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer on his eccentric family’s sprawling estate. It’s a summer that will change everything. Barry Keoghan is one of the great young actors working today, and Saltburn shows us he can carry the lead. This film is full of twists and turns, and I will warn you, there are some incredibly shocking scenes. So much so that I thought one audience member I saw the film with would throw up. It’s a very clever film about people who think they are far smarter than the rest of us and let us know it. I had a blast watching the cast, including the amazing Rosamund Pike as Felix’s loopy mother, who can easily be misled by killing her with kindness and compliments. Saltburn is a wild film that quickly turns from a fish-out-of-water movie to one of intrigue and one-up-man-ship. It’s a story about a young man who starts as someone who wants to belong. You will have to watch to see just how well he does at doing that. My Rating: Full Price  Saltburn Website  Now playing in theatres.

Familyfaire: Leo (2023) PG  Leo is an animated film about a lizard named Leo (voiced by Adam Sandler) and his best friend, Squirtle the Turtle (voiced by Bill Barr), who live in a terrarium in a Florida elementary school classroom. All Leo wants to do is escape and see the world. The school’s students have a different idea for Leo, for him to be their best friend. I am not a big fan of Adam Sandler because, too many times, he goes for the easy laugh or the feeble attempt at comedy. Unfortunately, that’s this film. It’s a movie with a beautiful message that will be lost because the film has too many nonsense songs that drag the film down. Must every character sing a song? Apparently, in this film, the answer is yes. The film, I think, is meant to be a film for kids to teach them about friendship and how to be nice to each other. However, the message gets lost in all the fart jokes and the extended attempts at humor at the expense of parents. The humor sometimes gets too gross or crude for me to think this is a kids’ movie, but then it turns and gets sweet with a great message. That message is hard to find between a million songs and jokes about a missing lizard tail.   My Rating: Cable  Leo Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (2023) PG  All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt is the decades-long exploration of a woman’s life in Mississippi as she experiences the world through generations of people, places, and the moments that shape us. This is a film to see in the theatre. If you try to see it at home on a computer or even on your TV, the film will be lost on you because it is a film you have to commit to wholly. Otherwise, you will get bored and move on to other things. All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt is a film that jumps back and forth in time as we follow Mack from childhood to motherhood and back again. The film’s characters are constantly immersing themselves (and us) in the world of nature. This is a film full of small gestures, like a touch on a back or hand reaching into a river, and then it lets the camera linger on that movement. Faces in the film are paramount, and we are constantly looking into the face of someone while they are experiencing life. The movie is full of love. Love of life, of family, and nature. It’s about learning about life and trying new things. The film explores how a simple touch can be simple, and it can be everything.   My Rating: Full Price  All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt Website  Now playing in theatres. 

Indiefest:  Dream Scenario (2023) R   Paul (Nicolas Cage) is a family man who teaches at a local college. Nothing is unusual until Paul appears in people's dreams, usually just in the background. He becomes an overnight celebrity and enjoys the attention until his appearance in the dreams becomes more pronounced, sometimes violent and disturbing. Paul's newfound fame has now become a burden. The question is, how to stop his appearances in everyone's dreams? Nicolas Cage is a blast to watch in this strange film that deals with celebrity in the age of the internet. The film deals with instant celebrities, ad agencies, cancel culture, and how quickly the public can build someone up and then tear them down. I enjoyed the first half of the film, with Cage playing a college professor who is a person who you would try to avoid at a party or not invite at all. Paul is the type of guy who thinks he knows everything and lets you know it, always spouting knowledge that people rarely care about. Then, he appears in everyone's dreams and becomes a celebrity. Then things go bad, and Paul's life literally becomes a nightmare. The film peters out in the end with a third act that needs a rewrite and doesn't match the inventiveness of the film's first half. However, Dream Scenario is worth watching because Nicolas Cage nails it as a sad sack of a guy who wants to be liked and publish his book. Even if he hasn't even started writing it yet. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Dream Scenario Website  Now playing in theatres. 

Forgotten Film: The Hidden (1987) R There is a criminal who has committed a series of increasingly violent crimes. The criminal commits these crimes with almost no regard for his own safety. A cop, Tom (Michael Nouri), is assigned to help an FBI agent named Lloyd (Kyle MacLachlan) track this killer down. Tom soon realizes that there is something strange about Lloyd, and as they work together, things get very weird; the killer is taking the shapes and bodies of different people to commit further crimes. The Hidden is a thrilling crime drama with some sci-fi thrown in. MacLachlan is excellent as the strange FBI agent who is hiding something from the rest of the world. While not a great film, The Hidden a lot of fun to watch, and the storyline goes along at a fast pace.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Available to rent or buy online.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Wish: Chicken Ensemble 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Ferrari (2023) R In 1957, Enzo Ferrari’s (Adam Driver) auto empire is in trouble, and all that he and his wife Laura (Penélope Cruz) built in the last ten years is about to crumble. Enzo decides to bet it all on winning one race, the 1,000-mile trek across Italy, the iconic Mille Miglia. Directed by Michael Mann (Manhunter, The Last of the Mohicans, Heat), who has been trying to make this film for over ten years (both Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman were attached to the movie at one time). Race cars, Italy, and Penélope Cruz! I’m in.  Ferrari Website  Will be released on Christmas Day.

Until Next Time!

Joker

My View:  Joker  (2019) R   The origin story of The Joker, one of Batman’s most evil combatants. Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a man who just wants to make the world smile but instead, he is a man disregarded and looked down upon by society. No matter how hard Arthur tries he ultimately cannot deny the evil that is lurking deep inside him. Joaquin Phoenix gives an absorbing and spellbinding performance that will probably get him an Oscar nomination, but I just don’t think he will win because he is let down by a film that is too long, takes way to long to set up the Joker character and when the Joker does appear, is not all that threatening from other men and women that have killed on the screen. It is hard to believe that this man, Arthur Fleck, becomes one of the most feared criminals in the DC Universe and a villain that many times almost destroys the mighty Batman. Overall, in spite of Phoenix’s mesmerizing take, I found the film dull and in no way, shocking. This is a film that is going to divide critics, and I am on the side that this film just didn’t work. Note: Unlike a lot of comic book films, this film is not for children and the hard R is warranted for language and very real violence.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee

Indiefest: Always in Season (2019)  Seventeen-year-old Lennon Lacy was found hanging from a swing set in a small rural North Carolina town in 2014. This documentary explores the search by his mother for the truth of how her son died while also exploring the history of lynching in America. This heartbreaking film that shows that the sins of the past are the sins of the present. The film uses this modern-day lynching and others, to highlight that these horrible crimes have a deep-seated history in the South, and that justice still turns a blind eye to its continual happening. This is a tough film to watch and will make you sick to your stomach, but it’s a subject that needs to come out of the past and be dealt with. My Rating: Full Price

Indiefest:   First Love (2019)   A young boxer, Leo (Masataka Kubota) loses a fight he was sure he would win, and this triggers a chain of events that involve drug dealers, and a double-cross. Complicating things is a call girl addict (Sakurako Konishi) that Leo must protect with his life. This film has just about everything that you would want in an action film. There is the Yakuza fighting the Chinese mob, there is a female assassin, a drug deal gone wrong, a one-armed hit man, samurai swords, car chases, and a shoot-out in a warehouse that almost takes a scorecard to keep track of all the participants. On top of all this violence, there is a sweet, gentle romance going on between a woman who has been sold to the mob to settle a debt and a boxer who thinks his life is over. I thoroughly enjoyed this wild ride of a film that has touches of Quentin Tarantino mixed in with classic Japanese mob films.   My Rating: Full Price   First Love Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Spider-Man: Far From Home  (2019)  PG-13  Peter (Tom Holand) just wants to enjoy his school trip to Europe but Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) has other plans for Spider-Man. I loved this movie, especially the comedic tones that this film uses to bring across Peter’s reaction to things. I enjoyed the action sequences and felt that they were fun to watch. What this makes this film is Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio, who gives a commanding performance. Be sure to stay through all the credits due to two bonus scenes that set up the next film in the series. My Rating: Full Price 

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Jexi (2019) R   Phil (Adam Devine) has no friends, a dead-end job and his love life is just wishful dreams. His life changes when he gets a new phone that has an A.I. life coach named Jexi (voiced by Rose Byrne) that helps Phil get his life in order. When things start going good for Phil, he begins ignoring the phone, and that’s when his life becomes a nightmare as the A.I. is determined to keep Phil at all costs. Watching the trailer of this comedy, I didn’t laugh once. 

Forgotten Film: Speak (2004) PG-13  Melinda (Kristen Stewart) is a popular high-school student until, at an end-of-summer party, she calls the cops and a number of her fellow students are arrested for under-age drinking. After that, Melinda is ostracized by her fellow students as no one in school will even acknowledge her existence. Melinda decides to stop speaking; to her parents, her teachers and especially, her fellow students. Soon the reason why Melinda called the cops will come out, and it will change everyone’s opinion of her. Stewart gives a compelling performance in her first leading role, and she is more than up for this role. Stewart is aided by Elizabeth Perkins, as Melinda’s mother who desperately wants to help her daughter and Steve Zahn, who as Melinda’s art teacher tries to figure out why Melinda has gone silent. Speak is a film to check out now that we know that Kristan Stewart is more than just that ‘Twilight girl.’  My Rating: Full Price

Weird Credits: From the credits of Joker: Prosthetic Renaissance Lab Supervisor

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Little Monsters (2019) R Dave (Alexander England) decides to accompany his nephew on a school trip, with Dave sets his sights on one of the teachers, Miss Caroline (Lupita Nyong’o). Everything seems normal until a Zombie outbreak happens and now Dave, Caroline and Teddy McGiggle (Josh Gad) must use every resource, including a guitar to ward off the Zombies and save the school children. You had me at Zombies and Oscar winner Lupita Nuong’o.

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Taken 3

My View: Taken 3 (2015)  PG-13  My View: Taken 3 (2015) Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is accused of a crime he did not commit. As a determined lawman (Forest Whitaker) attempts to capture Bryan, he must use his special skills to track down and get revenge on the men who have caused him so much pain. Can we just stop making these films? The plot is plain stupid, the dialogue is even worse, and don’t get me started on the ending that just doesn’t make sense. For fans of the first film, this will be a big disappointment. The action sequences are too few and far between, and the film takes forever to get going. There is one plus - Maggie Grace, as the daughter, does not scream her head off like in the second film. As Neeson says in the first film, “Quickly now, quickly. There is no time.” Yeah, hopefully for you there isn’t any time to go see this one. My Rating: Cable   My Rating: Cable   Taken 3 Website

Indiefest: Inherent Vice (2014)  R   Larry (Doc) Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) is a private investigator in Los Angles in the 1970’s. He is asked to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend. He will soon regret taking the job, though, as it’s a tangled web of lies and deceptions that he encounters.  I felt that there were some great performances in the film, especially Phoenix and Josh Brolin, who plays a police detective who terrorizes Doc, but I also think the movie was let down by the script. You need some sort of lineup card to figure out all the characters who are quickly introduced in the first part of the film. There are some funny parts, but that doesn’t overcome the plot that just doesn’t make sense most of the time. I will say this, there is as much reefer smoking in this film as in any Cheech and Chong movie.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Inherent Vice Website

Indiefest: Predestination (2014)  R   A time-traveling law enforcement officer (Ethan Hawke) goes after the one bad guy who has eluded him all these years - the infamous terrorist known as the “Fizzle Bomber.” During his travels, the officer encounters a man (Sarah Snook) who has a significant tale to tell. I loved this film. It’s quirky and contains so many twists and turns that you will not see the ending coming. Hawke is perfect in the role, and Sarah Snook is a real revelation in a dual role, bringing a complex and complicated role to it full potential. If you like mysteries combined with a little Sci-Fi, then this film is for you.  My Rating : Full Price  Predestination Facebook page

Indiefest: The World Made Straight (2014)  R  In 1970’s Western North Carolina, Travis (Jeremy Irvine) is just trying to survive in a world of drug dealers and an abusive father. Travis meets Leonard (Noah Wyle), a mild-mannered drug dealer who has an interest in the Civil War. Leonard decides to take Travis under his wing to try to show the boy how to be a man. This reminded me of the 2010 film Winter’s Bone. Both are films about mountain people who do desperate things to survive. Irving is perfect as the bad boy you want to root for. Wyle does a satisfying job as the knowledgeable Leonard. The reason to watch this film is Steve Earle, who plays the bad guy in the film. Earle as a kind of mountain man mafia king, is brilliant, bringing a menacing tone to  each of his scenes.  Earle (a singer /songwriter in real life) sings a haunting ballad that sticks with you long after the movie is over.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The World Made Straight Website

Forgotten Film: Bringing Out the Dead (1999) R   Nicolas Cage plays Frank, a burned-out NYC paramedic, who is haunted by the patients he failed to save. Martin Scorsese directed this film that takes place over three nights. His savior just might be Mary (Patricia Arquette) who is an angry ex-junkie who meets Frank when he attempts to save her father’s life. This is one of the better Nicolas Cage performances giving insight to a man who is a very tortured soul.  My Rating: Full Price    Bringing Out the Dead Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Taken 3: voice actor

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Spare Parts (2015) Based on a true story, the film is about four Hispanic high-school students who go up against MIT in a robot building championship. Marisa Tomei, Jamie Lee Curtis, and George Lopez play the teachers who try to inspire the students.  Spare Parts info

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The Legend of Hercules

My View:  The Legend of Hercules  (2014)  PG-13  Hercules (Kellan Lutz) is betrayed by his stepfather, the King Amphitryon (Scott Adkins) and is sold into slavery.  Now, he must use his strength to fight his way back to the woman he loves and extract his revenge.  This is one big mess of a film.  It reminded me of my youth when on Saturday afternoons I used to watch the bad Italian Hercules films.  The acting in this film is horrible (it was shot in Bulgaria and I think most of the actors don't speak English), including the lead, Kellan Lutz, who has trouble just get out one line.  There were times that I had no idea what he said, not that it would matter because the plot makes no sense what so ever.  The ending of the film so confusing that I think I need some sort of chart to figure out what happened.  Let's hope that The Rock's Hercules film that comes out later this year is a better film. By the way, if you insist on seeing this dud of a film, same some money, the 3-D isn't worth it.   My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  The Legend of Hercules Website

Indiefest:  Her  (2014)  R  Set in the near future, a depressed writer, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), can’t get over his soon-to-be-final divorce.  Stuck in a rut, he decides to enhance his life and install a new operating system on his home computer that has been advertised to meet his every need.  The OS system has a name, and it’s Samantha (Scarlett Johansson).  Can a man fall in love with his computer?  This film was one of my favorites from last year and made my top ten films of 2013.  Scarlett Johansson is brilliant in a role where you only hear her voice, as she never appears on screen.  Her chemistry with Joaquin Phoenix is perfect, and they play off of each other extremely well.  Phoenix gives one of his better performances, making us like Theodore.  A character played by anybody else would have come off needy and pitiful, but with Phoenix’s grace and charm, the character comes off likeable and someone you want to root for.  This is a film that makes you think about relationships and if someone could ultimately fall for a computer.  I know I did.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again  Her Website   

Indiefest:  August: Osage County  (2014)  R  Three sisters (Julia Roberts, Juliette Lewis, and Julianne Nicholson) are called back home when it’s discovered their father (Sam Shepard) has gone missing.  Now they must confront the one person that they have been avoiding all these years, their mother (Meryl Streep).  This film is part drama, part black comedy as there are some funny scenes in this film.  It’s a film filled with characters who have very sharp edges and are forced to live together in a very small space.  There are very few characters you will like in this film, as most are harboring some sort of personal grudge or strife that keeps causing friction between the family members.  Meryl Streep is exceptional in the role of the pill-popping, say anything that comes into her head mother.  Julia Roberts plays against her normal type of role and is almost equally unlikeable, especially on how she deals with her estranged husband and daughter.  This is a film that exposes a family who has deep personal problems, most of which will never be fixed, especially not in the span of two hours.  It’s a film that is difficult to watch, not because it is bad, but because the problems that this family is experiencing are so painful.  My Rating:  Full Price  August: Osage County Website

Forgotten Film:  F/X  (1986)  R  Rollie (Bryan Brown) is  one of the best special effects men in the movie business. The government goes to Rollie to stage the death of a mob informant to make it look like the informant dies to be successfully put into the witness protection program.  When the gig goes bad,  Rollie finds out that corrupt government agents are working with the mob and are going to try and kill him.  Now Rollie must use his special effects knowledge to defeat the bad guys and put them behind bars.  This is a fun film to watch where you get to see how special effects used to be done before the present age of computers and special effects software.  Brown is the perfect “good guy” for the role, and he seems to be having as much fun as the audience does when it watches this film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  F/X Info

In Case You Missed It (A film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)    The first Insidious film was a clever horror film that didn’t go for the cheap scare.  Unfortunately, you can’t say that about this sequel. This film is just a rehash of the first with a plot that is way too easy to figure out, leaving us with very few chills and thrills.  My Rating:  Cable  http://www.insidiousch2.com/  

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Her (2013);  Armpit sex drawing

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Lego Movie (2014) PG Brought to you by the guys that brought you Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009), this is an animated film about an ordinary LEGO mini-figure who gets mistaken for a “Masterbuilder," someone who has the power to defeat a super villain from gluing all the Lego blocks together.  The Lego Movie Website

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