Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

My View: Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu  (2026)  PG-13  Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu follows Din Djarin/The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice Grogu after the fall of the Galactic Empire. As the remaining warlords threaten the galaxy, the New Republic enlists Din Djarin and Grogu to rescue Rotta the Hutt in exchange for information on a New Republic target. If you are an avid watcher of the Mandalorian TV series, then you will enjoy this film. If you are a Star Wars fan but know little about the Mandalorian series, you will enjoy the Easter Eggs that are rampant in this film. If you are a child, regardless of whether or not you are a Star Wars fan, you will enjoy this film because of all the monsters that show up, with a lot of them fighting each other. If you aren’t a viewer of the series, I am guessing you won’t think much of this film, other than that Grogu is cute and there sure are a lot of ugly monsters. This film is much like the series; it’s enjoyable, but other than the relationship between the Mandalorian and Grogu, there’s not much there. The film feels very much like two or three episodes of the series being patched together. Fans of Pedro Pascal who have never seen the series will be disappointed to learn that, for most of the film, he wears a helmet (there is a reason for it, very poorly explained in this film). Grogu is damn cute and fun to watch, but cuteness only gets you so far in an overly long film that exceeds two hours. I liked the film, but I am a fan of the series, though I was disappointed by how little they let Sigourney Weaver on-screen. And yes, Martin Scorsese voices a very funny character of a food vendor that the Mandalorian keeps coming back to, buying information off the multi-armed cook. I enjoyed the airborne battles and the monster fights, but the film doesn’t bring much to the Star Wars canon and is way too long to rest on the little wrinkled guy’s shoulders.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Mandalorian and Grogu Website   Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View: Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War  (2026) R  In Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War, Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) has been out of the game for a few years and is enjoying life as a civilian. He is then asked to rejoin the team and complete one last job for his country. Jack reunites with his team to stop a renegade Black Ops team that seems to know every one of Jack’s team’s moves. And that’s because they were once the good guys. I will admit that I have never watched the John Krasinski series, but I have seen all the theatrical films based on the Jack Ryan character and read a couple of the early books. So I know enough about our hero that I could walk into this by-the-numbers action film and have a reasonably fun time. I like Krasinski in the role, giving Jack a bit more of a sense of humor than the performances of Alec Baldwin or Harrison Ford gave the role. The film also does a good job of letting us in on Jack's relationships with his CIA pals. And I had fun with the new addition to the cast in Sienna Miller’s tough-as-nails, cynical MI6 agent who figures out quickly how to trigger Jack’s buttons. The film doesn’t take many chances but does plug along with a few twists and turns, and I wish I could have seen it on the big screen for the big car chase, which is exciting on the streets of London. Is it worth a watch on the Amazon streamer? Sure. Did it make me want to go back and watch the series? No, but hey, if Krasinski gets the idea to make another one, I’ll watch it.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War Website  Now on the Amazon Prime platform

Indiefest:  I Love Boosters  (2026)   R  In I Love Boosters, an “outlaw trio” of shoplifters (Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige) target a high-end designer (Demi Moore), aiming to make fashion accessible by stealing her clothes and reselling them at lower prices, calling it “fashion-forward philanthropy.” I really liked Boots Riley’s first film, Sorry to Bother You, which I described as a “one-of-a-kind film that starts out being funny, then turns into a weird sci-fi film that you never quite know where it will end up.” I can say the same thing for this film, with the exception that I didn’t find it very funny at all. I may be the exception to the rule, because at the sold-out closing night of the Atlanta Film Festival, the crowd was on the floor laughing at almost everything in this very strange film that wants to be a commentary on class warfare, consumerism, and how the fashion industry is bloated and self-important. The film is all over the place and keeps you guessing where it is going to go (I quit trying to figure that out about a third of the way in). The film is off the chain weird and doesn’t bother with much of a plotline, but bounces around using fantasy, sci-fi, and even a bit of horror to keep the audience from knowing where the heck it is going next. I am not a big fan of avant-garde filmmaking, and this film was just too weird for me to find it funny or enjoyable. But as I saw with the ATLFF audience, your mileage may vary, and consider this a blast to watch. There is a bonus scene after the final credits that is worth sticking around for.  My Rating: Cable  I Love Boosters Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Passenger  (2026)  R  Passenger follows a couple (Jacob Scipio and Lou Llobell) on a road trip who witness a deadly accident. They soon realize that they did not leave the crash scene alone. A demonic presence that is impossible to outrun follows the couple wherever they go. This is a film that could have used a few more drafts, as the cast is let down by a script that can’t sustain the thrills throughout. The film is a play on the old wives’ tale that says never stop for an accident at night. The film has a few good scares, but doesn’t live up to the excellent opening sequence (most of which can be seen in the trailer). I think one of the problems is that we just don’t care enough about the couple to bring up the stakes of the film. A couple of scenes stand out. One takes place in a nighttime parking lot where every time Maddie turns her back on their van, it gets further away. And there is a cool scene using a movie projector out in the woods. However, most of the scares are the usual ‘jump out of the dark’ type, and we never truly get a reason why the “passenger” picks the couple or what its mission is. My first clue that there was a problem with this film was that the couple constantly brought up PBS staple Bob Ross. I guess this film didn’t have enough “happy little trees.”  My Rating: Cable   Passenger Website  Now playing in theaters

Forgotten Film: El Mariachi  (1992) R   The film that launched Robert Rodriguez’s career is a blueprint for anyone shooting on a shoestring budget. Rodriquez wrote the script while in a two-week stay at a facility testing drugs on willing participants. The film is about a young Mariachi singer who stumbles into a town looking for work and is mistaken for a hitman. A mob boss has put out a hit on a man in black with a guitar case, and our hero is now in deep trouble. The film is action-packed and has the typical Rodriguez humor in spots to keep the movie moving. The film, shot for around 7,000 dollars, puts many action films of the 80s and 90s to shame, with a hero to root for and action sequences that work incredibly well. Rodriguez directed a sequel to the film, Desperado (1995), starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, in which the mariachi returns to the town to finish what he started.   My Rating: Full Price  El Mariachi Info  Available to rent on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Mandalorian and Grogu: Unreal Engine Support

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Masters of the Universe  (2026) PG-13  In Masters of the Universe, a boy named Prince Adam was sent to Earth for his own safety. Two decades later, the young man (Nicholas Galitzine) discovers the mythical Sword of Power and is suddenly transported to Eternia, where he must unite with his allies to defeat Skeletor. The all-star cast includes Jared Leto as Skeletor, Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, James Purefoy as King Randor, Morena Baccarin as the Sorceress, Camila Mendes as Teela, and Kristen Wiig as the voice of Roboto.  Masters of the Universe Website  The film will be released nationwide on Friday, June 5, 2026.

Until Next Time!

IF

My View:  IF  (2024)  PG  Bea (Cailey Fleming) has gone through some tough times but has discovered a secret power: She can see everyone’s imaginary friends. With help from Cal (Ryan Reynolds), Bea embarks on a magical journey to reconnect forgotten ‘IFs’ with their long-lost kids. I was excited for this film. John Krasinski has given us a funny family film in The Hollars (2016), a great horror film in A Quiet Place (2018), and a good, if not quite great, follow-up film in A Quiet Place Part II (2020). So I had high hopes for this film, especially hearing that he had lined up a stellar voice cast for the Imaginary Friends, including Steve Carell, Louis Gossett Jr., Phoebe Waller-Bridge, George Clooney, Awkwafina, Bradley Cooper, Matt Damon, and more. Unfortunately, a stellar cast can’t overcome a script that doesn’t know who its audience is and a cast of animated characters that no kid in his right mind would have as an imaginary friend. IF is a film that young kids will be bored with, and the only IF character they will enjoy is Blue, a giant fuzzy purple muppet-like monster voiced by Steve Carell. Pre-teen girls may enjoy this film since the main character is Bea (played by Cailey Fleming), a twelve-year-old who has to have grown up fast, losing her mother to cancer and now her father (played by John Krasinski) and is about to go in for heart surgery. So Bea starts seeing the imaginary friends and decides to help Cal (Ryan Reynolds), who lives in her grandmother’s apartment building, find the IF gang, their long-lost kids who have grown up and forgotten them. First, it’s a little creepy that a twelve-year-old is hanging out with a grown man who doesn’t seem to have a job and sees the same IF characters she does. Then half of the IF characters are just strange, like an ice cube in a glass of water or a bubble that pops when excited. What kid would come up with these as their imaginary friends? If you hoped this would be a Toy Story or The Lego Movie, this isn’t it. Despite a spirited performance by Cailey Fleming, including a rousing musical number to a Tina Turner classic, the film falls flat and never hits the heartstrings as it should. IF isn’t a bad film, just disappointing. Be sure to stay through the credits for a lovely tribute to the late Louis Gossett Jr.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee IF Website Now playing in theatres. 

My View:  Back to Black  (2024)  R  Back to Black tells the story of the life and music of Amy Winehouse (Marisa Abela), who went from unknown singer to Grammy-winning best-selling artist. Amy burned bright, but that light died much too soon. I was not a fan of Amy Winehouse until I saw the Oscar-winning documentary Amy, and then I fell in love with Amy and her music. Now we get a bio-pic on her life, told from Amy’s point of view. I will say that Marisa Abela does a fantastic job of singing Amy’s songs, though I thought her midrange was a little off, but no one can do vocals like Amy could. We see why Amy got involved with Blake (played by Jack O’Connell), that man that she fell madly in love with and is the person who got Amy into drugs (though she was already an alcoholic by the time she met him). The film shows how thunderstruck she was by Blake and how he was the love of her life (as evident in her many songs about their relationship). I had trouble with how the film showed Amy’s relationship with her father (played by Eddie Marsan). The film whitewashes their relationship and shows how he was her hero and great supporter, which is not something I remember from the documentary about her life. Marisa Abela does an admirable job of portraying Amy. Still, it’s hard to capture the stage presence and charisma of Amy, and I never felt the power that Amy Winehouse had over her audience through her voice and mannerisms. I was heartbroken by the end of the documentary, but I didn’t have that same feeling at the end of this film. I loved the music but wanted more from this film, never connecting with the character that Abela was performing. Unlike Amy’s songs, this film felt lacking in any connection with the audience. And that’s too bad because Amy deserves more.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Back to Black Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  The Strangers: Chapter 1  (2024)  R  The Strangers: Chapter 1 takes place when Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and her boyfriend, Ryan (Froy Gutierrez), are on a road trip in the Pacific Northwest. Along the way, their car breaks down, forcing them to spend the night in an isolated Airbnb. Maya and Ryan are about to be visited by three masked strangers. This is a remake of the 2008 film The Strangers, written and directed by Bryan Bertino, with Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler starring. The original was a very cool and scary horror film that made horror fans squeal with delight as they were scared out of their seats. Unfortunately, this version isn’t. One of the great things about the first film was that there were a lot of scares, which were the kind that you questioned if you saw that or not. Not so in this film, which bases all its scares on ‘jump out of the dark scares’ that make the film feel very repetitive. The original was just that, original. This ‘Chapter 1’ just feels like a badly done copy. If you do make it to the end, stay through the first part of credits for a bonus scene that sets up ‘Chapter 2.’   My Rating: Cable  The Strangers: Chapter 1 Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Power  (2024)  R  The documentary Power explores policing in modern American society, as its grown, originally to contain threats to social order to exploding in scope and scale. I saw this film at the 2024 Atlanta Film Festival and was riveted by a film that commands your attention from the start and brings up points that make you sad and infuriated simultaneously. This is a history lesson on how we have let police departments become militarized and given almost complete carte blanche to do anything they want, including trample on people’s rights. This is a documentary that raises a lot of questions that are direct from the headlines of today’s papers, including the right to protest without the threat of violence by police. To the film’s credit, it brings in a lot of experts to discuss and give us background into both the history of police departments and how they are set up today. This is a film that doesn’t give answers but opens the door to invite discussion and challenge what is happening in today’s America.   My Rating: Full Price  Power Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Sorry I Missed it (A film that has been out a while, and I’m just now seeing it):  Downtown Owl  (2023) R  Julia (Lily Rabe) moves from a big city to Owl, North Dakota, in 1984 to teach high school for just a semester while her husband is finishing up his doctorate. The town she has moved to would make any soap opera on TV weep with shame. The reason to see this film is Lily Rabe, as the woman who has moved to nowhere and must start her life over again, surrounded by people who know everyone’s business. Rabe is hilarious as a fish out of water, unhappy in her life and wanting more, but will this small town give her what she craves? The film is aided by an outstanding supporting cast, including Vanessa Hudgens as the town floozy who is stuck re-living her high school memories, Henry Golding as a cowboy that Julia develops a crush on, Finn Wittrock as the high school football coach who is having an affair with one of his students and Ed Harris as the one person in town who seems sane. The film meanders a bit in the middle and sometimes tries a little too hard at being strange, but the film has a sweet and funny core that makes you want to root for Julia. By the way, the film has a wonderful music track that includes a few of my favorite Elvis Costello songs.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Downtown Owl Info  Now available for rent on streaming services.

Forgotten Film: Alamo Bay  (1985) R  A fishing community on the Gulf of Mexico is torn when Vietnamese immigrants move into the area and begin fishing for shrimp, threatening the local fishermen’s way of life with the possibility of overfishing and taking away their livelihood. One of the leaders of the Texas fishermen is Shang (Ed Harris), a troubled Vietnam vet who is barely hanging on. Shang has an unhappy home life and is having an affair with Glory (Amy Madigan). To complicate things further, Glory’s father is the one who is supplying the boats to the newcomers. Directed by Louis Malle (Pretty Baby, Atlantic City) and written by Alice Arlen (Silkwood), the film works when it focuses on the relationship between Glory and Shang, buoyed by outstanding performances by Harris and Madigan. The film begins to fall apart a bit near the end when the KKK comes to town, and the ending is disappointing. But it’s worth a watch to see two actors work together so well on the screen.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Alamo Bay Info  Now available to rent on streaming services.

Weird Credits: From the credits of IF:  Lens Mapping Grip Operator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  It Ends With Us  (2024)  R  Lily (Blake Lively) has overcome a traumatic childhood and has moved to Boston to open her flower shop. There, she meets the man of her dreams, a neurosurgeon, Kyle (Justin Baldoni), and falls in love. However, she starts seeing a pattern in Kyle that brings up the mistakes of her childhood. Then Atlas (Brandon Sklenar), Lily’s first love, reenters her life and Lily will have to rely on her own strength to make some tough decisions. Based on the best-selling book by Colleen Hoover and starring Blake Lively, this could be a hit.  It Ends with Us Website  The film is scheduled to be released in early August.

Challengers

My View: Challengers (2024) R   Challengers tells the story of Tashi (Zendaya), who was a tennis prodigy about to set the tennis world on fire before she suffered a devastating injury she couldn’t recover from. Now, years later, she is a coach and married to a former champion (Mike Faist) who is on a losing streak, and the question is how far Tashi is willing to go to get him back on his winning streak with her husbands best friend (Josh O’Conner). Challengers is a movie that appears to focus on sexual relationships, but actually revolves around who has the upper hand and how they can maintain it. This is a film that has so many twists and turns that you almost become dizzy as the three leads vie to land that winning serve, only to have someone else return the serve just as hard. If Zendaya wasn’t a lead in a film before this, she is now. Zendaya is breathtaking as a woman who was at the top of her game, only to have it taken away in an instant, and now is playing through her husband (and he’s not dominating as he should be). It’s a powerful performance that gives you chills it’s so good. I hope this film isn’t being released too early for Academy Award members to forget about this performance because it deserves to be nominated. This is a film in which you will not like any of the characters (ok, maybe the daughter), and you will still be enthralled by all the head games that are being played (keep an eye out for a certain t-shirt that makes a few appearances as an example). For a film that is based on sex, there isn’t a lot in it, which surprised me. Instead, this is about three people who act as they are caring but inside they are all out for themselves. How fragile they are when the stakes are so high, and all the participants are there to win. So take a few practice swings with your racquet and be sure to do some stretching because you will need to be warmed up and limber to handle this film.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Challengers Website Now playing theaters nationwide

Indiefest: We Grown Now (2023) PG  We Grown Now is set in 1992 Chicago, where a mother named Dolores (Jurnee Smollett) is raising her 12-year-old son Malik (Blake Cameron James) in one of the most crime-infested parts of the city. Malik must grow up fast, but he has help from his best friend Eric (Gian Knight Ramirez) and his grandmother Anita (S. Epatha Merkerson). Dolores will have to make some tough choices if Malik is going to survive in this environment. We Grown Now is a beautiful and moving film about friendship, family, and how children see the world in a different light from adults. First, the performances of the two best friends are magical and, at times, a little breathtaking. We Grown Now is their film as we see what is happening to their neighborhood through their eyes. From the ever presence of violence to the clamping down of the rights of the people who live in the housing community, the world of these kids is filled with danger and the feeling of being almost caged by their surroundings. The two kids try to stay positive and hopeful, even taking a day to skip school and go on an adventure to an art museum because they are bored at school. I can’t tell you how much I loved this film, going on adventures with Malik and Eric while knowing that their parents are dealing with some tough times and hard choices that will affect their children’s future. We Grown Now is a film that is full of kids being kids, but like life itself, it's also about injustice and heartbreak. The kind of heartbreak that won't leave you. So, join the two best friends and maybe join in when they do some shouting from time to time.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again We Grown Now Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Indiefest: Boy Kills World (2023) R  Boy (Bill Skarsgård) saw his family murdered, and he was rendered deaf and mute. Since then, Boy has been training with one mission: to kill the person responsible, Hilda Van Der Koy (Famke Janssen), the evil leader of a televised game of survival called The Culling. They saw Boy coming, but could they stop him? When I saw the trailer for this film, I thought, ‘This will be a fun ride.’ However, sometimes the trailers are better than the actual film; in this case, this is one of them. Fans of tight combat will enjoy the plethora of fights in this film. And Mr. Bill Skarsgård does a fine job as an action hero. But, the film never can find the story it wants to tell, relying too much on lame jokes and over-active camera moves during the fight sequences. The plot twists of the film are excessive, as the script assumes it's more clever than it actually is. Boy Kills World loses steam about halfway through and never quite recovers. Anyway, can we go back to that trailer?   My Rating: Cable  Boy Kills World Website    Now playing in theatres. 

Forgotten Film: Conversations with Other Women (2005)  R   A man (Aaron Eckhart) and a woman (Helena Bonham Carter) start flirting with each other at a wedding reception. They are getting along so well that they decide to carry the conversation to a hotel room. They will soon learn about each other and may have known each other when they were younger. While some reviewers have compared this film to the Before Sunrise/Sunset films, this is very different because the whole movie is shot on a split screen. Sometimes, it’s just to show the two reacting to things simultaneously, but it also gives us the characters’ perspectives on what is being said or what they thought was said. This is a film to watch for the performances, and Carter and Eckhart are brilliant in this film, where the characters go from flirty to serious in a matter of minutes and then back again. Conversations with Other Women is one of those films you will want to talk to someone about after seeing it.   My Rating: Full Price  Conversations with Other Women Info   The film is available on multiple streaming platforms. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Boy Kills World: Second Unit Sparks

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: IF   (2024)     Bea (Cailey Fleming) has gone through some tough times but has discovered a secret power: She can see everyone’s imaginary friends. With help from Cal (Ryan Reynolds), Bea embarks on a magical journey to reconnect forgotten ‘IFs’ with their long-lost kids. Written and directed by John Krasinski and with a voice cast that includes Steve Carell, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Jon Stewart, Awkwafina, and more, this will surely be a film that people will want to see. The film releases on Friday, May 17th.

Until Next Time!

A Quiet Place

My View:  A Quiet Place  (2018)  PG-13  A family of four is forced to live in silence while hiding from horrible creatures that hunt by sound. John Krasinski, who co-wrote the script and directed the film, has brought us one of the best horror films of the past ten years. The film is almost a silent film, as the family mostly communicates with sign language. Krasinski builds the tension throughout, making it far scarier than most jump-out-of-the-dark horror films. I loved the camera work in this movie, as it’s always giving us exciting angles and continually moving. The creatures in the movie are horrific and scary. The whole cast, which includes Krasinski's wife, Emily Blunt, Noah Jupe, Millicent Simmonds and Cade Woodward, are brilliant in this film, with Blunt and Simmonds standing out. At my screening, the crowd was quiet, and one person told me that they didn’t eat their popcorn because they were scared the creatures would get them. Don’t miss out on this unique movie going experience.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again     A Quiet Place Website

My View:  Blockers  (2018)  R  Three parents (John Cena, Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz) will do anything to try to stop their teens from having sex on prom night. The trailer for this film did not do it justice. Now, be warned.  Seth Rogan is one of the producers of this movie, and it’s very raunchy, but man, is it funny. There was almost nonstop laughter in the screening that I went to. People, including myself, were laughing so hard, you couldn’t hear some of the lines. John Cena is priceless in his portrayal of the father with a heart of gold. I loved the three young actresses who played the daughters, with Grealdine Viswanathan giving a winning performance as the jock who wants to lose her virginity. There is a sequence in the film that was so funny, I thought the person behind me was going to explode as they were laughing so hard.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Blockers Website

Indiefest:  1945  (2017)  In 1945, two mysterious strangers arrive in a small Hungarian village. The townspeople think that the strangers are there to take back the buildings they took when the Jewish inhabitants were seized by the Germans to the concentration camps. This film is all about guilt and how each townsperson handles it. As the two strangers slowly move through the town, the tension builds as the town worries that these men are going to claim what was once theirs. It’s a powerful film that doesn’t answer the question of what they are doing in the town until the end of the film.    My Rating:  Full Price   1945 Website

Forgotten Film:  The Hit  (1984)  Willie (Terence Stamp) is an ex-gangster living in Spain because he ratted out his former associates. Two British hitmen (Tim Roth, John Hurt) kidnap Willie to take him back to Paris for execution. On the trip, everything that can go wrong, does. Stamp is mesmerizing, and the dialogue between his character and the two hit men is some of the best of the 80s. This is more of a character study than an action film, but it’s worth checking out.  My Rating: Full Price    The Hit Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of A Quiet Place:  American Sign Language Coach

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  I Feel Pretty  (2018)  A woman (Amy Schumer) who works in a crappy job and is insecure, has an accident and hits her head. When she awakens, she believes she is the most beautiful and capable woman on the planet. She begins to live her life to the fullest and fearlessly. I love Amy Schumer and the trailer is hilarious.    I Feel Pretty Website

Until Next Time!

Bridget Jones's Baby

My View:  Bridget Jones’s Baby  (2016) R  Bridget (Renee Zellweger) is 43 and single again after breaking up with long-time boyfriend, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Her fortune seems to change when she meets the handsome American named Jack (Patrick Dempsey).  Nothing, though, is ever easy for Bridget, and, suddenly, she realizes she is pregnant and doesn’t know which of the two men are the father. I enjoyed this funny film, mostly due to the slapstick abilities of Zellweger who is brilliant in this movie. Patrick Dempsey, as the cocksure relationship expert Jack is perfect as the opposite of the restrained and stiff Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy. I was almost on the floor laughing at one scene which involves a revolving door and a very pregnant Bridget. While it doesn’t quite have the charm of the first film, Bridget Jones’s Diary  (2001), it’s still a great addition to the Jones’s film legacy.   My Rating:  Full Price    Bridget Jones's Baby Website

My View:  Blair Witch  (2016) R  After seeing a video of his sister and her experiences in the woods of Blair Witch, James (James Allen McCune) sets out with friends to find his sister.  It could be the last thing he does in his life. If you are prone to motion sickness, then pass this film by because just like the first “found footage” film, The Blair Witch Project (1999), this is a movie that is all hand-held camera-work. Instead of just one camera, this film has more than you can count, including little ear piece cameras and a drone that allow the director, Adam Wingard, to get even more angles to add to the scary parts of the film. Unfortunately, the film comes off as almost a retelling of the first (with just more camera viewpoints), and I never really got scared. The first film was groundbreaking and scary as heck, but this movie comes off as a tired copy.    My Rating:  Cable   Blair Witch Website

My View:  Snowden  (2016) R  Based on a true story of an American computer professional named, Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who believes that the U.S. government was illegally collecting data on its citizens.  Snowden decides to steal classified information from the National Security Agency and release it to the British newspaper, The Guardian. My biggest problem with this film is that about a third of the movie takes place in the hotel room where Snowden hid out while The Guardian was releasing the data. We have already seen these scenes in the Oscar-winning documentary Citizenfour (2014) by Laura Poitras (portrayed in Snowden by Melissa Leo). So why would I want to see a dramatization when I have witnessed the real thing, which by the way had far more tension than Snowden? The film wastes excellent performances by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley. There is also a fun portrayal of a CIA instructor by Nicolas Cage, though his scenes are too few to make any lasting impact. I came away from this film learning very little about Edward Snowden that I didn’t already know. Maybe it’s just too soon to make a movie about things that just went down a few years ago.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Snowden Website

Indiefest:  Kicks  (2016)  R  Brandon (Jahking Guillory) is a 15-year-old boy living in L.A. who dreams of one day owning a pair of Air Jordans.  Brandon is convinced his life will change if he can just make enough money to swing buying the shoes. While he is right, his life isn’t about to get easier but real complicated real after he gets his “kicks.” This is a gritty, tough film to watch due to its hard-hitting portrayal of life in L.A. Be warned - the kids in this movie live a hard, rough and tumble life, filled with violence and alcohol. It’s a tale of revenge and the quest of a young boy to find his place in this world full of hazards. I did like the way the film was broken up into chapters by hip-hop/ rap songs, and the satisfying ending was the best part.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    Kinks Website

Indiefest:  The Hollars  (2016)  PG-13  John Hollar (John Krasinski) is a struggling New York City graphic novelist who is forced to move back home when his mother (Margo Martindale) is diagnosed with a brain tumor. Returning home brings back all the old problems John had with his family and friends before he left for the big city. Complicating matters is his girlfriend (Anna Kendrick), whom he left in New York, just might be pregnant. With a cast that includes Richard Jenkins, Josh Groban, Charlie Day and Sharito Copley, this film should have been better. There are some funny scenes and a few touching ones, but, overall the film never quite finds its footing. Martingale gives a remarkable, moving performance as the mom who holds the family together, and Josh Groban gives a surprisingly winning performance as a youth pastor who helps Copley’s character deal with his failed marriage. Unfortunately, most of the characters come off as very two-dimensional, shallow portraits that don’t help move the story along. This is John Krasinski’s second attempt at directing a feature film (his first was 2009’s Brief Interviews with Hideous Men), and it’s obvious that he needs to work on his directing skills.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Hollars Website

Indiefest:  Demon  (2014)  R  Peter (Itay Tiran) has come from England to Poland to get married to Zaneta (Agnieszka Zulewska). He has been given an old home by his father-in-law, and the wedding ceremony is to take place at the house. One night, Peter finds some old bones buried on the grounds and wakes up in the house with no knowledge of what went on. As the ceremony and the reception go on, the bridegroom becomes possessed by something. It’s a night that the families of this small town will ever forget. This is a strange film that doesn’t always work ( a lot of time is spent leading up to Peter’s possession which slows down the movie). The film is beautifully shot, with lots of strange and creepy shadows contributing to the overall feel of the film. There is an underlying message about giving one's self up to marriage but I never quite figured out what exactly the filmmaker was trying to say. There are a few scary moments but the film never can build momentum, and the ending feels abrupt and unsatisfying.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Demon Info

Forgotten Film:  Nightwatch  (1997)  R  A law student, Martin(Ewan McGregor), takes a job as a night watchman at a morgue.  He finds himself in the midst of a murder mystery, one where he becomes the main suspect. A detective (Nick Nolte) is obsessed with finding the murderer, and he becomes Martin’s only hope. A great cast that includes Josh Brolin, Lauren Graham, and Patricia Arquette make this film a watch, especially with all the twist and creepy turns.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Nightwatch Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Snowden: Dialog Coach: American Accent Rhys Ifans

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Lovers and the Despot  (2016)  Documentary of the story of a famous film director and an equally famous actress who are kidnapped and forced to make films in North Korea for movie-obsessed dictator Kim Jong-il. Having seen the fascinating documentary on North Korea called, “Under the Sun,” I am looking forward to seeing this film.   The Lovers and the Despot Info

Until Next Time!

13 Hours

My View:  13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)  R  On the evening of the eleventh anniversary of the September 11th attacks, a group of Islamic militants attack the American Embassy.  A group of six CIA security contractors undertake a desperate attempt to defend the Embassy and the American Ambassador.  I enjoyed the action sequences, and there are plenty of them, though some during the first half of the film are very confusing, and I wasn’t able to tell the good guys from the bad. The final firefight is exciting and well-choreographed. I liked the cast and felt that John Krasinski was especially believable as a former Navy SEAL. My biggest problem with this film is that it hits you over the head with trying to tug on your heart-strings. There is too much talk from the guys about how much they miss their family and how they wished they had done things differently. We get that idea very early in the film when all the major participants interact via the web with their families. We don’t need to be constantly reminded that they are fighting for their kids back in the states.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   13 Hours Website

Family Faire:  Norm of the North  (2016)  PG Norm (Rob Schneider) is a fun-loving polar bear who loves to dance.  With the help of three lemmings, Norm travels to New York City to try and stop a real estate developer from building homes in the Artic. Unfortunately, this is another in a long line of dull and unimaginative animated films. Only small children will like this film, and anyone over ten will start looking at their watches thirty minutes into it, wondering when it will end. The storyline is stupid (think a plotline from a bad  70s Saturday morning cartoon), and you see the ending coming from almost the start. I should have been clued into how bad this would be by the actor in the starring role, Rob Schneider.    My Rating: Cable   Norm of the North Website   

Indiefest:  Anomalisa  (2015)  R  Michael Stone (David Thewlis) is a man who is unable to interact deeply with other people, even though he specializes in books about customer service.  When he goes on a business trip, he meets an extraordinary stranger (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who changes his life. Let tell you right off the bat, this is a very adult stop-motion animated movie, with language, a graphic sex scene and full frontal nudity. It’s a moving film with a main character that while flawed, you connect with and want him to find happiness. The animation is stunning and extraordinarily fluid. It’s a movie that touches both the heart and the mind. The storyline is a little hard to follow at times but overall it’s and experience you don’t want to miss. Just don’t take the kids.  My Rating: Full Price   Anomalisa Website

Indiefest:  Lamb  (2015)  R  A man (Ross Partridge) meets a young girl (Oona Laurence) in a parking lot and decides to take her on a trip to show her the beauty of the outside world.  It’s a journey that will shake them in ways neither expects. First, let me say that this is a very uncomfortable film to watch. There is an attraction between the 47-year-old man and the eleven-year-old girl that gets creepier as the film goes along. While it never goes beyond hugging, it still looms over the film. But that is what this movie is about, two people who are hurting and empty, finding each other, knowing that their time together is fleeting. Partridge and Laurence have great chemistry, which is immensely important for this film to work.  Laurence makes this film worth watching, giving a performance that is filled with wonder and depth.  But, be warned.  You will be squirming in your seat throughout the film.   My Rating: Full Price   Lamb Info

Indiefest:  Mustang  (2015)  PG-13  Sisters Lale (Günes Sensoy), Nur (Doga Zeynep Doguslu), Selma (Tugba Sunguroglu), Ece (Elit Iscan), and Sonay (Ilayda Akdogan) are orphans, living with their grandmother (Nihal G. Koldas) and uncle (Ayberk Pekcan). It’s the last day of school and after a rather tearful good-bye to Lale’s favorite teacher, the girls decide to walk home. Along the way, they meet some boys and head to the beach. The girls and boys play innocently in the water, at one point the girls climbing on the boy’s shoulders to play a game of chicken fight. They are accused of being promiscuous by their grandmother and uncle, and the two decide to confine the girls to the house until suitable husbands can be found for the girls. Director / co-writer  Deniz Gamze Erguven brings to the screen a tale that treats its subjects with a caring touch, dealing with repression, but never quite delivers the emotional punch that you want. The film spends much time on the girls’ confinement and their various attempts to escape, as each attempt brings more barriers to their potential freedom. We spend too much time following the girls around the house as they try to fend off boredom, playing silly games. This film feels far longer than its 97 minutes running time, and you come away with the feeling that we never really got to know the girls. All we know is that most of the girls didn’t want to get forced into marriage at such an early age.   We never got to find out their hopes and dreams, which, I believe, would have made the film a much richer viewing experience.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Mustang Website 

Forgotten Film: Truly, Madly, Deeply  (1991)  PG   A woman, Nina (Juliet Stevenson) is mourning the loss of her one true love, Jamie (Alan Rickman). She is not taking it well, unhappy with her life and is missing her man. All of a sudden, Jamie appears back from the dead. Be careful what you wish for, because life with the man she lost forever isn’t what she had hoped for. And now she must choose to stay in the past or move forward to the future. This is a strange and beautiful film where the characters not only love each other, you also know they like each other. Stevenson gives a raw, emotional performance matched equally by the warm, nuanced performance by Rickman. This is a film that will stay with you for a while and is well worth the experience.   My Rating: Full Price   Truly, Madly, Deeply Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi: Military Webbing Assistant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Finest Hours (2016)  PG-13  In 1952 the Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod during a blizzard. The trailer makes this film look like one not to miss. The film stars Chris Pine, Casey Affleck and Holliday Grainger.   The Finest Hours Website

Until Next Time!