Coyote vs Acme

My View: Coyote vs. Acme  (2026)   PG  In Coyote vs. Acme, Coyote is tired of using Acme products that blow up in his face or hit him on the head when he is trying to catch the goofy Roadrunner. So he hires a lawyer and sues Acme for all the heartache they have caused over the years. He chooses Kevin Avery (Will Forte), who has never won more than 300 dollars from Acme, to take on Buddy Crane (John Cena), a big-shot lawyer who has never lost a case. When I was a kid, I loved cartoons. I lived for Saturday morning when all the new cartoons premiered, and I studied TV Guide as if I was going to have a big test on it. While I much preferred Bugs Bunny, I still enjoyed Road Runner and the Coyote. I loved the little poof that used to appear at the bottom of some failed attempt to catch the Road Runner, where the Coyote instead fell to the desert floor below the high cliffs he was always projecting himself off of. Well, I am happy to say that there are plenty of “poofs” in Coyote vs Acme, bringing back some fun times from my childhood. Will Forte does a magical job of making us care about a down-and-out lawyer whom The Coyote hires to take on the big-city lawyers representing Acme Manufacturing. It’s a funny idea, and I loved how, even when in the city and living in a hotel room, The Coyote is still putting together machines to hopefully capture the Road Runner or, at the very least, get himself out of bed. The film does a great job of paying homage to the cartoons of the past and brings back a few cartoon characters along the way. As a big fan of the legendary character voice man Mel Blanc, there were a couple of voices of characters that I didn’t think worked, but that’s a minor quibble for a film that was a heck of a lot of fun. Kids will have fun with the film and don’t worry about the PG rating, as I think it’s mostly because of the violence, something that all the Road Runner/Coyote cartoons had. After you see this film, you will have one question: Why, oh why, did Warner Brothers not want to release this film? I have no clue, but I am glad we got to see this film bring back wonderful memories of my childhood, sitting in front of the TV on a Saturday morning.  My Rating: Full Price  Coyote vs Acme Website  Now playing in theaters

My View: The Dog Stars  (2026)  R   The Dog Stars is set after a devastating pandemic that almost wiped out humanity. The film follows Hig (Jacob Elordi), a former pilot, and Bangley (Josh Brolin), a gun-toting former Marine, as they live on an abandoned air base, constantly on watch for roaming scavengers called Reapers. After hearing a mysterious radio voice, Hig flies his plane past the “safe zone” hoping to find a better life. I enjoyed this film, mostly because of the star power of the four leads in Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin, and Guy Pearce. And wait until you see the scene-stealing Allison Janney in just a bonkers role. Because the film is directed by four-time Oscar-nominated Ridley Scott (Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, The Martian), I have a feeling many critics will not like this film as much as I did. The film has some problems, including a very weird section that feels out of place with the rest of the movie (hence the bonkers role that Janney plays). The film is about a man who is suffering from grief over the loss of his wife and his simple life. All that’s left is his faithful dog, who is his constant companion. Hig flies out every day to scout the surrounding area for danger, as survivors keep trying to raid the small airport that Hig and Bangley have made their home. But Hig really flies to find a place where things are more normal. Where people live without the constant threat of attack. Hig hears someone on his airplane radio trying to contact him, and he starts to believe there might be hope out there. The film has some firefights, but it is more about how people cope with isolation, grief, and loneliness through Hig's eyes. Josh Brolin steals every scene he is in, and I kept wondering if this part was too easy a role for him, because it certainly fit his personality. If you are looking for an action film, this might not fill your quota of action pieces, but for a film that lets its actors work together on screen to develop characters you care about, it fits the bill. The Dog Stars is no way a perfect film and won’t be nominated for many awards, but I enjoyed watching the cast's performances, especially Mr. Brolin. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Dog Stars Website   Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Idiots  (2026)  R  Idiots follows two down-on-their-luck men (Dave Franco and O’Shea Jackson Jr.) hired to transport a wealthy teenager (Mason Thames) to a rehab facility. What should have been a routine job goes wildly out of control as the road trip becomes a mixture of drugs, crime, and a series of detours that put the two men in touch with some people you don’t want to make mad. Idiots is a film you'll forget as soon as you leave the theater. And maybe that’s the way it should be about a film where everyone seems to get high. Idiots starts with a simple, promising premise but soon loses momentum it never recovers from. The script lets down a talented cast, including a very funny performance by Peter Dinklage as a menacing leader of a small-town gang. The film starts to fall apart in the second half, as things get a little too complicated for extended laughs. I also felt the film slowed down as soon as Kiernan Shipka, an exotic dancer who gets involved with the trio and brings some life to the 2nd act, left the guys before the last act evolved. I will say that the audience that I saw the film with at the 2026 Atlanta Film Festival throughly enjoyed the film but I don't know if they, like the guys in the film, imbided in anything before the screening.  Idiots isn’t a bad film; it just seems to have run out of ideas by the final third of the film. Kind of like Franco’s character, who keeps forgetting what he is doing. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Idiots Website    Now playing in theaters

My View: Colony  (2026)  R   Colony is about a biotech conference in a Seoul high-rise, where a disgruntled former employee unleashes a fast-mutating, fungus-driven virus that creates zombies that are part of a hive that can adapt and communicate, allowing them to grow like an AI network. Inside the quarantined building, survivors become trapped in a high-stakes slaughterhouse. Filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho gave us one of the greatest zombie films ever to grace the silver screen with Train to Busan ten years ago (be sure to check out my review of that film here.) He decided to revisit the genre, but this time the stakes are higher: the zombies can learn and adapt, making them even better hunters and killers. Like Train to Busan, a group of people from different walks of life suddenly must band together to survive what seems like an impossible task: surviving a zombie attack in an enclosed 30-story building, with little hope of rescue. The difference between this film and Train is that this time we know and see who is solely responsible for the attack. Instead of a faceless corporation, this time it is a mad scientist who is pissed off at that faceless corporation and wants to show how smart and great he is. The zombie attacks are brilliantly done and scary as all get out, as they keep adapting to whatever tactics our survivors come up with. I loved all the different ways the zombies adapt and evolve, with coordinated attacks where all the actors playing the zombies had to mimic each other in a gruesome zombie dance. Sorry Michael Jackson, but you have been topped in the zombie move department. This is a fascinating film to watch, with a truly evil mad scientist and a motley group of heroes who are just trying to survive any way they can. While this film doesn't surpass Train to Busan, Colony is still a fun and incredibly scary rollercoaster ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat, wondering how our heroes will survive and who will be left in the end.  My Rating: Full Price  Colony Website   Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Buddy  (2026)  R  In Buddy, a group of children are trapped inside a 1990s-style children’s television show hosted by Buddy, a giant, bright-orange unicorn. Buddy doesn’t like it when they try to escape. Really doesn’t like it. Buddy is a very strange horror film that I wanted to like more, but it never delivers the scares and tries too hard to be gross. The look of the film at the start is spot on for that ‘Barney” knockoff look, with a mix of characters, from the giant stuffed animals like Buddy, to the talking household objects like a mailbox or a chair, to the human characters like a nurse or mailman. All are destined to die horrible deaths, but the film doesn’t make them scary or funny enough to make them stand out. Once the film leaves the kid-show setting, it loses whatever momentum it had. The novelty wears off about 30 minutes in, and it never strikes a chord between comedy and horror, making it a lesson not learned. As Buddy tells us, “It’s time for your hug”. No thanks, Buddy, I think I’ll pass. My Rating: Cable   Buddy Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Finding Emily  (2026)  PG-13  Finding Emily follows 23-year-old Owen (Spike Fearn), a sound engineer at a student union who meets the girl of his dreams, Emily, and, before she disappears, gets her phone number. But the next morning, he discovers the number doesn’t work, and he sets out to find his Emily. Owen is about to go on a quest to find Emily, and with the help of another college student named Emily (Angourie Rice), he is about to become famous in his search for his Emily. What we know, and Owen doesn’t, is that the new Emily has an ulterior motive. To prove that love, as the movie quotes Freud, “is a state of temporary psychosis,” she is going to use Owen to prove her thesis. I am a sucker for rom-coms, and this hit the spot. Is it predictable? Sure. However, it does a nice job of making it a modern-day romance where all forms of our online culture both help and impede finding our true love, or at least our true infatuation. Spike Fearn and Angourie Rice are perfect together as the unlikely duo that teams up to find the forewarned Owen’s Emily. The two play off each other, which makes their attraction feel real and believable. The supporting cast, in true rom-com fashion, is a group of oddball characters, along with the hunky guy who our Emily is attracted to. We know how this is going to end, and it doesn’t disappoint, though I would have loved a bit more to the reveal that our Emily does (spoiler alert, though is it really?) to win Owen back. Be sure to stay through the credits for a song Owen sings that updates where all (and I mean all) the characters are now.  My Rating: Full Price  Finding Emily Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Union County (2026)  Union County tells the story of Cody Parsons (Will Poulter), whom the county placed in a mandated drug court program during the opioid crisis in rural Ohio. The film follows Cody as he tries to put his life back together after years of being a drug addict. Cody’s foster brother, Jack (Noah Centineo), is also in the program, and the court hopes the two will support each other. Almost from the start, though, you can tell that Jack will be a bad influence, taking Cody to a party almost immediately after getting into the program. Jack drinks at the party, but Cody has a ray of hope when he meets Anna (Elise Kibler), a recovering addict, and they connect. This is a film where you cannot predict what will happen, except that the road to recovery is full of potholes. It’s how you deal with those potholes that can make the difference between failure and success. Will Poulter gives a multi-layered performance that touches your heart and soul, expressing almost every feeling through his expressions and body language. This is a film about how difficult it is to pull yourself up from the depths of drug addiction. Union County is both depressing and hopeful at the same time. Made even more real because New York-based filmmaker Adam Meeks, before he even knew he wanted to do this story, went to a meeting of an adult recovery program in Union County, Ohio. That meeting inspired the film, and over 40 of the cast are members or former members of the program, making this film even more heartfelt as we hear their stories. Union County uses real people and their views on life and addiction to help us understand their plight and how a program like this can make a difference. That use of lived experience, combined with Cody's fictional story, makes a lasting emotional impact.  My Rating: Full Price  Union County Website  Now playing in select theaters 

My View:  The Whisper Man  (2026)  R  The Whisper Man follows Tom (Adam Scott), a widowed crime writer, and his young son (Acston Luca Porto) as they move to a small, quiet town. After the boy is abducted, Tom turns to his estranged father, Pete (Robert De Niro), a retired police detective, for help. They soon discover a connection between the abduction and a decades-old case involving the serial killer known as The Whisper Man. This is another in a long line of films where the book the film is based on is probably much better than what we are watching. Even with a cast that includes Robert De Niro, Adam Scott, Michelle Monaghan, Hamish Linklater, and Michael Keaton, the film feels very one-dimensional and by the numbers. We have a widow and his kid moving to a new city where the late wife grew up, with the dad hoping that this will help the kid get over the loss of his mother, who died in front of his eyes. We have a retired cop who is tortured by a case where one kid taken by a serial killer was never found. And we have a detective who is on the case of a copycat killer mimicking the serial killer’s MO from years ago. It's a film that makes you think, “Hey, haven’t I seen this before?” De Niro is about the only thing that saves this film from being a total slog, as the father of the widower who hasn’t had contact with his son in years and now pulled back in to help with the case because of the copycat killer. It’s the type of film where actors are in parts that seem to involve little more than talking and looking over clues. The almost two-hour time length feels even longer because the film drags until the final third, when we discover who the new serial killer is (and it’s not a shock). Keaton is wasted as the original serial killer whom they keep meeting in prison, so that we see how creepy he is (not so much). The ending is unsatisfactory and predictable, much like the rest of the film.  My Rating: Cable  The Whisper Man Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform 

Forgotten Film: The Dead Girl  (2006) R  A woman (Toni Collette) finds a young woman dead in a field. The mystery of who killed the woman is told through five connected chapters, focusing on a different woman whose life changes after the body is found. The final chapter gives us the victim’s (Brittany Murphy) last day. The brilliant cast includes Rose Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden, Mary Beth Hurt, Kerry Washington, James Franco, Giovanni Ribisi, Josh Brolin, Mary Steenburgen, and Piper Laurie. It’s a fascinating way to look at a mystery, and as usual, Brittany Murphy’s performance will break your heart; it’s so good. Few people saw this film, but it was nominated for several Independent Spirit Awards. My Rating: Full Price The Dead Girl Website   Available on Amazon Prime and Tubi

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Dog Stars:  Double Dog Handler

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:   Onslaught  (2026)  R   Onslaught follows Celeste (Adria Arjona), an army veteran and single mother living in a trailer park. Celeste will have to use her sniper training when a rogue squad of genetically engineered soldiers escapes from a secret military facility and starts killing everyone in sight. Adria Arjona is best known for her roles in the 2015 season of True Detective, Hit Man (2023), and Andor.   Onslaught Website   In theaters nationwide on Friday, September 4, 2026

Until Next Time!

The 50th Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference

It’s time for my favorite event in Atlanta, the Atlanta Film Festival! As one of the largest and longest-running festivals in the country, ATLFF welcomes an audience of over 28,000 annually to discover hundreds of new independent, international, animated, documentary, and short films selected from 8000+ submissions worldwide. As always, there is an emphasis on films celebrating the local area, with festival films tied to Georgia filmmakers. Attending the Atlanta Film Festival is a must for film lovers. ATLFF is presenting some of the best upcoming films Hollywood has to offer, including movies from top studios and from around the world.

The 50th annual Atlanta Film Festival and Creative Conference will take place Thursday, April 23 - Sunday, May 3, 2024, at the Plaza Theatre and Tara Theatre in Atlanta, with some of its lineup available virtually from May 4th - 11th.

The long-running festival has always been a distinguished event, recognized by MovieMaker Magazine as one of the “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.” Atlanta Film Festival has been celebrated as the Best Film Festival by Creative Loafing, Sunday Paper, 10Best, and Atlanta Magazine.

Opening night on Thursday, April 23rd, will feature Idiots, directed by Macon Blair and filmed in Georgia. Emmy-winning producer Alex Orr, Executive Producer Joshua Harris, and actor O’Shea Jackson Jr. will attend.

Also on the same night, the premiere of the limited series documentary, The Birth of Trap Music, makes its debut. Stars and Executive Producers T.I. and Drumma Boy, among other cast members, will walk the red carpet ahead of the Opening Night and take part in a post-screening Q&A following the documentary screening.

On Friday, April 24, the Tara Theatre will screen One Spoon of Chocolate at 8 pm. The event will be attended by the film’s director, RZA, founder of the Wu-Tang Clan, 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and Emmy-nominated writer, producer, and director. The cast features Shameik Moore, Paris Jackson, Blair Underwood, Michael Harney, and Emyri Crutchfield.

A special screening of Gifted will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Tara Theater at 5 pm, with Emmy and Critics Choice Award-nominated star McKenna Grace in attendance. Grace will receive ATLFF’s Phoenix Award at the event, honoring her achievements, career momentum, and ongoing contributions to Atlanta’s film industry.

Oscar-nominated, Grammy-winning actress and singer Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple, Peacemaker) will attend a special screening of If I Go Will They Miss Me at the 50th annual Atlanta Film Festival on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.

2026 IMAGE Film Awards Gala, part of the festival’s milestone 50th anniversary, will be held Friday, May 1, at Assembly Atlanta, recognizing standout contributions to film, television, and Georgia’s creative community.

This year’s honorees include Will Packer (Ossie Davis Award), Josh Brolin, Carrie Preston, Hilton Howell, and Georgia Entertainment (IMAGE Film Awards), David Cross (Rebel Award), and Alex Orr, who will receive the inaugural Will Packer Award.

The Closing Night film on Saturday, 2nd, will be Boots Riley's I Love Boosters, starring Keke Palmer, LaKeith Stanfield, Naomi Ackie, Don Cheadle, and Demi Moore.

The festival is also known for its short film categories and is one of the few festivals in the country that offer Academy Award-qualifying for all three short categories: Narrative, Documentary, and Animated.

The annual Creative Conference, ATLFF’s popular educational programming extension, runs April 28 to May 1st. The Creative Conference provides educational programs for aspiring filmmakers, festivalgoers, newcomers, and community members to gain insight from industry experts. The Creative Conference features workshops, panels, talks, and demos that will delve into the world of filmmaking, focusing on topics such as screenwriting, pitching, acting, producing, casting, funding, and distribution, and how they all come together to make a film or television episode.

Highlights include conversations with David Cross and directors Craig Zobel (The Penguin) and James Ponsoldt (Spectacular Now), alongside sessions such as Practical AI for Independent Filmmakers, Inside the Independent Film Ecosystem, and Creating Creature FX and Puppetry for Indies.

The full schedule of films and events is available at www.AtlantaFilmFestival.com. Festival passes are on sale now on the site. Tickets for individual events will be available online.

Avengers: Infinity War

My View:  Avengers: Infinity War  (2018)  PG-13 The Avengers and their allies must risk all to defeat the mighty Thanos (Josh Brolin before he destroys the universe.  First, the film moves along at a brisk speed, which makes the film seems shorter than its 2 hours and thirty-minutes. I loved that other than focusing on the main bad guy, Thanos, the film does a great of spreading out the storyline to all the good guys, so no one dominates the film, with the exception of Thor, who steals a little bit of the thunder (pun intended) in the last third of the film. Thanos is one of the best bad guys in the Marvel universe who has a plan to kill half the world’s population. The action scenes are well done and intense, and I especially loved the dialogue when the Guardians of the Galaxy are on screen.  The director of the first two Guardians films, James Gunn, wrote the dialogue for those scenes. I will warn you that young kids may be upset because there are some superhero deaths in the film, one of which is incredibly moving. Do stay through all the credits for a bonus scene that will set up the next Avengers film.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Avengers: Infinity War Website

Indiefest:  Lean on Pete  (2018)  R   A troubled teen named, Charley (Charlie Plummer), starts working for a cantankerous horse trainer (Steve Buscemi). Ray falls in love with a quarter horse named, Lean on Pete, that, if he doesn’t start winning, the horse will be sold.  Charlie Plummer gives a mesmerizing performance as a teen who falls in love with a horse and will do everything in his power to keep it alive. A great deal of this film is Charlie talking to the horse about his life, his loves, and his troubles. Buscemi and Plummer have great chemistry on screen, and the little heart to heart talks that they do are magical. Lean on Pete is not a film for children as there are some very adult themes in the movie, and there is one scene in particular not made for kids. Go see this small bittersweet film that has a ton of heart.  My Rating: Full Price   Lean on Pete Website

Forgotten Film:  Akira  (1988)  R  In a post-World War III era, a secret military project endangers the city of Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a psychopath. The city’s only hope is two teenagers who, with the help of a group of psychics, try and stop the psychopath’s rampage. The reason to see this film is the detailed animation (hand drawn) that gives this movie its super realistic look. The storyline is very adult, and there is quite a bit of grisly violence, but it’s worth checking out.  My Rating: Full Price    Akira Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Avengers: Infinity War:  Weather Consultant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Dead Pool 2 (2018)  This is what the studio left for the synopsis of the film on IMDB which sums up their rather creative marketing campaign:  After surviving a near-fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Mayberry's hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the Yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family.    Deadpool 2 Website

Until Next Time!

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

My View:  Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials  (2015)  PG-13  Having figured out and escaped The Maze, the Gladers now are confronted with a new set of challenges on the open roads of a vast and desolate landscape. If you did not see the first film (which I liked), just know that the “Wicked,” as the name implies, are the bad guys. I liked this film as much as the first one. The action rarely stops and is well done. There are quite a few scary parts in the film, with some intense scenes with a few ugly creatures. The cast comes through, and I enjoyed the performance of Dylan O’Brian, who plays the hero of the story. In the first film, I found his performance a little dull but he has grown into the role. This is a fun action film that makes me want to see the third film.  My Rating: Full Price   Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

My View:  Black Mass  (2015)  R  The film depicts the rise and fall of the ruthless and violent Boston mobster, Whitey Bulger (Johnny Depp), in the 1970s and 80s.  This was supposed to be Johnny Depp’s Oscar contender and get him out of the bad movie/performance rut that he has been in. While it’s a fine performance, it’s certainly not Oscar-worthy. The film is flat and slow moving. There is not much character development, and it seems to be a movie about how many ways Whitey can kill people. I didn’t feel any tension throughout the film and never cared for any of the characters or their outcome. I was also disappointed in the performance of Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Whitey’s politician brother. Cumberbatch mails in his performance, maybe because he had a hard time mastering the tough Boston accent. Black Mass never delivers the punch that it needs, and, by the end, you don’t care if Whitey lives or dies.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee

My View:  Everest  (2015)  PG-13  Climbing Everest is a tough task.  In 1996, a storm made climbing Everest nearly impossible to survive.  It’s rare that I say this, but I would have liked this film to be just a little bit longer and that the film would have given us more scenes about the climbers preparing for the trip, letting us see the characters interact with their loved ones and friends. Instead, the film starts with the climbers meeting up at the airport in Nepal. This lessens the impact of our understanding and sympathy for the characters as they fight to survive. The film is spectacular to watch, with outstanding shots of the mountain and the climbers. I rarely recommend the IMAX experience but, in this case, the film in IMAX is worth the extra bucks. This is a well-done film that lets you experience, up close and personal, what its like to climb a  treacherous mountain. The cast is one of the best ensembles I’ve seen with Jason Clarke standing out as the leader of the climb, Rob Hall. Josh Brolin is exceptional as the hard-headed Texan, and John Hawkes gives a truly moving performance as the climber on his third attempt to get to the summit. It’s a gut-wrenching film that will have you on the edge of your seat. And, be warned, take a sweater. I guarantee that you will feel the chill of the mountain.  My Rating: Full Price   Everest Website

Indiefest:  Pawn Sacrifice  (2015)  PG-13  At the height of the Cold War, the world stopped to watch a series of chess matches between American champion Bobby Fisher (Tobey Maguire) and the Russian Grand Master Champion Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber).  Director Edward Zwick and screenwriter Steven Knight create a film that is part political thriller, with all the intrigue of a spy film, and part character study. It's the story of a man whose mind is slowly losing its grip, just as he needs it the most. Zwick and Knight have created a protagonist that isn’t likable, and it’s to Maguire’s credit that we continue to root for Fisher to win, in spite of his personality and his beliefs. Maguire never softens his portrayal of Fisher, who seemingly had two sides - the ultra-paranoid person who doubted everything and the strong-willed chess player who was confident in his abilities to defeat anyone.  “Pawn Sacrifice” is a fascinating movie that will keep you glued to the screen, even if you know the eventual outcome.    My Rating: Full Price   Pawn Sacrifice Website       

Indiefest:  Rosenwald  (2015)    Documentary on Julius Rosenwald, who became the President of Sears and was inspired by the writings of the educator Booker T. Washington.  Rosenwald went on to join forces with African-American communities during the Jim Crow South to build more than 5,300 schools during the early part of the 20th century.  Aviva Kempner brings us another stunning and informative film in “Rosenwald.” Kempner uses old photographs combined with interviews with a diverse group of people including Julian Bond, Maya Angelou, Rep. John Lewis and Rita Dove. Bond and the others give background on just what the profound effect of Rosenwald and his schools had on the communities (most interviewees attended a Rosenwald school). One of the highlights of the film is when Maya Angelou talks, with pride, about her Rosenwald school and how much it affected her community. The community she lived in was so proud of the schools that when children got “A’s” they were paraded around from church to church to receive recognition and praise. It’s a warm, inspirational film that makes you admire and respect how one man had an idea that would change so many lives.   My Rating:  Full Price   Rosenwald Website

Forgotten Film:  Fallen (1998)  R  Homicide detective John Hobbes (Denzel Washington) helped in catching serial killer Edgar Reese (Elias Koteas).  Hobbes even witnesses Reese’s execution. Now, there are murders happening again in the same manner that Reese used to kill his victims.  Could Reese have come back from the dead?  This is a gripping horror story that is well written and never goes for the easy scare.  As usual, Washington gives an outstanding performance as does John Goodman, who plays Washington’s police partner.  The ending is a little weak, but it’s a wonderful ride to get there.   My Rating: Full Price   Fallen Info  

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Everest:  Charge Hand Dressing Props

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Sicario  (2015)  R  An FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is sent to join a task force to aid Mexico in the war against the drug cartels.  Critics are raving about this film, and Emily Blunt has proven that she can be an action star.  The film has a distinguished cast including Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro, Jeffrey Donovan, and Victor Garber.   Sicario Website

Until Next Time!

Labor Day

My View:  Labor Day (2013)  PG-13  Adele (Kate Winslet) is a depressed single mom who lives with her 13 year-old son (Gattlin Griffith) in an isolated home. While shopping, they encounter Frank (Josh Brolin), a hurt fugitive running from the law. He forces them to take him to their home and hide him over the Labor Day weekend.  Kate Winslet is the reason to see this film as she gives another one of her multilayered performances that makes you sit up and take notice.  I liked Josh Brolin as the fugitive who insists that he is innocent, but Winslet, with her performance of the broken down Adele, is what makes this movie work.  Jason Reitman, who directed one of my favorite films of the last ten years, Up In The Air (2009), does a masterful job of making this film feel incredibly intimate. The film goes from being a suspense film to one that is really a romantic love story in the end.  I would have given a higher rating to this film if it had ended earlier as there is an epilogue that brings the film down a bit.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee  Labor Day Website

Indiefest:  At Middleton (2013) R  George (Andy Garcia) is a stodgy heart surgeon  who takes his son to his alma mater, Middleton, for a tour of the campus. Edith (Vera Farmiga) is a free spirit of a mom who takes her daughter to Middleton for the same tour. While their teenagers are taking the tour, the two very different adults spend the day together – a day that they will never forget.  This is a very uneven romantic film which has a number of good scenes but, in the end, is brought down by its attempt to add drama to the mix.  I really enjoyed the chemistry between Farmiga and Garcia, as the unlikely couple is intrigued enough with each other to spend the day together.  Farmiga is very funny, especially when we are getting to know her in early scenes.  She has this high energy that works very well with the very stodgy Garcia.  There is a scene in the middle of the film where the two stumble on an acting class that just brings down the tone. The scene becomes a very heavy drama piece, and it appears put there just to prove the main characters' acting abilities.  I did like Taissa Farmiga, who plays Edith’s headstrong and very determined daughter.  This is one of those films you just wish was a little bit more lighthearted.  My Review : Full Price  At Middleton Info

Indiefest:  The Past  (2013) PG-13  Ahmad (Ali Mosaffa) has been separated from his wife (Berenice Bejo) for four years after he moved back to Iran. He comes back to Paris to sign the divorce papers and find out if he still has feelings for her.  This is a brilliant film about a family dealing with their past and the life changing choices that they have made.  Berenice Bejo is the centerpiece of this film, and she  takes a role that could have been shrill and hated, and makes it one where we sympathize with her character.  It’s a complex film that has many twists and turns.  Some of the mysteries of the family's past are solved, but even those are not resolved cleanly or clearly.  This film is interesting filled with complex characters you may not like but will want to spend time with.  My Rating:  Full Price  The Past Website

Forgotten Film:  Paris, Texas  (1984) R  This film, directed by Wim Wenders and written by Sam Shepherd, is a film about loss.  We first meet Travis (Harry Dean Stanton) as he wanders out of the desert after being mysteriously gone for four years.  After collapsing at a gas station, Travis’s brother, Walt (Dean Stockwell), comes to pick him up.  Walt and his wife have been taking care of Travis’s son, Hunter (Hunter Carson), after Travis’s wife dropped him off with them several years ago.  The film explores the need for family and for redemption, when Travis tries to reconnect with his son.  It’s a film that is beautifully shot, and Harry Dean Anderson gives the performance of his life. The film becomes a road picture when Travis decides to take Hunter back to his mom.  It’s a wonderfully sad movie that perfectly captures a man trying to do the right thing to make up for the sins of his past. My Rating:  Full Price  Paris, Texas Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-ray):  Blue Jasmine (2013) PG-13  I was one of the few critics around the country who did not like this film.  Blancett will win this year’s Oscar for Best Actress, but I did not like the fact that there was no character growth throughout the film.  My Rating:  Cable  Blue Jasmine Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Lone Star (2013):  Food Stylist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Walk of Shame (2014)  R  Elizabeth Banks plays a reporter who has an interview for her dream job.  The only problem, she is stranded in downtown L.A. with no phone, money or I.D...all because her one-night stand left her.  I love Elizabeth Banks and really hope this film makes her a headliner instead of the supporting player she is now.  Walk of Shame Info

Until Next Time!