How to Train Your Dragon

My View:  How to Train Your Dragon  (2025)  PG  How to Train Your Dragon is a tale about Vikings and dragons, who are mortal enemies on the isle of Berk. That is until Hiccup (Mason Thames) meets a hurt Night Fury dragon that he names Toothless. Little do the two know that their future together means that they will save the lives of both species. The 2010 animated film is one of the best-animated movies of the 2010s, with a story that was touching and filled with thrilling animated scenes that showed the love between a boy and a dragon, all the while exploring the themes of legacy, father/son dynamics and finding out that our enemies are sometimes misunderstood. This live-action film follows the same themes and does it well, but the nagging question is, why do the same movie if it isn’t going to bring anything new to the story? While the performances are good, and the CGI animation of Toothless is fine, this version doesn’t give us anything new; it’s the same story, just in a longer version (beware, parents of young kids, this movie is over two hours long). I will say that I felt the flying sequences weren’t as thrilling as the animated version, and I missed Craig Ferguson’s performance as the bombastic Gobber (played this time by a less enjoyable Nick Frost). Will parents and kids enjoy watching this version? Sure, because it’s a great story. Was the production of this remake worth all the money and effort? Doubtful.     My Rating: Bargain Matinee  How to Train Your Dragon Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View:  Materialists  (2025)  R   In Materialists, Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a famous New York City matchmaker who has always been lucky in making the perfect match for others but has been unlucky in love herself. Lucy may have met her perfect match in suave and rich Harry (Pedro Pascal) until her ex, John (Chris Evans), comes back into the picture. What’s a matchmaker to do? I am a big rom-com fan, and I was excited to see this film after watching the trailer. While I loved this film because of the phenomenal performances by the three stars, this is not your typical romantic comedy. Materialists is a more of a harsh reality romance than a comedy, though there are some laughs along the way. The film is about how hard and sometimes cruel dating can be, as seen through the eyes of someone who deals in the romance game and views marriage as a business agreement. Lucy is not actively looking for a mate, but she admits she will settle for one if they can ‘check all the boxes,’ including being rich. Dakota Johnson portrays a woman who is jaded but enjoys her job of finding matches for men and women seeking love, provided they meet certain requirements. It’s a marvelous performance that immerses us in Lucy’s world and her mindset, giving us a woman who is lovable yet troubled and flawed. Harry enters Lucy's world, and he is convinced that she is the one for him, no matter how many times Lucy tells him she isn't right for him. To make matters more complicated, her ex, John, comes back into her life. Evans, as Chris, portrays a man who is love-struck and has never stopped loving this complicated woman. John knows Lucy better than anyone; they have a connection, and we see that when something happens to a client of Lucy’s. Lucy doesn’t go to Harry, but to John for support and comfort. This is not a movie for everyone because its lead character is not always likable and is frustrating, doesn’t follow the usual romantic playbook and our heroine falls for a man who we know isn’t right for her and she doesn’t care. The title alone tells you a lot about Materialists. It’s a film that gives us the down-and-dirty on dating, matchmaking, and whether someone is truly perfect for someone. You will have to watch until the end to help you decide.      My Rating: Full Price  Materialists Website    Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  The Life of Chuck  (2024) R  The Life of Chuck explores the life and adventures of Charles Krantz, a man who is experiencing the end of his life while being celebrated by his friends and family. The Life of Chuck is one of those films that’s hard to review because its structure is complicated, and I don’t want to give away any of the surprises (and there are a few). One clue to this film is that it is based on a Stephen King novella, although more in the vein of The Shawshank Redemption or Stand by Me, rather than horror films like The Shining or It. The film is told in three parts and unfolds in reverse to tell us the story of Chuck. I will warn you that the first part is a little off-the-wall strange, and while Chuck makes an appearance, that part of the film is about two exes (Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan) who are trying to cope with a world gone off the rails and find support in re-connecting. Part two is about Chuck as an adult (played by ever-charismatic Tom Hiddleston), and part three is about Chuck as a teen (played by Jacob Tremblay) and as a kid (played by the adorable Benjamin Pajak). Along the way, there are some fantastic performances by Carl Lumbly, Mia Sara, and Mark Hamill (which I think is so good it could get him an Oscar nod). While not a musical, the film features some incredible and exciting dance numbers, with Hiddleston performing a thrilling and moving dance alongside the delightful Annalise Basso. The Life of Chuck is a film that slowly reveals its secrets, and while it throws you into a world that doesn’t make much sense at first, it becomes a joyful and life-affirming film that makes you feel glad you experienced the life of a man named Chuck.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See It Again    Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Echo Valley  (2025)  R    Echo Valley revolves around Kate (Julianne Moore), a horse ranch owner in the beautiful and isolated Echo Valley. Her world is shattered when her estranged, drug-addicted daughter, Claire (Sydney Sweeney), shows up at her doorstep in hysterics and covered in someone else’s blood. Echo Valley is a film whose pedigree, with Director Michael Pearce (Beast), Writer Brad Ingelsby (creator and writer of Mare of Easttown), and stars Julianne Moore, Sydney Sweeney, Domhnall Gleeson, and Fiona Shaw, should have been a slam dunk. Instead, we get a mess of a film that feels like it is two or three different movies pitched separately and put together by the studio to make one ‘Oscar bait’ film. Julianne Moore (who delivers a fantastic performance despite the material) plays Kate, a grieving widow struggling to keep her horse farm afloat. Sydney Sweeney portrays Claire, a troubled, drug-addicted girl who repeatedly returns to her mother for money, only to disappear again without notice. Sweeney’s character doesn’t have much depth; she mostly wanders around moping and runs back to a troubled relatioship. We get our villain in Domhnall Gleeson, who portrays a drug dealer who mostly sneers threats and keeps showing up to make mom Kate's life hell. The film is packed with so many twists and turns that it seems Brad Ingelsby may have drawn inspiration from too many 1970s TV mysteries before writing the script. It's frustrating when the major plot twist is something you can deduce halfway through the film. While I’m no detective like Mannix or Columbo (references to 1970s shows), I realized that Echo Valley desperately needed a stronger script than the one Julianne Moore was given. My Rating: Cable   Echo Valley Info   Now playing on the Apple TV+ platform.

My View:  Deep Cover  (2025) R    Deep Cover is about three struggling London improv actors (Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed) who are hired by the police for a series of sting operations. Can they say their usual improv phrase “yes, and…” and still survive as they find their way into joining a criminal gang? As someone who appreciates improv and had dabbled in it during my acting days, I found the premise intriguing. Little did I know the jokes would be flat, and what improv there is is so poorly done it’s painful. The only character that you have fun watching is Marlon, portrayed by Orlando Bloom, who isn’t exactly known for his comedic chops. He brings life to the film with his portrayal of Marlon, an actor stuck in small commercial roles but dreaming of being like Brando or De Niro. Marlon’s character tends to go over the top, crafting backstories so dramatic they could bring any hardened criminal to tears. Regrettably, the rest of the cast fails to shine, and actors like Paddy Considine, Ian McShane, and Sean Bean are underutilized in a script that recycles every poor cop movie trope without delivering any real comedy. I considered improvising a joke here at the end of this review, but this film took me out of the moment. Can anyone out there say ‘yes, and’ for me?  My Rating: Cable  Deep Cover Info  Now playing on the Amazon Prime platform. 

Indiefest:  Prime Minister  (2025)   The documentary Prime Minister chronicles Jacinda Ardern’s tenure as New Zealand’s Prime Minister, during which her terms she had to navigate a mass shooting, COVID-19, and giving birth to a first child. Prime Minister is an outstanding documentary about a person who never expected to come into power, but when she did, she went all out, even while having a child while in office. The film commences with Jacinda's leader resigning, resulting in her becoming a top contender for her party's Prime Minister nomination. We then follow Jacinda through the election, which she barely wins, a reeelction in a landslide, putting her in office for five years. Prime Minister is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how leadership can work and how it can just as quickly be undone. We also get to see how she managed a relationship and the birth of a baby while in office. We get personal footage, which I loved because her partner shot a lot of it (they didn’t get married until after her stint as Prime Minister), and we see up close and personal their back-and-forth conversations about everything that is going on in their lives.We gain insight into her decision-making process and the reasoning behind her conclusions. While some of her decisions led to great successes, we also witness her struggles, including the impact of COVID-19 and the influence of Trump supporters reaching all the way to New Zealand. Throughout the documentary, we hear recordings she made during her years as Prime Minister, and we also see what she is doing now—hint: she’s teaching at a university in the U.S., which has been making headlines. Prime Minister is an inspiring film about a political figure who genuinely cared for people, prioritized their needs, and was willing to share her thoughts and feelings on pressing issues. What a novel concept.  My Rating: Full Price    Prime Minister Info  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Titan: The OceanGate Disaster  (2025)  Titan: The OceanGate Disaster is a documentary about Stockton Rush, whose quest to become the next billionaire inventor led to the development of the Titan, a doomed underwater deep-sea sub that he hoped would bring oceanic exploration to the masses.Titan: The OceanGate Disaster is a fascinating and infuriating story about a man who had a vision to take the world down into the sea and share its wonders. Unfortunately, stupidity, ego, and money got in the way and ultimately cost the lives of five people. The film utilizes extensive footage and interviews with most of the principals behind the creation of the sub and its attempts to become a means for the world to see the Titanic’s wreckage up close in person. The film gives you a detailed look at both the lead-up to the accident and the investigation by the Coast Guard into how the deaths happened. I won't use the word 'accident' to describe what caused people to lose their lives because the disaster that happened was going to happen that day or weeks/months later. From the start, the idea of using a carbon fiber hull instead of steel or titanium was destined for failure. Stockton Rush was a man who thought he knew more than anyone else and was convinced, even when the testing told him otherwise, that the hull would stand the pressure. There is some horrifying footage of a dive the sub took that is as scary as what we experienced in the recent theatrical film Last Breath. There is a reason it took so long to discover where the Titanic was because it was resting so deep in the ocean floor. Maybe we should just let the ship stay at the bottom of the sea and stop trying to disturb its slumber. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Titan: The OceanGate Disaster Website  Now playing on the Netlfix platform. 

Forgotten Film:  Safe  (1995)  R  As a well-off housewife, Carol (Julianne Moore) devotes her time to remodeling her home, attending charity events, and gardening. Carol starts experiencing physical symptoms, such as coughing uncontrollably after being exposed to exhaust fumes or getting a nosebleed when getting a perm at her hair salon. Carol's condition continues to worsen, and doctors are unable to determine the cause. She then, encouraged by friends, to go to a retreat that specializes in allergies. There, she continues to get worse, finally isolating herself in a completely sterile environment. The film was directed by Todd Haynes, known for his engaging and sometimes controversial films, including Far From Heaven (2002), I'm Not There (2007), Carol (2015), and Wonderstruck (2017). Safe is a film about a woman who embarks on a path where she is constantly given reasons why the problem is in her head, but the symptoms persist and worsen. Julianne Moore is outstanding as Carol, whose life keeps getting worse and worse. The film can be viewed as a horror film, as for someone like myself who has dealt with severe allergies all my life, not knowing the cause of your problems can be horrifying, especially when everything you do compounds the problems. Critics and the Hollywood establishment saw in her performance in Safe that Moore would become a force to be reckoned with as an actor. My Rating: Full Price  Safe Info The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of How to Train Your Dragon:  Lock Off PA

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You: Superman  (2025)  PG-13  Superman (David Corenswet) must reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his life as the human Clark Kent. As always, Superman is the embodiment of truth, justice, and trying to be a force for good while battling forces of evil, including Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). James Gunn, the man responsible for the amazing Guardians of the Galaxy film series, is behind the film.  Superman Website   The film will be out in theaters on Friday, July 11, 2025.

Until Next Time!

Wolf Man

My View:  Wolf Man  (2025) R  In Wolf Man, Blake’s (Christopher Abbott) and his wife Charlotte’s (Julia Garner) marriage is falling apart. Blake inherits his childhood home, a remote house in rural Oregon, after his father disappears and is presumed dead. Blake takes the family, including his young daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth), to his father’s home to get away from it all. An unseen animal attacks Blake, and as the night progresses, he transforms into something unimaginable. So we all know the lore of what happens when a wolfman bites you…you turn into one. So when Blake, at the time a candidate for father of the year, gets bitten by a creature, we all know what is coming. The problem with this film is that we also know what is coming after that turn, and that’s the problem with this film. It takes a creative bit of writing and turns it into a normal and not too scary horror film. I enjoyed they used primarily practical effects, such as going old school in the transformation. I was never scared during the film, even during its opening sequence, when we see Blake as a kid with his father having to deal with their own wolfman while out deer hunting. It’s too bad because I had high hopes for this film since it is from Leigh Whannell, who gave us the very creative 2020 film The Invisible Man. Wolf Man spent a lot of time building up the monster but never delivered the goods, much like when the wolf man gave out a cry into the night that was more of a yip that a mighty howl.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Wolf Man Movie Now playing in theaters. 

The Brutalist (2024)  R   The Brutalist begins in the aftermath of WWII when visionary architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) and his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) flee post-war Europe to restart their lives. When László begins working for a wealthy client, Harrison Van Buren (Guy Pearce), he little realizes how much his life will change. Director Brady Corbet brings us a tale of greed, art, and sacrifice. It’s a story where artistic vision clashes with new world money, with both sides unwilling to back down. László Toth is an architect who left his wife behind to find freedom and maybe even fame in America. He is an artist who sculpts with buildings, creating incredible structures that dazzle the heart and mind. Harrison Van Buren is a wealthy man who wants to build a tribute to himself in his hometown. It’s a monument to a man whose ego is almost as big as László’s, but the difference is that László has talent. Harrison only has money to back up his ego. This is a film that spans years, as we follow László through some tough times until he is given what becomes his cross to bear, Harrison’s massive building. László is not a perfect man. His and his wife's experiences in the Holocaust haunt him, causing him to develop a heroin addiction to numb the past. Adrien Brody gives us a powerful performance of a man tortured by both the past and the present as Harrison keeps changing the plans for the building, cutting costs. Brody's performance is extraordinary, full of fire and wonder, but also filled with heartbreak and sorrow. He is a man consumed by his work and nothing else. Brody is matched by Guy Pearce, who portrays Harrison, a man who is certain that his vision for greatness is always right, no matter what the facts tell him. Pearce gives us a man who likes to push people to the edge and has no problem with those people if they fall off that ledge as long as he gets his way. Their scenes together are a master class in acting, chess-like, with one making a move that is countered by the other. Brady Corbet has given us an epic film following a man on a journey to achieve what only he can imagine and who will do anything to make it come true.  Note: This film is 3 hours and thirty-five minutes long, not including the 15-minute intermission at around the two-hour mark. I have seen a host of films that have been extremely long in 2024, and many have felt their length. This film never felt long while I was watching it in a theater. It is that captivating.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Brutalist Website Now playing in select theaters. 

Indiefest:  The Room Next Door (2024)  PG-13  The Room Next Door is about two women, Ingrid (Julianne Moore) and Martha (Tilda Swinton), who were best friends when they were younger. Having lost touch, Ingrid is surprised when Martha reaches out to meet her. It seems Martha has something she wants to ask Ingrid to help her do. That something is to go on a trip that Martha plans on not returning from forever. The Room Next Door is the first English language film from the acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, known for such films as Pain and Glory (2019), The Skin I Live in (2011), Volver (2006), Talk to Her (2002) and Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down (1989). What would you do if an old friend from the past, someone you haven’t seen in a while, wanted you to be there when they died? And the death would not be a natural one. That is the dilemma that Ingrid has when Martha asks her to come to a remote rental home and stay with her until she takes a pill that will cause her death. The Room Next Door is a film that allows two gifted actors to carry a dialogue throughout the film as they discuss life, past loves, and, of course, death. It’s almost a dance between the two characters, one who is determined to go out on her own terms and the other who knows that the inevitable is coming but keeps on hoping for one more day to spend talking with and soaking up all that she can from a friend that has lived a glorious life. I think The Room Next Door is a film that will have the audience leave in silence, inclosed in their thoughts. I know I was.  My Rating: Full Price  The Room Next Door Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Back in Action  (2025)  PG-13   In Back in Action, Matt (Jamie Foxx) and Emily (Cameron Diaz) have been living the quiet suburban life with their daughter, Alice (McKenna Roberts), and young son Leo (Rylan Jackson). However, Matt and Emily have a secret, and it has just come out, which will endanger all their lives. They are former CIA spies that made a lot of enemies. It’s fun seeing Cameron Diaz back on the screen, and she has great chemistry with Jamie Foxx. However, the film feels like a retread of a 90s action comedy, heavy on the big action sequences but light on plot and witty dialogue. I enjoyed seeing Cameron doing some hand-to-hand combat, as a sort of flashback to her Charlie’s Angels days, but the plot is incredibly weak, and much of the humor is forced. Add in a weird appearance of Glenn Close, as Emily’s British mom and this film just doesn’t work. It’s too bad because there might have been something there with Foxx and Diaz. We just didn’t need all the mommy/daddy time with the kids. My Rating: Cable  Back in Action Website Now playing on Netflix. 

My View:  Unstoppable  (2024)  PG-13  Unstoppable centers around the life of Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome), who was born with one leg but didn’t let him stop him from reaching his dream of becoming a wrestler at the collegiate level. We all love a Rocky-type story, but when the film keeps harking back to Rocky (twice Robles visits the Rocky steps in Philly), you want to say enough. Jharrel Jerome gives a wonderful performance that gets lost in a script that hits over the head with plot points out of every underdog movie out there. Crappy father figure? Check. Great mom whose only flaw is she keeps going back to crappy father figure? Check. A hero who won’t take no for an answer, always going the hard route (even when he turns down a full-ride scholarship)? Check. An invincible opponent who seemingly can’t be beaten? Check. And on it goes, for over two hours. I am a wrestling fan (having even gone to some of the Olympic events back in 96), and I was clueless about what was happening in the big wrestling scenes (so you might have some trouble, too). Even the strong supporting cast, including Jennifer Lopez as the mom, Michael Pena as Anthony’s high school coach, Mykelti Williamson as Anthony’s boss at his part-time job, and Don Cheadle as Anthony’s college coach, can’t help overcome a script that never finds its footing. Add in Bobby Cannavale, who plays Anthony’s stepdad, who pulls every bad dad trick in the book to make it look like Anthony will never succeed. It’s a film written using the old underdog rules. But, with this type of film, we know he will. I mean, even Rocky got a second shot at the title.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Unstoppable Info The film is now playing on Amazon Prime. 

Indiefest:  Black Box Diaries  (2024) Black Box Diaries is a documentary following Japanese journalist Shiori Itô, who has been sexually assaulted by a high-profile broadcaster. Her case has been dropped almost from the beginning because of the broadcaster’s job and his close ties to the Japanese government. Ito’s assault was back in 2015, and she was a 22-year-old grad student who thought she was interviewing for a job at a network. Instead, she was drugged and raped, but because of incredibly outdated rape laws, it was almost impossible to bring charges against the man through the Japanese judicial system. Ito, using her journalistic training, goes on a quest to bring justice and to change the laws of a system that makes it so that only 4% of rape cases are ever brought to trial. Black Box Diaries is a heartbreaking story, told by Ito through the use of video diaries and making a trail of audio and video recordings as she finds her way through the legal system, one that was designed to defeat her. It's a story that takes years to have an outcome and you wonder the toll it took on her to make this journey. Ito warns us at the film’s start that the experience of watching this tough documentary could trigger survivors, telling us that if it gets too much, we should close our eyes and breathe. What Shiori Ito found in making this film was that while she felt alone at the start of her journey, by the end, she was supported by a movement that gave her hope for her future. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Black Box Diaries Website  Now playing on the Paramount+/Showtime platform. 

My View:  September 5  (2024)  R    September 5 takes place during the 1972 Munich Olympics, as an American sports broadcasting team finds itself covering a hostage crisis involving Israeli athletes. The 1972 Olympics were groundbreaking for a couple of reasons. It was the first Olympics that was broadcast live around the world. It was also the first Olympics that Germany had hosted since the days of Hitler’s reign over the 1936 Olympics. This made a perfect setting for a terrorist attack, where a group of Palestinian militants held ten Israeli Olympic team members hostage while the entire world watched. The film centers on the ABC broadcasting crew, working under the sports section of ABC, who were put into action in the early morning hours in a situation they were unprepared for but would make history in their coverage of the events that unfolded. The story is told through the men and women who worked tirelessly to cover a breaking story that shocked the world. In the mix was a network executive, Roone Arledge, played skillfully by Peter Sarsgaard, who decided to keep the coverage in the sports department there on the grounds (literally right across the area where the hostages were being held) instead of giving the story off to the news department in New York. The second in command and the person who drives the plot is producer Geoffery Mason, played by John Magaro. Margaro does an outstanding job of showing us a man who has to rally his team to cover the crisis while dealing with network bosses and buying satellite time to keep the coverage going. September 5 is a powerful movie that tells the story of a group of people who banded together to show the world what was happening while doing something that had never been done before. Show a hostage crisis in real time to a worldwide audience. Even if you know the outcome, September 5 will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout, with an ending that has such an impact. So go back in time and witness, through this impressive film, the guts and courage of a group of people making history.  My Rating: Full Price   September 5 Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Forgotten Film: The Elephant Man  (1980) PG  In Victorian London, a surgeon, Dr. Treves (Anthony Hopkins), comes across at a ‘freak show’, a person called ‘The Elephant Man” because of his oversized and disfigured skull along with other bodily deformities. The man on display is 21-year-old Joseph Merrick (John Hurt), who makes a living in the sideshow. Dr. Treves rescues Merrick and brings him to a hospital, where he discovers Merrick prefers to be called John and is a well-read and articulate man. Back in 1979, when it was announced that David Lynch was going to direct a film called The Elephant Man, myself and others at my film school thought we would be getting a bizarre and weird horror film, much like Lynch’s first film Eraserhead (1977), a midnight movie screening staple, which is a film that is so weird and mind-blowing, it has to been seen. Little did we know we would get a film that tells the tale of a man who was labeled a freak but was thoughtful, kind, and creative. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Picture. While it did not win any Oscars, it put Lynch at the forefront of hot directors, which he would use to make Dune. Shot in glorious black and white by Freddie Francis, the film is a brilliant look at how we see and judge people by their appearance first before ever getting to know someone. And by the way, the man who was the driving force behind getting the film made, including shot in black and white, was the great Mel Brooks.  My Rating I Would Pay to See it Again  The Elephant Man Info The film is available to buy on DVD and is streaming on Kanopy. RIP David Lynch (1946-2025).

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Wolf Man:  Pattern Maker

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Companion  (2025) R Iris (Sophie Thatcher) meets a dashing young man named Josh (Jack Quaid) at a grocery store. Josh talks Iris into a weekend getaway on his country estate, but there she learns a very strange thing: she is a sophisticated human companionship doll at Josh’s command. If it’s up to Iris, it won’t be for long. Just to show what kind of film this will be, the film’s producer is Zach Cregger, who gave us the wild horror film Barbarian (2022). Companion Website In theaters on Friday, January 31, 2025. 

Until Next Time!

Us

My View:  Us  (2019)  R  A family is threatened by a group of doppelgängers who begin to terrorize them. Writer/director Jordan Peele has done it again. While not on the level of his first film Get Out, this horror film is still brilliantly done. One of the best things about his film is the score which uses some incredibly creepy original music along with some classic hip hop, rap, and rock songs. There is quite a bit of humor in this film, mostly provided through Winston Duke’s performance as the father playing a big, kind of a nerdy goofball.  Lupita Nyong’o is absolutely amazing playing two parts, the fierce mother, Adelaide,  who will do anything to protect her family and the horrific doppelgänger who wants to destroy Adelaide’s family. The tension builds almost from the start and doesn’t let up until the credits roll. I will warn you that there is quite a bit of blood spilled in this film but the violence, for the most part, is done off-screen. This is a film that you may have to see a couple of times to let it all sink in. My fellow critics and I talked for about an hour after we saw the film, trying to figure everything out. If you are a fan of intelligent horror films, this is a must for you.    My Rating:  Full Price     Us Website

Indiefest:  Gloria Bell  (2019)  R  A free-spirited woman (Julianne Moore) in her 50s is living her life, going to dance clubs alone until she meets a man (John Turturro) and falls in love, but that man might not be right for her. This is a remake of the writer/director’s 2012 Spanish film Gloria. The reason to see this film is the performance of Julianne Moore, who is a force of nature in the role. She portrays Gloria as a free-spirited woman who is kind but won’t put up with any relationship that doesn’t give her respect. This moving and sometimes heartbreaking film treats its subject with a loving look at a woman who discovers who she is.    My Rating:  Full Price    Gloria Bell Facebook Page

Indiefest:  Giant Little Ones  (2018)  R    Two popular boys (Darren Mann, Josh Wiggins) lives are turned upside down by an incident that happens on one of the boys 17th birthday. The film centers on Josh Wiggins character, Frankie, whose life gets turned upside down by the incident. This is a lovely film about dealing with all the crazy things that you go through as a teenager. I really loved this film about a young man trying to find his way in the world. Wiggins gives a dazzling and moving performance in the movie. I also liked the performance of Taylor Hickman, who plays a former friend of Franky’s who comes back into his life. Give this warm and tender film a chance, you won’t regret it.     My Rating: Full Price    Giant Little Ones Facebook Page

Forgotten Film:  Cherish  (2002)  R  After a martini-induced rampage, a young woman (Robin Tunney) is placed under house arrest. She figures out how to defeat her ankle alert in order to break the monotony of her confinement. Robin Tunney is amazing in this little-seen film. Part mystery, part comedy with a little romance mixed in Cherish is such a fun film to watch. Give this film a chance, I think you will enjoy it.    My Rating: Full Price    Cherish Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Us:  Stunt Pre-viz

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Avengers: Endgame  (2019) After the events that happened in Avengers: Infinity War.  With the help of Captain Marvel, the remaining Avengers are going to undo what Thanos did. Lots of rumors are flying around for this film.    Avengers: Endgame Website

Until Next Time!

The Conjuring 2

My View:  The Conjuring 2  (2016)  Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) head to North London to battle malicious spirits that are terrorizing a single mom and her four kids. I loved the first film because it truly was scary and had some great acting, both rare for horror films. While this movie is a slight letdown from the first, it still delivers scary scenes, and it still has Farmiga and Wilson in the lead roles. The film stalls a little in the middle, but the opening and closing scenes are chilling and move at a quick pace. Vera Farmiga gives a stunning performance as the paranormal investigator who can talk to the spirits and demons that terrorize families and homes. If you like horror films. this is the one for you.  You will be in for a wild ride.    My Rating;  Full Price    The Conjuring 2 Website

My View:  Now You See Me 2  (2016)  It’s been eighteen months since the Four Horsemen stole all that money from a Paris bank. They decide to make a comeback appearance, but their plans are thwarted by a tech prodigy (Daniel Radcliffe). He threatens to kill them if they don’t pull off a major heist. I liked the first film, mostly for the magic scenes which I thought were creative and fun. That’s the problem with this film: it’s a movie about magicians that doesn’t have any magic in it. The closest to believable magic in the movie is when the cast throws a playing card around during a heist. The film is boring, predictable and just not much fun. I did enjoy Lizzy Caplan’s performance as Isla Fisher’s replacement in the “Four Horsemen” because she looks like the only one in the cast who is having a good time. Most of the cast look like they are just going through the motions for a big paycheck. It makes me wonder if Isla Fisher didn’t really appear in the film because she was pregnant but because it was such a bad script.    My Rating: Cable    Now You See Me 2 Website

Indiefest:  Maggie’s Plan  (2016)  Maggie’s (Greta Gerwig) life turns upside down when she falls for a “ficto-critical anthropologist” named, John (Ethan Hawke), who is in an unhappy marriage with Georgette (Julianne Moore). John leaves Georgette, but soon Maggie realizes that John just might not be the man for her. She hatches a plan to get Georgette and John back together. While Maggie’s Plan is rarely laughing out loud funny, it is a sly, humorous look at a modern-day woman and the choices she makes in her life. Julianne Moore is priceless as John’s wife, Georgette, who has a personality full of hostility that dominates everything in the room. I am sure that Rebecca Miller wrote this film with Greta Gerwig in mind because I would have a hard time with anyone else in the role. Gerwig has great comedic timing that the movie uses to the utmost. She gives us a memorable performance where she commands you to concentrate on her character even when you have scene stealers like Rudolph and Moore up on the screen. Gerwig gives a performance that, while sweet, doesn’t go overboard, making us root for Maggie even more. Maggie’s Plan is a funny and surprisingly moving film that capitalizes on sharp, witty writing and cast that gives us as a pleasurable and gratifying film centered around a woman. We need more of these type of films, and I hope Rebecca Miller keeps giving them to us.   My Rating: Full Price     Maggie's Plan Website

Indiefest:  Dheepan  (2015)  Dheepan (Jesuthasan Antonythasan) leaves his life as a Tamil Tiger soldier during the last days of the Sri Lankan Civil War. He buys the passport of a dead man and, along with a woman (Kalieaswari Srinivasan) he doesn’t know and her child, travels to France to start over. There he gets a job as a caretaker of a building in a housing project that turns out is its own war zone.  Jesuthasan Antonythasan and Kalieaswari Srinivasan give moving performances that are multi-layered and thrilling to watch. The film is full of brilliant slices of life in an area of Paris that feels more like a war zone than a suburb. This is a film that will stay with you for days because it’s a movie that has complex issues at every turn of the story, and those issues don’t really have a solution. This is a fascinating film that keeps you guessing until the end.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See It Again    Dheepan Website

Forgotten Film:  Stay Hungry (1976)  The mob has bought every house in a district to rebuild it. Every building is purchased but one, a small gym where Mr. Austria Joe Santo (Arnold Schwarzenegger) prepares for a major body building competition. Jeff Bridges plays a rich kid named, Craig, who is brought in to be a patsy to buy the gym. He quickly likes the people in the gym, especially Joe’s friend, Marie (Sally Field). He decides to stand up to the mob with the help of his new found bodybuilding friends. While not a great film, it was the director, Bob Rafelson’s favorite film because they had so much fun making it. Bridges and Field are a delight to watch and have great chemistry. Arnold isn’t the best actor in this film, but it’s fun to see him in his bodybuilding prime.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Stay Hungry Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Now You See Me 2:  Charge Hand Dressing Prop

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Swiss Army Man (2016)  A man (Paul Dano) is stranded in the wilderness and finds a dead body (Daniel Radcliffe) he uses to help him get back home. This film looks and sounds so weird that it has to be seen.    Swiss Army Man Website

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Until Next Time!

Jupiter Ascending

My View:  Jupiter Ascending  (2015) PG-13   Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) has always felt that she was destined for something better than her job as a janitor. But it’s much to her surprise when an interplanetary warrior, Caine Wise (Channing Tatum), shows up and informs her that her destiny is to be part of a royal family who rules the solar system.  "The Matrix" was a fun movie that took a little effort to understand. This film, also directed by The Wachowskis, is complicated, but I could see it forty times and still not understand it all. The film is a big mess, with special effects so horrible that, at one point, I thought I was watching an old Claymation movie from the 60's. The dialog is incredibly stupid as in, "Bees know royalty." There is absolutely no chemistry between Kunis and Tatum, with Kunis acting like a 16-year-old girl around Tatum's character (who, by the way, is part wolf). The movie uses the same plot device twice, making me think; "Didn't I already see this?" And Oscar nominee, Eddie Redmayne, chews up scenery like he is channeling a 90's version of Nicolas Cage. By the end of the film, your biggest question will be: "Why does Channing Tatum have Spock ears?"  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Jupiter Ascending Website

FamilyFaire:  The SpongeBob Move: Sponge Out of Water (2015)  PG   Someone has stolen the Krabby Patty secret formula. Life in Bikini Bottom turns to chaos, and it’s up to SpongeBob and his friends to catch the culprit and return the formula.  If you are a kid and a fan of the TV show, you will love this film. If you are an adult, you probably won't have a good time, even if you are a fan. The movie is aimed at kids, with lots of color and stupid comedy bits. I did like the animation during the live-action parts with Antonio Banderas as the bad-guy pirate. It's an okay kid’s movie that will probably bore adults.   My Rating: Cable  The SpongeBob Movie Website

Indiefest:  Still Alice  (2014)  PG-13  Alice (Julianne Moore) is a high respected linguistics professor who gets the shock of her life – she is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. She and her family must deal with her rapid decline. Julianne Moore gives an Oscar worthy performance as we see her struggle with her diminishing faculties. She is truly dazzling on the screen, running the gamut of emotions. Kristen Stewart gives the best performance of her career as the black sheep of the family who understands how Alice is feeling. I just wish the script was better at giving us the big emotional moments, but it rarely does, and lets down the amazing cast performances.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Still Alice Website

Indiefest: Love, Rosie (2014)  R  Rosie (Lily Collins) and Alex (Sam Claflin) have been best friends since they were five years old. But, life took Rosie and Alex in different directions. They reconnect, and now they must decide…is it just a friendship or is it something more? I enjoyed this British rom-com, especially Lily Collins, who has a nice comedic touch. Sam Claflin makes a perfect romantic partner for her, and there are some sparks between his character and Rosie. It's a fun film that says that it's never too late to find love.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Love, Rosie Facebook page

Forgotten Film: Dead Calm (1989)  R   Sam Neil and Nicole Kidman play grieving parents who are trying to get over the death of their son. They go on a sailing vacation to reconnect with each other. Out in the middle of the ocean, they encounter a charming young man (Billy Zane) who is sailing alone on another boat, but there is more to his story than he lets on. This is a tense thriller with three excellent performances, especially by Kidman. The story centers around her and to watch her character evolve before our eyes is almost magical. The film has a great plot that will keep you guessing until the very end.   My Rating: Full Price   Dead Calm Info   

Weird Credits: From the credits of Jupiter Ascending: Movement coach

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Last Five Years  (2014) PG-13  A musical with Anna Kendrick? Yes, please!   The Last Five Years Website 

Until Next Time!