Saturday Night

My View:  Saturday Night  (2024)  R  Saturday Night takes place on October 11th, 1975, when, at 11:30 pm, a group of young, wild performers and writers launched a new live TV show that changed the landscape forever. The film chronicles the events that took place in the 90 minutes prior to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live. I am old enough to remember sitting in front of the TV with my dad to watch a new live show on a Saturday night at a really late time. My dad was a playwright and loved TV, especially comedies, so we were both blown away by what we saw that night. Not everything worked (George Carlin’s standup routine near the start of the show was a bomb), but most of the stuff they did was off the wall, inspirational comedy that thumbed its nose at almost everything from commercials to newscasts. Filmmaker Jason Reitman brings us the 90 minutes before that crazy broadcast happened. Saturday Night is a fun film that, like SNL, keeps throwing things at you, some of which work, some don’t. The film centers around Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), who is trying to put together a show in 90 minutes that everyone is telling he can’t possibly get it together. Everything goes wrong, from John Belushi not signing his contract and going rogue to lights that fall from the ceiling to a lineup of sketches/stand-ups/musical guests that would fill a four-hour show. All the while, Lorne is being told by the head of the network (played by everybody’s favorite SOB Willem Dafoe) that he will go to a Johnny Carson rerun if he feels that the show isn’t ready. Some outstanding performances help the film with Matt Wood playing the bull in a china shop, John Belushi, Ella Hunt playing the adorable ray of sunshine Gilda Radner, and Nicholas Braun as both the strange Andy Kaufman and the gentle Jim Henson. The film spends too much time on the relationship between Lorne and his wife, Rosie Shuster, played by the always scene-stealing Rachel Sennott. The film plays up too much with their strange relationship, with her deciding who to go home with, Lorne or Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien). I had fun with the film, especially seeing legendary SNL writer Michael O’Donoghue (Tommy Dewey) wreak havoc as only one of the great comedic but caustic minds could do. It’s a mad whirlwind of a film that doesn’t stop moving until the final frame, just like SNL itself.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Saturday Night Website Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Piece by Piece  (2024)  PG  Piece by Piece follows the life and career of American musician Pharrell Williams through the lens of Lego animation. Unlike all the other Lego movies like The Lego Movie (2014), this is a documentary from Oscar-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom (2013), Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (2018)). Neville, in Lego form, sits down to interview Pharrell about his life and his music. The difference from an ordinary documentary is that we see everything through Pharrell’s eyes told through the magic of Lego animation. Pharrell’s fans will love this film, as will anybody who has listened to hip-hop, rap, and pop in the last thirty years. The fun of the film is seeing who will show up next to be interviewed and what their Lego figure will look like. Everyone who interacted with Pharrell and his ability to create hits shows up, including Gwen Stefani, Timbaland, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Kendrick Lamar, and more. The film works when it lets Pharrell tell his story with enthusiasm and creativity. It doesn’t work when it gets bogged down by giving us an almost blow-by-blow sampling of the hits he has had a hand in and all the fashion lines he developed. Like putting together a Lego creation, the film has a lot of parts, some of which don't always fit. However, overall, Piece by Piece is a fun look at the life of a highly creative person who sees the world a bit differently, much like Legos themselves. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Piece by Piece Website Now playing in theaters.

Indiefest:  Terrifier 3  (2024)  R  In Terrifier 3, the residents of Miles County are sleeping peacefully on Christmas Eve. That slumber is about to be disturbed by a man who will unleash chaos, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton). I did not like this film as much as I liked Terrifier 2, which I loved because of the use of mythology, creating a firm understanding of what was going to happen. Plus, we got Lauren LaVera as Sienna chopping up Art right and left in an archangel costume. LaVera brought the movie to life and gave us a hero to root for. This film takes place five years later, and our heroine, Sienna, hasn't been doing well. She spends most of her time in a psychiatric facility. She gets out to visit for the holidays what’s left of her family and her brother, who is now in college. As with the first two films, there are plenty of body parts flying all over and blood spilling everywhere as Art finds different ways to kill, this time in a Santa costume because it’s Christmas. The film feels like filmmaker Damien Leone got just a little too cute in trying to overwhelm us with all the Christmas carnage. The film also goes a little too far in trying to shock audiences in several scenes. There are still some enjoyable scenes where people, like in the second film, begin to mess with Art and have no idea who they are dealing with. I missed the old Sienna, who battled Art for the final third of the film in part 2. The final battle seemed rushed and felt too much like a setup for the 4th installment. Overall, Art the Clown fans will have fun watching him dismember people, but Sienna fans, like myself, want her back to her old self for part 4.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Terrifier 3 Website   Now playing in theaters.

My View:  The Apprentice  (2024) R  The Apprentice tells the story of how a young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan) learned everything he needed to know about the world of real estate from the right hand of infamous lawyer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). Much has been said about this film, and it’s understandable why Donald Trump would not want it to be released. The film is about Donald trying to find his way in the world, out from the shadow of his father and he finds a man that can lead him to the promised land, even if that road is going to be bumpy and full of legal problems. Roy Cohn, played by the consistently brilliant Mark Strong, was a man who used everything in his power to ensure his clients won, including bribery, blackmail, and throwing every legal maneuver he could until the opposition stood down or gave in. Cohn saw in Trump someone he could mold and advise, though I am sure he also thought that Trump could be just another pawn in Cohn’s back pocket. The film doesn’t always work, but it’s not because of the performances. Sebastian Stan gives us a Trump who, when first meeting Cohn, is unsure of himself or how to go about getting what he wants. But ultimately, Cohn taught Donald too well, and what Cohn was used to giving out, Trump ended up giving him the same treatment. Do you learn anything new about Trump? Not really.  It’s funny, I didn’t like either character but by the end of the film, at least I understood Cohn.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Apprentice Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  The Last of the Sea Women  (2024)   The documentary The Last of the Sea Women takes place on the shores of Jeju Island, just below the southern tip of South Korea. A group of fierce elderly female divers fight to save their disappearing culture from the looming threats of pollution and global warming. You will fall in love with these feisty warriors, most of whom have been diving for 40 or 50 years. Once a thriving group of over 30,000, now their numbers are dwindling as the women continue to work in a sea that is slowly warming, causing them to dive deeper (without any breathing apparatus). The film follows the women as they continue to work, dealing with pollution and coral bleaching on a daily basis. Their lives are threatened when Japan, a not-too-distant neighbor, announces that it will release water from the Fukushima nuclear disaster site into the ocean. The film has some beautiful shots of women working under water that highlight why someone would keep working well into their 80s. It’s a magical world that they get to explore every day, but the film asks, for how much longer?  My Rating: Full Price  The Last of the Sea Women Info   Now playing on the Apple TV+ platform.

My View:  Lonely Planet  (2024)  R  In Lonely Planet, a writer, Katherine (Laura Dern), goes to a retreat in Morocco to be alone and finish her novel. There she meets Owen (Liam Hemsworth), a young man who feels abandoned by his girlfriend. The acquaintanceship develops into a life-altering love affair that neither was looking for. Romance and rom-com films often follow a pattern. If it’s a rom-com, the two eventual lovers dislike each other (or at least think they do) and seem wrong for each other. In romance films, usually, the two eventual lovers are in bad relationships (sometimes just the wrong person for them) or coming out of a breakup (or have given up on romance). In this film, Katherine is suffering from writer’s block, and it’s not being helped by the fact that her long-term relationship has ended. Owen the a guy who is with the woman who doesn’t appreciate him. So our couple meet by chance and start spending time with each other. Now, I am a fan of romance films, and I have always loved watching Laura Dern on the screen. Unfortunately, she is let down by the material, with the film playing the troupes I just described to the hilt. The big breakup (a usual thing in romance films) feels like a huge reach and brings the entire film crashing down. I did enjoy the ending, though it was once again right out of the romance playbook. Liam Hemsworth doesn’t have a lot to do; just be dreamy-looking and take his shirt off a lot. The two leads have some incredible chemistry that shows on the screen. The film centers around Laura Dern’s character and Dern makes this film watchable. It’s not a horrible romance film, just incredibly predictable, with a huge plot hole.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Lonely Planet Info Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Sorry I Missed It (A film that I didn’t see when it was first released but have seen recently): Lee (2024) R   Lee is the story of Elizabeth ‘Lee’ Miller (Kate Winslet), a fashion model who became an acclaimed war correspondent for Vogue magazine during World War II. Lee was a complex woman who fought to be seen as an equal, a photographer who belonged in the same places as men. The fact that she accomplished it during a war is remarkable. Kate Winslet pours her heart and soul into the role of the fiery Lee, whose personality was not always easy to get along with. A woman who bragged about her sex life and her drinking, she meets her match in an English art dealer named Roland (Alexander Skarsgard), who lets her be herself without trying to control her. Once the war starts, Lee makes it her mission to be on the front lines where the action is, and she finds someone willing to help her succeed in Life photographer David Scherman (played by an almost unrecognizable Andy Samberg in an outstanding supporting role). Together, the two photograph some of the horrors of the war, including the first uses of napalm, the shaming of French women who slept with the Germans in order to survive, and the results of the Holocaust at the camps at Buchenwald and Dachau. The film also shows us how the famous picture of Lee was taken with her taking a bath in Hitler's own bathtub. The film lets Winslet show us Lee as a bold woman who had trouble with authority and was willing to fight her way into where she knew she belonged.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Lee Website    The film is still playing in theaters.

Forgotten Film:  Akira Kurosawa's Dreams  (1990)  PG  A collection of eight stories based on dreams that legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (Rashomon (1950), Seven Samurai (1954), Ran (1985)) had and wanted to explore on film. Kurosawa couldn’t get the film made with Japanese backing, so Steven Spielberg and others in Hollywood got Warner Brothers to release the film. It’s a fantastic film that tackles grief, guilt, mental illness, death, and the destruction of the environment. Incredibly beautiful at times, and all the stories are moving and heartfelt. Where else can you see filmmaker Martin Scorsese play Vincent Van Gogh?  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Dreams Info The film is available for rent/buy on streaming services.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Piece by Piece:  Animation Legal

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Heretic  (2024) R  Two young Mormon women (Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher) have been spreading the word of God door to door without much success. They knock on Mr. Reed’s (Hugh Grant) door, and he welcomes them in, eager to hear what they have to say. The two girls soon learn that they are captive in the house and are to play a game of cat-and-mouse in the home of a madman. It’s going to be fun to watch a horror film where Hugh Grant is the bad guy.  Heretic Website  The film will be released in theaters on Friday, November 8, 2024. 

 

                                                                    Until Next Time!

Twisters

My View:  Twisters  (2024)  PG-13  Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is a meteorologist who used to love chasing tornadoes until she encountered one that had deadly results. Kate is lured back into the open plains by her friend Javi (Anthony Ramos), who has developed a groundbreaking new tracking system that, if it works, could save thousands of lives. She soon meets Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a reckless storm chaser with a huge social media following. Think of this as not a sequel to the 1996 film Twister directed by Jan de Bont. Twisters is part of the same universe, but only slightly related (although there might be a connection between Tyler and Helen Hunt's character, but that's pushing it). Twister worked so well because of the writing (co-written by Michael Crichton), and it had an outstanding cast that wasn’t just led by Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt, but had a supporting cast that included Cary Elwes, Jami Gertz, Alan Ruck, Lois Smith and constant scene-stealer Philip Seymour Hoffman. This film does have Glen Powell, whose screen presence dominates every scene he is in. Powell, a native Texan, walks the walk (perfect ex-cowboy walk) and talks the talk as a former rodeo performer who fell in love with weather events when he was eight. Unfortunately, unlike Helen Hunt’s pairing with Bill Paxton, Daisy Edgar-Jones can’t match Powell’s firepower on the screen, and her character is always seemingly in the shadows. It doesn't help that Edgar-Jone's character, Kate, has PTSD from a horrific incident that happened while chasing tornadoes in college. Kate is a tornado whisperer who can pick the storm that will sprout a tornado, but she is gun-shy and has to be constantly saved from freezing up at the worst possible times. That being said, this is still a perfect, fun-filled action film that puts you not only alongside a tornado but often right inside it. My screening was in a Dolby theater, and the experience of being inside the twisters was so much fun. So much so that I kept waiting for the wind effects to start. Twisters is a fun ride, helped by the star power of Glen Powell and his monster (with an emphasis on monster) truck. So climb aboard, strap in, and hold on.  My Rating: Full Price  Twisters Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View:  Skywalkers: A Love Story  (2024)  R  Skywalkers: A Love Story is a documentary about a couple, Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, who have made a career in climbing the highest buildings in the world. Their next destination is Malaysia to scale the 118-story mega-tall skyscraper Merdeka 118, the last super-skyscraper to be built in the next few years. Their goal is to rekindle their careers and relationship. If there was ever a couple destined to be together, it would be Angela and Ivan. Two people who think it’s fun to climb to the tops of buildings and then, without any safety equipment, pose on top of antennas or scaffolding. The couple are called rooftoppers, not climbers, because, other than climbing antennas or scaffolding, they rarely climb but use elevators or stairs to get near the tops of buildings. The footage is jaw-dropping, and you constantly worry about the two, as they think nothing of sitting on top of a building and having their feet over the edge to get a good view. Ivan, Russia’s top rooftopper, invites Angela, a woman who has made her mark on the sport by posing in dance/ballet moves atop buildings, to join him. There are parts of the story that seem staged, particularly when they discuss their relationship and goals. There is a dark side to this story that isn’t fully explored. I felt that the two often took chances, not because they loved what they do, but because they needed to get hits on their social accounts. A couple of times, the film shows the two reacting to fellow friends who have died or had accidents while doing the sport. The film glosses over these moments and returns to the relationship between the two lovers as Ivan slowly learns to trust Angela and support her. Throughout the film, I also had the feeling that what they were doing was wrong. Unlike rock climbing or skydiving, what they do is against the law, and I am afraid this film will inspire others to try this sport out. Still, this is a film that grabs you as the last third of the film is the two planning and then actually attempting to go to the top of the 118-story skyscraper, something that no one had been able to do before. Remember, while you are watching this film, there was a disclaimer at the beginning of the film that said: Do not attempt to imitate. Don’t worry, filmmakers, I won’t.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Skywalkers: A Love Story Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

My View:  Oddity  (2024)  R  In Oddity, it has been a year since Dani (Carolyn Bracken), home alone, opened her door to a stranger named Olin (Tadhg Murphy) and was murdered. A year after Dani’s death, Darcy (also Bracken) arrives with a large wooden mannequin at her late sister’s husband’s door. Darcy is convinced she can discover why Dani opened that door to a stranger, or did she? Oddity is a masterfully crafted mystery and horror story that gradually unfolds. Darcy is blind but sees more than most people, especially when dealing with death and the afterlife. Darcy is a unique character that filmmaker Damian McCarthy gives us, and Carolyn Bracken gives us a very strange hero to root for. There is a sense of dread almost from the film’s first frame, and after Dani’s death, we meet her sister, and from there, it’s just a matter of time before the mystery is solved. Oddity has a few jump-out-of-the-dark scares, but mostly it’s the building of the tension that makes this horror film stand out. Plus, there is that really creepy wooden figure that Darcy has brought along.  My Rating: Full Price   Oddity Website Now playing in theaters.

My View:  My Spy: The Eternal City  (2024)  PG-13  JJ (Dave Bautista) and Sophie (Chloe Coleman) are back in My Spy: The Eternal City. This time, Sophie convinces JJ to chaperone her school trip to Rome. Just their luck, there is an international terrorist plot that is targeting CIA Chief David Kim (Ken Jeong) and his son, Colin (Taeho K), on the trip. I enjoyed the first My Spy movie (against my better judgment) because Dave Bautista was goofy, and there was great chemistry between Bautista and Chloe Coleman. Plus, it was fun watching the giant Bautista deal with the adorable and very cute Coleman. It’s four years later, and the plot has worn out its welcome. My Spy: The Eternal City is a film that goes for the cheap laugh every time and seems to have lost any idea of how the first film worked its magic, blending in the action sequences with some humor. Even Anna Farris can’t save the lousy plot and even lousier attempts at being funny. With a run time of almost two hours, the film never seems to end. Even the credits are long, as Ken Jeong and Craig Robinson do some very unfunny attempts at improving some songs. Watch the first film or any of the Robert Rodriguez Spy Kids movies and skip this one.  My Rating: Cable  My Spy: The Eternal City Website  Now playing on Amazon Prime

Indiefest:  Widow Clicquot  (2023)  R   Widow Clicquot is the story of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot (Haley Bennett), who, at age twenty-seven, after her husband’s death, took over the family vineyard and revolutionized the champagne-making process, creating a world sensation against the odds. Widow Clicquot is a film where the performance of the lead and the cinematography try to carry the load but are both let down by a screenplay that can never find its footing. The film utilizes the magnificent beauty of the French countryside to its advantage, with some stunning shots. Haley Bennett gives a multi-layered performance as a woman determined to create a wine worthy of her late husband. The film wanders back and forth between before her husband's death, as we see him slowly descend into madness, and afterward, when she is trying to keep the vineyard afloat. It’s a strange film meant to celebrate a woman who fought against the system to invent the way Champagne is made today. Near the end of the film, we see the big moment when the widow Clicquot discovers the secret to great Champagne, but it’s glossed over so quickly that you don’t realize how important that moment is until you see it mentioned in the credits. It’s a weak storyline that is only elevated by Haley Bennett’s performance and the fantastic scenery.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Widow Clicquot Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Find Me Falling  (2024)  In Find Me Falling, John (Harry Connick Jr.) is a rock star whose big comeback album was a disaster. Licking his wounds, he buys a cliff-side home in Cypress, a place he once knew before becoming famous. His dream of keeping a low profile is shattered with constant interruptions, including an old love, long-lost, who has resurfaced. Find Me Falling is not a typical romantic comedy, primarily because of the interruptions I mentioned in the plot description. The interruptions are caused by people committing suicide. John seems to have acquired a house on a cliff where people like to commit suicide. That’s in the first five minutes, and it’s a plot point that helps turn John’s life around. The songs (written by Connick Jr.) don’t work, except for a Greek song, used to woo a lover, which is terrible when the story is about a singer. During the opening credits, we hear the song that catapulted John into superstardom, and I initially thought it was the song that had ruined his career. The scenery in Cyprus is breathtaking, and the supporting cast is enjoyable to watch, especially Ali Fumiko Whitney, who plays a spunky local singer that John befriends. The plot, though, is slow, the reveals are telegraphed miles ahead, and while Connick looks good in his swimming scene, he has a hard time with the comedic elements of the story. The ending is a little too forced to generate any sort of emotion. Like the rest of the film, the final shot misses the mark. It shows a handmade sign, and all I could think was, shouldn't it be in Greek and not English?   My Rating: Cable  Find Me Falling Website    Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Forgotten Film:  Quills (2000) R  After years of being locked away in prisons, the Marquis de Sade (Geoffrey Rush) is sent to the Charenton Insane Asylum run by Abbé du Coulmier (Joaquin Phoenix). The Marquis de Sade establishes a friendship with a maid (Kate Winslet) and, with her aid, is able to continue writing and publishing his work. Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte is furious that Marquis de Sade’s work is still getting out and sends Dr. Royer-Collard (Michael Caine) to the asylum to shut De Sade down, in any way necessary. It’s a battle of wits and wills that the two men will wage, and only one can win. Quills is a film that is at times funny and then, at a moment’s notice, becomes very scary. Rush is brilliant as the Marquis and Winslet gives a bawdy performance as the maid who intrigues de Sade. Add Joaquin Phoenix and Michael Caine, and you have a movie that keeps you interested until the very end.  My Rating: Full Price  Quills Into  The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon and Apple TV+.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Twisters:  Stunt Trolly Drivers

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Lee  (2023)  R  The story of Elizabeth ‘Lee’ Miller (Kate Winslet), a fashion model who became an acclaimed war correspondent for Vogue magazine during World War II. Kate Winslet has been developing this film for a few years, when a friend told her she resembled Lee.  Lee Info The film will be released in theaters on Friday, September 27, 2024.

Until Next Time!

Freaky

Note to readers: I currently am not willing to risk my health (I’m 62 and an asthmatic) by visiting a theatre. All films that I have seen for review have been screened in my home. I am not going to tell you whether or not to attend a theatre. Just be aware of the risks, do your research, and follow the instructions to the letter.

My View: Freaky (2020) R  Millie (Kathryn Newton) is just a teenage girl trying to survive the rigors of high school. She becomes the target of The Butcher (Vince Vaughn), her town's infamous serial killer, and then they switch bodies. Millie has 24 hours before the change becomes permeant. Freaky isn’t your typical slasher film as it has quite a bit of comedy in it. Taking a premise stolen from every teenager switches bodies with an adult, this film also makes fun of all the horrible deaths that we see in the normal teenagers are in trouble horror films. Vaughn and Newton are hilarious as they portray each other’s character inside their bodies. Vaughn does a masterful job of playing a man who is now inhabiting a teenage body. The film is buoyed by Millie’s ‘Scooby gang’ of her best friend (Celeste O’Connor), Josh (Misha Osherovich), her gay sidekick, and the boy Millie is secretly in love with (Uriah Shelton). Freaky is fun, sometimes silly, and the plot has a few holes in it, but who cares when trying to bring down a serial killer who is inhabiting your body.    My Rating: Full Price    Freaky Website  The film is currently playing in select theatres.

My View: Come Away (2020)  PG   Alice (Keira Chansa) and her brother, Peter (Jordan A. Nash), let their imaginations take them on fantastic journeys while enjoying the summer in the English countryside. When their older brother (Reece Yates) unexpectedly dies, Alice seeks temporary refuge going down a wondrous rabbit hole, while Peter escapes the harsh reality of the real world by entering the magical realm of the ‘Lost Boys.’ Come Away is one of those films that you want to love because the premise is so cool, but boy does it fail to capture any magic whatsoever. This is a beautiful looking movie, with some gorgeous scenes, but the story never quite gets on track, making the film seem incredibly long with an ending that is meant to inspire but fails to make sense. The film flirts with both the Peter Pan storyline and the Alice in Wonderland plot, but every time it visits those places, the film just doesn’t deliver the charm and wonder that it needs so desperately. I thought Keira Chansa carried the film, and she needed to because, unfortunately, Jordan A. Nash as Peter doesn’t have the charisma that the part requires. The movie is undoubtedly helped by the presence of David Oyelowo and Angelina Jolie as the parents, but they aren’t the focus of the film, the kids are. Ultimately, the story doesn’t deliver the wonder and amazement that Wendy and Peter deserve.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Come Away Website    The film is currently playing in select theatres and available for rent on participating on-demand services.

Indiefest: The Climb (2019) R   Mike (Michael Angelo Covino) and Kyle (Kyle Marvin) are best friends, that is until Mike sleeps with Kyle’s fiancee (Judith Godreche). For a while, Mike and Kyle are enemies, but they can’t stay mad at each other too long, and soon they make up their friendship. Now Kyle has a new fiancee (Gayle Rankin), and Mike is determined to break that romance up also. First, let me say that there is one long tracking shot in this movie that has to be seen to be believed. This is a buddy picture where the two ‘buddies’ don’t always like each other. In fact, several times during the film, at least one of the two hates the other. The movie's humor is harsh and biting, as the two men always seem to be on a collision course filled with tension and words that often hurt. Covino and Marvin play off each other with incredible timing, making the film fun to see what they will say or do to each other next. As Kyle’s fiancee, Gayle Rankin almost steals the movie as she is determined to make sure that no matter what Mike does, she will be married to Kyle. The Climb is a film to watch and enjoy, filled with characters that you soon won’t forget.    My Rating: Full Price     The Climb Website    The film is currently playing in select theatres.

Indiefest: The Life Ahead (2020) PG-13   In a small seaside town in Italy, a Holocaust survivor, Madame Rosa (Sophia Loren), with a daycare business takes in a street kid, Momo (Ibrahima Gueye), who recently robbed her. Sophia Loren gives a beautiful and heartfelt performance as the tough but caring Madame Rosa. Madame Rosa has made her living taking care of the children of local prostitutes, something she has done since she quit the business. Rosa is in need of money when her doctor (Renato Carpentieri) brings the hard to handle Momo to her with a proposition that he will pay Rosa to take in the boy for a few months. Rosa reluctantly lets Momo stay with her, and an uneasy beginning starts a relationship between the aging madam and the street-smart boy. I enjoyed the slow warming between Rosa and Momo, as the two learn about each other, both learning to respect each other’s boundaries, with Rosa treating Momo like a young adult and Momo treating Rosa like a mystery that is needed to be solved. The Life Ahead is sure to bring a tear or two as the story is filled with love and heartbreak, just as it is in life.   My Rating: Full Price    The Life Ahead Website     The film is currently playing in select theatres and on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Ammonite  (2020) R  In 1840s England, Mary (Kate Winslet) lives in a seaside home with her aging mother. Mary is a well-respected fossil hunter. One day Roderick (Jame McArdle) and his wife, Charlotte (Saoirse Ronan), come into Mary’s shop with a proposition. Roderick will pay Mary to teach Charlotte about fossils while he is away on a scientific expedition. That fateful day will change Charlotte and Mary’s lives forever. First, the good: Winslet is terrific as the stone-faced, reserved Mary, who wants to be left alone with her fossils. Winslet often doesn’t speak with words but with just the slightest movement or facial expression, and we get precisely what Mary is thinking and feeling. Saoirse Ronan is up to the task as the depressed Charlotte, a woman who has lost the light inside her that her husband adored. The problem with this film is that it is incredibly predictable. Each move that is made by the characters is so laid out, it takes away from any spark the film has with the chemistry of the two leads. It’s always fun to watch Kate Winslet weave her spell on the screen; I wish I didn’t know what her character was going to do throughout the whole film.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Ammonite Website    The film is currently playing in select theatres.

Indiefest: Fatman (2020) R   Times are hard for Chris Cringle (Mel Gibson), also known as Santa Claus. He takes a one-time deal to deliver some items for the U.S. military, but there is a problem. After getting a lump of coal for Christmas, a kid hires a hitman (Walter Goggins) to kill Santa. Little does the hitman know that this isn’t the first time someone has come after the jolly fat man. I don’t think this film will get you into the mood for Christmas, maybe a trip to the shooting range, but Christmas, no, I don’t think so. Santa is an unhappy old man who is worried that he has lost his touch and is about to go broke. Billy (Chance Hurstfield) is a ‘Richie Rich’ kind of kid who isn’t above hiring a hitman so that he can win a science fair. That hitman is someone who hates Santa (we find out why near the end of the film) and eagerly takes up the hit when Billy gets a lump of coal for Christmas. The film doesn’t always work, especially the second story of Santa having to work for the government. I kind of wish they had just left that out of the storyline. Goggins is just flat funny as the grumpy, Santa-hating hitman, as his character hits the road determined to bring down Christmas and everything it stands for. Fatman is an amusing idea that probably would have been better as an SNL skit, the plot doesn’t justify the feature-length treatment.   My Rating: Cable     Fatman Website    The film is currently playing in select theatres and available for rent on participating on-demand services on Nov. 17th.

Familyfaire: Wolfwalkers (2020) PG  A young apprentice hunter, Robyn (Honor Kneafsey), and his father journey to Ireland to wipe out the country’s last wolf pack. Once there, Robyn befriends Mebh (Eva Whittaker), a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to transform into wolves. Robyn uncovers a secret that could make her turn against her father. The team that brought us the Academy Award-nominated films The Secret of the Kells (2009) and Song of the Sea (2014) bring their animated talents again to the screen to bring us the imaginative and visually striking Wolfwalkers. This is a fun play into the land of myth and legends, as our hero Robyn discovers that there are always two sides to a story. Convinced by her father that wolves are to be killed because they are evil, she soon finds herself alone in the forest, confronting the very beasts her father seeks to kill. This is a dazzling coming of age tale that is perfect for children, especially young girls, to try to understand those who you oppose. Wolfwalkers is a superb film filled with bewitching animation and a brave girl who takes a chance on friendship.    My Rating: Full Price     Wolfwalkers Website     The film is currently playing in select theatres.

Forgotten Film: The Ipcress File (1965)   Several vital scientists have been kidnapped and, after a few days, are released, with each scientist brainwashed with all of their knowledge gone. The British send counter-espionage Agent Harry Palmer (Michael Caine) to investigate. Palmer feels that he has been chosen for this mission because he feels he is expendable. The Ipcress File is a fascinating spy thriller with a very un-James Bond character. Caine is perfect as a spy with a weird sense of humor, tries too hard to impress the ladies, and isn’t the dapper spy that we think of when picturing a British agent. The storyline is intriguing, and there are plenty of twists to keep you interested. I love this film's feel and look, making it seem more like a film noir type of movie than just a spy caper.  My Rating: Full Price    The Ipcress File Info

Weird Credits: Credits from Come Away: Coffee

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  News of the World (2020) PG-13 Five years after the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks) makes his living going town to town as a storyteller, reading from news accounts, telling stories of all kinds. In the plains of Texas, he finds Johanna ( Helena Zengel), a ten-year-old girl who was raised by the Kiowa people as their own. Against her will, the Captain agrees to take Johanna to her relatives in a remote town hundreds of miles away. The two will travel a great distance to meet the tremendous challenges of both human and natural forces to find Johanna a home. Hanks is reunited with his director from Captain Phillips (2013), which is all I need to know to want to see this western.    News of the World Website

Until Next Time!

Wonder Woman

My View:  Wonder Woman (2017)  PG-13  Before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, Princess of the Amazons and a trained warrior. When a pilot named Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crashes his plane on the Amazons island, he tells Diana about a war that is going to end all wars.  Diana decides to go with Steve to help defend liberty.  Wow, we finally have a DC film that gets it right. All it took was a woman director with a story about a female superhero. What has been severely lacking in the DC universe has been a lack of humor in their films (something Marvel excels at). Due to incredible chemistry and timing of the two principles (Gadot and Pine), this movie works. I loved the fight scenes, and we already knew from her appearance in Batman v. Superman, that Gal Gadot can do action sequences.  The first big fight sequence is a spectacular example of choreography and directing, with Amazon warriors flying off of massive cliffs while shooting arrows at their enemy.  This big, dramatic action movie is meant to be seen on the big screen, but it was not shot in 3-D, so save a few bucks.  There is no bonus scene in the closing credits.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Wonder Woman Website

Family Faire:  Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie  (2017)  PG   When two school pranksters (Kevin Hart, Thomas Middleditch) are threatened by the Principal (Ed Helms) to be sent to separate rooms, the boys use a magic ring to hypnotize the Principal and turn him into the superhero Captain Underpants. I loved the first half of the movie, with the friendship of the two boys being the center of the film and they creatively use three types of animation. My problem with this movie, though, is it starts to go downhill when they introduce the bad guy, Professor Poopypants (Nick Kroll), whom I found very annoying and one dimensional.  From talking to kids at my screening, the film does an excellent job of making the characters of the book series come alive. This is another one of those family films that kids will love, and parents will be very bored.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie Website

Indiefest:  Obit  (2017)  A look at the staff obituary writers at the New York Times, having, to sum up, a life in a 500-word article.  Obit is a fascinating film about one of the last newspaper obituary staffs. The writers of the obituaries often have to do research, question loved ones of the deceased and write a story in a matter of hours.  What I adore about this movie is you get to hear the stories behind the writing of the obituary, why the writers write what they write, how they pick the pictures they use, what the writers leave out, and whom they talked to. Some of the obits in the film are about very famous people, and then others are about equally interesting people who are not well known.   My Rating:  Full Price   Obit Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-ray):  Before I Fall  (2017)  PG-13  Samantha (Zoey Deutch) is a high school student who keeps reliving the same day over and over. If you had one day to do all over again, how would you do things differently?  This is a “groundhog” type of movie which doesn’t work because the main character keeps doing the same things. This film wants us to root for Samantha, but the problem is she isn’t a likable person. She is part of a “mean girls” group of friends who are self-centered and only concerned about having a good time.  The storyline is boring and predictable with an ending that is too simple to work.    My Rating: Cable   Before I Fall Website

Forgotten Film:  Top Five  (2014) R  It’s sad that this film only made 25 million at the box office (it got lost on a weekend that Wild got released). This amusing and touching film is about a comedian (Chris Rock) who is trying to make it as a serious actor. His fiancée (Gabrielle Union) convinces him to allow their wedding to be broadcast on her reality TV show. Everything is going well until a reporter (Rosario Dawson) shows up to do an interview that just may change his life. I loved this witty, sometimes raunchy comedy written and directed by Chris Rock. The film, while very funny, also has a lot of heart.  There is great chemistry between Dawson (in one of her best performances) and Rock. The film also looks at what it’s like to be successful and still have doubts about your life and your career.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Top Five Facebook Page 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Wonder Woman:  The filmmakers would like to thank Linda Carter.

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Mountain Between Us  (2017)   Two people (Idris Elba, Kate Winslet) are in a small plane that crashes on the side of a remote snow-covered mountain. These two strangers must now come together to survive a perilous journey across miles of wilderness. Two incredibly gifted actors and a trailer that looks stunning makes me wish this film was coming out today and not in months.   The Mountain Between Us Info

Until Next Time!

Rogue One: A Stars Wars Story

My View:  Rogue One: A Star Wars Story  (2016) PG-13   Set shortly before Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977), the Rebel Alliance recruits Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) to join a team including Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) to steal the design schematics of the Empire’s new Death Star. Stars Wars fans are going to love this film as it fills in the back story to Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) and has so many Easter egg (references, both visual and vocal to past films) that you may have to see the movie more times to see them all. I love the hero, or should I say heroine, of the story - a young woman who is the reason why the mission fails or succeeds. Sure, she is part of a team, but it all comes down to her if the mission is a success. There is quite a bit of humor in the film, and the action sequences are fast moving and a blast to watch (no pun intended). It fits nicely into the Star Wars universe, and, though I think I enjoyed Star Wars: The Force Awakens a little more, that was mostly due to nostalgia purposes. I think you will enjoy this film so much, you just might see it again or more. The film was not shot in 3-D, so save your money to buy that 2nd ticket.   My Rating:  Full Price   Rogue One Website

My View:  La La Land  (2016)  PG-13  A musical about a determined jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling) who falls in love with an aspiring actress (Emma Stone) in Los Angeles. This is a magical film that tips its hat to the old Hollywood classic musicals of the past. Gosling and Stone have chemistry that makes their romance so believable. The singing and dancing by Stone and Gosling is so effortless and beautiful that it makes it a joy to watch. The opening number is one of the most amazing dance sequences that I have ever seen on the screen, and the final dance sequence of the film is just unbelievably gorgeous. I have seen this movie three times, and each time I had a smile on my face throughout. In fact, I felt as if I should have danced across the lobby after I saw the film. Needless to say: My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   La La Land Website

My View:  Jackie  (2016)  R  Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy (Natalie Portman) has to deal with the grief and trauma of the event while trying to regain her faith, console her children and fight for her husband’s historic legacy. This is Natalie Portman’s film, and she handles it with ease. It takes a few minutes to get used to her talking like Jackie, but once you get used to it, Portman disappears into the role. It’s a tough role to tackle because, after the assignation, Jackie was all emotionally over the place; at times defiant, other times subservient, always demanding that her husband is treated with respect and determined to show the world what horror had happened to him. It’s a scintillating performance as Portman turns Jackie’s emotions on and off at a moment’s notice, as one in shock/grieving does. Portman dominates the film and is on the screen in almost every scene. Overall, this film works as a study of a person who was larger than life by one of the few actresses who could handle that type of role. You may feel, after seeing this film, that Natalie Portman gave us everything she could give, just like the woman whom she portrayed did for this country.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Jackie Website

My View:  Collateral Beauty  (2016)  PG-13  A successful New York advertising executive’s (Will Smith) life has been in a downward spiral since he suffered a tremendous loss.  When he writes letters to Love, Time and Death, he is surprised when each of them appears in front of him to talk about the letters.  For a movie that includes two Oscar winners, Kate Winslet and Helen Mirren, and three Oscar nominees, Will Smith, Edward Norton, and Keira Knightley, it’s rather dull film. I enjoyed the performances of Mirren, who plays Death, and Jacob Latimore, who plays an outraged Time, but the rest of the cast seems to be sleepwalking in their parts, especially Will Smith. There are some major plot points that we are asked to just not question and an ending that I saw coming from almost the start of the film which makes it seem patched together from a number of horrible ideas. I don’t think this is a bad film, but it never delivers the tug on the heartstrings that the audience may desperately want.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Collateral Beauty Website

Forgotten Film:  Death and the Maiden (1994) R  Paulina (Sigourney Weaver) is a political activist living in a South American country that has just ousted a dictator. She finds a man (Ben Kingsley) sleeping on her couch and decides that it’s the man who tortured and raped her during the dictatorship. Paulina captures the man and begins a night of interrogation and discovery. This is a fascinating psychological drama with two intense and powerful actors. The film keeps you guessing until the end, and Kingsley gives a speech that is so intense it is mesmerizing.  My Rating:  Full Price   Death and the Maiden Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of La La Land:  Tap Foley for Ryan Gosling

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Lion  (2016)  PF-13  A five-year-old Indian boy ends up a thousand miles from home. After living on the streets of Calcutta, a miracle occurs. Twenty-five years later he is hoping for another miracle - that he find his long lost family. The film has won at a number of film festivals around the world and is nominated for four awards at the Golden Globes and two at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.   Lion Website

Until Next Time!

Deepwater Horizon

My View:  Deepwater Horizon  (2016)  PG-13  Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg) is the chief electronics technician on the floating oil rig named, Deepwater Horizon. Williams will need all his skills when the rig explodes and creates one of the worst oil spills of all time.  It takes a while to get this film going but once the explosions start, the film seems to move at breathtaking speed. I loved the action in this movie, and director Peter Berg knows how to film those scenes to get the audience right there in with the characters. The movie has an outstanding cast with Kurt Russell giving a stellar performance as the safety expert of the rig and Gina Rodriquez, who gives a sympathetic and moving performance as the pilot of the rig.  There is tremendous chemistry between Russell and Wahlberg, which makes their characters seem more like father and son than co-workers. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I was mesmerized by the thrilling action sequences and gripping performances.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again    Deepwater Horizon Website

My View:  Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children  (2016)  PG-13  Jake (Asa Butterfield) goes on a quest to find the home that his grandfather told so many stories about.  First off I must tell you not to take young children to this film. There are parts that are quite scary, and there is one scene that would be disturbing to young kids (heck, it was disturbing to me). I liked this film and feel it is one of the better adaptations of a Young Adult book genre.  The storyline is fascinating and inventive.  The special effects are well done and fun. I especially enjoyed Eva Green’s performance as Miss Peregrine, as she made her character likable but also very strange. The bad guys, led by Samuel L. Jackson, are creepy and sometimes shocking, which gives a horror tinge to the film.  I enjoyed the ending of the movie and hope there will be more as I would like to revisit this strange world of “peculiar children.”    My Rating:  Full Price   Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Website

My View:  Masterminds  (2016)  PG-13  David (Zach Galifianakis) is a security guard who drives an armored car every day. With a group of half-brained criminals, David does the impossible and steals more than $17 million.  Now, will he be able to keep the money? While I did enjoy that not just one, but two characters share my name, overall I did not enjoy this film.  The laughs were few and far between and most I had already seen from the trailer/commercials. A little of Galifianakis shtick goes a long way, and I grew tired of his character very early on. I did enjoy the quirky performance of Kate McKinnon, who plays David’s weird fiancé. Her character steals the film, as she deadpan’s her way throughout. The plot is based on a true story, but it’s predictable and, at times, just not funny.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Masterminds Website

Indiefest:  The Dressmaker  (2015)  R  A glamorous woman, Tilly (Kate Winslet) returns to her small town in rural Australia.  While she changes the style and dress of the women of the small town, she is there to get revenge on those who did her wrong in the past. I enjoyed this film that is part mystery, part revenge film, and part comedy. Winslet is scintillating as the stylish woman in the couture dresses clashing with the people of a small, isolated town.  Judy Davis is perfect as the crazy mother that Tilly has come back to care for. I loved Hugo Weaving as the police officer in town who has a penchant for wearing women's clothing. And there is great chemistry between Winslet and Liam Hemsworth, who plays her love interest. There are plenty of twists and turns to make the mystery interesting, and you won’t believe the ending. Tilly is a beautiful woman on a mission, someone you might want to meet, but you wouldn’t want to get on her bad side.  My Rating:  Full Price  The Dressmaker Website

Forgotten Films:  The Seven-Ups  (1973)  PG  Buddy (Roy Scheider) is part of an elite police team that is little known and mostly undercover.  The team focuses on crimes that can get more than seven years in prison when convicted.  When investigating the murder of his partner, Buddy uncovers a plot to kidnap mobsters for large ransoms.  This is a smart and gritty film where the cops don’t always follow the rules to get their convictions. Scheider is intense and scintillating as the cop on a mission that may get him killed. There is an rousing car chase that rivals the car chase sequence in the 1968 film Bullitt.   My Rating:  Full Price   The Seven-Ups Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Masterminds:  Props; Silicone Eel

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)  I am a sucker for Kate Beckinsale and her portrayal of the kickass vampire Selene. The first film is still the best one in the series, but I am just happy to have her back killing vamps.   Underworld: Blood Wars Info

Until Next Time!