You're Cordially Invited

My View: You’re Cordially Invited  (2025)  R  In You’re Cordially Invited, Margot (Reese Witherspoon) is planning her sister’s wedding, and Jim (Will Ferrell) is the father of another bride-to-be. They discover their destination weddings are double-booked, so they decide to share the venue. What could go wrong? How about everything? You’re Cordially Invited is a film that, with the cast it has, should be much funnier and happier than it ends up being. The story is about two miserable people who expect too much from others to be happy in the moment. This is more of a raunchy comedy than a rom-com, though it tries very hard to put Ferrell and Witherspoon into the romantic side by the end of the film, but it feels like the film is vastly overstepping that outcome. Most of the comedy falls flat, and the much-anticipated alligator scene (see the poster) is incredibly forced into really bad slapstick. There were too many times in this film that I wanted to go ‘don’t go there’ to director/writer Nicholas Stoller, but he kept pushing the film along with one cringy scene after another. Let’s put it this way, I never want to hear the old Dolly Parton/Kenny Rogers song “Islands in the Stream" ever again. By the way, you can stay and listen to Ferrell/Witherspoon and the rest of the cast sing the song again and again during the credits. I wanted to scream 'Please stop singing!"  My Rating: Cable  You're Cordially Invited Info  Now playing on Prime Video. 

My View:  Companion  (2025)  R  In Companion, 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 an extraordinary thing: she is a sophisticated human companionship doll at Josh’s command. If it’s up to Iris, it won’t be for long. I had no idea what I was getting into, other than (spoiler alert, not really, it’s in the trailer) that Iris is a companion robot. I immediately figured out the first twist, but the rest took me for a fun ride. Companion is a suspense film with murder and mayhem, along with a dash of romance. The film paints itself into a corner that it has trouble getting out of, but it’s a twisted, fun story that gets a little bloody along the way. Sophie Thatcher has a blast playing Iris, someone we can root for, while also having a few laughs and a lot of shocks along the way. Just a warning: this film might change how you look at the ‘meet cute’ scenes in movies.   My Rating: Full Price   Companion Website    Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Love Me  (2024) R    Love Me is a post-apocalyptic romance in which a buoy and a satellite start communicating with each other and decide to explore what it would be like to be human. They both pick human forms (Kristen Stewart and Steven Yuen) and find that they are falling for each other. Love Me is a very strange love story that occasionally works, but most of the time, it seems to be a film that can’t find where it wants to go. Part sci-fi film, part romance with characters played first by a buoy and a satellite, then animated characters, and finally by human forms. The film explores the question of how we love, laugh, and experience life. The problem for our two characters is that they only have what was on the internet to help them figure out how to become a couple. I found the first 30 minutes to be the most interesting, as the two machines slowly develop a relationship. Once the two become animated in a weird world where they recreate a date over and over, the film slows down too much. When the two separate and explore how they see life and love on their own, the final third of the movie suffers. The ideas that the characters explore are probably too complex for two machines to find the answers to. By the end of the movie, I was uninterested in what happened to the two characters as I had lost interest in their attempts to become human long before they did.    My Rating: Cable  Love Me Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Valiant One  (2024) R  In Valiant One, a mission goes bad when a U.S. Army helicopter crashes in North Korean territory.  Now, a team of non-combat specialists must try to make it back to the South Korean side before being caught. The team is led by Captain Brockman (Chase Stokes) who isn’t too pleased to be taken off his desk duty to lead a bunch of reservists to fix a monitoring device placed near the DMZ. After their helicopter crashes, the team comes to the realization that they are in enemy territory and that no one will rescue them. It’s up to Brockman and his team to find a way back to the border before the North Koreans can find them. The cast is forgettable, with the exception of Lana Condor, who plays Specialist Selby, who becomes the sounding board for Brockman and is a kind of jack-of-all-trades type of soldier. Condor gives the film a badly needed spark when she is on screen. The film is more of your typical escape from the bad guys while dealing with the inner turmoil of a crew that didn’t think they would ever be in danger.   My Rating; Bargain Matinee  Valiant One Website    Now playing in theaters. 

Familyfaire:  Dog Man  (2025)  PG  Dog Man takes place when a human police officer named Knight and his dog partner Greg are injured together in an accident. A life-saving surgery puts Greg’s head on top of Knight’s body, and Dog Man is born. The film is based on the beloved and popular graphic novel series by Dav Pilkey and is directed by Peter Hastings, best known for writing over 70 episodes of the animated TV show Animaniacs. While not as over the top as Animaniacs was, this is an irreverent animated comedy that fans of the books will love, and parents will find some of the jokes funny, too. I loved the animation, which was lively and colorful. The characters are fun, with Lil Rel Howery’s Chief stealing every scene he is in. The film is fast-paced and features a lot of action sequences to keep small children engaged. Overall, Dog Man is an enjoyable film that kids will love, and parents won’t be too bored. There is a short The Bad Guys film at the beginning of Dog Man which doesn’t do a lot, but is harmless fun. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Dog Man Website  The film is now in theaters.

Forgotten Film: Into the Wild  (2007)  R Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) graduates from college as an honor student. He gives away all his possessions and money and takes off for the West Coast, then heads up to Alaska, armed with a sleeping bag and a few books on how to survive in the wilderness. Along the way, he meets people who impact his life. Directed by Sean Penn and based on a true story, this is a strange film that, while it has some fantastic performances, doesn’t quite tell the story in a way that makes the impact the ending should make. Still, there are some brilliant performances of the people that Christopher meets on his travels, including Hal Holbrook, Kristen Stewart, and Vince Vaughn.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee The film is available to buy/rent on most streaming services.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Companion: Facial Hair Fabricator 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Mickey 17  (2025)  R  Mickey (Robert Pattinson) is unhappy with his life, so he signs up to be an ‘expendable’, a disposable crew member on a space mission. As an expendable, Mickey is given dangerous tasks because he can be ‘renewed’ if he dies. Two problems: He renews with his memories intact, and something has gone wrong, and now there are two Mickeys. From Academy Award winner Bong Joon-ho (Parasite).  Mickey 17 Website The film will be in theaters on Friday, March 7, 2025.

Until Next Time! 

The Damned

My View: The Damned  (2024)  R  The Damned takes place in 19th-century Iceland, where Eva (Odessa Young), a widow, runs a fishing station in a remote village. Eva and her fellow villagers see a ship sinking offshore in icy waters. Should they risk their lives in horrible weather and bring back survivors to share their last remaining food for the winter or let nature take its course? Whatever they do, their lives will forever be changed. People have often gone mad in insolation, especially in an unrelenting winter. Add in the lack of food, a demanding and physical job that isn’t paying off with the lack of fish being caught, and a culture where ghost stories are told around the table at night and folktales of ghosts and the dead are believed, and you get a situation ripe for horror. Director Thordur Palsson gives us a story of a group of men led by widow Eva, who are struggling to survive in harsh conditions, having such a bad time at fishing that they have to eat their bait. Odessa Young is the center of the film and plays Eva as a person with a big heart but who has the welfare of her men to consider with every decision she makes. Eva, when we meet her, is a person who is a damaged person suffering from the loss of her husband, and we see just how damaged she is when someone tells a ghost story around the dining table, and she is affected by the story to the core. With her, we see all that goes on in this story, where the tension continually builds as mysterious things happen in the group. Palsson does a spectacular job of setting up this scary story of a group of people who become under the spell of folklore combined with guilt to create a tale of scares and horror.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Damned Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever  (2024)  In the documentary Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever, we follow tech millionaire Bryan Johnson, who is willing and able to do anything to slow down the aging process and extend his life beyond all the known medical limits. This is a fascinating look at what one person who has the money, resources, and time can do if they devote their entire life to extending it. To say that any of us would do this just to live longer is asking a lot. Bryan doesn’t have a life other than interacting with his assistant (given the title of Social Media Officer) and his soon-to-be college son. Bryan is relentless in his daily life, taking a mountain of pills, working out, eating vegetarian, and undergoing procedures that most doctors feel are either unnecessary or dangerous. I lost count of how many times a procedure was brought up that was tested on mice/rats but hasn’t been tested on humans. Bryan even flies to Honduras to get gene therapy. This is a therapy that has a ‘kill switch’ that can ‘shut down the gene’ if things go wrong. Isn’t this almost what every villain has done in comic books since the ‘60s? There is an interesting underlying factor in all this: Bryan was brought up Mormon and has cut ties with most of his family because of leaving the religion. Bryan hints he was an unhappy child/adult and seems to point to his religious upbringing and beliefs (he has kids and an ex-wife that he hasn’t seen since he left the church). Second is Bryan’s relationship with his son (who is about to go to college). While I love he has grown close to his son and wants to make up for lost time, I didn’t like that he allowed his young high school senior to do a bunch of Bryan’s lifestyle choices, including plasma trading. While you may learn a thing or two about aging and lifestyle, and it’s no accident that Netflix premiered this on New Year’s Day, a day when people try to go on self-improvement regimens, you may be like me and be a little creeped out by a man who wants to live as long as he can while not living a life.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Don't Die Website  Now playing on Netflix

Indiefest:  The Girl with the Needle  (2024)  R   In The Girl with the Needle, Karoline (Vic Carmen Sonne) hasn’t heard from her husband in years after he left to join the fight in WWI. She becomes desperate and homeless, but all is not lost when she meets a woman named Dagmar (Trine Dyrholm), who promises to help her if Karoline does something illegal and possibly dangerous. Karoline is a lost soul, just trying to survive in 1919 Copenhagen, and she keeps getting knocked down. Whenever things seem to be going her way, she gets knocked down again. Vic Carmen Sonne’s performance is both gritty and bold, giving Karoline a backbone that prevents her from completely succumbing to the misery. Shot in absolutely stunning black and white, the world that director/co-writer Magnus von Horn and cinematographer Michal Dymek have created is a stark one, where every corner seems to decay right before our eyes. Each scene creates a feeling of despair and growing suspense, as we sense something is not right but can’t put our finger on it. Karoline’s survival is the focus of the first half of this film. The film’s second half becomes more of a Gothic tale of suspense and mystery. In the end, it transforms into something entirely unexpected and shocking. The Girl with the Needle is a film that will have you on the edge of your seat, with an ending that will stun you. Be aware that this is a tough watch, not suitable for the weak-willed. Like Karoline, you will have to face tough times to reach the end of the journey.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Girl with the Needle Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Indiefest:  The Seed of the Sacred Fig  (2024)  PG-13  The Seed of the Sacred Fig focuses on a family thrust into turmoil when Iman is appointed as an investigating judge in a high-profile case in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman (Missagh Zareh) realizes that his job has put himself and his family in danger. Shot in secret by Mohammad Rasoulof, this is a film that shows us the growing anti-Iranian government movement (via actual YouTube videos) while centering on a family that slowly destroys itself. Iman has been given a job that could lead to financial success for his family, but he soon learns that the job is asking him to do things to protect the ruling government and throw away any chance of justice. Iman is given a gun to defend himself and his family from anyone who finds out about the rulings that he has made. That gun goes missing in the family home, and now Iman must find out who the traitor is in his own family, even if it means destroying it. The film plays out like a mystery thriller, as we follow the family as they try to stay together even though the world around them is falling apart. However, they can’t survive if their father has become judge and jury with his own children. The Seed of the Sacred Fig is a scary tale that is full of lies, accusations, and possible betrayals; all the while, the rights of women are being taken away right by the government, as seen on social media. It’s a remarkable film that, while it takes too long for the final act to come to a conclusion, is a moving portrait of both a country and a family that is being fractured by an iron fist. Where innocence/guilt is judged before even the facts can be determined.  My Rating: Full Price  The Seed of a Sacred Fig Website Now playing in select theaters. 

Indiefest:  Porcelain War  (2024)  R In the documentary Porcelain War we follow three people as they deal with daily life in Ukraine as the war with Russia rages on.  Slava Leontyev, his wife Anya Stasenko, and their friend Andrey Stefanov were forced to flee their homes in Crimea during the Russian invasion. They now live in a town in Ukraine near the border with Russia, which is regularly bombed. Before the war, Salva and Anya created porcelain figures, which Salva created, and Anya painted, and Andrey was a cinematographer. Slava and Andrey joined the army when the war started with Russia, wanting to defend the country that they love. Anya has stayed behind to keep the home fires burning (literally) and continues to paint her figurines. This documentary gives us two sides to living in Ukraine. We witness stunning images of pristine forests and pools where they swim, striving to find some peace in a world that has gone crazy. Always by Slava and Anya is a small dog named Frodo. These scenes are contrasted with scenes of bombings, firefights, and searching for mines. We often witness the soldiers fighting the enemy in horrific battle sequences out in the field. Throughout the film, we hear an incredible soundtrack from a band called DakhaBrakha that blends folk songs with the sounds of animals from the forest. Many times, one of the three will talk about their life, both past and present, as we see Anya’s work on the porcelain figurines come to life, illustrating scenes of what is going on in their country and their lives. We get to see how real people deal with a war up close and the spirit they show to continue the fight. Porcelain War is a film that explores the struggle to survive, utilizing art, love, and laughter to overcome hardship. Buildings can be destroyed, but the heart and soul of a people is a much harder thing to kill. As Slava says near the end of the film, ‘Ukraine is like porcelain, easy to break but impossible to destroy.’ My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Porcelain War Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  The Landlord  (1970) PG  Elgar Enders (Beau Bridges) is a 29-year-old rich kid who still lives with his very wealthy parents (Lee Grant and Walter Brooke). Enders decides it’s time to go out into the world and make something for himself. So what’s a rich kid going to do but buy an inner-city apartment building in Brooklyn, with the intent of tearing it down and building something that his parents will be proud of? However, Elgar makes the mistake of getting to know his tenants, including a hairdresser, Fanny (Diane Sands), her husband, Coppee (Lou Gossett), who wants to overturn the government,  and a fortune teller, Marge (Pearl Bailey), who convinces Elgar not to kick everyone out. The first half of this film is your standard ‘fish out of water’ comedy, but it makes a turn about halfway through, as we find out that Elgar isn’t a good guy. In fact, he is a self-centered jerk. The film was directed by Hal Ashby (Oscar-winning writer of In the Heat of the Night (1967) and director of Harold and Maude (1971), The Last Detail (1973, Being There (1979), and Coming Home (1979), and it has some outstanding performances, including Lee Grant as Elgar’s stuck up mom, and Pearl Bailey, who is a delight in every scene she is in. The Landlord is a film that, while made in 1970, deals with racial disharmony, gentrification, and income inequality, making this a film that is still powerful today. My Rating: Full Price  Tne Landlord Info The film is available to buy on Amazon. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Girl with the Needle:  Stunt Horse

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Love Me (2024) R  Here is the IMDB description of this movie “A post-apocalyptic romance in which a buoy and a satellite meet online and fall in love after the end of human civilization.” It just makes you want to watch this, doesn’t it? So what if I tell you that the buoy meets a satellite over the airwaves, starts communicating with each other, and decides to explore what it would be like to be human? The buoy picks Kristen Stewart as her avatar, and the satellite picks Steven Yeun. Better? And by the way, the film won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.  Love Me Website The film is in theaters on Friday, January 31, 2025. 

Until Next Time!

Arthur the King

My View: Arthur the King (2024)  PG-13   Mikael Lindnord (Mark Wahlberg) is an adventure team racer who believes this is his last chance to win the 435-mile endurance race through the Dominican Republic. Mikael befriends a wounded stray dog named Arthur. Against the odds, Arthur joins the team in the race and becomes a valued team member. We all know what suckers we are for movies that center around dogs, especially if the dog is cute. I am glad to say that Ukai does a great job playing the remarkable Arthur. Unfortunately, Ukai can’t save a storyline that feels slapped together with some band-aids and twine. I think the problem is that the film does a lot with the set-up and doesn’t do enough with the race's hardships. Early in the race, there is a remarkable sequence where the team decides to zip-line across a deep gorge to cut some time and it becomes a spectacular rescue that has to be seen to be believed. However, once our favorite dog joins the gang on the trip, the film becomes about Mikael's journey to learn about himself and how to be a leader who listens. The last fifteen minutes feel a little too much in an attempt to finally pull on the heartstrings. Still, you may need a tissue or two for this final bit. I don’t recommend this for young kids, as some scenes involving Arthur are a little unsettling (hence the PG-13), but older kids will enjoy rooting for Arthur to complete the journey.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Arthur the King Website  Now playing theaters nationwide.

Indiefest: Problemista (2023) R  Alejandro (Julio Torres) is a young man from El Salvador who dreams of being a toy designer. His work visa is about to run out, and he makes a deal with the devil, an erratic, demanding art critic (Tilda Swinton) who is on a mission to retrieve her dead partner's art and mount a show. It’s a job that Alejandro may not survive. Julio Torres is a four-time Emmy-nominated writer (SNL) and won a Peabody Award for his TV show Los Espookys. He has now written and directed a funny and creative surreal comedy that borders on the absurd. This comedy deals with a real problem: the hoops people have to go through to get a work visa in this country. He is fired from his job, which seems to be sitting in a room with a frozen person and their artwork, but is saved when the artist’s wife takes a liking to him and offers him a way to get her to sponsor his work visa. Little does Alejandro know he has just made a deal with a crazy person who changes her mind every few moments and has no idea how to survive in the modern world; all the while, the clock is counting down on Alejandro’s ability to stay in America. The film uses Alejandro’s rich imagination to give us insight into how he is feeling and thinking like when he sees someone being told their application to stay has been rejected, they vanish into thin air, or when he is told what he needs to get his work visa, Alejandro imagines a series of maze-like rooms with hidden doors that never lead to the key he needs to unlock his future. As a director, Torres lets Tilda Swinton have a blast as the widow who is convinced the whole world is out to get her. Swinton gives us a character that is outlandish and sometimes cruel but, in the end, is still likable because she only cares about one thing: the legacy of her dead husband, whom she dearly loved. Problemista is about having the courage to try, the perseverance to keep moving, and the guts to finally speak your mind.   My Rating: Full Price  Problemista Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest: Love Lies Bleeding (2024) R  Lou (Kristen Stewart) is a gym manager in her small town where her father, Lou Sr. (Ed Harris), runs the area with an iron hand. Into Lou’s gym walks Jackie (Kate O’Brian), a bodybuilder who takes Lou’s breath away. It’s a meeting that will change their lives forever. In fact, someone may die. Part film noir, part 80s nostalgia, Love Lies Bleeding is a film where our hero, Lou, no matter what she does, gets pulled further and further into a mess that she probably will never get out of. Set in a time (the 80s) when female body-building was all the rage with women like Corey Everson and Rachel McLish, who were not only on the covers of muscle mags but appeared in mainstream movies and TV shows. Love Lies Bleeding is a love story that goes off the rails. The film is full of violence, sometimes done to shock and other times done to almost comedic tones. The film starts as a romance but quickly becomes bigger than life, like Ed Harris, who has the longest mullet ever seen on the big screen. Kristen Stewart shows us again that she is one of the best actors in the cinema today. Her reaction shots are amazing, as we see on her face how smitten she is from the first time Jackie comes into the gym. The film keeps you guessing what will happen next, though you can almost bet that someone else will die a gruesome death. And there is an ending that will have you talking to your friends as you head to the parking lot. Love Lies Bleeding isn’t a film for everyone, but for fans of Stewart and weird film noir, it’s a delight.  My Rating: Full Price  Love Lies Bleeding Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View: The American Society of Magical Negroes (2024) PG-13   Aren (Justice Smith) is recruited to join a secret group, The American Society of Magical Negroes, made up of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making white people feel better about themselves. I enjoyed the first half of this film when Arne is still learning the ropes and is shown how the Society keeps white people from causing harm. It’s a fun swipe at how Hollywood has made through the years where a Black supporting character will help in some way the main White hero find his way and save the day. The movie runs into problems in the 2nd half, when Aren starts falling for Lizzie (An-Li Bogan), who works at the same company that Aren’s subject he is supposed to help succeed, Jason (Drew Tarver). Things get complicated when Aren is instructed to help Jason date Lizzie, something that Aren, who by now has connected with Lizzie, wants to avoid. The film is aided by the great chemistry between Smith and Bogan, and their ‘meet-cute’ is fun and imaginative.  The American Society of Magical Negroes dies in the third act when it tries to tie everything up in a nice bow that the film doesn’t need or deserve. I wish the 2nd half of the film had been as imaginative.   My Rating: Cable  The American Society of Magical Negroes Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View: Irish Wish (2024)  Irish Wish takes place when the love of Maddie’s life, Paul (Alexander Vlahos), gets engaged to her best friend, Maddie (Lindsay Lohan), against her better judgment, goes to Ireland to be in the wedding. While in Ireland, Maddie makes a wish that she was the one marrying Paul and wakes up the following day discovering that she is now the bride-to-be. Be careful what you wish for; they might come true. I enjoyed Lindsay’s last rom-com she did for Netflix, Falling For Christmas, as I felt it utilized Lohan’s star power and ability to elevate anything with her charm and ability to play a bit with the humor of the film. In this film, Lindsay plays a woman, Maddie, who is secretly in love with an author she has worked closely with to make him a success. Sadly, she doesn’t let him know her feelings, and he falls for her best friend. So off we go to Ireland for the wedding. Maddie makes a wish, not knowing the Irish magic is in full force, and wakes up the next day as the bride-to-be, getting married to a man she thinks she is in love with. She soon learns the grass is not always greener, even when it's all the way in Ireland, and of course, she soon discovers that maybe the one Maddie thought she was destined for isn’t the one she should be involved with. Irish Wish is a fun film that sometimes tries a little too hard, but still, it’s filled with some beautiful shots of Ireland, a fun romance in the making for Maddie, and, of course, a happy ending. Go ahead, Netflix, keep making these Lindsay Lohan rom-coms, and I’ll keep watching them.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Irish Wish Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

My View: Remembering Gene Wilder (2023)   The documentary Remembering Gene Wilder is about the legendary actor Gene Wilder, who went from the Broadway stage to starring in classic films like Blazing Saddles (1974), Young Frankenstein (1974), and Silver Streak (1976). This documentary is an absolute delight to watch as Wilder (using audio from his autobiography, Kiss Me Like a Stranger) narrates his life to us as we watch his magical career develop because of both talent and luck. It’s a remarkable film that makes you miss Wilder even more as we see just how talented an actor he was, someone who could play the meek or underdog but also could erupt in the blink of an eye, making a scene go from funny to on the floor laughing till it hurt. The film gives us a man who never thought he would be a leading man, but that was part of the charm of Wilder; he was an everyman who could make you love him, even in the silliest film. The uses behind-the-scenes footage, along with interviews with Wilder that are combined with current interviews with his last wife, Karen Boyer, along with Alan Alda, Mel Brooks, Carol Kane, and Richard Pryor’s daughter, Rain. The film will bring you many laughs and a few tears as we go down memory lane with a great talent and wonderful person. You will want to see a film or two of his after this documentary. I will never forget seeing Silver Streak back in 1976 and thinking, hey, if that goofy guy has a chance with Jill Clayburgh, then maybe I do, too.   My Rating: Full Price  Remembering Gene Wilder website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View: One Life (2023) PG  This is the story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker, who, in the months leading up to World War II, almost single-handedly rescued over six hundred children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. This is a gripping tale of a man who saw a disaster waiting to happen and felt that he had to try to rescue as many children as he could at significant risk to himself and his fellow volunteers. The film starts in the mid 80s when Nicky is feeling a bit melancholy, forced to organize and get rid of stuff he has collected through the years by his wife, to make room when his family, soon to be larger when a grandbaby arrives, comes to visit. Nicky revisits his time in Czechoslovakia and his attempts to get as many children out before the Nazis invaded. The film works because Hopkins gives us a man haunted by the past and all the children left behind. We see how remarkable it was to get as many children out as he did, navigating all the bureaucracy, money, and physical transport to find homes for these children, leaving their loved one’s behind. The last third of the film is a tear fest; first, as we learn, Nicky wasn’t always successful. However, the film ends on a good note, and if you don’t know the final part of the story, I won’t ruin it for you. One Life is worth seeing how it all turns out, along with another in a long line of memorable performances by Mr. Hopkins.  My Rating: Full Price  One Life Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest: Club Zero (2023)   Miss Novak (Mia Wasikowska) is a new teacher at an exclusive private school, where she is about to teach a course called conscious eating. Miss Novak forms a strong bond with five students, a relationship that eventually takes a very dangerous turn. Club Zero is a dark comedy with some horror aspects peeking through, about what happens when someone starts using their influence and made-up facts to brainwash young people looking for something to latch onto. I had some trouble getting fully absorbed by the film because most of the parents of the kids Miss Novak puts under her spell seemed to be one-sided, almost cartoonish characters. This is a film that pushes a few boundaries and does its best to make you feel uncomfortable but never shows you too much, something that maybe it should have. I felt unattached to the characters, never quite invested in their welfare or how they would turn out. By the end of the film, this made me feel empty, not caring too much about Miss Novak or her students. It felt a bit like a meal where you aren’t given enough to eat, and there aren’t any seconds in sight.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Club Zero Website

Indiefest: Uproar (2023) PG-13   Uproar is about Josh (Julian Dennison), a seventeen-year-old who is just trying to keep his head down and survive high school as an Aboriginal native surrounded by white kids in his New Zealand hometown. Talked into taking drama from one of his teachers (Rhys Darby), his life opens up, and he is suddenly aware that the world needs his views and presence. Julian Dennison was in one of my favorite surprise films of the past ten years, the Taika Waititi comedy adventure Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), where Dennison and Sam Neil play a son and foster father who get lost in the New Zealand wilderness. Dennison spreads his magic again, as Josh, a teen attending a rich, private school only because his brother and father were ruby stars at the school. Josh is constantly picked on and is most comfortable spending his time either in the library or on a paper route, where he gets help from his best friend, a teen girl named Grace (Jada Fa’atui). It’s the 80s and a time of unrest in New Zealand as the South African rugby team, a symbol of the ongoing apartheid in that country, comes to New Zealand, and protests erupt throughout the country. Josh, at first, tries to stay in the background, convinced that he will never do anything special, but he soon learns, through his friends, his brother, and a teacher, that he has talent and a skill that will bring people together. It’s Josh’s time to leave the background and make some noise. Uproar is a beautiful and funny film that is a joy to watch, and Dennison is an incredible talent who brings Josh to life.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Uproar Website  Now playing in theaters.

Indiefest: Frida (2024) R  The documentary Frida is about the life of dynamic and iconic artist Frida Kahlo, who led a raw and magical life, bringing joy to millions through her artwork. Using her illustrated diaries as a voice for Frida, the documentary tells the story of a woman whose paintings became more powerful and forceful after her death, giving her success that she never got during her lifetime. Frida spent much of her life in the shadows of men, and this film provides insight into why. Fernanda Echevarria del Rivero gives Frida her voice, and I loved how she was able to bring Frida and her personality to life, and we get to see her sense of humor. I was first enchanted by the animation of Frida’s paintings in the film, but I soon wanted those paintings to stand alone and not be so busy. To me, Frida’s paintings have always told her story, and I feel the animations did some disservice to her work. However, the film gives us an up close and personal feel to the life and loves of Frida. Using both home movies and newsreel footage, along with a treasure trove of photographs, we see Frida throughout her life, in good times and bad, from her childhood to her last days. The film Frida gives her a voice that she didn’t always get to express, and I am glad she is so loved now by the art world and the public. Like Frida herself, it’s an interesting and complex portrait.   My Rating: Full Price  Frida Website  The film is currently playing on the Amazon Prime platform. 

Forgotten Film: The Good Father (1985) R  Bill (Anthony Hopkins) is a man who is very bitter about his divorce and how he has limited access to his son. Bill finds out a friend of his is being sued for divorce, and the wife is leaving for Australia with her lesbian lover and wants to take their son with her. Bill decides to help the man sue for custody, using every trick in the book to win. I love how a film made almost 40 years ago remains relevant. Bill is a man who is angry at the world and feels that feminism has robbed him of the life he wanted to lead with his family. This is a man who you will not like for most of the film because he is so self-centered and plays the blame game. However, through the brilliant acting of Hopkins, the layers of Bill are slowly exposed and we see a man who has never learned how to love or be loved.   My Rating: Full Price  The Good Father Info   The film is available to buy on Amazon. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Arthur the King: Dog Colorist

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Challengers (2024) R  Tashi (Zendaya) was a tennis prodigy about to set the tennis world on fire before she suffered a devastating injury she couldn’t recover from. Now, years later, she is a coach and married to a former champion who is on a losing streak, and the question is how far Tashi is willing to go to get him back on his winning streak. It will be interesting to see how well this film does at the box office. Can Zendaya’s star power lead a film?  Challengers Website  The film will be released in theaters on April 26th. 

Until Next Time!

Argylle

My View: Argylle (2024) PG-13  Elly (Bryce Dallas Howard) is a best-selling spy novelist who rarely leaves home. On a train, she meets Aiden (Sam Rockwell), who tells her he is a real spy and has been sent to save her from being kidnapped. Elly is now living the life that she has only written about, and it turns out that her books are the key to saving the world. Elly and her beloved cat Alfie are plunged into a covert world where nothing and no one is as they seem. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of this film, as Elly and Aiden are thrust together as they try to stay two steps ahead of the bad guys while transporting a cat, who has a window in a backpack that gives him a ringside seat to all the action. Up to that point, the film is fun and light, with great action sequences and witty dialogue between Elly and Aiden. Unfortunately, the film takes a twist that kills all the steam the movie had built and becomes a silly mess that goes on far too long (two hours and nineteen minutes). There are a few scenes after that twist that are just outright painful to watch and far too outrageous to even have a bit of fun with. And the film wastes a few talented actors, including Samuel L. Jackson, who is there just to explain the plot. It’s seldom that when watching a film I feel sorry for the actors, who are trying their utmost to win us over with each scene, but in this case, I do. Especially with Bryce Dallas Howard, who seems game to try just about anything the director asks. There is a bonus scene at the end that ties in with another film, but even that is a letdown.   My Rating: Cable  Argylle Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide. 

Indiefest: The Promised Land (2023) R  Former soldier Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) arrives in 1755 with a plan for the barren land of the heath of Jutland in Denmark, where he will successfully grow a crop and prove that the land can be fertile. First, he must survive not only the elements but also a neighbor, Frederik de Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg), a wealthy landowner who has plans of his own for the heath and will do anything to make sure Ludvig fails. Mads Mikkelsen gives a powerful performance as a man determined to defeat both the odds and his fellow man while believing in himself to do what no one thought possible. It’s a film about the will of two men, both determined to defeat the other, but one is willing to do anything to win. The movie reminded me of one of my favorite Robert Redford films, Jeremiah Johnson. Both are men who are escaping the past by trying to succeed in a wilderness that few have before them, and both come by a family in the most unusual ways. The Promised Land is an outstanding film about pride, honor, determination, and, along the way, maybe finding love.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Promised Land Website  Now playing in theatres 

My View: The Greatest Night in Pop (2024)  Documentary on the night of January 25th, 1985, when dozens of the era’s most popular musicians gathered in a Los Angeles recording studio to record a song in one night that would make history. In the days of MTV and when radio still ruled the airwaves in cars and homes, there was an attempt to do in America what Bob Geldof did with the song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ in Britain. Record a song to raise money for famine relief in Africa. This film takes us from the start, with an idea by Lionel Ritchie and Michael Jackson, who decided to write a song of their own and record it on the night of the American Music Awards. Lionel Richie gives us a blow-by-blow account of how it all went down, with a lot of help from the singing stars and the people doing the dirty work, like the seemingly impossible task of getting everyone there without it leaking to the press. I loved they were still writing the song while recording it. There are some incredible moments, one involving Bob Dylan and another country star, Waylon Jennings, that are just jaw-dropping. The Greatest Night in Pop is a fascinating look at the recording of a song played worldwide by a group of superstars (and Dan Ackroyd, of all people) that would never be in the same room again. And by the way, It’s a pretty darn good song.   My Rating: Full Price  The Greatest Night in Pop Website  Now playing on Netflix

Indiefest: Fitting In (2023) R   Lindy (Maddie Ziegler) is a teen who has just moved into her grandmother’s old house with her single mother, Rita (Emily Hampshire). Lindy has a new boyfriend, Adam (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), and things are heating up, so Lindy decides to go to a gynecologist to get on birth control. That doctor’s office visit will change everything for Lindy. Maddie Ziegler gives a performance they will talk about for quite a while. Ziegler shines in the role of Lindy, a popular teen who has a budding relationship with a great guy, Adam (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), with whom she is about ready to have sex with. She has a best friend, Viv (Djouliet Amara), with whom she shares everything, and a loving mom, Rita, who tries not to share too much since Rita is a therapist. When Lindy decides to get birth control from a doctor, it takes Lindy on a life-changing rollercoaster of a ride that few young women will ever experience. Ziegler gives a moving and touching performance that seems real and moving. Fitting In explores a wide range of topics, many of which are in the headlines, with a willingness to tackle some issues that are rarely discussed, much less explored on film. So grab a red solo cup and join Lindy on a journey to find her place in this world.   My Rating: Full Price  Fitting In Website  Now playing in theatres.

Indiefest: Scrambled (2023) R  Ever the bridesmaid, Nellie (Leah McKendrick) seems to go from one wedding to another, along with endless baby showers and one-night stands. Nellie decides things may not be in the cards for a romantic ‘soulmate,’ so she decides to freeze her eggs and starts a journey of self-discovery. This is a raunchy comedy about a woman who speaks her mind and is determined to take her possible future pregnancy into her own hands. Nellie is a woman who has a wonderful sense of humor and loves men but doesn’t want to have a child just yet. So, she decides to freeze her eggs, which sets her on a quest to find the money and get her body ready for the operation. Nellie deals with a lot with the constant circle of women she knows getting married and or pregnant. McKendrick not only stars in the film but also wrote and directed it, showing a flair for comedy. Nellie isn’t a woman you will instantly warm up to, but once you get to know her, you will root for her to succeed.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Scrambled Website  Now playing in theatres

Familyfaire: Orion and the Dark (2024) Orion (voiced by Jacob Tremblay) seems on the outside like your average elementary school kid. However, Orion is a ball of anxiety, entirely consumed by every irrational fear you can think of and a few you might not. Of all his fears, the thing he fears the most is the dark. And that’s just who shows up in his bedroom, Dark (voiced by Paul Walter Hauser), to take him on an adventure around the world to prove there is nothing to be afraid of in the night. I had fun watching this film. It’s about a kid afraid of almost anything, including going on field trips and petting dogs. I loved the storytelling, which will keep both kids and their parents interested in Orion and his adventures with Dark. Dark is out to prove to Orion that the world needs both light and dark and that there isn’t anything to fear about the dark; in fact, you just might have fun. The animation is beautiful, and I especially enjoyed the animated drawings of Orion in his journal about things he is afraid of. The storyline changes perspectives a few times, which makes it even more engaging. So get ready to go on a bit of adventure with Dark. He’s a friendly, misunderstood kind of guy.  My Rating: Full Price  Orion and the Dark Website Now playing on Netflix. 

Forgotten Film: The Yellow Handkerchief (2008) PG-13   Three strangers meet in a backwater Louisiana town. Martine (Kristen Stewart), Gordy (Eddie Redmayne), and Brett (William Hurt) are about to go on a road trip and will learn a few secrets along the way. The cast is brilliant, with Eddie Redmayne playing a shy, scrawny teen, Stewart as the bold teen who is just trying to get somewhere else, and William Hurt, who is invited in on the trip just because it’s raining, and Stewart’s Martine feels he should come along. This is a road trip film where we get to know the characters and their stories, including Brett’s fascinating and sordid past. The Yellow Handkerchief is a film made at the height of the Twilight mania for Kristen Stewart, and this film gave us a glimpse of what was to come for the talented actress.   My Rating: Full Price  The Yellow Handkerchief Website The film is available on DVD.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Argylle: Ice Choreographers 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Love Lies Bleeding (2024) R  Lou (Kristen Stewart) is a gym manager in her small town where her father, Lou Sr. (Ed Harris), runs the town with an iron hand. Into Lou’s gym walks Jackie (Kate O’Brian), a bodybuilder who takes Lou’s breath away. It’s a meeting that will change their lives forever. In fact, someone may die. I love that Kristen Stewart keeps making interesting films that push the boundaries.  Love Lies Bleeding Website The film is in theatres in early March.

Until Next Time!