Sinners

My View:  Sinners  (2025)  R  In Sinners, twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) are trying to leave their troubled past behind and return to their hometown to open a dance hall. They soon discover that their hometown has changed, and a great evil is waiting to welcome them back. Back in 2013, filmmaker Ryan Coogler hit us right between the eyes with the outstanding Fruitvale Station, starring an up-and-coming young actor named Michael B. Jordan. Since then, Coogler has given us Creed and the two Black Panther films. In what is his most original and best film to date, we now get a vampire thriller that has roots in everything from legendary blues singers, prohibition, and Jim Crow to even Irish folk music. With a huge nod to Robert Rodriquez and Quentin Tarantino’s 1996 film From Dusk Till Dawn, the film follows twins Smoke and Stack, played by the brilliant Michael B. Jordan, as they come back from spending time in Chicago, where they may have stolen a whole lot of money and booze from the mob.They are back to open a blues joint with some locals’ help. Along the way, they gather a cast of characters to make their endeavor a success, including a local blue legend in Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo), their cousin, Sammie (Miles Caton in his feature film debut), a budding blues singer/guitarist, and a couple of former flames of the twins in Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), a love of Stacks that ended badly, and Annie (Wunmi Mosaku), Smoke’s one true love. Both relationships with the twins have history and baggage that hangs over the two couples like a huge dark cloud. Coogler spends the first hour giving us a clear understanding of the history that follows each of the characters, giving us insight into how they function in this world of gambling, song, stolen whiskey, and even religion. The film’s second half is the opening of the juke joint, which is a rousing success, until a trio of white musicians want to join the party, and the twins tell them to find somewhere else to party. However, we already know that these musicians aren’t there to make music but are to turn everyone they can into vampires, and it’s up to the twins and a few of their friends to stop them. Coogler uses this backdrop to tackle everything from lost love to race in America while making an entertaining and bloody horror film where the odds of the twins and their friends surviving the night look pretty grim. Sinners is a film that explores the strength of family, religion, and music and how the monsters that show up in the middle of the night might be worse than you ever thought. The action sequences are fast, bloody, and sometimes humorous, as the body count keeps rising.  Something has to be said about the performance of Miles Caton as Sammie. His singing and blues guitar playing is joyful, brilliant and moving. When he plays and sings, he commands the screen and you can't take your eyes off of him. Don’t be afraid of the two-hour and seventeen-minute run length, as the film moves at such a fast pace and instantly puts you in the middle of the Twins world that you will be sorry that the film has ended as soon as it does. So grab a beer, sit down to listen to some great blues music, and maybe get up to dance a bit. But here’s a bit of advice: if anyone asks if they can come in to join you, maybe see if they like garlic or have trouble with holy water. Just a suggestion that might come in handy. Catch it on the biggest screen you can, and stay through all the credits, as there are a couple of bonus scenes worth staying for, including a tremendous cameo. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Sinners Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

My View:  The Wedding Banquet  (2025)  R The Wedding Banquet is the story of two couples: Chris (Bowen Yang) and Min (Han Gi-chan), Angela (Kelly Marie Tran), and Lee (Lily Gladstone). Min needs a green card and strikes a deal with Lee, who is trying to get pregnant via the costly IVF procedure. Min will be responsible for paying for the IVF procedure if Lee marries Min. Things are going great until Min’s grandmother (Youn Yuh-jung) unexpectedly comes to the U.S. to throw a lavish wedding for her grandson. What seemed so simple is now one big lie that could fall apart at any minute. The Wedding Banquet is a remake of the 1993 Ang Lee Oscar-nominated film of the same name, and I think I enjoyed this film more than the original. What makes this film work so well is the relationship between Angela and Lee. Angela is trying to get pregnant via IVF, and they are running out of time and money to make it happen. The chemistry between Lily Gladstone and Kelly Marie Tran is off the charts as a couple that is totally in love, but Angela has trouble expressing it, along with a lot of other feelings. Angela’s best friend, Chris, is also in a relationship that has a few problems of its own. Chris and Min are in love but are also running out of time, as Min’s visa is about to expire. To make matters worse, Min’s family wants him back in Korea to take over the family business. All this sets up the wedding between two people who love other people. Can they pull the wedding off when Min’s grandmother comes to oversee the wedding of her only grandson? The movie was warm, funny, and unexpected, with a predictable ending that still surprised me.  My Rating: Full Price  The Wedding Banquet Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  The Ugly Stepsister  (2025)  The Ugly Stepsister is about Elvira (Lea Myren), who has enrolled in a finishing school to get her ready for the ball, where she is her family’s hope to meet a young prince and marry into wealth. The problem is that Elvira is competing with her beautiful stepsister (Thea Sofie Loch Næss) in a society where beauty is to be achieved, even if it means extreme measures to attain it. The film's focus is not on Cinderella, but on the ugly stepsister who will do anything to get the Prince of her dreams. Unfortunately for her, it’s one long nightmare as her mother puts her down right and left while financing a nose job (done with a chisel and hammer). Elvira does go through a metamorphosis, but it’s all done with surgical tricks and other nasty procedures to make the ugly duckling look good (even if it seems it will be temporary). This Norwegian film alternates between grossness and a sense of pity for Elvira. The Ugly Stepsister is a very graphic and sometimes very uncomfortable look at what a price beauty plays in both the physical and psyche of a woman’s well-being. I have a feeling that the original tellers of this tale would be thrilled with this version and not the Disney sugar and spice version we know better. This tale, which is sometimes amusing but always disturbing, belongs in the body horror hall of fame. Although I enjoyed the film, it requires a strong stomach to handle it, and I won't likely watch it again. The clock has stuck twelve, the coach has turned back into a pumpkin, and Elvira is not doing well. And Cinderalla, once again, gets her prince.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Ugly Stepsister Info Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Eephus  (2024)  An adult men’s recreational baseball game is played for the last time on a field that is about to be bulldozed and turned into an Elementary school. Having played many rec softball games in my adulthood, I could relate to this film, which perfectly pictures what it’s like to play a game where the stakes are if you can make it through a whole game without anyone getting hurt or too drunk. Eephus is a film in which not a lot happens as the game keeps going, even when it gets dark, but we get to know the cast of characters and are there for all the talk and sometimes dramatics that can go on in a game between adult men who want to spend a couple of hours playing a game. And that’s all this film is: a loving look at a game between two groups of men who spend some time playing baseball and complaining about their lives or celebrating them. Hey, any film that has legendary weirdo baseball pitcher Bill 'Spaceman' Lee in its cast is all right with me.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Eephus Website  Now playing in select theaters and is available On-Demand. 

Indiefest:  The President’s Wife  (2023) The President’s Wife is about Bernadette Chirac (Catherine Deneuve), who has always stayed out of the spotlight as her husband’s political career always took precedence. Now that her husband is President of France, Bernadette decides it’s time to change her image, and she is about to take the country by storm. Based loosely on a true story, Catherine Deneuve shines in a role that fits perfectly, much like the outfits she wears in the 2nd half of this film (Bernadette has a makeover, courtesy of Karl Lagerfeld). The film showcases Deveuve’s ability to create a character that has both charisma and a sense of humor that comes out every time Bernadette is allowed to speak her mind. The film plays on the notion that being popular with the press and trendy can make a difference in politics. Deveuve makes Bernadett a woman who knew more than she let on, someone who became tired of staying out of the spotlight and decided to make a difference, even if her husband didn’t know she could. Deveuve's performance makes the film feel like a fine French wine, with a bold flavor that grows stronger as it is savored.  My Rating: Full Price  The President's Wife Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Sorry I Missed It (A film that I didn’t see in theatres but have seen recently):  Bad Shabbos  (2024)  Bad Shabbos is about an engaged interfaith couple who are about to have their parents meet for the first time over a Shabbat dinner. The only problem is that there is a dead body in their apartment, and the parents are due any minute. Bad Shabbos is a fun movie that needs a few more laughs to push it over the top. The film starts out with a bang and ends with a whimper with a conclusion that seems a little too easy and pat for all the trouble the film puts its characters through. There are some funny setups, one with a piece of bread that needs to be seen. The cast works hard at making the film funny, with some outstanding scenes with David Paymer as the Dad who thinks he can solve any problem with a self-help book and Method Man as an ever-helpful doorman who really wants to be part of the family, maybe too much so. I wish Bad Shabbos had a few more laughs and didn't have an ending that falls flat (that’s a pun you will get if you see the film). Even so, it's an enjoyable time with a family that is more than a little eccentric.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Bad Shabbos Website The film will soon be available to rent/buy. 

Forgotten Film:  Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)  Chu (Sihung Lung) is a master chef and widower with three adult daughters who all still live at home. The eldest daughter, Jia-Jen (Kuei-Mei-Yang), is a chemistry teacher who hasn’t dated for 9 years after a horrible breakup. Middle daughter, Jia-Chien (Chien-lien Wu), is an airline company executive who is driven and hard-working. The youngest Jia-Ning (Yu-Wen Wang), is twenty and works at a Wendy’s who has her sights on a young man who is dating a friend. The film uses the elaborate dinners that the family has together to explore the dynamics of the three daughters and their relationships with each other and the men in their lives. It’s a fascinating film that is, at times, a love letter to food while also a funny and warm film that explores how people see the world in different ways.   My Rating: Full Price  Eat Drink Man Woman Info The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Sinners:  Twins Consultant

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Another Simple Favor  (2025) R  Another Simple Favor takes place five years after the events that put Emily (Blake Lively) in prison. Now out, Emily and Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), who is now a successful author and part-time private detective. The two travel to Capri, Italy, for Emily’s wedding to a wealthy Italian businessman. As usual, trouble finds the two, including murder and lots of intrigue. This is a sequel to the 2018 film A Simple Favor, which was also directed by Paul Feig (Bridesmaids (2011), Spy (2015)).  Another Simple Favor Website    Premiering on Amazon Prime on Thursday, May 1, 2025.

Until Next Time!

Mike's Fearless Oscar Picks 2024

 

As always these are who I think are going to win on Sunday night, not who I think should win.  If I have a Spoiler listed, it's a film that I think has a chance to win. 

Winners in Green.

Best Picture:  Oppenheimer

Best Director: Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer

Best Actress: Lily Gladstone - Killers of the Flower Moon     Spoiler: Emma Stone - Poor Things

Best Actor: Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer     Spoiler: Paul Giamatti - The Holdovers

Best Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers

Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr. - Oppenheimer

Adapted Screenplay: Cord Jefferson - American Fiction     Spoiler: Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer

Original Screenplay: Justine Triet and Arthur Harari - Anatomy of a Fall      Spoiler: David Hemingson - The Holdovers

Animated Feature Film: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse      Spoiler: The Boy and the Heron

Documentary Feature Film: 20 Days in Mariupol

International Feature Film: The Zone of Interest

Original Score: Ludwig Göransson - Oppenheimer       Spoiler: Robbie Robertson - Killers of the Flower Moon

Original Song: Billie Eilish and Finneas: What Was I Made For? - Barbie      Spoiler: Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt: I’m Just Ken - Barbie

Sound: Oppenheimer       Spoiler: The Zone of Interest

Makeup and Hairstyling: Maestro       Spoiler: Poor Things

Costume Design: Jacqueline Durra - Barbie      Spoiler: Holly Waddington - Poor Things

Cinematography: Hoyte van Hoytema - Oppenheimer       Spoiler: Killers of the Flower Moon

Production Design: Poor Things       Spoiler: Barbie

Film Editing: Jennifer Lane - Oppenheimer      Spoiler: Anatomy of a Fall

Visual Effects:  Godzilla Minus One   Spoiler:  The Creator

Short Subject Documentary: The Last Repair Shop        Spoiler: The ABCs of Book Banning

Short Subject Live Action:  The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar       Spoiler: Red, White and Blue

Short Subject Animation: WAR IS OVER!         Spoiler: Letter to a Pig

Killers of the Flower Moon

My View: Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) R The story of the Osage tribe, who were given land no one wanted to create their reservation. However, oil was discovered on their land, and the tribe became wealthy. Because of this new development, the tribe is being murdered one by one under mysterious circumstances. Into the mix comes Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio), a WWI vet who has come to work for an uncle named King (Robert De Niro) to work on his ranch. Ernest sees himself as a man who loves women and sets his sights on Mollie (Lily Gladstone), a member of the local Osage tribe. He uses his charm to put Mollie under his spell and eventually marries her with a full blessing from King. But all is not well in the town where the Osage have become rich. They are being murdered, and no one is doing anything about it. The film is from master storyteller Martin Scorsese, and he gives us a world where it might be the 20th century, but the laws of the Wild West still prevail. I loved how Scorsese immerses us into the world of the Osage, showing us their past while also giving us a clue what their future will entail. DiCaprio isn’t in the pretty boy role of his past but portrays a man who loves a woman but maybe loves money even more. It’s a part with a lot of depth to it, and Leo is up for showing us a man who thinks he is smarter than he is. After some horrible comedies, De Niro is back with a role that may get him another Oscar. His portrayal of King is a masterful job of giving us a complex man who is always two moves ahead of everyone else, or at least he thinks he is. De Niro provides us with a man who could be your favorite uncle if you don’t ask too many questions. The film, though, belongs not to the men but to Lily Gladstone, as Mollie, a woman who is smart and deeply devoted to her family and her tribe but falls for a white man, an outsider whom she knows she should be wary of, but she can’t turn off her heart. She dazzles us every time she shows up on the screen as Mollie is slowly captivated by the charms of the man she will marry. I will warn you not to buy that large drink right before the film starts because it’s almost three and a half hours long. And that makes this film not in my top five Scorsese movies. After two and a half hours, the film starts to feel long, but Jessie Plemons' brilliant performance as a federal agent investigating the murders gives it a necessary boost. It’s a film that spends too long giving us the day-to-day workings of Ernest as he does the bidding of his brother Byron (Scott Shepard) and King. And I would have loved an intermission at some point to give us a chance to catch our breath and digest what we had seen. Nevertheless, I encourage you to see this impactful film in a cinema and be captivated by the incredible performances, especially Lily Gladstone's, and the enchanting Osage traditions.   My Rating: Full Price  Killers of the Flower Moon Website Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Nyad (2023) PG-13  The story of Diana Nyad (Annette Bening), a retired marathon swimmer turned sports journalist. At 60, she teams up with her best friend and coach (Jodie Foster) to accomplish her lifelong goal. To swim the 100-plus mile open-water trek from Cuba to Florida. I am a big fan of Diana Nyad, both as a swimmer and as a broadcaster, so I looked forward to this biopic. And happily, I can tell you that I was not disappointed. A mark of a great sports film is when you know the outcome and are still on the edge of your seat, wondering if the task will turn out how you remember it. Two incredible performances lead the film and give it depth and feeling. Annette Bening provides us with a woman who is driven to win and doesn’t care who she runs over to get it. Bening is outstanding, making Diana seem real and making us root for her even though she is a hard act to like. I was even more impressed by Jodie Foster’s performance as Diana’s close personal friend who becomes her coach. It’s a brilliant performance that lets Bening dominate the screen while still giving us insight into both characters, especially in times of strife (which there is a lot). I loved this film, and you feel you are in the water with Diana, helping her take that next stroke. So strap on your swim goggles, take a few deep breaths, and join Diana in doing what everyone told her was impossible.   My Rating: Full Price  Nyad Website Now playing in theatres and on the Netflix platform on Nov. 3rd. 

My View: The Devil on Trial (2023)  The Devil on Trial is a documentary that explores the first and only time ‘demonic possession’ has been officially used as a defense in a U.S. murder trial. This is a documentary that, for about an hour, is all promise but never delivers. We go through the possibility that a young man is possessed by a demonic presence, and with the help of legendary demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren (yes, the real people the Conjuring film series is based on), they successfully rid the demon out of the child, only for it to go inside his older brother. Later on, the brother was charged with murder, and they wanted to use the defense that he was possessed when he committed the crime. The problem with this film is that you can tell that the movie never takes the possession seriously, and that hampers the film, as you know how it will turn out. There is an interview that the filmmakers don't reveal until almost an hour in that hampers virtually everything they have thrown at us earlier.  The Devil on Trial feels like the news reports of that time about the trial, all-flash and promise with no return.  My Rating: Cable  The Devil on Trial website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: The Pigeon Tunnel (2023) PG-13 Documentary from Academy Award winner Earl Morris on the legendary writer John le Carré, whose writing thrilled readers for over six decades with novels The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and A Perfect Spy. This is more than a documentary; it’s an interrogation of a man who wrote about spies for a living. Men who lied for their country and their lives. Morris interviews le Carre off camera, leading the writer to do what he does best: tell a story. This time, the story revolves around a man's troubled childhood with his father, a slick gambler and conman, constantly fleeing from the law and the mob. Le Carre first became a schoolteacher and then a spy, working for MI5 and then MI6, before writing his first international bestseller, The Spy Who Came In from the Cold. Le Carre is the perfect subject, able to weave a story with the best of them. Le Carre sometimes gets very personal, almost uncomfortably so, but there is always a reason he tells us something; no words are wasted. Using the vast movie and TV shows produced from his work, the film shows us how Le Carre’s life was interwoven with his writing, along with events happening in the world while he was a spy. The Pigeon Tunnel is a fascinating look at a man who shares a few secrets of his life and his writing while keeping a bit of mystery because a great writer always lets us fill out a few things with the imagination of our own.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Pigeon Tunnel Info Now playing in select theatres and on Apple TV+.

Indiefest: Dicks: The Musical (2023) R The simple plot of this film is Dicks: The Musical is a story about two business rivals (Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson) who find out they’re twins. They come up with a wild plan to reconcile their parents. This explanation does not even come close to what this movie is about (I wrote it for my Preview This! column). Let’s just say this film is about as wild a musical as I have ever seen. The movie immediately sets the tone with a song where the main characters boast about their sexual prowess in graphic detail. This film is based on a musical that played at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, where Sharp and Jackson played all the parts. Dicks is an outrageous musical where two gay men play straight guys who don’t look at all alike but are supposed to be identical twins. The twins realize their parents separated them at birth, and they want to be part of a ‘real family,’ so they hatch a plan to get their parents to remarry. The problem is that their father, played by Nathan Lane, is gay, and their mother, played by Megan Mullally, is just plain nuts. There are a bunch of musical numbers, with lots of background dancers that seem to follow the cast around, ready to fill in the scenery with dancing at a moment’s notice. There are a lot of short cameos in the film, which is fun to spot, but the film comes (no pun intended) into its own with a rousing, extremely dirty number by Megan Thee Stallion, who plays the twins’ boss. The film gets a little too silly at times and keeps trying to shock us, but you become numb after a while to all the outrageousness. Dicks: The Musical is a movie that isn’t for everybody and will insult many people. However, if you like lots of gay humor and maybe have a taste for John Waters films, you might have a good time. Many of you will ask, how did this film ever get made?   My Rating: Bargain Matinee Dicks: The Musical Website  Now playing in theatres.

Indiefest: Silver Dollar Road (2023) PG  Documentary that tells the story of a Black family in North Carolina who has owned their waterfront property for generations are harassed and tormented for decades by developers who want to take away their property by any means necessary. This is a film that the more you watch it, the more you will get mad. Mad at the system that is rigged against poor landowners. Rigged for developers and the rich. And rigged to keep poor people in jail because they can’t afford lawyers. All this is in play in this documentary that lets you get to know the people living on Silver Dollar Road and the ancestors who proudly started their families on the land no one else wanted. Now, it’s prime land for development, and the documentary follows the struggle through the years to try to keep the land their ancestors rightfully bought. What I loved about this film is you get to meet and learn about the families that call this area home. Let’s hope justice will prevail, though I am not counting on it. But one thing this film taught me is not to give up. My Rating: Full Price Silver Dollar Road Info  Now playing in theatres and on Amazon Prime. 

Indiefest:  Butcher’s Crossing(2023) R  Will (Fred Hechinger) has dropped out of Harvard to explore the American West. He joins a group of buffalo hunters led by Miller (Nicolas Cage), who is out to bring back a record haul. Will’s great adventure will turn into a journey that risks his life and sanity. Butcher’s Crossing is a movie with an admirable message that it never delivers with any punch. Miller’s obsession with killing more buffalo than anyone else shows us man’s ability to put greed above all else, even if it means killing off a species. The problem with this film is that it takes its time getting to the killing of the buffalo, and then when it does, we never feel the impact that the scene should have given us. Butcher’s Crossing is a film that takes place over a year, but through some poorly done montage sequences, we don’t get the full effect of how long and arduous the journey was to get to the buffalo and how long it took to get back. Nicolas Cage gives a restrained performance, and I wanted a little of that madness that only Cage can provide us with, but it is only hinted at and never really comes out. I expected a journey into madness and instead got a travelogue on the majesty of the Montana wilderness.   My Rating: Cable  Butcher's Crossing Website  Now playing in theatres. 

Forgotten Film: To Die For (1995)  Suzanne (Nicole Kidman) is a local weather forecaster for a small station, but she has big plans for her career, and her husband (Matt Dillon) has become a person who she believes will get in her way to fame. She convinces three local idiots, Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix), Russell (Casey Affleck), and Lydia (Alison Folland), who are just happy to be in the presence of a ‘celebrity,’ to kill her husband. With a script by the legendary Buck Henry and directed by two-time Academy Award nominee Gus Van Sant, this is a master class in taking a minor story and turning it into gold. Matt Dillon is brilliant as the young husband who slowly starts failing in the eyes of Suzanne. Nicole Kidman gives us one of the great performances of her career as a woman who knows she is bound for greatness, or at least an anchor role on a network news broadcast.  My Rating: Full Price  To Die For Info The film is available for rent/buy on Apple TV+ and Amazon.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Nyad: Synthetic Voice Artist

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Napoleon (2023) R Directed by Ridley Scott (Gladiator (2001), Black Hawk Down (2002), and The Martian (2016)) and staring Joaquin Phoenix in the starring role, it tells the personal story of Napoleon Bonaparte, his origins, and his swift and ruthless climb to emperor view through the relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). Many think this is a sure thing for many Oscar nominations, including Vanessa Kirby. Napoleon Website   In theatres nationwide on Nov. 22, 2o23.

Until Next Time!

Moonlight

Indiefest:  Moonlight  (2016)  Told in three acts, this timeless story of human connection and self-discovery follows the life of a young black man, Chiron, from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place in the world.  A tender and breathtaking film about a young man who grows up before our eyes in a rough and tumble world. Right from the start, we sense that Chiron knows he is different from the rest of the children in his school. He becomes isolated, and a drug dealer is the only one who reaches out to take care of him, something even his own mother isn’t willing to do. This is a film about how the choices you make when you are growing up have far-reaching consequences. It’s a brilliant film filled with small moments that continue to build until the exquisite ending is reached. All three actors (Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and  Trevante Rhode) who portray Chiron are dazzling in the film, but Rhode as the adult Chiron, especially stands out. Writer/director Barry Jenkins is a talent to watch if this film foretells his future.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Moonlight Website

Indiefest:  Certain Women  (2016) The lives of four women (Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, Lily Gladstone) from Montana intersect and change all of their lives.  Kelly Reichardt, who wrote the script based on the short stories of Maile Meloy, brings us a story that is low-key and often slow-moving, but that allows you to get under the skin of each character. What we see are slices of four lives. Those lives are real and powerful. This is a film that, while not a whole lot happens, it will linger with you for days because the performances of the four actresses are so powerful and real. I especially savored the performance of Lily Gladstone, who plays a soft-spoken woman who befriends the teacher, played by Stewart. She rarely speaks in the film but is so expressive in her features and body language. Her character is lonely, alone on a big ranch and is searching for someone to connect with, even if it means going to a class that she never intended to attend. Her performance is heartbreaking, especially the scenes of her standing in the parking lot, watching Beth seemingly forever driving off.  “Certain Women” is a superb film full of small moments, most of which are poignant and distressing. It’s a look into the lives of four very lonely women hoping they will eventually find happiness, even if it is short-lived.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See It Again   Certain Women Website   

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Bad Moms  (2016)  R  Three moms (Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell) have been pushed to their limit by the PTA, making lunches and managing after-school activities for their kids. It's time for the moms to hit back and have some fun. I had a great time watching this movie.  While it takes a little while to take off, once Kathryn Hahn’s raunchy mom shows up, the film is a blast to watch. The three women play off each other effortlessly and they all have great comedic timing. Christina Applegate is perfect as the mom who runs the PTA with an iron hand. Go have a glass of wine and enjoy your time with some “Bad Moms.”   My Rating: Full Price  Bad Moms Website

Forgotten Film:  The Beat That My Heart Skipped  (2005)  Will Thomas (Romain Duris) is destined to follow in his father, the mobster, footsteps. He has a chance encounter with a Chinese piano teacher and becomes so enchanted, he decides to take up the piano. It seems Will just might be talented enough to go into music, that is until the day that his past comes back to haunt him. This is an entertaining Film Noir gangster movie that takes a couple of unexpected turns. Duris gives a skillful multi-layered performance that makes this film so interesting to watch.  My Rating: Full Price   The Beat That My Hear Skipped Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Moonlight:  Immigration Legal

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Hacksaw Ridge  (2016)  WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield) becomes the first Conscientious Objector in American History to be awarded the Medal of Honor. The trailer makes this look like one of the ‘do not miss” films of the Oscar season.   Hacksaw Ridge Website

Until Next Time!

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

My View:  Jack Reacher: Never Go Back  (2016) PG-13 Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) is coming back to the headquarters of his old military unit.  Major Turner (Cobie Smulders) has been helping him solve cases across the country.  When Reacher arrives, he learns that Major Turner is charged with treason. I enjoyed the first Jack Reacher film and, while not as enjoyable as the first, this movie is still a fun ride. This is definitely a leave your disbelief at the door, because Reacher does a lot of impossible stuff (like falling off a roof and walking away), but the fight sequences are a blast to watch, and both Cruise and Smulders are phenomenal in the action scenes.  I will say that Cruise does a heck of a lot of running in this film, so much so that I bet he runs at least a 10K in the movie. While the film steals a little bit from the Bourne and the Taken series, it’s still a great popcorn movie to experience.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Jack Reacher: Never Go Back Website

Indiefest:  In A Valley of Violence  (2016) R  A mysterious stranger (Ethan Hawke) and his dog travel to the forgotten town of Denton, dubbed as the “valley of violence,” where things quickly go bad. Part comedy, part homage to the “Spaghetti Westerns” of the 60s and 70s with a large dose of ‘revenge films,” it’s a rather uneven film. There were times I really enjoyed this film but there were also scenes that just didn’t work. Hawke is an acceptable hero with what he is given to work with, but I think I would have liked his character to be a little more mysterious, like Eastwood in those “Spaghetti Westerns.”  I did delight in the performance of John Travolta, who plays the Marshall of the town, running it with an iron hand.  I also thought that Taissa Farmiga did an excellent job of portraying a young woman who, after being abandoned by her husband, is stuck in the horrible town and is looking for a way out. Overall, the film never quite balances the comedy with the violence of the movie and only really comes together in the last big shootout sequence.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   In a Valley of Violence Website

Forgotten Film:  A Perfect Candidate  (1996) This little scene documentary looks at the 1994 unsuccessful bid for the Virginia Senate seat by Oliver North. The film focuses on North’s campaign strategist, Mark Goodin, and Washington Post reporter, Don Baker. It's a great film made greater by larger-than-life Goodin who is almost mesmerizing to watch.  My favorite scene in this film is when North’s opponent, incumbent Chuck Robb, strolls through the aisles of a supermarket trying to find one person willing to shake hands with him.  My Rating:  Full Price  A Perfect Candidate Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Ghostbusters  (2016)  PG-13 Erin (Kristen Wiig) and Abby (Melissa McCarthy) write a book that states that ghosts are real. When ghosts invade Manhattan, the author pair team up with Jillian (Kate McKinnon), a nuclear engineer, and  Patty (Leslie Jones), to try and save the world from an evil and powerful demon, Rowan (Neil Casey). I had a great time watching this film. There are some subtle homage to the first Ghostbusters movies, but it’s really an original idea for a movie. I would have liked McCarthy to be a little more animated in her part, but Kate McKinnon more than makes up for that with a wacky performance. Chris Hemsworth is brilliant as the dumb-as-rocks receptionist who gets the job based only on his good looks. There are a lot of cameos, some really work, but it is very obvious that Bill Murray didn't want to do this film from his performance. The film was shot in 3-D, and it shows, with some of the ghost appearances using the technology to the fullest. There are two bonus scenes, one after the main credits and another, which sets up a possible sequel after all the credits.   My Rating:  Full Price   Ghostbusters Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Jack Reacher: Never Go Back:  Construction Auditor

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Arrival  (2016)  PG-13  When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team led by expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers. Amy Adams could just read a phone book on-screen for an hour and a half, and I would watch it.   Arrival Website

Until Next Time!