The Roses

My View: The Roses  (2025) R  The Roses is about Theo (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Ivy (Olivia Colman), who are a married couple with a beautiful house and two kids. Ivy is an incredibly successful chef whose influence is growing worldwide. Theo is an architect who has lost his job and is unhappy in his marriage. Theo decides he wants a divorce, and the war between the couple is on. I am a fan of the 1989 film The War of the Roses, which starred Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas. It’s a black comedy that pushes the boundaries of violence to the extreme. My issue with this film is that we spend way too much time giving us a slow burn on how a marriage starts to fall apart. The problem is that what we are all waiting for and what the trailer promises, the absurdity of the duel between the two, takes way too long to get there, and then most of what happens, we have already seen in the trailer. Colman and Cumberbatch are fantastic actors, but too often they are given lines that are supposed to be punchlines but have no impact or “punch” to them. By the time we reached the end, I was worn out and incredibly disappointed with the film’s conclusion. Unlike the 1989 film, I didn’t buy into the notion that these two people hated each other so much that they were willing to inflict harm on one another. For a film to turn dark, there needs to be a solid reason behind it. In this case, the only reason I saw was that we were nearing the end of the film, creating a rushed attempt to deliver what we had been expecting from the start.   My Rating: Cable  The Roses Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Caught Stealing  (2025) R  In Caught Stealing, Hank (Austin Butler) is a burned-out ex-baseball player who barely survives by being a bartender. His neighbor has asked him to cat-sit, but what Hank doesn’t realize is that he is also unknowingly holding something that attracts the attention of every gangster in New York City, including a cop, the Russian mob, and a pair of Jewish gangsters. It’s fun when you get to see an actor start to realize that they are star material. It’s fun when you get to see an actor start to realize that they are star material. Austin Butler delivers a stunning performance as a man drowning in guilt and broken dreams. He finds solace in booze and sex with a girlfriend, Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz), who wants Hank to commit, not only to her but also to opening up about his feelings. Unlike a lot of heroes, Hank, once he gets involved in the chase to find what his neighbor has left, just wants it to be over and as quickly as possible. The challenge is that there are too many dangerous individuals want what they believe Hank has. Caught Stealing is a film that, in one moment, is very funny and, in another, takes a very dark turn, with an incredible body count by the end of the film. The film is enhanced by a superb supporting cast, including a scene-stealing performance by a Jewish grandmother named Bubbe, played by Carol Kane. I thoroughly enjoyed this wild ride, and I had no idea if or how Hank was going to get out of this alive. The film continues to ramp up the stakes and tension, and even when we discover what the villains want, we still don’t know where the film is headed. Oh, and by the way, in the grand tradition of films like Inside Llewyn Davis and Harry and Tonto, there is a cat that you will fall in love with. Like Hank, I’m not a cat person, but I fell for this cat.  My Rating: Full Price  Caught Stealing Website Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  The Toxic Avenger  (2023)  R  The Toxic Avenger is about Winston (Peter Dinklage), a janitor at a health club. After a toxic accident, Winston transforms into the monstrous hero known as Toxie, who fights against corporate greed and corruption. If you had told the crew at Troma Entertainment back in the 80s that their movie would be remade and would star actors like Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Elijah Wood, Julia Davis, and Kevin Bacon, they would have thought you were nuts. The Toxic Avenger (2023) is a film that needs to be shown during a midnight screening with adoring fans. The small crowd that I saw it with at a 7 pm showing did not capture that energy. Kevin Bacon plays one of the villians and clearly has a lot of fun in the role, as does Elijah Wood as his sort of Igor. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t land many of the jokes, and it doesn’t have that made-for-buck-fifty charm that the original did. The kills carried out by Toxie also felt underwhelming and less exciting than those in the original, coming across as rather lame. I suppose it's tough to recreate a classic, especially one that was so low-budget, as that was part of what made it enjoyable in the first place. My Rating: Cable The Toxic Avenger Website Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  The Thursday Murder Club (2025)  PG-13   The Thursday Murder Club follows four retirees, Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley), and Joyce (Celia Imrie), who get together to solve cold case murders for fun. When an unexplained death occurs on their own doorstep, they decide to take their sleuthing skills out into the real world to solve a crime. I am a big fan of TV mysteries, including a lot of the TV series we get from Britain. So I was happy to sit down and watch a stellar cast solve a mystery or two. While we have a cast that can act, they are saddled with a mystery that never really develops. The Thursday Murder Club is the ultimate fold-the-clothes-from-the-dryer mystery, where you pay attention for moments at a time when Helen Mirren or Pierce Brosnan are on the screen, having fun. Still, you don’t really care what happens, other than that the place they are staying at is saved. So sit on your comfy couch, pull up your clothes from the dryer or your knitting, and watch a murder mystery that you can miss ten minutes of and still enjoy.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Thursday Murder Club Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Forgotten Film: Locke  (2013) R  On the eve of the biggest day in his construction career, Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) gets a phone call that will change his life. Now he must make a huge decision –  to drive home to his wife and kids or to drive to London to deal with this new problem. Tom Hardy gives a Tour de Force performance in one of the best films of 2014. He is the only character you see on-screen as the film progresses in real time. A superb job by Hardy and its writer/director, Steven Knight, as they create suspense when tension rises with each phone call. Locke is beautifully shot at night, and almost all the cameras are placed inside the car, which effectively conveys the isolation and pressure that Hardy feels as the film progresses. This film is not to be missed, and I guarantee it will fly by faster than its 85-minute runtime.  Locke Info My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again Available on Amazon Prime.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Roses:  Personal Costume Standby for Mr. Cumberbatch

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Good Boy  (2025)  PG-13  A loyal dog, Indy, and his master, Todd (Shane Jensen), move to a rural family home. Soon, the dog learns supernatural forces are lurking in the shadows. Only Indy realizes the threat, and he must do everything he can to fight off the dark entities that threaten his human companion. The trailer for the film has already become an internet sensation. I am warning you: if I find out the dog dies, I will not be watching/reviewing the film.  Good Boy Website The film is in theaters on Friday, October 3, 2025. 

Until Next Time!

Neighbors

My View: Neighbors (2014) R  A young, newly married couple (Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne) live in an ideal, quiet neighborhood. That is until the fraternity, led by Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron), moves into the house next door. After trying various ways to get the frat to quiet down, the young couple decide to wage war on the frat next door.  This is a raucous comedy in the vein of "This is 40" and "The Hangover" films.  There are lots of scenes with drugs, some nudity and some cartoon-like violence.  There are some very funny scenes (though one is ruined because the punch line is prominent in the trailer) in this film, but I left not really like any of the characters.  Rogen and Byrne are incredibly crappy parents, willing to go with the baby to a rave, or getting extremely high while their baby is alone next door (yes, they have a baby monitor, but considering they don't always know where they are, is kind of a moot point).  I did really enjoy Zac Efron as the clueless Teddy who is more concerned that his frat leave a party legacy than he is about graduating.  It's a film that with some really funny scenes but can't this film just can't sustain that momentum. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Neighbors Website

Indiefest: Locke. (2013) R  On the eve of the biggest night in his construction career, Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) gets a phone call that will change his life.  Now he must make a huge decision –  to drive home to his wife and kids or to drive to London to deal with this new problem.  Tom Hardy gives a Tour de Force performance in one of the best films of 2014.  He is the only character you see on-screen as this film moves along in real time.  A superb job by Hardy and its writer/director, Steven Knight, as they create a suspense when tension rises with each phone call.  The film is beautifully shot at night, and almost all the cameras are place inside the car, which makes us feel the isolation and pressure that Hardy feels as the film progresses.  This film is not to be missed, and I guarantee it will fly by faster than the 85 minute run time. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Locke Website  For a full length review of the film click here

My View: Moms' Night Out (2014) PG  Allyson (Sarah Drew) and her gal-pals just want one night out, where they can dress up and get away from their husbands and kids.  That means that the men will be in charge of the kids.  What could go wrong?  Think of this as a faith based "Adventures in Babysitting."  Sarah Drew shows some comedic talent, but the script gets lost in the second half of the film it focuses less on her character and more on the others, like Patricia Heaton's pastor's wife character.  The film never quite finds its footing, and some scenes are just painful to watch.  It's a film you want to like but can't because it just doesn't work.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee  Moms' Night Out Website  For a full length review of the film click here

Indiefest: Belle (2013) PG Based on the life of historical figure Dido Elizabeth Belle, “Belle” tells the story of the mixed–race daughter (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) of a British Naval officer and an African woman. Raised by her aristocratic great-uncle, Lord Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson)  and his wife(Emily Watson), Belle’s lineage affords her certain privileges, yet the color of her skin prevents her from fully participating in the traditions of her social standing. Left to wonder if she will ever find love, Dido meets John Davinier (Sam Reid), a young lawyer and apprentice of Lord Mansfield. John and Dido’s meeting is the beginning of a love story that catapults Dido onto a path of self-discovery.  This is a film worth watching because of the great performance of Mbatha-Raw as Belle.  She radiates on the screen and is believable as the strong and independent woman who is willing to risk everything for love.  The film gets a little bogged down with the politics of the time but it's worth watching for the adventures of Belle as she struggle to find her place in the world.  My Rating: Full Price  Belle Website

Famiyfaire:  Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return (2014)  Dorothy ( Lea Michele) makes a return visit to Oz, this time to save the Scarecrow (Dan Aykroyd), the Lion (James Belushi) and the Tin Man (Kelsey Grammer) from the evil Jester (Martin Short).   This is another in a long line of unmemorable animated films, this time as sort of sequel to the "Wizard of Oz" but without the ruby slippers.  It's a musical that has only one song (sung at the start of the film by Lea Michele) that is memorable. The rest of the songs are used as almost filler.  The film isn't terribly imaginative, and the animation just kind of sits there.  When I attended the screening, most of the kids in the theatre didn’t pay much attention to the film.  For kids six years old and under, it might hold their attention for a while, but I feel sorry for their parents.  My Rating: Cable  Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Revenge

Forgotten Film:  Running Scared  (1986) R The 80's were full of buddy cop films, and while this is not one of the best, it's still a lot of fun.  Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines are two cops trying to bring down a drug lord  in Chicago.  When a bust goes bad, and they almost lose their lives, their captain makes them take vacation.  They travel to Key West and enjoy it so much, they decide to retire and open a bar.  But, first they must go back to Chicago to resign.  Once they get there, they find out the drug lord is out on bail and going to make a major haul.  Now, the two cops must risk their lives again to bring the man responsible for so much pain to justice.  The reason to watch this film is the great chemistry between Crystal and Hines, as they work off each other so well.  The film is a little dated (especially the 80's soundtrack...calling you out Michael McDonald) but it's a lot of fun to watch.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Running Scared Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Neighbors:  Confidentiality pa

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014). Sequel to the surprise hit of 2011.  All I have to say is Chimps with shotguns.   Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Info

Until Next Time!

Rio 2

Family Faire:  Rio 2 (2014) G  Your favorite feathered friends are back!  Jewel (Anne Hathaway), Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), and their three kids have left Rio and now are in the wilderness of the Amazon.  Blu thought he had it bad facing Nigel (Jermaine Clement), but he is about to encounter a worse enemy, his father-in-law.  I really liked the first Rio (2011), which I thought was funny and original.  This film isn't very original, the plot is predictable and the music, with the exception of the opening number, is a series of remixes of old songs.  Fans of the first film will be disappointed, especially that some of the characters from the first film, like Tracy Morgan's Luiz the dog, are barely featured.  Kids may enjoy the film (it's bright and silly), but parents will be bored.  The film was made in 3-D, but you can keep the extra money and see it in 2-D, as it didn't use the effect to its fullest potential. My Rating:  Cable  Rio 2 Website

My View:  Draft Day (2014) PG-13 Sonny (Kevin Costner) is the General Manager of the Cleveland Browns.  His team has a high draft pick, but Cleveland's owner (Frank Langella) wants to make a splash and trade up to take the number one draft pick. Complicating things - if Sonny doesn't make the right pick, it could cost him his job.  I enjoyed this film, mostly because I enjoyed the chemistry between Costner and Jennifer Garner, who plays the team's salary cap expert and love interest for Costner.  It's an interesting look at what goes on during the NFL draft and most football fans will enjoy it.  I just wish the ending had been a little better as they go for the easy way out.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee  Draft Day Website

Indiefest: Joe (2014)  R  Joe (Nicolas Cage) is a solitary man who owns a company that specializes in killing trees for reforestation. He hires Gary (Tye Sheridan), a young man who lives with his homeless family. Soon, Gary and Joe strike up a friendship, but that friendship is threatened by Gary's alcoholic dad (Gary Poulter) and a troublemaker named, Willie (Ronnie Gene Blevins).  Nicolas Cage gives his best performance in years in a role that is very complex and layered.  Cage and Sheridan have great chemistry together and their scenes are some of the best of the film.  It's a film that doesn't disappoint in both its acting and storyline. My Rating:  Full Price  Joe Website My interview with Tye Sheridan and director David Gordon Green

Indiefest: The Raid 2 (2014)  R  Shortly after the raid that Police Officer Rama (Iko Uwans) barely survived, he goes undercover to bring down a crime syndicate and find the corrupt officers in his police force.  The first film, The Raid, was non-stop action with almost no plot.  This film has lots of action, but there is a plot to it, and that's a bad thing.  The plot is confusing, with too many characters, and makes this film not as enjoyable as the first.  The action sequences are amazing to watch, so much so that you wonder how many stunt people were injured making.  It's an enjoyable film but could have been made better if some of the non-action scenes were cut.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee  The Raid 2 Website

Indiefest: The Unknown Known (2014) PG-13  Documentary on one of the most fascinating men in the history of our government, former Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld.  Filmmaker, Earl Morris is back again, giving us a detailed look at a man who was in the eye of the storm for so many events of the 70's, 80's and 90's, including 9/11, the invasion of Iraq and the internment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.  Morris interviews Rumsfeld on-camera using the thousands of memos that Rumsfeld as a way of transitioning to different topics.  It's a brilliant film that delves into the mind of a very complex man.  My Rating:  Full Price  The Unknown Known Website  For a full length review of this film click here  

Indiefest:  Jodorowsky's Dune (2014)  PG-13 Documentary about director Alejandro Jodorowsky's quest to make a movie in the early 1970's of the Frank Herbert Sci-Fi novel Dune.  Jodorowsky worked for over two years on a project that would never be made.  He was a filmmaker who made very strange films that bordered on the absurd.  His most famous film, El Topo (1970), was a staple of the midnight film circuit for years on college campuses. He spent two years of his life compiling a team of artists and writers to create the film of his dreams, Dune.  Many of the artists that worked on this project went on to do amazing things, such as H. R. Gieger, who designed the look of Ridley Scott's groundbreaking film, Alien (1981).  It's a fascinating look at a man who had incredible vision for a film that would never get made.  It's a treat to watch and is a must for any Sci-Fi fan out there.  My Rating:  Full Price  Jodorowsky's Dune Website

My View:  Oculus (2014)  R  A young woman (Karen Gillian) tries to confirm her brother (Brenton Thwaites) didn't commit a horrific murder by proving it was done by a supernatural phenomenon.  This is a horror film that has not enough scary parts.  The film takes forever to get started and then never quite delivers.  I did like Karen Gillan as the head-strong sister who is willing to bet everything on trying to prove her brother didn't commit the murder.  But the film just doesn't give us the scary parts that we desperately need in a film like this.  My Rating:  Cable  Oculus Website 

Forgotten Film:  Permanent Record (1988)  PG-13 David (Alan Boyce) is a talented high school student who leads a rock band, is popular and is interactive with almost everyone at school.  His best friend and fellow band mate, Chris (Keanu Reeves), worships the ground that David walks on.  Chris' world changes when David does something that no one sees coming.  Reeves gives one of his best performances in this film - a very moving performance. The film is a little dated (it looks very 80's), but it's message is timeless and meaningful.  My Rating:  Full Price  Permanent Record Info  

Weird Credits: From the credits of Draft Day (2014):  Football coordinator

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You:  Locke (2014)  R The best film I saw at the Atlanta Film Festival!  The plot is simple - Ivan (Tom Hardy) is driving to London and is making phone call after phone call to try and fix a number of problems that have come up in his life.  Yes, it's an hour and a half of Tom Hardy driving a car at night, but it's an brilliant bit of filmmaking.  You are going to want to see this film.  Locke Info

Until Next Time!