Five Nights at Freddy's 2

My View: Five Nights at Freddy's 2  (2025) PG-13  Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is set a year after Mike (Josh Hutcherson), Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail), and Abby (Piper Rubio) escaped with their lives from Freddy’s. All three are trying to put their lives back together, but Abby has started getting messages from her animatronic friends asking her to save them. I did not like the first film, calling it “Blumhouse/Universal’s attempt at getting kids into horror films,” and I was right because Freddy’s 2 is just a continuation of that idea. The scares are small, one of the bad guys is an evil science teacher (played by Wayne Knight, who seems to specialize in playing smarmy bad guys), and even the animatronic rejects that show up aren’t scary at all. After seeing two of these films, I still have no clue why Abby thinks the animatronic figures are her best friends. We have some new bad guys introduced, and like the first film, there are plot holes the size of an extra-large pizza that the film tries to skim on by. The films are based on a bunch of highly successful video games, so I knew going in there would probably be a cliffhanger. And there is. Plus, you'll want to stay through all the credits as there are two bonus scenes that surprise, set up the next film. I think I’ll take that pizza order to go.  My Rating: Cable  Five Nights at Freddy's 2 Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair  (2006) Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair follows the Bride (Uma Thurman), who goes on a campaign of revenge against the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad (Daryl Hannah, Vivica A. Fox, Lucy Liu, and Michael Madsen) and their leader, Bill (David Carradine), who tried to murder the Bride. It’s been a while since I have seen the two Kill Bill films, so it was interesting to see them in this extended cut (with a 10-minute intermission between the two). There is a newly added animated sequence (in anime form) in the first half of the film that gives O-Ren an origin story, and it is fun and just as bloody as the rest of the film.  What stood out to me this time was Uma Thurman's brilliant performance. While she certainly excels as a samurai sword assassin, it is especially compelling to see how the loss of her baby and the subsequent years have affected her character. I have always considered the first film to be better than the second, mainly due to its longer and more enjoyable action sequences. However, in this version, what is most impressive is how Quentin Tarantino skillfully connects all the story elements and allows us to catch glimpses of the clues in the first half before revealing The Bride’s origin story in the second half. Is it worth seeing in the theater? Yes, because the action sequences fill the whole screen, and there are plenty of jaw-dropping wide shots throughout. By the way, there is an animated short after all the credits for Fortnite fans, but I found it a bit of an overkill (no pun intended) after seeing the film’s emotional ending. My Rating: Full Price    Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair Website  Now playing for a limited time in theaters

My View:  Fackham Hall  (2025)  R   Fackham Hall is about Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe), a pickpocket who thinks he has hit the big time when he gets a job at the English manor house, Fackham Hall. He soon rises through the ranks and even starts a romance with the oldest sister of the house, Rose Davenport (Thomasin McKenzie). But a murder occurs, and Eric is blamed. No worries, Inspector Watt (Tom Goodman-Hill) has arrived to solve the case. Or maybe Eric should worry? If you really miss the Naked Gun movies or you are a sucker for Dad jokes, then this film is for you. The rest of us will find this film mildly amusing, which rarely goes far enough into the jokes to make them stand out. I did find the reverend who keeps messing up the sermon by not pausing between sentences, making everything sound dirty, was hilarious. Fackham Hall falls apart in the third act when our hero is accused of murder and ends with a whimper. I wanted bigger laughs, and all I got were some mild chuckles.  Rating: Cable  Fackham Hall Website   Now playing in theaters 

Indiefest:  100 Nights of Hero  (2025)  PG-13  In 100 Nights of Hero, Cherry (Maika Monroe) has not become pregnant by her husband Jerome (Amir El-Masry) and has been told that if she does not become pregnant within the next 101 days, she will be killed. The problem is her husband wants nothing to do with her and makes a bet with his friend, the handsome Manfred(Nicholas Galitzine), that if Manfred can seduce Cherry in the next 100 nights, he will give him the castle. Cherry’s only hope of resisting Manfred is with the help of her best friend and maid, Hero (Emma Corrin). 100 Nights of Hero is a take-off of the old story of Scheherazade telling stories in "One Thousand and One Nights," with Hero telling a tale to Manfred, so that he doesn’t end up alone with Cherry to seduce her. I enjoyed this film and the performances, especially Maika Monroe, as the slightly naïve Cherry, who doesn’t have a clue why her husband doesn’t want to sleep with her. The film is a lot of fun, just don’t think too hard on the plot, and it’s rushed to a (spoiler alert) happy ending. Just enjoy the story, or should I say stories being told.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  100 Nights of Hero Website Now playing in select theaters

My View:  Troll 2  (2025)   TV-14 Troll 2 is about three friends who reunite to deal with a giant troll who has emerged from the mountains. To defeat the troll, the three will have to get help from another giant troll to take it down. Troll 2 is a sequel to the 2022 Norwegian film Troll. Think of the first film like an ice-filled Godzilla film, and this one is like Godzilla vs. Megalon with snow. The budget was bigger on this one, probably because of two Trolls instead of one, and the storyline is a little weaker than the first film, but it’s still a fun monster film that gives us a Troll destroying a bunch of buildings and eating a few people. Just sit back and have fun. Maybe in a few years, a particular lizard-like monster will show up to join in.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Troll 2 Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform 

My View:  Oh. What. Fun  (2025)   PG-13  Oh. What. Fun. is about Claire (Michelle Pfeiffer), who always makes Christmas special for her family. However, this year she feels she has been taken for granted and decides to go on a holiday vacation without telling anybody, including her husband (Denis Leary). Will Claire come back to the family Christmas celebration, or is she having too much fun on the road by herself? How do you screw up a Christmas family comedy with a cast that has three Oscar nominees (Michelle Pfeiffer, Felicity Jones, Danielle Brooks) and a bunch of other notable actors? With a script that never should have been made into a commercial, much less a movie. This movie is over an hour and forty-five minutes long. Still, it feels like three hours, with a plot that takes forever to unfold, Pfeiffer having a ‘Southern’ accent but no one else in her family does (they live in Houston), and family members you truly dislike from the beginning, which by the end of the film, that dislike becomes hate. The film is filled with characters that make little sense. I couldn’t figure out if Doug, played horribly by Jason Schwartzman, who is married to Claire’s daughter, Channing (Felicity Jones), was hinting that he was trying to come out as gay or if he was just stupid in his quest to bond with another sister of Claire’s, Taylor (Chloë Grace Moretz), Claire’s lesbian daughter, whose running gag is that every Christmas she has a new girlfriend. There are some painful scenes to watch, some of which keep going as if the director wanted to see the actors fall on their faces before yelling cut. If I were Claire, I would have left that family, too. I just would have done it a lot sooner. The title of this film should be Oh. What. Have They Done!  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Oh. What. Fun. Website  Now playing on the Amazon Prime platform

Sorry I Missed It (A film that I didn’t see when it first came out but have seen recently):  In Your Dreams  (2025) PG   In Your Dreams is about Stevie and her brother, who magically travel into the world of dreams to find The Sandman. They hope to persuade The Sandman to grant their wish to save their parents’ marriage. Kids are going to love this film because it is told from Stevie’s perspective and there are a ton of fun action sequences. Adults are going to enjoy the fact that the parents are the bad guys, as well as some fun takes from Japanese animation and a few Pixar films. Even what at the start is the bad guy, isn’t one at all, they just have a job to do. The animation is gorgeous, and the dream sequences are fun; even the ‘nightmares’ are a blast to watch. And wait until you meet Baloney Tony, a stinky stuffed animal that becomes a sidekick to the kids. Baloney, Tony steals the movie thanks to Craig Robinson’s voice work, which had me laughing at almost every wise quip Baloney says. And any parent who has tried every trick in the book to get their kids to sleep will enjoy the turtle sleep sound machine that is used almost as a weapon. So sit back and go on a magical ride to a dream state, where Stevie and her little brother set out on a quest to find the Sandman.  My Rating: Full Price  In Your Dreams Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Indiefest:  Rosemead  (2025)  R  In Rosemead, Irene (Lucy Liu) is dealing with two crises: She is undergoing treatment for cancer that no one in her family knows about, and her son, Joe (Lawrence Shou), has schizophrenia and is avoiding his prescribed medication. Lucy is in a race against time and will have to go to great lengths to protect her son and possibly others. Lucy Liu delivers a breathtaking, devastating performance as a mother who would do anything to save her son from the anguish of his everyday life. It’s a performance different from what we are used to seeing Lui in, usually the confident, glamorous, and sometimes superhero-like character that she is known for. In contrast, Irene is uncertain about what to do, focusing on supporting Joe and showing him as much love as possible. Although Irene receives some support from a social worker and her immediate family, she often feels isolated, especially after losing her husband to a sudden death, which left her and Joe to navigate their challenges alone. To make matters worse, Irene is battling cancer, keeping it a secret and making her situation even more difficult.  Rosemead based on a true story, is heartbreaking from start to finish.  However, it is a narrative that needs to be told, and Lucy Liu portrays it with a role filled with compassion, love, and empathy.  My Rating: Full Price  Rosemead Website  Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film:  Troll Hunter (2011)  Shot in “Blair Witch” style, three college students make a documentary for school on bear-poaching in Norway.  The students follow a mysterious man who drives a strange truck, believing him to be the poacher. The students soon discover, though, that the man isn’t hunting bears. He’s hunting trolls. This film is funny and scary at times, but it’s Otto Jespersen in the role of the Troll Hunter that makes it so much fun to watch. He has a worn, weathered appearance, and he describes his job of Troll-hunting almost as if he drives a truck for a living instead of hunting Trolls. This film never takes itself too seriously, which makes it an enjoyable film to watch, especially if you like horror movies.   Troll Hunter Info My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Troll Hunter is available on many streaming platforms 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2:  Lead Puppet Wrangler

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Ready or Not 2: Here I Come  (2026)  After surviving the game where the family Grace (Samara Weaving) was marrying into tried to kill her, she is now been kidnapped by four rival families, vying for a throne by killing her. To raise the stakes, Grace’s sister (Kathryn Newton) is now her partner in the new game. I loved the first Ready or Not film, which was full of comedic moments and genuine horror. So I can’t wait to see this one, especially since one of the hunters is played by Sarah Michelle Gellar, who strikes a “Buffy” pose in the trailer.  Ready or Not 2 Info The film is set to be released in April 2026. 

Until Next Time!

Presence

My View:  Presence (2024) R    Presence is about husband Chris (Chris Sullivan), his wife Rebecca (Lucy Liu), and their siblings Ty (Eddy Maday) and Chloe (Callina Liang), who are moving into a 100-year-old house. From the very first moments in the house, the family is convinced that they are not alone, nor is everything alright with this family. Presence, directed and shot by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, is shown to us through the eyes of the 'presence', a ghost or entity that inhabits the house. The film takes place entirely from inside the house, as we see what the ‘presence’ sees, experience only the conversations they are in the room for, or when the action takes place outside, through the home’s windows. The film opens with the house empty and the ‘presence’ going through the house, room by room. Soon, we are visited by a real estate agent and a family of four. Right from the start, we feel the tension coming from the family members, from the father, who has reservations about buying the house, but his wife demands they make a bid on it right then, to the brother and sister, who apparently have no choice in the matter. Presence is a film where we get bits and pieces of the family’s life, and we discover that this family has a lot of problems, so much so that it could break the family up. Chloe is the only family member at the beginning who senses a ‘presence’ in the house, and we see that the ‘presence’ has also taken an interest in her. While a ghost story, this is more of a mystery film, where we have to put things together by observing and listening to the family as they go about living in the home. The question is, can you put all the pieces together before the family does, and will the ‘presence’ have a role in that? I loved this film and enjoyed trying to figure out where it was going to go. I want to warn you that some moviegoers had a difficult time watching the movie due to the unnerving way it was shot. I found it riveting.  My Rating: Full Price  Presence Website    Now playing in select theaters. 

My View:  Flight Risk (2025) R   In Flight Risk, a small plane pilot (Mark Wahlberg) is transporting an Air Marshal (Michelle Dockery) accompanying a fugitive (Topher Grace) to trial. As the flight traverses the Alaskan wilderness, tensions rise, and it becomes clear that everyone on board is not who they seem. So I saw the ads for this film, and they stated, “From the director of Brave Heart.” Uh, they don’t mention the name in the ad, but that would be Academy Award winner Mel Gibson. Now, please take a look at the poster for the film. Our star, Mark Wahlberg, looks all tough and hunky in that picture. However, he’s the bad guy of the film and isn’t close to being hunky. A gum-chewing loudmouth who is anything but hunky. He has a giant bald spot and seems to have cut himself a couple of times. Flight Risk could have been something, but the dialogue spells everything out for you, the camera work, full of closeups to give us tension that never develops, and a heroine who is one of the worst marshals the movies have ever seen make this film seem much longer than a 90-minute flight. The film is so sloppy that every cut-away to the plane flying over the Alaskan mountains, the aircraft is either banking on a turn or descending. That's a problem when they make sure we know the plane in all those cut-aways is on auto-pilot, meaning it's flying straight and level. The ending attempts to be dramatic and offer our hero, the marshal, a chance to redeem themselves, but it's too late. By then, I wished they had crashed into the seemingly endless mountains they had kept crossing.  My Rating: Cable  Flight Risk Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest: Inheritance (2025)  R   Inheritance is about Maya (Phoebe Dynevor), who has endured a rough year that includes the loss of her mother. Her estranged father, Sam (Rhys Ifans), arrives and proposes a trip to Egypt, which she accepts. Little does she know her father was once a spy and has given her a key to an international conspiracy everyone wants. Maya becomes a target and must quickly learn her father’s skills, or she will not survive. Inheritance is a film where our heroine travels from country to country, trying to find a way to help her father, while not knowing who to trust, including the father she is trying to save. The film was shot on an iPhone and on location in countries around the world. Interestingly, the film follows Maya as she travels, including scenes in stores and on streets, where everyone but Dynevor and the small crew were not in on that a movie was being made. The plot may be flimsy, but Dynevor is engaging as Maya, a young woman who relies on her wits and instincts to survive. Dynevor commands our attention and we root for Maya almost from the start of the film. The action sequences are well done, especially a motorcycle chase down some very narrow and busy streets. The intriguing camera work and Phoebe Dynevor's performance make Inheritance worth watching. Just try not to think too much about some of the plot holes that keep popping up. The scenery will change soon to keep your mind off of it.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Inheritance Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Star Trek: Section 31 (2025)  PG-13    Star Trek: Section 31 starts when there is a threat unlike anything Star Fleet has seen suddenly appears. Who do they turn to in saving the galaxy, giving them a command of a black ops crew? Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh). I am a big fan of Michelle Yeoh, and I enjoyed her role as Georgiou on the TV series Star Trek: Discovery, as we never knew what her character was going to do or say. We knew that most of the time, whatever Georgiou had up her sleeve, it was putting herself first before anyone else. As a Star Trek fan, I was excited that they were going to let Georgiou be the center of a film. Boy, was I let down by this film. I think the biggest problem with this film is that it goes against every other Star Trek movie/series that has come before it. The core of Star Trek has always been to strive for excellence, follow the rules, and assist as many people as possible while exploring the vastness of space. Section 31 is a ragtag group of misfits allowed to break all the rules because if they get caught, Starfleet will not acknowledge them. Add to that the idea that, except for Georgiou, we have no idea who any of the crew members are or what their capabilities are from the start. We get thrown into the mix, and before we can get to know the characters, fights break out, explosions happen, and we spend a lot of time watching the crew fight both bad guys and among themselves. The film seems to think that bigger explosions and lots of fights are better than what Star Trek fans love about the series. Star Trek has always been about characters who are people (of all races and kinds) who we can relate to and care about. I didn’t care about any of these characters except for Georgiou and she never seemed to figure out what she wanted either.   My Rating: Cable  Star Trek: Section 31 Website   Now playing on the Paramount+ platform. 

Forgotten Film: The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden (2013)   In the 1930s, a Berlin doctor moved to the Galapagos Islands to escape the world and its ongoing problems. The issue is that other couples followed suit a few years later, and they did not get along. This is a tale of sex, bad behavior, and possible murder. The film uses extensive footage that was shot by the couples, along with letters and books that they wrote. The film also interviews people who live on the island, letting us into a world that seems all too strange. There is even a silent film that was shot on the island, using the people who were living there at the time as actors. The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden is a fascinating documentary that provides few answers. However, in this day and age of crime podcasts and streaming documentaries on murderers that come out every week, this is a perfect documentary to watch and try to piece together what happened. My Rating: Full Price  The Galapagos Affair Info  Available to buy/rent on Amazon and Apple TV+.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Inheritance: Audio Description Narrator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  I’m Still Here  (2024)  PG-13  In 1971, Rubens Paiva, a former congressman and critic of the Brazilian military dictatorship, is taken from his home by government officials, never to be heard of again. His wife, Eunice (Fernanda Torres), seeks to find out what happened to her husband while trying to keep her family going. Based on a true story, the film has three Academy Award nominations: Best International Feature Film, Best Motion Picture of the Year, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in Fernanda Torres.  I'm Still Here Website   The film will be in theaters on Friday, February 7, 2025.

Until Next Time!