How to Train Your Dragon

My View:  How to Train Your Dragon  (2025)  PG  How to Train Your Dragon is a tale about Vikings and dragons, who are mortal enemies on the isle of Berk. That is until Hiccup (Mason Thames) meets a hurt Night Fury dragon that he names Toothless. Little do the two know that their future together means that they will save the lives of both species. The 2010 animated film is one of the best-animated movies of the 2010s, with a story that was touching and filled with thrilling animated scenes that showed the love between a boy and a dragon, all the while exploring the themes of legacy, father/son dynamics and finding out that our enemies are sometimes misunderstood. This live-action film follows the same themes and does it well, but the nagging question is, why do the same movie if it isn’t going to bring anything new to the story? While the performances are good, and the CGI animation of Toothless is fine, this version doesn’t give us anything new; it’s the same story, just in a longer version (beware, parents of young kids, this movie is over two hours long). I will say that I felt the flying sequences weren’t as thrilling as the animated version, and I missed Craig Ferguson’s performance as the bombastic Gobber (played this time by a less enjoyable Nick Frost). Will parents and kids enjoy watching this version? Sure, because it’s a great story. Was the production of this remake worth all the money and effort? Doubtful.     My Rating: Bargain Matinee  How to Train Your Dragon Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View:  Materialists  (2025)  R   In Materialists, Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a famous New York City matchmaker who has always been lucky in making the perfect match for others but has been unlucky in love herself. Lucy may have met her perfect match in suave and rich Harry (Pedro Pascal) until her ex, John (Chris Evans), comes back into the picture. What’s a matchmaker to do? I am a big rom-com fan, and I was excited to see this film after watching the trailer. While I loved this film because of the phenomenal performances by the three stars, this is not your typical romantic comedy. Materialists is a more of a harsh reality romance than a comedy, though there are some laughs along the way. The film is about how hard and sometimes cruel dating can be, as seen through the eyes of someone who deals in the romance game and views marriage as a business agreement. Lucy is not actively looking for a mate, but she admits she will settle for one if they can ‘check all the boxes,’ including being rich. Dakota Johnson portrays a woman who is jaded but enjoys her job of finding matches for men and women seeking love, provided they meet certain requirements. It’s a marvelous performance that immerses us in Lucy’s world and her mindset, giving us a woman who is lovable yet troubled and flawed. Harry enters Lucy's world, and he is convinced that she is the one for him, no matter how many times Lucy tells him she isn't right for him. To make matters more complicated, her ex, John, comes back into her life. Evans, as Chris, portrays a man who is love-struck and has never stopped loving this complicated woman. John knows Lucy better than anyone; they have a connection, and we see that when something happens to a client of Lucy’s. Lucy doesn’t go to Harry, but to John for support and comfort. This is not a movie for everyone because its lead character is not always likable and is frustrating, doesn’t follow the usual romantic playbook and our heroine falls for a man who we know isn’t right for her and she doesn’t care. The title alone tells you a lot about Materialists. It’s a film that gives us the down-and-dirty on dating, matchmaking, and whether someone is truly perfect for someone. You will have to watch until the end to help you decide.      My Rating: Full Price  Materialists Website    Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  The Life of Chuck  (2024) R  The Life of Chuck explores the life and adventures of Charles Krantz, a man who is experiencing the end of his life while being celebrated by his friends and family. The Life of Chuck is one of those films that’s hard to review because its structure is complicated, and I don’t want to give away any of the surprises (and there are a few). One clue to this film is that it is based on a Stephen King novella, although more in the vein of The Shawshank Redemption or Stand by Me, rather than horror films like The Shining or It. The film is told in three parts and unfolds in reverse to tell us the story of Chuck. I will warn you that the first part is a little off-the-wall strange, and while Chuck makes an appearance, that part of the film is about two exes (Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan) who are trying to cope with a world gone off the rails and find support in re-connecting. Part two is about Chuck as an adult (played by ever-charismatic Tom Hiddleston), and part three is about Chuck as a teen (played by Jacob Tremblay) and as a kid (played by the adorable Benjamin Pajak). Along the way, there are some fantastic performances by Carl Lumbly, Mia Sara, and Mark Hamill (which I think is so good it could get him an Oscar nod). While not a musical, the film features some incredible and exciting dance numbers, with Hiddleston performing a thrilling and moving dance alongside the delightful Annalise Basso. The Life of Chuck is a film that slowly reveals its secrets, and while it throws you into a world that doesn’t make much sense at first, it becomes a joyful and life-affirming film that makes you feel glad you experienced the life of a man named Chuck.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See It Again    Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Echo Valley  (2025)  R    Echo Valley revolves around Kate (Julianne Moore), a horse ranch owner in the beautiful and isolated Echo Valley. Her world is shattered when her estranged, drug-addicted daughter, Claire (Sydney Sweeney), shows up at her doorstep in hysterics and covered in someone else’s blood. Echo Valley is a film whose pedigree, with Director Michael Pearce (Beast), Writer Brad Ingelsby (creator and writer of Mare of Easttown), and stars Julianne Moore, Sydney Sweeney, Domhnall Gleeson, and Fiona Shaw, should have been a slam dunk. Instead, we get a mess of a film that feels like it is two or three different movies pitched separately and put together by the studio to make one ‘Oscar bait’ film. Julianne Moore (who delivers a fantastic performance despite the material) plays Kate, a grieving widow struggling to keep her horse farm afloat. Sydney Sweeney portrays Claire, a troubled, drug-addicted girl who repeatedly returns to her mother for money, only to disappear again without notice. Sweeney’s character doesn’t have much depth; she mostly wanders around moping and runs back to a troubled relatioship. We get our villain in Domhnall Gleeson, who portrays a drug dealer who mostly sneers threats and keeps showing up to make mom Kate's life hell. The film is packed with so many twists and turns that it seems Brad Ingelsby may have drawn inspiration from too many 1970s TV mysteries before writing the script. It's frustrating when the major plot twist is something you can deduce halfway through the film. While I’m no detective like Mannix or Columbo (references to 1970s shows), I realized that Echo Valley desperately needed a stronger script than the one Julianne Moore was given. My Rating: Cable   Echo Valley Info   Now playing on the Apple TV+ platform.

My View:  Deep Cover  (2025) R    Deep Cover is about three struggling London improv actors (Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed) who are hired by the police for a series of sting operations. Can they say their usual improv phrase “yes, and…” and still survive as they find their way into joining a criminal gang? As someone who appreciates improv and had dabbled in it during my acting days, I found the premise intriguing. Little did I know the jokes would be flat, and what improv there is is so poorly done it’s painful. The only character that you have fun watching is Marlon, portrayed by Orlando Bloom, who isn’t exactly known for his comedic chops. He brings life to the film with his portrayal of Marlon, an actor stuck in small commercial roles but dreaming of being like Brando or De Niro. Marlon’s character tends to go over the top, crafting backstories so dramatic they could bring any hardened criminal to tears. Regrettably, the rest of the cast fails to shine, and actors like Paddy Considine, Ian McShane, and Sean Bean are underutilized in a script that recycles every poor cop movie trope without delivering any real comedy. I considered improvising a joke here at the end of this review, but this film took me out of the moment. Can anyone out there say ‘yes, and’ for me?  My Rating: Cable  Deep Cover Info  Now playing on the Amazon Prime platform. 

Indiefest:  Prime Minister  (2025)   The documentary Prime Minister chronicles Jacinda Ardern’s tenure as New Zealand’s Prime Minister, during which her terms she had to navigate a mass shooting, COVID-19, and giving birth to a first child. Prime Minister is an outstanding documentary about a person who never expected to come into power, but when she did, she went all out, even while having a child while in office. The film commences with Jacinda's leader resigning, resulting in her becoming a top contender for her party's Prime Minister nomination. We then follow Jacinda through the election, which she barely wins, a reeelction in a landslide, putting her in office for five years. Prime Minister is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how leadership can work and how it can just as quickly be undone. We also get to see how she managed a relationship and the birth of a baby while in office. We get personal footage, which I loved because her partner shot a lot of it (they didn’t get married until after her stint as Prime Minister), and we see up close and personal their back-and-forth conversations about everything that is going on in their lives.We gain insight into her decision-making process and the reasoning behind her conclusions. While some of her decisions led to great successes, we also witness her struggles, including the impact of COVID-19 and the influence of Trump supporters reaching all the way to New Zealand. Throughout the documentary, we hear recordings she made during her years as Prime Minister, and we also see what she is doing now—hint: she’s teaching at a university in the U.S., which has been making headlines. Prime Minister is an inspiring film about a political figure who genuinely cared for people, prioritized their needs, and was willing to share her thoughts and feelings on pressing issues. What a novel concept.  My Rating: Full Price    Prime Minister Info  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Titan: The OceanGate Disaster  (2025)  Titan: The OceanGate Disaster is a documentary about Stockton Rush, whose quest to become the next billionaire inventor led to the development of the Titan, a doomed underwater deep-sea sub that he hoped would bring oceanic exploration to the masses.Titan: The OceanGate Disaster is a fascinating and infuriating story about a man who had a vision to take the world down into the sea and share its wonders. Unfortunately, stupidity, ego, and money got in the way and ultimately cost the lives of five people. The film utilizes extensive footage and interviews with most of the principals behind the creation of the sub and its attempts to become a means for the world to see the Titanic’s wreckage up close in person. The film gives you a detailed look at both the lead-up to the accident and the investigation by the Coast Guard into how the deaths happened. I won't use the word 'accident' to describe what caused people to lose their lives because the disaster that happened was going to happen that day or weeks/months later. From the start, the idea of using a carbon fiber hull instead of steel or titanium was destined for failure. Stockton Rush was a man who thought he knew more than anyone else and was convinced, even when the testing told him otherwise, that the hull would stand the pressure. There is some horrifying footage of a dive the sub took that is as scary as what we experienced in the recent theatrical film Last Breath. There is a reason it took so long to discover where the Titanic was because it was resting so deep in the ocean floor. Maybe we should just let the ship stay at the bottom of the sea and stop trying to disturb its slumber. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Titan: The OceanGate Disaster Website  Now playing on the Netlfix platform. 

Forgotten Film:  Safe  (1995)  R  As a well-off housewife, Carol (Julianne Moore) devotes her time to remodeling her home, attending charity events, and gardening. Carol starts experiencing physical symptoms, such as coughing uncontrollably after being exposed to exhaust fumes or getting a nosebleed when getting a perm at her hair salon. Carol's condition continues to worsen, and doctors are unable to determine the cause. She then, encouraged by friends, to go to a retreat that specializes in allergies. There, she continues to get worse, finally isolating herself in a completely sterile environment. The film was directed by Todd Haynes, known for his engaging and sometimes controversial films, including Far From Heaven (2002), I'm Not There (2007), Carol (2015), and Wonderstruck (2017). Safe is a film about a woman who embarks on a path where she is constantly given reasons why the problem is in her head, but the symptoms persist and worsen. Julianne Moore is outstanding as Carol, whose life keeps getting worse and worse. The film can be viewed as a horror film, as for someone like myself who has dealt with severe allergies all my life, not knowing the cause of your problems can be horrifying, especially when everything you do compounds the problems. Critics and the Hollywood establishment saw in her performance in Safe that Moore would become a force to be reckoned with as an actor. My Rating: Full Price  Safe Info The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of How to Train Your Dragon:  Lock Off PA

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You: Superman  (2025)  PG-13  Superman (David Corenswet) must reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his life as the human Clark Kent. As always, Superman is the embodiment of truth, justice, and trying to be a force for good while battling forces of evil, including Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). James Gunn, the man responsible for the amazing Guardians of the Galaxy film series, is behind the film.  Superman Website   The film will be out in theaters on Friday, July 11, 2025.

Until Next Time!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

My View:  Star Wars: The Force Awakens  (2015)  PG-13   Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is missing, and that has caused a ripple effect throughout the Galaxy. What was left of the evil Empire has reformed in what is called the First Order, and they are intent on destroying the Rebels once and for all. I loved this film. It does a great job of giving us some of the classic characters from the first three Star Wars films while introducing us to a new cast that take up the ‘Star Wars’ mantle. The film looks like (with updated special effects) and has the aura of a Star Wars film, giving you a feeling that you are back with a storyline and characters you know and love. While paying an homage to the past films, it gives us some exciting players that it introduces to the timeline. Rey (Daisy Ridley) is a scavenger that dreams of bigger things and somehow knows that she is destined to explore more than just her desert filled planet. Finn (John Bodega) is a man who is trying to escape his past, but fate keeps getting in the way. Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is a brash fighter pilot whose skill matches his bravado. All three are about to go on an adventure of a lifetime to try and stop the First Order. The chemistry between Bodega and Ridley is the key to this film and their scenes together make the film work as well as it does. The film is full of great action sequences that will thrill you and surprisingly, there is a great deal of comedy, mostly through the fast quips that the first films were so good at. Filmmaker JJ Abrams is a fan of the original films and it shows. He gives us exactly what we wanted from this series, a new hope. Oh, and by the way, go out now and buy a BB-8 toy (it's the new round droid). Your kids are going to want one after seeing this film.   My Review: Full Price   Star Wars: The Force Awakens Website

My View:  Sisters (2015)  R  Katie (Tina Fey) and Maura (Amy Poehler) are completely sisters with completely opposite personalities. Katie is childish and sleeps around. Maura is uptight and still hasn’t gotten over her divorce. The sisters decide to hold one last party at their parent’s home before it is sold. I expected more from this film due to Poehler and Fey, but I got a lot less than I needed. The film takes forever to get started, only really moving when the “party” starts going. Of course, Fey and Poehler have great chemistry on screen, and there are times when the two play off each other with great comic timing. But the film drags when the two are separated, and it’s about thirty minutes too long. I was disappointed by John Cena’s performance, but that wasn't his fault, his part is badly written. The film’s finale is predictable, and its resolution isn’t very satisfying. I would love to party with these two women but just in a different movie.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Sisters Website

Indiefest:  The Danish Girl  (2015)  R  In the early 1920s, artist Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander) and her artist husband, Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne) are living in Copenhagen.  Einar slowly realizes that he is no longer happy living as a man. I wish this was a better film. Redmayne’s performance never won me over. I don’t know if it is because we don’t get a lot of exploration of Einar’s innermost feelings, as we just get a lot of Redmayne crying or posing with his hands. I did enjoy another brilliantly subtle performance by Alicia Vikander who plays a woman who is slowly losing her husband. The film feels like it would rather give us a beautiful looking shot than let us explore the character's motives.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Danish Girl Website

Indiefest:  Youth  (2015)  R  A retired orchestra conductor (Michael Caine) is on a vacation with his daughter (Rachel Weisz) and his friend (Harvey Keitel), a film director, when he gets an invitation to perform one of his compositions in front of Queen Elizabeth II. This is a fun film to watch due to the magnificent performances by Caine, Weisz and Keitel. The film is basically conversations, some of them quite abstract, dealing with life’s problems - finding and keeping love, aging,  and dealing with the past, mistakes and all. The film goes on too long, and the plot is sometimes hard to follow, both which bring down the film in my eyes. While a flawed film, it is a joy to watch some master actors spin their craft.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Youth Website

Forgotten Film:  Prime Cut (1972) R   A mob enforcer (Lee Marvin) is sent from Chicago to Kansas City to collect a big debt from a crime boss (Gene Hackman). This is not your normal mobster film, and that is evident right from the start. The film mixes satire with almost cartoon-like characters that seem to come straight out of a Dick Tracy comic strip. It’s filled with action sequences that are thrilling and fast-moving. Sissy Spacek shines as a naive orphan who is being sold into slavery after complicating the mob enforcer’s life. This is not a complex film, but it is one that you will enjoy.     My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Prime Cut Info

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Ride Along 2 (2015)  PG-13  The first buddy-cop film wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t so good that we would want to see another. To make this one completely different, instead of Atlanta, the guys go to Miami.  I think I will just pass on this ride.   Ride Along 2 Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray): Mission: Impossible Rogue-Nation  (2015)  PG-13  The incoming CIA chief (Alec Baldwin) wants to disband the Impossible Mission Force, just when we need Ethan (Tom Cruise) and the gang the most. This film is certainly the best film of the Mission: Impossible series and was one of my favorite films of the summer. The movie starts off with a breathtaking stunt and just keeps going from there. There is a motorcycle chase sequence that is one of the best chase scenes I have ever seen. I loved the “bromance” between Cruise’s character, Ethan and Simon Pegg’s Benji, with some great lines flowing. Rebecca Ferguson held her own with Tom Cruise (not easy to do) and makes a number of action sequences believable. Sean Harris makes a great bad guy, and Alec Baldwin is fun as the CIA chief. MI Rogue Nation is a blast to watch and has a plot that makes sense.     My Rating: Full Price   Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Star Wars: A Force Awakens:  Wire Supervisor

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Race  (2016)  PG-13  The story of Jesse Owens (Stephan James) and his quest to become the world’s greatest athlete, all on the stage of the 1936 Olympics in Adolf Hitler’s Germany. Jesse Owens has always fascinated me, and this film looks like it captures the time and mood of that very complicated period of American history.   Race Website

Until Next Time!