A Minecraft Movie

My View:  A Minecraft Movie  (2025)  PG   In A Minecraft Movie, four misfits suddenly find themselves pulled through a mysterious portal, landing in a strange, cubic world that thrives on creativity and imagination. To return home, they will need help from a peculiar resident, Steve (Jack Black), to master this bizarre world. I am not a gamer, and I only have knowledge of Minecraft from advertisements and Twitter/X. Having seen this film, I have no clue what Minecraft is or what the game is like. All I know is that I had to endure three songs sung by Jack Black and a plot that probably only makes sense to a six-year-old who has played the game their whole life (ok, maybe their last year or so). For a world that constantly talks about imagination, very little was applied when writing the script. My father, the playwright, always said avoid films with more than two writers, more means the script had troubles. This one had five. I get that the four humans that have been sent to the Minecraft world want to get back, but I have no idea why anyone else would want to be a part of this world like Steve. I am guessing kids will enjoy all the battles and the weird animals, but adults will be bored and looking at their watches to see when this film will end. And what was Jennifer Coolidge's role (she plays a school vice president) in the plot? It's such a throwaway part that has so much wasted screen time.  So many questions and so little desire to know any of the answers. And yes, there is a bonus scene at the end of all the credits that, I guess, sets up the next film. I am guessing gamers will know why that scene is worth waiting for. I certainly don't. My Rating: Cable  A Minecraft Movie Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View:  Hell of a Summer  (2024) R  Hell of a Summer follows 24-year-old camp counselor Jason (Fred Hechinger) getting ready for his summer at Camp Pineway; he thinks his biggest challenge will be connecting with his teenage co-workers. Little does Jason know that will be the least of his worries as there is a masked killer on the campgrounds, and counselors are dying off one by one. Hell of a Summer is a take on the slasher films of the 70s and 80s, with a group of camp counselors being killed one by one by a mysterious killer. I had fun watching this film, especially the performance of Fred Hechinger, who plays a man who loves summer camp so much that he can’t seem to let it go, even in his mid-20s. Hechinger is hilarious in the role of someone who desperately wants to fit in, but try as hard as he does, he can’t seem to do or say the right thing. Written and directed by two of the cast, Billy Bryk and Finn Wolfhard, who are funny as best friends who continually screw up but somehow stay alive, at least for a while. The story goes on a little too long, the killer is pretty easy to figure out, and the film goes for humor much more than scares, something that it could use to keep the film moving along. Still, the cast has a great time, and the film ends on a funny and very bloody note. So, if you are in the mood for revisiting those summer camps where not everyone came back alive, then pack your duffle bag, sunscreen, and maybe a knife or two and join the gang around the campfire. Don't be alarmed if a few people don't show up for the weenie roast.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Hell of a Summer Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  The Friend  (2024) R  Iris (Naomi Watts) is a writer whose life is falling apart. She isn’t happy with her students, her latest writing project isn’t going anywhere, and her best friend and mentor, a fellow writer, Walter (Bill Murray), has just committed suicide. Then Iris finds out that Walter has left his dog, a Great Dane named Apollo, to Iris. Apollo is going to change Iris’s life, even if she doesn’t want it changed. Naomi Watts continues to prove that she is among the best actresses out there. Watts gives a virtuoso performance of a writer dealing with her best friend’s death while trying to teach students who are too involved in themselves. To top it off, she is struggling to put together a book of Walter’s letters, and now, she has a giant dog to care for in an apartment that just might kick her out because of their no-pets policy. The Friend is a film about dealing with grief and how pets can help us heal. Bing, the Great Dane that plays Apollo, is perfect in the role, as Apollo is grieving too, and it takes Iris a while to figure this out. What I love about this film is that Apollo is exactly what Iris needs, and Iris is exactly what Apollo needs, too. Two fellow beings are trying to figure out how to go on and realize that they can do it if they lean on each other. So, hang out with Iris and her buddy Apollo as they go on this journey together. You won’t be sorry you did.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Friend Website  Now playing in theaters.  

My View:  Freaky Tales  (2024) R   Freaky Tales is a collection of four interconnected stories that takes place in Oakland in 1987. You will meet punk rockers, Nazi skinheads, female rappers, shakedown artists, and even Gold State Warrior legend Sleepy Floyd as he battles a crime lord. Freaky Tales is a fun ride that has trouble at times keeping the stories moving and their connection to each other is flimsy at best, but if you like the films of the 80s with a splash of exploration films of the 70s, then this is a film for you. The battle sequences, and there are quite a few, are bloody messes done with a tongue-in-cheek flair for slow-motion. There is a story for everyone, including punk rockers deciding to take on Nazi skinheads, a rap duo who get their big break, an enforcer who wants to retire, and then there is a basketball star who grabs a few samurai swords to take revenge. So, just go on a ride to 1980s Oakland and have fun with a few tales that may involve some magic and lots of blood spilled. Make sure to stay through the first part of the credits for a bit of a bonus scene or two.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Freaky Tales Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  A Nice Indian Boy  (2024)   A Nice Indian Boy is about Naveen (Karan Soni), a doctor who dreams of having a big wedding like his sister (Sunita Mani), but he can’t meet the right guy. It’s love at first sight when a photographer named Jay (Jonathan Groff) enters Naveen’s life. Now, if Naveen can get his traditional Indian family to accept this white boyfriend, maybe, just maybe, he can get the wedding he has always wanted. A Nice Indian Boy is a funny, warm, and uplifting rom-com that explores what happens when you fall in love with someone who meets everything you need in a person, but one thing: your family won’t approve of them. I loved the romance between Karan Soni’s Naveen, a man who thinks he will never find love, and Jonathan Groff’s Jay, who fits everything that Naveen is looking for, except that he is not of Indian descent. Naveen is convinced that he will never get the wedding he wants, and that life isn’t like those Bollywood musicals, with couples singing and dancing to express their love. Jay is a man who thinks it’s possible to have it all and wants it to be with Naveen. But can they overcome Naveen's family and their cultural norms? You will just have to stay to the end to find out. My Rating: Full Price  A Nice Indian Boy Website   Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  The Luckiest Man in America  (2024)  R   The Luckiest Man in America is about Michael Larson (Paul Walter Hauser), an unemployed ice cream truck driver who, in 1984, went on the game show Press Your Luck and won a ton of money. However, Michael had a secret: he knew there was a flaw in the game show and how to exploit it to his advantage. The film is based on a true story and features an exceptional performance by Paul Walter Hauser. Unfortunately, the story can’t sustain the tension it needs and lets the story go on way too long. It’s fun to watch the game show and network officials squirm when their low-stakes game show suddenly starts bleeding money on the screen. However, the film lost me when Michael’s mind begins to go, and he wanders off onto a talk show (hosted by an out-of-place Johnny Knoxville), making the film feel as if it all was a figment in Michael’s mind. The movie ends up running out of steam with an ending that feels out of place with the rest of the film. It's interesting that the filmmakers didn't give us a postscript on what happened to Michael and his winnings. From what I know of the real Michael Larson, the story was just starting, but the film seemed to feel like Michael was already out of luck.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Luckiest Man in America Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Real Genius (1985)  PG  A teenage prodigy, Mitch (Gabriel Jarret), is thrust into the world of college as he enters a top engineering school. His roommate, Chris Knight (Val Kilmer), used to be the smartest kid in the school until Mitch got there. Now, Mitch must perform under the pressure of a professor (William Atherton) who has put Mitch in charge of a top-secret project that involves lasers. Mitch will soon learn from Chris that life is more than school and work. It's about living in the moment and having fun. Real Genius is one of my favorite films of the 80s, and Val Kilmer is brilliant as the incredibly cool and funny Chris, who has a quip for every moment and is all about trying to have fun every waking moment. The supporting cast is amazing, and I love all the characters in this film. The film has one of my favorite lines from a movie, said by a huge crush of mine, Deborah Foreman. It's I line I can't print because this is a family review, but I die every time she says it to Val Kilmer's character. This is one film I can watch over and over again. Plus, it has one of the great final scenes of a movie.  My Rating: Full Price   Real Genius Info  The film is available on DVD/Blue Ray. 

 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Hell of a Summer:  Mask Fabricator

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You: Sinners  (2025)  R  Trying to leave their troubled past behind, twin brothers Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown and open a dance hall. They soon discover that their hometown has changed, and a greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. Written and directed by two-time Oscar-nominated Ryan Coogler (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Judas and the Black Messiah) and starring Michael B. Jordan in a duel role, this is one of the films on everyone’s must-see list.  Sinners Website The film will be in theaters nationwide on Friday, April 18, 2025. 

Until Next Time!

The Lost City

My View: The Lost City (2022) PG-13  Romance novelist Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) is on a book tour with her dimwitted cover model Alan Caprison (Channing Tatum). While on tour, Loretta is kidnapped by Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe), an eccentric billionaire who is convinced that Loretta’s latest book is the key to a lost fortune. Consequently, Alan sets out to rescue Loretta…good luck with that. Too often, romantic comedy films that add in action/adventure have been poorly done and overacted (I'm looking at you, Melissa McCarthy). I am happy to say that The Lost City is a fun and well-done comedy with two stars who know how to do physical comedy, an art that has been all but forgotten. Fans of the 1984 film Romancing the Stone will love this film, as it plays on that type of film, both making fun of that type of action film and, at the same time, lovingly referencing it. Bullock and Tatum look to be having a blast making the film, though I have a feeling that Bullock got very tired of the purple, sequined jumpsuit that she spends most of the adventure in. The action sequences are well done and very funny. The playful banter between the two is hilarious, and Daniel Radcliffe, as the off-the-wall nuts billionaire, is a blast to watch. I had a great time going on an adventure with Loretta and Alan, and you will too.   My Rating: Full Price   The Lost City Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Indiefest: Topside (2020)    Deep in the underbelly of New York City, a five-year-old girl (Zhaila Farmer) and her mother (Celine Held) live among a group that has claimed the abandoned subway tunnels as their home until authorities discover them. Now, mother and daughter must go on the streets of NYC, a world the young girl knows nothing about. One of the oldest subjects in the history of film is the story of a mother trying to decide if her child is better off without her. In the case of Topside, Nikki, a woman who has a drug problem and leaves her daughter alone for hours at a time to support her drug habit, must decide to keep battling the system and her homelessness to keep her daughter or let the system take her daughter because she can’t provide much more than her love for the daughter she calls Little. Celine Held gives a powerful and moving performance of Nikki, a troubled woman who loves her daughter but can’t cope without drugs to survive. The film is a gut punch from the start, as we see Little exploring the lonely and dangerous world of the abandoned tunnels on her own as she waits for her mother to return. We are torn, as is Nikki, because we see how much Nikki cares for and loves Little, but we know, like Nikki, that it isn’t enough. When the two are forced to go ‘topside’ into the real world, the film comes to a crashing, emotional end that just might wreck you, much like it does with Little and Nikki.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    Topside Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest: 7 Days (2021)    Ravi (Karan Soni) and Rita (Geraldine Viswanathan) are two single people being set up by their mothers through a dating website. After a very uncomfortable pre-arranged date, they must shelter in place together after the COVID pandemic lockdown forces them to stay in Rita’s apartment. This is a funny, sweet film about two people who have very different outlooks on life and love. Ravi is best described as a mama’s boy who is desperate to fulfill his family's dream of him getting married and having a family. Rita is an independent woman who only goes along with the whole arranged marriage ordeal to keep her mother happy, while Rita carries on an affair with a married man. The film puts these two people together and lets them figure out that maybe, just maybe, they can find love in an unexpected place with someone who isn’t their perfect mate on a website. I loved the chemistry between Karan Soni and Geraldine Viswanathan, who worked together on the Daniel Radcliffe TV series Miracle Workers. The two play off each other with a light touch, making us believe that they could and should end up together in an unconventional love story for unconventional times.   My Rating: Full Price    7 Days Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest: You Are Not My Mother (2021) R  In a North Dublin housing estate, Char’s mother, Angela (Carolyn Bracken), returns after mysteriously going missing, her personality radically changed. Despite her grandmother's objections (Ingrid Craigie), Char (Hazel Doupe) decides to uncover the truth of her mother’s disappearance and in turn, unearth the dark secrets of her family. Char is a young woman who is dealing with a lot. She is doing well academically but doesn’t have any friends and is constantly threatened by the school's bullies. She is shy and is very affected by the scar on her face, which she claims is a birthmark. She is being raised by her elderly grandmother, as her mother rarely comes out of her bedroom. Char’s life becomes complicated when her mother, after a disaster of a trip to take her daughter to school, almost ends in a car wreck disappears without a trace. When Char’s mother reappears without an explanation, Char notices that her mother’s personality has changed, so much so that Char can’t decide if it’s a good or a bad thing. Things began going badly in the house as Angela starts acting weird, and Char starts to feel that her mother may be dangerous. You Are Not My Mother is more of a suspense film than a horror film. Though Angela can be scary at times, it’s the psychological effects on Char that are most pressing in this film, as she realizes that the mother she once knew is no longer in the body of Angela. What we, along with Char, have to figure out is Angela’s change has been brought about by a mental breakdown, or is there something more sinister going on?   My Rating: Full Price    You Are Not My Mother Website  Now playing in select theatres.

My View: Infinite Storm (2022)    Pam Bales (Naomi Watts), an experienced climber, is forced to turn back on her climb of Mt. Washington due to a massive blizzard that is fast approaching. On her way down, she encounters a lone, stranded man and takes it upon herself to get the both of them off of the mountain before nightfall and certain death. Infinite Storm is a harrowing story of survival and how one person can give another person help both physically and spiritually. We meet Pam, and we can tell that she is a determined woman who has had something painful happen in her past. We are given clues to what but don’t know the details. Then, just when Pam is about to turn back due to the conditions on the mountain, she finds a man dressed like he was going out on a summer hike, on top of a snowy mountain, freezing to death. Pam puts her survival skills to work and makes it her job to get this man, who is out of his mind, down the mountain before it becomes dark. Watts gives us an emotional and physically draining performance of a woman who, despite her problems, is so driven that she will do anything to get this man back down to safety. Be sure to wear a sweater to the theatre, as you will feel the constant coldness of the mountain, even as you are warmed by the determination of Pam to get you off the damn mountain.    My Rating: Full Price  Infinite Storm Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Forgotten Film: Prefontaine (1997) PG-13  Steve Prefontaine (Jared Leto) was a man who was determined to beat the odds, no matter what the cost. Prefontaine was a runner who was a superstar in the long-distance running for a very short time. Leto is captivating as Pre, a man who didn’t care who he beat or how he got there, just that he was in first at the finish line. As the film shows us, Pre was a man that wasn’t always likable, and that is what I enjoy about this film. Too often, films based on sports stars make heroes out of their subjects and don’t show us who they really were. Prefontaine gives us a tragic hero who wasn’t afraid to run on his terms and not conform to what people thought he should be.   My Rating: Full Price   Prefontaine Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Lost City: Cutter-Fitter

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Morbius  (2022) PG-13   Biochemist Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) is trying to find a cure for a rare blood disease, one he has himself. In his attempt to find the cure, he inadvertently infects himself with a form of vampirism instead. This much-delayed film is finally being released, and we can see what all the fuss has been about. Recently Leto has given us The Joker and Paolo Gucci, so let's see what he can do with a vampire.    Morbius Website

Until Next Time!

The Little Things

 Note to readers: I currently am not willing to risk my health (I’m 63 and an asthmatic) by visiting a theatre. All films that I have seen for review have been screened in my home. I am not going to tell you whether or not to attend a theatre. Just be aware of the risks, do your research, and follow the instructions to the letter.

My View: The Little Things (2021) R   Former L.A. Sheriff Joe Deacon (Denzel Washington) comes back to Los Angeles for what should be a quick evidence gathering assignment. Instead, he becomes involved in a hunt for a serial killer led by L.A. Sheriff Jim Baxter (Remi Malek). All roads lead to a man (Jerod Leto) who may be involved with Deacon’s shadowy past. The Little Things should be a better movie with a cast like this. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad, but it’s one of those films that feels frustrating watching it because somewhere, under a sluggish plot, is a good movie. Now, anything Denzel is in makes it a better movie, but Remi Malek doesn’t give us much more than a confused, in over his head man, and Jerod Leto doesn’t have a lot to do than be creepy and walk with a limp to strip clubs. The film feels like the detectives in this film; they have a few clues but can’t quite put things together to get the story right.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee     The Little Things Website   The film is currently in select theatres and also on the HBO Max platform.  

My View: Palmer (2021) R   Palmer (Justin Timberlake) is back in his small hometown after serving twelve long years in prison. Palmer moves in with his grandmother (June Squibb) and becomes involved in the life of a young boy, Sam (Ryder Allen), who lives next door with his drug-addicted mother (Juno Temple). I like this film, even if it pushes a few plot points out of the way to make the story move to a conclusion we all want. Timberlake does a fine job as a felon just trying to do the right thing, even when the odds are stacked against him. The film is helped by the supporting cast, including the always enjoyable June Squibb, Juno Temple going full out for her drugged-out destructive mother role. Ryder Allen is the adorable Sam, a kid who knows he is different and is ok with it, brightening the screen every time he is on it. The film doesn’t break any new ground, and the results are predictable, but that’s ok in a feel-good film about finding love and support from unexpected places.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Palmer Website   The film is available on the Apple TV+ platform.

Indiefest: Supernova (2020) R   Sam (Colin Firth) and Tusker (Stanley Tucci), partners of twenty years, are going on one last road trip to visit friends and family before Tusker’s dementia gets the better of him. Break out the tissues, you are going to need them. Supernova is a moving, touching story of two people in love that have to say good=bye to the life that they have led before it changes forever. Firth and Tucci are magic together, as the relationship is perfectly summed up in the first five minutes of the film as the two playfully argue over whether to use printed maps or the on-board navigation system that Tusker thinks sounds like Margaret Thatcher barking out orders. The movie is full of small, beautiful moments where we get to see the two show their feelings for each other, like having Tusker give Sam lessons on stargazing while looking at a chart in the bed. There are also both big and tiny scenes that show us what a difficult route their life is about to take as Tusker starts to lose his ability to function in the world without help. Supernova is a film that doesn’t disappoint, giving us the emotional scenes full of depth and meaning by two actors at the top of their form.    My Rating: Full Price  Supernova Website  The film is currently playing in select theatres and will be available to rent on participating on-demand services Feb. 16th.

Indiefest: Malcolm & Marie (2021) R   After a night where Malcolm (John David Washington), a director, has had his big movie premiere, he returns home with his girlfriend, Marie (Zendaya), where their relationship is tested and explored. This film has a lot to say; about life, relationships, filmmaking, critics, and co-dependency. Unfortunately, I didn’t like either character, and by the end of the film, I just wanted them to stop talking. The film feels like it’s trying to be a showcase for these two fine actors, but this film gets very tiring quickly, as the two characters go back and forth between a loving, supportive couple to a couple that seems intent on hurting each other as much as possible. I got bored of both characters very quickly and didn’t want to spend this much time (100 min run time) with them because I didn’t care what they had to say. I think both actors are incredibly talented, and it takes guts to take on parts that are so raw and out there, but I just wanted the film to stop long before it did.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Malcolm & Marie Website     The film is currently playing in select theatres and will be available on the Netflix platform Feb. 5th.

My View: Penguin Bloom (2021)   Sam (Naomi Watts) is a young mother left unable to walk after a near-fatal accident. She and her family must adapt and learn to deal with her new life and the struggles it brings. In walks a bird named Penguin, who gives Sam hope in an unlikely hero. Penguin Bloom is a movie that has its heart in the right place but never can deliver the emotional moments you want from the film. The film feels a little too much like the script had its moments written down in a list and then checked them off when those moments are shown on the screen. We have seen Watts do better before in this type of role (I kept thinking about the determined mother searching for her family in The Impossible), and her performance, like the script, is very predictable. Sure, it’s an inspiring story about a woman who finds hope and strength through a bond with a bird and don’t get me wrong, it’s a cute bird, but I never felt like I really cared about this family or Sam. I just couldn’t get connected enough with the family to get immersed in the by the numbers storyline.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Penguin Bloom Website  The film is available on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Dear Comrades (2020)    When the communist government raises food prices again in 1962, the workers in a small industrial town, Novocherkassk, go on strike. The massacre, which then ensues, is seen through the eyes of the rebellious workers. The film centers on Lyuda (Yuliya Vysotskaya), a government official in a working-class town. She lives with her rebellious factory working daughter and her grandfather, who has an opinion on everything. As the strike progresses, Lyuda must deal with her feeling that the Soviet way of life is the most important thing in her life versus her love for her daughter. Lyuda is soon confronted that the government she has given her life to has betrayed her and her family. Yuliya Vysotskaya gives a multi-faceted performance as a woman whose life was used to getting her way because she believed with her whole heart that the Soviet way was the right way, only to have her heartbroken when she finds out the truth.    My Rating: Full Price   Dear Comrades! Website  The film is available to rent on participating on-demand services and will be available on the Hulu platform on Feb. 5th.

Forgotten Film: Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015)  PG   Shaun the sheep (Justin Fletcher) decides to shake things up and take the flock to the big city to find their farmer. That was a big mistake, and now it’s time to get back to the country. Shaun the Sheep is an imaginative animated film from the same people that brought us the Wallace and Gromit series and the very funny Chicken Run. The kids will enjoy the action of the stop-motion animation, and adults will enjoy the humor, some of it very subtle. The storyline is creative, and the animation is fun to watch. Shaun the Sheep Movie should be a staple film in your family's life.   My Rating: Full Price   Shaun the Sheep Movie Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Penguin Bloom: Child Dramaturg 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Crisis (2021) R   Three stories about the opioids crisis: an undercover agent posing as a drug trafficker (Armie Hammer) arranges a complicated smuggling operation, an architect (Evangeline Lilly) recovering from an OxyContin addiction tries to find the truth about her son’s disappearance and his involvement with drugs and a university professor (Gary Oldman) finds out that the research he is working on is about to bring a highly addictive drug to the market. The film is from Nicholas Jarecki, who brought us the 2012 film Arbitrage, and the supporting cast includes Greg Kinnear, Michelle Rodriguez, and Lily-Rose Depp.    Crisis Info

Until Next Time!

Annabelle: Creation

My View:  Annabelle: Creation  (2017)  R  Several years after the death of their little girl, a doll maker and his wife let a nun and several orphan girls into their home. They soon become the target of the doll maker’s possessed creation, Annabelle.  If you like horror films that use the jump out of the dark technique to scare you, then you will be pleased with this fourth film in the Conjuring series. While not as imaginative as the first Conjuring film, this movie is far better than the first Annabelle film, and this one gives us answers to how and why the doll became possessed.  The audience I watched this film with thoroughly enjoyed this movie, almost from the start. While not a great film, it’s still a lot of fun if you like to be scared at something creepy coming out at you from the dark.  Fans of the series will want to stay through the first section of credits as there is a short bonus scene.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Annabelle: Creation Website

Family Faire: The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature  (2017)  PG  Surly (Will Arnett) and his friends are back.  Life is good with the nut shop giving the gang a huge supply of food. A corrupt mayor (Bobby Moynihan) is out to replace the park that Surly calls home with an amusement park.  Can Surly rally the gang to stop the Mayor from his plan?  The only time I laughed was during an outtake shown during the closing credits. The film is annoying and other than a Kung Fu fighting mouse, has a bunch of characters we really don’t care about. The kids whom I saw this film with were bored and didn’t pay much attention after the opening sequences. The plot is laughable, and the animation is dark and dingy. While not as bad as The Boss Baby, it’s still not anything you should spend your family money on.  My Rating: Cable   The Nut Job 2 Website

Indiefest:  The Glass Castle  (2017)  PG-13  A young woman named Jeannette (Brie Larson) looks back at her childhood when she was raised by a mother who was an eccentric artist (Naomi Watts) and an alcoholic father (Woody Harrelson) who kept his family moving to avoid the bill collectors.  Based on a true story, the film never reaches that emotional impact that you expect from a movie like this. The film seems every bit of its 127-minute runtime. I think the big problem is that it continually shows how badly the father treated the kids. While he seems to have a good heart, he consistently puts his needs (most cigarettes and booze) over the needs of his family. The film does have a number of superlative performances with Brie Larson playing the grown up daughter who is trying to forget her past and Ella Anderson, who brilliantly plays Jeannette at age 10. Anderson is superb, giving her role depth and compassion. The film just never comes together, and due to its extended flashback sequences, seems disjointed.  Fans of the best-selling book may enjoy this film, and anytime I can see Brie Larson perform is a good thing, but the film never hits the mark, making you feel you watched a very long movie for nothing.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Glass Castle Website

Indiefest:  Escapes  (2017)  Documentary chronicling the life of actor and Blade Runner screenwriter Hampton Fancher. This is a film about a man who isn’t quite as fascinating as he thinks he is. It’s like going to a cocktail party, and one guy tells a story that is an hour and a half long. Portions of the film are boring as a story or two is told that don’t go anywhere. There are times that his tale comes alive, and you see why while Fancher was never a star, kept working as an actor for a long time. The last 15 minutes of the film is about the writing of the script for Blade Runner. If the film had concentrated on this aspect of his life, it would have been a better, more entertaining film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Escapes Website

Indiefest:  Whose Streets?  (2017)  R  A documentary that looks at how the killing of 18-year-0ld Mike Brown inspired a community to fight back and inspired the world to take a stand.  The film does an outstanding job of letting us see and get to know some of the people who live in this community and care about it. We visit their homes, seeing how they live and deal with the day to day of running their families, all the while trying to make an impact on their community. Whose Streets? is a gritty and sometimes tough to watch documentary that shows you what it was like as part of the community of Ferguson, what they went through and continue to experience. It's a fascinating film that gives you what it was like from the right there inside the protests and the community of Ferguson. While the film is very one sided, that’s the point of this film, the director’s felt only one side was being told. It’s a movie that’s going to make you mad, sad and wonder how we got to this point in our society.   My Rating: Full Price    Whose Streets? Website

Indiefest: Wind River  (2017)  R  An FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) teams with a town’s best game tracker (Jeremy Renner), with deep community ties and a haunted past, to track down a killer on a remote Native American Reservation. The film is a slow moving mystery/thriller that will keep you captivated because Renner and Olsen work so well on screen together. The movie isn't just a solve a crime film; we get to see the pain of losing a loved one so suddenly, how it still affects you years later as Renner’s tracker character has suffered a loss that motivates him to work so hard on this mystery. Renner gives the role both depth and warmth, so much so you instantly like his character. Olsen does a bang up job as the naive but determined FBI agent determined to solve the crime, despite the odds and the weather. Beautifully filmed in a land that you have to move quickly or the snowfall will wipe out any trace of clues. This is a movie where you don’t get lucky, you just survive, or you don’t in an unforgiving land. Wind River a mystery that you will want to solve.    My Rating:  Full Price   Wind River Facebook Page

Forgotten Film:  Raising Cain (Director’s Cut)  (1992)  R  This is a review of the director’s cut that was released on DVD/BlueRay and not the version that was released in the theatre. A prominent child psychologist (John Lithgow) has a seemingly perfect life, a wonderful practice, a beautiful and loving wife (Lolita Davidovich) and a lovely child. The father, the John Lithgow character, decides to take a year off to help raise their child. There’s only one problem:  the father has a secret that could change their family forever. This is a film that messes with the thriller genre and constantly changes the narrative to mess with the audience's minds. It uses humor to make this more of a dark comedy than a thriller, and it works.  My Rating: Full Price   Raising Cain Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Glass Castle:  Child Coordinator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Battle of the Sexes  (2017)  PG-13  The legendary true story of the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.  Emma Stone is playing Billie Jean, and Steve Carell is Bobby Riggs, the legendary tennis hustler.   Battle of the Sexes Website

Until Next Time!

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The Longest Ride

My View:  The Longest Ride (2015) PG-13   Luke (Scott Eastwood) is a professional bull rider who is trying to make a comeback and make it to the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) finals. Sophia (Britt Robertson) is an art major who is about to graduate and do an internship at a New York City art gallery. They meet and start dating but only after encountering an old man (Alan Alda) whom they rescue from a car accident. Now their interaction with him will change their lives forever. I liked this film. Yes, it has all the Nicholas Sparks plot points; there is a death, two star-crossed lovers, lovers separated for a time, etc.  What I think is different about this film is the bull riding sequences are well done and exciting. There is good chemistry from Eastwood and Robertson, and Alan Alda makes any film better. I would rank this film third in the Sparks movie list behind A Walk to Remember and The Notebook.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Longest Ride Website  My interview with Nicholas Sparks, Scott Eastwood and Britt Robertson

My View:   While We’re Young (2015)  R   A middle-aged couple’s (Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts) lives are overturned when a young couple (Amanda Seyfried, Adam Driver) infiltrate their lives. Their world will never be the same. This is an excellent adult comedy about dealing with aging when your mind says you are still 25, but your body says you’re in your late 40’s. Stiller and Watts work well together and have some terrific scenes. Driver and Seyfried are the perfect young couple, full of energy and stupidity. The strong point of this film is the dialogue, which the cast performs at a quick, very crisp and funny pace. Twenty-somethings will like this film, Fortysomethings (and beyond) will love this film. This was one of my favorite films from the SXSW Film Festival.  My Rating: Full Price  While We're Young Website

Indiefest:   Kill Me Three Times (2014)  R    A professional hit man, Charlie Wolfe (Simon Pegg), is sent to kill the wife (Alice Braga) of a wealthy man (Callan Mulvey).  Wolfe soon realizes that he isn’t the only one trying to kill her.  The start of this film is inventive, and I just wish the plot for the rest of the film was as imaginative, but it isn’t.  Pegg is wasted as a steely-eyed hit-man, as the film never gives him a scene where he can shine. I do like Bryan Brown as the police chief that has his hands in everybody's illegal money. The film jumps too quickly from hard drama to light comedy, making the film seeming disjointed. The ending of the film is easy to predict and doesn’t make a lot of sense.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Kill Me Three Times Website

Indiefest:   The Sisterhood of the Night (2015)  PG-13   A teenage girl (Kara Hayward) says she is the victim of a secret network called, The Sisterhood of the Night. Accusations run rampant, and the girls of the network, led by Mary (Georgie Henley), refuse to talk about their group. The film is based on the Salem Witch Trials, which is an outstanding idea, but, unfortunately, this is another film where the superlative cast is let down by a weak script.  Henley just shines on the screen and dominates every scene she is in. The plot is rather boring, though, and never delivers on the intriguing premise. This isn’t a bad film, but it just isn’t all that interesting.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Sisterhood of the Night Website   My ATLFF Red Carpet interview with the cast

Forgotten Film:   Night on Earth (1991)  R   No one saw this Jim Jarmusch (Only Lovers Left Alive) film back in 1991, and that’s a pity because it’s a cool, well-done film.  It’s five short films that take place around the world at the same moment. The film’s common denominator is each film has a taxi ride at its core. The film is bold and gets better with repeated viewing. The cast is mostly made up of unknown actors with a few notables like Winona Ryder and Gena Rowlands.   My Rating: Full Price  Night on Earth Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Kill Me Three Times: Surf Cinematographer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Age of Adaline (2015)  PG-13  I don’t know if this will be any good but the plot, about a young woman (Blake Lively) who after an accident stops aging, looks interesting.  The Age of Adaline Website

Until Next Time!

Riddick

Thursday, September 05, 2013 9:16 PM

My View:  Riddick  (2013)  R  Betrayed and left for dead on an isolated planet, Riddick (Vin Diesel) is now facing his most dangerous enemy, a race of alien predators that inhabit the planet. To make matters worse, the word has gone out that Riddick may be vulnerable, so bounty hunters are coming to the planet to destroy Riddick once and for all.  Let me first say that this is an “action” movie without a lot of action.  Several of the fights / killings are done off-screen to make Riddick look scary to the bounty hunters he is terrorizing, but it makes the film seem as though it was made on the cheap, and producers didn’t want to shoot the fight sequences.  Riddick, Vin Diesel’s character,  does way too much talking in this film, and the movie takes way too long to get going as the first fifteen minutes of the film are just Riddick alone, trying to survive on the planet.  The dialogue in this film is some of the worst I have heard in a long time, and the special effects / CGI look cheaply done.  I think Riddick fans or action fans, in general, will be disappointed in this weak sequel. Next time, Mr. Diesel, less talking and more butt kicking.   My Rating:  Cable   Riddick Website

Indiefest:  Austenland  (2013) PG-13  Jane (Keri Russell) is obsessed with the author Jane Austen and the world Austen described in her books, especially “Pride and Prejudice."  Now, against the wishes of her friends, Jane uses her life savings to go to a Jane Austen theme park where, she hopes, to find her own “Mr. Darcy,” her ideal Regency-era gentleman.  Will her fantasies become reality and can her new reality live up to her lofty expectations?  I enjoyed this film mostly for the performances of Russell and the two male leads, JJ Field and Bret McKenzie, who are Jane’s love interests.  I didn’t like Jennifer Coolidge’s character, Miss Charming, who plays her part of a pampered American way over-the-top, so much so, that I got tired of her character very quickly.  I did like the last third of this smaller, Indie film.  It had a nice twist to the normal romantic comedy genre plots that we see in the big Hollywood films.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Austenland Website

Indiefest:  Adore  (2013)  R  Lil (Naomi Watts) and Roz (Robin Wright) grew up being best friends.  Now both women live near each other on the coast of Australia. Lil is a widow with a son named, Ian (Xavier Samuel), and Roz is married to Harold (Ben Mendelsohn) and has a son named, Tom (James Frecheville). Just like their moms, Ben and Tom grow up to be best friends. When Harold moves across the country for a job, the two women will be challenged by changes in their lives and relationships.  I normally try to stay away from describing major plot points, but I think that it’s important to point out that a third of the way into this film, both women have affairs with each other’s son’s.  So, many people may not go see the film because it deals with such a taboo subject, but if you don’t, you will miss two amazing performances by Watts and Wright, who give meaning and depth to a very complex storyline.  The film is beautifully shot on the coastline of Australia, showcasing the easy, small town life in a stunning setting.  I didn’t like the dialogue in this film as I thought it was clumsy and didn’t fit the characters, which gave this film, at times, an almost “soap opera” feel.  The film is worth seeing for the exquisite coastline shots and for Wright’s performance.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Adore Website

Forgotten Film:  The Black Stallion (1979)  G  Alec (Kelly Reno) is on a ship with his father (Hoyt Axton) when he discovers that also on board is a black stallion.  Alec is fascinated by the horse and tries to make friends.  The boat comes into bad weather, ultimately sinks, and Alec barely escapes with his life, landing on a deserted island.  He soon discovers that the stallion also made it to the island, and Alec befriends the horse, which creates a bond between the two.  When the two are rescued, they make their way back to America where they meet a trainer named, Henry (Mickey Rooney), who sees the potential of the stallion as a race horse.  This is a beautiful film, especially the first half. The scenes where Alec and the Stallion bond over time on the beach are quite magical and moving.  The film does slow down a bit once the two get back to America, and it becomes very predictable at that point, but the first half is worth watching over and over.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Black Stallion Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blue-ray): Pain & Gain  (2013)  R I didn’t really like this film about a trio of guys led by Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg), who decide to kidnap a wealthy client.  I hated the last third of the film that treated serious crimes like they were cartoons.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Pain & Gain Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Riddick:  Leather master

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Gravity  (2013)  PG-13  A Medical Engineer, Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), and a veteran astronaut, Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney), are on a space mission.  During a spacewalk, satellite debris crashes into the space shuttle and sends Dr. Stone adrift into space with limited air.  This is Bullock’s first attempt at Sci-Fi, and the trailers for the film have been exciting and fascinating.   Gravity Website

Until Next Time!