Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

My View: Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu  (2026)  PG-13  Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu follows Din Djarin/The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice Grogu after the fall of the Galactic Empire. As the remaining warlords threaten the galaxy, the New Republic enlists Din Djarin and Grogu to rescue Rotta the Hutt in exchange for information on a New Republic target. If you are an avid watcher of the Mandalorian TV series, then you will enjoy this film. If you are a Star Wars fan but know little about the Mandalorian series, you will enjoy the Easter Eggs that are rampant in this film. If you are a child, regardless of whether or not you are a Star Wars fan, you will enjoy this film because of all the monsters that show up, with a lot of them fighting each other. If you aren’t a viewer of the series, I am guessing you won’t think much of this film, other than that Grogu is cute and there sure are a lot of ugly monsters. This film is much like the series; it’s enjoyable, but other than the relationship between the Mandalorian and Grogu, there’s not much there. The film feels very much like two or three episodes of the series being patched together. Fans of Pedro Pascal who have never seen the series will be disappointed to learn that, for most of the film, he wears a helmet (there is a reason for it, very poorly explained in this film). Grogu is damn cute and fun to watch, but cuteness only gets you so far in an overly long film that exceeds two hours. I liked the film, but I am a fan of the series, though I was disappointed by how little they let Sigourney Weaver on-screen. And yes, Martin Scorsese voices a very funny character of a food vendor that the Mandalorian keeps coming back to, buying information off the multi-armed cook. I enjoyed the airborne battles and the monster fights, but the film doesn’t bring much to the Star Wars canon and is way too long to rest on the little wrinkled guy’s shoulders.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Mandalorian and Grogu Website   Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View: Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War  (2026) R  In Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War, Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) has been out of the game for a few years and is enjoying life as a civilian. He is then asked to rejoin the team and complete one last job for his country. Jack reunites with his team to stop a renegade Black Ops team that seems to know every one of Jack’s team’s moves. And that’s because they were once the good guys. I will admit that I have never watched the John Krasinski series, but I have seen all the theatrical films based on the Jack Ryan character and read a couple of the early books. So I know enough about our hero that I could walk into this by-the-numbers action film and have a reasonably fun time. I like Krasinski in the role, giving Jack a bit more of a sense of humor than the performances of Alec Baldwin or Harrison Ford gave the role. The film also does a good job of letting us in on Jack's relationships with his CIA pals. And I had fun with the new addition to the cast in Sienna Miller’s tough-as-nails, cynical MI6 agent who figures out quickly how to trigger Jack’s buttons. The film doesn’t take many chances but does plug along with a few twists and turns, and I wish I could have seen it on the big screen for the big car chase, which is exciting on the streets of London. Is it worth a watch on the Amazon streamer? Sure. Did it make me want to go back and watch the series? No, but hey, if Krasinski gets the idea to make another one, I’ll watch it.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War Website  Now on the Amazon Prime platform

Indiefest:  I Love Boosters  (2026)   R  In I Love Boosters, an “outlaw trio” of shoplifters (Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige) target a high-end designer (Demi Moore), aiming to make fashion accessible by stealing her clothes and reselling them at lower prices, calling it “fashion-forward philanthropy.” I really liked Boots Riley’s first film, Sorry to Bother You, which I described as a “one-of-a-kind film that starts out being funny, then turns into a weird sci-fi film that you never quite know where it will end up.” I can say the same thing for this film, with the exception that I didn’t find it very funny at all. I may be the exception to the rule, because at the sold-out closing night of the Atlanta Film Festival, the crowd was on the floor laughing at almost everything in this very strange film that wants to be a commentary on class warfare, consumerism, and how the fashion industry is bloated and self-important. The film is all over the place and keeps you guessing where it is going to go (I quit trying to figure that out about a third of the way in). The film is off the chain weird and doesn’t bother with much of a plotline, but bounces around using fantasy, sci-fi, and even a bit of horror to keep the audience from knowing where the heck it is going next. I am not a big fan of avant-garde filmmaking, and this film was just too weird for me to find it funny or enjoyable. But as I saw with the ATLFF audience, your mileage may vary, and consider this a blast to watch. There is a bonus scene after the final credits that is worth sticking around for.  My Rating: Cable  I Love Boosters Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Passenger  (2026)  R  Passenger follows a couple (Jacob Scipio and Lou Llobell) on a road trip who witness a deadly accident. They soon realize that they did not leave the crash scene alone. A demonic presence that is impossible to outrun follows the couple wherever they go. This is a film that could have used a few more drafts, as the cast is let down by a script that can’t sustain the thrills throughout. The film is a play on the old wives’ tale that says never stop for an accident at night. The film has a few good scares, but doesn’t live up to the excellent opening sequence (most of which can be seen in the trailer). I think one of the problems is that we just don’t care enough about the couple to bring up the stakes of the film. A couple of scenes stand out. One takes place in a nighttime parking lot where every time Maddie turns her back on their van, it gets further away. And there is a cool scene using a movie projector out in the woods. However, most of the scares are the usual ‘jump out of the dark’ type, and we never truly get a reason why the “passenger” picks the couple or what its mission is. My first clue that there was a problem with this film was that the couple constantly brought up PBS staple Bob Ross. I guess this film didn’t have enough “happy little trees.”  My Rating: Cable   Passenger Website  Now playing in theaters

Forgotten Film: El Mariachi  (1992) R   The film that launched Robert Rodriguez’s career is a blueprint for anyone shooting on a shoestring budget. Rodriquez wrote the script while in a two-week stay at a facility testing drugs on willing participants. The film is about a young Mariachi singer who stumbles into a town looking for work and is mistaken for a hitman. A mob boss has put out a hit on a man in black with a guitar case, and our hero is now in deep trouble. The film is action-packed and has the typical Rodriguez humor in spots to keep the movie moving. The film, shot for around 7,000 dollars, puts many action films of the 80s and 90s to shame, with a hero to root for and action sequences that work incredibly well. Rodriguez directed a sequel to the film, Desperado (1995), starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, in which the mariachi returns to the town to finish what he started.   My Rating: Full Price  El Mariachi Info  Available to rent on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Mandalorian and Grogu: Unreal Engine Support

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Masters of the Universe  (2026) PG-13  In Masters of the Universe, a boy named Prince Adam was sent to Earth for his own safety. Two decades later, the young man (Nicholas Galitzine) discovers the mythical Sword of Power and is suddenly transported to Eternia, where he must unite with his allies to defeat Skeletor. The all-star cast includes Jared Leto as Skeletor, Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, James Purefoy as King Randor, Morena Baccarin as the Sorceress, Camila Mendes as Teela, and Kristen Wiig as the voice of Roboto.  Masters of the Universe Website  The film will be released nationwide on Friday, June 5, 2026.

Until Next Time!

I Know What You Did Last Summer

My View:  I Know What You Did Last Summer  (2025)  R   In I Know What You Did Last Summer, five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident and decide to cover it up, choosing to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences. A year later, they are confronted by a horrifying truth: someone knows what they did and is out for revenge. The friends discover this has happened before and ask for survivors of the Southport Massacre of 1997 for help. The original 1997 film had a script by Kevin Williamson (Scream, creator of Dawson’s Creek and The Vampire Diaries) and featured a cast that included Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anne Heche, Johnny Galecki, and Freddie Prinze Jr. While not as creative as Scream, it was still a fun movie with a cast that was talented and that knew what they were doing. I can’t say the same for this movie. This version is a re-tread of the original film but without any creativity. We go to these types of films to be scared and for the inventive kills. The only scares in this drab film are the ‘jump out of the dark’ moments, accompanied by loud music to cue us to the scary moment. The killings are unimaginative and poorly done. And don’t get me started on how the accident occurs and why they hide it, which brings down the film from the start. And if you haven’t figured out who the killer is by the first third of the film, you don’t watch a lot of this type of film. The dialogue was terrible (at my screening, some of the lines were laughed at), and none of the cast members had the charisma to carry the film. Fans of the series might enjoy this film, but the rest of us will likely find it a snore. And yes, there is a bonus scene in the middle of the credits, which sets up another film to come, and that one scene was better than the movie that just followed.   My Rating:  Cable  I Know What You Did Last Summer Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View:  Eddington  (2025)  R  Eddington is set in a small town in New Mexico in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) is running for Mayor against incumbent Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal). As the election unfolds, the town descends into chaos, with mask mandates, conspiracy theories, and a sense of society unraveling in the background. I am not a big fan of filmmaker Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar, Beau is Afraid). I feel that too often he goes too far in trying to make a point, and his films have a tendency to start strong but falter in their third act, which ultimately brings down the rest of the film. Eddington is the story of a small town grappling with COVID-19 and the Eddie George killing, featuring a Mayor who advocates for mask-wearing and a Sheriff who refuses to wear a mask and dislikes, maybe even hates, the Mayor. I enjoyed the first half of this film, with a cast of characters that are funny and weird. It’s a war of wills between the Sheriff and the Mayor, and we want to see who will win. Unfortunately, the film falls apart in the second half, shifting from being an amusing black comedy and satire to something that feels directionless—perhaps like a roadrunner cartoon? The film, which starts so smartly, devours itself with absurdity that goes overboard. After viewing Eddington, you realize it did not provide any answers to the questions that were constantly popping up in your mind. That’s disappointing, especially in this day and age when we could all use a few answers. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Eddington Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight  (2024)  R Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight is about 8-year-old Bobo (Lexi Venter), whose family’s Rhodesian farm and their way of life are threatened by the Bush War. This is about a family that is being torn apart at the seams by a country that doesn’t want them and a mother who refuses to leave. Lexi Venter delivers an incredible performance as Bobo, a young girl who rides a motorcycle, smokes cigarettes, and questions everything around her.  It’s a riveting performance by a young actress that carries the whole film on her shoulders. The narrative unfolds through Bobo’s eyes as her beloved country undergoes rapid change, and her way of life hangs in the balance. Embeth Davidtz, who serves as writer and director, provides Venter with a unique voice that highlights the contrast between the mother, an alcoholic refusing to give in, and the father, who recognizes when the battle is lost.   Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight features a groundbreaking performance by a young actress, Lexi Venter, that has to be seen to be believed. Bobo is a character who will win your heart, even as her family's story may break it.  My Rating: Full Price   Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Indiefest:  Sorry, Baby (2025) R  Sorry, Baby takes place over five years following the life of Agnes (Eva Victor), who is trying to put her life back together after a trauma that almost destroyed her. Sorry, Baby is one of those films that you fall in love with almost from the first frame. This film captivates you from the very first frame. Eva Victor has created a remarkable piece for a first-time director, especially one who also stars in it. Sorry, Baby is a film that deals with a horrible situation, but with such a deft touch that you come away feeling good about the character surviving, especially since she mentions dying a lot. It’s a film that tackles a sensitive subject with humor and compassion. Some scenes will make you cry, and others will make you laugh, and that’s to the credit of Eva Victor, who gives us a performance and a character who is witty, resilient, and warm-hearted, whose sense of humor comes out, sometimes at the strangest times. Additionally, Sorry, Baby highlights the importance of friendships in overcoming difficult times. This is a remarkable film that you won’t want to end, as you’ll find yourself wishing to continue Agnes's journey alongside her friends. You know she will keep moving forward, fighting the good fight, and striving to live fully. Sorry, Baby is definitely destined to be among my this year's top five films directed by a first-time filmmaker.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Sorry, Baby Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Boy (2011) Note: This is my review from 2011 and is a film that I talk about all the time, telling everyone to see this film:   Boy, an 11-year-old, who lives in Waihau Bay, New Zealand with his younger brother, Rocky (who thinks he has superpowers), and his grandmother, is obsessed with Michael Jackson. His mother died giving birth to Rocky, and Boy spends a good deal of his day thinking about what his long-lost father is doing.  Is he a spy, a famous rugby player, or maybe a brilliant artist?  Boy’s world is changed when his father suddenly shows up, and he must come to grips with the realization that his father will never live up to the image he created of him over the years.  The director (who also stars as Boy’s father), Taika Waititi, gives us a wonderful world of interesting characters, where Boy’s fantasies about his father come to life, and cartoon drawings illustrate what Rocky thinks is going to happen when he applies his imagined superpowers. It’s no wonder that this film won the Audience Award at the American Film Institute Festival in 2010. My Rating:  Full Price  Boy Info  The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of I Know What You Did Last Summer:  Marine assistant

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Naked Gun (2025) I am just going to quote the press release for the film: “Only one man has the particular set of skills... to lead Police Squad and save the world! Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. follows in his father’s footsteps.”  The movie stars Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin Jr., and the supporting cast comprises Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder, and Kevin Durand.  The Naked Gun Website The movie will be in theaters on Friday, August 1, 2025.

Until Next Time!

The Bad Guys

Familyfaire: The Bad Guys (2022) PG   The Bad Guys is about a gang of master thieves led by the Big Bad Wolf (voiced by Sam Rockwell). When the gang is caught trying to steal a priceless award, Professor Marmalade (voiced by Richard Ayoade) vows to turn the gang into ‘The Good Guys.’ Undoubtedly, Wolf and his gang will turn the attempt into another way to steal the award back. I liked the Ocean’s Eleven aspects of the plot with slow motion and split screens, and I loved Craig Robinson’s Shark character, who though a giant shark, is a master of disguise. Kids will love the not stop action and the silly characters, though I quickly got tired of the farting piranha. There is enough substance to the plot, including a very cool twist at the end, to keep parents from getting bored. Overall, not a bad way to spend some time with a motley group of thieves led by a big, bad wolf who has a weakness for a little kitty.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Bad Guys Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

My Take: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent   (2022) R  A cash-strapped Nicolas Cage (yes, that Nic Cage) has decided to retire from acting and agrees to make an appearance for 1 million dollars at a billionaire’s (Pedro Pascal) birthday party. It gets complicated when Nic learns that the billionaire is not only a fan but is a drug kingpin, and the CIA wants Nic to spy on him and save a kidnapped teenager. I am a big fan of Nicolas Cage (having discovered him in a Forgotten FIlm of mine, Valley Girl), and I love it when actors aren’t too full of themselves to be able to make fun of their personas. Well, Mr. Cage, I salute you. Unbearable Weight is a fun film full of letting Nic Cage be Nic Cage. If you are a fan of any of his movies, this is one for you. There are constant references to Cage’s films, both good and bad. Pedro Pascal is hilarious as the billionaire with a Nic Cage crush. The scenes where Cage and Pascal go to town while on LSD had me constantly cracking up. The plot is a little silly, and I had a tough time with Tiffany Haddish’s over-the-top portrayal of a CIA agent who forces Cage to become a spy looking for a kidnapped girl. However, this is too much fun of a film to be ruined by one bad performance. So go and take a ride on the Nicolas Cage experience. You won’t be disappointed.   My Rating: Full Price   The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

My Take: Polar Bear (2022) PG  Polar Bear is about a new mother as she raises her cubs in a world that has become increasingly hard due to the polar bears shrinking habitat. I am going to warn you right off the bat that you will need some tissues while watching this film. Nature can be cruel, and this film is about how polar bears are quickly losing their habitat, and very soon, if things don’t change, they won’t be able to survive. Yes, there are some beautiful shots of the two cubs playing with each other in the snow and scenes where we see just how much the mother loves her cubs. And there is a wonderful scene where two adult bears play and dance about on the snow and ice. But, and this is big, there is also hardship and death, where the film doesn’t pull any punches in its hard-hitting reality. The film is beautifully narrated by Catherine Keener, who lets us experience the movie through the eyes of one of the young cubs as they grow up under the protection and guidance of their fierce but loving mother. Polar Bear is a film that will touch your heart and maybe, just maybe, inspire you to help protect these magnificent creatures. My Rating: Full Price   Polar Bear Website  Now playing on the Disney+ platform.

My Take: The Northman  (2022) R   The Northman is a tale about a Viking prince, Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård), who, after years away, has come back to avenge his father’s (Ethan Hawke) death and rescue his mother (Nichole Kidman). Filmmaker Robert Eggers is known for making films that are a little strange, a little weird. I was expecting a whole lot of strange, but instead, I got a fantastic Norse tale that has some magic and a few horse-riding gods, but overall it’s a bloody story of revenge and fate, with a little bit of Shakespeare thrown in. Alexander Skarsgård fills the screen with his hulking body as he fights his way, one bloody step at a time, to get revenge on his father’s brother, who killed his father, stole his crown, and took Amleth's mother as his bride. Amleth witnesses all this as a boy, and as he escapes, he vows revenge. We skip to years later, and Amleth is on the search for his mother and his uncle. Along the way, he meets a slave, Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy), who is eager to help Amleth in his quest, and little by little, Amleth starts killing his uncle's tribe, all the while hiding out as a slave. The Northman is a magical tale full of blood and chopped-off heads, along with a healthy dose of Viking lore and a landscape that is beautiful but harsh. The fight sequences are savage, and the revenge is ruthless, but so are the people that inhabit this world. This is a tale of one man’s obsession and how far he will go for that revenge he can almost smell and taste.    My Rating: Full Price  The Northman Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Forgotten Film: Birth (2004) R   It’s been ten years since losing her husband, Sean, to a heart attack while jogging, and now Anna (Nicole Kidman) is about to get re-married. At the party to celebrate a family birthday, a mysterious young boy shows up uninvited and tells everyone that he is Sean, Anna’s late husband. And so starts the strange and captivating film Birth. As you can imagine, Anna is so slow to believe that her husband has been reincarnated into this little boy, but as she gets to know the new ‘Sean,’ she learns that he knows facts about her and her family that only the original Sean could know. The question is, will you, the viewer believe that Sean the boy is Sean the husband. Kidman gives a spectacular performance of a woman who loved her first husband and wants that feeling to return. Cameron Bright is convincing as Sean, who takes his place in the world very seriously and wants Anna back in his life. Birth is a film that takes a turn near the end that may or maybe not answer all your questions.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Birth Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Bad Guys: Wolf’s Car Design

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is trying to deal with the aftermath of the Avengers' battle with Thanos. Should he retire and give up being a superhero? But there is a new foe to fight, Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), and Thor asks his friends to help take down Gorr, who intends to make the gods extinct. Directed by Taika Waititi, appearances by the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Christian Bale? I think that’s enough to see this next Marvel film, don’t you?   Thor: Love and Thunder Website

Until Next Time!