28 Years Later

My View:  28 Years Later  (2025)  R  28 Years Later takes place almost three decades after a virus was unleashed on the world. A group that has survived has been housed on a small island connected to the mainland by a causeway. A father, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), and son, Spike (Alfie Williams), leave the island on a mission to go into the heart of the mainland, and there they discover the secrets, wonders, and horrors of the outside world. Back in 2002, director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland unleashed 28 Days Later, a horror film that gave us zombies created from a virus that weren’t your old-fashioned slow-moving, leg-dragging creatures but one who could move with speed and had intelligence. In other words, a nightmare that unfolds before our eyes on the screen. Now that directing/writing duo has come back with a new film to explore what has happened since the original film. Unlike the first film, where we, along with the main character, slowly figure out what is happening to the world, 28 Years Later puts us in the middle of a small settlement that has flourished because of its isolation and strict rules. The film follows Jamie and Spike as they leave for a rite of passage for Spike. He is about to go to the mainland to kill his first zombie. They leave the safety of the island and travel inward, where Jamie cooly guides Spike into killing a zombie, but soon, they are confronted with a group of zombies that the two can’t handle, and it’s now a race for life or death. And that’s just the first 30 minutes of the film. 28 Years Later is a very different film from the 2002 film. This is more of a coming-of-age film about Spike and what he will do to save his family. The film is centered around courage, love, and the decision of someone to put their life on the line to save a loved one. I don’t want to give too much away, as the plot makes this a very different type of film from your ordinary zombie apocalypse movie. It is scary, though I will admit I was expecting more scares than it actually delivers. However, it more than makes up for that with a storyline that is moving and rich in feeling. Alfie Williams is outstanding as Spike, who is determined to do whatever he can to help his family, even if it means defying his village. Williams gives us a hero to follow, one who makes mistakes but whose heart is in the right place and makes the best decisions he can. So go and get engrossed in a zombie tale that has incredible cinematography, a bombastic soundtrack, and an ending that you will not see coming.      My Rating: Full Price  28 Years Later Website   Now playing in theaters nationwide.  

Familyfaire:  Elio  (2025)  PG   Elio is about an 11-year-old orphan named Elio, whose love for space is so strong he dreams of being abducted by aliens. One night, his wish comes true when he is taken aboard an alien ship and transported to the Communiverse, a place inhabited by intelligent life from across the galaxy. Mistaken for Earth’s leader, Elio must navigate through a crisis that threatens to destroy the new friendships he has just formed. When adults go to see a Pixar film, we expect to see imaginative storytelling, brilliantly done animation, and a plot that will move you (and possibly make you cry). Elio works on the first two points but misses badly in the emotional department, as we never achieve the impact we needed to create the desired emotional impact. I liked the storyline, as Elio is a fun kid who, while he is in over his head, is still willing to help his newfound friends against an evil warlord who wants to take over the Communiverse. Youngsters are going to love the action and all the trouble that Elio gets into. The cast of characters are fun and the evil warlord, Lord Grigon, is impressive looking in his armor but isn’t scary for young kids to be afraid of. I loved the meeting between Elio and his soon-to-be best friend, the giant-worm-like blob named Glordon (voiced by Remy Edgerly). Elio instantly realizes that Glordon, though weird-looking and with lots of teeth, is someone he can not only be friends with but also understands what Glordon is going through with his father, Lord Grigon. The animation is visually stunning and brilliantly executed.   However, I never got that catch in my throat from any emotional impact in this film that I wanted. I think the writers missed the boat by not emphasizing Elio’s life with his parents, who he lost recently and is now being taken care of by his aunt (voiced by Zoe Saldana), who apparently has had to sacrifice her dreams to take in Elio. We get glimpses of how hurt Elio is, but those are brief and miss that emotional point that we needed to make the final scenes have more impact. While much better than, say, Lightyear, Elio isn’t up there with the classic Pixar films that we all shed tears at, and that’s too bad. I could have used a bit of a cry. There is a bonus scene after the first portion of the credits and a rather strange promo trailer at the end of all the credits.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Elio Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View:  Bride Hard  (2025)  PG-13  In Bride Hard, Sam (Rebel Wilson) is serving as the maid of honor at her childhood best friend Betsy’s (Anna Camp) destination wedding. When a mercenary group takes the extravagant wedding hostage, chaos ensues. However, what the mercenaries don’t realize is that Sam is actually a secret agent, ready to unleash hell on anyone who threatens her best friend’s special day. I have already added this movie (in pen) to my list of the worst films of 2025. The plot is devoid of anything remotely funny, and it absurdly suggests that Rebel Wilson is the agency's top spy. If you think that using hair curlers like nunchucks is entertaining, or if you find it hilarious when Sam kills another bad guy and then takes a piece of wedding cake, saying “peace of cake,” then you won’t mind the hour and forty-five-minute runtime that feels much longer. I couldn't tell if this film was intended as a parody of action films (and perhaps wedding films) or simply a poorly executed comedy. I know it was painful to watch, almost as painful for the guy in the fight with Sam, who kept getting burned by the hair curlers. My Rating:  You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Bride Hard Website Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  The Queen of My Dreams  (2023)   The Queen of My Dreams is about Azra (Amrit Kaur), a Pakistani Canadian woman who has had a fractured relationship with her parents since coming out as a lesbian. Azra travels to Pakistan after her father’s passing, guided by memories of her mother’s youth, her love of Bollywood films, and her own experience in rural Canada. The Queen of My Dreams is a film about how, in the blink of an eye, a relationship can change, in this case, when a mother realizes that her daughter is interested in girls and not boys. Through Bollywood fantasies Azra has, flashbacks to her childhood, and scenes from her mother’s past life in Pakistan, we see how the two, mother and daughter, are so alike.  We see how Azra’s mother (played in these flashbacks by Amrit Kaur) was a fiercely independent modern woman who, like her daughter in the future, rebelled against what was thought a woman should be like in the Pakistani culture, eventually breaking away from her parents, just like Azra in the present is doing. I loved the interweaving of the Bollywood musicals into the film, often with Azra taking over a role to show us how she is feeling and experiencing life. The Queen of My Dreams is a lovely tale of two women who blazed their own trail and followed their dreams and not the dreams of their parents.  My Rating: Full Price  The Queen of My Dreams Website   Now playing in select theaters.  

My View:  Surviving Ohio State  (2025)  Surviving Ohio State is a documentary based on Sports Illustrated reporter Jon Wertheim’s cover story on the decades-long abuse scandal of male athletes by a doctor, Dr. Richard Strauss, at Ohio State University. The film features extensive interviews with members of the wrestling team that first brought the scandal to light and then goes into detail on how the abuse wasn’t just concentrated on the wrestling team but on other male athletes and even students who weren’t on scholarship but sought treatment at the student medical center. The film highlights how the university was aware of the doctor’s misconduct yet took no action for ten years, allowing him to have significant freedom. This included taking long showers with teams, conducting full-body exams during every visit with male athletes, and even making inappropriate advances in the showers alongside referees.  Surviving Ohio State has gotten some publicity because Ohio congressman Jim Jordan was an assistant coach on the team while the abuse was going on and claims he knew nothing about the allegations. The first half of this film is a shocking first-person tale through interviews of how the abuse started with each person and how they reacted at the time. It’s a sickening tale of abuse of power and taking advantage of teenagers who don’t have a way to fight back. The second half of the film explores how the university has handled the allegations over the years and how it still has not taken full responsibility for its lack of action. Surviving Ohio State is a film that will sadden you to think how many lives were ruined, how many young men suffered in silence, and how a university kept quiet.My Rating:  Full Price  Now playing on the HBO Max platform. 

Forgotten film:  I Am a Hero  (2015)  TV-MA  Hideo (Yô Ôizumi) is an artist who works on Japanese-style comic books called Manga. He once had a promising future, with a girlfriend and an award for “newcomer of the year” from his employer. However, his life has gone into the dumps, working as an assistant on other people’s work, his girlfriend has thrown him out, and now the world is being attacked by zombies. Hideo is an unlikely hero, though he fantasizes he is, and more often than not, he cannot pull the trigger (literally, in most cases during the film, he fails to shoot his shotgun at critical times). All Hideo wants in life is to be a man of action and courage, but he is more a man of indecision, often freezing when he should act. Yo Ôizumi is pitch-perfect as the ineffective Hideo. He seems to show every emotion broadly on his face, so we are aware of what he is thinking without having to have it explain it to the audience. The reason that this film is a blast to watch is the zombies. The zombies keep some of the characteristics of who they were when they were alive. A gifted athlete is still capable of performing fantastic feats as a zombie. Someone who like to shop, in zombie form, will attempt to enter stores with a determined purpose. The zombies can also talk, so very often they are muttering phrases that they often said while they are alive, like a zombie barista to kill Hideo while also trying to take his order. I Am a Hero is a brilliant, action-packed film that will make any zombie lover want to see this film repeatedly, hoping that if the zombie apocalypse happens, we can also say, “I Am a Hero.”    My Rating: Full Price   Surviving Ohio State Website  Available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime Video. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Elio:  Additional Sweatbox Coordinator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)  Five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident and cover it up, 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. This film features Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr., two of the stars of the 1998 film.   I Know What You Did Last Summer Website  The film will be in theaters on Friday, July 18, 2025.

Firestarter

My View: Firestarter (2022) R   As a result of a secret government experiment, a young girl, Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), has gained the power to start fires with her mind. Subsequently, Charlie is now being hunted by a group named The Shop, but Charlie isn’t going without a fight. It’s sad when the only positive thing you can say about a movie is that the film's score was enjoyable (by Halloween director John Carpenter, no less). The 1984 film starring Drew Barrymore and a host of early 80s icons (with a rare motion picture appearance by Heather Locklear) was a lousy film, and this remake doesn’t improve on the storyline one bit. The plot is pretty much the same (there are a few changes to try to update it) that don’t make any difference to us caring about any character in the film. Ryan Kiera Armstrong does, from time to time, looks a little like Barrymore, but that doesn’t help her center a picture where we don’t care if little Charlie gets found or not. The bad guys of the film, Gloria Reuben as the Captain (of what, I don’t know) who chews up the scenery at a regular interval and Michael Greyeyes, as a mysterious bounty hunter who kills without any plan, are toothless and not at all scary. Firestarter is supposed to be a horror film, but it comes off as even more boring than the original film, which was, I thought, impossible. There is a reason why the studio did not give film critics a screening and only offered screener access after it had premiered on the Peacock platform. I would light a fire to burn this film to the ground, but I am all out of lighter fluid, much like the film.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again    Firestarter Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide and on the Peacock platform.

My View:  Senior Year  (2022) R   Stephanie (Rebel Wilson) is a high-school student who, after a cheerleading accident, is left in a coma for 20 years. Now she is awake and ready to return for her senior year of high school…as a 37-year-old. I like Rebel Wilson, and as a side-kick in films like Pitch Perfect and JoJo Rabbit, she has been hilarious and scene-stealing. As a lead actress in such duds as Isn’t It Romantic and The Hustle, she hasn’t shown that she can handle the main spotlight. After taking a few years off to remake herself, now comes Senior Year. Unfortunately, Wilson has picked a film that is dull and unfunny right from the start. The film continually mines the ‘fish out of water’ premise, constantly bringing up horrible references to what was essential to teens 20 years ago with lines about MTV videos or mistaking Lady Gaga for Madonna. The film feels every bit of its hour and fifty-minute runtime taking forever to get going with the plot and running some jokes into the ground(like the fact that the high school is constantly making sure no one is offended by anything, including positive message cheers). I had high hopes when I saw the trailer, but now, I wish that Stephanie had stayed in the coma a bit longer for the writers to work on the script.    My Rating: Cable   Senior Year Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Happening (2022) R   Anne (Anamaria Vartolomel), a student in 1963 France, is about to finish her studies when she finds out that she is pregnant. Consequently, she decides to abort the baby against the law and goes on a journey to do so in a society that censures women’s rights and desires. I won’t lie to you; this is a tough film to watch as we follow Anne through the weeks of her pregnancy that she is desperate to end with some scenes that will be upsetting to watch. This is a painful and sometimes very graphic and chilling story about a woman who can’t see her future with a baby in tow and finds that everyone, including her friends, abandon her in her time of need. Anamaria Vartolomel is mesmerizing as Anne, letting us see her every emotion on her face, even when trying to be stoic or lying (especially in her moments with her unsuspecting mother). Truly a painful and full of despair look at the plight of a woman whose society has put up so many obstacles to overcome that it seems to be doomed from the start. Happening is an amazing movie that will be talked about for a long time and maybe, just maybe, open some hearts and minds to this complex issue. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again Happening Website   Now playing in select theatres.

My View: Operation Mincemeat (2022) PG-13   In order to try and fool Germany during WWII about the planned Allied invasion of Sicily, a group of intelligence officers come up with a plan to take a deceased man, dress him up as an officer, and place fake plans about an alternate invasion and place him via submarine on the coast where German soldiers can find him. This is based on an incredible true story that saved countless Allied lives by tricking the Germans into thinking Greece was the next invasion target instead of Sicily. The plan is a fantastic bit of deception that worked only because of the brilliance of the people who planned it and then kept working on it, even when others doubted it would succeed. I loved the secondary story of Colin Firth’s character, Ewen Montagu, a married man whose marriage is in trouble and starts working with a brilliant and funny woman, played perfectly by Kelly Macdonald, who is attracted to the dashing Ewen. I also loved that Ian Fleming, the creator of the iconic James Bond books, is a character in the film that always seems to be in the right place at the right time to collect material for his future books. Operation Mincemeat is a spy film where the main spy is a dead man, a remarkable tale about a group of people who created one of the greatest spy tricks of all time.   My Rating: Full Price     Operation Mincemeat Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest:  Monstrous  (2022)  PG-13   Laura (Christina Ricci), traumatized and fleeing from an abusive relationship, who takes her 7-year-old son, Cody (Santino Barnard), to a remote house in the woods. The two should be safe; however, there is something in the pond, a bigger, more terrifying monster than an ex-husband. This is a fun little horror movie that is bolstered by the performance of Christina Ricci and the 1950s setting. Ricci plays a woman who has taken her son to an isolated home in a small town. Her son begins saying that a monster is in the pond and is coming for him. Laura thinks, at first, that Cody is just scared, settling into a new environment, but Laura starts experiencing troubling feelings and sights herself. Like many fifties horror films, there is the conflict of thinking that everything is good and safe in a small town, but as always, there is something evil lurking behind the petticoats and the commercials for dishwashers built with the housewife in mind.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Monstrous Website  Now playing in select theatres and On Demand.

Forgotten Film: A Month in the Country (1987) PG   In the summer of 1919, a battle-scarred veteran, Tom (Colin Firth), comes to a small village to work on restoring a mural that is believed to be hidden inside the thick walls of a medieval era church. While working on finding and repairing the mural, Tom befriends a fellow vet, John (Kenneth Branagh), an archeologist working on a dig nearby. The two develop a friendship, and the two friends begin a long road to recovery with the help of their work, the village, and a vicar’s wife (Natasha Richardson). A Month in the Country is an enjoyable movie about healing and coming to terms with the past. Very early in their careers, the three stars show why they all went on to make their mark on cinema.   My Rating: Full Price   A Month in the Country Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Firestarter: Fire Stunt Safety

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)   Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is an outsider in her community. Kya is called the ‘Marsh Girl’ by the locals since she was abandoned in the marshlands of North Carolina and raised herself to adulthood. Kya begins to explore outside the world of her marsh when a young man she has befriended is found dead and is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect. Now Kay’s life will be under the microscope, and many secrets of the marsh are about to be revealed. Based on the best-selling book by Delia Owens and an up-and-coming star in Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People), this has the makings of a really cool movie to see this summer.     Where the Crawdads Sing Website

Memory

My View: Memory (2022) R   An assassin-for-hire, Alex (Liam Neeson), becomes a target himself after he refuses to complete a job for a notorious criminal organization. Now Alex must hunt down the people who hired him. However, Alex is hampered by a memory that is beginning to falter, blurring the lines between right and wrong. We have all seen this plot before; an aging hitman wants to quit but decides to take one last job, then decides not to go through with it because it involves killing a kid. The twist in this film is that the hitman is suffering from the onset of Alzheimer’s. Neeson has, of late, been doing the hitman done wrong in quite a few films lately, and it's getting really old. Sure it has a nice twist where our hero is having such trouble with his memory that he writes stuff on his arm with a sharpie to help him on his hits, but this film drags on and on. There is so much exposition with characters explaining every detail of what they find out (or don’t) that it probably makes this film last 15 minutes longer than it should. What could have been an interesting look at an aging hitman becomes a dull story of revenge that just seems to go on and on.   My Rating: Cable   Memory Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

My View: Crush (2022)    Page (Rowan Blanchard) is a talented art student in her senior year of high school. In order to be close to her ‘crush,’ Gabby. Page joins the track team. Although Page stinks at track, she is about to discover that love can be complicated when she finds that she is falling for someone else, Gabby’s sister AJ (Auli’i Cravalho). It’s fun to see a film where ‘coming out is not the main subject and is even used a couple of times as a source of jokes. Instead, being gay is just a part of the high school way of life. This is a pleasant and funny look at high school crushes and romance with a cast that has fun with it. Rowan Blanchard is delightful as Page, a slightly goofy, clumsy girl who has a crush on a fellow high school student. Page joins the track team to be close to Page, but instead of being paired with Gabby, she seems always to be paired with Gabby’s twin, AJ. I had fun watching this film, and while it’s not anything to get excited about, it’s still a blast to watch Page try her best to get close to Gabby, all the while, we know that she will end up with AJ in the end.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Crush Website  Now playing on the Hulu platform.

Indiefest: Anaïs in Love (2021) R  Anaïs (Anaïs Demoustier) is a 30-year-old woman floundering in life. She meets Daniel (Denis Podalydes), an older man who almost instantly falls for her. However, Daniel lives with his long-term girlfriend, a writer named Emilie (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi). Anaïs becomes obsessed with Emilie and makes it her mission to have Emilie fall in love with her. Anaïs is a young woman you will fall in love with despite being impulsive, self-centered, and flighty. She is the type of young woman who thinks nothing of letting a boyfriend know that she is pregnant and will have an abortion while breaking up with him. She gets by because she is beautiful and is full of life, the kind of young woman who can talk her way out of owning back rent or taking off at the last minute to go to a conference that she hasn’t been invited to. Anaïs is floating by in life until she meets Emilie, an older woman who is a distinguished writer. It doesn’t matter that Emilie is involved with Daniel, a man that Anaïs has had an affair with. She has set her sights on Emilie, and nothing will get in the way of getting close to her. Anaïs Demoustier is perfect in the role, an actress that fills the screen with life and self-confidence, something that Anaïs, the character, is abounding with. Anaïs in Love is a fun and lovely film that makes you want to fall in love and have that excitement and thrill of seeing a person who makes your world go around.   My Rating: Full Price   Anais In Love Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest: Charlotte (2021)   Charlotte is a young German-Jewish painter who comes of age in Berling on the eve of the Second World War. Charlotte has dreams of becoming a famous artist but realizes that her world is changing quickly and dangerously, and she leaves Berlin for the safety of the South of France. She finds new love and begins painting again, but a family secret threatens her work and life. This is an animated story of Charlotte Salomon, an artist who died in a concentration camp but not before creating 1000 paintings that told her life story. Charlotte is a gorgeous film that lovely tells her story and gives us an insight into many of her paintings. It’s a sad story but one that is also full of love and beauty.   My Rating: Full Price   Charlotte Website  Now playing in select theatres.

My View: The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes (2022)    The life and death of Marilyn Monroe has fascinated the world. Now a documentary explores the end of the icon with unheard interviews with both Marilyn and her inner circle. Will these previously secret tapes uncover the mystery of Marilyn? The life and death of Marilyn is probably one of the world’s most documented lives. Marilyn continues, even after so long to fascinate us, and her death has always been shrouded in mystery and conspiracy theories. Does this film give us much more insight into her life and her untimely death at age 36? Not really. I didn’t learn much more about Marilyn than I already knew. There certainly isn’t anything shocking or revealing about what was most likely an accidental overdose or a suicide. We do get to hear interviews with some somewhat shady individuals, but mostly they only confirm that Marilyn had affairs with both the Kennedy brothers while John was the President and maybe long before. Overall, if you don’t know much about Marilyn’s life, it’s a good primer, but will you learn anything new? The answer is no as I think the mystery has long been solved.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Forgotten Film: The Art of Getting By (2011) PG-13   George (Freddie Highmore) is a high school kid who just doesn’t try to do anything in life. He is proud of the fact that he has never done anything in high school because George doesn’t see why he should. Then he meets two people, Sally (Emma Roberts), a fellow student who suddenly takes a liking to him, and his art teacher (Jarlath Conroy), who thinks that George has talent and could be an artist if he just found some inspiration. George has a lot of people in his life that want him to apply himself, but until Sally, there was never a reason to do so. I love this movie because of the chemistry between Highmore and Roberts, who work incredibly well on screen. The plot is a little predictable, and I am not totally happy with the 2nd half of the film, but Roberts and Highmore make it a movie worth watching.   My Rating: Full Price   The Art of Getting By Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Crush: Mural Scenic

Coming Soon to a Screen Near Your:  Senior Year (2022) A cheerleading accident left her in a coma for 20 years. Now she is awake and ready to return for her senior year of high school…as a 37-year-old. Senior Year stars Rebel Wilson, and that’s enough for me to see it.    Senior Year Website

Until Next Time!

A Dog's Way Home

Family Faire:  A Dog’s Way Home  (2019) PG    A dog is separated from its owner and travels over 400 miles to find him. I enjoyed this family-friendly film that caused me to tear up several times. I really like Bryce Dallas Howard as the voice of the dog Bella. She hits all the right notes with her portrayal of Bella’s voice. The dog is adorable, and I love the fact that Bella is a pit bull, a dog that if raised right is sweet and loving. What I loved about this film is the humor, as it is told from the viewpoint of the dog. Bella sees most things as a game and gives them names, like 'Stop chewing on the shoes' game. There was a couple of out and out laughs and a lot of chuckles from the audience that I saw it with.  I would caution that there are a couple of scenes with coyotes threating Bella that might be really scary for really young kids.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   A Dog's Way Home Website

My View:  The Upside  (2017)  PG-13  A wealthy man (Bryan Cranston) with quadriplegia hires a man (Kevin Hart) with a criminal record to be his assistant. A friendship develops between the two men that will change both their worlds.  Unfortunately, this movie doesn't come close to matching the intelligence and warmth of the original film that this film is based on, the 2011 French film The Intouchables. The Upside is too simplistic in its ideas about race and friendship. Its plot is highly predictable, and its biggest flaw is the performance of Kevin Hart. Hart can't help but overact, continually mugging for the camera, when a lighter touch is needed for this part. I can't help thinking what someone like Idris Elba or Mahershala Ali could have done with this part.    My Rating: Cable    The Upside Website

My View:  Replicas  (2018) PG-13  A scientist (Keanu Reeves) becomes obsessed with finding a way to bring back his family after a fatal accident. Well, after seeing this film, I now know why it wasn't shown to critics. With plot holes the size of Puerto Rico (that's where the movie takes place) and an ending that is just so stupid, Replicas is already on my worst films of the year list. It tries to do a twist at the two-thirds part of the film, but it doesn't even close to succeeding. I question making Keanu Reeves a cutting edge scientist, but then I remember that Reeves production company is responsible for this mess of a film. Even if you a Keanu Reeves fan, stay at home and wait for John Wick III to come out.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Replicas Website 

In Case You Missed It (A movie just released on DVD/Blu-Ray): Mid90s  (2018)  R   Stevie (Sunny Suljic) lives in a troubled home in 90s L.A. with a mother (Katherine Waterston) that is never there, and an older brother Ian (Lucas Hedges) that takes out his frustrations on Stevie. Stevie’s life changes when he finds new friends at the Motor Avenue Skate Shop. This is a film that is not for everyone. There are some disturbing scenes involving Stevie drinking, smoking, doing drugs and even having sex. Also, there is a ton of cursing, some of it done by Stevie, who looks much younger than his age. There is also quite a bit of violence, most of which is committed by Ian on Stevie. The film does have some humorous scenes and at times is quite enjoyable, but it’s hard to overlook the sex scene where an older teenage girl seduces Stevie at a party. I will say this that Sunny Suljic gives an incredible performance as the kid who just wants to fit in with his idols, the skateboarders. Written and directed by Jonah Hill and shot on 16mm film, Mid90s captures that time-period so well that at times I thought I was watching a documentary.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Mid90s Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  The Sex Trip (2017)  A womanizer refuses a kiss from a homeless woman and then wakes up in a woman’s body. It’s not a good thing when the only cast member you recognize is Frank Stallone.    The Sex Trip Info

Forgotten Film:  Pawn Sacrifice  (2014)  PG-13  Set during the Cold War, a brilliant but troubled young man, Bobby Fisher (Toby Maguire) takes on the Soviet Union and their Grand Master chess player, Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber). While the script is a little clunky, the performances of Schreiber and Maguire are fabulous to watch. If you play chess, you will want to see this film that gets the art of playing down perfectly.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Pawn Sacrifice Infor

Weird Credits:  From the credits of A Dog’s Way Home:  Cat Trainer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Isn’t It Romantic  (2019) PG-13  A young woman (Rebel Wilson), down on love and hating romantic comedies, hits her head and passes out. When she wakes up, she is in an alternate universe and is in her own romantic comedy. I have high hopes for this as the trailer looks really good and I love Rebel Wilson.    Isn't It Romantic Facebook Page

Until Next Time!

Deadpool

My View:  Deadpool  (2016)  R  Wade (Ryan Reynolds) is a former Special Forces operative who is now a mercenary for hire. He finds out he is dying of cancer and decides to accept an offer to try a rogue experiment. While it does cure his cancer, the experiment leaves him badly scarred. Now he is using his accelerated healing powers and his finely tuned reflexes to find the man who is responsible for the experiment going wrong.  If you are easily offended, then, please don’t see this film. Don’t see the trailer or even go near a theatre showing this film. On the other hand, if you love hilarious, irreverent humor that makes fun of everything, including its own genre, then this is a movie for you. The film is funny and witty from the opening credits. The Deadpool character is someone who can find humor (sometimes in a dirty way) in almost any situation, even life or death. Fans of the comic book are going to be euphoric with this movie, as am I.  I love this film and want to see more of his adventures. Make sure and stay through the credits for a bonus scene you will not want to miss. And a bit of a warning, don't take the kids! This is a hard R rated film and unless you want Child Protective Services after you, leave the kiddos at home.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   DeadPool Website

My View:  Zoolander 2  (2016)  PG-13   The “world’s most beautiful people” are being assassinated and left with the “Blue Steel” look on their faces. Interpol recruits Derek (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) to find out who is doing this murderous deed.  To make matters worse, Derek’s rival, Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell), has been set free from prison and is out for revenge.  I was not a big fan of the first Zoolander film, so it should not be a surprise that I am not a fan of this movie either. I will give the filmmakers props for creating a whole new storyline and not just carrying on from where the first film left off. The jokes are too far and few between long stretches of unfunny material. I am not a fan of the fashion lifestyle, so I am sure a few of the jokes went over my head. There are quite a few cameos, just like the first film, some working better than others, and few are so quick you might not notice them. The Justin Bieber death scene at the start of the film is quite funny. I just wish that they had kept that up.  My Rating: Cable   Zoolander 2 Website

My View:  How to be Single  (2016)  R    Four friends (Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Alison Brie, and Leslie Mann) struggle with being single in New York City. While displaying all the aspects of a typical rom-com, this film is a little smarter than most of its brethren.  Dakota Johnson makes an acceptable “everywoman,” Rebel Wilson is her usual off the cuff self, Alison Brie does an excellent job as the girl who over-analyzes everything, and Leslie Mann is fantastic as the headstrong doctor who is too busy for a family. This is a fun date movie (or girls night out film) where not everyone ends up with who you think they will. It’s fun, moves fast and doesn’t go for the lowest joke every time, so it’s a winner in my book.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   How to Be Single Website 

Indiefest:  The Lady in the Van  (2015)  PG-13    A playwright, Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings), makes the mistake of letting a homeless woman, Miss Shepard (Maggie Smith), park her van in his driveway.  It’s the start of a relationship that lasts fifteen years. This film is based on a stage play, and I bet, it works better on stage than it does here on film. While it’s always a joy to watch Maggie Smith perform, the material never gave her enough to work with to make this performance memorable. The weak point of this film is the character of Alan.  Throughout the movie, Bennett is seen as two different characters (one real, one imaginary), the playwright and the mild person that is dealing with Miss Shepard.  While things happen in the storyline,  the playwright Alan(imagined) sits and makes judgments on the real Alan while he deals with day to day life with a woman in a van. These dialogues become very tedious and uninteresting, giving us very little insight into his character. I never got the emotional moment that I needed from this film and was never invested in either character.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Lady in the Van Website

Indiefest:  The Final Project  (2016)  The film follows six college students as they set out to create a documentary about one of the most notorious haunted houses in America, Lafitte Plantation. Venturing deep into the backwoods of Louisiana, the students set out to record live footage of supernatural activity at the abandoned plantation, but one unsettled spirit gives more than they asked for.  This is a found-footage horror film that, while I did enjoy some of the storyline, took too long to develop and never quite delivered the scary moments that it needed. For a “found footage” concept, the production values were well done, especially the audio part of the film (very often that is the weak link in a smaller made film), which was crisp and clear. But the film is brought down by the idea that the first part of the film was used to make this film a full-length feature. The Final Project never can sustain any tension, and the ending is extremely predictable.  My Rating: Cable   The Final Project Website

Indiefest:  Where to Invade Next  (2015)  R  Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore travels around the world to seek out alternative methods of dealing with the social and economic problems that the United States is experiencing.  I enjoyed Michael Moore’s early documentaries that were quite funny while hitting some serious subjects, but his last few haven’t quite hit the mark. I think it’s because Moore now overshadows his subject matter. It used to be that Moore was an everyman fighting for the little guy, but I just don’t get that feeling from his films anymore. The idea of this film is that other countries are doing things that could solve some of America’s biggest problems, like healthcare, the cost of education and the overburdened prison system. The film is very one-sided, showing us only the happy, harmonious side of the offered solution, but never delves too deeply to discover the problems with other countries’ systems. My biggest issue with this film wasn’t that it was one sided, it was that I rarely found it funny.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Where to Invade Next Website

Indiefest:  Southbound  (2016)  The film is made of five interlocking tales of horror as it follows the fates of a group of travelers as they travel through the desert. Some of the tales are better than others and most don’t deliver enough horror to make them work, but I did like two of the stories, and I also liked how they all interconnected, even at the end. There are some nice homages to “The Twilight Zone” and one of the tales is funny in a strange kind of way, so some of the pieces work. I just wished that they all had. This is the type of film that you would probably enjoy more if it were showing at a horror fest and it was the midnight movie.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Southbound Facebook Page

Indiefest:  Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words  (2015)  Produced with the full cooperation of Ingrid Bergman’s family and friends, In Her Own Words is a film that is loaded with personal photos and home movies of the actress and her family. Bergman had a fascination for cameras from an early age. Her mother died when she was young, and her father seemed to want to document Ingrid’s life with photos and even home movies to make sure that she remembered everything from her childhood.  The film documents the struggles that Bergman went through, giving us insight into her thought process in the letters that she wrote to family and friends. Ingrid Bergman kept every correspondence and home movies that give us a complete picture of what it was like in the Bergman home. The home movies are wonderfully shot, primarily by Ingrid, and most are in color.  While a little long and spending a little too much time on footage showing the kids playing, Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words is a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes footage that will make any fan happy to rediscover this amazing actress and the life she led.    My Rating: Full Price   Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words Website

Indiefest:  Tumbledown  (2015)  Hannah (Rebecca Hall) is a widow of a musician who only recorded one album before he died. She still lives at their home in Maine, never quite getting over his death. A brash, New York professor(Jason Sudeikis) comes to town wanting to write a book on her husband. After much indecision, she decides to let him into her world and the grief that she has for her husband. I loved this film. It’s smart, witty and touching with great performances by Sudeikis and Hall. They have great chemistry on screen, and their banter back and forth is hilarious. It’s a film about grief, and when is it time to let that person go. Go see this rare film that combines romance and drama with a bit of comedy to make a winning combination.     My Rating: Full Price   Tumbledown Website

Forgotten Film:  Marjoe (1972)  PG   Marjoe Gortner, at the age of four, felt the call to preach to the masses and heal the sick. He went on the evangelical circuit, becoming famous for his sermons and making a boatload of money for his parents.  In 1972, at the age of 28, he went back on the evangelical circuit, this time, to expose the shady dealings and false healings that he had done in his childhood (most of which he didn’t know about). Sounds like a work of fiction, but this is one of the most fascinating documentaries that you will ever see. Because of this film, Marjoe went on to have a moderately successful acting career.  My Rating:  Full Price   Marjoe Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Deadpool:  Truck Costumer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot  (2016)   Kim (Tina Fey) is tired of being behind the scenes and volunteers to be a war correspondent in Afghanistan and Pakistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. She finds a fellow woman correspondent (Margot Robbie) who shows her the ropes and lets her know that she may have been a “four or five at home but is a ten here.”  Kim, who always was in the background in the states, is suddenly front and center and has the attention of a dashing war photographer (Martin Freeman). The trailer makes this film look like a blast to watch. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Website 

Until Next Time!

  

Mad Max: Fury Road

My View:   Mad Max: Fury Road  (2015)  R  In a world where everything and everyone are fought over, a man called, Max (Tom Hardy), just might be the man to restore order. If you haven’t seen any of the Mad Max films, don’t worry, though this one does reference the past films during the credits. This film gets moving right from the start and never lets up on the accelerator. The film is a blast to watch, and Tom Hardy is brilliant as Max. Even finer is Charlize Theron, who brings a tough, multilevel performance to the screen as Imperator Furiosa, a woman who is trying to escape to a better place. Nicholas Hoult is hilarious as Nux, a sad sack bad guy who can never get anything right. The action sequences are breathtaking, and there is so much going on, you might want to see this film twice. This is a car lover’s dream, as there is an array of custom cars of all types in the film, and it’s a usual world that director George Miller always creates. This world is not a place where you would want to live, but you will definitely want to visit.  Don’t worry about seeing this one in 3-D (the 3-D was added post production), but do see it on the big screen.     My Rating: I Would Pay to See It Again    Mad Max: Fury Road Website

My View:   Pitch Perfect 2  (2015)  PG-13  After a humiliating command performance, the Bellas must enter an international competition that no American group has ever won. The Bellas must win the competition to regain their competition status. I enjoyed this film and feel it is funnier than the original movie. While this sequel doesn’t have the magic moments of the first film (e.g. cup song audition), it does have some phenomenal singing, with Anna Kendrick giving us her usual outstanding performance. In addition, two newcomers, Birgitte Hjort Sorensen, and Flula Borg steal the stage as the leaders of a German A-Capella group that becomes the Bellas’ rivals. Rebel Wilson once again steals the comedy spotlight as the very inappropriate, “Fat Amy.” John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks have some of the funniest lines of the movie as the two commentators, back from the first Pitch Perfect. The film does have more songs and cameos to surprise the audience, and, overall, while not as pleasing as the first film, this sequel still delivers some fantastic laughs, music and vocal talent. Be sure and stay through the first bit of credits as there is a very funny and well done bonus scene.   My Rating: Full Price   Pitch Perfect 2 Website

Indiefest:   Where Hope Grows  (2014)  PG-13   Calvin Campbell (Kristoffer Polaha) was a professional baseball player who has to take early retirement due to panic attacks at the plate. He is struggling to raise his daughter (McKaley Miller) and feels as if life isn’t working anymore. Then Calvin meets Produce (David DeSanctis), a young grocery worker with Down syndrome. Calvin is about to make a lifelong friendship.  This is one of the best faith based films that have come out of the last few years, and it’s all due to the winning performance of David DeSanctis. He just lights up the screen with his enthusiasm for life and his great chemistry with Kristoffer Polaha. It’s a tremendous performance and makes this film work. The film has a fantastic supporting cast, including Brooke Burns, Kerr Smith, William Zabka and Danica McKellar. The film gets a little sappy at times but, unlike a lot of Christian-oriented films, the religious aspects don’t hit you over the head. The message is if you stay positive and live life to the fullest, you can find happiness. That happiness is what David DeSanctis delivers throughout the movie.   My Rating: Full Price    Where Hope Grows Website

Indiefest: Iris  (2014)  PG-13  Documentary about Iris Apel, a quick-witted, flamboyantly dressed 93 year-old style maven who has been on the New York fashion scene for decades. Mrs. Loehmann (yes, that Loehmann) told Iris when she was a young woman “You’re not pretty; you never will be pretty, but you have style!” and she was right. This film by the legendary late documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles is an outstanding film about a woman who has been influencing both the fashion world and the home designer world for over 75 years. The film captures Iris’s style and wit, as she dispenses wisdom to anyone who will listen, and many want to her what she has to say. The movie also documents her love affair with her husband (who near the end of the film celebrates his 100th birthday). If you love fashion and want to be wowed by one of the great fashion collections the world has ever seen, then this movie is for you.    My Rating: Full Price   Iris Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I’ve Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):   The Gallows  (2015)   Twenty years after a horrifying accident at a school play, a group of students decide to put on the same play, and people start dying. I don’t need a horror movie about a school play; they are usually horrific enough on their own.  

Forgotten Film: Marooned  (1969)  G  Before there was Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 (1995) there was Marooned. Three astronauts (Richard Crenna, Gene Hackman and James Franciscus) are stranded in a capsule orbiting the earth and are quickly running out of air. A rescue mission is hampered by a hurricane at the launch site. This film, while a little slow moving, has some intense acting, and the special effects aren’t bad for their time. I especially enjoyed the performance of Gene Hackman, who gives one of the best preformances of his long career.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Marooned Info      

Weird Credits: From the film Mad Max: Fury Road: Bike cosmetics

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Aloha  (2015)  PG-13  This film is written and directed by Cameron Crowe and stars Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, and Bradley Cooper. I don’t care what the story is; I was in when you said Cameron Crowe and Emma Stone.   Aloha Info    

Until Next Time!