You're Cordially Invited

My View: You’re Cordially Invited  (2025)  R  In You’re Cordially Invited, Margot (Reese Witherspoon) is planning her sister’s wedding, and Jim (Will Ferrell) is the father of another bride-to-be. They discover their destination weddings are double-booked, so they decide to share the venue. What could go wrong? How about everything? You’re Cordially Invited is a film that, with the cast it has, should be much funnier and happier than it ends up being. The story is about two miserable people who expect too much from others to be happy in the moment. This is more of a raunchy comedy than a rom-com, though it tries very hard to put Ferrell and Witherspoon into the romantic side by the end of the film, but it feels like the film is vastly overstepping that outcome. Most of the comedy falls flat, and the much-anticipated alligator scene (see the poster) is incredibly forced into really bad slapstick. There were too many times in this film that I wanted to go ‘don’t go there’ to director/writer Nicholas Stoller, but he kept pushing the film along with one cringy scene after another. Let’s put it this way, I never want to hear the old Dolly Parton/Kenny Rogers song “Islands in the Stream" ever again. By the way, you can stay and listen to Ferrell/Witherspoon and the rest of the cast sing the song again and again during the credits. I wanted to scream 'Please stop singing!"  My Rating: Cable  You're Cordially Invited Info  Now playing on Prime Video. 

My View:  Companion  (2025)  R  In Companion, Iris (Sophie Thatcher) meets a dashing young man named Josh (Jack Quaid) at a grocery store. Josh talks Iris into a weekend getaway on his country estate, but there she learns an extraordinary thing: she is a sophisticated human companionship doll at Josh’s command. If it’s up to Iris, it won’t be for long. I had no idea what I was getting into, other than (spoiler alert, not really, it’s in the trailer) that Iris is a companion robot. I immediately figured out the first twist, but the rest took me for a fun ride. Companion is a suspense film with murder and mayhem, along with a dash of romance. The film paints itself into a corner that it has trouble getting out of, but it’s a twisted, fun story that gets a little bloody along the way. Sophie Thatcher has a blast playing Iris, someone we can root for, while also having a few laughs and a lot of shocks along the way. Just a warning: this film might change how you look at the ‘meet cute’ scenes in movies.   My Rating: Full Price   Companion Website    Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Love Me  (2024) R    Love Me is a post-apocalyptic romance in which a buoy and a satellite start communicating with each other and decide to explore what it would be like to be human. They both pick human forms (Kristen Stewart and Steven Yuen) and find that they are falling for each other. Love Me is a very strange love story that occasionally works, but most of the time, it seems to be a film that can’t find where it wants to go. Part sci-fi film, part romance with characters played first by a buoy and a satellite, then animated characters, and finally by human forms. The film explores the question of how we love, laugh, and experience life. The problem for our two characters is that they only have what was on the internet to help them figure out how to become a couple. I found the first 30 minutes to be the most interesting, as the two machines slowly develop a relationship. Once the two become animated in a weird world where they recreate a date over and over, the film slows down too much. When the two separate and explore how they see life and love on their own, the final third of the movie suffers. The ideas that the characters explore are probably too complex for two machines to find the answers to. By the end of the movie, I was uninterested in what happened to the two characters as I had lost interest in their attempts to become human long before they did.    My Rating: Cable  Love Me Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Valiant One  (2024) R  In Valiant One, a mission goes bad when a U.S. Army helicopter crashes in North Korean territory.  Now, a team of non-combat specialists must try to make it back to the South Korean side before being caught. The team is led by Captain Brockman (Chase Stokes) who isn’t too pleased to be taken off his desk duty to lead a bunch of reservists to fix a monitoring device placed near the DMZ. After their helicopter crashes, the team comes to the realization that they are in enemy territory and that no one will rescue them. It’s up to Brockman and his team to find a way back to the border before the North Koreans can find them. The cast is forgettable, with the exception of Lana Condor, who plays Specialist Selby, who becomes the sounding board for Brockman and is a kind of jack-of-all-trades type of soldier. Condor gives the film a badly needed spark when she is on screen. The film is more of your typical escape from the bad guys while dealing with the inner turmoil of a crew that didn’t think they would ever be in danger.   My Rating; Bargain Matinee  Valiant One Website    Now playing in theaters. 

Familyfaire:  Dog Man  (2025)  PG  Dog Man takes place when a human police officer named Knight and his dog partner Greg are injured together in an accident. A life-saving surgery puts Greg’s head on top of Knight’s body, and Dog Man is born. The film is based on the beloved and popular graphic novel series by Dav Pilkey and is directed by Peter Hastings, best known for writing over 70 episodes of the animated TV show Animaniacs. While not as over the top as Animaniacs was, this is an irreverent animated comedy that fans of the books will love, and parents will find some of the jokes funny, too. I loved the animation, which was lively and colorful. The characters are fun, with Lil Rel Howery’s Chief stealing every scene he is in. The film is fast-paced and features a lot of action sequences to keep small children engaged. Overall, Dog Man is an enjoyable film that kids will love, and parents won’t be too bored. There is a short The Bad Guys film at the beginning of Dog Man which doesn’t do a lot, but is harmless fun. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Dog Man Website  The film is now in theaters.

Forgotten Film: Into the Wild  (2007)  R Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) graduates from college as an honor student. He gives away all his possessions and money and takes off for the West Coast, then heads up to Alaska, armed with a sleeping bag and a few books on how to survive in the wilderness. Along the way, he meets people who impact his life. Directed by Sean Penn and based on a true story, this is a strange film that, while it has some fantastic performances, doesn’t quite tell the story in a way that makes the impact the ending should make. Still, there are some brilliant performances of the people that Christopher meets on his travels, including Hal Holbrook, Kristen Stewart, and Vince Vaughn.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee The film is available to buy/rent on most streaming services.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Companion: Facial Hair Fabricator 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Mickey 17  (2025)  R  Mickey (Robert Pattinson) is unhappy with his life, so he signs up to be an ‘expendable’, a disposable crew member on a space mission. As an expendable, Mickey is given dangerous tasks because he can be ‘renewed’ if he dies. Two problems: He renews with his memories intact, and something has gone wrong, and now there are two Mickeys. From Academy Award winner Bong Joon-ho (Parasite).  Mickey 17 Website The film will be in theaters on Friday, March 7, 2025.

Until Next Time! 

Magic Mike's Last Dance

My View: Magic Mike’s Last Dance (2023) R  Mike (Channing Tatum), after a business deal that has gone bust, is bartending when he meets a woman, Maxandra (Salma Hayek Pinault), who could change his life, again. Maxandra persuades Mike to come to London and do what he does best: dance. This is the third and possibly final dance for Magic Mike. Unlike the first two films, this film doesn’t revolve around Mike but around Max, a fiery, wealthy woman who wants to prove to her soon-to-be ex-husband that she can be powerful and successful. As with the first two films, there is plenty of dancing done by men with their shirts off. The best is early in the movie when Mike dances/seduces Max at her house. The plot is not as fun as the first two films, and the plot of Mike creating a show-stopping dance revue in four weeks is a little unbelievable. Still, Tatum looks like he is having a blast, and he does, surprise, surprise, takes off his shirt and dances quite a bit for a character that claims he has given up performing.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Magic Mike's Last Dance Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide. 

My View: Sharper (2023) R  Madeline (Julianne Moore) is a woman who sets out to seduce and bag a famous and wealthy financier (John Lithgow). Her adult son, (Sebastian Stan) is a conman known for planning scams that earn big payouts. Set among New York City’s wealthiest bedrooms, bars, and boardrooms, nothing is as it seems in a game for riches and power. I loved the first third of the film, where we get to know the players in this con and how they know each other. Sharper is a movie, like most films about conmen and women, that has a ton of twists and turns. The problem with Sharper is the last third is not as smart, interesting, or thrilling as the first two-thirds of the film. Still, it’s a fun ride with Julianne Moore and Sebastian Stan as two characters who seem to be competing on who can out-con who.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Sharper Info  Now playing in select theatres and on the Apple TV+ platform on Friday, February 17, 2023. 

My View: Somebody I Used to Know (2023) R  On a trip to her hometown, Ally (Alison Brie) meets up with her old flame, Sean (Jay Ellis), and it seems like old times. The only problem, Sean is engaged to Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons), and it’s like Ally is meeting the person she used to be. The film, an old rom-com plot of a girl wants the boy back who is about to be married, is fun because of Alison Brie. Brie has terrific comedic timing, and even though Ally is very self-centered, we still want her to figure out how to be happy. The film puts a nice spin on the rom-com plot when Ally realizes Cassidy is lovely, talented, and needs a friend, not a rival. There is some excellent chemistry between Brie and Ellis, with a get-together near the film’s beginning that shows just how well their characters interact. Somebody I Used to Know is one of those films where you can tell the cast had fun making it. And by the way, stay beyond the initial credits for a bonus scene.   My Rating: Full Price  Somebody I Used to Know Website Now playing on the Amazon Prime platform. 

My View: Your Place or Mine (2023) PG-13 Debbie (Reese Witherspoon) and Peter (Ashton Kutcher) are best friends but live on opposite coasts. Peter is headed to LA and convinces Debbie, a single mom, that he will take care of her kid, Jack (Wesley Kimmel), while she travels to New York City and takes a vacation in his apartment. Peter is about to find out that taking care of a kid is hard, made more challenging when Debbie meets someone in New York. The problem with this film is that there isn’t a lot of chemistry between Witherspoon and Kutcher, but I am not sure that it’s their fault, as for most of the film, the two either talk on the phone or FaceTime. I enjoyed the fact that the two main characters have a great relationship, but we can see from a mile away that Peter is in love with Debbie, and we also know how all this will play out. The film never finds its footing and wastes the talents of the two leads, though it is worth watching if just for the sidekick deadpan lines of Tig Notaro, who plays an old friend of Debbie and Peter.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Your Place or Mine Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Indiefest: Seriously Red (2022) R Red (Krew Boylan) is a realtor who isn’t happy with her life. Red quits/gets fired from her job and discovers that she has a genuine talent; she is a fantastic Dolly Parton impersonator. I want to like this film. I mean, who doesn’t love Dolly Parton? However, the problem with the film is that you come off not liking the main character, the person you are supposed to be rooting for. Red isn’t a likable person. She is unreliable, lets her friends/family down constantly, and will do anything to get into a relationship. I will say this: Krew Boylan does a great job when her character is on stage as Dolly, but isn’t very funny when she is Red. Seriously Red is a strange film with Rose Byrne as an Elvis impersonator who hits on Red/Dolly and then becomes her rival and Bobby Cannavale, as the man who owns the celeb impersonator business and is a Neil Diamond impersonator himself. Dolly fans might enjoy the film (her inspirational quotes are featured throughout the film), but for the rest of us, the Dolly impersonation gets a little old.  My Rating: Cable  Seriously Red Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

My View: At Midnight (2023) R Sophie (Monica Barbaro) is a world-famous actress who has been dating another famous star for five years, and they are starring in a superhero movie together. When she catches him cheating on her on the set, she breaks up with him. At the hotel the cast is staying at, she meets Alejandro (Diego Boneta), who works at the hotel, and these two are destined to begin secretly meeting ‘At Midnight.’ When you do a rom-com, you need two things: a chemistry that shows up on the screen between the two leads and a good plot where we know we will get a happy ending, but we still worry the two won’t end up together. In At Midnight, we get the first. Monica Barbaro and Diego Boneta have some magic going on between them, making us like their characters and want them to fall in love. The problem is the script is so weak, with plot holes that make you shake your head in wonder that the stars can’t overcome it, along with a soundtrack that wants us to relive the screen romances of the past but seems so out of place. Also, for a film that wants us to fall in love with Mexico, other than a brief musical montage of an outing in Mexico City, the film could take place in just about any coastal or island resort. I think it will take a few more margaritas ‘at midnight’ before I want to see this film again. My Rating: Cable  At Midnight Info  Now playing on the Paramount+ platform.

Indiefest: Consecration (2023) R After the alleged suicide of her brother, the priest, Grace (Jena Malone), travels to the remote Scottish convent where he fell to his death. There she discovers that the Church’s account makes little sense and that the convent has a deadly and disturbing past. I thought this would be more a jump out of the dark horror film, but it’s mostly a slow suspense film. The film starts out promising as Grace experiences ghosts from her past in both flashbacks and actual ghosts showing up at both her apartment and when she visits the convent. The scares are few, and the plot slows down to a crawl when Grace stays at the convent to discover what happened to her brother. Jena Malone has a fabulous presence on screen as Grace but can’t overcome a film that never finds its way to make the movie feel and look scary. I wanted more scares and chills from Consecration and instead I got less. My Rating: Cable  Consecration Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Forgotten Film: Antwone Fisher (2002) PG-13 Antwone (Derek Luke) is a young man who is a good sailor but has trouble controlling his temper. He is forced to see a Navy psychiatrist (Denzel Washington) who slowly peels back the layers of Antwone’s past and finds out why Antwone is so damaged. Directed by Denzel Washington and written by the man whose story it tells, Antwone Fisher is an amazing film about a man who has to confront his past and find a way to heal. This is an emotional rollercoaster of a film that is beautifully acted and directed. Derek Luke holds his own while performing with Denzel. And the film features a role for Viola Davis, who plays Antwone’s mother in a scene you won’t forget.  My Rating; I Would Pay to See it Again  Antwone Fisher Info  The film is available to rent on most online platforms.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Somebody I Used to Know: River Safety

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Air (2023) R The story of a shoe salesman, Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), who convinces the head of Nike, Phil Knight (Ben Affleck), to develop and market a shoe around a basketball player that has never played a professional game. That player, Michael Jordan. The cast includes Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker, Chris Messina, Marlon Wayans, and Viola Davis, and is directed by Ben Affleck. Lace-up your shoes! I am betting that this will be fun.  Air Info  Film will be in theatres in early April.

Until Next Time!

A Wrinkle In Time

My View:  A Wrinkle in Time  (2018)  PG  Meg (Storm Reid) finds out that her father (Chris Pine), who has been missing for years, is alive and being held captive by an evil force. With the help of her young brother (Deric McCabe) and a friend (Levi Miller), they go on a journey with the help of three astral travelers, Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon) and Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling) to save him. Visually this film is stunning, but, other than that and the brilliant performances by all three kids, the film falls flat. The dialogue is horrible, especially that of Mrs. Who, as she only talks in famous peoples’ quotes. The soundtrack is one of the worst I have heard in a movie and, at times, overpowers the dialogue. I can only recommend this film for young kids, who will enjoy the visuals, and there is an excellent message in the film that will appeal to young girls. My guess is that director Ava DuVernay, who directed the touching Selma, was overwhelmed by the enormity of the budget and a book that is hugely complicated. This is one of those films that you wanted to succeed, but it fails to deliver.    My Rating: Cable   A Wrinkle in Time Website

Indiefest:  Gringo  (2018)  R  Harold (David Oyelowo) is a down-on-his-luck businessman who finds out he is about to lose his job and decides to stage his own kidnapping. What Harold doesn’t know is that, due to his boss’s bad decisions, he has become a kidnapping target by a drug lord. Will Harold survive? I enjoyed this film, but, after seeing the trailer (which made it seem funnier than it is), this film is a bit of a letdown. The film drags, and it has plot holes the size of Mexico. There are some characters that you don’t know why they are doing what they are doing and other characters are entirely forgotten until they just show up on screen for no reason. There are several twists and turns that are unnecessary and make the movie seem much longer than it is. Some of the actors look out of place, and I got tired of Harold’s co-boss (played by Charlize Theron) with her I am better than everyone else attitude. There are some fun action sequences, but that’s not enough to make this film enjoyable.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Gringo Website

Indiefest:  Thoroughbreds  (2017)  R  Two upper-class suburban Connecticut teenage girls ( Anya Taylor-Joy, Olivia Cookein) rekindle their friendship after being estranged for years. Together, they hatch a plan to solve both of their problems by any means necessary. I loved this odd, quirky film that’s part dark humor and part suspense film. Amanda (Olivia Cooke) is a troubled teen who did something horrible in her past and, by the way, can’t feel any emotions. Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy) is being tormented by her stepfather (her birth father died a few years ago). First time director Cory Finley does a bang-up job directing this film as it never feels staged or slows down even though most of the film takes place in Lily’s mansion. It’s an amazing job for a director who is a playwright who never had stepped on a set before directing this film. The plot moves at a quick pace, keeps you guessing what is going to happen next and slowly builds the tension until the final scenes. This isn’t a movie for everyone as it is not your ordinary teenage drama, but if you’re up for an interesting adventure, then check out Thoroughbreds.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Thoroughbreds Website

Indiefest:  Submission  (2017)  A cynical college professor (Stanley Tucci) takes an interest in a talented young writer (Addison Timlin). It’s not a question of if, but when lines will be crossed, and we just don’t know who is the predator, and who is the prey. In the “Me Too” era this movie should have hit all the issues on the head. Instead, we get a movie about a self-indulgent professor who thinks he is going to foster the next great writer. The professor is more turned on by the fact that she can write and less about that she is young and pretty. Tucci, Timlin and Kyra Sedgwick are let down by a script that is predictable. The film almost feels like it is in love with itself it’s that self-indulgent.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Submission Info

Indiefest:  The Cured  (2017)  R  A virus that turns people into zombies, and it hits Ireland especially hard. A cure is found, but it only cures 75 percent of the zombie population. Now the people who have been cured are moving back into their old neighborhoods, and people who lost loved ones are not too happy. There is one problem with the cure; you remember what you did when you were a zombie. This is an excellent twist on the zombie genre as its makeup is more psychological than horror (though there are still some horrifying zombies in the film). There are some brilliant performances in this film including Ellen Page, who plays Abby, who is still getting over the loss her husband in the initial zombie attack, and Sam Keeley, who plays Senan, Abby’s brother-in-law who goes to live with her and her young son. The action sequences are exciting, and there are plenty of plot twists to keep you interested. If you are a fan of horror and suspense, this film is for you.   My Rating: Full Price    The Cured Info

Forgotten Film: Il Postino  (1994)  PG  When a famous Chilean poet (Philippe Noiret) is exiled to a small island, the mail delivered to the island increases substantially. Mario (Massimo Troisi), an unemployed fisherman, is hired to hand-deliver the mail to the poet. Mario becomes enamored with Beatrice (Maria Grazia Cucinotta) and uses the poet and his poetry to help him woo her. This is a beautiful, simple film about life and romance. Troisi gives a moving performance as the mailman who discovers a love for poetry. The film’s cinematography is gorgeous as it shows off the exquisiteness of Italy.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Il Postino Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of A Wrinkle in Time: Science Advisor

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Incredibles 2  (2018)  Bob (Mr. Incredible) is playing “Mr. Mom,” taking care of Jack-Jack while Helen (Elastigirl) is out saving the world. I loved the first film about a family of superheroes, so I am looking forward to this one.    Incredibles 2 Website

Until Next Time!

IT

My View:  IT   (2017)  R   A group of bullied kids ban together when a monster named, Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard), has taken the appearance of a clown and begins hunting children. This is a coming of age film, so it’s as if Stand by Me or E.T. had been made into a horror film.  Bill Skarsgard makes a scary and riveting Pennywise, the menacing clown who preys on children. The two lead kids, Sophia Lillis, who plays Beverly, a young woman with a bad rep, and Jaeden Lieberher, who plays Bill, a young man who is constantly picked on because of his stutter problem, are outstanding in a cast of superlative young actors. My problem with this film is that all the scary parts of this movie are the ‘jump out of the dark’ variety of frights. While I did jump a few times, I never felt the level of fear that I need from this type of film. The film also gets a little repetitious, as we are shown each kid’s thing that makes them the most frightened. Each time a kid is lured into a situation where they are confronted by their worst nightmare, like a scary painting coming to life, and, then when they are totally frightened, Pennywise shows up to attack. It just gets a little old after a while. What I did love about IT is its remarkable amount of humor. The kids have some awesome lines that help break the tension which makes this film so much fun to watch.   My Rating:  Full Price   IT Website

My View:  Home Again  (2017)  PG-13   Alice (Reese Witherspoon) is a single mom living in Los Angeles.  Her life changes when she lets three young men move in with her. This film was written and directed by a woman, and it shows because Alice is the focal point of this movie, and she doesn’t need to be rescued by a man or have her life fulfilled by one. Alice is a strong woman who, while still figuring out how to make it on her own with two kids, is getting along just fine. Her and her kids’ lives are enriched when the three guys move into her guest house, bringing a new perspective to the home. This is a perfect Reese Witherspoon vehicle that allows her to drive the film as only she can do with spunk and humor. I loved how the film ends, leaving it up to us to figure out where Alice’s life goes next. Home Again is a perfect ‘girls night out’ film but one that also can be a great ‘date night’ outing.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Home Again Website

Indiefest:  Columbus  (2017)  Jin (John Cho) is a Korean-born man who finds himself stuck in Columbus, Indiana because his father is in a coma. He meets Casey (Haley Lu Richardson), a young woman who is staying in Columbus because she has to support her mother who is a recovering addict. Writer/director Kogonada brings us a magical film about family, relationships and dreaming of things that you think can't come true. The film takes place in Columbus, Indiana, the “Midwest Mecca of Architecture,” and its magnificent buildings are the backdrop for this film. Every shot utilizes these brilliant buildings, making you really feel a part of the landscape. What I love about this film is that the two characters slowly peel back the layers of Jin and Casey as their conversations continue. The characters become part of the architecture, interacting with it and exploring it. Casey has even numbered her favorite buildings like a film lover would rate movies. Columbus is a movie that will hold you spellbound as it explores the importance of relationships, the ones that we honor and the ones that we have to leave to better ourselves.    My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Columbus Facebook Page

Forgotten Film:  Tom Horn  (1980)  R  A legendary cowboy, Tom Horn (Steve McQueen), is hired by a group of ranchers to hunt down a group of rustlers. His methods are too brutal for the turn of the century community. Horn is a man of strong convictions but is stuck in the past, and that just might be his undoing. McQueen, in one of his last roles, is powerful and intense as the grizzled old cowboy. While the story drags at some points, it’s still worth watching McQueen do his magic on the screen.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Tom Horn Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD/Blu-Ray):  Megan Leavey  (2017)  PG-13  Megan Leavey (Kate Mara) is a troubled soul who has lost her best friend. She decides to join the Marines and become a bomb-sniffing dog handler. The bond she develops with her dog allows her to save many Marines’ lives on more than 100 missions. I loved this film about a woman who has no purpose in life until she meets a dog named, Rex, who teaches her how to love. This is Kate Mara’s finest performance, and it’s a brilliant one. Touching and heartwarming, she gives us a woman who fights for her best friend, her dog.  The story is a true one, and that makes the film even more poignant and moving. Skip the recent superhero movies and see a movie about two real life heroes.   My Rating: Full Price   Megan Leavey Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of IT:  Hair for Pennywise/Bill Skarsgard

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Mother!  (2017)  A couple’s (Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem) love is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their lives forever. Although the trailer is very confusing, this is one of the most talked about films of the fall season.   Mother! Facebook Page

Until Next Time!

Hot Pursuit

My View:  Hot Pursuit  (2015)  PG-13   A by-the-book cop (Reese Witherspoon) and a widow of a drug kingpin (Sofia Vergara) are on the run as they race through Texas trying to avoid mobsters and crooked cops.  Let me say that this film is guaranteed a spot on my Bottom Ten Films list for 2015. I kept thinking, why would Reese Witherspoon, hot off an Oscar nomination, make this crappy film?  The movie is full of bad jokes with a script full of loopholes. Vergara’s acting is horrible, and Witherspoon’s isn’t much better. It’s sad when even the outtakes (shown during the credits) are unfunny.    My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Hot Pursuit Facebook Page

My View:  Far From the Madding Crowd (2015)  PG-13  In Victorian England, a beautiful, headstrong, independent woman named, Bathsheba (Carey Mulligan), is courted by three suitors.  Carey Mulligan is exceptional as the self-sufficient woman who holds her own. There are some superb scenes between Mulligan and Matthias Schoenaerts, who plays the sheepherder who falls in love with Bathsheba. The film is beautifully shot, showing off the glorious English countryside. The problem with the film is the story, itself. It has this strong woman who falls for a guy because of his looks alone, which makes her seem very shallow.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Far From the Madding Crowd Website

My View:  The D Train (2015)  R  The head of the high school reunion party, Dan (Jack Black), is worried that no one will come. So he decides to travel to Los Angeles to track down the most popular guy, Oliver (James Marsden).  Dan knows if Oliver attends, everyone else will too.  Be careful what you wish for!  There is a huge twist in this film and, while I didn’t mind the twist, itself, I hated everything that happened after the twist. I rarely laughed at the jokes, and I thought the plot was downright stupid. Black and Marsden do work well together on screen, but the film wastes the talents of the supporting cast of Kathryn Hahn and Jeffrey Tambor. The ending of the film is just awful and insults the audience. There will be some critics who will love this film, but I am not one of them.  My Rating: Cable   The D Train Website

Indiefest:  5 Flights Up  (2015)  PG-13  Alex (Morgan Freeman) and his wife, Ruth (Diane Keaton) have been living in the same apartment for forty years. They decide to move to a more convenient neighborhood, but is it worth giving up the place where they have made so many good memories?  The film follows the couple for a few days as they try to sell their home and buy a new one. Keaton and Freeman have a nice rapport, but the film has few dramatic moments and feels very slow moving. I did like Carrie Preston and Cynthia Nixon as two real estate brokers. Both are very funny in their roles. This isn’t a bad film, but you just want it to be more with the cast it has.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   http://www.focusfeatures.com/5_flights_up       

Indiefest:  Noble  (2014)  PG-13  A woman, Christine Noble (Deirdre O'Kane),  overcomes her harsh childhood to help orphans in Vietnam.  Noble is a moving, heartfelt true story, and O’Kane shines as Christine as an adult. She is insanely likable in the role and works well with the children in the film. This is a film that celebrates a woman who refused to be told she couldn't succeed. Instead, she kept moving forward and spread her love to the children of Vietnam, making a real difference in their lives. You will come away from this film inspired and hopeful, a rare feat these days.   My Rating:  Full Price   Noble Website  

Indiefest:  The 100-Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (2013)  R  After traveling the world and experiencing the most unbelievable things, Allan Karlsson (Robert Gustafsson) finds himself stuck in a nursing home. On his 100th birthday, he climbs out his window and starts a new adventure.  This film is supposed to be a comedy, but the humor falls flat, and I have misgivings about a film that mixes violent death with comedic elements.  The film jumps back and forth between when Allan was a young man and present day, which never lets the film pick up steam.  The film is a poor man’s version of Forest Gump without the humor or the heart as Allan interacts with a number of famous people in flashbacks from the past. The film has an interesting premise but never delivers its potential.   My Rating: Cable   The 100-Year Old Man Website

Indiefest: Maggie (2015)  PG-13   A zombie outbreak has hit the U.S. hard, and society is hanging on by a thread. Humans bitten by a zombie do not turn right away, but take weeks, sometimes months before they become fully controlled by the virus. Maggie (Abigail Breslin) has become infected, and her father (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has brought her home so she can be with her family before she turns. Breslin is dazzling as the headstrong girl who wishes she had treasured her family before all this happened. As good as Breslin is, it's Schwarzenegger who makes this movie so moving and heartfelt. In an incredibly restrained portrayal, Arnold gives possibly his best performance of his life. He is brilliant in the role of the father that holds out hope that his daughter will survive. I loved everything about this film, and especially it's touching finale.    My Rating: Full Price    Maggie Website

Forgotten Film:  Cactus Flower  (1969)  A dentist (Walter Matthau) pretends to be married to avoid a long term commitment. He falls for his girlfriend (Goldie Hawn) and proposes.  The only problem is that his girlfriend thinks he is still married. So he needs a wife to divorce…enter in his long-time nurse (Ingrid Bergman).  This film is so much better than the remake (Just Go With It) that starred Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. Goldie Hawn, in an Oscar-winning role, is brilliant as the loveable, slightly goofy girlfriend. Matthau is outstanding as the playboy dentist, and Ingrid Bergman shows a real talent for comedy (I wish she had done more).  Cactus Flower is an excellent film that still holds up 45 years later.   My Rating: Full Price   Cactus Flower Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Hot Pursuit:  Dialect Coach: Pre-production

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Tomorrowland (2015)  PG   George Clooney and Britt Robertson in Sci-Fi film? Yes, please.   http://movies.disney.com/tomorrowland/

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Until Next Time!

Exodus: Gods and Kings

My View:  Exodus: Gods and Kings  (2014) PG-13 Moses (Christian Bale) has always known he was different than his brother, the future Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses (Joel Edgerton).  He learns that he was born a slave and that his destiny is to lead his people to freedom. Exodus: Gods and Kings is director Ridley Scott’s latest attempt to dazzle us with big action sequences and lots of brooding by Christian Bale.  Bale plays Moses, whose brother is the future pharaoh Rameses, played by Joel Egerton.  Egerton, doing his best Marlon Brando imitation, is given the task of performing on-screen with the scene chewing Bale. The film wastes a marvelous cast.  Aaron Paul barely says a word, and I think Sigourney Weaver, who plays Rameses's mother, has two lines, at best. It's Egerton and Bale’s movie.  Rameses is written as a real jerk, who is willing to kill any slave who dares to rebel. Moses is portrayed as a man who doubts  that he is worthy of God's faith, constantly debating God's decisions. The story of Moses leading 600,000 slaves out of Egypt has been told many times in film and TV. Ridley Scott brings nothing new to the story. The film feels very cynical and lacks the wonderment that biblical films usually have. The film is 150 minutes long but feels more like the 4 hours that Scott's first cut was rumored to be. The special effects are drab and lifeless.  Even (spoiler alert) the parting of the Red Sea seems boring and almost an afterthought. And it's not worth seeing in 3-D as I rarely noticed the 3 D effects.  It’s a film that you will want to avoid like a plague of locust.  My Rating: Cable  Exodus: Gods and Kings website  

My View:  Wild (2014) R  In 1994, a troubled young woman, Cheryl (Reese Witherspoon) decides to hike, alone, more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. This is a very deep and spiritual film that, at times, is funny and, at other times, is quite sad.  Cheryl has made a mess of her life, and it has gotten to the point that she has alienated everyone who is important to her.  To find herself, she decides to go on a hike that even the most experienced hikers have a hard time completing.  Witherspoon is brilliant in this film, and gives a gritty, brave, no-holds-barred performance that is sure to get her an Oscar nomination.  She takes what is a quite unlikable person and makes her sympathetic, getting us to root for her.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Wild Website

Indiefest:  Top Five  (2014) R  A comedian (Chris Rock) is trying to make it as a serious actor.  His fiancée (Gabrielle Union) convinces him to allow their wedding to be broadcast on her reality TV show. Everything is going well until a reporter (Rosario Dawson) shows up to do an interview that just may change his life. I loved this witty, sometimes raunchy comedy written and directed by Chris Rock.  The film, while very funny, also has a lot of heart.  There is great chemistry between Dawson (in one of her best performances) and Rock.  They spend a great deal of the film on screen together, and their back and forth banter feels natural and relaxed.  The cameos are what make this film work, and there are plenty of them.  Cedric the Entertainer stands out as a brash promoter who spends a wild night with Rock’s character involving some ladies of the evening and alcohol.  The film also looks at what it’s like to be successful and still have doubts about your life and your career.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Top Five Website

My View:  The Babadook (2014) A young boy, Samuel (Noah Wiseman) suffers from insomnia when he believes that monsters will come out of his closet or from under his bed.  In order to get him to sleep, his mother, Amelia (Essie Davis) reads the boy bedtime stories.  When the mother reads Mr. Babadook to the boy, both mother and child realize that they have just made a mistake that could cost them their lives.  This is one of the scariest and inventive horror films that I have seen in a long time. Smartly done and with incredibly scary scenes, this film will terrify you.  It’s refreshing to have a horror film that doesn’t get too bloody or go for the cheap “gottcha” scare tactics, but instead builds the tension till you just can’t stand it anymore.  This is one of the best horror films that I have seen in many years.  My Rating: Full Price  The Babadook Website

Indiefest;  Antarctica: A Year on the Ice (2014) PG  This documentary looks at the scientists and researchers that work in one of the most isolated places on earth, Antarctica. It's tough to live there in "summer" but imagine living there in winter, where two months the sun never comes up, and they endure category 1 hurricane winds at least once a week.  This is a fascinating film that has beautiful time lapse photography that capture a place that we will never visit in person. The film does a brilliant job of showcase the people that choose to live their, giving us insight into what draws them there and why they continue to come back. This a must see for any fan of nature documentaries.  My Rating: Full Price  Antarctica: A Year on the Ice Website

Indiefest:  Glen Campbell:  I’ll Be Me  (2014)  PG  In 2011 singer Glen Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Campbell was determined to go public with the diagnosis and also go on one last “Goodbye Tour.”  The tour was only to last for a few weeks but turned into a 151 show nationwide tour as Campbell and his fans got to say goodbye.  At times funny, sad and maddening, this film is an incredible inside look on what it’s like to deal with Alzheimer’s and its impact on not only the victim, but the family and friends that have to take care of the person.  It’s remarkable that Campbell was able to play and sing (with help from a teleprompter) for as long as he did.  This moving film that touches your heart and makes you want to do whatever you can to fight this deadly disease.  My Rating: Full Price  Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me Website

Forgotten Film:  Crimes and Misdemeanors  (1989)  PG-13  This is one of Woody Allen’s strangest films, as half is a comedy and the other half is a drama.  An adulterer (Martin Landau) decides that his mistress (Anjelica Huston) is getting to brash, and he decides to try and kill her.  Allen plays a filmmaker is a loveless marriage, falls in love with a co-worker (Mia Farrow) without much success.  Landau gives the performance of a lifetime and Allen is his usual funny, self-deprecating character. The film is an interesting take on love and relationships.  Just how far are we willing to go to find happiness once again?  My Rating: Full Price  Crimes and Misdemeanors Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Babadook:  brush hands

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Red Army (2014) PG This documentary about the Soviet Union Ice Hockey team is getting great critical acclaim. Who doesn’t want to relive the “Miracle on Ice” ?  Red Army Info

Until Next Time!