Deadpool & Wolverine

My View: Deadpool & Wolverine  (2024)  R   Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is recovering from some serious injuries when he comes across someone he really doesn’t like, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds). After trying to kill each other, the two frenemies team up to defeat a common enemy. Be sure to try to avoid all spoilers, as there are a lot of them because of the almost endless cameos and easter eggs that constantly appear. I loved the first Deadpool as it continually mocked superhero movies, with Ryan Reynolds breaking the fourth wall to talk to us. I loved the character and thoroughly had a good time. The second film was entertaining, but it's hard to match the first one. Now we have a third film, and to save the day, Hugh Jackman, the man who has played Wolverine for an incredible 23 years, is on board. The film breaks the fourth wall from the start, as Deadpool makes fun of Marvel during the opening credits. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, laughing and clapping so hard that I missed some of the dialogue. There is great chemistry between Hugh Jackman and Reynolds. It's easy to see how Jackman would get back in shape to play the role one more time, because he is having the time of his life in this film. Yes, the plot is a little (ok, a lot) convoluted, Reynolds goes a bit too far talking to the audience, and the film starts to drag a bit in the last thirty minutes. Still, it's great fun trying to find all the easter eggs, and some of the cameos are jaw-droppingly good. The end seems a little too easy, but it’s still a blast to watch. They do a nice job during the credits to salute all the characters that have appeared in the 20th Century Fox superhero movies, and yes, there is a bonus scene at the end of all the credits. And oh, there is a dog that has a pretty big part in the film that has to be seen to be believed. So go get your Deadpool/Wolverine popcorn bucket and have a great time.  My Rating: Full Price Deadpool & Wolverine Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View: Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net  (2023)  PG-13  In the documentary Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net, the company, after shutting down and declaring bankruptcy due to the worldwide Covid outbreak, moves to reboot its flagship production O. The film documents the struggle of both performers and crew members as they work to return to their world-class standards in time for an opening night. My love for Cirque is immense and I am lucky to live in a city where their circus tents are set up every year with a touring show. So I was excited to find out that a documentary was being done on Cirque du Soleil putting their flagship Las Vegas show, O, back on after 400 days of being dark because of the COVID crisis. The film does an outstanding job of letting us get to know some of the performers, as they have to quickly get back in the groove of performing after being sidelined. O is a unique show in the Cirque lineup, as a great part of the performance is done in or around water. The film shows us all the trials and tribulations that go on behind the scenes to put on the show, including getting used to new partners and having equipment that doesn’t always work the way it’s supposed to. I loved seeing all the practices they had to go through, and it made me appreciate the spectacular show they put on night after night. So put on your tights, limber up, and join in on the fun. My Rating: Full Price  Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net Info     Now playing on Amazon Prime.

Indiefest:  Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger  (2024)  Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger is a documentary that chronicles the British cinematic partnership of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, known as The Archers. Between 1939 and 1972, the duo created 24 award-winning films, including Black Narcissus (1947), The Red Shoes (1948) and The Elusive Pimpernel (1950). Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Killers of the Flower Moon) gives us a Master Class on the films of The Archers. Their films greatly impacted filmmakers like Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, as they did with me. I can tell you exactly what theater I was in when I saw The Red Shoes; that's how big an impact their films had on me. The film gives us the history of Powell and Pressburger’s unusual partnership, with Powell directing the films and Pressburger writing them. The two then produced the films together, and their output was some of the finest films ever to come out of England. Scorsese spends time giving us insight into each film they made, with behind-the-scenes stories and a ton of footage from the archives of the two men. If you have never seen one of their films, this is an excellent introduction, as Scorsese shows us the magic they created on the screen. The wonderful thing about The Archers is that you can find any type of film you love because they did it all, from musicals to war films to even romantic comedies. There is something from The Archers that will amaze and astound you. This documentary will help you find a movie of theirs that you will fall in love with, just like Martin and me.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Made in England Website   Now playing in theaters.

Indiefest:  National Anthem  (2023)  R Dylan (Charlie Plummer) is a 21-year-old construction worker in New Mexico when he finds himself working on a ranch with a community of queer rodeo performers. Dylan is about to meet someone, Sky (Eve Lindley), who will change his life forever. National Anthem is a coming-of-age film with a twist. It is set in the world of rodeos and ranches with a setting that makes Dylan’s discovery come naturally, with acceptance and love. Charlie Plummer is fantastic as the love-stuck wannabe cowboy who comes upon this community by chance and falls instantly for a woman named Sky. The only problem is that Sky is in a relationship with the group leader, Pepe (Rene Rosado). Plummer portrays Dylan as someone tired of his life, worn down by a mother (Robin Lively) who likes to party and having to take care of his little brother (Joey DeLon), all the while trying to save up money to buy a camper so he can get out of his situation. Along comes Sky and the rest of the gang at the ranch, and Dylan finds his place in the world. I loved the film’s cinematography, as the land becomes a welcoming surrounding where Dylan can become who he truly is. National Anthem is a beautiful story that works because of the performances of Plummer and Lindley, making Charlie’s first genuine romance feel part of his growth from a lost soul to someone ready to explore what life will bring him next.  My Rating: Full Price National Anthem Website   Now playing in theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Dominick and Eugene (1988)  PG-13  Dominick (Tom Hulce) and Eugene (Ray Liotta) are twins. Eugene is soon going to graduate from medical school. Dominick had an accident as a child and is a little slow, often having trouble dealing with everyday life, but he is able to have a job as a sanitation worker. Soon, Eugene will go off to do his residency, and that means leaving Dominick on his own, something Eugene isn’t sure that is something that he can do. Tom Hulce is the reason to see this film as he gives Dominick a person who is so sweet and earnest that you have to root for him. Ray Liotta is perfect as the brother who is conflicted by wanting a life for himself but wanting to make sure his brother can live on his own. Dominick and Eugene is a warm and sometimes funny movie that works throughout.  My Rating: Full Price  Dominick and Eugene Info  Available on Amazon.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Deadpool & Wolverine:  Drapes Trainee. 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Borderlands  (2024)  PG-13  Lilith (Cate Blanchett) is an infamous bounty hunter who has reluctantly returned to her home planet, Pandora, to find the missing daughter of Atlas (Edgar Ramirez), the universe’s most powerful villain. Lilith recruits a ragtag team to find the missing daughter, who just might be the key to saving the universe. The film is based on one of the best-selling video game franchises ever. The cast includes Kevin Hart, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Menteanu, Jack Black, and Jamie Lee Curtis.  Borderlands Website In theaters on Friday, August 9, 2024.

Until Next Time!

Inside Out 2

My View:  Inside Out 2  (2024)  PG  Riley is now a full-time teen, and her mind is going through some changes. The gang of Emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust, have been doing a great job, but they are about to meet a new addition to the group: Anxiety. And it looks like she isn’t alone. When we last left Riley (Inside Out (2015)), she was still a preteen trying to get over moving to a new city and dealing with a lot of new emotions. Just when Riley thinks she has things handled with some great friends and a budding ice career, she becomes a teenager. With that comes a whole bunch of new emotions show up: Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hause), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), and worst of all, the ever hyper Anxiety (Maya Hawke). Just as these new emotions move in, Riley is given the immense chance to impress her future high school coach as she has been specially invited to a summer hockey camp. In the past, Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler) has run the show, but now Anxiety has taken control, and things aren’t going well for Riley or her old emotions. Inside Out 2 is a wonderful addition to the Pixar lineup, and while not entirely on the level of the first film, it’s still a rousing, fun time, full of comedy and adventure. The new characters are hilarious, especially Ennui (think of her as a bored, too-cool French teen), with the standout being Maya Hawke as Anxiety. Hawke brings a fresh energy to the film, and her comedy timing is spot-on, making Anxiety antics over-the-top funny. Oh, and there are a couple of awesome new characters that I don’t want to spoil, but fans of old kids’ animation and old video games will be in heaven. Can Joy and the rest of the gang get control back from Anxiety? Well, you will have to see if Riley can conquer her emotions to survive hockey camp and the horrors of being a teenager. Make sure to stay through all the credits to see a bonus scene that perfectly caps off the film.  My Rating: Full Price  Inside Out 2 Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

Indiefest:  Tuesday  (2023)  R  Zora (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a single mom, has devoted her life to her terminally ill daughter Tuesday (Lola Petticrew). One day, Death, in the form of a size-altering macaw, arrives at their home and tells the two to prepare for the end. Death’s arrival sends Zora and Tuesday on a journey that explores life, death, and love. I am not giving anything away (since it’s on the poster and in the trailer) that Death shows up in the form of a macaw parrot. When I saw the trailer for this film, I was expecting a film where Death and Zora talk about life and death, much like the professor and the genie in the Tilda Swinton drama Three Thousand Years of Longing  (2022). Instead, we get a wandering film that never can find its footing, as, at first, Tuesday befriends Death, convincing Death to let her live until her mother returns from an outing. Then it becomes Zora trying to defeat death in any way to keep her daughter alive. I never corrected to this film and never felt any of the emotions that the film wanted me to. I also felt that early on, the film was slow to get going because Death has a hard time speaking, and it takes a while for Death to make any sense at all. But mostly, Tuesday never fully gives us characters that we can understand and embrace, as its theme seems to be a one-note film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Tuesday Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  Treasure  (2024)  R  In 1991, Ruth (Lena Dunham), a neurotic journalist from New York, takes after her father, Edek (Stephen Fry), back to Poland to visit his childhood home. However, Edek, a survivor of the Ghettos during the Holocaust, does not want to relive the trauma and does his best to sabotage the trip. Treasure works because of the performances of Dunham and Fry. Dunham plays Ruth as a sad sack person who desperately wants to connect with her father but doesn’t know how and is too stuck in her own misery to see how hard this trip is on Edek, making him relive a past he wants to forget. Edek is also at fault, and Fry plays him as a man who tries to make everything full of sunshine and laughs when he won’t open up to Ruth to tell her how he is feeling. Ruth feels she can make things right between her father and his past by confronting it. Edek would rather avoid the past and live in the present. Treasure is full of both funny and harsh moments as the two people try to connect, but don’t have the guts to truly make a connection. The film tackles the idea that it’s hard to tackle the horrors of the past when you can’t even confront the present. The film’s big moments are not only in the actual Auschwitz grounds but in those moments when the two are both trying to connect in hotels or cabs and can’t find the words to reach each other.   My Rating: Full Price  Treasure Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Indiefest:  20,000 Species of Bees (2023)   While on a family vacation in a village house linked to beekeeping, a mother, Ane (Patricia López Arnaiz), and her eight-year-old son, Altor (Sofía Otero), will learn about themselves and each other, changing their lives forever. This is a film about trying to find a place in the world where you are comfortable in your own skin. The film moves at a pace that allows us to get to know the characters and how they deal with life’s pressures. Right from the start, we know something is up, as Altor keeps telling her brother that his name is not Altor but Coco. We soon learn that Coco is a child who is used to staying behind with his mother, not taking part, even at a pool with other kids. As the film moves along, we see that Altor/Coco doesn’t feel right in his skin, that he knows things don’t seem right, and that maybe, just maybe, he should have been a she. I loved this film, as we slowly see a child discover that the world isn’t in black and white, but full of color and choices. Ane tries to understand her child but has problems of her own, with a marriage that is falling apart, a disapproving mother, and pressure to create a sculpture in time for a job interview that her family desperately needs. Altor/Coco finds a friend in her mother’s aunt, who takes the child under her wing and teaches Coco about life and how to deal with/care for bees. 20,000 Species of Bees is a beautiful film about life and young person trying to figure out a way to live a life they feel they must follow.   My Rating: Full Price  20,000 Species of Bees Website  Now playing in theaters.  

Familyfaire:  Ultraman: Rising  (2024)  PG  Ken Sato, a superstar baseball player, has returned to Japan to become the latest hero to carry the mantle of Ultraman. His dreams are shattered when he is given the task of raising a newborn kaiju monster. The newborn is the offspring of his greatest enemy and will be Ultraman’s greatest challenge. Ultraman: Rising is a collaboration between Tsuburaya Productions, the creators of the Ultraman franchise, and Netflix Animation. That makes this an excellent primer for kids to get into the world of the Kaiju monsters (think monsters from the Godzilla world) without getting scared. The core of this film is family and how sometimes we don’t realize the sacrifices that our parents make to ensure that we are safe and happy. Ken has returned to Japan to reluctantly take the mantle of being Ultraman from his father, who, because of all the battles he has been in, must retire. Their relationship is not great and is getting worse since Ken’s mother disappeared and is presumed dead. Ken is also coming back to Japan to prove that he is a winner in baseball, having never won a championship in the U.S., even with all his baseball heroics. What makes this film fun for kids is when the baby kaiju falls into Ken’s lap, and he becomes an instant father to a giant pink baby kaiju monster named Emmy, who has a tendency to get heartburn that projects fire and, of course, throws up green slime. The battle sequences are fun and have plenty of action, but I will warn you that the family I saw it with and I were not ready for the almost 2-hour run time. Also, like a lot of Japanese manga animation, there are a lot of discussions that go on, making those parts boring for kids (and sometimes adults too). The family storyline goes on a little too long, but as 5-year-old Miles said after the screening, ‘The best thing was Emmy and the fighting.’  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Ultraman: Rising Website    Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

Indiefest:  Late Bloomers  (2023)  Louise (Karen Gillan) is a 28-year-old woman who is recently single again, in need of a job, and depressed. When she drunkenly falls while doing something stupid, Louise breaks her hip and finds herself in a physical therapy ward full of people twice her age. There, she meets Antonina (Małgorzata Zajączkowska), a cranky elderly Polish woman who doesn’t speak English. Somehow, Louise gets a job as a caretaker for Antonina, and it just might be time for her to grow up with Antonina’s help. Late Bloomers is a coming-of-age story that isn’t about a teen but a 28-year-old woman who acts as if she is still in high school. Louise is a person who is lost, selfish and isn’t willing to listen to anybody, including her friends. Along comes Antonina, a woman who speaks no English and seems to hate everyone and everything. The two start bonding, even without the ability to converse, with Louise feeling she has found someone she can finally relate to. This is a fun, sweet film that is helped by a captivating and sometimes brave performance by Karen Gillan. Gillan plays Louise as a person who we don’t like at first, but we soon learn that there are reasons Louise has never grown up. We soon root for this newfound relationship that is strange and mystifying but somehow works between Louise and Antonia. So grab a walker or a crutch and join Louise and Antonia on a journey where they learn about each other and themselves. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Late Bloomers Website  Now playing in theaters and On Demand. 

Indiefest:  I Used to Be Funny (2023) I Used to Be Funny is about Sam (Rachel Sennott), an aspiring standup comedian and sometimes nanny who struggle with PTSD and depression. Sam sets out to find Brooke (Olga Petsa), a troubled teen she used to nanny who is missing, but only if Sam can get off her bed and out of the house. While the film wanders a bit with its structure of going back and forth from the past to the present, the film is a delight to watch because of the awe-inspiring performance by Rachel Sennott. Sennott plays Sam in the present as someone who has gone through a traumatic event that has changed her outlook on life and the world. This is a contrast to Sam we saw in the past, because she is confident, quick to make humorous comments, and adept at addressing a very moody preteen in Brooke. Sennott handles both with incredible grace, causing you to fall in love with Sam, even when she's challenging and unapproachable. Sennott flows through the past scenes with superb comic timing while she gives the present, Sam a multilayered personality, one who wants to hide but knows it is best if she keeps trying to live her life. I Used to Be Funny is a film about friendship, love, and, with the help of good friends, putting your life back together when it seems hopeless, which writer/director Ally Pankiw delivers with a sure hand and an ear for creating real and natural dialogue. Sennott anchors the film with a performance that actors with 20 more years of experience couldn’t deliver. I Used to be Funny that gives us both laughs and tears with a performance that you won’t soon forget. My Rating: Full Price  I Used to Be Funny Info  Now playing in theaters.

Forgotten Film:  O  (2001) R  Modern-day telling of Shakespeare’s Othello. Coach Duke Goulding (Martin Sheen) runs his high school basketball team with a firm hand, often taking it out on his own son, Hugo (Josh Hartnett). Josh feels he is the star of the team but is put out when his own father makes Odin (Mekhi Phifer) the award winner of ‘Best Player,’ who then shares the award with his best friend, Michael (Andrew Keegan). Hugo decides to take Odin down and using Odin’s own girlfriend Desi (Julia Stiles), to create a plot that will destroy both Odin and the high school basketball team. O was a film that very few people saw (the original studio delayed its release by two years because of the original release date being around the Columbine High School shootings). The young cast is outstanding, with Phifer and Stiles shining in their parts as teens on a collision course with tragedy. Fans of Shakespeare should check this film out.  My Rating: Full Price  O Info  The film is available on most streaming platforms. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Inside Out 2:  Character Groom Lead

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Deadpool & Wolverine  (2024)  R  Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is recovering from some serious injuries when he comes across someone he really doesn’t like, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds). After trying to kill each other, the two frenemies team up to defeat a common enemy. I am a huge fan of the Deadpool series and can’t wait to see this film. I love how Reynolds kept after Jackman to put on the yellow uniform for one last time. And by the way, it’s rumored that a certain baldheaded man in a wheelchair may show up.  Deadpool & Wolverine Website  The film will be released in theaters on Friday, July 26, 2024. 

Until Next Time!

Turning Red

Familyfaire: Turning Red  (2022) PG   Mei Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang) is a 13-year-old who has her best friends always at her side, and unfortunately, her overbearing mother, Ming (voiced by Sandra Oh), watching her every move. It’s bad enough to be a teenager, but suddenly, Mei Lee is turning into a giant Red Panda every time she gets excited. What’s a girl to do? I am a huge fan of Pixar, as they constantly bring us films that are funny warm and make you think about your place in the world. Turning Red is about puberty, an event that, when growing up, no one ever warns you about but hits everyone with a bang. In this case, Mei Lee is hit with a curse that turns her into a big Red Panda when she gets overly excited, something hard to avoid when your body and mind are put into overdrive by puberty. This is a beautiful, brilliant, and laugh-out-loud film that gives us a profound look at a young woman who survives the heartbreak and stress with the help of her family, friends, and maybe just a little help from a boy band. Filmmaker Domee Shi gives us a tale that, like Mei Lee, is both unique and relatable at the same time, one that will be treasured.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Turning Red Website  Now playing on the Disney+ platform.

My View: The Adam Project  (2022) PG-13   A time-traveling pilot (Ryan Reynolds) teams up with his 12-year-old younger self (Walker Scobell) and his father (Mark Ruffalo) to stop time travel and save the Earth from destruction. First, let's give Netflix some props for putting together one of the most likable casts ever with a group including Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Ganer, Catherine Keener, Zoe Saldana, and Walker Scobell. The film lets Reynolds riff like we know he can, but he has met his match in Walker Scobell, who plays Reynolds's younger self as the wise-cracking young Adam, a kid who makes up for his lack of size with his wit and humor. Scobell is perfect in the role of the young Adam and is able to keep up with Reynolds, making their interactions the best part of the film. Keener is a bit wasted as the villain of the piece, and it’s never quite clear what her master plan is, but the film moves a such a quick pace, with quips flying across the screen, that you probably won’t notice it. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that the film constantly makes fun of sci-fi tropes like the multiverse, and the sacred timelines from the future can’t intersect with the past. It helps that Zoe Saldana comes in to kick some butt while giving us a romantic partner for Reynolds to pine after. While not a great film due to its rather flimsy plot, it's a blast to watch because Reynolds and Scobell are having such a fun time trying to save us from the evils of time travel.   My Rating: Full Price   The Adam Project Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: All My Friends Hate Me  (2021) R  Pete (Tom Stourton) reluctantly goes on a birthday weekend trip with his old college crew. Soon, Pete notices that his friends are slowly turning against him. Is he being punished, paranoid, or is this some sort of sick revenge for something he did in the past? This is one of those films that will take me a while to figure out if I liked it, but I'm glad I did watch it. Part horror film, part dark comedy, it's a film that you, like Pete, are trying to figure out if Pete’s friends are just out and out mean, or is it all in Pete’s mind? All My Friends Hate Me is a film that plays on our expectations of how things should go versus how things turn out. Is it Pete’s fault for feeling his friends don’t like him, or are they truly turning against him? You won’t find out until near the end, but it’s worth the experience the get the answer.   My Rating: Full Price   All My Friends Hate Me Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest: Tyson’s Run (2022) PG   Tyson (Major Dodson) is a teen with autism who, up to now, has been home-schooled by his mother (Amy Smart). He decides to go to the high school where his father (Rory Cochrane) is the football coach. To try to be close to his father and with the help with a fellow student (Layla Felder) and a professional runner (Barkhad Abdi), Tyson decides to run a marathon. It’s a decision that will change Tyson and his family forever. I have a soft spot in my heart for films like this, a movie that doesn’t quite deliver but is so earnest in the attempt. Tyson’s Run is a story that never get the tug on the heartstrings that it needs and a plot that is incredibly thin in its story. The film is helped by a strong performance by Amy Smart, as the mother who believes in her son, and a welcomed performance by Barkhad Abdi, who plays a former professional runner who takes Tyson under his wing. The film has an ending that pushes reality to almost a breaking point, but it’s a movie with a good heart. I just wish the writing was better.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Tyson's Run Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

Indiefest: Compartment No. 6 (2021) R  An archeology student from Finland, Laura (Seidi Haarla), is taking a train all the way up to the arctic circle in Russia to visit an archeological site. Unfortunately, on this long train trip, she has to share a tiny sleeping compartment on the train with a gruff Russian stranger, Ljoha (Yurly Borisov), with whom she has nothing in common with. Hollywood has been making this story for as long as movies have been around; the two strangers, who have no common ground, and against the odds, find love and friendship with each other. Except, in this case, the two characters, unlike most Hollywood tales, aren’t very likable and at no time during this film do we believe that they should be together. What makes this film worth watching is just that; two characters that shouldn’t be together stuck on a long train ride in cramp quarters and through their time together, find out that maybe, just maybe, they have something in common that they can share with each other. Hollywood would have turned this into a rom-com, a film full of laughs and a happy ending. However, Finnish filmmaker Juho Kuosmanen gives us a more realistic movie, with two unhappy, ordinary people finding common ground to connect with long enough to survive a brutal trip into the unknown. My Rating; Full Price   Compartment No. 6 Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Forgotten Film: Ironweed (1987) R   In 1938 Albany, New York, two lost souls, Francis (Jack Nicholson) and Helen (Meryl Streep), find each other, and for a time, that is enough until the sins of the past come back. This is a hard film to watch as Streep and Nicholson, at the height of their acting profession, play two alcoholics who use liquor to hide from their past. Francis is haunted by the deaths he has caused, and Helen is tormented by what she could have become. It’s a film filled with two performances that will astound you and make you shake your head in despair. Streep’s performance is one of her best, and her entrance, thirty minutes into the film, is jaw-dropping. Ironweed is a film that you probably will only watch once, but it is one that will long stay with you.   My Rating: Full Price   Ironweed Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Turning Red: Sweatbox Manager

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Twin (2022) A mother (Teresa Palmer) is still grieving for her dead son when the surviving twin starts acting strange around her. She must now confront the unbearable truth about her surviving son. I am a fan of Teresa Palmer, and I hope that this horror film will give us a scare or two.   The Twin Info

Until Next Time!

Clifford The Big Red Dog

Familyfaire:  Clifford The Big Red Dog  (2021) PG   Emily (Darby Camp) is having trouble fitting in a school and at home until she brings a puppy home that she names Clifford to her family’s New York City apartment. Overnight Clifford becomes giant-sized and is wanted by a genetics company run by an evil scientist (Tony Hale). Now it's up to Emily and her uncle (Jack Whitehall), along with friends they have met along the way, to save Clifford from a life in a lab. If you can get over the fact that Clifford, right from the start, looks exactly what he is, a CGI dog, then this family film works, just don’t expect much more. I am not sure that kids will fall in love with Clifford, as the dog looks a little too unrealistic to make him as lovable as he needs to be. The storyline is pretty simple, and Darby Camp is cute and energetic in the role of Clifford’s best friend. I found that Jack Whitehall’s character is a bit annoying as Emily’s deadbeat uncle, as Whitehall tends to mug continually for the camera. Tony Hale is fun as the evil corporate executive who wants Clifford for research, and John Cleese, as the mysterious man who gives Clifford to Emily, is fun in a small part in the film. Clifford The Big Red Dog isn’t a bad film, and kids will enjoy seeing one of their favorite books come to life on the big screen. I just wish Clifford wasn’t so weird-looking.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Clifford The Big Red Dog Website   The film is playing in theatres nationwide and on the Paramount+ platform.  

My View:  Belfast   (2021) PG-13    Buddy (Jude Hill) is a kid growing up in Belfast in the 1960s. He has a loving family and a school that he adores. All that starts falling apart when unrest hits Northern Ireland, pitting neighbors against each other in what becomes an all-out war for control of the area. Buddy’s father (Jamie Dornan) decides that his family is in danger and wants to move his family to Australia, but Buddy’s mother (Caitriona Balfe) wants to stay where her family has roots. It’s funny, but when I first saw this film, I was a bit under-whelmed, but the more I think about this film and how it has stayed with me, the more I love it. It’s a beautiful film, both in storyline and in its outstanding B&W cinematography. Do yourself a favor and see this gorgeous film on the big screen and let it just envelop you. This is a personal love story of writer/director Kenneth Branagh to his town and his parents, as he tells the story of Buddy, whose family is dealing with not only his father continually out of town because of work, but with the horrible times that Northern Ireland dealt with in the late 60s/early 70s due to political unrest. I loved that the family stays together in the good times and the bad, as we see Buddy’s mother dealing alone with not only a young boy who has a tendency to get into a bit of trouble but also dealing with the fact that it’s not safe for her family to live in the neighborhood that she loves and has spent her life in. Jude Hill is brilliant as the kid who is sensitive enough to know that his family is in trouble and wants to help. Belfast is a beautiful and moving film about love, hope, and how that love can help a family survive any obstacle put in their way, as long as they stay strong together. There are great performances from the cast, but I was impressed by Jamie Doman’s performance of a man who loves his wife and family and is willing to take a chance to take his family out of danger, even if it means abandoning the life that they love.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    Belfast Website  Now playing in select theatres.

My View:  Red Notice  (2021) Pg-13   Nolan (Ryan Reynolds) used to be the number-one most-wanted art thief, but he has been supplanted by The Bishop (Gal Gadot), a new and mysterious mastermind thief. Nolan teams up with FBI agent John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) to capture The Bishop to put Nolan back on top of the Red Notice, a list by Interpol of the most-wanted criminals in the world. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this romp of a film. Reportedly the most expensive film that Netflix has made, the film is a blast to watch with Ryan Reynolds stealing the movie from Johnson and Gadot. The movie is filled with lots of cool break-ins and escapes, Reynold cracking jokes right and left (mainly at the expense of Johnson’s straight-laced FBI agent persona), and Gadot gets to kick some butt. There are a few nice twists to the plot, and though a little long, the film moves at a quick pace. Red Notice isn’t a great film, but it's fun, with plenty of star power to go around, making it fun to go on a few adventures with the trio, as they try out do each other on the screen.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Red Notice Website  Now playing in select theatres and on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Mayor Pete   (2021) R   Documentary that follows the campaign of Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who went from a small-town mayor to a Presidential candidate. Pete Buttigieg is a vet who would be the youngest President ever if elected; the documentary gives us an unprecedented look at the candidate, his husband Chasten, and their election team as Pete travels across the country. Documentaries are often about people that have flaws or are brought down by events of their own undoing, making them compelling viewing. Mayor Pete doesn’t have that because its subject matter is a man who is good, honest, and well-spoken, who tries to do the right thing and follows through with actions and not just words. The film follows Pete through his rise in the crowded field (at one time, there were 20 candidates for the democratic side to take on President Trump), his brief lead of the field, and then his campaign, after early wins, go down in flames, not because of a misstep or a scandal, but just because it wasn’t his time. I came away from the film admiring Pete Buttigieg and what he believes in and the fact that he has a great husband who supported him with grace and humor throughout the year. But, like the candidate, the film fell a little flat, mainly because Pete is a nice guy who had trouble finding momentum to make him stand out from a field of more experienced candidates. My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Mayor Pete Website  Now playing in select theatres and on the Amazon Prime platform.

Familyfaire: Home Sweet Home Alone   (2021)   Ten-year-old Max Mercer (Archie Yates) is left behind at home when his family mistakenly leaves him behind due to a mix-up in tickets and flights to their trip to Tokyo. Max at first enjoys his time by himself in the house, but soon his bliss is interrupted by a married couple (Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney) looking to steal a priceless heirloom in the Mercer household. Max now must defend his home, alone from these thieves, who have no idea what is in store for them. The first Home Alone was a good movie, written by the great John Hughes. That film had a cute kid in Macaulay Culkin who had a ton of charisma at its center, but what made the movie different was it had some secondary stories to it which gave the film heart; the old man that Kevin is afraid of but ultimately befriends and the journey that Kevin’s mom, played by the wonderful Catherine O’Hara, goes on to get back to her son who’s ‘Home Alone. Add to the film that the bad guys (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern) are truly bad guys, who are out to hurt Kevin, and it makes Home Alone work. Unfortunately, the latest version (can you believe this is the 6th film in the series?) has none of the first film's heart, and the ‘bad guys’ aren’t so bad after all. Archie Yates, who was so brilliant and funny as the sidekick in JoJo Rabbit, is wasted in this role and gives us an almost joyless performance in the role as the kid left behind. Rob Delaney and Ellie Kemper’s characters have no malice towards Max; they just want to get back what is theirs and their continued attempt to get into the house becomes tiresome and pointless. And to the film is a lukewarm story of Max’s mother (Aisling Bea) trying to get back to her son, which makes it a movie that you will want to skip and watch the original instead. My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again    Home Sweet Home Alone Info  Now playing on the Disney+ platform.

Indiefest: Soulmate(s) (2021)   Samantha (Alexandra Case) and Jessamine (Stephanie Lynn) have been life-long best friends, growing up in a small town in Vermont. Their way of life is being threatened by a corporation trying to take over the local maple syrup industry, something that has been the town's pride and joy forever. Things get complicated when Mess’s new fiancé starts hogging all of Jess’s time, and what's worse, he works for that corporation. I have a feeling that this film is getting a lot of ‘Hallmark film’ talk in reviews about this movie. That’s not a bad thing because this is a predictable romantic comedy that checks off those ‘Hallmark’ plot points: two attractive leads, happy best friends whose life is turned upside down by a romantic interest by one of the two, the other feels left out and tries to break up the romance with success but with a cost, and yes, spoiler alert (not really), a happy ending. The film gives you what you expect, and because the scenery is pretty and the production is well done, Soulmate(s) doesn’t disappoint. Yeah, the plot is very predictable, and the ending is tied up in a pretty white bow, but that’s ok. My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Soulmate(s) Website  Now playing in select theatres and On Demand.

Forgotten Film: Waterland (1992)   Tom Crick (Jeremy Irons) is a high school teacher in 1972 Pittsburg. He is not doing well and senses that his class is bored with history, so he begins to tell his story of growing up in England during WWII and his romance with a woman that would change his life. This is an interesting film that moves back and forth between timelines, sometimes a bit blurred, as Tom tells a story filled with romance, intrigue, madness, and possibly murder. Irons is always an engaging actor to watch, reserved on the outside, but you know that there is something bubbling on the inside that just may escape to the surface at any moment. I love the young cast in this film, including Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. The film is a bit uneven, but the twists are worth waiting for.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Waterland Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Clifford The Big Red Dog: Air to Ground Person

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  House of Gucci (2021) R   Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) has fought her whole life to get ahead in life. As an outsider from humble beginnings, Patrizia marries into the Gucci family, and her drive and ambition begins to unravel their legacy and starts a downward spiral into betrayal, decadence, revenge, and finally…murder. House of Gucci is sure to be a favorite at the Oscars next year with a cast that includes Jared Leto, Salma Hayek, Adam Driver, Jeremy Irons, and Al Pacino and directed by Ridley Scott.     House of Gucci Website

Until Next Time!

Respect

 Note to readers: I have started going to movies in the theaters, having received my two shots and passed the two-week standby period, wearing a mask at all times and following social distancing. Most of the films I am reviewing are still movies that I watched at home, but I will note in the review if I saw them in a theatre. I am not going to tell you whether or not to attend a theatre. Just be aware of the risks, do your research, and follow the instructions to the letter.

My View: Respect (2021) PG-13    The life story of Aretha Franklin (Jennifer Hudson), who went from singing in her father’s church to one of the world’s greatest singers, the ‘Queen of Soul.’ With most bio-pics based on singers, I usually complain that they don’t contain enough songs, are with the 2020 film David Bowie bio-pic Stardust, none at all. This isn’t one of those films. In fact, I could have used a few fewer songs to cut down this film’s almost two and a half hour running time. Now, don’t get me wrong, Jennifer Hudson does an incredible job of recreating Aretha’s voice, matching the late singer’s power and range. You can see why Franklin handpicked Hudson for the role, and she doesn’t disappoint. I just wish the writing matched the talent of Hudson, but sadly, she and the rest of the cast is let down by a storyline that constantly goes too far into becoming a melodramatic mess. The film concentrates on Franklin’s childhood and first marriage to a shady music producer/hustler played by Marlon Wayans. Wayans is fine in the role, and at times, I didn’t even recognize him due to a much deeper voice than he usually uses. The film drags quite a bit, only picking up when we get to Aretha finding her voice when she goes to record with the Muscle Shoals session group. I loved the recording sessions that let us see just how the session guys blended their style with what Aretha was trying to do. Unfortunately, we get too much of Aretha interacting with her father, played by Forest Whitaker, who attempted to control Aretha for as long as he could. There is a wonderful scene at the end of the film during the credits, when we get to see Aretha perform at the Kennedy Center for Carole King, singing the legendary song ‘A Natural Woman.’ I might suggest that you should just buy the soundtrack and skip all the melodrama, plus you won’t have someone singing along to all of Aretha’s hits like the person next to me did in the theater.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Respect Website   Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Indiefest: CODA   (2021)  PG-13   Ruby (Emilia Jones) is a gifted seventeen-year-old girl with a talent for singing, with a voice that her family has never heard because she is the sole hearing member of a deaf family: a CODA, Child of Deaf Adults. Her life revolves around working on her family's fishing boat after school, and now she must choose between two things she loves, her family and her music. Go right now and see this film in a theatre! You won’t be disappointed, though you need to be warned that you will need a box of tissues and a few spare bucks to buy the soundtrack. This is one of those rare films that comes along that you know how it will end, but you want it to keep going because you are enjoying every moment. The cast is brilliant, let by Emilia Jones as the daughter who finds out that she loves something as much as she loves her family, singing. Inspired by a caring music teacher, played perfectly by Eugenio Derbez, Ruby figures out that her future just might give her a chance to do something different than work on her family’s fishing boat. Jones has a beautiful singing voice, and the film lets her showcase it, whether singing on the boat or in a duet with her potential love interest, played by Ferdia Walsh-Peelo (who we all loved from Sing Street). CODA pulls all the right heartstrings and makes this a movie that might replace In the Heights as the ‘feel good’ film of the summer. Just remember to have that tissue box handy.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    CODA Website  Now playing in select theatres including Landmark Midtown Art in Atlanta and on the Apple + platform.

My View: The Kissing Booth 3   (2021)    It’s the summer before Elle (Joey King) heads off to college, and she wants to spend every minute having fun. She and her BFF Lee (Joel Courtney) have a ‘Beach Bucket List’ that they put together when they were kids, and they are determined to fill it out. However, Elle has a tough decision to make, does she go to the college that her dreamy boyfriend Noah (Jacob Elordi) is attending or not break her promise to go to college with her best friend Lee. Whose heart will Elle break at the end of the summer? I enjoyed the first Kissing Booth movie, mainly on the strength of how much you like the character of Elle and the actress, Joey King. It fit the bill of a good romantic film where the girl gets the guy at the end. The second pushed the limits a little too much with the introduction of a rival of Elle’s affections, Marco (Taylor Zakhar-Perez). Well, Marco is back for this third installment of the series to mess things up again. The film feels a little too slapped together, with the bucket list primarily done in front of a ‘green screen’ and a plot that tries too hard to created problems for Elle in her quest to figure out where to go to college. Elle must be a ‘super student' for two prominent colleges to keep her spot open for so long before the fall semester, but that’s just one plot point of many that stretches reality beyond believability. I am sure that fans of the series will enjoy all the high jinks that Elle and the gang do, but for the rest of us, it’s just one long movie of Elle trying to decide who to disappoint. It turns out Elle disappoints us the most of all.    My Rating: Cable    The Kissing Booth 3 Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Buckley’s Chance (2021)    A year after the loss of his father, Ridley (Milan Burch) and his mother (Victoria Hill), move from New York City to Australia to live with Ridley’s estranged grandfather (Bill Nighy). After fighting with both his grandfather and his mother, Ridley becomes lost in the Outback and makes an unlikely friend, a wild dingo he names Buckley. Can Buckley help Ridley survive in the wilderness and find his way back home? This is an earnest film about a young boy who misses his father and needs to learn how to grow up. The film is hampered a bit by the lead, Milan Burch, who has trouble with the dramatic scenes and is asked to carry a movie that he isn’t equipped to do. But any movie is greatly helped by Bill Nighy’s appearance, and while not asked to do a whole heck of a lot, Nighy still gives us a few moments to savor as the tough but heart in the right place rancher who has never gotten over the fact that his son couldn’t wait to leave the ranch and his family. The film tries too hard to pull on the emotional strings that never quite connect. Young children may enjoy the movie, especially when the Dingo shows up to become Ridley’s companion, but the rest of us will want more of Bill Nighy and less of Ridley.     My Rating : Cable    Buckley's Chance Website  Now playing in select theatres including Studio Movie Grill in Atlanta.

Indiefest: The Meaning of Hitler (2020)    This documentary explores the decades of cultural fascination with the Nazi leader and how this continued fascination impacts present-day politics. This is a fascinating and insightful film that explores the continued cult of Hitler and how today's politics have continued to carry on, in one way or another, his platform. The film goes on a travelogue of places that Hitler lived at or visited during his lifetime. I loved how the film uses a camera mounted on a Mercedes Benz hood, as the trademark hood ornament becomes almost a gun sight for the movie as the filmmakers go across Europe to visit Hitler’s points of interest. The film allows everyone from a cultural anthropologist to legendary Nazi hunters to talk about Hitler and how to combat or expose the continuing influence that the man still has to this day, so many years after his death. Sometimes amused, other times horrified, the filmmakers try to look at every aspect of Hitler’s influence while attempting to dispel some of the myths behind the legend. I was hooked from the start, and The Meaning of Hitler makes a great point of talking about the idea that maybe Hollywood and TV should do less to prop up the legend (just look at how many ‘documentaries’ on done on Hitler and the Nazis on TV) and more to expose the real man behind the myth.   My Rating: Full Price      The Meaning of Hitler Website  Now playing in select theatres and available to rent on available online platforms.

My View: Beckett     2021) R  Following a horrific traffic accident in Greece, American tourist Beckett (John David Washington) becomes a target of a manhunt. Beckett is forced to go on the run, desperate to get to the American Embassy before the police close in, and the country becomes enveloped in political unrest. I liked the start of this film, but it feels a little strained by the third act. Beckett is primarily a film about a man on the run, trying to piece together why someone wants him dead, all the while trying to go across a foreign country to the safety of the embassy. Washington has the star power to carry the film and make you want for him to succeed and get back home, but the third act feels very messy and has an ending that doesn’t deliver the needed impact. In the tradition of chase films of the past, this one doesn’t have the main evil guy who we can fixate on, instead of a possible shady group of political activists that never quite instill the fear we need to create the tension in the film so that it can succeed fully.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Beckett Website  Available on the Netflix platform.

My View:   Free Guy (2021) PG-13    Guy (Ryan Reynolds) happily lives as a bank teller until he becomes self-aware and discovers that he is a ‘non-player inside of a video game. With the help of Millie (Jodie Comer), a program developer, he decides to become a super-hero and save the world he lives in before the game’s owners can shut it down. I had a blast watching this film, and I don’t play video games. Reynolds is hilarious and has the I’m good looking, but I’m also everyman feel about him, making this film work. Sure it’s a little over the top and a bit too long, but Reynolds has excellent chemistry with Jodie Comer, and she has just the right amount of spunk to make her character work. There are some out-and-out hilarious moments in this film and some great cameos (be sure to listen for a few that are just appearing through voice work). The action is fun and exciting, and the plot is creative. There is a joy and almost innocence to this film that makes the film seem sweet while having a few things to say about our reliance on technology. I found this film great fun and loved its view of the world, whether it is the make-believe one or the real one.    My Rating: Full Price     Free Guy Website   Now playing in theatres.

Forgotten Film: Coogan’s Bluff (1968) R    Arizona Deputy Sheriff, Coogan (Clint Eastwood,) is sent to New York City to escort an escaped fugitive back for trial, but there are a lot of people who don’t want Coogan to get out of New York alive. Eastwood, hot off his Italian western hits like For a Few Dollars More, plays the stoic cowboy character, this time on the side of the law. The movie poster even makes him look like his 'man with no name' character from the Italian westerns. Coogan's Bluff is an old-fashioned ‘fish out of water' tale of a man whose code of honor is stronger than anything put in his way. The film is helped by an outstanding supporting cast, including the brilliant Lee J. Cobb and Susan Clark. The film was the basis for the long-running TV series McCloud starring Dennis Weaver and is well worth seeing Mr. Eastwood in is prime.   My Rating: Full Price      Coogan's Bluff Info

  

Weird Credits: From the credits of Respect: Background Tailor

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Cry Macho (2021)  PG-13   A washed-up rodeo star (Clint Eastwood) takes a job to transport a young man’s son home and away from his alcoholic mother. It will be a journey where the cowboy and the kid learn about each other and about what it takes to be a man. Eastwood, as a director, has been very hit and miss, but I feel that he knows this subject matter so well, it has a great chance to be a good film.    Cry Macho Website

Until Next Time!