Disclosure Day

My View: Disclosure Day  (2026)  PG-13   Disclosure Day follows Daniel (Josh O’Connor), a cybersecurity expert who has access to long-held government secrets about extraterrestrial life. As it becomes evident that an alien presence is on Earth, Margaret (Emily Blunt), a local TV meteorologist, starts speaking an alien language during a live telecast. Steven Spielberg has always been fascinated by the possibility that aliens have been visiting Earth for quite some time. Daniel is our hero, a man who decides that the world should know that we are not alone in this universe, and he has proof that the government has known for over 75 years. Like Close Encounters and E.T., this is a film about one person who goes against big government and feels it’s his duty to the world to let everyone know that extraterrestrials are real. The government and a secret organization are convinced that if this information gets out, the world will go into chaos, and our lives will fall apart. What Spielberg does so well is get us to back Daniel and want him to succeed against all odds. This is a wonderful cat-and-mouse chase film, filled with car chases, big brother constantly just around the corner, and our hero, along with his loyal girlfriend and a new recruit in a shell-shocked weather caster, tries to find a way to broadcast their findings before being caught, or worse, being killed. The best thing about this film is Emily Blunt's performance, who once again shows she has the acting chops to play comedy and drama in the same film. It’s a brilliant performance (though I have some trouble with her choice of voices for Margaret, who sounds 20 years younger) and brings a lightness to the story sorely needed when things seem hopeless. This is a film that doesn’t feel anywhere close to its almost two-and-a-half-hour runtime. The film moves constantly from scene to scene as Daniel and, soon, Margaret are on the run, barely escaping the big bad government bad guys, led by a creepy performance from Colin Firth. I think anyone who has an interest in the possibility of alien life will absolutely go nuts for this film. Everyone else will be just on board for a great time. You don’t have to believe in aliens to enjoy Disclosure Day, but you do have to believe in the goodness of humanity to enjoy its ending.  My Rating: Full Price  Disclosure Day Website  Now playing in theaters everywhere

My View:  The Furious  (2025)   R  Set in Hong Kong, The Furious follows Wang Wei (Xie Miao), a mute tradesman whose life is shattered when he witnesses his daughter, Rainy, being kidnapped by an international human trafficking syndicate. He goes on a one-man rescue mission to save her and then finds an ally in an undercover journalist who is trying to find his wife, who is also missing from the same gang. I became a fan of Kung Fu films when, as the newest member of the film department of a TV station, I was given the job of editing for time and content our weekly Kung Fu Theater films. The genre has gone from campy and exploitative to films like The Raid or John Wick, where the action sequences are so well done that they dazzle you with speed and sequences that seem to go on forever. Along comes The Furious, which starts out as a father/daughter film and soon becomes a quest to utterly destroy an entire network of badges. Our hero Wang Wei (played by the incredibly athletic Xie Miao) is joined by a chain-smoking reporter, Navin (Joe Taslim), who is Wang Wei’s equal in martial arts. There is an extensive scene in a nightclub where, unbeknownst to each other, both men have gone to find a way to get information from the bad guys and locate their loved ones. The two separately fight countless attackers and then end up inside the bowels of the club, and start fighting each other until the reporter sees the picture of Wang Wei’s daughter and realizes that the two are out for the same thing. This is an incredibly violent film (I saw a father and young son leave very early in our screening) where bones are constantly being broken, and heads are being smashed with sledgehammers. The fight sequences are off-the-wall amazing, and there is a scene where Wang Wei fights what seems like a never-ending group of bad guys in a mixed martial arts ring, as he continually climbs above the bodies that are piling up beneath him. The audience at the screening I saw the film at was cheering and screaming with glee at some of the action sequences, including a huge bad guy who keeps showing up and fighting anyone within reach. If John Wick or The Raid films are your sweet spot, then this is a film you don’t want to miss. For action fans, this is a smorgasbord of flying bodies and bones being broken by the ton, and is not to be missed.   My Rating: Full Price  The Furious Website Now playing in theaters

My View:  Stop! That! Train!  (2026)  R  Stop! That! Train! follows best friends Tess (Ginger Minj) and DeeDee (Jujubee), train stewardesses facing unruly passengers, snooty first-class attendants, and a catastrophic storm. Together with the President (RuPaul), they must stop a runaway, high-speed train, all while keeping their mascara from running. It is very obvious that the cast was having a blast while making this film. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the audience. Although the jokes come fast and furious, the humor is lacking throughout. Most of the jokes fall incredibly flat, and the attempts at physical humor just fall, or should I say fail. I am sure fans of RuPaul and the Drag Race TV show will have fun for a while watching a ton of drag performers cascade across the screen, but I just wanted it to be funnier. There are a couple of funny running gags, one of which features Sarah Michelle Gellar and one where one of the flight attendants keeps having fantasy moments about the hunky pilot of the plane, which work really well. I just wish the rest of the script had kept that momentum going. The comedy runs out of steam long before the end. There are some outtakes and a few surprises during the credits.My Rating: Cable   Stop! That! Train! Website  Now playing in theaters 

Forgotten Film:  Lady Snowblood  (1973) In order to place blame on tax collectors, 5 people from a small village attack a family. They kill the father and daughter and then rape the mother. That mother, while in prison, then gives birth to a daughter and curses her to get revenge on the 5 people who attacked the family. The daughter, Yuki (Meiko Kaji), trains for twenty years with an assassin and then sets out to find and kill the 5 people responsible for the deaths of her parents. After the success of the Lone Wolf and Cub samurai series, the studio decided to make a samurai film with a female lead. Like the Lone Wolf films, the violence is filled with arms being chopped off and blood spurting everywhere. Yuki uses the idea that she can go just about anywhere without worrying that people will figure out she is on a mission to kill. The film’s action sequences are not quite up to par with the Lone Wolf films, but they are still fun to watch, and it is filled with some outrageous characters. The film has a bit of a surprising finish. This was definitely a film that not only inspired Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill series, but Tarantino also featured the music from Lady Snowblood (sung by the lead actress Kaji) in the films.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Lady Snowblood Info   Lady Snowblood is available on most streaming services

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Furious: Washroom Attendants

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Girls Like Girls  (2026) R  Girls Like Girls takes place in rural Oregon, where Coley (Maya da Costa), a 17-year-old, is dealing with the death of her mother. Things look up when she meets the ever-popular Sonya (Myra Molloy), and the two quickly become friends. Coley realizes she is having stronger feelings for Sonya than Sonya will admit. The film is co-written and directed by Hayley Kiyoko, adapted from her best-selling book, which was an adaptation of a song with the same title she recorded in 2015.   Girls Like Girls Website  In theaters on Friday, June 19, 2026.

Until Next Time!

The Devil Wears Prada 2

My View: The Devil Wears Prada 2  (2026)  PG-13  In The Devil Wears Prada 2, Miranda (Meryl Streep) is nearing retirement, and the sharks are circling around. In walks Andy (Anne Hathaway) to help Miranda, and is forced to take on her former assistant turned rival: Emily (Emily Blunt). Ever go back to your hometown and go out for a night with friends that you used to stay out until 4 am? And you realize around 10 pm that it’s not as fun as it was back then, and there is no way you are staying until 4 again. That’s what it’s like seeing The Devil Wears Prada 2. It’s fun and enjoyable, but it’s not the same feeling you got from the first film. The problem is, it’s been 20 years, and Andy is no longer naive, young, and eager to please. Well, maybe still eager to please. There isn’t anything wrong with this sequel, and all the actors are giving their all to the roles, but it’s hard for lightning to strike twice, and it never quite hits the mark like the first one. The saving grace of this film is the chemistry between Andy and Emily, making this film more about the two of them than about Andy and Miranda. Yes, there are dazzling fashions, and Miranda is still snarky with Streep giving great looks, but the film doesn’t have the bite or the charm of the first film. You will still have a good time, but you won’t want it to keep going (like those old parties you used to go to), and you'll be ready for it to be over.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The Devil Wears Prada 2 Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Hokum  (2026)  R  Hokum follows Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott), a horror writer, who travels to a remote part of Ireland to spread the ashes of his deceased parents, unaware that his rental property is haunted by a witch. Ohm is a person whom you don’t want to be around. He is self-righteous, hates interruptions, and people who want him to do anything, even sign a book. He goes to Ireland because he is tired of seeing his parents’ urns on the mantle, and we get the feeling that he hates his father. While staying at a hotel his parents loved and always wanted to return to, he encounters some strange people who believe the witch is real. Hokum is a very scary, well-made horror film that does a superb job of building tension while feeding us a few scraps of clues about the mysterious hotel and its past. Scott does a fabulous job of making us hate the man from the start, then root for him to uncover the hotel's hidden mysteries. It’s creepy, with only a few jump scares, as the fear factor keeps ramping up the longer Ohm is in the hotel, and keeps us guessing on what is going on until the very end. Does Ohm solve the mystery, and does he get out alive? You will have to wait until the last chapter to find out.  My Rating: Full Price  Hokum Website Now playing in theaters

Indiefest: Omaha  (2025)   PG-13  Omaha follows a widowed father (John Magaro) who takes his two young children (Molly Belle Wright, Wyatt Solis) on a sudden, mysterious cross-country road trip. This is a film that, at times, is heartwarming and funny, and at other times, it just rips your heart out. The film puts you in the car with the family (dog included) on a road trip; we don’t know where it’s going, or even whether the family will get there, since the car only starts with a running push from the father and daughter. The kids are a treat to watch as they go on this roller coaster of a trip, full of many highs and lows. This is a film you know will probably not end well because the father won’t give up on where the family is going, and we see throughout that the family is in trouble. John Magaro gives us a performance in which we only see glimpses of what he is going through, but we can feel the weight of the world on his shoulders. I loved Molly Bell Wright as the older of the two, who keeps trying to figure out what is going on and makes every effort to be as supportive to her dad as she can. There is a reason the family is traveling to Omaha, and it is masterfully revealed in the film's last frames. Omaha is a slow-moving, engaging look at a family that loves each other, but sometimes that isn’t enough. John Margaro’s performance is going to stay with you long after you leave the theater.   My Rating: Full Price  Omaha Website  Now playing in theaters

Forgotten Film: My Summer of Love  (2004)  R  In the Yorkshire countryside, two young girls from very different backgrounds, a tomboy, Mona (Natalie Press), and a rich girl, Tamsin (Emily Blunt), meet and start a friendship that will help both survive the summer of chaos and change. This is Emily Blunt’s feature film debut, and she is amazing as the exotic, rich girl with some hidden secrets. Natalie Press is equally brilliant as the girl who knows that she can’t stay in Yorkshire and be happy. The cinematography perfectly captures the summer countryside. While it’s a romance, the film is more about finding your way among the trouble and tribulations of being young and unhappy with your life.  My Rating: Full Price  My Summer of Love Website  The film is available to rent on Apple TV+ and Amazon. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Devil Wears Prada 2:  Helium Balloon Supervisor

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Disclosure Day  (2026)  PG-13  Disclosure Day follows Daniel (Josh O’Connor), a cybersecurity expert with access to long-held government secrets about extraterrestrial life, as it becomes evident that an alien presence is on Earth, including Margaret (Emily Blunt), a local TV meteorologist who starts speaking an alien language during a live telecast. The film is from Steven Spielberg, who gave us two of the classic extraterrestrial movies of all time: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982).   Disclosure Day Website  The film will be in theaters on Friday, June 12, 2026

Until Next Time!

Here

My View:  Here  (2024)  PG-13  Here is about more than a century of life in one American home, one room, shown to us from one view as we see a tale of love, loss, laughter, family, and life. Here is an intriguing filmmaking experiment that occasionally succeeds, but most of the time feels too gimmicky for its own good. The camera stays stationary throughout the film as we traverse the history of this piece of land and, for the majority of the film, the history of the house. Much has been made of Tom Hanks and Robin Wright back together again as a couple in this film, and yes, there is some de-aging (sometimes not well), but mostly this is a film about couples and how they spend their lives together, most until the very end. The film takes a bit of getting used to as it constantly goes back and forth through time, never staying in one place for too long. Each scene builds its story, like the bricks we see being laid for the house’s foundation early in the film. Some couples stand out more than others, even a few famous ones (if you count a couple who invented a certain landmark recliner). And as we move along, we get a few interesting tidbits, but they come in dribbles and drabs. The family that Tom Hanks’s character is part of makes up a good portion of the film, and for better and sometimes worse, we get to know that family the best. There is some joy in Here but it doesn't come from the Hanks/Wright portion and that makes the film feel uneven. I have a feeling that Here would have made a great animated short, but alas, instead, we get a valiant attempt in filmmaking at creating something unusual. However, the melodrama of the story and the sheer gimmickry overwhelm what could have been.  My Rating: Cable  Here Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Anora  (2024)  R   Anora (Mikey Madison), or as she will tell you, Ani, is a sex worker from Brooklyn who meets Ivan (Mark Eidelshtein), who hires her for the weekend. The weekend becomes something more when the two impulsively marry. Little does Anora know that Ivan is the son of an oligarch, and when his family finds out about the marriage, Anora and Ivan are in big trouble. Mikey Madison gives us a performance that knocks you right out of your seat as the take no bull, just trying to survive anyway she can Ani. It's a stunning, take no prisoners display that will make Madison a star and maybe even get her a deserved Oscar nomination. Anora is from award-winning filmmaker Sean Baker, who gave us Tangerine, The Florida Project, and Red Rocket. As with his previous movie, Red Rocket, sex plays a vital role in the plot and how Ani sees herself and her world. Now, at first glance, you will fall in love, as does Ani, with Ivan, played by the beautifully hyper Mark Eidelshtein. However, there is a secondary character that will steal the film from everyone except for Madison. Igor, played by the amazingly low-key Yura Borisov. Borisov, as the muscle in the film, is able to make us follow him as he barely says anything, but his part becomes more important as the film moves along. The film slows down a bit in the last third of the film, but that allows us to see the little things that go on between Ani and Igor. I and my fellow critics were blown away by the final scene of Anora at a screening. We all sat there in silence, watching all the credits roll by, not wanting to break the mood of what we just watched. It's possible that you will do the same. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Anora Website   Now playing in select theaters.

My View:  Music by John Williams  (2024)  Music by John Williams is a documentary film about the life and work of legendary composer John Williams, who has composed some of Hollywood’s most famous scores. Music by John Williams is more of a tribute film than a life story documentary, and if anyone deserves a tribute film, it’s John Williams. I was amazed by how much he has done in his life, from leading a jazz band to composing music for symphonies, along the way, playing piano on some of the great film scores of the 50s and 60s. And in all that, he also did a ton of TV work in the 60s, creating scores for programs like Peter Gunn and, yes, Gilligan’s Island. Then he met a certain director, Mr. Spielberg, who was just starting his career, and they began a partnership that created some of the most iconic and beautiful scores for films that will be celebrated long after they are gone. The amount of work that Williams did was astounding, including one year when he did the scores for Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List in the same year. Fans of Williams will love all the behind-the-scenes stories that he tells about his work, and film buffs will love all the scenes from some of the most influential films of the last 30 years that John Williams made memorable because of the music he created.  My Rating: Full Price  Music by John Williams Website  Now playing on the Disney+ platform.

My View:  Martha  (2024)  R  The documentary Martha tells the story of Martha Stewart, who went from teen model to America’s first influencer, a woman who became a billionaire but also went to prison. Martha Stewart is a person who I would call an odd duck. She is a brilliant woman who insists on perfection from herself and anyone who works for her. From this film, we see that. We also see a woman who got married too young. Had a child too young and from what you see in this film, she shouldn't have ever gotten married. Martha is interviewed on camera for the film, and there are a few moments when we glimpse a bit behind the curtain of the woman who wants to control everything. It’s very fleeting, but when she talks about her marriage and her husband’s cheating, we see a bit of Martha that we don’t normally see. It’s still a fascinating story about a woman who was driven to be a success and kept breaking that glass ceiling, whether it was working on the male-driven world of Wall Street or convincing a group of stodgy old men that her magazine idea would not only work but would be a huge seller. The film does look at her arrest and trial. It’s very clear that Martha was put on trial to make an example of, not because she had been caught doing something wrong. If you are a fan of Martha, you will love this film because you see so much of her life both in the past and now. If you aren’t a fan, then you might, like me, get a little tired of the constant self-congratulation that she does throughout the film. But that’s Martha being Martha. She feels that if she doesn’t do it, no one will do it. At least not to her high standards.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Martha Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform. 

My View:  Time Cut  (2024)  Time Cut is about Lucy (Madison Bailey), a modern high school senior who stumbles on a time machine and is transported back to 2003, the year her sister was murdered by a serial killer. Lucy must now figure out how to blend in while living in 2003 as she tries to find and stop a serial killer and save her sister. Time Cut is a film that has the basis of a good plot that never comes to the surface. Madison Bailey is the best thing about this poor excuse for a slasher film, but even her effervescence can’t overcome a script that throws out things like time machines without explanation or reason. The scares are barely there, and the killer looks like a terrible attempt at putting together a Jason costume teen for a last-minute party. I love how films like this ask us to just accept that Lucy can just show up at a high school and no one will ask who the heck she is. The plot is too lazy to explain anything, and the ending is mind-blowingly dumb. It’s too bad because other than a few cool April Lavigne songs and a brief trip to the mall, not much is made of the 20-year time jump unless you have Lucy ask about Facebook and Twitter, haha. Nevermind.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Time Cut Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Forgotten Film:  On the Edge  (2001)  R  Jonathan (Cillian Murphy) is mourning the loss of his father. He steals his father’s ashes and tries to commit suicide by driving a stolen car off a cliff. He survives with barely a scratch and is sent to a psychiatric hospital. Jonathan develops friendships and realizes that life can be challenging and troublesome, but if you have friends and a sense of humor, things can change. Although On the Edge is not a great film, it features an exceptional performance from a very young Cillian Murphy. Murphy’s Jonathan is a young man who is hurting but uses humor to stay sane. Murphy carries the film, which overall is a script that could have used a rewrite or two. However, Murphy makes On the Edge worth watching.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  On the Edge Info  The film is available for rent/buy on Amazon. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Time Cut:  Additional Literary Material

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Small Things Like These  (2024)  PG-13  Small Things Like These takes place in Ireland in 1985, where Bill (Cillian Murphy), a local coal distributor, lives with his wife and five children. While delivering coal, he sees a sight that will change his life: a young woman is screaming while being dragged against her will by two nuns and another woman into the church of the convent he is delivering to. The film was shot on location in Ireland. That’s enough for me to see it.  Small Things Like These Website  Coming to theaters on Friday, November 8, 2024. 

Until Next Time!

The Fabelmans

My View: The Fabelmans    (2022) PG-13   Growing up in post-World War II Arizona, Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) begins making home movies and learns how the power of film can help us see the truth about each other and ourselves. Steven Spielberg brings us his most personal film that he has ever made. A movie that is a love story of both film/filmmaking and his family, especially his mother. We get to witness how it all started, a trip to the movies with his parents to see a spectacle of Cecil B. DeMille’s The Greatest Show on Earth. Having trouble dealing with a traumatic car crash detected in the film, Sammy’s mother suggests that he film with his father’s home movie camera, a recreation of the scene using his toy train. This sparks the filmmaker in Sammy, and we see through his childhood and into his teenage years just how making movies became a passion for Sammy. This passion is beautifully expressed when Sammy’s Uncle Boris, played by the fabulous Judd Hirsch, tells Sammy how he is different from most people. That Sammy loves his family, but his love and passion for art supersedes everything else. It’s a small but moving scene that lets us know making movies is the thing that drives Sammy. The film is filled with brilliant performances, but it’s the role of Michelle Williams as Sammy’s fiery, funny, and sometimes slightly insane mother that drives this film and creates all the drama in the movie. Williams, channeling a bit of Judy Garland, is absolutely breathtaking as Mitzi, a woman who, like Sammy, has a fire for art. In her case, it’s music, but she sees that same love of creating in Sammy, encourages him to explore it, and becomes his biggest fan. It’s a role that dominates the scenes Williams is in and is sure to bring her another Oscar nomination (her 5th) for her role as this madcap, emotional woman who thinks nothing of taking her children in the car to follow a tornado that has suddenly appeared in their town. This film is filled with incredible performances throughout the film, including Gabriel LaBelle, who portrays Sammy in his teen years, giving us a moving and funny look at a boy turning into a man who loves his mother but is torn by a secret he discovers about her. Paul Dano gives us a father in Burt who loves science and loves his wife but can’t quite connect and understand both his wife’s and his son’s obsession with something that isn’t practical or, in his eyes, useful. I think by reading my reviews over the years, you know I share this same passion for film, and I love that Steven Spielberg has given us a film that so wonderfully and beautifully expresses that love. Please go see The Fabelmans in a movie theatre where it deserves to be seen so you can immerse yourself into the magical world of Sammy and his madcap, funny and loving family. And maybe, discover that you also share that love of movies.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Fabelman's Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Familyfaire: Strange World (2022) PG   Searcher (Jake Gyllenhaal) is the son of legendary explorer and all-around hero Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid). Ever since his dad died when he was young, Searcher has been trying to leave that life behind. However, the world needs saving, and now Searcher must lead his family of explorers on a mission to find the source of what threatens their way of life. I loved the animation full of wild colors and even wilder animals as the explorers encounter a strange new world full of magical creatures. I wish the story matched the magic of the animation, but I found the tale a bit boring and most of the characters dull. I found the story a bit hard to follow, and I was a bit bored. Kids may love all the beautiful creatures, especially a blue sort of talking blob named Splat that takes a liking to Searcher’s teenage son. I wish the writing had matched the brilliant animation, but alas, this is one story that the explorers couldn’t find.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Strange World Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Indiefest: Bones and All (2022) R  Maren (Taylor Russell) is a young woman who has been abandoned by her father and is on the run. Maren meets Lee (Timothee Chalamet), and Maren finds out quickly that they share a deep, dark secret. A secret that Maren thought she was the only one to have. Okay, I’m going to give away a bit of the plot. Maren and Lee are both cannibals. They belong to a sort of secret society of people who like to eat people and will do about anything, including killing, to satisfy their desires. In the middle of this madness is the love story between the two odd souls that have, by chance, found each other and, no pun intended, can’t live without each other. The film is way too long and asks us to forgive the two’s killing spree because they are in love and in weighed down by the way too over-the-top performance by Mark Rylance, a fellow cannibal lover who takes Maren under his wing but gets too attached to her, and she tries to run from him. I will say that I did enjoy Taylor Russell's performance, as she lights up the screen in every scene. However, I think this is a film that will surely disappoint a lot of Chalamet fans who aren’t getting the sweet romance that they may want.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Bones and All Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Devotion  (2022) PG-13  Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors) is doing something many people in the Navy thought impossible, becoming the first Black aviator to earn his wings through the Naval basic training program. Now he must team with his new wingman, Tom Hudner (Glen Powell), and fight a war in Korea, a war that will test their skill and friendship. I like this film about friendship and the experience of being the only Black aviator in the Navy, but I wanted it to be grittier and more down to earth. The film is bolstered by the outstanding performance of Jonathan Majors, playing a man who is determined to make it on his own without the help or pity from his fellow aviators. The film also has exciting flying sequences that are thrilling to watch before and during the Korean War. I guess I just wanted a tougher edge to this film, and it seems to set its sight on appealing to as broad an audience as possible, one that wants a good buddy picture about being in war. Devotion is a fine film, but I think it could have been more.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Devotion Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Indiefest: Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams (2020) PG   Documentary that tells the extraordinary story of Salvatore Ferragamo, who came to America as a teen and became the shoemaker to the stars in Hollywood. He then left Hollywood, went back to Italy, and founded the namesake luxury brand the world adores. I never understood the fascination of how some people just go nuts over shoes until after seeing this film. The artistry and skill that Ferragamo put into his shoemaking is simply amazing. It’s a remarkable story about a man who, at a very young age, started his career and, through skill and determination, became one of the most in-demand shoemakers in the world. I will admit that the first half of the film is the part I enjoyed, showcasing Salvatore’s travels from Italy to America and then his work in Hollywood during the height of the silent film days. The film lags when Salvatore decides to move back to Italy and leans far too heavily on interviews with family members, who tell long-winded stories that rarely pay off. Still, there are the shoes that Ferragamo made shown throughout the film that anyone who loves the art of the shoes will love.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams website  Now playing in select theatres 

Forgotten Film: Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002) R  Wilbur (Jamie Sives) is a man who has spent most of his life in and out of mental institutions. Wilbur also keeps trying to commit suicide but keeps failing. He has been left his dad’s bookstore in Glasgow and lives above the store with his brother, Harbour (Adrian Rawlins). They have a consistent customer in Alice (Shirley Henderson), secretly in love with Harbour. Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself is a sweet, strange film about people trying to find their place in the world and maybe also find love. Wilbur is kind of a weird guy that you can’t help but like, and you want everything to work out for this trio. I won’t go into detail about what happens, but it's a fun, screwy film filled with quirky relationships and even stranger people.   My Rating; Bargain Matinee   Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Fabelmans: Snow Effects Technician

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Violent Night (2022) R   When a group of mercenaries attack the estate of a wealthy family, a little girl asks for help on Christmas Eve. Santa Claus (David Harbour) is about to answer the little girl's wish and finds out who has been naughty. In fact, its not going to be such a silent night after all and Santa isn't Ho Ho Hoing around.  Full of violence and Santa magic, the trailer makes this look like this could be a lot of fun.  Violent Night Website  Coming to theaters in early December.

Until Next Time!

Halloween Ends

My View: Halloween Ends (2022) R Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) has finally found peace and put the whole specter of Michael Myers behind her. When a young man, Corey (Rohan Campbell), is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, igniting a cascade of violence and terror that can only be the work of one person…Michael. I am a huge fan of the 1978 original film, and I loved the 2018 film where Laurie and Michael square up once again. Unfortunately, this film doesn’t even come close to the magic of those films. Michael Myers is almost a side-piece character in this film, as the movie centers on Corey, a young man troubled by a past that the town won’t let him forget. The film is taken down from the start by the romance between Laurie’s granddaughter (Andi Matichak) and Corey, who she sees as a fellow soul hounded by their past. Their meetup is painfully set up, and the attraction is there from the moment they lock eyes, just like a rom-com (which it most definitely isn’t). The film has a bunch of killings, but they are neither imaginative nor scary, and it has an ending that is jaw-droppingly bad. I hope Jamie Lee got a big check and stands by her statement that this is the last Halloween film she will do. Halloween Ends? Yes, please end it.  My Rating: Cable   Halloween Ends Website Now playing in theatres nationwide and on the Peacock platform.

My View: Till (2022)  PG-13 In 1955 Emmett Till, while he was visiting relatives, was murdered in a brutal lynching in Mississippi. His mother, Mamie Till-Mobley (Danielle Deadwyler), vowed to show the world what they did to her son and, in doing so, undoubtedly changed a nation. The film centers around Mamie, the mother of Emmett, who made some incredibly hard choices and decided to let the world see what evil did to her beautiful son. Danielle Deadwyler gives us a powerful and multi-faceted performance that is heartbreaking to watch, giving us a woman whose life and love have been destroyed by men who wanted to show how above the law they thought they were. The scene where Mamie meets Emmett’s coffin at the train station is gut-wrenching, making it the most moving part of the film. The movie does a great job of letting us see the horrific results of Emmett’s torture without letting it overpower the story of one woman standing up to the horrors of the world. Till is Mamie’s story and Danielle Deadwyler gives us a performance worthy of her character and what she stood for.   My Rating: Full Price   Till Website   Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Rosaline (2022) PG-13  Rosaline is a comedic retelling of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ told from the point of view of Romeo’s jilted ex, Rosaline (Kaitlyn Dever). Rosaline was the woman Romeo first claimed to love before he dumped her for Juliet, and Rosaline isn’t too happy about it. This is a fun romp of a film, where the characters are in Shakespeare’s time but talk and act like they are living among us now. There is an amusing scene at the beginning of the film, where Romeo is courting Rosaline on a balcony, of course, and starts spouting off Shakespearian lines. Rosaline looks at him like he is an idiot and asks him what the heck he is saying. Kaitlyn Dever is perfect in the role of Rosaline, who loses her love, Romeo, to Juliet and then tries to scheme ways to get him back. The film rambles on a bit, but Dever is a blast to watch in this role, making it a joy to watch.   My Rating: Full Price   Rosaline Website  Now playing on the Hulu platform.

Indiefest: Stars at Noon (2022) R  Stars at Noon takes place in 1984 Nicaragua, where an English businessman (Joe Alwyn) and an American journalist (Margaret Qualley) meet at a bar and start a passionate romance. Be careful who you fall into bed with. It could get you into a dangerous labyrinth of lies, murder, and conspiracies you might never escape. With two main characters you don’t like, a plot that gets more confusing and convoluted as it goes along, almost no chemistry between its two leads, and you get a film that seems to go on forever and still get nowhere. You never can figure out what the Englishman is up to (I don’t even know if he has a name), and you don’t like the American journalist (to call her a journalist is pushing it) from the start, so it’s hard to root for these two lost people who don’t seem to belong to anyone or anywhere.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Stars at Noon Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Familyfaire: The Curse of Bridge Hollow (2022) TV-14  Sydney (Priah Ferguson) and her family move to a new town that takes Halloween very seriously. Unfortunately, Sydney has accidentally released an ancient curse that causes all the decorations to come alive in the town. It’s up to Sydney to save the town, but she will need help from the last person she wants to team up with, her dad (Marlon Wayans). This is just a fun, goofy, sometimes stupid, and enjoyable family film that will have the kids watching for the monsters and the silly jokes. The plot is predictable; some of the come-to-life monsters are enjoyable to watch, and the film moves along at a brisk pace. Nothing is too scary, and as you would think, Marlon makes a lot of wisecracks and outlandish reactions in the movie. Priah Ferguson is fun to watch, especially when she is battling some of the monsters, but this is a film you will see once and soon forget.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Curse of Bridge Hollow Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Tár (2022) R Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett) is considered one of the greatest living composer/conductors and has recently become the first-ever female chief conductor of a major orchestra, but Lydia’s world is about to come crashing down around her, and there may not be anything she can do to stop it. Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett) is considered one of the greatest living composer/conductors and has recently become the first-ever female chief conductor of a major orchestra, but Lydia’s world is about to come crashing down around her, and there may not be anything she can do to stop it. Blanchett gives a tour de force performance as the talented but flawed Lydia Tar, a woman so sure of herself that she doesn’t see her downfall coming. It’s a masterful performance in which Blanchett speaks several languages without a hitch, plays the piano, and even sings while accompanying herself on an accordion. This is the story of someone who believes that they can get away with just about anything because they are talented and gifted, even when their world is crumbling around them. Tar is a classical music fan’s dream, giving you an inside look at how an orchestra works under a conductor and the power that they possess. Equally impressive is the use of the camera. There is a remarkable sequence where Lydia is teaching a class at Julliard, and the camera seems to follow her around effortlessly as she puts a student in his place, giving us a lecture that encompasses everything from music to race relations. Lydia is not a person you will like; in fact, by the end of the film, you will probably despise her and probably revel in her downfall. You will also be reveling in the performance of Blanchett, something that we will be talking about for a long time.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    Tar Website  Now playing in select theatres.

Forgotten Film: Running on Empty (1988) PG-13 The Popes (Christine Lahti, Judd Hirsch) are a married couple who have been on the run since the 1960s when as part of a radical group, they blew up a building that, unknown to them at the time, had a janitor inside. They have raised their son, Danny (River Phoenix), by changing towns every few years, using their fake names, and always being careful never to stand out. Danny, though has a talent. He is a gifted piano player, and a local high school teacher gets him a scholarship to Juilliard. Now the Popes must decide; should they go back on the run or let Danny tell everyone who he is and get the future he deserves? Running on Empty is a beautiful and moving film directed by five-time nominated Sidney Lumet and has an outstanding supporting cast, including Martha Plimpton, who plays Danny’s girlfriend, L.M. Kit Carson as a former radical partner of the Popes and Steven Hill as the long-estranged grandfather of Danny’s. River Phoenix gives a powerful performance as the kid who has never known a future that didn’t involve lying and running and now must decide to stick with his parents or go on his own. The late River Phoenix got his only Oscar nomination for this role, and it’s a great one.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Running on Empty Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Till: Rigging Medic

Coming Soon to Screen Near You: The Fabelmans (2022) PG-13 Growing up in post-World War II Arizona, Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) begins making home movies and learns how the power of film can help us see the truth about each other and ourselves. The Fabelmans is Steven Spielberg’s film about how he fell in love with movies. The cast includes Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, and Judd Hirsch.  The Fabelmans Website  The film will open in theatres in late November. 

Until Next Time!

Bridge of Spies

My View:  Bridge of Spies (2015)  PG-13  Brooklyn lawyer James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks) works for an insurance company during the height of the Cold War. He is volunteered by his company to be the lawyer of an accused Russian spy.  Donovan finds himself at the center of a “war of nerves” between the United States and the Soviet Union.  This is a big, sprawling Hollywood film that Steven Spielberg is so good at directing, and it opens with an almost silent sequence that perfectly sets up the remainder of the film. This is a role that is tailor-made for Tom Hanks who plays the determined lawyer who seems part every man and part brilliant lawyer. Hanks plays Donovan as a man who, while somewhat easygoing, is committed to do the right thing and is compassionate about his fellow man. Hanks plays his character as a man who can find humor in almost any situation. It’s that sense of humor that helps his character deal with the desperate situations that he gets into in the film. I had a hard time coming up with anyone else who could play this role so well. George Clooney, maybe, but he would have to tone down the smart aleck vibe that Clooney often tends to give out on the screen. Bridge of Spies is the type of big “Hollywood “ film that is so hard to pull off, but Spielberg succeeds. He brings us a tale that is tension filled and thrilling but also filled with small, emotional scenes that make this film so enjoyable to watch. It helps when your leading man is up to the task of a very demanding role of a character that is willing to take on the world.   My Rating: Full Price   Bridge of Spies Website

My View:  Crimson Peak  (2015)  R  Set in England in the late 19th century, Edith (Mia Wasikowska) falls in love and marries Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston). They move to Sir Sharpe’s mansion, a crumbling home that harbors some sinister entities that will threaten Edith’s life. Crimson Peak is not a horror story but a Gothic romance with a mystery built-in. There are some stunning looking ghosts, but they never deliver the scare that you want. The film looks incredibly beautiful and striking; with a set design that creates a mansion that is gloomy and menacing, making it another character in the movie. This movie is all flash and very little substance, with the cast being let down by a script that is highly predictable. I did enjoy Jessica Chastain as Sharpe’s very strange sister, but it doesn’t make up for a script whose ending I figured out almost from the start of the film. There is a rather gruesome death in the first half that may disturb some viewers.     My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Crimson Peak Website

My View:  Steve Jobs  (2015) R   A look at the founder and leader of Apple, Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender). The film is set backstage at three iconic product launches and gives us a look at the man, the myth and the legend.  This is a scintillating film about a complex, brilliant but flawed man who changed the way we use technology. The film is revealed in three sections and takes place before three separate product launches. The film isn’t about the product launches, but it’s mostly about the relationships that Jobs has with his fellow workers and family. Fassbender is mesmerizing as Jobs, and while he does not look or talk like Jobs, he has still captured the essence of the man. Kate Winslet gives a sure Oscar-nominated performance as Jobs’ Marketing Manager who is the only person who can tell Jobs the truth about how badly or well he is handling his personal relationships. The script, by Aaron Sorkin, is fast moving with witty and dazzling dialogue. The direction by Danny Boyle is perfection with some luminous camera work. It’s a fascinating film that gives us an inside look at the man who changed how we deal with daily life.    My Rating: Full Price    Steve Jobs Website  

Indiefest:  Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon (2015)   R   Documentary about the humor magazine that created a culture through its magazine and movies that changed comedy forever.  National Lampoon was a humor magazine long before it started putting out movies. It was irreverent, sometimes vulgar and always contained shots of topless women in humorous situations. Its covers were legendary, and some of the most brilliant comedy writers got their start at the magazine.  This film is funny and  insightful with excellent interviews  from Lampooners like Chevy Chase and P.J. O’Rourke. There is fascinating footage of people like John Belushi and Gilda Radner who worked on National Lampoon projects, and the stories of the glory days of the magazine will amaze you. I do want to warn you that there many on-screen inappropriate things   My Rating: Full Price   Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead Website

Indiefest:  Beasts of No Nation (2015)  R  Agu (Abrahma Attah) has a good life. He lives in a village with his family and goes to school that is run by his father. It’s a loving family, and while Agu gets into a bit of mischief from time to time, he’s a good kid. All that changes when civil war breaks out. His mother and his baby brother are sent away to escape the war, and then government forces invade the village and kill his father and brother. Agu escapes into the wilderness, eventually being captured by Commandant (Idris Elba) and his band of rebels. Agu is soon indoctrinated into the rebel army, and he is now a soldier in a war that will destroy a lot of lives. This is a powerful movie that is tough to watch at times due to the extreme violence of war and the psychological abuse by Commandant to get Agu and the rest of child warriors to commit to the cause. Idris Elba is superb as the fascinating but brutal Commandant, a man who expects his men to lay down their lives for the cause. Abrahma Attah is amazing in the role of Agu, a child whose life is turned into hell by a war that no one seems to win. Beasts of No Nation is a film that will stay with you for a while, and you will feel that you have spent time in a world that has been turned upside down.   My Rating: Full Price   Beasts of No Nation Website

Family Faire:  Goosebumps (2015) PG   Zac (Dylan Minnette) moves to a small town and meets Hannah (Odeya Rush) and her father, the famous writer R.L. Stine (Jack Black) the creator of the children’s horror series “Goosebumps.”  Zac mistakenly opens one of R.L. Stine’s manuscripts that releases every ghost and ghoul from Stine’s works. Now Zac, Hannah, and her father must team up to try and get the monsters back where they belong. Fans of the book series are going to love this film and parents will enjoy it also. It’s a funny and creative film that tells a new original tale that is an imaginative take on the horror film. I thought Minette had great chemistry with Rush, making their attraction seem real. The monsters are fun (though maybe too scary for the under six crowd), and the story moves quickly once the Stine’s creations are released. Goosebumps was not shot in 3-D, so save the extra bucks. It’s a fun film that while not a great movie, was a blast to watch.    My Take: Bargain Matinee   Goosebumps Website

Forgotten Film:  Matinee (1993)  PG  At the height of the Cold War, exploitation filmmaker, Lawrence Woosley (John Goodman), has brought his latest film, “Mant,” to town. Woolsey’s “Mant” is a grade B-picture about a man who has mutated into a giant ant. To bring in an audience, Woolsey is setting up the theatre with devices to thrill theatre goers and possibly keep them from noticing how bad the film is. Gene (Simon Fenton) is attempting to woo a girl by taking her to the film. This is a fun, funny film about a time when technology was simpler and movies were trying to stand out from TV shows. There are some great laughs, and the film shows just how far and how desperate filmmakers were.    My Rating:  Full Price   Matinee Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Crimson Peak: Piano Coach for Jessica Chastain

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Rock the Kasbah (2015) R  Richie (Bill Murray) is a rock manager who has seen better times. While taking his last remaining artist on a USO tour in Afghanistan, he finds himself in Kabul and discovers a young Afghan girl who he mentors while she competes on the Afghanistan version of American Idol.  Besides Bill Murray, the cast includes Bruce Willis, Kate Hudson, Zooey Deschanel and Danny McBride. Rock the Kasbah Website

Until Next Time!