Marty Supreme

My View:  Marty Supreme   (2025)  R   Marty Supreme is about Marty Mauser (Timothée Chalamet), a man in 1950s New York City who believes he is the world’s best ping-pong player. Marty is out to prove it and is willing to take on anybody to show he is the best. Timothée Chalamet gives a mesmerizing performance as a man who is convinced that table tennis is the next big sport to take the world by storm, and that he is the man to bring the sport the glory and attention it deserves. Because Marty believes he deserves it too. Marty is a character that you love to hate, but in the end, you also want him to succeed, in spite of himself. To say Marty is full of himself would be putting it mildly, as he is convinced he is not only great but that he deserves a lot more admiration and attention than he is getting. Chalamet gives us a man who has no humanity but is still, at his heart, has a humanity about him, that is there, you just have to dig a bit to find it, and Chalamet and filmmaker Josh Safdie allow us to see it, even if it is just a glance or two. This is a film that asks you to hold on to the coattails of Marty and hold on tight, because he is going to give you a ride that doesn’t seem to slow down or stop for anyone or anything. It’s a thrilling performance in a movie that makes you want to go to the theater. Marty Supreme is a ride that you won’t forget; you may need some oxygen by the end, and you will think back in wonder at what Mr. Chalamet and Mr. Safdie have created. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Marty Supreme Website  Now playing in theaters

My View: Anaconda  (2025) PG-13  In Anaconda, Doug (Jack Black) and Griff (Paul Rudd) decide it's time to realize their lifelong dream: remaking the 1997 film Anaconda. With their friends in tow as actors/crew, the pair go to the jungle where they encounter a real giant anaconda that is intent on killing them all. I was worried when I heard they were remaking the fun but pretty bad 1997 film starring JLo, Jon Voight, and Ice Cube. However, this isn’t a remake. It’s the story of two lifelong friends who had a dream when they were kids to make a feature film together, and they think it’s their destiny to remake Anaconda. As you would expect, things go horribly wrong, including a giant snake, and I mean giant, that shows up to ruin the fun. I am not a huge fan of Jack Black, as his overacting ‘act’ can get old pretty quickly in a film. However, this film does something cool. They make fun of Black and his overreaction, while also making fun of Rudd as a small-time TV actor who thinks he is better than he really is. The film is a bit slow at the start, but as soon as the gang gets to the Amazon, the fun begins, and then, when the giant snake shows up. This is a snake that, just like any other horror film, is not satisfied with killing people; it wants to destroy them. Anaconda is such a fun film to watch, and the section with Black’s character being used as snake bait is the funniest film scene of the year. This time of year, I am watching a ton of films that are trying to win awards, so it’s nice and fun to watch a film that just wants you to have a good time. And be sure to stick around past the first portion of the credits for a bonus scene that you don’t want to miss. My Rating: Full Price  Anaconda Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Song Sung Blue  (2025)  PG-13   Song Sung Blue is about Mike “Lightning” Sardina (Hugh Jackman), who is barely making it as a journeyman musician until he meets Claire (Kate Hudson) and they team up to become the Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder. Just when things are turning around for the pair, tragedy strikes, and nothing will ever be the same again. If you love Neil Diamond, you will love this movie. If you like him, as I do, you will like this movie. And if you don’t like Mr. Diamond, don’t go see this movie because they sing a lot of Neil Diamond songs, and most of the time they sing the whole song, not just a montage of hits. Having seen the documentary about the real-life team of Lightning & Thunder, I knew the story well and, like the documentary, I enjoyed the first half of this film much more than the second. I won’t tell you what happens, but when tragedy strikes, the film can’t find its footing, and we wait too long for the turnaround you know a film like this will take. As usual, Jackman is a showman, and he is so much fun to watch as Lightning when he is on stage or singing to anyone. I loved Kate Hudson’s voice, and she can hold her own with the talented Jackman. However, the film falters when it tries to be serious, with dialogue that seems forced and cliched. Song Sung Blue is an enjoyable film about a love story of two people, but also their love of performing. I just wish that joy had made it all the way to the second half of the film.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Song Sung Blue Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  No Other Choice  (2025)  R  In No Other Choice, Man-su (Lee Brung-hun) is doing well as a long-time employee of a paper company, living with his wife and child in a beautiful home. When his company is bought by a competitor, Man-us loses his job and is about to lose his house when he comes up for another job. His only problem is that there are some men who are more qualified than he is for the job. His solution: eliminate them. This is a very dark comedy where every scene is carefully crafted to have an impact, whether immediately or later on in the film. One moment you are laughing about a man who is trying to decide what flower pot to throw down on a person to kill them, and then another moment when you realize that this person is intent on actually killing someone. Lee Brung-hun is masterful at showing such a wide range of emotions, giving us a hero we have to quickly decide whether to root for or want to see fail. Director Park Chan-wook gives a film that shows the desperation of the times, how reason and humanity can go by the wayside just to keep up with what the next household has. The question at the end of the film is, Are you happy with the outcome? It’s a question that Park Chan-wook would love to hear your answer to. My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again  No Other Choice Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  The Choral  (2025)  R  The Choral is set in 1916 England, where the country is in the midst of World War I, and a small town has just lost its choirmaster to the army, with only weeks before their annual performance. The town takes a chance and hires Dr. Henry Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes), a man who has talent and an ego to match. For many of the men in the choir, it could be the last time they will ever sing again. Ralph Fiennes gives a nuanced, complex performance on screen as a man hiding his love for another man (who has gone off to war) while being given a job he feels is beneath him. This is an old-fashioned British film where the town rallies around a cause and puts aside its differences to put on a show. The film wants to be more than it should be, and so we get a lot of stories to fill out the plot, most of which don’t pay off in the end. I never felt fully invested in the storyline, feeling that I could have used more of Dr. Guthrie’s backstory and less about some of the townspeople he is trying to whip into shape. My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Choral Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  The Testament of Ann Lee  (2025)  R  The Testament of Ann Lee tells the story of Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried), the 18th-century founder of the Shaker Movement. Lee, through sheer will, forged a utopian society in which members worshiped by singing and dancing, often provoking the dismay of others. This is one of the weirdest musicals I have ever seen, and I loved it, mostly because of the magnificent Amanda Seyfried, who gives a tour de force performance as the leader of the Shaker Movement. Seyfried is the fiery woman who becomes someone who radiates charisma, making people want to follow her. It’s a powerful, at times beautiful, performance that is a joy to watch. The Shaker religion was at its height in the early days of America and was known for its intense, overpowering dancing during worship. From the very first scenes of the film, when we see a group of men and women dancing and singing in the forest, you realize that this will not be an ordinary movie, and you would be right. This isn’t a movie for everyone, as there are songs that just have to be seen/heard to be believed. That includes a song about Ann, who has four babies that all die before they are one. The dance sequences are incredibly complex and are a marvel to watch, especially when done in the tight quarters of the Shaker houses and halls. The music is based on original Shaker songs, and you can see how their construction raises the emotions and frenzy of the believers. The Testament of Ann Lee is a fascinating film that should be seen on the big screen to be amazed at the songs and dances that tell the story of a religion that has almost died out in modern times. My Rating: Full Price  The Testament of Ann Lee Website   Now playing in select theaters

My View: Cover-Up  (2025) R  Cover-Up is a documentary on the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Seymour Hersh, who has made his life's work exposing scandals, including the war crimes committed by the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Seymour Hersh has made a career out of having people tell him secrets while hiding their identity, so it’s no surprise that it took 20 years for the filmmakers to talk him into doing a documentary about himself. It’s also no surprise that halfway through the film, he wants to quit because he thinks he is giving too much away and endangering all the people who trusted him to tell the truth to the world that they couldn’t dare to. This isn’t just a great film about journalism but also about having the guts and integrity to write the stories that Hersh has broken over the years. I was shocked watching this film about the number of stories that Hersh has broken and how our government has tried to cover up so many ugly deeds. It’s a brilliant look at a man who believes in the truth and will dig deep to find it. The film is also a reminder of how powerful journalism can be when reporters like Hersh stand up to the powerful. It’s an engrossing look at a man who has held on to the idea that the free press is one of the most important aspects of our democracy, and if you don’t believe it, go back and read the work that he has done for the past 50 years.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Cover-Up Website  In select theaters and on Netflix on Friday, December 26, 2025

Indiefest: The Plague  (2025)  R   In The Plague, Ben (Everett Blunck) arrives at the summer camp water polo training program. It’s hard for a shy kid to belong, and no matter how much Ben strives to fit in, he ultimately gets targeted by bullies. Ben’s only possible help is Eli (Kenny Rasmussen), a kid nicknamed “The Plague” because of a skin condition, who is also a victim of bullying. While not an outright horror film, it is about the horrors of bullying and how the herd mentality can take over to torment. Everett Blunck gives a performance beyond his years, of a kid who wants to fit in but also aspires to be a good guy and reach out to the strange kid everyone mocks. Things go bad for Ben, and he becomes a target of the gang. I loved the cinematography of the film as well as the score, both of which build the tension, especially in the scenes in the pool where it’s every kid for himself. I will warn you that the film's ending is quite shocking and very disturbing, but it fits with the rest of the film, where bullies rule the pool, and there’s no way to escape. My Rating: Full Price    The Plague Website  Now playing in select theaters

My View: Goodbye June  (2025)  R  In Goodbye June, four siblings are forced to come together after years of fighting to see their ailing mother (Helen Mirren) In Goodbye June, four siblings are forced to come together after years of fighting to see their ailing mother (Helen Mirren) during the holiday season before she passes away. Kate Winslet not only stars in the film but also directs it, and she shows a good grasp of the story and how to tell it to an audience. Unfortunately, a film with a cast that includes Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall, Toni Collette, Johnny Flynn, and Andrea Riseborough should be outstanding, and it isn’t. Instead, it follows a well-worn path of a family that has to mend the past to confront the loss of the one member who seems to hold everything together. It’s a film whose script goes for easy moments, trying to tug at the heartstrings with characters who seem one-dimensional. The film tries too hard to tug at our heartstrings, rather than letting us understand the characters and where they are coming from. I hope next time Winslet will pick a script written by someone other than a relative and tackle something with more depth. My Rating: Cable  Goodbye June Info  Now playing on Netflix and in some select theaters

Forgotten Film:  Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point  (2024)  PG-13  On Christmas Eve, a huge family gathers together for their annual party in what could be the last gathering in their ancestral home. As tensions rise, drinking begins, and the teenagers sneak out of the house to make it another memorable time in Miller’s Point. Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point is a movie that feels like you have been invited to a family home for Christmas Eve, but have never met anyone in the family before. From the start, we are thrown into the family car, sharing the back of the station wagon with a kid looking at the Christmas lights from upside down, as the father drives with almost uncaring abandon. We arrive at the home, and the party is already going on, with no introductions to anyone. This is a film where you will get to know some of the family members better than others, as they bicker over whether the aging mother should be put in a home, kids run rampant in the house, and teens are sullenly waiting for the adults to start drinking so they can sneak away. Some of the family’s stories are left open-ended, while others we see the consequences by the film’s end. Christmas in Miller’s Point is a film that lets us share in the excitement of a big, loving family on a night when gifts are given and love is present. My Rating: Full Price  Christmas Eve in Miller's Point Info Not enough people saw this film when it came out last year, so go see it on Disney+ or Hulu!

Weird Credits:  From Song Sung Blue:  Dresser to Mr. Jackman

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple  (2026) R Taking place after the events of 28 Years Later, Spike (Alfie Williams) has joined Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal’s (Jack O’Connell) gang as they go on a killing spree. Meanwhile, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) forms a new relationship with one of the undead that could have world-changing consequences. This is the fourth installment of the 28 Days Later film series.  28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Website The film is in theaters on Friday, January 16, 2026.

A Complete Unknown

My View:  A Complete Unknown  (2024) R  A Complete Unknown begins in 1961, when a young man from Minnesota arrives in New York City with only a few clothes and a guitar on his back. That man was Bobby Dylan (Timothée Chalamet), and in just a few short years, he would become a worldwide folk singer sensation. But Bob wanted more, and he was about to set the folk world on fire. I am a huge Bob Dylan fan and have seen him in concert 8 times, including my first time with his Rolling Thunder Revue in the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, in January 1976. I still can’t believe that my parents let me and a bunch of teenage nerds drive 3 hours to Houston to see a concert. I had high expectations for this film, and I am pleased to say that it lives up to them. Timothée Chalamet is dazzling in what is undoubtedly an Oscar-nominated performance. Chalamet captures the essence of Dylan up on the screen, while his singing is spot on in the familiar Dylan cadence and tone. It’s a daunting performance, and Chalamet nails it. In fact, all three leads, Chalamet as Dylan, Edward Norton as the folk singer Pete Seeger, and Monica Barbaro as the legendary singer/songwriter Joan Baez, are brilliant in their roles. I loved Norton as Pete Seeger, a man who has been forgotten but was a huge star in the 50s/60s and was known as one of the nicest guys ever to play the musical stage. It's an uncanny performance where Norton effortlessly slips into the character. Monica Barbaro has the most demanding role in the film, as Baez was a singer who had a unique vocal style and range. Barbaro is a force to be reckoned with, even when sharing the screen with Chalamet. When Dylan hit the scene in New York, Baez was the toast of the town and was a huge star in the folk circles. That Dylan was soon to eclipse her is part of the film’s story. The film does a remarkable job of allowing us to watch Dylan navigate his way through stardom, but it never attempts to explain who he is or what he is thinking. That’s because only Bob Dylan knows what the hell is going on in the world that he has created for himself. Also, as Joan says early on, Bob Dylan was and is an asshole. While I loved this film, it's more for the performances than the story, which goes on a little too long and is over-filled with songs. Despite any flaws, A Complete Unknown is filled with brilliant performances and Bob Dylan's music, and that's all you can ask for. Oh, and one more thing: I love Boyd Holbrook as an actor, but he is too pretty to be playing Johnny Cash.  My Rating: Full Price  A Complete Unknown Website Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Nosferatu  (2024)  R  Nosferatu tells the tale of an obsession between a newly married young woman (Lily-Rose Depp) who is haunted by her dreams and a master vampire, Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), who is so infatuated with her he travels across the ocean to be near her. I am a massive fan of films from the silent era, and one of the best is the 1922 film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, directed by the great F. W. Murnau. You have probably never seen the movie, but I can guarantee you that you have scenes from the film as it has constantly been used in music videos and commercials, notably the Queen/David Bowie music video for ‘Under Pressure.’ Now filmmaker Robert Eggers put his stamp on a remake of the silent film that unquestionably delivers the dark gothic feeling from the original film. Nosferatu is a film about desire, and how that desire can take hold of you, making you do things you would never think you would do in the right frame of mind. Lily-Rose Depp plays Ellen, a newlywed to Thomas (Nicholas Hoult), both eager to start their lives together. Ellen is a woman who has had vivid nightmares since her younger days, some of which cause her to sleepwalk, and those nightmares have recently returned in frequency and intensity. Unfortunately, Thomas has been given a great opportunity. If he completes the sale of a castle to a foreign buyer, he will get a huge promotion. However, Thomas must leave his wife behind and travel a long distance to a remote castle to conduct the paperwork in person. Little does Thomas know that this is a trap, and the man he is to see is the one who has been invading Ellen’s dreams, Count Orlok. The Count is intent on moving near Ellen and taking her for his own. Nosferatu is a brilliant gothic horror film, where Eggers takes the source material and makes it his own. The original Nosferatu is known for its groundbreaking cinematography and set designs. Eggers, known for his films The Witch (2015), The Lighthouse (2019), and The Northman (2022), puts his own look and feel on the tale while also harking back to the shots that Murnau gave us. It’s an impressive-looking film, with tons of dark passages, lonely streets, and a woman’s bedroom that becomes the focus of a madman driven to find a woman he has been desiring for years. Bill Skarsgård plays the Count, and it’s a performance infused of evil and lust. Eggers and his cinematographer, Jarin Blaschle, don’t let us see the full features of the Count until near the end of the film when the horror that has been building comes to a head. Nosferatu is a masterful work that lovers of gothic horror will thoroughly enjoy. And it has an ending that will keep you talking about long after you have walked out of the theater. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Nosferatu Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Babygirl  (2024)  R   In Babygirl, a high-powered CEO, Romy (Nicole Kidman), has everything she’s ever desired except one thing. She finds it in a torrid affair with her much younger intern, Samuel (Harris Dickinson). November is a month when film critics are inundated with screenings/screeners where studios want us to see films before we vote on the best films of the year. So I saw Babygirl a month ago and I am glad that I had time to reflect on the film, as my opinion has changed quite a bit as I have thought about the film. Now, it had nothing to do with the performances, as I think Nicole Kidman could easily get her sixth nomination for Best Performance by an Actress. And Harris Dickinson is outstanding as the young man who sees an opportunity to have some fun with a woman who he almost instantly sees as someone who is missing something in her life. And that something is that Romy wants to be in a role-playing submissive/dominant relationship, something that she feels she will never get from her husband, Jacob (Antonio Banderas), with whom her sex life is boring and unfulfilling. The more I thought about this film, the more I enjoyed that this wasn’t your typical high-powered CEO taking advantage of a younger person. Instead, it was two consenting adults who started a sexual relationship where each wanted something from the other person but were also careful and respectful of that person, pushing the boundaries but never going too far. The film doesn’t pass judgment on these two people. Babygirl creates a lot of suspense in how far the relationship will go and if they will ever be caught. Will it destroy Romy’s career and her marriage? Will others in the company find out about the relationship and use it over Romy? You will have to watch to find out. And give the film some time to percolate in your brain before you come to a conclusion about it.  My Rating: Full Price  Babygirl Website Now playing in theaters.

My View:  The Fire Inside  (2024)  PG-13  The Fire Inside tells the story of Claressa ’T-Rex’ Shields (Ryan Destiny), a boxer from Flint, Michigan, who, with the help of a local gym owner, Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry), trained to become the first American woman in history to win an Olympic gold medal. Claressa realizes that a gold medal doesn’t matter when you’re trying to support your family. The Fire Inside is an outstanding movie based on a real woman, about beating the odds, not just in the ring, but in life as well. Ryan Destiny gives a powerful and moving performance of a young woman who is determined to fight her way to success but is crushed when her success in the ring doesn’t translate to real life in Flint, Michigan. Destiny plays a young woman who doesn’t have the best of home life, is battling the idea that women can’t and shouldn’t box, and the fact that she trains in a gym with limited means but has dreams to one day become an Olympic champion and bring her family wealth and fame. It is rare in a movie when the goal is met halfway through the film as T-Rex, against the odds, wins the first gold medal ever for the American women’s Olympic team (this isn’t a spoiler; it’s in the trailer). But things don’t change for T-Rex when she comes back, and she has to deal with all the problems she had before she won gold. Brian Tyree Henry plays Jason, who reluctantly lets Claressa train at his gym, only to realize she might be the real deal, a woman who can box. Henry was nominated for his role in the 2023 film Causeway, and he just might get another nomination for this role. It is a magical performance of a character who is willing to risk it all for a young woman who has dreams he wants to help come true. There is a scene near the end of the film between Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry that is brilliant between two actors that are bringing magic to the screen. Move over Rocky, there is another rags-to-riches boxing story told here. It just takes a little longer to come true.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Fire Inside Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Forgotten Film: The United States of Leland (2003) R  Leland (Ryan Gosling) is a young man who has been sent to a juvenile hall for killing a special needs kid. A teacher (Don Cheadle) spends time with Leland and convinces Leland to start a journal. The teacher soon figures out that he could write a book on Leland if he could read his journal. All the while, the people in the town where Leland lived are trying to comprehend why it happened and are trying to put their lives back together. Overall, the film attempts to put too many stories into the plot, but Don Cheadle, as the teacher who tries to reach Leland through writing, and Kevin Spacey, as Leland’s estranged father, gives us some great performances. Add in the fact the cast includes Jena Malone, Lena Olin, Michelle Williams, Sherilyn Fenn, and a very young Kerry Washington, making it a film worth watching.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The United States of Leland Info The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon and iTunes.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Brutalist:  Office Cleaner

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Flight Risk  (2025)  A small plane pilot (Mark Wahlberg) is transporting an Air Marshal (Michelle Dockery) accompanying a fugitive (Topher Grace) to trial. As the flight goes across the Alaskan wilderness, tensions rise, and it becomes obvious that everyone on board isn’t who they seem. Two-time Academy Award-winning Mel Gibson directs the film.   Flight Risk Website  In theaters on Friday, January 24, 2025. 

Until Next Time!

Dune: Part Two

My View: Dune: Part Two (2024) PG-13  Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) has found love in Chani (Zendaya) and has the Fremen on his side in getting revenge against the conspirators who murdered his family. Paul may have to choose between love and the universe’s fate as he endeavors to prevent a horrible future only he can foresee. Dune by Frank Herbert was one of those books read by ten-year-old Mike that made me love science fiction. It was a magical ride to a world where a hero rode giant sandworms and battled to save a people from a horrible government. I read it thinking that this will never be a movie. Well, David Lynch tried in the 80s and failed, with a performance by Sting that still gives me nightmares. A couple of TV series also tried. Even a crazy director in Alejandro Jodorowsky attempted to make one, but it never got off the planning stage. Now Denis Villeneuve has brought us Dune in 2021, and now, Dune: Part Two, and to my surprise and the joy of the 10-year-old Mike inside me, he has succeeded. I loved the first film, though I did have a complaint that the film didn’t emphasize enough in the movie about the prophecy of a Messiah coming to save a people. Well, in Part Two, the film is basically about that prophecy and how it haunts Paul. It’s a future that he doesn’t want to happen, but as the story goes along, he realizes he will have to face the fact that it is his one and true path. The film has some outstanding performances, with Chalamet leading the bunch. He is perfect as the man/boy who proves at every turn that he is the person who will save the planet. Chalamet has the charisma and the charm that makes you believe he could lead a people to do the impossible. Zendaya is wonderful as Chani, the woman who, against her better instincts, falls for Paul, even though she is sure that he isn’t the messiah that everyone thinks he is. I loved Dave Batista as the villain who believes his brute force will win every battle. I don’t think there are a lot of big men (looking at you, The Rock) that could do this role with all its twists and turns. And then we have Austin Butler, as the main villain in this film, Feyd-Rautha. He gives us a bad guy to root against who doesn’t care who he hurts or destroys. It’s an over-the-top performance needed for the part he plays, and he is brilliant in it. The film does not feel at all it's 2 hours and 46 minutes length, with the action sequences filling the screen with incredible battles. Please see this film in a theatre, on as big a screen as possible, so you can be overwhelmed like I was with the spectacle of Dune: Part Two.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Dune: Part Two Website    Now playing in theatres nationwide. 

My View: Spaceman (2024) R  Jakub Procházka (Adam Sandler) is the first astronaut from Czechoslovakia. He has been isolated in space for six months on a mission to reach a mysterious cluster of space dust. He desperately misses his wife (Carey Mulligan) and begins obsessing over his marriage when he is given an opportunity to see her again. Is this real or all in his mind? I like and admire when Adam Sandler does dramas instead of his Hey, let's make a comedy with my buddies in a vacation spot type of film. My guess is that most people who see this film on Netflix are hoping for some levity in the drama but there isn’t any in this drab film about a man who is on a solo mission and reflects on his life and how he has treated his wife, who is left behind on Earth while she is pregnant. Almost right from the start, the film pushes the boundaries of whether what Jakub is experiencing is real or all in his mind. The film tries and fails to explore themes like loneliness and selfishness, with Jakub slowly realizing the mistakes he has made in his relationship with his wife. By about halfway through, I was bored with the concept and wanted the film to have even a little bit of conflict or action. However, it never arrived, leaving me lost in space.   My Rating: Cable  Spaceman Website Now playing on Netflix

Indiefest: Outlaw Posse (2024) R Chief (Mario Van Peebles) has returned from years of hiding in Mexico to gather a group of outcasts to reclaim stolen gold from the Civil War. It’s a harsh and unfair world, but Chief plans on righting a few wrongs. Outlaw Posse is a film that seems to be made so that Mario Van Peebles could make a western with his son, Mandela Van Peebles, and bring in some fellow actor friends to make cameo appearances to make the film seem filled with stars. Unfortunately, this is a poorly written film with plot holes so badly dealt with that they give you whiplash as the movie jumps around from one concept to another. It’s a film that tries to do too much and give us speeches while almost nothing happens that couldn’t happen in the film's first fifteen minutes. Added to the mess is a villain that seems to be right out of a 60s comic book, played by William Mapother, who chews up scenery like it is going out of style. I love Westerns, but this one is just like Chief continually firing his six-shooters. It’s just shooting blanks.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Outlaw Posse Website  Now Playing in theatres. 

Indiefest: Asleep in My Palm (2023) A father (Tim Blake Nelson) and his daughter (Chloe Kerwin) are living in a storage shed off the grid in rural Ohio, where they hustle to stay alive each day. The problem is the father is hiding from his violent past, and his daughter is no longer a little girl who can accept everything her father tells her. Asleep in My Palm is a small independent film that does exactly what you want it to do: explore characters in an up-close and personal way. The reason to see this film is Chloe Kerwin, who plays the daughter who lives with a father who has raised her off the grid, living in a storage shed and stealing to make ends meet. The problem is that the daughter is growing up, wanting to see what more is out in the world and by her pushing the boundaries, it means that they could be discovered. Chloe Kerwin gives us a magical performance by a young woman who provides us with a character who is much older in smarts and experience than her age. As always, Tim Blake Nelson provides us with a character that is interesting to watch, one who loves his daughter but doesn’t want things to change. The film, directed by Time Blake Nelson’s son, Henry Nelson, lets us see a world we never knew was there because the people who live in it don’t want us to see them.   My Rating: Full Price  Asleep in My Palm Website Now playing in theatres

Forgotten Film: Find Me Guilty (2006) R Jackie DiNorscio (Vin Diesel) is a career mobster once shot four times by his cousin. Jackie is arrested and sentenced to thirty years in person for selling drugs. His crime family, the Lucchese mob, is up on charges, and Jackie is part of the trial. Jackie decides to defend himself in what becomes the longest criminal trial in history. 5-time Academy Award nominee Sidney Lumet, known for his movies 12 Angry Men (1957) and Serpico (1973), wrote and directed the film. Vin Diesel is a lot of fun as the wisecracking and loyal Jackie, who thinks he can do a better job than any lawyer can do. Diesel was hot off his roles in The Fast and the Furious, XXX, and The Chronicles of Riddick when he made this film, and it took me a little while to realize who it was (he wears a wig and prosthetic nose). This film is a fascinating look at a court trial system that has gone off the rails, with a supporting cast that includes Ron Silver, Annabella Sciorra, Peter Dinklage, and Alex Rocco. Find Me Guilty isn’t a great film, but it’s a fun performance by Diesel, and there are some wonderful and sometimes powerful scenes, including a brilliant scene between Diesel and Annabella Sciorra, who plays Jackie’s wife, that shows us the dynamic that made up their relationship. And by the way, the film is based on a true story, and the real Jackie hand-picked Vin Diesel to play him in the movie. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Find Me Guilty Info   The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon and Apple TV. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Dune: Part Two: Tube Rigger

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: I Saw the TV Glow (2024) PG-13 Two teenagers (Justice Smith and Brighter Lundy-Paine) bond over a TV show called The Pink Opaque. As their bond grows, things start getting weird. I feel that my description of the film is off a bit because of the buzz it has gotten having just played at Sundance. It’s defiantly a film to keep on the lookout for.   I Saw The TV Glow Website  In theatres in early May. 

Until Next Time!