A Dog's Way Home

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until Next Time!

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

My View:  Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials  (2015)  PG-13  Having figured out and escaped The Maze, the Gladers now are confronted with a new set of challenges on the open roads of a vast and desolate landscape. If you did not see the first film (which I liked), just know that the “Wicked,” as the name implies, are the bad guys. I liked this film as much as the first one. The action rarely stops and is well done. There are quite a few scary parts in the film, with some intense scenes with a few ugly creatures. The cast comes through, and I enjoyed the performance of Dylan O’Brian, who plays the hero of the story. In the first film, I found his performance a little dull but he has grown into the role. This is a fun action film that makes me want to see the third film.  My Rating: Full Price   Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

My View:  Black Mass  (2015)  R  The film depicts the rise and fall of the ruthless and violent Boston mobster, Whitey Bulger (Johnny Depp), in the 1970s and 80s.  This was supposed to be Johnny Depp’s Oscar contender and get him out of the bad movie/performance rut that he has been in. While it’s a fine performance, it’s certainly not Oscar-worthy. The film is flat and slow moving. There is not much character development, and it seems to be a movie about how many ways Whitey can kill people. I didn’t feel any tension throughout the film and never cared for any of the characters or their outcome. I was also disappointed in the performance of Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Whitey’s politician brother. Cumberbatch mails in his performance, maybe because he had a hard time mastering the tough Boston accent. Black Mass never delivers the punch that it needs, and, by the end, you don’t care if Whitey lives or dies.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee

My View:  Everest  (2015)  PG-13  Climbing Everest is a tough task.  In 1996, a storm made climbing Everest nearly impossible to survive.  It’s rare that I say this, but I would have liked this film to be just a little bit longer and that the film would have given us more scenes about the climbers preparing for the trip, letting us see the characters interact with their loved ones and friends. Instead, the film starts with the climbers meeting up at the airport in Nepal. This lessens the impact of our understanding and sympathy for the characters as they fight to survive. The film is spectacular to watch, with outstanding shots of the mountain and the climbers. I rarely recommend the IMAX experience but, in this case, the film in IMAX is worth the extra bucks. This is a well-done film that lets you experience, up close and personal, what its like to climb a  treacherous mountain. The cast is one of the best ensembles I’ve seen with Jason Clarke standing out as the leader of the climb, Rob Hall. Josh Brolin is exceptional as the hard-headed Texan, and John Hawkes gives a truly moving performance as the climber on his third attempt to get to the summit. It’s a gut-wrenching film that will have you on the edge of your seat. And, be warned, take a sweater. I guarantee that you will feel the chill of the mountain.  My Rating: Full Price   Everest Website

Indiefest:  Pawn Sacrifice  (2015)  PG-13  At the height of the Cold War, the world stopped to watch a series of chess matches between American champion Bobby Fisher (Tobey Maguire) and the Russian Grand Master Champion Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber).  Director Edward Zwick and screenwriter Steven Knight create a film that is part political thriller, with all the intrigue of a spy film, and part character study. It's the story of a man whose mind is slowly losing its grip, just as he needs it the most. Zwick and Knight have created a protagonist that isn’t likable, and it’s to Maguire’s credit that we continue to root for Fisher to win, in spite of his personality and his beliefs. Maguire never softens his portrayal of Fisher, who seemingly had two sides - the ultra-paranoid person who doubted everything and the strong-willed chess player who was confident in his abilities to defeat anyone.  “Pawn Sacrifice” is a fascinating movie that will keep you glued to the screen, even if you know the eventual outcome.    My Rating: Full Price   Pawn Sacrifice Website       

Indiefest:  Rosenwald  (2015)    Documentary on Julius Rosenwald, who became the President of Sears and was inspired by the writings of the educator Booker T. Washington.  Rosenwald went on to join forces with African-American communities during the Jim Crow South to build more than 5,300 schools during the early part of the 20th century.  Aviva Kempner brings us another stunning and informative film in “Rosenwald.” Kempner uses old photographs combined with interviews with a diverse group of people including Julian Bond, Maya Angelou, Rep. John Lewis and Rita Dove. Bond and the others give background on just what the profound effect of Rosenwald and his schools had on the communities (most interviewees attended a Rosenwald school). One of the highlights of the film is when Maya Angelou talks, with pride, about her Rosenwald school and how much it affected her community. The community she lived in was so proud of the schools that when children got “A’s” they were paraded around from church to church to receive recognition and praise. It’s a warm, inspirational film that makes you admire and respect how one man had an idea that would change so many lives.   My Rating:  Full Price   Rosenwald Website

Forgotten Film:  Fallen (1998)  R  Homicide detective John Hobbes (Denzel Washington) helped in catching serial killer Edgar Reese (Elias Koteas).  Hobbes even witnesses Reese’s execution. Now, there are murders happening again in the same manner that Reese used to kill his victims.  Could Reese have come back from the dead?  This is a gripping horror story that is well written and never goes for the easy scare.  As usual, Washington gives an outstanding performance as does John Goodman, who plays Washington’s police partner.  The ending is a little weak, but it’s a wonderful ride to get there.   My Rating: Full Price   Fallen Info  

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Everest:  Charge Hand Dressing Props

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Sicario  (2015)  R  An FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is sent to join a task force to aid Mexico in the war against the drug cartels.  Critics are raving about this film, and Emily Blunt has proven that she can be an action star.  The film has a distinguished cast including Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro, Jeffrey Donovan, and Victor Garber.   Sicario Website

Until Next Time!

The Visit

My View:  The Visit  (2015)  PG-13   A single mom (Kathryn Hahn) sends her two young children (Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould) to visit their grandparents (Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie). Something very wrong is going on in the house, and their grandparents are acting strangely.  I love a good horror film, but I hate horror films that use sloppy, lazy screenwriting to create cheap scares with things jumping out of the dark, and this film is filled with them. I used to think that the director/writer of this film, M. Night Shyamalan had talent, but that opinion has long since gone. Every attempt at horror was weak and predictable.  The script has the two young kids spouting out psychobabble like they are freshmen in college who have taken a psychology class and think that they know everything about the human condition.  This is another film in the long line of recent "found footage” films, but this one picks and chooses when to look like a handheld film and when to look like a professionally shot film (there are establishing shots that just don’t make sense). The so-called twist in the film is so predictable and easy to figure out that I was hoping there would be another twist to turn the film into something watchable, but that never happened.  Some critics will praise this film for its mix of comedy and horror. I would suggest that those critics go back and watch The Cabin in the Woods (2012) or Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010) as true examples of that genre. This film doesn’t know what genre it is; is it a horror film or a comedy or satire? I have no idea, but I do know that this film does not work as a horror film.  The young girl in the film is a wannabe filmmaker. I would rather see one of her films than any other from Mr. Shyamalan.    My Rating: Cable   The Visit Website

Indiefest:  Steak (R)evolution (2014)  This is a documentary about the search for the best steak in the world. The film goes to France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, UK,USA, Canada, Japan, Argentina, and Brazil to find out what makes a great steak and the different ways that we raise and prepare beef.  While foodies may enjoy this film, I found it a little boring and way too long.  I did learn about how to cook a steak and got to see just how some of the greatest steak restaurants in the world cook their meals. Much like a steak, I found this film could have trimmed some of the fat before releasing it to the public.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Steak (R)evolution Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Friday the 13th  (2016)  This film hasn’t even started shooting (it’s been in development since 2013), and I know it’s a bad idea to try and revive this series. Let sleeping dogs lie, please!

Forgotten Film:  All I Wanna Do (1998)  PG-13   When an all-girls high school is about to go co-ed, a group of girls get together and  hatch a wild scheme to keep their school from changing. This is a funny and charming film set in the 1960’s that highlights girls who have aspirations to be more than just homemakers. The cast is brilliant, especially Lyn Redgrave, who plays the head-mistress of the school and Rachael Leigh Cook, who tries to keep the girls from succeeding. It’s a fun film that is a joy to watch.   My Rating: Full Price   All I Wanna Do Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Visit: Parking PA

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Pawn Sacrifice  (2014)  PG-13   The legendary battle of wits between American chess champion Bobby Fisher (Tobey Maguire) and the Russian grand master champion Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber) at the height of the Cold War. The film is directed by Edward Zwick (Traffic, Shakespeare in Love), and the script written by Steven Knight (Locke).  That’s good enough for me to see this film.  Pawn Sacrifice Website   

Until Next Time!