Spider-Man: Brand New Day

My View:  Spider-Man: Brand New Day  (2026)  PG-13 In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it’s been four years since Doctor Strange’s memory-erasing spell, and Peter (Tom Holland) lives alone in New York City, dedicated to fighting crime full-time. His love, MJ (Zendaya), and his best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon), have no memory of Peter, but a new, powerful villain who can alter their form will force Peter to reconnect with his long-lost friends. It’s been a lonely four years since Doctor Strange did his thing, and Spidey’s love of his life and his best friend, along with a lot of other people, forgot that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. The closest thing to a friend Spider-Man has is Detective Jean De Wolff (Liza Colon-Zayas), who is just a working relationship: Spider-Man leaves the bad guys in a web and lets her know where they are. He is still reeling from the loss of his rock, his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), still putting flowers on her grave. To make matters worse, Peter suddenly feels his arachnid side dominating his human side, and it’s not fun, including losing his humanity when under its control. And in walks a new bad guy who can take over anyone’s body and get into their mind. That means that Spider-Man has no clue who this bad guy is and what they want, but it’s not good. In one of the best Marvel films of the past few years (I did like Thunderbolts), our hero is going through a lot, facing an enemy who can’t be figured out. Spidey has to ask for help from one of the most uncooperative super-heroes out there, The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), who Spider-Man won’t let you forget he saved his life, and The Punisher owes him. I loved the fact that Marvel has allowed us to get to know The Punisher (in his own series), and so we already know his attitude toward any help. Oh, and by the way, a few other bad guys show up along the way, and a certain big green guy who isn’t happy and wants to smash a few things. And of course, Peter has to find MJ (Zendaya) to see how she is doing. So get ready to swing through New York as Spider-Man tackles a mysterious villain who keeps switching bodies, calling on unlikely allies like The Punisher and encountering familiar faces, both good and bad. The action sequences are visually inventive, showcasing Spider-Man's web shooters and letting Tom Holland shine emotionally and comedically. Don't miss the bonus scene after the credits, teasing Spider-Man's return; hopefully, it won’t be another four years.  My Rating: Full Price  Spider-Man: Brand New Day Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  I Want Your Sex  (2026)  R   I Want Your Sex follows the adventures of Elliot (Cooper Hoffman), who thinks he has landed his dream job at the art gallery of renowned and provocative artist Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde). Soon, Elliot’s fantasies come true as Erika hires him to become her sex slave muse. However, Elliot soon discovers that his life is now full of obsession, betrayal, and maybe even murder. After seeing this film at the Atlanta Film Festival, my first thought was: did the Intimacy Coordinator go home every night from the set and have a stiff drink? And how much fun did the costume designers have coming up with the outfits that Olivia Wilde wore? Cooper Hoffman is hilarious as Elliot, a young man who at first thinks he has the best job in the world, until things get really strange and then really dangerous because his boss is nuts. Wilde is perfect as the artist who thinks her artwork is so wonderful and artistic that she can get away with anything, and people won’t care because she is so talented. As the relationship between Elliot and Erika gets more and more complicated, we squirm a bit in our seats, wondering just how far Elliot will let himself be dragged into Erika’s strange and kinky world. This is a film about two people who see differently how sexual consent works. It’s also about the insanity of the art world, where one moment an artwork made of chewing gum can be seen as priceless and the next as worthless. This film about sexual attitudes and changing mores wouldn’t work without the fearlessness of its two principal actors, who explore sexuality, desire, and the sometimes absurd world of art with abandon and glee.  My Rating: Full Price  I Want Your Sex Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  Above & Below  (2026)   Above & Below is about five friends who embark on a dream vacation of parties and diving. During a thrilling caged dive to see sharks, they uncover a stash of cartel cocaine, forcing them to survive both Great White sharks and a ruthless gang of criminals. Above & Below is one of those films where, in the first five minutes, you can pick who will survive and who will die. The only question is, will the kill be by a human or a shark? Antonio Banderas plays the main bad guy in this film, and as always, it’s a fun watch. Banderas whispers about half his lines and has fun playing the mastermind whose drugs are now shark bait. For fans of this genre, the sharks aren’t quite as menacing as I would have liked, as there are only a few times that the sharks really go to town. I will say, one kill is a lot of fun, and Laura Marano does a nice job in her battle with a great white. The ending feels a little too easy to come about, and the plot seems a bit generic. I think it needed a bit more bite.   My Rating: Cable  Above & Below Info   Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Peter Asher: Everywhere Man  (2025)  Documentary about Peter Asher, who started as part of the British Invasion of the 60s as part of the duo Peter and Gordon, and when the duo broke up, he became a record producer and manager of James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt. Oh, and I forgot to mention that he was in a bunch of British movies as a child, produced records for major stars such as Cher, Bonnie Raitt, and Diana Ross, and is a good friend of Paul McCartney. The film is part concert film from his touring show about his life and music, and part documentary that interviews just about everyone famous in the music industry and beyond (Steve Martin and Eric Idle show up a lot). The film is a delight to watch because Asher is very talented and also seems like a truly nice guy. Someone you would love to spend time at a party or a dinner, talking about music, books, and everything else. And did I mention that when the Beatles were first starting, Paul McCartney dated Asher’s sister, lived in Peter’s parents’ house, and McCartney wrote a bunch of the songs that Peter and Gordon sang, including a throwaway song (that John hated) from McCartney that became Peter and Gordon’s first big hit. The film focuses on Asher’s time with the group, then on his discovery of James Taylor and on how he guided both Taylor and Ronstadt to superstardom. What I loved about Asher was that he was a cool guy who had fun and loved performing. We find out that when Linda Ronstadt toured in the late 70s, Asher was one of her backup vocalists. And by the way, he is probably the model for Mike Myers’ Austin Powers character. So, have a blast going on a musical journey into the 60s and 70s with Peter Asher. You won’t be disappointed, and you might notice how he dresses in the 60s, but don’t expect him to say “Oh Behave!”.   My Rating: Full Price  Peter Asher: Everywhere Man Website  Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film:  The Deep  (1977)  PG  A honeymooning couple (Nick Nolte, Jacqueline Bisset) are diving in waters off Bermuda when they discover a sunken WWII vessel. What was once a fun exploration of a sunken vessel becomes entangled with drug smugglers seeking more than a few pieces of gold. This was the follow-up book to Jaws by Peter Benchley, and he co-wrote the screenplay. The underwater sequences are incredible; John Barry's score is amazing, and the supporting cast of Robert Shaw, Louis Gossett Jr., and Eli Wallach helps make this film fun to watch. There is some controversy about this film, as the opening sequence shows Bisset diving in a T-shirt. The marketing department took a still of this without Bisset’s approval, and the wet T-shirt showed too much, making the film seem sexier than it actually was. Bisset was upset that she didn’t get credit for making the film, which was incredibly difficult due to the number of underwater action sequences she had to perform. Producer Peter Gruber claimed that the wet T-shirt made him wealthy, as The Deep was a big hit. Still, this film, along with Jaws, started a long line of underwater thrillers that keep going on today, though The Deep isn’t a shark film, and other than one attack by an eel, the danger comes from man.   My Rating: Full Price  The Deep Info  The film is available on most online formats.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Spider-Man: Brand New Day:  Standby Blues

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The End of Oak Street  (2026)  PG-13  The Platt family must band together after a mysterious event rips their ordinary street out of its location and transports it back in time. The family must stick together because there are some enormous animals roaming the neighborhood called dinosaurs. This is the year of Anne Hathaway, as she stars alongside Ewan McGregor in this film directed by David Robert Mitchell (It Follows (2014), Under the Silver Lake (2018)) and produced by J. J. Abrams (Lost, Star Trek, Star Wars).   The End of Oak Street Website In theaters nationwide on Friday, August 14, 2026.

Until Next Time!

The Odyssey

My View:  The Odyssey  (2026)  R  The Odyssey follows Odysseus (Matt Damon), the Greek king of Ithaca, who goes on a long and perilous journey home after the Trojan War and his encounters with mythical beings as he attempts to reunite with his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and his son, Telemachus (Tom Holland), before Penelope succumbs to a nefarious suitor, Antinous (Robert Pattinson). Christopher Nolan is one of our best and most prolific filmmakers today. I mean, who else could get people to buy IMAX tickets a year before the film is released, without seeing a trailer or even footage? First, go see this film in a theater; the bigger the better. You may not be one of the lucky ones who live near an IMAX that is showing the movie on IMAX film (there are only 24 IMAX theaters in the US that are), at least see it in a theater that is showing it with 70 mm digital, or if you are lucky, a theater showing it on 70mm film. Do not wait to see this film on a computer or home screen. You need to see this film in a theater where the screen and its cinematography can immerse you in a world that is part horror, part fantasy, and a fantastic, mind-blowing epic journey. While this isn’t a full-out horror film, it has a cyclops that tears off men’s heads, giant armored men that can throw a man off his feet, and a witch that tricks men into eating unspeakable things, dragon-like monsters, sirens that can drive a man mad with their songs, plus numerous bloody battles that are incredibly violent. However, this is the story of Odysseus, a man who so believes in himself and his abilities that he can defy the Gods and make his own way home without their help. Odysseus is a man driven to return home but burdened by his past and his doubts about his ability to get back. He is a man who thinks he can’t be defeated and believes he is almost God-like, but because of this, he is prone to making very human mistakes, some of which he seems never to learn from. Nolan does a masterful job of turning a complex, long tale into a story. I suspect some will be scared off by the three-hour runtime, but the film moves at a pace that keeps the adventures of Odysseus and his men moving from one roadblock to another. The highlight of the film is the Trojan Horse portion (which surprised me by not being at the beginning of the film but about a third of the way in), which Nolan shows us with incredible flair and tension-building. Nolan also gets the most out of his cast, with Matt Damon carrying most of the heavy load of the hero of the story with energy and bravado. Tom Holland does a brilliant job as Odysseus’s son Telemachus, who is left behind by Odysseus when he was a baby and keeps the faith that his father will return to his rightful place as king. Robert Pattinson is perfect as the weasel Antinous, a man who plans to wed Penelope and become king, as he plots to kill Telemachus along the way. Pattinson’s performance is so good that I expected the audience to boo him at times. While they don’t do that, they did laugh at his attempts to get others to do his dastardly bidding. It’s to Nolan’s credit that there isn’t a bad performance in the cast, and it’s going to be hard to pick out which actors should be nominated for Oscars. I predict that, like Nolan’s Oppenheimer, this film will garner a slew of award nominations and be the frontrunner for Best Picture. The Odyssey is a magical film that combines the wonder of the old Ray Harryhausen films with the drama of Homer, Virgil, and Euripides. So put on your helmet and armor and go on an epic journey where one man tried to defy the gods and get back home. The journey is long but worth every step.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Odyssey Website   Now playing in theaters, including IMAX

Indiefest:  Romeria  (2025)  Spanish director Carla Simon gives us a tale of hidden secrets and discovery in Romeria. When Marina (Llucia Garcia) applies for a college scholarship, she learns that her late father never claimed to have a child. The only way she can claim the scholarship is by getting her father’s parents to sign a notarized document stating that she is indeed their daughter. Marina then travels to a seaside town to visit a side of her family that she has never known, as both her parents died when she was a baby, and then she was adopted. Marina soon discovers that her parents' story is a closely guarded secret, and she slowly peels it back through dogged determination to find the truth. This is a film that slowly builds, letting us get to know Marina, and we are along with her on a journey in a new land, guided only by her mother’s diary and a few morsels of information that her relatives reluctantly give. Llucia Garcia gives us a multi-layered performance of a character who is independent, determined, and, while mostly staying in the background at family gatherings, isn’t shy about asking about her parents, especially when alone with a family member. She also isn’t above eavesdropping on conversations about her and her parents when the family members don’t know she is listening. This is a film about how generations deal with grief and shame, trying to keep their troubles hidden behind locked doors, never publicly exposing the truth, and also keeping out any feelings for the deceased. Romeria is a story full of surprises and compassion for lost souls who never found their way back into the light until Marina dug further into their lives.  My Rating: Full Price  Romeria Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  The Python Hunt  (2025)   Every year, the state of Florida invites the public to hunt pythons in the Everglades. For 10 nights, a group of hunters from across the states and the world travel across the Everglades in search of the gigantic snakes, risking everything from poisonous snakes to boredom to win a cash prize and say they are python hunters. This documentary concentrates on some unique and bizarre individuals from a man from San Francisco who every day shaves another part of his beard, to a hard drinking 82-year-old woman who just wants the thrill of putting a knife into a pythons brain to a former professional snake hunter who has been suspended from hunting and is now a Door Dash deliver who dreams of hunting the big snakes again with his teen daughter. As you would expect from a documentary set in the Everglades of Florida, the people in this film are rather strange and seem more about being in the hunt than actually getting results. As the hunt goes on, we see people losing interest in going out every night (when the pythons are most active) and driving up and down roads, looking with spotlights for snakes that are hard to find, especially when you stay in your truck. The film embraces how ridiculous this hunt is and how little it accomplishes, while allowing the state of Florida to bring in tourists under the excuse of helping local wildlife. I loved the shots of pythons being illuminated by the searchers’ spotlights, but no one sees them as they move along undisturbed. The film does a great job of showing just how hard it is to hunt these reptiles and how the contest (just over 200 pythons killed in the ten days) is a drop in the bucket compared to the scale of the problem the snakes might pose. Or, as the film points out, that man himself is the problem with the vanishing wildlife and not the snakes themselves. So, grab a spotlight, get into your truck, and go out into the night with a strange and funny group of hunters. You might learn a thing or two; just watch where you walk when you get out of your truck.  My Rating: Full Price   The Python Hunt Website  Now playing in select theaters and available to rent on Amazon Prime.

Forgotten Film:  The Golden Voyage of Sinbad  (1973)  G  Sinbad (John Philip Law) goes on a quest to find three golden tablets that will give him access to the ancient temple of the Oracle of All Knowledge. Sinbad picks up a slave girl, Margiana (Caroline Munro), and they race against the evil magician Koura (Tom Baker), who will do anything to get the tablets. The film showcases Ray Harryhausen’s incredible stop-motion animation, featuring amazing, fantastical creatures, including a six-armed Kali statue that comes to life and engages in a sword battle with Sinbad. The storyline is a little weak, and John Philip Law looks great but can’t act, but it’s got the Harryhausen magic and one of the most beautiful actresses in cinema at the time, Caroline Munro, who, when I saw it in 1973, I was in love with. I can even tell you which theater I saw this film in.  My Rating:  Full Price (hey, a Cyclops Centaur, a Griffin, and a six-armed swordsman are worth the rating, don’t you think).  The Golden Voyage of Sinbad Info  The film is available on most online platforms

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Odyssey:  Bambooman

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  The Dink  (2026)  PG-13   The Dink follows a washed-up former tennis prodigy, Dusty (Jake Johnson), who, to survive, has been forced to teach tennis to children at his father’s (Ed Harris) failing country club. After Dusty is injured, his rehab assignment is pickleball, a sport that he thinks is stupid and beneath his talent. Little does he know, pickleball could save both the country club and his self-respect. The cast includes Mary Steenburgen, Ben Stiller, tennis great Andy Roddick, Patton Oswalt, Chloe Fineman, Aaron Chen, and Chris Parnell.   The Dink Info  Premiering on Apple TV+ on Friday, July 24, 2026

Until Next Time!

Spider-Man: No Way Home

My View:  Spider-Man: No Way Home  (2021) PG-13   Spider-Man (Tom Holland) has been unmasked, and now everyone knows who he is, making it hard to separate his private life from being a superhero. He turns to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a spell that everyone will forget who he is, only that spell has lasting consequences, including bringing back an old enemy. First, if you have never seen a Spider-man film before, this is not where you should start. In fact, even for fans, it might be wise to go back and watch a few of the films from the past (just skip the Toby Maguire Spider-Man 3 film with Spidey tap-dancing away, I will never be able to get that scene out of my brain). 2nd, pack a lunch to take with you because it’s two and a half hours long. The bad: it tries to make every fan out there in the MCU happy, bringing back villains from the past packing way too much into the film. The problem is if anyone out there is really asking for the Sandman (Thomas Hayden Church) to come back (besides Church’s agent)? Or the Lizard-man from what every Spider-Man movie that was from? Probably not. Now the good. The film has a lot of heart, and it’s because of the winning performance of Tom Holland. Holland is allowed to give depth and meaning to a character that always has had a side of pathos to his makeup. From the comics on down to the movies, Spider-Man is a character that has felt the pain of loss and the heavy burden of responsibility, trying to live up to a code that few can live by. This is a Spider-Man character trying to live in a world where his father-figure is gone (Ironman), and half the population has turned on Spider-Man, blaming him for a death of a person that some people feel was a hero. And now Peter can’t hide behind the mask, as he has been outed. Peter not only has to deal with how this impacts him but also that his actions have had an impact on his friends and loved ones. The film’s core message is one that has been preached to Spider-Man by his family, and his mentor’s “With great power comes great responsibility.’ That underlying theme of this Spider-Man film makes it stand out from the past films and makes it work seeing. There are two post credit scenes; one after the first section of credits that may set up the next Spider-Man film and a trailer at the end of all the credits.    My Rating: Full Price   Spider-Man: No Way Home Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

Indiefest:  The Lost Daughter (2021) R   Leda (Olivia Colman) is on a beach vacation where she wants to be left alone to write. But her past keeps coming back to haunt her as she becomes involved with a local (Ed Harris) and a young, troubled mother (Dakota Johnson) who is part of a loud and large family that is also on vacation. Maggie Gyllenhaal has brought us a story about a woman whose past rears its ugly head when she interacts with a family that constantly interacts with Leda, even when it’s evident that she wants to be left alone. Colman gives a fantastic and impressive performance of a woman who you probably won’t like and possibly won’t understand. Leda is a woman who has made choices in her life, about her life as a wife and mother, that most people would see as selfish, and she makes decisions while on this vacation which seem reckless and almost ugly, even when you understand that most of what she does is deeply seeded from her past. One of the best films of the year and certainly one of the great performances of 2021, The Lost Daughter is a journey into the mind of a woman who, as her vacation goes on, gives us insight into her psyche and why Leda acts the way she does. Her actions may make you uncomfortable and not like her, but Leda is not regretful; it’s something that she feels she had to do.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    The Lost Daughter Website  Now playing in select theatres and will be available on the Netflix platform on Dec. 31st.

Indiefest:  Swan Song (2021) R   Cameron’s (Mahershala Ali) life is filled with love as a father and as a husband, married to a wonderful woman (Naomie Harris). All that is about to end because Cameron has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. At his lowest point, Cameron is presented with an alternate solution by his doctor (Glenn Close), which could change his and his family’s fate. Cameron must confront just how much he is willing to sacrifice for love. If you were given a death sentence but were told there was a way that you could go on living your life, with your loved ones never finding out about that death sentence, you would take that offer, wouldn’t you? What if I told you that you will still die, but a clone, enhanced with not only your likeness but all your feelings and memories, will replace you, would you still do it? That is the dilemma that Cameron is faced in Swan Song. Mahershala Ali gives another one of his nuance and brilliant performances as a man who loves his life but must give it over to someone else so that his family doesn’t suffer. Swan Song is a film about death and how much pain we can take as people. The film is a slow burn as we go on this journey with Cameron, but the last thirty minutes has quite an impact as Cameron decides which path he will take.    My Rating: Full Price    Swan Song Website  Now playing in select theatres and is available on the Apple TV+ platform.

My View:  Fortress  (2021) R   Robert (Bruce Willis) is a retired CIA agent living at a secret resort in the woods. Robert’s estranged son, Paul (Jesse Metcalfe), has tracked down his father but little does either one of the men know that Paul has been followed by a criminal named Balzary (Chad Michael Murray), who is hell-bent on revenge. Now father and son must band together to defeat Balzary’s band of mercenaries as they defend Robert’s high-tech bunker called The Fortress. The premise is interesting, but the film makes too many easy choices, most of which can be seen from a mile away, to make the film worth watching. I will say this; Bruce Willis is in this film a lot more than I thought he would be, though it’s pretty evident that he shot all his scenes in just a few days. The script is lazy with a bad guy that Chad Michael Murray can’t quite get a handle on, as he chews up the scenery to the very last shot. The action sequences are pretty bland, and the ending seems too quick and easy. Fans of Willis will be disappointed in that most of his scenes are him either getting beat up or sitting in a comfortable chair, spouting dialogue that no one cares about. Fortress is the type of movie that used to be on the shelves of a Blockbuster in the 80s, waiting to be rented when all the current movies were gone on a Friday night.     My Rating: Cable    Fortress Info  Now playing in select theatres and available On Demand.

Indiefest:  The Novice (2021) R  Alex (Isabelle Fuhrman) has succeeded in everything on which she has set her mind. Now, as a college freshman, Alex is ready for a new challenge, something she has never tried before, rowing. She decides to join her university’s rowing team as a ‘novice,’ but she is determined to make it to the varsity boat, no matter the cost. To say that Alex is obsessive would be an understatement. Alex is a character who, at the start, we root for because she is an underdog, someone who is willing to put in the hard work to succeed. But, soon, very soon in the film, you realize that Alex is taking this want to succeed beyond what people would see as normal. She pushes herself to go beyond what anyone else is willing to do or even should do. Fuhrman gives us a performance of a woman who is wound so tightly that Alex sees the littlest offense as an attack on herself and her goals. It’s scary how Fuhrman lets us see just how intense Alex is and how much she is willing to risk to succeed. It’s a performance that will stay with you for a long time, and don't be surprised if never again go near that rowing machine at the gym.   My Rating: Full Price    The Novice Website  Now playing in select theatres and for rent online.

Familyfaire:  Rumble  (2021) PG   In a world where monster wrestling is a huge global sport, and its monsters are massive stars, a teenager named Winnie (voiced by Geraldine Viswanathan) decides to follow in her father’s footsteps and turn a lazy, mild-mannered oaf named Steve (voiced by Will Arnett), who loves sleeping and dancing, into a champion. Kids who love monsters (the fun kind) or wrestling will enjoy this film because it is filled with both. Arnett is hilarious as the monster who doesn’t want to become a star; he would rather take the easy road and be comfortable with losing all the time. Winnie sees that Steve has the potential to be a good wrestler and believes in him, now if only she can get Steve to believe in himself. Rumble is a fun ride, helped by Arnett’s humor and wild wrestling monsters that kids will fall in love with. So go and get in the ring with Steve, Winnie, and a few fellow monster wrestlers.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Rumble Website  Now playing on the Paramount+ platform.

My View:  Nightmare Alley  (2021) R    Stanton (Bradley Cooper) is a grifter, a man trying to hide from his past. After working at a traveling carnival and learning the tricks of the trade, Stanton and a fellow sideshow performer (Rooney Mara) run away and start a successful mentalist act. Using the skills he developed as a grifter, Stanton becomes involved with a psychiatrist (Cate Blanchett) and sees her as a way to con some of the most powerful men in the city. It's a dangerous game that Stanton is playing, and it may be his last. This is a stylized film noir filled with interesting characters that don’t often show their true feelings or motives, as everyone in this movie seems to be out for themselves. It’s a cruel world, a world controlled by greed and by crook. We meet a few honest people along the way, but they are few and far between in this film filled with carnival people and the suckers that they will hustle for their few dimes and quarters. Into this world comes Stanton, a man with a troubled past but someone who quickly learns how to play the game. He has a talent for reading people and getting to know their weaknesses in a short amount of time. Cooper is perfect in the role of a guy who gets by on his looks and his brains. The film perfectly reflects the film noir films of the forties with its editing style, lighting, and set design. The film tells a story of greed, want, and a need to get one up on someone else. Rooney Mara plays the love interest of Stanton, a woman who doesn’t give in to men easily but is seduced by Stanton, the woman who has a heart of gold, only to be corrupted by the man she loves. Blanchett plays the woman who seduces Stanton, someone he thinks he can use to get money and information. As the cool, calculating blonde, Blanchett fits the bill of the film noir temptress who corrupts a man and takes him away from someone who truly loves him. A masterwork at storytelling, Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley is a tale of horror, greed, and fate. Stanton learns early on not to tempt fate, but he can’t help himself, it's in the cards. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    Nightmare Alley Website  Now playing in select theatres. 

Forgotten Film:  Mad Love (1995)  PG-13  The story of two young people (Drew Barrymore, Chris O’Donnell), both living in broken homes, who find each other and fall in love. Matt is a young man whose mother left, and his family is in disarray. Casey is a young woman who, on the outside, seems funny and carefree, but she is hiding a problem. When threatened with being separated, the two go on the run to escape and leave their lives behind. The reason I like this film is Barrymore gives one of the best performances of her career. Yes, at first, she is the usual Barrymore cute girl, but as the film goes along, we see a depth from her character that Barrymore rarely was let to explore with most of her characters. Some of the characters are a little too broadly portrayed in the film, but I love the relationship between Barrymore and O’Donnell and how it treats someone with a problem with not an easy fix, but one that takes work and love.    My Rating; Bargain Matinee   Mad Love Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Spider-Man: No Way Home: Special Thanks: Mack Trucks

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Scream  (2022) R   Twenty-five years have passed since Woodsboro was torn apart by a series of gruesome murders. Now a new killer has emerged, and Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has returned to stop the murderer again. Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette are back in this film and have played the same characters in four separate decades; 90s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s.    Scream Website

Until Next Time!

Coming 2 America

 Note to readers: I currently am not willing to risk my health (I’m 63 and an asthmatic) by visiting a theatre. All films that I have seen for review have been screened in my home. I am not going to tell you whether or not to attend a theatre. Just be aware of the risks, do your research, and follow the instructions to the letter.

My View: Coming 2 America (2021) PG-13   Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) is celebrating his 30th wedding anniversary, and he learns that he has a long-lost son (Jermaine Fowler) and has returned to the United States to meet him and possibly bring him back to Akeem’s homeland. What made the first film work so well was the ‘fish out of water' story of the sweet, innocent Akeem learning to live and love in America. This film tries to rekindle the magic, but it fizzles almost from the start. Murphy seems bored by the role and the plot, and the film tries to pull us back to the first film, overloading us with characters from the first film, including the whole gang from the barbershop. It’s kind of like seeing a reunion show on TV. It’s great to see the whole gang back together, but after a few minutes, you realize that it's hard to recapture that magic a second time. The film is also hurt by adding Tracy Jordan, Wesley Snipes, and Leslie Jones, all overplaying their roles, with Snipes chewing up so much scenery it becomes boring. The plot is flimsy, and Jermaine Fowler doesn’t have even close to Eddie Murphy's charisma from the first film. The first film was magic in a bottle that hit a sweet spot at the time and is one of those films where a sequel should have never even been attempted.    My Rating: Cable   Coming 2 America Website  Now playing on the Amazon Prime platform and in select theatres.

Family Faire: Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) PG  In a world inhabited by an ancient civilization, a warrior named Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) is determined to find the last dragon and rescue her father. I love Disney animation, and this film does not disappoint. Beautifully done that begs to be seen on the big screen, the film is full of wondrous world-building and characters with imaginative and robust storylines. Raya is a strong character with a great sense of pride in both her parents and her heritage. Raya encounters Sisu (voiced by Awkwafina), and they go on a journey to save the world. Awkwafina is brilliantly cast and is hilarious as the adventurous Dragon who sees the good in everyone. This is a film that is perfect for the time like now when we all need to come together, and both adults and kids will find a storyline full of joy and surprises.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    Raya and the Last Dragon Website   The film is currently playing in select theatres and is available on the Disney+ platform.

Indiefest: Boogie (2021) R  Alfred ‘Boogie’ Chin (Taylor Takahashi) is a basketball star in the making in Queens, New York, who dreams of playing in the NBA. Boogie has battle prejudices while navigating high school, on-court rivals, and his parent's expectations. Boogie is the type of movie I would expect to see at a small-town film festival, a movie with a lot of heart but tries too hard to cover too many bases, making the film feel a bit amateurish and weak. The film never quite can find its tone, and it doesn’t has the emotional punch that you want from the end of the film. It’s a story with its heart in the right place but never quite finds its footing to bring the storyline together. There is a quick ending that attempts to make all the pieces fit, but I was left wondering by the end exactly what happened and where the characters were going next. I liked Taylor Takahashi in the role, giving us a complex character that was being pulled by so many forces. The script never could quite figure out what type of film it wanted to be.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Boogie Website    The film is currently playing in select theatres.

Indiefest: My Salinger Year (2020) R   Joanna (Margaret Qualiey) is a young woman who plans to be a writer and moves to New York to follow that dream. She takes a clerical job working for the literary agent (Sigourney Weaver) of the renowned, reclusive writer of Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger. This is a sweet, funny coming of age story that follows a character as she grows into a strong, independent woman, something that she may not have done if she hadn’t taken the chances that life put out there for her to take. Margaret Qualiey does a remarkable job as Joanna, giving us a character that is full of hope and promise and is so charming to watch in the role. As the set in her way’s boss, Weaver is wonderful in the role of a woman who soon becomes a guiding force for Joanna. The film slows down a bit when Joanna gets involved with a new boyfriend (Douglas Booth) that, from the start, we know is wrong for her. Luckily, most of the film takes place in the office, and that is where the film shines, as Joanna finds her path to become the person she was meant to be.   My Rating: Full Price    My Salinger Year Website    The film is currently playing in select theatres.

My View: Chaos Walking (2021) PG-13   In a world where a virus killed all the women, and living creatures have the ability to read each other’s minds; Todd (Tom Holland) encounters Viola (Daisy Ridley), a strange woman who others on the planet want to hunt her down. Todd vows to protect Viola and help her contact her people. I am guessing from the choppy, muddied plot that there were a lot of problems with the script. Knowing that the source material is three books makes me believe that originally, this film was to be much longer than its one hour and fifty minutes run time. There are some plot points that at the start seem very important and then are almost thrown away. The idea that all men's thoughts can be heard out loud by others becomes old very quickly, as we get tired of our hero Todd always thinking about how much he wants to kiss Viola and her hearing it. The film wastes a stellar cast of Mads Mikkelsen as the main bad guy, David Oyelowo as a religious fanatic, Nick Jonas as Mikkelsen’s stupid son, and Demian Bichir and Kurt Sutter as Todd’s family. We never really understand why Viola is so important for Mads Mikkelsen’s character to track down. The film is also hurt by the total lack of chemistry between Holland and Ridley. The chase sequences are clumsy and end almost as suddenly as they start, and the finale that seems sudden and predictable. I had some thoughts about this movie while watching it, and I am glad nobody could hear them.    My Rating: Cable Chaos Walking Website   The film is currently playing in select theatres.

My View: Moxie (2021) PG-13   Inspired by her mother’s (Amy Poehler) rebellious past and an outspoken friend (Alycia Pascual-Pena), Vivian (Hadley Robinson) decides to anonymously publish a zine name Moxie that takes on the sexist and toxic culture of her high-school, and it sparks a school-wide, ‘coming-of-rage’ revolution. This is an enjoyable film that has a lot of fun with high school angst and the awaking of young women and their power to contest how fellow students treat and see them. Hadley Robinson is perfect in the role of the mild, meek student who decides to use a zine as a protest tool and becomes empowered because of it. I liked this film until the end when the film took a bit of a turn that the film has a hard time dealing with. I did enjoy Nico Hiraga, as Vivian’s love interest and their chemistry from the start is fun and playful. However, despite a few missteps in the third act, the film is a delight to watch and probably inspire a few zines of its own.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Moxie Website   Now playing on the Netflix platform.

My View: Boss Level (2020)  Roy (Frank Grillo), a special forces veteran, is stuck in a time loop, destined to repeat the same day over and over again while being hunted by dozens of deadly assassins. Each time he is killed, he returns to relive the same day as he struggles to climb out of his predicament. I had a blast watching this film. Is it a great film? No, but it is a fun ride, and Frank Grillo does a masterful job of making us care about his character. How many times can we see a guy die? A lot, and most of it is done with a sense of humor, though that humor can be a little dark. The storyline is fun and sure, has a few holes in it, but it moves so fast, and the action is so incredibly fun that who cares, as long as we keep coming back for the ride. It has a few stars like Mel Gibson, Naomi Watts, and Ken Jeong to spice up the non-action scenes, and I loved the score of the film, including the use of the great Boston song ‘Long Time’ and some really hilarious characters that are out to kill Roy. Like Roy, just accept what is going to happen and try to stay alive long enough to see how it turns out in the end.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Boss Level Info    Now playing on the Hulu platform.

Indiefest: Stray (2020)   This documentary follows three dogs, Zeytin, Nazar, and Kartal, as they struggle for survival on the streets of Istanbul. I love dogs, and I was hesitant to see this film, worried that the dogs in the film would be living lives too tough to watch. Instead, we see just how resilient dogs are, how they find friendship and happiness in the streets as life goes on around them. Shot almost from the dog's point of view, we follow three dogs that are vastly different in their approaches to living on the streets. Zeytin is a strong, independent soul that loves to explore the city at night. Nazar is a friendly dog that finds friends (both dogs and humans) at almost every turn, and Kartal is a puppy who is looked after by security guards. All three dogs have incredible, expressive faces, and yes, you do get attached to each of them, but Istanbul is a different culture and seems to treat these street dogs as just part of living in the city. Watching this film, as we hear conversations the humans carry on around the dogs, you will come away feeling that the dogs live their lives the right way.   My Rating: Full Price    Stray Website    The film is currently playing in select theatres and  is available to rent on participating on-demand services.

Forgotten Film: Real Women Have Curves (2002) PG-13   In East L.A., Ana (America Ferrera) wants more for her life than just settling for what everyone else in her neighborhood has. Ana wants to go to college, but her mother (Lupe Ontiveros) insists that she work in the dress factory until she can find a man and get married. In her first role, America Ferrera is magical as the headstrong Ana who knows who she is and is going to break out of her neighborhood and her family's rule. I love this film, and it is full of real characters, with actual emotions and feelings. It is a film filled with love, laughs, and a young woman who knows what she wants and is sure she knows how to get it. Ana may be going on a different path, but she knows that her family will come around and support her in the end.    My Rating: Full Price    Real Women Have Curves Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Coming 2 America: First Hands

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Last Call (2021) R    Mick (Jeremy Piven) comes back to his old Philly neighborhood and must decide to help raze the area for a new casino or kiss the big opportunity goodbye and resurrect his family’s bar. The cast includes Taryn Manning, Zach McGowan, Jamie Kennedy, and Bruce Dern. I am a big fan of Dern, so I’m in.    Last Call Website

Until Next Time!

Cherry

Note to readers: I currently am not willing to risk my health (I’m 63 and an asthmatic) by visiting a theatre. All films that I have seen for review have been screened in my home. I am not going to tell you whether or not to attend a theatre. Just be aware of the risks, do your research, and follow the instructions to the letter.

My View: Cherry (2021) R  Cherry (Tom Holland) is an Army medic suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who becomes addicted to drugs and starts robbing banks to feed his addiction. This is an interesting pick for the Russo brothers to make after their incredible run of Marvel films (including one the best of the series Avenger: Endgame) with one it those Marvel stars, Spider-man’s own Tom Holland. This is a sometimes funny but mostly dark look at how someone who seemed to have a promising life ahead of him went into a dive down a hole of addiction and crime. Tom Holland gives a magnetic performance of Cherry, who meets the love of his life, Emily (Ciara Bravo), while in college, and their fate is tied together when the two decide to get married right before Cherry goes into the Army. Cherry comes back from war, a wrecked man, and their life together begins a downward spiral that no one would have seen back when they were in college together. Holland leaves behind the squeaky-clean Peter Parker behind and gives a gritty performance of a man who is so broken, he must escape, no matter the cost. Ciara Bravo is brilliant and moving as the woman who falls for Cherry and sticks by him, even if it means she goes down that dark rabbit hole along with Cherry. Cherry isn’t a perfect film, and I felt the ending felt a little rushed, but I look forward to what both Holland and Russo brothers can do beyond the superhero world.   My Rating: Full Price   Cherry Website    The film is currently playing in select theatres and is available on the Apple TV+ Platform on March 12th. 

My View: Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry  (2021) R We ride along as Billie and her brother Finneas are shown behind the scenes as they go from writing and recording Billie’s debut album in their parent’s home to winning six Grammy’s. I didn't know much about Billie Eilish, having only seen her perform on SNL, but I fell in love with her and her family. The film is a little long, and the first part of the film starts very slowly, as we see her and her brother write and record the songs for her debut album. It’s a fascinating look at the process, and I am sure fans of Billie are going to eat it up but having very little knowledge of her or her songs, I found this part a little slow. The second half of the film is more about Billie dealing with the rigors of touring and dealing with fame and nagging injuries, both that overwhelm her for a time. After seeing the Britney Spears doc, the best part of this film is how wonderful and supportive her family is. Besides the fact that she writes and performs with her brother, they have a loving and fun relationship that gives her a great deal of support, which makes Billie feel real and not some manufactured pop star. I loved the concert footage where we see the impact that Billie’s music makes on people, especially young women. Because of this film, I am now a fan of Billie Eilish and her music, and I think you will be too.    My Rating: Full Price    Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry Info     The film is available on the Apple TV+ Platform.

My View: Crisis (2021) R   Three stories about the opioid’s crisis: an undercover agent posing as a drug trafficker (Armie Hammer) arranges a complicated smuggling operation, an architect (Evangeline Lilly) recovering from an OxyContin addiction tries to find the truth about her son’s disappearance and his involvement with drugs and a university professor (Gary Oldman) finds out that the research he is working on is about to bring a highly addictive drug to the market. This film never quite fits all its pieces together, with Lily's storyline as the grieving mother out for revenge the weakest of the stories. Hammer is fine as the undercover agent trying to take down the source of the illegal drugs, but his storyline is hampered by his attempt to keep his sister off drugs while conducting the big hit. Oldman is given much to do as the college professor who uncovers something wrong about a new pain drug, and the film tries too hard to bring all three stores together in the end. Like its characters, Crisis is well-intentioned but never fully delivers the gut punch that it needs to make the film feel successful.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Crisis Info   The film is currently playing in select theatres and  is available to rent on participating on-demand services on March 5th. 

Indiefest: The Vigil   (2019)  PG-13   Yakov (Dave Davis) agrees to provide an overnight watch to a deceased member of his former Orthodox Jewish community. Soon after his watch starts, Yakov discovers that something in the house is very, very wrong. I really enjoy horror films that create their scares not from the j’ump out of the dark’ action but build tension by making you wonder if what you are seeing and hearing is real or just a figment of the character’s imagination. Dave Davis is perfect in the role of Yakov, a man who reluctantly takes the job of ‘shomer,' someone who watches over the dead body and reads prayers to protect the person until they can be put to rest. From the start, we realize that Yakov is a damaged individual as he is meeting in a support group. Yakov must watch the body for 5 hours, which will become to longest 5 hours in his life. The film lets us settle in and learn not only about Yakov but also about the man who he is protecting, slowly giving us information that builds the tension that comes to a thrilling conclusion.   My Rating: Full Price    The Vigil Website   The film is currently playing in select theatres and  is available to rent on participating on-demand services.

My View: The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021)   The Feds target blues singer Billie Holiday (Andra Day) with a sting operation led by an undercover Federal Agent (Trevante Rhodes), with whom Billie has an affair with. Andra Day is wonderful in the role, but boy, is she let down by a script that is just downright bad. I cringed very early on at some of the dialogue, and the story never finds a hold of you the way it should. Billie Holiday was a tragic figure, done in by both the time she lived in, her demons (both past and present), and the men she kept getting involved in. Unfortunately, the film never can figure out how to present Billie’s life, and the film comes off feeling stale and unemotional. Skip this film and go listen to Billie's songs instead. You will get more information and get to know more about Billie from those songs than you will ever get from this bloated, slow, badly done film.   My Rating: Cable    The United States vs. Billie Holiday Website   Available on the Hulu platform. 

Forgotten Film: The Host   (2006)  R  Don’t confuse this film with the 2013 film of the same name starring Saoirse Ronan; this film is written and directed by three-time Oscar winner Bong Joon Ho (Parasite). After the US Army has polluted a river in Korea, a monster emerges from the depths to cause death and mayhem. When the monster takes a young girl, an ordinary family resolves to get her back at any cost. The monster is scary, the storyline is compelling and brilliantly told, and it out do’s any Godzilla film you have ever seen.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   The Host Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Cherry: Boot Camp Tech Advisor 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Boogie (2021) R   Alfred ‘Boogie’ Chin (Taylor Takahashi) is a basketball star in the making in Queens, New York, who dreams of playing in the NBA. Boogie has battle prejudices while navigating high school, on-court rivals, and his parent's expectations. The film is written and directed by Eddie Huang, the man whose story is told each week on the great TV series Fresh Off the Boat.     Boogie Website

Until Next Time!