The Watchers

My View: The Watchers  (2024)  PG-13  Mina’s (Dakota Fanning) car breaks down while she is traveling on a forest road in Ireland. Taking off on foot, she suddenly sees a woman yelling at her to run to a concrete bunker. Mina makes it before the bunker’s door closes, and she finds herself in another world where creatures observe their captive humans and terrible things happen when people don’t reach the bunker in time. The Watchers is Ishana Shyamalan’s directorial debut. The daughter of M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs) shows that she has an eye for creating some cool horror scenes, but like her father, her film falters as it writes itself into corners it can’t get out of. The movie starts out with great promise, with a lead character, Mina, who isn’t going to go down without a fight. The problem (among many with this film) is that it sets up a series of rules that the humans are not supposed to break and then go about breaking them at every turn. Not giving anything away, but I figured out just about everything that was supposed to be a mystery about ten minutes into the film, with the rest of the mysteries hitting me over the head as the story went along. The Watchers ends with a whimper and never answers a ton of questions that would typically come up. It looks like the daughter is following right in her father’s footsteps.    My Rating: Cable  The Watchers Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Bad Boys: Ride or Die  (2024)  R  In Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the bad boys (Will Smith and Martin Lawrence) are back and in trouble. The late Captain Conrad Howard is being accused of being on the take with the Romanian Mafia. The guys set out to exonerate the late captain but get set up themselves, and now, as fugitives, they will have to work outside the law to solve the case. I am not a huge fan of this series. I like the first film and somewhat enjoy the relationship between Mike and Marcus, with Marcus, played by Martin Lawrence, being the comic relief of the two. The two stars work well together on screen, and there are some funny moments (and one great one which I won’t give away), but I tired of Lawrence’s performance rather quickly, as Marcus has a near-death experience and feels that he can’t die, all the while pushing that fact to no end. The storyline is weak (no reason is given why the mean, big bad guy starts the whole mess into action), but the action sequences are imaginative, and there are some great set pieces that are both funny and thrilling. Directors Arbi and Fallah do some brilliant things with the camera during the shootouts that put you right into the action. Overall, I had more fun than I thought I would. I wish Lawrence would dial it down to about an 8 instead of a 15.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Bad Boys: Ride or Die Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Am I OK?  (2022)  R  Lucy (Dakota Johnson) and Jane (Sonoya Mizuno) are lifelong friends, even though Lucy is a mess. Jane is in a stable relationship with her boyfriend, and the dates with the guy Lucy is interested in always end with a hearty handshake. Things change when Jane announces she is moving to London, leading Lucy to reveal a secret about herself. Lucy just might be gay. I loved this film and Dakota Johnson’s performance. Am I OK? is a sweet, funny, and at times moving look at someone, realizing that they may haven’t been true to themselves. This is a film about friendship and how we need friends to help us find our path. The chemistry between Johnson and Mizuno is better than some of the recent rom-coms out there, making their friendship enjoyable to watch and all that more believable. Lucy is a person who needs someone to push her past her comfort zone, and Jane is that person who does it out of love. Am I OK? is a rom-com, not about two people falling in love but about two people whose friendship will get them through anything, even if it’s life-changing. My Rating: Full Price  Am I OK? Website   Now on the Max platform. 

My View:  How to Rob a Bank  (2024)  In the documentary How to Rob a Bank, a bank robber, Scott Scurlock, nicknamed Hollywood, was the most prolific bank robber in the 1990s. His robberies were straight out of the movies, and he was taking a ton of money out of the banks with the FBI not having a clue who he was or how he was doing it. However, everything must end, and it all comes crashing down in one spectacular final heist. Ever wonder what makes a person become a bank robber? Right out of a Hollywood film (Scurlock was inspired by the 1991 film Point Break), this documentary has all the thrills of some of the best that movies have put out. With interviews with the people who helped Scott rob banks and the FBI agents who were trying (for years) to catch him, you get an inside look at how Scott was so successful in doing something that most people who attempt it fail. Scott was a person who was probably too smart for his own good, and combined that with someone who was an adrenaline junky; it made a perfect combination for a person who outsmarted the FBI and might have gotten away with it if he hadn’t tried for too big of a haul that caused his downfall. The documentary tells a story about a man who, if you saw it in a fictional film, you would think, this isn’t possible, but it was. How to Rob a Bank does a fantastic job of telling the story of a man who lived a life his way, for a while.  My Rating: Full Price  How to Rob a Bank Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Forgotten Film:  Girl 27  (2007)  Documentary about a chorus girl named Patricia Douglas, who in 1937 was raped at an MGM promotional event. The studio had tricked her and 100 other women (many underage) into attending a party on an isolated Hollywood studio ranch. Although the attack and trial received newspaper headlines in the day, the case was covered up by MGM, the police, and the LA D.A.. 70 years later, filmmaker David Stenn came across the story while researching a book on Jean Harlow. Girl 27 is a fascinating look at how much power the studios had in Hollywood and how they could make almost anything disappear, all to protect their product. The film uses interviews, archival footage (including footage of the man who attacked Patricia), and newspaper clippings to piece together what happened and why. Girl 27 is a ‘Me Too’ story before the movement started, but it shows that not a lot has changed in 70 years.   My Rating: Full Price  Girl 27 film website  Now available on YouTube. 

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Bad Boys: Ride or Die:  Helicopter Mockup Provided By

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: MaXXXine  (2024)  R  In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) is about to get the big break she has been dreaming about. However, there is a mysterious killer stalking the streets of Tinseltown, and Maxine’s bloody past may be catching up to her. This is the third of filmmaker Ti West’s X trilogy, after X (2022) and Pearl (2023), all starring Mia Goth.  Maxxxine Website  The film will be released on Friday, July 5th.

Until Next Time!

Violent Night

My View:   Violent Night   (2022) R   When a group of mercenaries attack the estate of a wealthy family, a little girl asks for help on Christmas Eve. Santa Claus (David Harbour) is about to answer the little girl's wish and finds out who has been naughty. In fact, it's not going to be such a silent night after all. I had high hopes for this film, not because I thought it would be great but because it would be fun, but because I was let down by a lack of creativity in the script and some rather lame fight sequences. I think I wanted more superhero from Santa, but instead, we get a washed-up, lost 'the Christmas spirit' Santa that became too much of a downer. I enjoyed David Harbour in the role, and it looked like he was having fun, but that joy didn’t always translate to the storyline. Next time have Santa come in swinging instead of swigging a lot of beer.  My Rating: Cable   Violent Night Website  Now playing in theatres nationwide.

My View: Emancipation (2022) R Peter (Will Smith) is a slave who has been taken from his family to a new plantation. Peter learns that the Union Army is near and escapes cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on his quest for freedom and to see his family again. This film tells the story of slavery from the perspective of one man, Peter, a devoted family man who believes with his whole heart in God. When taken away from his family to work building a railroad for the Confederacy under unimaginable circumstances, Peter is determined to escape and find his way back to his family. I had several problems with this film. We spend so much of the movie in the swamp with Peter battling everything from dogs to snakes to gators to men on horseback that it makes the film seem like a man vs. nature film instead of about the man himself. Secondly, I had a hard time on why a man named Fassel (Ben Foster), the man everyone looks to capture and bring back escaped slaves, is so determined to chase down one man when so many men have escaped from the work camp. We get some background information on Fassel’s upbringing, but why is Peter singled out for Fassel to go so far as to go to the edge of the Union Army to bring Peter back? This isn't the Oscar vehicle I'm sure the studio and Will Smith envisioned it would be. Emancipation is based on a real man, Peter, whose photograph shocked the world and changed the hearts and minds of many when it was published, and that moment is potent and moving, but it’s not enough to make this film rise above it, being just another ordinary escape film.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Emancipation Info Now playing in select theatres and Apple TV+ on Friday, December 9, 2022.

Indiefest: Nanny (2022) R  Aisha (Anna Diop), an immigrant nanny who starts a new job for an Upper East Side family. Aisha is working toward making enough money to bring her son from Africa to join her. However, Aisha begins seeing things in her dreams and real life that becomes terrifying and could destroy her hopes for her future. Anna Diop is exceptional in the role of Aisha, a woman who isn’t afraid to stand up for what she is due and loves her child so much that she is willing to work as hard as it takes to bring him to her. The film has been marketed as a horror film, and it really isn’t one, though it sometimes tries to be one. It’s more of a psychological delve into how our dreams and fears can overwhelm us. The film tries too hard to bring in the horror aspect, making it seem less real to the viewer and taking away some of the impact and power of the emotional scenes that Aisha experiences. I was disappointed by this film because it never could quite figure out what it was; a horror film or a drama, and it wasted a performance that could have been even better.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Nanny Website Now playing in select theatres and on Amazon Prime on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022.

Indiefest: SR. (2022) R Documentary on the life and career of Robert Downey Sr., the director of irreverent films in the 70s and 80s, who became a latter-day actor (Boogie Nights, Magnolia), and was, of course, the father of Robert Downey Jr. I was never a big fan of Robert Downey Sr.’s films. They were always way too out there, too absurdist for my taste. However, I did enjoy this loving tribute to the man by a son who, like his father, has lived a life full of obstacles along the way. What we get with this film is a sweet, kind look at a man who made many mistakes, especially with his son, but in later life has found humor and peace to live out his final days. What sticks with me is the family's love on-screen during the final scenes with Sr. and how adored he was by everyone, including his son.   My Rating: Full Price  SR. website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Familyfaire: Darby and the Dead (2022) PG-13 Darby Harper (Riele Downs), who, after suffering a near-death experience in her childhood, sees ghosts and helps them travel to the great beyond. Darby is an outcast at school, but all that is about to change when the most popular girl in her high school, Capri (Auli’i Cravalho), dies and needs Darby’s help. The first third of this film is a lot of fun, but unfortunately, the film falls into the trap of going for the easy story of letting fame and success go to your head before the redemption in the final act. I think younger teens will enjoy the antics of the high schoolers, but the rest of us will grow tired of the storyline and the predictable plot.   My Rating: Cable  Darby and the Dead Website  Now playing on the Hulu platform.

Indiefest: Clean Slate (2021) Documentary about two friends in a Southern drug recovery program who decide to make a short film to express their struggles with recovery and the pain they have caused their families. This is an inside look at how hard it is to stay clean and sober, no matter how much support and help you have. You go on a journey with these two men to make a film, and the end result is success but not without heartache, lots of work and hope, lots of hope. Clean Slate is a documentary that makes us look at ourselves while trying not to judge others. It's a film about encouragement and striving to accomplish something, a goal that sometimes seems unreachable but can be achieved with help, time, and lots of work. But it’s also about the people still struggling to stay alive, the people who haven’t failed; they just have a long road to go. Clean Slate is a moving film that can give anybody what they really need; hope.   My Rating: Full Price  Clean Slate Info Now playing in select theatres and On Demand.

Forgotten Film:  Arthur Christmas (2011)  PG  In this animated film, Santa (voiced by Jim Broadbent) is getting ready to retire...which of his two sons will follow in his footsteps? Steve (voiced by Hugh Laurie), the older son, is Santa’s right hand and runs Santa’s workshop with military precision. Arthur (voiced by James McAvoy), the younger son, is a wide-eyed lover of all things Christmas, but Arthur’s optimism can get the best of him, and sometimes he is just a little too eager to please. On Christmas Eve, it’s discovered that one present has not been delivered, and Arthur decides to make sure that everyone’s Christmas is a merry one. I enjoyed this film, and it plays to both kids and adults as it has humor aimed at both. The best part of this movie is the army of elves that help run the massive operation, as they deliver gifts with the skills of a gymnast and the stealth of a ninja. Arthur Christmas is an enjoyable film, and it’s very inventive in describing how Santa delivers all his presents on Christmas Eve.   My Rating: Full Price Arthur Christmas Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Nanny: Haze Operator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: A Man Called Otto (2022) PG-13 Otto (Tom Hanks) is a grumpy old man who just wants to be left alone after the loss of his wife. Otto’s world will be turned upside down by a new family next door and a cat that won’t leave him alone. I loved the 2015 Swedish two-time Oscar-nominated film, A Man Called Ove, that this film is based on.   A Man Called Otto Website  Coming to theatres Mid-January, 2023.

Until Next Time!

Mike's Fearless 2022 Oscar Picks

I am picking who I think will win, not who I think should win. If I think there could be an upset or another winner, I’ll give you that alternate pick. 

Best Picture: CODA       Possible: The Power of the Dog

Directing: Jane Campion - The Power of the Dog

Lead Actress: Jessica Chastain - The Eyes of Tammy Faye     Possible: Penélope Cruz - Parallel Mothers

Lead Actor: Will Smith - King Richard     Possible: Benedict Cumberbatch - The Power of the Dog

Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose - West Side Story

Supporting Actor: Troy Kotsur - CODA  

Adapted Screenplay: Siân Heder - CODA      Possible: Jane Campion - The Power of the Dog

Original Screenplay: Kenneth Branagh - Belfast      Possible: Paul Thomas Anderson - Licorice Pizza  

Animated Feature: Encanto      Possible: The Mitchells vs. The Machines

Documentary Feature: Summer of Soul      Possible: Flee

International Feature: Drive My Car      Possible: The Worst Person in the World

Cinematography: Greig Fraser - Dune     Possible: Ari Wegner - The Power of the Dog

Costume Design: Jenny Beavan - Cruella

Fim Editing: Joe Walker - Dune     Possible: Myron Kerstein,Andrew Weisblum - tick, tick…Boom!

 

Makeup and Hairstyling: Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram, and Justin Raleigh - The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Production Design: Dune

Score: Hans Zimmer - Dune

Original Song: No Time to Die - No TIme to Die     Possible: Dos Oruguitas - Encanto

Sound: Dune

Visual Effects: Dune

Animated Short: Robin Robin

Documentary Short: The Queen of Basketball      Possible: Audible

Live Action Short: The Long Goodbye      Possible: Please Hold

Jungle Cruise

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

My View: Jungle Cruise   (2021)  PG-13   Captain Frank Wolf (Dwayne Johnson) is used to taking some tourists on a typical jungle cruise aboard his boat. But Capt. Wolf has never met Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt), a determined explorer on a research mission, has other plans for her trip. Along with her brother, MacGregor (Jack Whitehall), she is looking for a magic cure hidden in the Amazon jungle for centuries. Captain Wolf, Lily and are about to go on the adventure of a lifetime, one that no one has ever returned from. This film reminded me of the classic Walt Disney adventure films of the fifties and sixties like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, with lots of action, a somewhat over-the-top villain, and some really scary henchman that does the villain’s bidding. What makes this film work is the chemistry between Johnson and Blunt. They play off each other perfectly, with lots of charisma but even better, great timing. As with any good romance of this nature, the two don’t get along at first, but we know right from the start that they are made for each other. The action sequences are fast and highly enjoyable with Blunt, using her experience with action-adventure roles from Edge of Tomorrow and A Quiet Place to great effect. Jesse Plemons is terrific as the evil (there is a great bit where Jack Whitehall’s character can’t understand that Plemons character is saying the word ‘jungle’), filling every scene with glee and mayhem. The film moves at a quick pace and is helped by a few nods to the Disneyland Jungle Cruise ride (watch out for those vicious headhunters!). Jungle Cruise is a lot of fun and is worth seeing on the big screen (I wish I had) due to all the wild and wooly action sequences. So go on a bit of a ride down the Amazon with the Captain and Lilly. You won’t need a refund for this trip.    My Rating: Full Price     Jungle Cruise Website  The film is now playing in theatres and is available on the Disney+ platform.

My View:   Stillwater   (2021)  R   An American oil-rig roughneck from Oklahoma, Bill (Matt Damon) travels to France to visit his daughter, Allison (Abigail Breslin), who is being held in jail for a murder that she claims she didn’t commit. With no help from her lawyer or the police, both of whom think she is guilty, Bill, in a foreign country, battling language barriers and a system set up to have him fail, is determined to find evidence to exonerate his daughter and bring her back home, to Stillwater. While not quite the Oscar performance that I am sure Damon was hoping for, this is still a good movie due to Damon's quiet and restrained performance as Bill, a man trying to do right by his daughter, who he has failed for most of his life. The film is two parts; one is a father trying to reconnect with a daughter he doesn’t know, and the other is a love story between Bill and the French woman, Virginie, played by Camille Cottin, who becomes at first his friend and then his love interest. Bill is determined to help his daughter in any way he can, if it is just being near to her, so Bill can visit her in prison from time to time. Soon, though, Bill gets it into his head that maybe he can do more; that maybe, just maybe, he can find a crucial person in the murder case that just might get his daughter out of prison or at least, a new trial. The film is helped by the secondary story of Bill getting involved with Virginie and her adorable daughter, Maya (Lilou Siauvaud), as we get to see Bill get a second chance at both love and having a family, making us like Bill more and more as the film goes on. The film drags a bit, feeling every bit its two hour and twenty-minute length, as we wait for the break in the case that we hope (and know) is coming. Overall, Stillwater is a good character study of a man who has sinned in the past and is trying to make up for those sins, no matter what it costs him.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Stillwater Website  The film is now playing in theatres.

Indiefest: The Green Knight  (2021)  R   The story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur’s nephew, who is determined to make his own legend as he takes on the Green Knight, a gigantic green-skinned stranger. Filmmaker David Lowery has always been hit or miss with me. I really liked his films Ain’t Them Bodies Saints and The Old Man & the Gun, and I absolutely hated his movie A Ghost Story and wasn’t a big fan of Pete’s Dragon. So, be warned that this is a beautifully told tale of a classic knight of the round table story that is very much what I would call an ‘Arthouse Picture.’ It’s a film that critics will love, including me, but probably won’t find a wide audience because it isn’t a conventional telling but more in line with what the 14th-century poem followed, a tale of a knight on a quest, and it’s up to you to decide if the knight failed or succeeded in that quest. The film is filled with magical images that make the film feel part of all those 14th and 15th tapestries showing knights on their quests to serve King Arthur and the ideal of the honest and brave knight. Interestingly, Lowery has chosen to make Gawain not a knight but a wannabe, a young man who dreams of being a knight but would rather sleep with women and drink. This makes Gawain a flawed character from the start, and Dev Patel uses this to his advantage, making Gawain get by on his good looks and connections (he is King Arthur’s nephew and his mother is a sorceress). The film follows Gawain on his quest, one where he makes many mistakes, almost dies (primarily due to those mistakes), and relies on the kindness of strangers, some of which also can’t be trusted. The Green Knight is a moving, visually stunning film that anyone who loves the classics (like I do) will fall in love with. Now, if you are looking for a knight’s tale with lots of romance and sword-fighting, this isn’t your film, but if you want to go on a quest and experience a fantastic tale, this is a film for you.    My Rating: Full Price     The Green Knight Website  The film is now playing in select theatres.

Indiefest:  Twist   (2021) R    Twist (Raff Law) is a gifted graffiti artist trying to find his way after the loss of his mother. He meets Fagin (Michael Caine), the head of a street gang, and Twist is on his way to becoming an integral part of the gang when an art theft goes wrong, and Twist finds himself caught between Fagin, his love for Red (Sophie Simnett), the police, and a loose-cannon enforcer (Lena Headey). I enjoyed some of this film, mainly the parkour bits where Twist and Red went all over London via its rooftops. Still, the film falls flat with a weak plot that involves what should have been a very clever break-in into a high-security art museum, but instead, we get a lame heist film that never quite jells, even with pros like Michael Caine and Lena Headey in its cast. It would help if Raff Law had some of the star power of his father, Jude, but he doesn’t, and while he and Simnett, playing the tough and agile Red, have some chemistry, it's not enough to help the weak script in its attempt to do a contemporary tale of Oliver Twist.  Dickens Oliver Twist is a great story and has inspired many a wonderful film, but this adaptation isn’t one of them.     My Rating: Cable     Twist Info  Now playing in select theatres.

My View:   Resort to Love     (2021)  PG   It’s been a tough year for Erica (Christina Milian) after she broke up with her fiancé (Jay Pharaoh). Her fortunes look up when she accepts a job as an entertainer at a fabulous Island resort only to find out that she will be the highlighted entertainment at her ex-fiancee/s wedding. Think of this film as a Hallmark Channel film with better music. The storyline is predictable, Millian’s acting wavers a bit (she does well at the drama parts but not with the comedy), and the ending is what you expect, but fans of Millan will enjoy this film because she sings a lot. Sinqua Walls, playing the brother of Jay Pharaoh, is fine as the love interest that we know Erica will end up, and the film gives him plenty of chances to take off his shirt to make the viewers swoon a bit. Resort to Love is a very lightweight film perfect for a Saturday afternoon or maybe a late-night viewing with a glass of wine. In fact, perhaps a couple of glasses of wine and a fast-forward button to get to Millan singing a tune or two.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Resort to Love Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest:   Ride the Eagle   (2021)   Leif (Jake Johnson) is left a picturesque Yosemite cabin he inherits from his estranged mother. Her only condition is that he has to complete a to-do list that she has compiled to teach him some lessons about life. I am a big fan of Jake Johnson, having loved him in films such as Drinking Buddies and Safety Not Guaranteed, and I was not disappointed in this film about a guy who has never gotten over the fact that his mother left him when he was young for a cult and never did make amends…until now. Leif, via tapes his mother has left him, has to complete some tasks that his mother has decided will teach Leif about life and how to live it. This is Johnson’s film; he is on screen the whole time and, with the exception of his loyal dog (with whom he talks to all the time), is pretty much on his own, trying to faithfully complete the tasks his mother has left him to do. I loved the phone conversations that he has with an old girlfriend (played by always charming D’Arcy Carden), who Leif has called as part of his mother’s quest. Susan Sarandon plays Leif’s mom (who we only see through those videotapes) and is hilarious as she gives Leif his tasks to undertake. Ride the Eagle is one of those small, independent gems that is worth not only your watch but a wider audience if only to see J.K. Simmons, as one of Leif’s mother's lovers, rage at Leif, calling him a hilarious bunch of names that I can’t publish but would really like to.    My Rating: Full Price     Ride the Eagle Website  Now playing in select theatres and available to rent on available online platforms.

Forgotten Film:   Changes   (1969)  R   Kent (Kent Lane) is a lost young man. As the filmgoers along, we see his life in flashbacks, including his unhappy relationship with his girlfriend, who ended up committing suicide. He crashes his car and then goes on a walking quest to figure out his life. Along the way, he meets people that he thinks can help him, including a journalist (Marcia Strassman). This is one of those films that was made in the late 60s, early 70’s when Hollywood was trying to figure out what would appeal to the young people in a country that was changing incredibly fast. Changes isn’t a great film, much too experimental for my taste, but it gives you a great look at a time when Southern California was changing and Hollywood was trying to keep up. It helps that the film has an incredible soundtrack, including Joni Mitchell singing ‘Both Sides Now and look for an incredibly young Terri Garr in the movie playing a waitress.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Changes Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Jungle Cruise: Men’s Head Cutter

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:   King Richard   (2021)   The story of how Richard Williams (Will Smith) turned Venus and Serena Williams into two of the greatest tennis players in the game's history. The film is from Reinaldo Marcus Green, who gave us the marvelous Monster and Men (2018) and we all know that when given a good part that Will Smith can act, so I am looking forward to this film.      King Richard Info

Until Next Time!

The Gentlemen

My View: The Gentlemen (2019) R   Mickey (Matthew McConaughey) is the weed lord of England and wants to settle down with his wife, Rosalind (Michelle Dockery), and sell his drug empire. It won’t be an easy sell. Writer/director Guy Ritchie goes back to his roots when he used to do witty and gritty films like Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (2000) and Snatch (1998). The film is a little too flashy and very complicated at the start, and it took me quite a while to warm up to its rather brash language and violence, but about halfway through the film, I really started to enjoy it. McConaughey isn’t given too much to do other than be super cool (which we know he is good at), but the rest of the cast just has a blast playing some fun and off-the-wall characters. Charlie Hunnam, playing McConaughey’s right-hand man, is perfect in the role, and Colin Farrell gives a hilarious performance of a coach of a gang of small-time gagsters slash boxers. The best performance is Hugh Grant playing a con-man who is trying to swindle everyone he deals with. Grant is hilarious, with a thick British accent and twinkle in his eye as he tries to swindle a big score. Not quite a home run but still a good time at the movies, I hope Ritchie keeps making movies like this one instead of dreck that he has done lately (Aladdin, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.).    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Gentlemen Website

My View:  The Last Full Measure (2019) R  Scott Huffman (Sebastian Stan) is given the task of investigating if thirty-four years after his death, Airman Willam H Pitsegnbarger Jr. (‘Pits’) is worthy of getting the nation’s highest military honor, for his actions on the battlefield. Huffman will discover that there are many secrets being hidden to Pits’ story. This is such a remarkable story that you want the film to be better than it is. With a cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Plummer, Bradley Whitford, Ed Harris, William Hurt, Peter Fonda, Amy Madigan, and Diane Ladd, you would think that this film would just fly by, but instead, it drags as we keep going back to flashbacks to the day that Pitts died. There are a lot of talking head scenes as Vietnam vets anguish over that day, but the film never delivers the emotional punch that is needed to make this film worth watching.    My Rating: Cable    The Last Full Measure Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Gemini Man (2019)  PG-13    An over-the-hill hitman (Will Smith) takes on his worst nightmare, a younger clone of himself bent on killing him. Let's get right to what everyone will be talking about, the CGI younger Will Smith in the film. At times, the CGI does a great job and looks like a real person, but there are times, especially when we first meet the clone that looks fake and very animated. This takes away from the film, as you are consistently taken from the storyline or the action, looking at how well or not the film is carrying off this gimmick. I call it a gimmick because, as one of my fellow critics noted after the film screening, it would have been easier (and less costly) to cast a young actor in the part and then add makeup for the older version. The action is well done, but the storyline is weak, and the ending is just stupid and an easy out. Throughout the film, I kept asking, why did two-time Oscar winner Ang Lee want to do this film, and how could it be this bad directed by him.    My Rating: Cable    Gemini Man Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers But Just Looks Like a Bad Idea): Gretel & Hansel (2020) PG-13   A young girl, Gretel (Sophia Lillis) leads her little brother, Hansel (Sam Leakey) into the woods in search of food and shelter. They come across a woman named Holda (Alice Krige) who claims that she wants to help the children, but Gretel senses that there is something evil about the woman. As of writing this, movie critics are not being offered a screening, never a good sign for a movie.    Gretel & Hansel Website

Forgotten Film: Bandslam (2009) PG   Will (Gaelan Connell) is a bit of a geek who's life revolves around music. He is recruited by Charlotte (Aly Michalka), who has put together a band to compete in the upcoming Battle of the Bands competition. Will knows something is missing from Charlotte’s band, and he finds Sa5m (Vanessa Hudgens) and adds her to the band, which instantly begins to gel. What I love about this film (besides the music which is catchy and fun) is how the film treats these teens like actual people, with real feelings and dreams. Hudgens and Michalka can sing, and Connell is perfect as the awkward kid who doesn’t think any girl would be interested in him. It’s a fun ride that reminds me a little of the fabulous 80s teen films that I fell in love with.   My Rating: Full Price    Bandslam Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of The Gentlemen: Crowd Voice Casting Assistant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Rhythm Section (2020) R   Stephanie (Blake Lively) will go at any length to seek revenge against those who orchestrated a plane crash that killed her family. I am always interested to see what Blake Lively has picked for her next role.     The Rhythm Section Website

Until Next Time!

Bad Boys for Life

My View: Bad Boys for Life (2020) R   The Bad Boys (Will Smith, Martin Lawrence) are back together for one last ride. The guys have to confront possible career changes and midlife crises, as they join a new task force named AMMO to take down a ruthless leader of a Miami drug cartel. If you are a fan of the first two films in the Bad Boys series, then you will have a good time watching this film. Is the plot stupid and the ending pretty unbelievable? Yes. Are there a lot of high-speed car chases and numerous things blowing up (sometimes for no reason)? Yes. Is the chemistry between Smith and Lawrence still there? Yes (but barely). I didn’t quite have as much fun as the audience I saw the film with, but if you know what you are getting into (watch the trailer), you will probably have a good time watching this ‘popcorn’ movie.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Bad Boys for Life Website

Familyfaire: Dolittle (2020) PG   Seven years ago, the famed doctor and veterinarian of Victorian England, Dr. John Dolittle (Robert Downey Jr.), lost his wife and has been sequestered behind the walls of Dolittle Manor with his menagerie of animals for his only company. When Queen Victoria (Jessie Buckley) falls ill, Dr. Dolittle sets out on an epic adventure to find a cure. Dolittle is an unfunny and rather stupid film that only young, and I mean really young, kids will enjoy. Downey has some sort of Welsh accent that I have no idea what he was saying about a third of the time. The plot is predictable, and the only fun animal in the whole bunch is a squirrel (voiced by Craig Robinson) that thinks people are out to kill him. The CGI is unimpressive, with some of the animals looking like they were drawn by eight-year-olds. I hope the paycheck was huge for Downey because he isn’t going to live down this film for quite a while.    My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again    Dolittle Website

Indiefest: The Song of Names (2019) PG-13   Thirty-five years after his close childhood friend, a violin prodigy, disappears on the eve of his big solo concert, an Englishman travels throughout Europe to find him. I wish this was a better film than what it turned out to be. It is intriguing at first, with the mystery of why the violinist disappeared without a trace. Unfortunately, the film takes too long to solve that mystery, and I became rather bored with the movie as it moved back and forth from the past to the present. When the mystery is solved, it’s quite a letdown, making the film feel a little shallow. Tim Roth plays the adult who is looking for the long, missing violinist, and Clive Owen is the man he finds. Both actors aren’t given much to do in this film, and the big, emotional moment just doesn’t deliver.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee     The Song of Names Website

Indiefest: Les Miserables (2019) R   A cop (Damien Bonnard) transfers to the 93rd district (where Victor Hugo wrote his 1962 novel ‘The Miserables’) so that he can be near his son after his divorce. He is assigned to the local Anti-Crime Brigade, where cops try to keep the peace between residents. Les Miserables is a gritty, down, and dirty cop drama about the hard streets of a low-income Paris neighborhood, where the cops are constantly harassing the people of the community. What I loved about this film is there are a number of different characters in the movie, all with interlocking stories that all come together at the end of the film. Nominated for an International Feature Film Academy Award, this film is a hard look at a harsh life in the street.   My Rating: Full Price     Les Miserables Website

Indiefest: Weathering With You (2019) PG-13   A high-school boy, Hodaka, runs away to Tokyo, where he meets and befriends a girl who seemingly can manipulate the weather. The animation in this film is beautiful and sometimes a bit haunting. The film is a love story between a 15-year-old boy and a mysterious 18-year-old girl, Hina, who he discovers is called ‘The Sun Girl.’ Tokyo is in the middle of a record-setting weather event, it won’t stop raining. Hina, it seems can through prayer, stop the rain from falling for a short time. They start up a business, selling sunshine for events like a wedding or a ball game. Weathering with You is a love story, and the film is aimed at teenagers (think a Young Adult novel) where we wonder if Hodaka is ever going to get up the nerve to tell Hina just how he feels about her. Hina has a secret, and this love affair could be doomed. I enjoyed this film, and I loved the soundtrack that had a number of Japanese pop songs that perfectly captured the feelings of the characters.   My Rating: Full Price     Weathering With You Website

Forgotten Film: Lady in White (1988) PG-13   Frankie (Lukas Haas) is an 11-year old kid who one night is lured into the school cloakroom by some kids and is left behind, the door locked and Frankie realizes that no one knows where he is. He is visited by a ghost, a young girl who looks sad. As he tries to communicate with the spirit, another figure appears, a masked man who is looking for something in the cloakroom. The masked man decides to spare Frankie, leaving Frankie to figure out if he was visited by one or two ghosts. Lady in White is an excellent ghost story as our hero sets out to discover why he was visited by the young ghost, and if the masked man had anything to do with her death. I loved the fact that the film perfectly captures the look and feel of a small town as it deals with a ghost and a possible murderer. The film has a few nice twists and turns to make this a movie to watch. My Rating: Full Price    Lady in White Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Bad Boys for Life: Elk Set Production Assistant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Saint Frances (2019)  A young woman (Kelly O’Sullivan) life is falling apart, and she decides to take a new approach, she becomes a nanny to a six-year-old girl who will change her life. The star of the film, O’Sullivan wrote the screenplay, and the trailer looks like this film could be a lot of fun to watch.     Saint Francis Website

Until Next Time!