Toy Story 4

Familyfaire:  Toy Story 4  (2019)  G  When Woody’s (Tom Hanks) ‘kid’ Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw) goes off unhappily to kindergarten, Woody helps her create a new toy called Forky (Tony Hale). The problem is Forky doesn’t want to be a toy and escapes the RV Bonnie’s family is going on vacation in. Now Woody must go on a mission to find and bring back Forky to Bonnie. I don’t know how Pixar keeps doing it but Toy Story 4 is as good as any other of the Toy Story films. It is probably the funniest of the 4 films, mostly due to the antics of Forky. There is a sequence in the first ten minutes of the film that involve Forky that will have on the floor laughing. There are some great new characters including a motorcycle stuntman named Duke Caboom, voiced by Keanu Reeves and two stuffed caravel prize animals voiced by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. It is Toy Story, so you are going to shed some tears and hate to break it to you, this is the last Toy Story film but rest assured it has a wonderful ending that is perfect. Stay through all the credits as there are bonus scenes, including a fantastic play on the Pixar logo at the end of the film. I will say this, this might not be a film for very small children. There are some rather scary bad guys that even creeped me out.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again    Toy Story 4 Website

Indiefest:  Woodstock: Three Days that Defined a Generation  (2019)   Fifty years ago 500,000 people saw three days of magical musical performances. It was more than just a concert and the people that were there tell their stories about the event. Unlike the 1970 Woodstock film, this movie concentrates on the people, both behind the scenes and the people that experienced the concert from the grounds. They do show some of the more iconic performances like Santana and Hendrix. The fascinating facts are numerous as we learn that the land they intended to have the concert on was taken away by a local city council and they had to find and construct everything in just four weeks. Also, the two main investors didn’t know anything about put on a concert much less one that 500,000 people attended. I enjoyed this film, getting to know the people that first hand experienced it.  My Rating: Full Price     Woodstock Website

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD / Blu-ray):  Five Feet Apart    (2019)  PG-13  Two teenagers (Haley Lu Richardson, Cole Sprouse) with life-threating illnesses meet in the hospital and fall in love, despite the fact that they have to stay at least five feet away from each other. I agree with a fellow critic who said after the screening that this just might be Haley Lu’s break out movie. She is brilliant in the role of the girl with cystic fibrosis who is trying to do everything she can to keep living. Cole Sprouse is good in the role of the rebellious patient who becomes interested in Haley Lu’s character. This isn’t a great film, but it delivers what you want in this genre with all the tugs at the heartstrings. I was happy that there a couple of twists I didn’t see coming. I have trouble with a couple of the plot points but there aren’t too troubling and don’t really interfere with the storyline. If you like a romance with a few tears then this film is for you.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Five Feet Apart Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've only seen in Trailers but just looks like a bad idea):  The Angry Birds Movie 2  (2019)  PG  A second movie based on the game? I hated the first one, so I am guessing this won’t be an improvement.    The Angry Birds 2 Movie Website

Forgotten Film:  Pushing Tin  (1999)  R  Nick (John Cusack) is the number one air traffic controller, always getting his planes safely to their destinations. All this changes when the cocky and reckless Russell (Billy Bob Thornton) comes into the control tower. Will this rivalry endanger the lives of passengers? The reason to see this film is the preferences of Cusack, Thornton and Angelina Jolie, who plays Russell’s wife that Nick has an affair with. It is also interesting to see how air traffic controllers do their high-stress jobs. You are little let down by the ending but overall this is worth watching.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Pushing Tin Info

Weird Credits:   From the credits of Toy Story 4:  Sets Shading Artist

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Farewell (2019)  PG  A Chinese family discover that their grandmother has only a short time to live. They decide not to tell her and stage a wedding as an excuse to gather the family together to say goodbye. This film made a big impact with audiences at the 2019 Atlanta Film Festival.    The Farewell Website

Until Next Time!

Men in Black: International

My View:  Men in Black: International  (2019)  PG-13  Agent M (Tessa Thompson) has just joined the Men in Black to protect Earth from the scum of the universe. Teamed up with Agent H (Chris Hemsworth), Agent M learns something thought impossible, there is a mole inside the MIB organization and she and Agent H must find the mole or the Earth is doomed. I was very disappointed in this film that wasted the comedic talents of Chris Hemsworth. The film is dull and seems much longer than its almost two hour run time. The only redeeming quality of this film is the character of Pawny (voiced by Kumail Nanjiani), a small little creature who becomes the sidekick to Agent M. Pawny is hilarious, always voicing his opinion on everything. For most of the film, I was bored and the action sequences aren’t well done.    My Rating: Cable    MIB: International Website

My View:  Late Night  (2019)  R  Molly (Mindy Kaling) is a quality control worker at a chemical plant that dreams of working as a writer on a late night talk show. Due to being in the right spot at the right time, Molly gets a job on the writing staff of a talk show hosted by the legendary Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson). Katharine is about to lose her job and it is up to Molly to save it. Absolutely brilliant writing from Mindy Kaling. The film is filled with witty dialogue and Kaling kills it on the screen as the writer desperate to succeed. Emma Thompson is a delight as the embattled talk show host that slowly warms up to Kaling’s character and her ideas to improve the show. This was such a fun film to watch and I enjoyed it immensely.    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Late Night Website

Indiefest:  The Dead Don’t Die  (2019)  R  The small, peaceful town of Centerville is suddenly turned into a killing zone as a horde of zombies invades the town. Now it’s up to its Police Chief (Bill Murray) and his deputies (Adam Driver, Chloe Sevigny) to save the town with a little help of the new funeral home director (Tilda Swinton). How writer/director Jim Jarmusch swung and missed with such a great cast is a mystery. The film has its moments, mostly due to Bill Murray but the film never finds its tone or footing and just isn’t funny enough to be called a comedy. Also, while funny, the film breaks the fourth wall which takes you out of the movie, almost grinding the film to a halt. The film had such promise but never delivers, making it a great disappointment.    My Rating: Cable   The Dead Don't Die Website

Indiefest:  The Last Black Man in San Francisco  (2019)  R  Two best friends (Jimmie Falls, Jonathan Majors) try to decide if they stay in their hometown of San Francisco which has drastically changed since their childhood. This is a wonderful film about the importance of friendship and how inter-cites landscapes are changing, not always for the best. This is also a love letter to the city of San Franciso, a city that director Joe Talbot and his lead actor Jimmie Fails absolutely adore. I loved the chemistry between Fails and Majors, who work well with each other on the screen. In a climate where a bunch of blockbuster films are duds, this small film deserves to be seen and treasured.   My Rating:  Full Price   The Last Black Man in San Fransisco Facebook Page

My View:  Shaft  (2019)  R   After his best friend mysteriously dies, john Shat Jr. (Jessie T. Usher) enlists the help of his father (Samuel L. Jackson) and his grandfather (Richard Roundtree) to find out what happened. This film just can’t figure out what it is: is it a buddy film? A gritty action film? A comedy? The only thing this movie knows what it is, a vehicle for Samuel L. Jackson to say as many F-bombs as he can. Some of the dialogue is downright laughable and the villains are so cut and dried that they could be from a 70s TV crime drama and the plot has holes as big as the muscle car that Shaft drives. I will say this, the small audience that I saw the film with laughed at all the jokes that Jackson made but that might be some hometown cooking (Jackson lives in Atlanta).   My Rating: Cable   Shaft Website

Forgotten Film:  Ryan’s Daughter  (1970)  PG  During the 1916 IRA rebellion a British officer (Christopher Jones) has a torrid affair with a married woman (Sarah Miles. Two reasons to see this movie; the performance of Robert Mitchum who is terrific and a storm sequence that is spectacular. The movie lacks some of the drama that director David Lean’s earlier movies such as The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) or Doctor Zhivago (1965) but is still worth watching.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    Ryan's Daughter Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Men In Black: International:  Crowd Hair Junior

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Yesterday  (2019)  PG-13  A musician (Himesh Patel) realizes he’s the only person to remember The Beatles. He then starts performing their songs and becomes a big star. The film is directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours) so I have high hopes for this film.    Yesterday Website

Until Next Time!

Dark Phoenix

My View:  Dark Phoenix  (2019)  PG-13  Due to a freak accident in space during a rescue, Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) starts developing powers far beyond she can control. If Jean doesn't get a hold of these powers it could be the end of what the X-Men have worked so hard to build. What horrible ending for a franchise that never quite hit their mark. How Simon Kinberg screwed up with a cast that includes James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult I’ll never know. The plot makes no sense, the battle sequences are boring and there are actual moments where the film is trying to be serious but instead brings laughter from the audience. I have never seen a film where I noticed how much makeup everyone was wearing. I guess eyeshadow helps you fight. Skip this film and go see End Game again.    My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Dark Phoenix Website

Familyfaire:  The Secret Life of Pets 2  (2019)  PG  The continuing adventures of Max (Patton Oswalt), Snowball (Kevin Hart)  and Duke (Eric Stonestreet), I mildly liked the first film. This film is much better than the first film mostly due to the addition of Harrison Ford as a stoic working dog named Rooster and a fast-talking dog named Daisy voiced by Tiffany Haddish. I also thought that Patton Oswalt was a big improvement as Max, replacing Louis C.K. from the first film playing the small dog with the heart of a lion in Max. The big scene stealer is, of course, Kevin Hart who plays Snowball, a bunny rabbit that thinks he is a superhero. The film is aided by some excellent action sequences that are thrilling and funny at the same time. I was shocked that they used ZZ Top’s ‘La Grange” as the music in one scene since the song is about a notorious ‘Cat House’ in Texas. Take the kids, you and they will enjoy the movie, just don’t tell them about what the song is about.  Oh, and stay through the first section of closing credits where you see youtube videos of pets doing stupid things to humans because there is a very funny rap song that Snowball performs.  My Rating: Full Price   The Secret Life of Pets 2 Website

Indiefest:  The Tomorrow Man  (2019)  PG-13   Ed (John Lithgow) is retired and spends all his time and money on preparing for a disaster that he is convinced is coming. Ed meets Ronnie (Blythe Danner) at a chance meeting. Ed becomes enamored with Ronnie and to his delight, they begin dating. Ronnie is hiding a secret that may cause them to break up. This a moving and beautiful film about two lonely, quirky people finding love again in their 60s. Lithgow and Danner give a multilayered performance and their chemistry on the screen is breathtaking. What I love about this film is that these are two very unique characters that find a common ground to fall in love. I will warn you that the ending is a little strange but I think it perfectly ties the film up.   My Rating:  Full Price   The Tomorrow Man Website

Indiefest:  Walking on Water  (2018)  An uncensored look at controversial artist Christo who is known for creating large-scale installations, most of which only lasts for days. This film chronicles the building of a series of floating piers that measured 1.9 miles long. The event took place in Italy with the Swiss Alps in the background. The project was fraught with problems, including crowds that were never anticipated. The film is a fascinating look at a man who has a giant ego, loves to have tantrums and likes being the center of attention. But Christo is also a remarkable artist and engineer and to pull off this feat is almost unbelievable. The filmmaker took over 700 hours of footage that gives us an inside look at a man some have called mad and other’s have called genius. The film does have some tense moments, like when a young girl goes missing in a massive crowd and when Christo threatens to shut down the project only two days into the event when crowds become too big. The film does a great job of giving us the perspective of just how big the project was and how hard the crews had to work to complete the project. It’s a rare thing to get to see this sort of look at a legendary, controversial artist.   My Rating:  Full Price    Walking on Water Website

Forgotten Film:  Open Water (2003)  R  Two scuba divers (Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis) come to the surface after an ocean dive to discover that the tour boat has left them behind. They have to decide how to handle this situation when it becomes very aware that the tour boat isn’t coming back. Now they are going to have to deal with exhaustion but also sharks. This is a horrifying film, make even more chilling by the fact that this is based on a true story. Plus, just to add to the horror, both the jellyfish and the sharks were real. The film was shot on an incredibly small budget but is so well done and scary that you wouldn’t know it.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Open Water Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Dark Phoenix:  Estimator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: The Dead Don’t Die  (2019)  R  The small, peaceful town of Centerville is suddenly turned into killing zone as a horde of zombies invades the town. Now it’s up to its Police Chief (Bill Murray) and his deputies (Adam Driver, Chloe Sevigny) to save the town with a little help of the new funeral home director (Tilda Swinton). The trailer looks just crazy and it has a great cast including Steve Buscemi, Sara Driver, Danny Glover, Selena Gomez, Carol Kane, and Caleb Landry Jones.    The Dead Don't Die Website

Until Next Time!

Godzilla: King of the Monsters

My View:  Godzilla: King of the Monsters  (2019)  PG-13  The Titans have awakened and the three-headed King Ghidorah is taking over. It’s up to Godzilla to save the world from Ghidorah and the army of titans. So the fights between Godzilla and the Titans are cool but there is just too little fighting and too much human talking. The film feels longer that it’s two hours and eleven minutes in length. The film wastes the talents of Vera Farmiga and Sally Hawkins. Millie Bobby Grown is given almost nothing to do in the film other than hug people and scream. The plot has holes as big as Godzilla himself and much of it doesn’t make sense. Do stay through all the credits as there is a clue for the next Godzilla film.   My Rating;  Cable   Godzilla Website

My View:  Rocketman  (2019)  R  The life and music of Elton John (Taron Egerton). This is one of the best films of the year and Egerton gives one of the great performances I’ve ever seen. Egerton perfectly captures the magic of Elton John’s performances and you get to see John and lyric writer Bernie Taupin create their greatest songs. This is a different type of biopic as the music tells most of the story. My only complaint about this film is the last third of the film lags a bit as Elton John goes down a dark hole of drugs and alcohol, cutting off everybody he was close to. All your favorite Elton John songs are in this film making it a trip down memory lane. If you are an Elton John fan this film is a must but really it is a must for any film lover.   My Rating: Full Price    Rocketman Website

Indiefest:  All is True  (2019)  PG-13  William Shakespeare (Kenneth Branagh) retires from writing and goes home to his family. I liked this film because I felt that I got to know the man behind the legend. Branagh is perfect in the role of Shakespeare, bring the man to life in front of our eyes. I loved the look of this film, as all the interior scenes were shot only using candlelight. Fans of the bard are going to love this movie.  My Rating: Full Price    All is True Website

Forgotten Film:  Collateral (2004) R   Max (Jamie Foxx) is a cab driver who picks up a passenger, Vincent (Tom Cruise) who gives Max 600 dollars to take him to five stops. What Max soon learns is that Vincent is a contract killer and is going to kill someone at each stop. What I enjoy about this movie is not the action sequences, it’s the conversations that Max and Vincent have in the cab and at a nightclub that Vincent makes Max go to. Their conversations are interesting and meaningful, as Vincent is constantly thinking about the meaning of life, even though his occupation is taking life away.  My Rating: Full Price    Collateral Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Rocketman: Facial Hair

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near Your:  Late Night  (2019)  R  Molly (Mindy Kaling) joins the staff of a late night talk show hosted by Katherine (Emma Thompson) who is told that her show is in its last year. Could Molly be the one to save the show? The trailer looks amazing and I love Mindy Kaling, so I’m really looking forward to this one.    Late Night Website

Until Next Time!

Aladdin

My View:  Aladdin  (2019)  PG  A street urchin named Aladdin (Mena Massoud) and an evil, power-hungry Gran Vizier (Marwan Kenzari) vie for an all-powerful genie (Will Smith) who resides inside a magic lamp. Both men are also vying for the hand of Jasmine (Naomi Scott). I had hope that this film would be good but it’s just ok. I had a big problem with the dance sequences as director Guy Ritchie decided to do some unnecessary camera tricks as he speeds up the action and then freezes it, which made the dancing almost unwatchable. I did not like Will Smith’s performance as the Genie which seems so generic. I wanted more from Smith’s Genie but his performance felt restrained and use autotune as much as you can, Smith just can’t sing. The movie felt longer than the 2 hours plus and it begs to ask the question, why does Disney think we want remakes of classic films in their library?   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Aladdin Website

Indiefest:  The Biggest Little Farm (2018)  PG   A Documentary cameraman and his food blogger wife, decide to leave the city and become farmers of a failed 200-acre farm. This is one of the best documentaries that I have seen in the past ten years. A funny and moving film about the struggles of a husband and wife who try to rebuild a farm. While the overall tone of the film is upbeat, the Chester’s do go through some struggles, some of which threaten their farm. The film takes place over seven years and the transformation of the farm is remarkable. If you want to be inspired by a film, then this one is for you.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again    The Biggest Little Farm Website

Indiefest:  Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blache  (2018)  The story of modern filmmaker Pamela B. Green’s attempt to find out about the life and films of a pioneer French filmmaker, Alice Guy-Blache, who made over 1,000 films in twenty years but it forgotten today. A marvelous film about an incredible woman whose pioneer work in cinema we have forgotten until this film. Part detective film as Green travels the world to uncover the life and work of Alice. This is the perfect film for a cinema lover in you.   My Rating:  Full Price   Be Natural Website

My View: Brightburn (2019)  R  Like a certain superhero, what if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth but instead of becoming a hero, he evolves something more sinister? A family snuggles with the fact that slowly, but surely it is very evident that their boy is very different than the rest of the population. This more of a horror story than an organ story. The violence is bloody and gruesome, at times the gore overpowers the storyline. The storyline takes forever to get going, and when it does, it is incredibly predictable. We just don’t care about any of these characters, especially the boy who becomes the anti-hero. The film ends with a place for a sequel, but I can’t imagine this doing any sort of box office to warrant that.    My Rating: Cable   Brightburn Website

My View: Booksmart  (2019)  R  Two high school overachievers (Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein) have always placed academics over anything else. They decide they have missed the fun of being a high-school student and decide to cram four years of fun into one night. Dever and Feldstein have incredible chemistry on the screen and their timing, finishing each other’s sentences. The dialogue reminded me a little of the Gilmore Girls, where the two leads just keep it up with non-stop dialogue. The film is sidesplitting funny and what I really like, it’s an original storyline, unique in this day and age of the remake. If you want a fun time at the cinema with some winning characters, go see this film.   My Rating:  Full Price    Booksmart Website

Forgotten Film:  The Out of Towners  (1970)  G  George and Gwen Kellerman (Jack Lemmon, Sandy Dennis)  travel to New York so that George can interview for his dream job. Unfortunately just about anything that can go wrong, does. This is such a fun film to watch as we see George and Gwen get their butt kicked by NYC. Nothing goes right for the couple from Ohio but they keep going, with George determined to make it to his interview on time.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Out of Towners Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Aladdin:  Splinter Unit Director

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Rocketman  (2019)  R  Described as a musical fantasy, this is the story of Elton John’s (Taron Egerton) breakthrough years as one of the greats of pop music. I can’t wait to see this film.     Rocketman Website

Until Next Time!

The Sun is Also a Star

My View:  The Sun is Also a Star  (2019)  PG-13   Natasha (Yara Shahidi) is going through a tough time in her life. After a chance meeting on the street, Daniel (Charles Melton) tells her he can make her fall in love with him in one day. That is going to be hard because Natasha doesn’t believe in love. First, let's talk about the good things about this film. The chemistry between Shahidi and Melton is a wonderful thing to watch and Shahidi lights up the screen. Melton has a boyish charm that he uses to great effect. The problem with this film is the dialogue is filled with just jarringly bad lines that make you cringe when the actors say their lines. Furthermore, there are so many aerial wide shots of New York City that after seeing the film, I felt I had watched a travel program. There were a couple of times that the audience I watched the film with laughed at some of the scenes where the film forced the couple to be back together. One scene stands out, a montage of the couple through the years as we see them get married and have a kid. You will roll your eyes at that sequence. This film tries too hard to hit the heartstrings but never finds it.   My Rating: Cable   The Sun is Also a Star Website

My View:  John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum  (2019)  R   Assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is on the run again after killing a member of the International Assassin’s League. He now has a price tag of 14 million dollars and every assassin in the business is gunning for him. I loved the first two John Wick films, and this one does not disappoint. It takes place immediately after the 2nd film with Wick and his dog running in the streets of New York, Wick all sorts of beat up. The cast from the last film are in it including Ian McShane as the Hotel Continental manager, Laurence Fishburne as the Bowery King, but they have added some new characters: Anjelica Huston as The Director, someone from John’s past, Asia Kate Dillon as The Adjudicator, come to shake things up in NYC, Mark Dacascos as a killer assign and finally in a spectacular role, Halle Berry as Sofia, a woman from John’s past that owes him a debt. The fight sequences are what make this movie, and once again they are outstanding and brilliantly choreographed. What I really liked was there is a fight sequence where John and Sofia are fighting together and the film focuses on Berry’s Sofia’s battle instead of John. I loved this film, though I will warn you the violence is almost over the top nasty and brutal. If you loved the first two films, go see this one, you won’t be disappointed. And yes, there will be a fourth one.    My Rating: Full Price   John Wick 3 Website

Indiefest:  Aniara  (2018)  R   The story of a spaceship bound for a colony on Mars that collides with an asteroid and knocks the space ship off course. The passengers soon realize that they will never get home to Earth or to Mars, bound for a sure death. The film centers on Mimaroben (Emelie Jonsson, MR for short, who is in command of a computer that allows humans to experience their favorite places on earth and let go anything that is bothering them. When things go wrong MR and the computer becomes overwhelmed, her only chance of keeping sane is a relationship she starts with a stoic pilot of the ship named Isagel (Bianca Cruzeiro). The film time jumps through the years, and that’s the problem with the film. We don’t get enough of the background of the characters to really care about them. The film feels much longer than the 1 hour and 46 minutes in length. The CGI is impressive and the sets are amazing but that doesn’t make up for a storyline that just moves so slowly that you just want something to happen and most of the time doesn’t.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Anira Website

My View:  A Dog’s Journey (2019)  PG  A dog is reincarnated many times having been given the task of looking after CJ (Kathryn Prescott) as she goes through life. First, there are a lot of deaths (mostly the dogs, though all die with their masters by their side and it's their time), including a couple of humans, plus a couple of other scary moments, so I don’t know if you want to take really young children to this. This from the same writer that gave us a film that came out earlier this year, A Dog’s Way Home (2019), so if you liked that film, you will like this one. I loved Josh Gad as the voice of all the reincarnated dogs (even when one of the dogs is female). He brought the right about of tone to the role, making the dog the main character in the film.  Does it get a little sappy at times? Yes, but I expected that. Does it tug at the heartstrings? Maybe too much, because the dog keeps getting reincarnated and having to find CJ. The script often times goes for the obvious and there are too many times we see what’s coming from very early one. Still, if you love dogs you will love the message that dogs can fill a void in your life or give you support when you need it with their unconditional love, and that’s a good thing.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee    A Dog's Journey Website

In Case You Missed It (A movie just released on DVD/Blu-Ray):  Fighting With My Family  (2019)  PG  Sayara (Florence Pugh) has been dreaming of wrestling in the WWE since she was thirteen, working small shows that her family puts on in England. She gets her chance when she is picked from a tryout with the WWE. Now can she beat the odds and make it to the big time? I am going to say something shocking, this is a really good movie! I can’t believe I am saying this about a WWE production, but the movie is fun, touching and moving. Now be warned that Dwayne Johnson is only in two scenes in the film but both are fun to watch. I loved all the cameos that the WWE wrestlers did in the film. The wrestling scenes are well done, and Pugh is a force on the screen. Go see this film!   My Rating:  Full Price    Fighting With My Family Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):   Dora and the Lost City of Gold  (2019)  Dora (Isabela Moner) was raised by her parents to be an explorer. Now she is on a mission to save her parents and find a lost city of gold. Watch the trailer and tell me you want to see this film. The makers of the film are counting on the nostalgia factor for people who grew up on the animated series that taught kids about foreign countries and their language.   Dora and the City of Gold Website

Forgotten Film:  The Shout  (1978)   Robert Graves (Tim Curry) meets an asylum inmate (Alan Bates) who tells him a tale of how he used magic to take over the lives of a married couple (Susannah York, John Hurt). Once the tale is told, Graves must decide if the story is real and take on the inmate or just blow off the story as a tall tale. This film at times is really scary, and it’s also a little confusing (on purpose). If you are a fan of the original The Wicker Man this film is made for you.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Shout Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of John Wick: Chapter 3: Dog Colorist 

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Booksmart  (2019)  R   Two high school overachievers (Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein) have always place academics over anything else. They decide they have missed the fun of being a high-school student and decide to cram four years of fun into one night. The film is directed by an actress I really admire, Olivia Wilde. The word of mouth on this film is through the roof.     Booksmart Website

Until Next Time!

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu

FamilyFaire:  Pokemon: Detective Pikachu (2019)  PG  When his father, ace detective Harry Goodman goes missing, his son Tim (Justice Smith) teams up Harry’s former partner, Detective Pikachu (voiced by Ryan Reynolds), a wisecracking Pokemon who is one of the world’s best detectives to find Harry. A wisecracking Ryan Reyolds just can’t save this dull film. I wanted to like this film but it’s just too slow and stupid to like. The plot can be seen from a mile away and is just too predictable. Fans of the Pokemon franchise may like the movie because they can see all their characters come to life but most will find this film a big dull trip.  My Rating: Cable

My View:    The Hustle  (2019)  PG-13 Two con artists (Anne Hathaway, Rebel Wilson) team up to take down some men that have done them wrong. This may be the worst film of the year. They took all the elements of the 1988 film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and then took out all the funny bits to make this film. I don’t think I laughed once during the screening, though some of the audience that I saw it with did. I like both actors but this film did not do them justice.   My Rating: Cable

My View:    Tolkien  (2019)  PG-13  J.R.R. Tolkien (Nicholas Hoult) was an orphan who had to work hard to get anywhere. He falls in love with a fellow orphan, Edith (Lily Collins) and just when he finds his calling, language, he is swept away in the horrors of WW I. I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan, so I was excited to see this film. While not bad, the film is a bit dull and spends too much time during Tolkien’s time in the war. I wanted more about how he came up with the idea of the books and less of his time looking for his best friend in the war.   My Rating; Bargain Matinee

Indiefest:  Hail Satan?  (2019)  R  A look at the quick rise and influence of the controversial religious group known as The Satanic Temple. What a fun film to watch. The film is filled with interesting people who are more about the separation of church and state than about praising Satan. The wide range of people you meet in this film is amazing, all are about human rights and not about worshiping the devil. I will warn you that their both male and female nudity.   My Rating: Full Price

Forgotten Film:  Electra Glide in Blue  (1973)  A motorcycle cop (Robert Blake) is promoted to detective and is assigned a case that will have question why he wanted to become a cop.  Robert Blake gives the performance of a lifetime as a cop who gets what he thinks he wants and then decides that his life was better before.  My Rating: Full Price

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Hustle: Wetsuit Cutter

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  John Wick 3: Parabellum  I don’t care what the plot is, I just want to see John ill as many people as he can. 

Until Next Time!