Maze Runner: The Death Cure

My View:  Maze Runner: The Death Cure  (2018)   PG-13   Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his band of escaped Gladers must travel to and break into the legendary 'Last City' to find a cure for the zombie bites. The 'Last City' becomes their most complicated maze yet. Will Thomas and his gang find what they are looking for?  I liked the first two films in the series but, I find this one dull, and it feels longer than its 144 minutes run time. It’s been almost three years since we saw the 2nd film in the series, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, so it’s a little hard to remember who everyone is and their relationships to each other. I liked the action sequences, which are exciting to watch but there are long sections between them. The end seems very contrived and not well thought out. I think fans of the YA book series are going to be disappointed in this film.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Maze Runner: The Death Cure Website

In Case You Missed It (Movies just released on DVD/BluRay): Goodbye Christopher Robin  (2017)  PG  A.A. Milne (Domhnall Gleeson) has returned from WW I to his wife (Margot Robbie) but is suffering from PTSD.  After the birth of his son, Christopher Robin, he moves his family to the country. There, as he interacts with Christopher, a book idea springs up. That book would become the beloved Winnie the Pooh. This film only works when Christopher Robin and his dad are out in the woods playing. The rest of the film is a depressing view of a very dysfunctional family who exploits their child for fame and money. The film never finds its voice, and Will Tilston, as the eight-year-old Christopher Robin, isn’t up to the spotlight shining on him, as his performance is one dimensional.  I don’t think fans of "Winnie the Pooh" are going to be happy with this very un-Pooh like film.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Goodbye Christopher Robin Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Samson  (2018)  PG-13  The story of Samson (Jackson Rathbone) from the Bible, where he takes on a cruel Philistine prince (Billy Zane) who is responsible for killing Samson’s love of his life. When the biggest stars of the film are Billy Zane, Rutger Hauer, and Lindsay Wagner, you just might have a bad movie.   Samson Website

Forgotten Film: The Thin Blue Line (1988)  This documentary by legendary filmmaker Errol Morris, feels more like a drama because Morris uses actors to recreate the murder of a police officer and then the actions of the police department to wrongly try and convict a man of a crime he didn’t commit. This is a different type of documentary as there isn’t a narrator. Instead, the film uses newspaper clippings and other documents to fill in the story. Many of the recreated scenes are shown from two or three perspectives, giving you all the information you need to make up your own mind about who killed the police officer. This engrossing film is one of the best documentaries that I have ever seen.  My Take:  I Would Pay to See it Again   The Thin Blue Line Website

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Maze Runner: The Death Cure:  Animal Coordinator

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Isle of Dogs  (2018)  Set in Japan, a young boy goes on a search for his lost dog.  Hey, it’s directed by Wes Anderson, and it’s animated, so I’m in.    Isle of Dogs Info

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Forever My Girl

My View:  Forever My Girl  (2018)  PG  A big country music star (Alex Roe) returns home after being gone for ten years and rediscovers his true love, a woman named, Josie (Jessica Rothe). This is your ordinary romance film about a jilted-at the-altar girl who stayed in her hometown when the man who left her returns. It’s precisely what you think it would be, a little schmaltzy and too sweet, at times. What makes this film watchable is the excellent group of songs that Alex Roe and others (including one by Travis Tritt) that are preformed in the film and the performance of Abby Ryder Fortson, who steals the spotlight from the rest of the cast. She is adorable as Josie’s headstrong and precocious daughter, Billy. You instantly fall in love with Billy as Ryder Fortson delivers lines like a seasoned pro. This isn’t a bad date movie if you like romantic films and country music.    My Rating:  Cable   Forever My Girl Website 

Indiefest:  Small Town Crime  (2017)  R  An alcoholic ex-cop (John Hawkes) finds the body of a dead young woman and decides to find her killer. This is an old-fashioned hard-drinking murder mystery from writer/directors Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms. Small Town Crime is the kind of story where the hero isn’t above breaking a few laws to solve the case. Part dark comedy, part private eye film, it’s a look into the sleazy life of the world of dive bars, boozy patrons and prostitution with a little bit of backstabbing thrown in for fun.  This film is a trip you will want to take because of John Hawkes. Hawkes is one of those rare actors that, as soon as he appears on the screen, we are already rooting for his character, no matter how many flaws his character has.   This is a film that someone like old pulp fiction writer Mickey Spillane or even any character that the Coen brothers have created would be happy to be in. It’s a world of booze, dead bodies, and bad intentions; thank God we have John Hawkes to lead us through it!    My Rating: Full Price   Small Town Crime Website

Indiefest:  The Final Year  (2017)  Documentary on President Obama’s last year in office where Filmmaker Greg Barker was given unprecedented access to the last year of President Obama’s foreign policy team.  The film focuses on Obama and his team made up of Secretary of State John Kerry, National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice, American Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, and Deputy National Security Adviser/speechwriter Ben Rhodes.  The film follows the President, Kerry, and Powers as they travel around the world visiting 21 countries. At times the film feels like a puff piece for the Obama administration, but you do catch moments where there are personal glimpses with just the right bit of humanity, like a young woman asking the President how to balance a successful marriage. Best moment of the film, which was also one of the saddest, was when speechwriter Ben Rhodes, on election night, is sitting outside on some steps trying just to say, "I have no words" into the camera and tries at least ten times to say it.  A guy who writes speeches for a living was speechless.    My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   The Final Year Website

In Case You Missed It (Movies just released on DVD/BluRay):  Loving Vincent  (2017)  PG-13  The complicated life and controversial death of one of history’s most celebrated artists, Vincent Van Gogh. This film took six years and used more than 125 artists to animate this movie using oil paints and more than 65,000 panels. The movie takes 120 of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings and incorporates them into the scenery and the characters. It makes his paintings come to life right before your eyes. The film is told through the travels of a Postmasters son, Armand (Douglas Booth) who is given the task of taking a letter Van Gogh wrote on the day of his death to Vincent’s brother. As Armand travels, he begins seeking information on why Vincent committed suicide making the film more of a mystery than just your typical biographical picture. The animation is gorgeous, and fans of Van Gogh will love how his paintings fill the screen. To fully appreciate the wonder of this film, it has to be seen on the big screen as this movie creates a love letter to Van Gogh’s magnificent, stunning paintings. Van Gogh produced works that continued to bring joy to a world, even if that world didn’t understand him at that time. As Vincent used to sign his letters to his beloved Theo with the saying, Loving Vincent, you, too, will be loving Vincent if you see this film.   My Rating:  Full Price   Loving Vincent Website

Forgotten Film:  Soapdish  (1991) PG-13  An up-and-coming actress (Cathy Moriarty) on a daytime drama plots with her producer (Robert Downey Jr.) to get the longtime star (Sally Field) of the soap off the show. Like the soap TV show itself, Soapdish has tons of plot twists, backstabs and outlandish affairs that make this film so much fun to watch. The outstanding cast includes Whoopi Goldberg, Kevin Kline, Elisabeth Shue, Carrie Fisher and Garry Marshall who is hilarious as the put-upon network boss. Everyone looks to be having a great time on screen as you will be, too, watching Soapdish.   My Rating: Full Price   Soapdish Info

Weird Credit:  From the credits of Small Town Crime: Crafty / Production Assistant

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The 15:17 to Paris  (2018)  PG-13  Based on a true story where American soldiers discover a terrorist plot on a Paris-bound train. Clint Eastwood has been uneven in his films lately, but I have hope for this one.   The 15;17 to Paris Website

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Paddington 2

Family Faire:  Paddington 2  (2017)  PG  Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw), who is happily living with the Brown family (Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville), picks up a series of odd jobs around the neighborhood to buy the perfect present for Aunt Lucy’s (voiced by Imelda Staunton) 100th birthday party.  I loved the first Paddington film and found it fun and delightful. I am happy to say that this movie is even better than the first. The CGI special effects are breathtaking, as the film has a number of close-ups of Paddington that show fantastic detail. The film is full of funny scenes, and I love how Paddington is so nice and polite that he even wins over hardened criminals to his way of positively looking at life. Paddington 2 is a film that the whole family can love and enjoy. We all need a little Paddington in our lives. Be sure to stay through the credits as there is a wonderful surprise at the end.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Paddington 2 Website

My View:  The Post  (2017)  PG-13  When a government cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents is uncovered, the country’s first female publisher, Kay Graham (Meryl Streep), must put her reputation and her paper at risk to publish the story at the urging of a hard-headed editor by the name of Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks). The Post has one of the best ensemble casts I have ever seen. Streep and Hanks have never worked together before, but you wouldn’t know it as their timing and chemistry is flawless. Streep gives a brilliant performance as a woman who, due to the death of her husband, is asked to do things out of her comfort zone but steps up to the task. The dialogue is smart and makes the film move along at a quick pace. The storyline is strong and compelling, and even though I knew the outcome, the film still has plenty of twists and turns. This is a film you will not want to miss.     My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again    The Post Facebook Page

My View:  The Commuter  (2017)  PG-13  Michael (Liam Neeson) is an insurance salesman who is on his way home via the subway. A stranger contacts him and offers Michael $100,000 if he can identify a hidden person on the train before he gets to his stop. Michael soon realizes that the passengers and his family are in danger if he doesn’t solve the puzzle.  You get what you expect with this Liam Neeson vehicle, some close action fights, suspenseful scenes and Liam being Liam. The film does contain a satisfying mystery that I never figured out before it was revealed. The ending is a little far-fetched, though it does contain a rather exciting action sequence. If you like Neeson action movies, you will like this one.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Commuter Website

Forgotten Film:  Burden of Dreams  (1982)  A documentary on the making of the classic Werner Herzog film, Fitzcarraldo (1982). Almost everything that could go wrong does when this film was being made. From losing major cast members halfway through production to getting caught up in a war between Peru and Ecuador, it’s amazing the film was completed, much less turned out as an outstanding classic film. It’s a brilliant documentary that shows just how hard it is to make a film.    My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again    Burden of Dreams Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Paddington 2:  Special Effects Teeth

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  The Upside  (2017)  An unusual pairing of an unemployed man (Kevin Hart) and a wealthy paraplegic (Bryan Cranston) that will change both their lives. The film is a remake of the 2016 French film called, The Intouchables.  If it is half as good as that film, it will be outstanding.    The Upside Info

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Insidious: The Last Key

My View:  Insidious: The Last Key  (2017)  PG-13  Parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) is used to battling the paranormal bad guys. This time it’s personal; they are taking over her childhood home.  As this series progresses (this is the fourth one), the filmmaking becomes sloppier. The dialogue in this film is horribly written with lines that seem to be created by a ten-year-old. The scary parts of the film are your ordinary jump-out-of-the-dark variety. I did enjoy a rather interesting twist to the story but feel the ending was rushed and didn’t give me much satisfaction. The tension never builds, and I never sensed that Dr. Rainier (the hero of the story) was ever in any real danger (a problem for horror films). Let down by a weak script and even weaker plot, this series should probably be put to bed or at least hidden in a corner with the ghosts.  My Rating: Cable   Insidious: The Last Key Website

My View:  Hostiles  (2017)  R  In 1892, legendary Army Captain and Indian Fighter, Capt. Blocker (Christian Bale), reluctantly agrees to escort a dying Cheyenne Chief (Wes Studi) back to his native lands so that the Chief can die in peace.  I enjoyed this western (a genre that I love), especially the performance of Christian Bale, who plays the rough and tumble Captain. Writer/Director Scott Cooper wrote this film with Bale in mind, and you can tell because it plays to Bale’s strengths as an actor who uses silence and small gestures to communicate what he is thinking and feeling. Wes Studi gives a moving and intense performance of the Cheyenne Chief who wants to go home to die. I also enjoyed the performance of  Rosamund Pike who plays a widow that the Captain agrees to transport to the next fort. The action sequences are plentiful and realistic, making the scenes very powerful. The message of the film is that you might not know your enemy as you think you do, as there are always two sides to every battle.    My Rating:  Full Price   Hostiles Info

In Case You Missed It (Movies just released on DVD/BluRay): Battle of the Sexes  (2017)  PG-13  This film is loosely based on the 1973 tennis match that all America watched between Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell), an aging huckster who used to be a great tennis star, versus Billie Jean King (Emma Stone), the best woman tennis player of all time. This is two films in one; the story of how the most watched tennis match happened, and the slow realization by Billy Jean King that she is a lesbian. I enjoyed this film because I am old enough to remember the match, and the look and feel of the early 70s is perfectly captured. The film does a superlative job of mixing in actual footage from the match, including showing Howard Cosell on-screen with Natalie Morales, who plays tennis player Rosie Casals. Steve Carell is brilliant as the bombastic Bobby Riggs, who was a man who lived and loved to gamble. In contrast to Carell’s over-the-top Riggs (warranted because that’s how Bobby Riggs acted), Emma Stone gives a quiet but convincing performance of a woman who dared to take on the world to get women’s tennis the prize money and notoriety it deserved. The film feels long because it spends so much time on King’s awakening to her true feelings. There are too many scenes of her exchanging glances with the hairdresser (Andrea Riseborough) with whom she eventually falls in love. Overall, buoyed by the spectacular cast, Battle of the Sexes is an exciting look at a time when a tennis player changed her sport through her toughness and determination.    My Rating:  Full Price   Battle of the Sexes Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  Fifty Shades Freed  (2018)  R  The third installment of the Fifty Shades of Grey series. I have somehow managed to avoid the first two films…I think I will keep this streak alive.   Fifty Shades Freed Website

Forgotten Film:  A Slipping-Down Life  (1999)  R  Evie (Lili Taylor) is a lonely young woman living in a small town. One evening, she hears a small-time rock star, Drumstring Casey (Guy Pearce), interviewed on the radio promoting a local gig. She goes to the gig and instantly becomes obsessed with the singer, and it changes her life forever. Lili Taylor gives a breathtaking performance as Evie, who restarts her life with one shocking act (I won’t tell you what it is, but it is brutal to watch). The film feels real, helped by a supporting cast including Tom Bower, John Hawkes, and Veronica Cartwright. It will be a long time before you forget Evie.    My Rating:  Full Price   A Slipping-Down Life Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Hostiles:  Virtual Instrument Designer

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Proud Mary  (2018)   Mary (Taraji P. Henson) is a hit woman for hire whose life is turned around when she meets a young boy during a hit gone wrong.  Taraji P. Henson shooting guns and taking names, sign me up!    Proud Mary Website

Until Next Time!

All the Money in the World

My View:  All the Money in the World  (2017)  R   Jean Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer) is the wealthiest man in the world. When his 16-year-old grandson (Charlie Plummer) is kidnapped, his mother (Michelle Williams) will do anything to get him back, in spite of Jean Paul Getty, who refuses to pay a ransom.  Michelle Williams as the mom willing to do anything to get her son back and Christopher Plummer as the miserly J. Paul Getty are superb in their roles.  You feel the pain and desperation of the mom in Williams’ performance. Plummer is at the top of his game as the world’s richest man who cares more about collecting art than his own family. I can’t see anyone else but Plummer in this role. Kevin Spacey, who was replaced by Plummer after principle shooting was done, I believe, would not have done as well as Plummer did in this role. The film moves along and doesn’t feel anywhere near its two hours and twelve-minute running time.      My Rating: Full Price   All the Money in the World Website

My View:  Molly’s Game  (2017)  R  Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) runs an underground poker game in Hollywood that high profile gamblers and celebrities attend. Her world comes crashing down when she crosses the wrong people. This is an Aaron Sorkin movie, so you know the characters will have a lot of dialogue, but I got tired of the endless narration that Jessica Chastain’s character does. I hate when screenwriters think they have to explain every single thing to the viewer. The film feels every minute of its long two hours and twenty minutes run time. Chastain, as usual, gives a brilliant and moving performance. There is a scene that, later in the film where Kevin Costner, who plays Molly’s father and comes to apologize for being a crappy father, brings the film to a screeching halt. I think this film just doesn’t meet the quality of the book (by Molly Bloom).     My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Molly's Game Website

My View:  I, Tonya  (2017)  R   The story of ice skater Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) who overcame poverty and abuse to become a member of the U.S. Olympic team. Tonya is brought down when her ex-husband (Sebastian Stan) decides to take out her most significant competitor. Margot Robbie is stunning in a performance that gives Harding a rough but almost loveable edge. With a less-skilled actor, the role could have become kitschy, but Robbie makes Harding a real person who battles her mom and the world to do the one thing that she loves, skate. It’s an intriguing story that is funny at times, but also you see how hard a life Harding led. The only problem I have with this film is the CGI special effects that put Robbie’s face on another skater’s body as the more difficult jumps are done. It’s highly distracting and takes away from some of the more thrilling moments. Go see this film; you won’t believe how stupid the plan to hurt Nancy Kerrigan was.      My Rating: Full Price   I, Tonya Website

Forgotten Film:  The Shop Around the Corner (1940)   Two employees (Jimmy Stewart, Margaret Sullivan) at a gift shop can’t stand each other. Little do they know that they are pen pals with each other and through those letters have fallen in love. One of my favorite directors, Ernst Lubitsch, made this film. It’s a brilliant comedy with robust dialogue and a creative plot that takes a few twists and turns    My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   The Shop Around the Corner Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of All the Money in the World:  Personal Hair Stylist to Mark Wahlberg

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Black Panther (2018)  After the events of Captain America: Civil War, King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns to his country only to be challenged by a rival faction. Now T’Challa as the Black Panther teams up with C.I.A. agent Ross (Martin Freeman) to keep his countrymen free. The trailer looks so spectacular that I wish the film was coming out tomorrow.   Black Panther Facebook Page

Until Next Time!

Pitch Perfect 3

My View:  Pitch Perfect 3  (2017)     After their world championship, the Bellas decide to get together one last time for a singing competition at an overseas USO tour. Pitch Perfect was one of my favorite films of 2012, but the quality of the film series has gone down with each sequel. One of the significant aspects of the first film is the songs seemed heartfelt and original.  Now, some of the songs seem tired, and the plot of this film is right out of a cartoon. The characters that we fell for in the first film seem one-sided and predictable. I did like Anna Camp's performance of a love struck Bella. I am hoping this is the last film of the series because I want to remember it by the first one.  My Rating: Cable   Pitch Perfect 3 Website

My View:  Downsizing (2017)  R  To solve the world’s overcrowding problem, people can be downsized, shrinking people to only inches tall. Paul (Matt Damon) and his wife (Kristen Wiig) decide to downsize to solve their money problems.  There are some great performances in this film, Christoph Waltz comes to mind, but the greatest is Hong Chau, who plays a cleaning woman who fled from Vietnam after being in prison for protesting. It’s a performance worthy of her Golden Globe nomination. Chau plays her part beautifully, making her character headstrong and fiery but also with a heart of gold who cares about her fellow man. The story goes back and forth from a comedy into drama and then back again into comedy. It’s a movie that has a lot to say about how we treat each other and the world around us. The film is worth seeing if just for the funny sequence when Paul gets downsized.    My Rating: Full Price   Downsizing Website

My View:  The Greatest Showman  (2017)  PG  P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman) loses his job and decides to create the most fantastic show that you have ever seen, a show soon to be called, “The Greatest Show on Earth.”  I love this film as it is full of life and energy, making me smile from the first moment of the film. The songs (there are eleven of them) are by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the same team who gave us those great songs in La La Land. The songs are unbelievably moving, and the choreography is dazzling and, at times, intense. Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams are exceptional but it’s the supporting cast who really stands out, including Zendaya, who plays a high-wire artist and Keala Settle who plays the bearded lady. Do yourself a favor and see this dazzling film.   My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again    The Greatest Showman Website

Indiefest:  Call Me By Your Name  (2017)  R  In Northern Italy in 1983, Oliver (Armie Hammer) is visiting Mr. Perlman (Michael Stuhlbarg) and his family as they do research for a project. Oliver takes Elio (Timothee Chalamet ), a 17-year-old music prodigy, under his wing and teaches him about life and love.  This is a beautiful love story that develops between Oliver and Elio, who slowly gravitate to each other. Armie Hammer is mesmerizing as the man who falls for Elio, but the real star of the film is Timothee Chalamet. Chalamet gives a multilayered performance that shows the longing and exhilaration of a first love. It’s a touching and moving performance that is so rare to see someone so young pull off. The film is gorgeous, utilizing the Italian landscape to its fullest. It’s a film full of love, lust, and heartbreak, just what a first love is supposed to be.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Call Me By Your Name Website

Forgotten Film:  Broadcast News  (1987)  R  Jane (Holly Hunter) is a writer/producer for a Washington news show. Her best friend, is Aaron (Albert Brooks), a reporter who is desperate to become an anchor and is secretly in love with Jane. Tom is new to the news team and though a little dim, is great on-camera. Jane, against her better instincts, falls for Tom, even though she has always put her job ahead of her personal life. I love this film about a broadcast team that gives their all for their job because they believe in their industry. It’s also about how sometimes we fall in love with the wrong people, people with whom we know we won’t be spending the rest of our lives. The script is brilliant and gives an accurate look at what it’s like to work at a local news station.    My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again   Broadcast News Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Greatest Showman: Hand Double – Siamese Twin

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Paddington 2  (2017)  PG  Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) happily living with the Brown family (Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville) picks up a series of odd jobs around the neighborhood to buy the perfect present for Aunt Lucy’s (voiced by Imelda Staunton) 100th birthday party. I loved the first film, so I have high hopes for this one.   Paddington 2 Website

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi

My View:  Star Wars: The Last Jedi  (2017)  PG-13  Rey (Daisy Ridley) joins Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to learn about her Force abilities. Rey and Luke go on an adventure with Leia (Carrie Fisher), Finn (John Boyega) and Poe (Oscar Isaac). Rey will learn that The Force is more powerful than she could ever imagine. This is in my top three Star Wars film, and Mark Hamill gives a performance of a lifetime. The storyline moves at a quick pace, making it seem much shorter than its run time of 153 minutes. Star Wars fans will be happy with the introduction of new characters along with homages to the past. Daisy Ridley shines in the role of Rey, making her a new champion for the rebels. We have a new villain in Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) worthy of taking the role that Darth Vader played in the first three films of the Star Wars sequence.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   Star Wars Website

Family Faire:  Ferdinand  (2017)  PG  Ferdinand (John Cena) is a gentle soul with a big heart. He is mistaken for a dangerous beast and is taken from his home to train as a bull for bullfighting. Determined to return to his family, he rallies a misfit gang to go on the ultimate adventure. As a kid Ferdinand the Bull was my favorite book. The movie does do a good job of capturing the essence of the book. The animation is a little dull and the movie is way too long to keep the kids interested. I did like the song from the film Home sung by Nick Jonas. I thought John Cena made a great Ferdinand.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Ferdinand Website

Indiefest:  The Other Side of Hope   (2017) Wikstrom (Sakari Kuosmanen) buys a restaurant with his poker winnings. Khaled (Sherwan Haji) is a Syrian refugee who stows away on a freighter to Helsinki. Khaled goes underground to avoid being deported and is found by Wikstrom who offers him a job that will change both their lives.  I can’t tell what type of film this is. I think it is meant as a dark comedy, but the storyline never really pulls that off. I found the film boring, and I never really cared for any of the characters which are key to liking this film. The plot takes forever to get moving, and its ending feels rushed.   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee     The Other Side of Hope Website

Forgotten Film:  All That Jazz (1979)  R  Joe Gideon (Roy Schneider) is working himself to death. Between editing a movie and choreographing a Broadway show, Gideon uses drugs to burn the candle at both ends. The movie is by filmmaker/choreographer Bob Fosse and is loosely based on his life. Scheider gives the performance of his career as Gideon. Fosse cast some of his dancers in the film such as Leland Palmer and Ann Reinking, giving the film an air of authenticity. The dance sequences are spectacular, and I love Deborah Geffner as a dancer willing to do anything to get Gideon’s attention.  My Rating:  Full Price   All That Jazz Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Star Wars: The Last Jedi:  Wookie Consultant 

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  All the Money in the World  (2017)  R   The story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III whose grandfather was one of the richest men in the world but wouldn’t put up a ransom to free his grandson. I can’t wait to see this film since all the scenes were re-shot with Christopher Plummer replacing Kevin Spacey in the cast.    All the Money in the World Website

Until Next Time!