Project Hail Mary

There is sci-fi, then there's sci-fi with humor and heart all wrapped up in a story of the survival of Earth all in the form of "Project Hail Mary". For an individual that's usually not an avid sci-fi fan, this was one of those true exceptions. This had it all: adventure, intensity, humor and heart rolled up into a modern masterpiece.

Science teacher Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there.As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything and one on Earth from extinction mostly through his boss of the mission Eva Stratt (Sandra Huller)...but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

Others to round out the cast are James Ortiz as the voice of Rocky, Lionel Boyce as Carl, Ken Leung as Yao, Mia Soteriou as Dr. Browne, Milana Vayntrub as Olesya Ilyukhina, Priya Kansara as the voice of Mary, Annelle Olaleye as Olivia and Maya Eva Hosein as Rekha. 

This was wonderfully directed with suspense and heart by Phil Lord ("Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" '09, "21 Jump Street" '12, "The Lego Movie" '14, "22 Jump Street" '14) plus TV, and Christopher Miller ("Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" '09, "21 Jump Street" '12, "The Lego Movie" '14, "22 Jump Street"'14) plus TV and a short. By their very resume, these two filmmakers are clearly a team and work incredibly well with one another, and this film proves that in spades. the camaraderie between Grace and Rocky was simply amazing--about as well structured as any team of characters considering one of them was an alien. And this being an almost solo performance by Gosling was equally amazing that he was, through these talented directors, able to carry this film to the point that captured one's attention in a way that came across effortlessly.  It was equally impeccably written by Drew Goddard ("Cloverfield" '08, "The Cabin in the Woods" '11, "World War Z" '13, "The Martian" '15, "Bad Times at the El Royale'18) plus TV and a short, based on the novel by Andy Weir. Considering this was written by the same screenwriter and based on the novel by the same novelist as "The Martian", it's no wonder that this would be as well structured as any film could be. The chemistry between Grace and his alien friend Rocky was incredible. This movie was sequenced well and was amazingly captivating with its cohesiveness, conciseness and was a very tight and organized script, especially given that it was formatted as a flashback. It's truly why we go to the movies!. The acting by Gosling was stunning as were the production values, i.e.music, cinematography, editing, sound effects and visual effects. 

This is a film that all must see--it's got crowd pleaser written all over it! It has adventure, action, suspense, humor and heart all rolled up in a film that will leave everyone wanting to stand up and cheer. It is wonderful to see a film that is made for all audiences--not just a handful and be artful at the same time time. Enjoy this gem, I know I did!

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                           Rated: PG-13                                         156mins.

  

The Pout-Pout Fish

When it comes to animated films, we have the usual companies such as Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, even Blue Sky to create many animated flicks, but now we have an Australian film company, Macmillan Publishing to create "The Pout-Pout Fish" to sink our teeth into. 

Living on a rundown shipwreck, Mr. Fish (Nick Offerman) one day discovers a hyperactive young sea dragon Pip (Nina Oyama)--who had mistaken his home for a junkyard pilfering his belongings. The heated argument that ensues leaves both their houses in ruin. But there is hope. Embarking on a seemingly impossible quest in search of a mythical "Shimmer" (Jordin Sparks) to grant them a wish, there's only one problem: someone else is on the hunt. 

Others to round out the cast are Remy Hii as Benji, Miranda Otto as Marin, Nazeem Hussain as Archie, Andrew Buchanan as Red Starfish, Amy Sedaris as Pink Dolphins, Mark Coles Smith as Hector, Bessie Holland as Baz, Mel Buttle as Shaz and Grant Denyer as Beautiful Mike. 

This was directed with heart by Ricard Russo ("The Wishmas Tree" '19, "Combat Wombat" '20, "Daisy Quokka: World's Scariest Animal" '20 "Scarygirl" '23, "Combat Wombat: Back 2 Back" '23, "A Sloth Story" (co-director) '24, "Mission Santa: Yoyo to the Rescue" '25) plus TV and shorts, and it was co-directed by Rio Harrington (visual effects). I could truly appreciate the staging, pacing and the different angle shots this director used to achieve the effects he was looking for. Even though the co-director had no other feature films to his credit, he was still pivotal with the impact he was able to convey. It was cleverly written by Elise Allen, Elie Choufany and Dominic Morris, based on the book by Deborah Diesen and illustrated by Dan Hanna. This film has a somewhat childlike format, but since it is based on a children's book series, the script was aptly written. The message? overcoming bad moods with an element of joy--something we can all learn from. Other than a couple of places of slowness (I know, it's only 90 minutes long), it, after a point moved right along and ultimately conveyed the message it was intending to unfold. Even though these writers have virtually no feature film experience, all of their massive amount of TV, shorts and video experience have certainly served them well. They will undoubtedly receive more work. 

If you like animated films, this will hit home. It was purposely written in a childlike format hence its base being a children's book. This is something for the entire family--if fact since it is about ridding of consistent bad moods and replace them with joyful situations, it's definitely something we all can learn from and take to heart. It has heart and soul and will truly move you. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                  Rated: PG                                         91mins'

Reminders of Him

Most romance drama type films are fairly typical in their creation, however "Reminders of Him" is a bit different in that it involves the loss of a young woman's boyfriend in a car accident, only unbeknownst to the boyfriend's best buddy that this young woman was his buddy's girlfriend. It's an interesting turn of events that definitely goes against the odds. 

After a perfect outing with her boyfriend, Scotty Landry (Rudy Pankow), Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe), makes an unbearable mistake that sends her to prison. Seven years later, Kenna returns to her hometown in Wyoming, hoping to rebuild her life and earn the chance to reunite with her young daughter, Diem Landry (Zoe Kosovic), whom she has never known. When Diem's custodial grandparents, Patrick and Grace Landry (Bradley Whitford and Lauren Graham) respectively, adamantly refuse Kenna's attempts to see her daughter, Kenna discovers unexpected compassion, and then something truer and deeper, with former NFL player and local bar owner Ledger Ward (Tyriq Withers), who is Kenna's late boyfried's buddy. As their secret romance develops, so do the dangers for both of them, leading Kenna toward heartbreak and, ultimately, the hope for a second chance. 

Others to round out the cast are Nicholas Duvernay as Roman, Jennifer Robertson as Ruth, Lainey Wilson as Gage, Hilary Jardine as Mary Anne, Monika Myers as Lady Diana, Skye MacDonald as Stacey, Jillian Walchuck as Whitney and Laird Reghenas as Gage's manager. 

This was directed with compassion, heart all with a tenseness about it considering the story line by Vanessa Caswill ("Love at First Sight" '23) plus TV, shorts and a music video. Considering the fact that she has only one feature film to her credit, she's an accomplished director. Certainly all the shorts and TV she has directed has served her well. She had the task to encourage her actors to do a substantial amount of character flip-flopping with the characters, especially the leads, Monroe and Withers, and with that, she will receive more work. It was effectively penned well by writers, Lauren Levine and Colleen Hoover (novels and videos), based on the novel by Colleen Hoover. Because the premise of this was somewhat different than we've seen in other romance dramas, it allowed its audience to be more interested in it. In fact, I felt it was far more interesting than I expected. The different family dynamics were complex, yet it was made clear that one could only imagine what it would be like in to be in either Ledger or Kenna's place--this was implemented quite well. Really, other than a few short moments soon after the film started that were a bit slow and were a bit tough to believe, it was a cohesive and tightly written film. I'm sure that one of the writer's that wrote the novel the film was based on didn't hurt.

If you like romance drama films, this will hit home, especially given that the story was something that one doesn't see in this particular genre. This has effective directing, interesting writing and the chemistry between the two leads, Monroe and Withers are worth the price of admission.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: PG-13                                    115mins.

Hoppers

Ever since Pixar Animation Studios produced "Toy Story" back in 1995, we have seen a plethora of films since. "Toy Story 5" will be released this May, to give an interesting perspective on their longevity. The bevy of their films have been genius, however a few lesser than perfect ones did slip through the cracks. Now we have "Hoppers" in the offing to sit back and enjoy.

What if you could talk to animals and understand what they're saying? In Disney and Pixar's all-new feature film "Hoppers", scientists including Dr. Sam (Kathy Najimy), Nisha (Aparna Nancherla) and Conner (Sam Richardson) have discovered how to 'hop' human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals! The adventure introduces Mabel (Piper Curda), an animal lover who seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined. 

Others to round out the cast are Bobby Moynihan as King George, Jon Hamm as Mayor Jerry Generazzo, Dave Franco as Insect King, Meryl Streep as Insect Queen, Karen Huie as Grandma Tanaka, Isiah Whitlock Jr as Bird King, Eduardo Franco as Loaf and Tom Law as Tom Lizard. 

This was directed wit heart and passion by Daniel Chong ("We Bare Bears: The Movie" (TV movie) '20) plus a video. This filmmaker doesn't have any other feature film under his belt, however the expertise this film provided is exemplary and proves he's a natural and will receive more work. It was cleverly written by Jesse Andrews ("Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" '15, "Every Day" '18, "Luca" '21, "Elio" (additional screenplay) '25) plus TV and a video, based on a story by Daniel Chong and Jesse Andrews. The premise of this film, however bizarre, was different and original. It started out with a bang, but fairly soon became slow and was wandering. Then, all of a sudden, it picked up and became the story they were definitely looking for. This writer does have some experience, but since brilliant former Pixar writers such as Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich, who were involved with the producing certainly had an impact on the writing which had to have helped. These former writers along with Andrew Stanton were gold to Pixar and helped put them on the filmmaking map. 

Please do not use the trailer to encourage you to see the film--the trailer doesn't sell it. I almost didn't go see this by viewing the trailer, but after watching it, I would recommend anyone to see this. Sure, it does scream environmental, but in a healthy way. We all should be good stewards of this planet, however this film doesn't shove it down your throat. So, grab the popcorn and enjoy!

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                      Rated: PG                                            104mins.

The Bride!

The 'Frankenstein' franchise is probably one of the longest there is out of all the franchises in Hollywood's history, and it simply keeps showing the endurance of it. Ever since its premiere back in 1931, with its first sequel, "The Bride of Frankenstein" in 1935, the audiences have been hooked. Now, after many incarnations, we have "The Bride!" which is effective with a few more visuals and graphic presentation.

Frankenstein's monster (Christian Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to seek the aide of a Dr. Cornelia Euphronius (Annette Bening) in creating a companion for him. So, the doctor reinvigorates a murdered young woman, Ida (Jessie Buckley) and the Bride is born. She is beyond what either of them intended, igniting a combustible romance, the attention of the police, including Detective Jake Wiles (Peter Sarsgaard) and his assistant, Myrna Malloy (Penelope Cruz) and a wild and radical social movement. 

Others to round out the cast are Jeannie Berlin as Greta, John Magaro as Clyde, Jake Gyllenhaal as Ronnie Reed, Matthew Maher as James, Zlatko Buric as Lupino, Louis Cancelmi as Officer Goodman, Julianne Hough as Iris/Jinx and Massiel Mordan as Mable.

This was graphically and darkly directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal ("The Lost Daughter" '21) plus TV. Maggie, like her brother, Jake are consummate actors and have proven themselves time and again, so, even though this director only has one other feature film to her credit, she is definitely a natural. This is the first time she has directed her brother Jake. Other actors have made the transition from acting to directing, i.e. Clint Eastwood, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, and others, so, it's not exactly novel that yet another actor would attempt the same. She made these characters that these actors portrayed come to life and jump off the screen--it was amazing. It was also written by Maggie Gyllenhaal ("The Lost Daughter" '21) plus TV. This is where an artist needs to understand their limitations; where her directing skills are consummate, her writing skills simply needed polish. This script was a bit disjointed and jumped too much--it was difficult, at times, to keep up with the pace of the film. Of late, there have been so many directors that attempt to write their films and visa versa, and this becomes , or has become an issue. Filmmakers need to realize their limitations and hire a seasoned writer for there project. Pay a bit more with the whole idea of a better return on the investment. This has an interesting premise, not to mention an accomplished crew--actors, cinematographer, editor, costume designer, production designer, so why not continue and hire a great a very talented writer and assure for an incredible project? Was the screenplay a wash? No, it simply needed more polish. 

Certainly if you like or have cinematic respect for this franchise, you will like this, but since it is 2026, it's definitely an updated view replete with many F-bombs, lots of graphic scenes along with enough blood, but it is a dark horror flick with a dash of subtle dark humor. Very possible that Bale, Buckley and Bening could be up for Oscar nods come that time. And if you like that up, close and personal feel, it is presented in an IMAX format as well. 

.Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                          Rated: R                                           126mins.

Pillion

There are independent films out there and there are independent films that basically live on the cusp. As for the film, "Pillion", an unorthodox indie film that is unapologetically is s portrayal of the underworld of a biker's lifestyle and their pillions who ride behind them on the bike. There have been some other indie films that delve into the seedy gay scene, either partly or wholly, i.e. "Midnight Express", "Cruising", and others, but this is definitely a seedy look at that particular lifestyle. 

Colin (Harry Melling), a weedy wallflower letting life pass him by, meets Ray (Alexander Skarsgard), the impossibly handsome leader of a motorbike club, who then takes him on as his submissive. Ray uproots Colin from his dreary suburban life, introducing him to a community of kinky, queer bikers and taking all sorts of virginities along the way. But as Colin steps deeper into Ray's world of rules and mysteries, he begins to question whether the life of a 24/7 submissive is for him. Has he found his calling, or simply swapped one form of suffocation for another?

Others to round out the cast are Douglas Hodge as Pete, Colin's dad, Lesley Sharp as Peggy, Colin's mum, Jake Shears as Kevin, Mat Hill as Steve, Nick Figgis as Don, Zoe Engerer as Don's wife, Jake Sharp as Chigs and Jacob Carter as Cousin Roy.

This was directed with grit and subtle intensity by Harry Lighton (shorts). Even though this is this filmmaker's first outing as a feature film director, his amount of shorts certainly was able to serve him well since this was directed with such subtleness and intensity as he was able to encourage his actors to dig deep in finding the characters in themselves. I can easily see him behind the camera in future shorts where he has proven himself, and possibly directing another feature film if given the right vehicle. It was written also by Harry Lighton (shorts), based on the book "Box Hill" by Adam Mars-Jones. I can't be positive of the thoughts going on in Lighton's mind when constructing this script since the film had a tendency to convey the 'lostness' of these two men as they grapple with this particular lifestyle, especially that of Colin. But even with that of Ray, there seemed to be that underlying difficulty with his sexuality where so many aspects in his life was so stoic and overly serious. Some would say that I don't understand that life--and I don't, however there are times in our lives where we can and do act human. There were times Ray would lighten up, but most of the time, he lived an extremely lonely life. As for the writing, it did have some sequencing issues and became, at times, disjointed, but all in all, this being his first feature film screenplay, he did well considering this lifestyle must be difficult to write about and be convincing. The best thing about this is the acting by both Skarsgard (Ray) and Melling (Colin), which were very convincing roles. 

Being the extreme film it is, this is definitely not a film for all to view hence the not-rated (NR) rating, but if this suits your fancy, you'll be at home. The acting and directing were done with deftness and expertise. You certainly don't have to see in the theater to get the full impact, but worthy if this fare is your liking.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                          Rated NR                                           105mins.

How to Make a Killing

Comedies, and more to the point, dark comedies can be a unique way to tell a story, however if not polished as much as would be needed, can end up as a letdown, as with the case of "How to Make a Killing".This film's trailer was funny in that it came across as a premise of: get them before they get you. This wasn't actually the premise which created a plot that became confusing.

Disowned at birth by his obscenely wealthy family, blue-collar Becket Redfellow (Glen Powell) will stop at nothing to reclaim his inheritance, no matter how many relatives stand in his way. Becket feels that since he is a member of the family, whether certain people realize that or not, he still feels that he is entitled once that time occurs, even though this family including Taylor Fedfellow (Raff Law), Steven Redfellow (Topher Grace), Cassandra Redfellow (Bianca Amato), Noah Redfellow (Zach Woods), and even the patriarch, Whitelaw Redfellow (Ed Harris) adamantly stand in his way. Couple that with his life-long friend, Julia (Margaret Qualley) and her husband Lyle (James Frecheville) end up attempting to blackmail him. 

Others to round out the cast are Bill Camp as Warren Redfellow, Jessica Henwick as Ruth, Phumi Tau as FBI Agent Megan Pinfield, Stevel Marc as FBI Agent Brad Matthews, Nell Williams as Mary Redfellow and Adrian Lukis as Father Morris

This was directed with grit and intensity by John Patton Ford ("Emily the Criminal" '22) plus a short. This was a bit stiff in its staging, otherwise it was executed with decent pacing. It was also a bit disjointed in the approach of the character development, all in all, the direction was decent. It was also written by John Patton Ford ("Emily the Criminal" '22, "Metal Man" (TV movie) '23) plus a short. This is where the actual issues ensued whereas the script ended up being a bit disjointed in the fluidity of this screenplay, not to mention it did not have, what I thought, the same premise that the trailer seemed to be laying out. I thought, and still think would be a better idea, it would be that these family members were so vigilant in protecting their 23 billion-dollar inheritance, that if anyone made any inroads in challenging them of this, there would be a 'war'. However, it became a situation where, even though these rich, conceited family members were obnoxious, they really, on the most part, had no idea who Becket was, especially the younger, more entitled ones. So, Becket being 'low on the totem pole', for inheritance, they had to go. It was truly difficult to feel sorry for just about any one character in this, whether they were family or not. And with this, the film truly was remiss in pulling its audience in. It definitely had some redeeming sequences in this: the dark humor, the acting and simply watching them 'go at it' with each other, Ford is definitely not a natural, and with that,just wasn't quite ready for prime time.

If you're looking for more of a comedic film, this isn't that sort of film. It's not a fratfall type movie, however humorous. It has a great ensemble cast and effective acting. It certainly is a good way to go watch something to get away from all the trials and troubles going on in the world today.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                      Rated: R                                             106mins.