Crime 101

Typically the 'heist' type films are either mediocre or quite exciting--we've all seen many of them: "The Hot Rock", "The Italian Job" (both versions), "The Thomas Crown Affair" (both versions), "Tower Heist" to mention a handful. When I saw the first trailer of "Crime 101", I immediately felt it would be an interesting film, and I really received what I was expecting.

Set against the sun-bleached grit of Los Angeles, "Crime 101" weaves the tale of an elusive thief Mike (Chris Hemsworth) whose high-stakes heists unfolding along the iconic 101 freeway have mystified police. When he eyes the score of a lifetime with hopes of this being his final job, his path collides with a disillusioned insurance broker, Sharon (Halle Berry) who is facing her own crossroads, forcing the two to collaborate. Determined to crack the case, a relentless detective, Lou (Mark Ruffalo) closes in on the operation, raising the stakes even higher. As the multimillion-dollar heist approaches, the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur, and all three are forced to confront the cost of their choices--and the realization that there's no turning back.

Others to round out the cast are Barry Keoghan as Ormon, Peter Banifaz as Ben Haddad, Babak Tafti as Ali, Nick Nolte as Money, Corey Hawkins as Tillman, Jennifer Jason Leigh as Angie, Payman Maadi as Sammy Kassem, Tate Donovan as Monroe, Andra Nechita as Adrienne and Crosby Fitzgerald as Madeleine. 

This was directed with grit and action by Bart Layton ("Becoming Alexander" (TV movie) '05, "Locked Up Abroad" (TV movie) '06, "16 for a Day" (TV movie) '06, "The Imposter" '12, "American Animals" '18) plus TV. This filmmaker's ability to pace and stage his actors is extremely effective as his ability to put his actors in that cat-and-mouse game where they emulate a difficulty to get out of that type of situation. If you like his brand of directing, his "Rogue Male" in in the writing process. It was also effectively well penned by writer Bart Layton ("Becoming Alexander" (TV movie) '05, "Locked Up Abroad" (TV movie) '06, "16 for a Day" (TV movie) '06, "The Imposter" '12, "American Animals" '18) plus TV, based on the novella by Don Winslow. This premise was a bit more interesting than most films similar to this in that this thief was like a 'ghost'--he could slip in, do his job without a trace. Of course, this thief was similar as with most characters in these types of films--a loner, quiet, single, no real human connections, but since he is in the work that he's involved with, it's usually a typical past. This script was tight, suspenseful, and kept the audience moving. There were a couple of small places of confusion when going from one actor to another, but all in all was a spot on story. 

If you like crime films with a cat-and-mouse premise and with an interesting twist, you'll like this. I can appreciate this type of story where it keeps you thinking until the very end. The directing and acting my Hemsworth, Ruffalo and Halle were all effective and gave believable performances. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                         Rated: R                                            140mins.

Dracula

Horror is probably one of the oldest genres Hollywood has produced in the decades they've been around. More to the point, the franchise of 'Dracula' has been around almost as long. There have been more than 20 incarnations of this character, and now we have yet another one to add to that ever growing list in the form of "Dracula".

When a 15th century prince, Vlad (Caleb Landry Jones) denounces God after the devastating loss of his wife, Elisabeta (Zoe Bleu), he inherits an eternal curse: he becomes Dracula. Condemned to wander the centuries, he defies fate and death itself, guided by a single hope--to be reunited with his lost love, Now, 400 years later, we now have a priest (Christoph Waltz) whose plan is to track down this devil and rid the world of his presence once and for all. An attorney, Jonathan (Ewens Abid) is summoned to take care of Dracula's legal needs and goes to his castle only to be retained there in captivity. What will become of this creature of the night with this priest on his heels?

Others to round out the cast are Matilda De Angelis as Maria, Guillaume de Tonquedec as Dumont, Raphael Luce as Clerk Simon, Bertrand-Xavier Corbi as Captain Targol, David Shields as Henry Spencer and Romain Levi as Captain Wernus.

This was slickly directed with grit and intensity by Luc Besson ("The Last Battle" '83, "Subway" '85, "The Big Blue" '88, "La Femme Nikita" '90, "Atlantis" '91, "The Fifth Element" '97, "Angel-A" '05, "The Lady" '11, "The Family" '13, "Lucy" '14, "Anna" '19, "DogMan" '23, "June and John" '25) plus other films, a TV movie, a short, music videos and videos. No matter how lackluster the project can come across, this filmmaker has that innate ability to slickly put his films together with interesting editing and different angel shots with the photography. He definitely knows his way around the director's chair. His conciseness and tightness of script is amazing. It was also well penned by Luc Besson ("The Last Battle" '83, "The Big Blue" '88, "The Fifth Element" '97, "Taxi" '98, "The Transporter" '02, "Transporter 2" '05, "Revolver" '05, "Taken" '08, "Colombiana" '11, "The Family" '13, "Brick Mansions" '14, "Lucy" '14, "Anna"'19, "DogMan" '23, "June and John" '25) plus other films, TV, music videos and a short based on the novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker. Again, this filmmaker has the quality of putting together a slickly written screenplay as with so many other of his scripts. It's the main reason why I have been captivated by his filmmaking. He reminds me of that of the director and writer Guy Ritchie--the same reason why I appreciate this filmmaker as well. The one issue in this was the fact that the story was a bit off-track and became a bit disjointed in places around the first third of the film. However, after that, it started to pick up and became the film I was certainly hoping to see. Landry Jones was very effective as the titular title role, but Waltz looked as though he yawned through his role. Jones had a distinct dialect, but Waltz simply obtained an anglo- American dialect even though he was from Bulgaria. But, between the acting by Jones, the directing, photography, editing and costumes, this was definitely a well honed film. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                        Rated: R                                        125mins.

Solo Mio

Hollywood has produced many romantic comedies--too numerous to list, but suffice it to say, they are typically fraught with an uninteresting premise and all written in a banal way that tests ones' patience to make it until the end. Some have been anywhere from OK to interesting, however those are not typical. Well, with "Solo Mio" what makes this film is Kevin Japresence mes' affable, yet somewhat depressed after being jilted at the alter. What could go wrong after this?

A wedding disaster leaves the groom, Matt Taylor (Kevin James) stranded in Rome, heartbroken in the world's happiest city. But with one determined local, Gia (Nicole Grimaudo)--and a few meddling vacation couples, including Neil (Jonathan Roumie), Julian (Kim Coates), Meghan (Alyson Hannigan) and Donna (Julee Cerda)--in his corner, his ruined honeymoon becomes an adventure he never expected. It's amazing how sometimes heartbreak can be just the first chapter of a better story. 

Others to round out the cast are Julie Ann Emery as Heather, Caterina Silva as Claudia, Alessandro Carbonara as Marcello, Andrea Bocelli as himself, Virginia Bocelli as herself and Veronica Bocelli as herself.

This film was directed with compassion and heart by Charles Kinnane ("The Human Experience" '08, "Saving Bill Murray" '18, "The Good Thief" '20, "8 Beats Anthology Vol. 1" '22, "Syndrome K" '22,"Water Brother" '24) plus TV and shorts and Daniel Kinnane ("Saving Bill Murray" '18, "Home Team" '22, "Water Brother" '24) plus TV and shorts. These brothers have been a creative team certainly since 2018 and, at that point have directed all their films together and that usually makes for tighter staging and pacing as with movie--the feel of the film seemed real and the characters well thought out. It was effectively written by Charles Kinnane ("Saving Bill Murray" '18) plus shorts, Daniel Kinnane ("Saving Bill Murray" '18) plus TV and shorts and Kevin James "Paul Bart: Mall Cop" '09, "Zookeeper" '11, "Here Comes the Boom" '12, "Paul Bart: Mall Cop 2" '15) plus TV. None of these writers have a tremendous amount of experience, but with the two brothers as a creative team and James having the lion's share of the feature film writing experience, the combo was able to pull this off. It did have a tendency to meander and jump around to a degree, but then, after about a third of the film completed, it started to find the film they were looking for. Couple this with a bit of a twist near film's end, and it became rather entertaining. 

Certainly if you are a Kevin James fan, you'll be right at home with this. And if he's not enough, the stunning locales of Rome and surrounding areas will be captivating. Will there be a sequel? Like I've mentioned prior--if this makes a truck load of money, Hollywood will jump on that box office wagon and go for it,

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                            Rated: PG                                      97mins.

Shelter

Jason Statham is and has been one of Hollywood's famous action heroes, especially after he was in the "Transporter" franchise. Most of his films are quite similar, but watching them has never been a chore since his presence is always captivating. He's done other films with Syvester Stallone and a short stint on the "Fast & Furious" franchise. So when "Shelter" came out, I felt, through the trailer, it would be similar too, but that's OK--it's still captivating.

This is an action-thriller starring Jason Statham as Michael Mason, a reclusive ex-assassin on a remote Scottish island who must protect a young girl, Jessie (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), he rescues from a storm, forcing him to confront his past as his enemies, namely Manafort (Bill Nighy) and Roberta (Naomie Ackie) close in. This is a formulaic, but polished story, blending action with a dramatic core as the protagonist prioritizes the girl's safety over his own. Will he survive while protecting this young girl from harm's way?

Others to round out the cast are Bryan Vigier as James Workman, Harriet Walter as Prime Minister, Daniel Mays as Uncle, Anna Crilly as Haneron, Tomi May as Ross, Steven Blades as Rob Wills and Tom Wu as Nightclub owner. 

This was certainly directed with amazing intensity and grit by Ric Roman Waugh ("In the Shadows" '01, "Felon" '08, "Snitch" '13, "That Which I Love Destroys Me" '15, "Shot Caller" '17, "Angel Has Fallen" '19, "Greenland" '20, "National Champions" '21, "Kandahar" '23, "Greenland 2: Migration" '26) plus a video. By his very resume, this filmmaker knows what it takes to run a big-budget film and make them work. His most recent film, "Greenland 2: Migration" kept its audience on the edge of their proverbial seats, and this movie, "Shelter" is no different. Statham's Mason is definitely a man of few words, however his presence and action speak volumes and this is not only effective directing but reliable acting by Statham as well. It was effectively written by Ward Parry ("The Shattering" '15, "Curtiz" '18). Surely the script was not extremely involved--after all it is a Statham film, but the connection that had to be drawn between Mason (Statham) and Jessie (Breathnach) could've been convoluted if written sloppily. Their connection was a pivotal aspect of this movie and is what held it together. Other than a few slightly slow places in script, this was an admiral attempt at a screenplay considering this writer's limited experience. If you like his brand of writing, his "Tokyo" is being filmed at this time. 

Certainly, if you're a Statham aficionado, you'll revel with this story. It is what we all come to expect from one of his films. And this film leaves open-ended--could there be a sequel? Well, considering the last two action films with Statham were incredible hits, then the odds look good. We'll see.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                       Rated: R                                         108mins.

Melania

Hollywood has produced many documentaries to span the realm of topics, i.e. sports, politics, music, singers, religion and political figures to mention a handful. It seems like each documentary that comes along is dissected with more information and clarity in what the producers are attempting to strive for. Now, we have "Melania" which chronicles the last 20 days Melania Trump circumvented up to the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump.

Amazon/MGM Studios' film "Melania" offers unprecedented access to the 20 days leading up to the 2025 Presidential Inauguration--through the eyes of the First Lady herself. Step inside Melania Trump's world as she orchestrates inauguration plans, navigates the complexities of the White House transition, and moves her family back to the Nation's Capital. With exclusive footage capturing critical meetings, private conversations, and never-before-seen environments, "Melania" showcases Mrs. Trump's return to one of the world's most powerful roles. 

This was directed with clarity and introspection by Brett Ratner ("Money Talks" '97, "Rush Hour" '98, "Partners" (TV movie) '99, "The Family Man" 2000, "Rush Hour 2" '01, "Red Dragon" '02, "After the Sunset" '04, "X-Men: The Last Stand" '06, "Rush Hour 3" '07, "New York, I Love You" '08 "Cop House" (TV movie) '09, "Tower Heist" '11, "Hercules" '14) plus other films, music videos, videos and shorts. Since this film's contents streamed from different footage and interviews meticulously edited well by Alex Marquez ace, this film held no actual writer, however many documentaries are structured similarly. The cinematography by Dante Spinotti asc, Jeff Cronenweth asc and Barry Peterson was stunning and coupled with the fine film editing, the production was artistically put together with an awe-inspiring feel. What actually makes this film as well put together as it was, was the fact that it really wasn't a political film in that it wasn't about Donald Trump, his vice president, the cabinet or any actual political meeting thereof. It was about Melania and her 20 days consulting with tailors, event planners, fashion designers, interior desigbers, chefs, a couple of talks with a couple of queens of the world, etc. This movie allows a rare glimpse into Melanis's world and what she did to insure this inauguration went as smoothly as possible. Yes, there was some politics--Donald Trump and the secret service was in this, however this is clearly Melania's film. 

Whether one's politic's lie to the right of the aisle, or even the left, there is definitely something in this film that speaks to all. It has humor, insight that might surprise some, but at the end of the day it will keep one riveted. It was panned poorly by Rotten Tomatoes, but since their rating was so low, it had to have been biased, because this movie didn't get caught up with what all expected. Melania is a class act--much like Jackie was back in the 60s, and both were and are not uninformed which a certain number seem to believe. Well done MGM, well done.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                      Rated: PG                                            106mins.

H is for Hawk

Hollywood has produced many films that chronicle the lives and adventures of birds and animals, i.e. birds, dogs, cats, horses, penguins, lions, bears, even elephants, and they are always a crowd pleaser--people are suckers for animals. So now we have yet another one appropriately named "H is for Hawk".

This is 2007, Cambridge, England. "H is for Hawk",based on a true story, follows Helen MacDonald (Claire Foy), who, after the sudden death of her father, (Brendan Gleeson) looses herself in the memories of their time birding and exploring the natural world together and turns the ancient art of falconry--rooted in European-tradition--training a goshawk she named Mabel to navigate her profound loss. But as she teaches Mabel to hunt and fly free, Helen discovers how deeply she has neglected her own emotions and life. What begins as an act of endurance transforms into an intimate journey of resilience and healing.

Others to round out the cast are Denise Gough as Christina, Lindsay Duncan as Helen's mom, Josh Dylan as James, Helen's brother, Sam Spruell as Stuart, Helen's friend, Garry Cooper as Charlie and Kamal Simpson as Director of Studies

This was directed with such poignancy by Philippa Lowthorpe ("Swallows and Amazons" '16, "Misbehaviour" '20) plus many TV movies, TV, and a short. The subtleness of how this director was able to coach Foy to respond in such quiet yet intense ways given the situation she was in was amazing. There were scenes where it looked like Foy was going to crack in half because of the intensity of her character, and this is talented directing. It was effectively written by Emma Donoghue ("Room" '15, "The Wonder" '22) plus a short, and Philippa Lowthorpe ("Eight Hours from Paris" (TV movie) '97, "The Other Boleyn Girl" (TV movie) '03, "Sex, the City and Me" (TV movie) '07) plus TV, based on "H is for Hawk" by Helen MacDonald. It was almost a rights of passage film for Helen in this--living her life, suddenly losing her dad whom she loved, having to deal with that and then realizing that, through hers and her dad's love for birding, she decides to attempt to train a goshawk with no experience except learning from her friend Stuart. And all this was a monumental task. This story was captivating and was such a different tale creatively penned well. Really, with the exception of it being a little long-in-the-tooth--a good 5 minutes could've been cut, this was a well structured script. The handlers, Lloyd Buck and Rose Buck were amazing in how they were able to train this hawk. 

If animal films are a type of film you like, this will be intriguing for sure. It's well directed and the acting, especially that of Claire Foy was perfection. It's a quiet film, so if you're into action=packed films, this probably won't be the film for you, but then again, one should know this before venturing to the multiplex.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: PG-13                                       119mins.

Mercy

Why is it that when Hollywood produces films that chronicle 'what would happen in the near distant future', that they end up causing an upheaval in our society? Think about it..."Fahrenheit 451", "A Scanner Darkly", "Minority Report", "Elysium", "District 9", to mention a handful. These are all 'big brother' oriented films, and understandably so. Now to add to that growing list, we have "Mercy".

This is a sci-fi action thriller with Chris Pratt as Detective Chris Raven accused of murdering his wife, Nicole (Annabelle Wallis), who must prove his innocence to an A.I. judge, Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson), who, through the Mercy program Raven has created, is the judge, jury and executioner to have to prove his innocence in 90 minutes, or face execution. The irony being the one who created the program is now on trial for his life. 

Others to round out the cast are Kali Reis as Jacqueline 'JAQ' Diallo, Chris Sullivan as Rob Nelson, Kylie Rogers as Brirr, Chris' daughter, Jeff Pierce as Patrick Burke, Rafi Gavron as Holt Charles, Kenneth Choi as Ray Vale, Jamie McBride as Dan Vogel and Ross Gosla as David Webb.

This film was intensely directed with grit and tons of action by Timur Bekmambetov ("Peshawar Waltz" '94, "The Arena" '01, "GAZ. Russkie mashiny" '02, "Night Watch" '04, "Nochnoy bazar" '05, "Day Watch" '06, "The Irony of Fate 2" '07, "Wanted" '08, "Six Degrees of Celebration" '10, "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" '12, "Yolki 1914" '14, "Ben-Hur" '16, "Yolki 5" '16, "Profile" '18, "V2. Escape from Hell" '21) plus TV, music videos and videos. The fact that most of the film was shot in the Mercy courtroom with Detective Raven strapped to an electric chair facing an austere A.I. judge on a screen and it was able to produce the amount of tension, grit and a thrilling premise was pure genius for this filmmaker. Certainly there were scenes from the database that Raven was requesting to investigate where the film then edited to that scene, but the story literally hailed from one room and that is brilliant directing, which, in my opinion, makes the film even more intense. It was equally well penned by writer Marco van Belle ("Arthur & Merlin" '15). This film was clearly as intense as "Speed" '95 was when the first frame hit the screen--it simply cut to the chase and used the different database requests Raven wanted on screen to tell the story of how Raven got to that room in the first place. It was just a bit slow shortly into the film, but it didn't last long at all, and didn't impede on the story at all. It was sequenced well, cohesive and tight. In fact, if you like this writer's style, his "Feed' is in post-production and his "Arthur & Merlin: The Fire of Balor" is in pre-production. 

Certainly, if you're a fan of Chris Pratt, you will revel with this. And especially if you like action-packed crime thrillers, you'll like it even more. This has action, explosions all culminating with an amazing twist. This film was panned by several critics, and I'm perplexed why--I'm not sure what they were looking for, but I thought it filled every expectation I was looking for in a gripping thriller. This is the quintessential on the edge-of-your-seat film, so grab the popcorn and enjoy this gem.

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                      Rated: PG-13                                        99mins.