Saturday Night

For a show that was actually doomed to fail out the gate, "Saturday Night" was and has been an amazing success considering it has lasted 49 years. As this film unfolds, it becomes difficult to believe that this show would last a year, much less approximately 5 decades. Unfortunately, the show has suffered through the years where a different cast hasn't served the producers well.

At 11:30 pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians, including Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O'Brien), John Belushi (Matt Wood), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris) and others and writers changed television--and culture--forever. "Saturday Night" is based on the true story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live. With the creator and producer Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) at the helm, or trying to be, it's 'all hell breaks loose time wondering if this show will ever air. Full of humor, chaos, and the magic of a revolution that almost wasn't, we count down the minutes in real time until we hear those famous words: "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!".

Others to round out the cast are Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster, Emily Fairn as Loraine Newman, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Finn Wolfhard as NBC page, Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson, Andrew Barth Feldman as Neil Levy, Nicholas Podany as Billy Crystal, Tommy Dewey as Michael O'Donoghue, Jon Batiste as Billy Preston and J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle. 

This was brilliantly directed with frenzy and raw humor by Jason Reitman ("Thank You for Smoking" '05, "Juno" '07, "Up in the Air" '09, "Young Adult" '11, "Labor Day" '13, "Men, Women & Children" '14, "Tully" '18, "The Front Runner" '18, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" '21) plus TV, shorts and a video. As with his "Thank You for Smoking", this is a dark comedy which Reitman surely excels well with. Considering he hasn't a plethora of experience, considering his years in the biz, he obviously chooses his projects carefully and this has served him well. His late father, the famed director Ivan Reitman definitely passed the directing baton to Jason since this filmmaker is assuredly a consummate pro. His ability to sequence his work is phenomenal, and the way he directed this with a frenetic feel certainly added to the amazement of this show and how it ever got off the ground. It was creatively written by Gil Kenan ("Ghostbusters: Afterlife" '21, "A Boy Called Christmas" '21, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" '24) and Jason Reitman ("Thank You for Smoking" '05, "Up in the Air" '09, "Labor Day" '13, "Men, Women & Children" '14, "The Front Runner" '18, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" '21, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" '24) plus shorts. Again, Jason Reitman received that writing gene from his father, Ivan since Ivan Reitman also wrote a fair amount of his films. He has written many films with Gil Kenan so they are basically a writing team. Other than a couple of very small slow places in script, this screenplay soared. It was humorous, frenetic, irreverent (these artists had many issues) and concise, all in a well thought out story. 

Certainly if you're a SNL fan, you'll love this since it leads its audience, in real time, how this show was able to get off the ground and become the iconic show it has been for almost 50 years. With all the chaos, star stroking, writing, sound, set and time restrictions, you'll see it all if you can only get through all the frenzy involved!

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                        Rated: R                                         109mins.

 

Piece by Piece

When the first 'Lego' movie was released back in 2014, I actually thought it was going to be terrible. Well, after viewing it, I was hooked! It was a great film. Well written, directed and just downright entertaining. Well, several sequels later, and now we have "Piece by Piece", a documentary produced in a 'lego' format which certainly makes it a very interesting and original documentary. 

This is an unparalleled motion picture experience that captures the magic and brilliance of Pharrell Williams' creative genius, one LEGO brick at a time. Uninterested in making a traditional film about his life, Pharrell set out to tell his story in a way that would set audience's imaginations free. Developed from his singular vision, "PIECE by PIECE" defies genres and expectations to transport audiences into a LEGO world where anything is possible. Certainly making this documentary in a Lego format is original yet entertaining. 

Others to round out the cast are Morgan Neville, Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani, Timbaland, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Pharoah and Carolyn Williams, Helen Williams, Missy Elliott, Chad Hugo, Teddy Riley, Jimmy Iovine, Jon Platt, Shae Haley, Tammy Lucas, Rob Walker, Nigo and ItzKiff.

This was culminated thoroughly by director Morgan Neville ("Shotgun Freeway: Drives Through Lost L.A." (documentary) '95, "Shakespeare Was a Big George Jones Fan: 'Cowboy Jack Clement's Home Movies" (documentary) '05, "The Cool School" '08, "Troubadours" '11, "20 Feet from Stardom" '13, "A Fighting Chance" '16, "Won't You Be My Neighbor" '18, "This Is Not a House" '23, "The Saint of Second Chances" '23) plus other films, TV, TV movies, videos and a TV short. What truly made this documentary was the fact that Neville and Williams incorporated a LEGO format throughout the film which definitely made it more original and captivating while experiencing this. The documentary was enhanced also by Williams' absolute love for his craft...music, and it shows in the way that he has produced many different types of music which reminds me that he is a true artist. It was painstakingly well written by Morgan Neville, Oscar Vazquez, Aaron Wickenden and Jason Zeldes. These writers know Pharrell very well--worked with him for many years, and this expose in written form only showcased this. It was 90 plus minutes of exhaustive research into the life of this artist and family man. There were a couple of places of slightly slow places, but truly nothing to detract from this amazing film, so I'm not going to be picky. And, what can I say about LEGO? The makers of Legos are amazing and can simply make a story out of any base--whether fictional or fact. 

Certainly if you like the LEGO movies and Pharrell Williams, you'll love this! I'm not expressly into

his music, however after viewing this, I have a whole new appreciation and respect for the man and his love for his craft. Take note: this IS a documentary, not a fictional story, so even if it is in a LEGO format, the kids may not have the same appreciation for this. But for all others, is quite the experience! 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                  Rated: PG                                          93mins.

 

Joker: Folie a Deux

When "Joker" was released back in 2019, with all that's happened in this world, it seems like an eternity ago. Certainly Todd Phillips brought us a complicated and delineated version of Joker that was very effective. However, with this follow up, we have "Joker: Folie a Deux" that gives us a musical slant to a story that clearly doesn't scream musical. 

This follow up to "Joker" finds Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes--murders as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love--another patient there, Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga) who later becomes Harley Quinn, he also finds the music that's always been inside him. Arthur continues to have graphic dreams that accentuates his dual identity issues which between that and Quinn's bad influence only causes Joker to become stronger. 

Others to round out the cast are Brendon Gleeson as Jackie Sullivan, Catherine Keener as Maryanne Stewart, Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond, Steve Coogan as Paddy Meyers, Harry Lawtey as Harvey Dent, Leigh Gill as Gary Puddles, Ken Leung as Dr. Victor Lui, Bill Smitrovich as Judge Herman Rothwax, Jacob Lofland as Ricky Meline and Sharon Washington as Debra. 

This was directed with the intensity and grit as the original by Todd Phillips ("Road Trip" 2000, "Old School" '03, "Starsky & Hutch" '04, "School for Scoundrels" '06, "The Hangover" '09, "Due Date" '10, "The Hangover Part II" '11, "War Dogs" '16, "Joker" '19) plus other films, a TV movie and a video. As with the original, Phillips was able to extract the intense emotions, especially that of Phoenix, in order to convince the audience that these characters have been delineated precisely. He has a tendency to direct with a somewhat dark style, but this certainly can make him stand out that much more. It was interestingly written by Scott Silver ("Johns" '96, "The Mod Squad" '99, "8 Mile" '02, "The Fighter" '10, "The Finest Hours" '16, "Joker" '19) and Todd Phillips ("Road Trip" 2000, "Borat" (story) '06, "Due Date" '10, "The Hangover Part II" '11, "War Dogs" '16) plus other films, a TV movie and video, based on the DC comics. Where "Joker" excelled with its screenplay, this film fell short. First of all, the original wasn't a musical--for a reason, but this film was, simply missed the mark, and secondly there were too many places where it became confusing where the dreams ended and real life took over and visa versa. Both of these writers are seasoned--Phillips and Silver wrote the original, however I'm not sure what happened--bad day at the laptop? And Lady Gaga shouldn't have been cast as Harley Quinn--someone like Margot Robbie would've been a better choice. Maybe Robbie was involved in another project or maybe not interested, but this needed another choice. Was it a wash? Certainly not--the acting by Phoenix was amazing as was the directing and the photography by Lawrence Sher asc. 

If you must see this, it truly needs to be on the large screen for the grandiose effect--it's even presented in an IMAX format, but be prepared for a musical, albeit in dream sequences, but a musical and a script that is not cohesive and concise. 

Out of 4 Stars: 1.5                                     Rated: R                                            138mins.

Monster Summer

Every generation seems to bring forth a rites of passage film that includes several young preteens in the hope to uncover something sinister going on in the neighborhood. We've seen "Stand By Me", "The Goonies", "It", "Super 8" among the few. Now we have "Monster Summer" in the offing to sink our teeth into. 

Martha's Vineyard 1997. When a mysterious force begins to disrupt their big summer fun, Noah (Mason Thames) and his friends, including Ben (Noah Cottrell) and Sammy (Abby James Witherspoon), team up with a local retired police detective, Gene Carruthers (Mel Gibson) to embark on a monstrous adventure to save their island. Between the town not believing Noah since he's only a kid and a retired detective since he IS retired, these individuals have an incredible time attempting to convince the local police in whet they believe that's going on and it is definitely sinister and the children of the town are disappearing. What IS going on ?!

Others to round out the cast are Lorraine Bracco as Miss Halverson, Patrick Renna as the umpire, Lilah Pate as Ellie Evans, Spencer Fitzgerald as Ronnie Harlow, Julian Lerner as Eugene, Kelly Collins Lintz as Deb Harlow, Gavin Bedell as Kevin and Kevin James as Newspaper editor. 

This was directed with intensity by David Henrie ("This Is the Year" '20) plus shorts. This relative newcomer behind the camera was actually right on with his direction--he knew how to encourage his actors to dig deep and convince us that there are monsters among them. His pacing and staging was effective and considering he is also an actor, this certainly served him. He should receive more work behind the camera. It was effectively written by Cornelius Uliano and Bryan Schulz ("The Peanuts Movie" '15) plus TV and shorts. These writers are apparently a team in their work,and even though they are new to writing, penning scripts as a team certainly can be more effective. Considering they are relative newcomers, this script was sequenced well and it was able to build the intensity so as to keep the audience on the edge of their seats wondering what's going on and who is it that's causing such havoc? There were a few places where certain things weren't explained and a couple of places of choppiness, but otherwise the story kept the audience's attention. 

If you like 'rites of passage' films, you'll like this. It's a great way to spend an hour and a half to simply sit and go into another world so as to escape. It has some nifty visual effects and the with a twist, it should take one by surprise. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                         Rated: PG-13                                      98mins.

White Bird

Stories produced in Hollywood centering on WWII, and more to the point, the hiding of Jews due to the rise of Nazism through Adolf Hitler, are sobering films at best, and need to be shown ever so often as to not forget about a horrific time. As with "Schindler's List", "Sophie's Choice" and "The Pianist", "White Bird" is no exception.

Struggling to fit in at a new school after being expelled for his treatment of Auggie Pullman, Julian Albans (Bryce Gheisar) is visited by his Grandmere Sara Blum (Helen Mirren) and is transformed by the story of her being a young Jewish girl, Sara (Ariella Glaser) and her being hidden by one of her classmates, Julien Beaumier (Orlando Schwerdt) and his family, mother and father (Gillian Anderson) and (Jo Stone-Fewings) respectively, and her attempts to escape Nazi-occupied France during WWII. As she was hidden for more than a year, Julien and her became best friends along with his family. 

Others to round out the cast are Priya Ghotane as Rahmiya, Teagan Booth as Dillon, Selma Kaymakci as Mariann, Jem Matthews as Vincent, Stuart McQuarrie as Pastor Luc, Mia Kadlecova as Sophie, Laura Hudeckova as Sara (age 5 & 8), Ishai Golan as Max Blum and Olivia Ross as Rose Blum. 

This was brilliantly directed with amazing pathos and heart by Marc Forster ("Loungers" '95, "Everything Put Together" 2000, "Monster's Ball" '01, "Finding Neverland" '04, "Stay" '05, "Stranger Than Fiction" '06, "The Kite Runner" '07, "Quantum of Solace" '08, "Machine Gun Preacher" '11, "World War Z" '13, "All I See Is You" '16, "Christopher Robin" '18, "A Man Called Otto" '22) plus TV, a short and a video. By his very resume, this filmmaker is a chameleon in that he can't be pigeon-holed. He's done it all: comedy, drama, espionage, fantasy, sci-fi, and with this film, he has put a whole new slant on the holocaust days of Nazi Germany. The intensity and grit was immense as was the heart and sobriety captivating. It was equally penned well by veteran writer Mark Bomback ("The Night Caller" '98, "Godsend" '04, "Live Free or Die Hard" '07, "Deception" '08, "Race to Witch Mountain" '09, "Unstoppable" '10, "Total Recall" '12, "The Wolverine" '13, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" '14, "The Divergent Series: Insurgent" '15, "War for the Planet of the Apes" '17, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" '19) plus TV, based on the book by R.J. Palacio. This is written as a series of flashbacks from the beginning whereas Grandmere is confronting her grandson, Julian about his improper treatment of Jews. And as she tells her story, we are brought back to WWII and Nazi-occupied France, and then goes back and forth from 1942 and back to present. The writing was sequenced well, concise, cohesive and knew how to capture the audience's heart. Everyone was effective in their respective roles especially that of Helen Mirren, Orlando Schwerdt and Ariella Qaser. 

If you like the films that chronicle the horror of war, especially that of the Nazi WWII era, you will find this captivating, yet sobering. With anti-semitism on the rise today, it's shocking that we haven't learned our lesson in how we treat Jewish people or anyone that one may have an issue with. We need to grow up as a society and learn and retain the horrific past memories and rid of these prejudices once and for all. This film was amazing and should be required viewing in any high school. You be the judge. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                           Rated: PG-13                                            121mins.

Megalopolis

Hollywood has delved into films that has centered on utopian situations and its resistance thereof through the years. It's not exactly an uncommon premise, however "Megalopolis" has put an odd, bizarre twist on that premise. Utopian societies typically and ultimately end in a dystopian situation and therefore doesn't work as this film outlays. 

The city of New Rome is the main conflict between Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a brilliant artist in favor of a Utopian future, and the greedy mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito). Between them is Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), her loyalty divided between her father and her beloved. Catilina's uncle Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight) and Catilina's brother, Clodio Pulcher (Shia LaBeouf) attempt to help Catilina in his intense struggle with the mayor, but it clearly becomes more and more difficult as even others are thrown into the mix of this overblown soap opera.

Others to round out the cast are Aubrey Plaza as Wow Platinum, Laurence Fishburne as Fundi Romaine, Talia Shire as Constance Crassus Catilina, Jason Schwartzman as Jason Zanderz, Kathryn Hunter as Teresa Cicero, Grace VanderWaal as Vesta Sweetwater, Chloe Fineman as Clodia Pulcher, James Remar as Charles Cothope and D.B. Sweeney as Commissioner Stanley Hart. 

This was directed by the incomparable, seasoned Francis Ford Coppola ("The Bellboy and the Playgirls" '62, "Finian's Rainbow" '68, "The Godfather" '72, "The Conversation" '74, "The Godfather Part II" '74, "Apocalypse Now" '79, "One from the Heart" '81, "The Outsiders" '83, "The Cotton Club" '84, "Peggy Sue Got Married" '86, "Tucker: The Man and His Dream" '88, "The Godfather Part III" '90, "Bram Stoker's Dracula" '92, "Jack" '96, "Twixt" '11, "Distant Vision" '15) plus other films, a TV movie, TV, shorts and a video. By his very resume, this filmmaker is a legend in Hollywood and has proved it many times. This film, as with his other projects, is no exception of the talent this man has demonstrated. His ability to bring the characters to life through these actors is pure genius, as well as his ;pacing. Not sure if he has any more films he'll be able to direct since he is 85 years old, but who knows. It was also written by Coppola ("Tonight for Sure" '62, "Is Paris Burning?" '66, "Patton" '70, "The Godfather" '72, "The Great Gatsby" '74, "The Conversation" '74, "Apocalypse Now" '79, "Rumble Fish" '83, "The Rainmaker" '97, "Twixt" '11, "Distant Vision" '15) plus other films, TV, a short and a video. This is where the issues arise with this film, because his writing, although an interesting premise, was convoluded, choppy, and was attempting to find a film when approaching each scene, however couldn't light anywhere with specificity. It has a running time of 139 minutes and clearly was too long, so I believe he would've been able to get to the story quicker if the running time had been a bit shorter. The last 45 minutes of the film became more interesting and, after enough 'searching', found the film and it then took off. I realize that these characters in this film have extreme issues, however it was next to impossible to feel sorry for any character in this. The acting by Driver, LaBeouf, Esposito and Plaza were all meaty and deserve praise. It was beautifully shot by Mihai Malaimare Jr. asc utilizing warm tones to give it that futuristic feel of it and could possibly be nominated come Oscar time. Oh, and it is rated 'R' for a reason--it's basically gratuitous throughout.

Certainly if you are a Coppola fan, you'll be right at home with this film, however if you're searching for a well scripted screenplay, you might want to pass. Coppola is usually better with his writing--bad day at the laptop? Not sure, but this does scream to view on the large screen for the grandiose of it. It is also presented in an IMAX format if you like. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2                                             Rated: R                                        139mins.

The Wild Robot

Considering we are in one of the two 'dead zones' of the calendar year, it is interesting that the last last two review postings-- "Transformers One" and this review, "The Wild Robot", both being animated, are released at this point; animated films being a common staple of the summer film season, or it being part of the 'dead zone', "The Wild Robot" simply rocks!!

After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot named Rossum 7134, or simply called Roz (Lupita Nyong'o) is stranded on an uninhabited, remote island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island's animals including Brightbill (Kit Connor), Longneck (Bill Nighy), Pinktail (Catherine O'Hara), Paddler (Matt Beck), Thunderbolt (Ving Rhames) and Thorn (Mark Hamill), and ultimately cares for an orphaned baby goose (Boone Storm). As Roz investigates the island, she comes across a wily fox, Fink (Pedro Pascal), and as they get to know one another, they stumble, but end up taking care of Brightbill. 

Others to round out the cast are Stephanie Hsu as Vontra, Alexandra Novelle as Snowdown and Raphael Alejandro as Peck.

This was directed with heart, humor and adventure by Chris Sanders ("Lalo & Stitch" '02, "How to Train Your Dragon" '10, "The Croods" '13, "The Call of the Wild" '20) plus a short. This filmmaker has the innate ability to encourage his actors to bring these characters to life, even though their respective characters are animated. The pacing and staging in this film was incredible and was sequenced perfectly. It was also brilliantly written by Chris Sanders ("Beauty and the Beast" (story) '91, "Aladdin" (story) '92, "The Lion King" (story) '94, "Mulan" '98, "How to Train Your Dragon" '10, "The Croods" '13, "The Croods: A New Age" '20) plus TV, shorts and video games, based on the book by Peter Brown. The way this screenplay was sequenced where each scene organically melded into the next scene was absolute perfection. Chris Sanders is a phenomenal writer (and director) and will undoubtedly receive more work. This was created by Dreamworks Animation and has to be one of their best--certainly orchestrated to where this will probably be nominated for for best animated feature come Oscar time. These different characters were developed with incredible precision and showcases all who had any input of the making of this amazing film. This is undoubtedly one of the best films of the year!

This film has it all: discovery, fear, adventure, humor, commitment and love all rolled up in a breathtaking story and amazing focus and clarity.The only negative to this was that I didn't want it to end. If you like that up, close and personal feel to the film, it's also presented in an IMAX format as well. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                        Rated: PG                                            101mins.

Transformers One

Since the inception of the "Transformers" back in 2007, the number of films have been many. Of course, the franchise is based on the action figures created by Hasbro, "Transformers One" is the first animated film of the franchise. This film was truly meant to be animated, which is curious of why it was ever produced as a live-action film. 

This is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends, Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry), bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever. So, as the two embark of righting wrongs, they enlist fellow coworkers Elita 1 (Scarlett Johansson) and B-127 (Keegan-Michael Key) to help them in their search for the truth. 

Others to round out the cast are Steve Buscemi as Starscream, Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion, Jon Hamm as Sentinel Prime and Vanessa Liguori as Airachnid. 

This was phenomenally directed with precision by Josh Cooley ("Toy Story 4" '19) plus videos. All of his experience has been incorporated in the animation realm. and with this project, it truly is showcased. His sequencing, staging and pacing were amazing. Even though he has only one feature film to his credit, that, and his videos have served him well. It was written with cohesiveness, clarity and a healthy element of heart and humor by Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari, based on a story by Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari. All are seasoned writers here, especially that of Pearson and this script proves it. However, there were a couple of very small places of slowness, it certainly wasn't enough to detract from the story at hand. ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) who created both the animation and visuals of this production were seamless. Both Hemsworth and Tyree Henry were incredibly effective in their performances of Orion Pax and D-16 respectively, which definitely helps so as to work well off of one another. 

If you like the 'Transformers' franchise, you'll especially revel with this. I'm not especially a fan of the franchise, however this even blew me away. As with other productions, stay until all end credits have rolled since it looks to be a sequel in the works. I know, what a shock. If you prefer to see this film in something other than a standard format, it is presented in a 3D version as well. 

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

Never Let Go

Through the years, Hollywood has created the genres of horror and that of the thriller, however recently they have decided to couple the two genres to produce the horror/thriller genre. It's certainly the best of both worlds whereas it has a horrific premise, but the trek to get the audience through the film keeps them on the edge of their seats. Case in point is "Never Let Go" in where it delineates these two genres with precision. 

In this psychological thriller/horror, as a Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, Joba (Halle Berry) and her twin sons, Nolan (Percy Daggs IV) and Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins) is their house and their family's protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times--even tethering themselves with ropes--they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go, But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival. Which is it? Is this evil real? Is the mother simply confused and seeing things? Or is this all a bad dream?

Others to round out the cast are William Catlett as Joba's husband, Matthew Kevin Anderson as Cole, Mila Morgan as young girl, Stephanie Lavigne as the Evil, Christin Park as paramedic, Georges Gracieuse as old man and Cadence Compton as young girl. 

This was directed with extreme intensity and grit by Alexandre Aja ("Furia" '99, "High Tension" '03,"The Hills Have Eyes" '06, "Mirrors" '08, "Piranha 3D" '10, "Horns" '13, "The 9th Life of Louis Drax" '16, "Crawl" '19, "Oxygen" '21) plus shorts and a video. This filmmaker certainly knows his way around a horror or thriller hence his resume. I know when I saw his "Crawl", I was literally on the edge of my seat! He has the innate ability to pull his audience through the proverbial knothole emotionally and even phisically since one will feel drained after the film. It was effectively written by KC Coughlin ("Mean Dreams" '16, "The King Tide" (story) '23) plus TV and a short and Ryan Grassby ("Mean Dreams" '16, "The King Tide" (story) '23) plus TV. The premise of this, in some ways, is reminiscent to the earlier film this year called "Arcadian" with Nicholas Cage, which is about a father with his twin sons, is attempting to survive an apocalyptic time striving to survive monsters that come out at night, but are absent during the day. The difference of the two films is that with this film, there is an evil that will attack always, day or night and the other, they attack at night and are monsters, otherwise there is a fair amount of similarities. With this film, there were more than one instance where situations didn't add up and where there were things that simply couldn't have happened, but otherwise was a tight script and definitely put the 'I' in intensity. 

If you like horror or thriller type films, you'll revel with this. Believe me, I'm not specifically a huge fan of horror, but coupled with the thriller aspect won it for me. And this is truly an incredible role for Berry. Her fear, protectiveness of her sons, anger and other emotions were off the charts, but emotions that one would certainly understand. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                      Rated: R                                            101mins.

The Killer's Game

As with many other genres that Hollywood has produced, the genre of assassins and mercenaries have grown over the many years. Most of these films are typically written as a straight drama, but the director Guy Ritchie produced a number of these films with a comedic overtone to them. Now we are offered "The Killer's Game" that also has the same humorous overtone which definitely worked well.

This film follows veteran assassin Joe Flood (Dave Bautista), who is diagnosed with a neurological life-threatening illness with only three months to live, and so authorizes a kill on himself through the handler that's gone rogue, Antoinette (Pom Klementieff) to avoid the pain that is destined to follow. After ordering the kill, Joe finds out that he was misdiagnosed and must then fend off the army of former colleagues, including Angus Mackenzie (Scott Adkins), Rory Mackenzie (Drew McIntyre), Lovedaal (Terry Crews), Goyang (Le Hoon) and others, attempting to kill him for a two million dollar price tag. 

Others to round out the cast are Sofia Boutella as Maize Arnaud, Joe's girlfriend, Ben Kingsley as Joe's handler, George Somner as Money, Alex Kingston as Sharon, Lucy Cork as Ginny, Marko Zabor as Emilio 'El Botas' and Daniel Bernhardt as Radovan. 

This was slickly directed with grit by J.J. Perry ("Day Shift" '22) plus 151 films performing stunts under his belt. Even though this filmmaker hasn't a plethora of directing experience, all his stunt work has certainly served him well. When viewing this film, I couldn't help but think of a Guy Ritchie film since this was edited and photographed  is a slick, high adrenaline, fast-paced sort of way, similar to that of Ritchie. I believe he studied Ritchie's work and assuredly succeeded in his development of this film. I have great respect for Ritchie's films, so this certainly worked for me. The way he was able to encourage Bautista to come across in a mild-mannered way while he's killing someone was interesting and gave it that comedy relief. If you like his brand of directing, his :Afterburn" is in post production. It was executed well by writers James Coyne ("Vikingdom" '13, "Puncture Wounds" '14) plus a short and Simon Kinberg ("xXx: State of the Union" '05, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" '05, "X-Men: The Last Stand" '06, "Jumper" '08, "Sherlock Holmes" '09, "This Means War" '12, "X-Men: Days of Future Past" '14, "Fantastic Four" '15, "X-Men: Apocalypse" '16, "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" '19, "The 355" '22) plus TV movies and TV, based on the novel by Jay Bonansinga. Certainly with the amount of experience in the writing realm here, this script was fairly well put together. The only aspect that seemed to have not worked well was that there were a few areas where what was happening in a particular scene truly couldn't have worked, otherwise the screenplay was well thought out. The stunts by Troy Robinson and Justin Yu were incredible, but with a director that has a plethora of stunt work under his belt, the stunts should be good. 

Not to take away from this director--he certainly directed this with intense clarity, but if you like Guy Ritchie films, you'll love this. It has it all: action, comedy, high-adrenaline, explosiveness and even heart all rolled up in this roller coaster ride. Dave Bautista has certainly proved once again that he can hold a film together just by his presence, and with a good script. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                        Rated: R                                      104mins.

Am I Racist?

As with commercial films, documentaries come in all types of genres: dramatic, comedic, satirical and even musical, but when it comes to a powder dry, satirical documentary, there's nothing that beats "Am I Racist?" It is so powder dry that it looks to be, at surface, a straight on in-your-face documentary until it starts to unfold. 

From the white guys who brought you "What Is a Woman?" comes their next great question, and America's next great movie, "Am I Racist?"Matt Walsh goes undercover in the world of DEI, hilariously skewering the absurdity of race hustlers. Prepare to be shocked by how far the grifters will go and how much further Matt Walsh will go to expose them. In this film, Matt Walsh transforms himself into a certified diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) expert, only to uncover a world where profit, not principle, drives the agenda. 

Others to round out the cast are Robin DiAngelo as herself, Benyam Capel as himself and Jack Marino as Uncle Frank. 

This was directed with wit and deadpan humor by Justin Folk ("Great Men of History: Behind the Screen with Jamie Alexander" (TV movie) '11, "No Safe Spaces" '19, "Right Makes Might: The Lincoln-Douglas Debates" '20, "What Is a Woman?" '22) plus a video. The droll, deadpan wit was showcased here with clarity and political verve whereas unless one knew Walsh's political leanings, one might conclude this was a serious documentary. Folk's ability to convey Walsh's presence as a serious investigator was unbelievable as it was informative. It was written with acerbic wit, however with a direct underlying meaning by Justin Folk, Brian A. Hoffman and Dallas Sonnier. As I've mentioned in other reviews, the genre of satire is my favorite side of comedy because the writer can drive their point of the information in the film, but outlay that info in a humorous, satirical approach. Since Justin Folk was co-writer of this along with directing and he directed "What Is a Woman?", this film clearly had that similar feel to "What Is a Woman?". This, like "What Is a Woman?" is an exhaustive expose of the politics of the past four years, 

No matter what side of the political aisle you reside, this film will assuredly be a film for all to see. It's informative yet all the while showing the absurdity of a society going bananas. All's I can say is, where is the common sense in our society? 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                      Rated: PG-13                                            101mins.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Thirty-six years ago, "Beetlejuice" was released with an unbelievable following--so much so, that a sequel was talked about for a while. Finally, with all the hoops that different individuals had to jump through to get this made, we now have "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice".

After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetljuice (Michael Keaton), Lydia's (Winona Ryder) life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid (Jenny Ortega) discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it's only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice's name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem. 

Others to round out the cast are Catherine O'Hara as Delia Deetz, Justin Theroux as Rory, Willem Dafoe as Wolf Jackson, Monica Bellucci as Delores, Arthur Conti as Jeremy Fraser and Amy Nuttall as Jane Butterfield. 

This was brilliantly directed as well as its predecessor by the odd and weird Tim Burton ("Pee-wee's Big Adventure" '85, "Beetlejuice" '88, "Batman" '89, "Edward Scissorhands" '90, "Ed Wood" '94, "Planet of the Apes" '01, "Big Fish" '03, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" '05, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" '07, "Alice in Wonderland" '10, "Dark Shadows" '12, "Frankenweenie" '12, "Dumbo" '19) plus other films, a TV movie, TV, shorts and videos. The best thing about Burton is his ability to give his audience a sense of oddity and originality that is increasingly absent from an abundance of films today. He typically gives you what one wouldn't expect--just look at his resume and you'll see my point. Whether the production is live or animated, there is an element of surprise in his films, and this film is no exception. It was executed well by writers Alfred Gough ("Double Tap" '97, "Made Men" '99, "Shanghai Noon" 2000, "Showtime" '02, "Shanghai Knights" '03, "Herbie Fully Loaded" '05, "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" '08, "I Am Number Four" '11) plus other films, TV and TV movies, and Miles Millar (see resume above), based on a story by Alfed Gough, Miles Millar and Seth Grahame-Smith, which is based on characters created by Michael McDowell and Larry Wilson. Obviously, by their very resumes, these two writers are a team which certainly helps in the creation of a tight screenplay, however, this rendition of this sequel, albiet was delineated well, seemingly came across with the belief that they were attempting to top the original, so it was written with a bit too much going on which created some complexity. The premise was interesting, but they needed to keep it as simple as its predecessor. But even with this, the music by Danny Elfman who reprised his music from the original as did costume designer Colleen Atwood were familiar as they were refreshing. Of course, the film was Michael Keaton who reprised his role as Beetlejuice and others from the original--Winona Ryder as Lydia, Catherine O'Hara as Delia and Amy Nuttall as Jane Butterfield as the realtor were nice to see so as to have that connection with the original. 

The film leaves us open-ended--will there be a "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice"? Certainly if this makes a truck load of money we could see a part 3 in our future. Hey, after all, Hollywood is a business, but suffice it to say, it seems like they've squeezed as much out of this story as they could outlay. Certainly, if you do see this, it is presented in an IMAX format, but definitely see it on the large screen. Direction by Burton, Keaton as Beetlejuice and Elfman's music is well worth the price of admission. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                       Rated: PG-13                                      104mins.

Slingshot

The genre of sci-fi is about as old as films themselves, and although we seemingly have covered every aspect of what could happen when in space, along comes "Slingshot". This takes the psychological thriller to an all new level replete with a minimal cast, and a premise where the audience has to figure out who is the good and bad guys.

A psychological thriller starring Casey Affleck and Laurence Fishburne, "Slingshot" follows an elite trio of astronauts, Captain Franks (Fishburne), John (Affleck) and Nash (Tomer Capone) aboard a years-long possibly compromised mission to Saturn's moon Titan. As the team gears up for a highly dangerous slingshot maneuver that will either catapult them to Titan or into deep space, it becomes increasingly difficult for one astronaut to maintain his grip on reality. As tension grows between the three of them, who's right and who's wrong about the project?

Others to round out the cast are Emily Beecham as Zoe, David Morrissey as Sam Napier, Charlotta Lovgren as Gale, Mark Ebulue as Gordon and Nicolett Barabas as voice of the ship. 

This tightly wound film was directed with grit and tenacity by Mikael Hafstrom ("Terrons finger" (TV movie) '89, "Vendetta" '95, "Days Like This" '01, "Evil" '03, "Drowning Ghost" '04, "Derailed" '05, "1408" '07, "Shanghai" '10, "The Rite" '11, "Escape Plan" '13, "Quick" '19, "Outside the Wire" '21, "Stockholm Bloodbath" '23) plus TV and other TV movies. By this filmmaker's resume, he certainly knows his way around an intense thriller. His actors came across incredibly believable in their respective roles that the audience is totally back and forth with who is right and who is not, or is anything really going on and they are experiencing space psychosis? His pacing and staging of the actors were well thought out as well. It was executed well by writers R. Scott Adams ("Donner Pass" '11) and Nathan C. Parker ("Moon" '09, "Blitz" '11, "Equals" '15, "2:22" '17, "Our House" '18) plus TV and a short, based on a story by R. Scott Adams. The premise of this film was riveting as it was entertaining. Assuredly Adams received top billing for this since it was his story, however with Parker obtaining the lion's share of the experience, looking at his resume will tell one that this screenplay has his name all over it. His film, "Moon" with Sam Rockwell was reminiscent of this film--Rockwell played an astronaut in a psychological drama finishing up a three year stint on the moon and his only companion being a ship computer. It was a brilliant film, and although this was a good film, it was not quite the caliber of "Moon". This film had a problem was becoming a bit disjointed and meandered in a couple of small places, but otherwise was a tight script. It does have an amazing twist that will take the audience by surprise and, at that point, the story definitely picked up. The visual effects by Automatik were designed well and definitely did not override the story. 

Certainly, if you like sci-fi, you'll be in that heaven. Typically films that have a limited cast turn out to be strong and captivating, i.e. "Moon", :Alien", and this film. This has issues, but truly not enough to not see this film. I recommend this just for the cat-and-mouse aspect of it. 

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

Reagan

While we've all seen many biopics throughout the decades, some simply stand out more than others. "The Iron Lady", "The Queen", "The King's Speech", "The Darkest Hour", "JFK" to mention a handful all come to mind, but after viewing "Reagan", this was certainly as well crafted as the aforementioned list.

From dusty small-town roots, to the glitter of Hollywood, and then on to commanding the world stage, "Reagan" is a cinematic journey of overcoming the odds. Told through the voice of Viktor Petrovich (Jon Voight), a former KGB agent whose life becomes inextricably linked with Ronald Reagan's when Reagan first caught the Soviets' attention as an actor in Hollywood, this film offers a perspective as unique as it is captivating. Dennis Quaid brings to life a story that transcends the boundaries of a traditional biopic offering a profound exploration of the enduring impact of the power of one man who overcame the odds, sustained by the love of a woman--his wife, Nancy (Penelope Ann Miller), who supported him in his journey. 

Others to round out the cast are Mena Suvari as Jane Wyman, Amanda Righetti as Nelle Reagan, Ronald's mother, C. Thomas Howell as Casper Weinberger, Xander Berkeley as George Schultz, Lesley Ann Down as Margaret Thatcher, Olek Krupa as Mikhail Gorbachev, Kevin Dillon as Jack Warner, David Henrie as young Reagan and Kevin Sorbo as Reverend Cleaver.

This was deftly directed with clarity by Sean McNamara ("Hollywood Chaos" '89, "P.U.N.K.S." '98, "Raise Your Voice" '04, "Bratz" '07, "Soul Surfer"'11, "Space Warriors" '13, "Spare Parts" '15, "Hoovey" '15, "Field of Lost Shoes"'15, "The Miracle Season" '18, "Orphan Horse" '18, "Mighty Oak" '20, "The King's Daughter" '22, "On a Wing and a Prayer" '23) plus other films, TV movies, TV, videos and shorts. Every character in this production simply jumped off the screen and it was almost as if we were peeking into these different lives. Considering this filmmaker's extensive resume, it should be no surprise that he could convey this to his audience. If you like his brand of direction, his "On Fire" is in post production. It was well penned by writer Howard A. Klauser ("Space Cowboys" 2000, "The Grace Card" '10, "The Last Ride" '11, "The Identical" '14, "Hoovey" '15, "The Secret Handshake" '15, "God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness" '18), based on the book "The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism" by Paul Kengor, This film was concise , cohesive, staged and paced well, and I felt that, however it was a bit odd that the film was being told through a former KGB agent, it turned out to be an excellent idea showing the extreme contrast between the Soviet Union and the USA. The acting by both Quaid and Miller as Reagan and his wife Nancy respectively was incredible and could possibly be nominated come Oscar time. 

No matter what side of the political aisle you reside, this film is captivating, exhilarating and very informative, all the while being entertaining with amazing acting and directing. Some of the same mistakes we're experiencing now are very similar to back in the 1980's. It's amazing how we seemingly do not learn from our history, 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                     Rated: PG-13                                          141mins.

The Forge

Through the years we have seen a plethora of inspirational/Christian type films with many of them very encouraging if not life affirming. Some of the best filmmakers of these films are the Kendrick Brothers--the ones that brought us "Fireproof", "The War Room", "Courageous", "Facing the Giants", etc. Now they have offered us "The Forge" so we can learn more about our relationship with God. 

A year out of high school with no plans for his future, a young man, Isaiah Wright (Aspen Kennedy Wilson) is challenged by his single mom, Cynthia (Priscilla C. Shirer) and a successful businessman, Joshua Moore (Cameron Arnett) to start charting a better course for his life. Through the prayers of his mother and biblical discipleship from his new mentor, he begins discovering God's purpose for his life is so much more than he could hope for or imagine. 

Others to round out the cast are Karen Abercrombie as Miss Clara Williams, T.C. Stallings as Tony Jordan, Isaiah's uncle, B.J. Arnett as Janelle Moore, Joshua's wife, Ken Bevel as James, Stephen C. Lewis as Emmett, Willie Mellina as Todd, Justin Sterner as Cody, Brendan Goshay as Curtis, Marianne Haaland as Wanda and Dylan Cruz as Carlos. 

This was directed with the same conviction and pathos as his other films by Alex Kendrick ("Flywheel" '03, "Facing the Giants" '06, "Fireproof" '08, "Courageous" '11 "War Room" '15, "Overcomer" '19). Every one of his films simply tug at ones' heartstrings so as to convey to his audience of the extreme importance of the message he's attempting to bring forth. You can feel the characters' pain as well as excitement considering the scene at hand. It is equally written well by Alex Kendrick ("Flywheel" '03, "Facing the Giants" '06, "Fireproof" '08, "Courageous" '11, "War Room" '15, "Like Arrows" '18, "Overcomer" '19, "Lifemark" '22) and Stephen Kendrick ("Flywheel" '03, "Facing the Giants" '06, "Fireproof" '08, "Courageous" '11, "Beyond the Mask" '15, "War Room" '15, "Overcomer" '19, "Show Me the Father" '21, "Lifemark" '22) These two brothers constantly work together to produce these films, and considering how many people have been positively affected  by their writing, I suspect they will be a writing as a team for quite some time. They, being Christian, certainly have the ability to write stories that convey to people's hearts. Their stories are often heartwarming, convicting and entertaining all the while teaching us a much needed lesson. Their writing, which is similar, is concise, coherent, and sequenced well. 

This film is a film for Christians and non alike--it's a real shot in the arm for Christians all the while teaching them something about the relationship they have with God, while with non-Christians, it's a film that will hope to speak to their hearts so maybe, just maybe, they can have the same relationship with God as Christians do. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                         Rated: PG                                             124mins.

Blink Twice

We've all seen questionable if not outright bizarre films which every now and then are produced; the list is not huge but interesting: "Bruno", "Babylon", "Very Bad Things", "Eraserhead", "Triangle of Sadness", most recently "Poor Things"and the like. So now we have a cross over of Jeffrey Epstein's island and "The Stepford Wives", with a little of "The Chef" and viola!, you have "Blink Twice", which is about as bizarre as any film can come. 

When tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her and her friend, Jess (Alia Shawkat) to join him and his friends including Sarah (Adria Arjona), Tracy (Geena Davis), Vic (Christian Slater), Cory (Simon Rex), Tom (Haley Joel Osment), Lucas (Levon Hawke), Heather (Trew Mullen) and others on a dream vacation on his private island. It's paradise. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days and everyone's having a great time. Nobody wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. Something is wrong with this place. She'll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive. 

Others to round out the cast are Kyle MacLachlan as Dr. Rich Stein, Liz Caribel as Camilla, Cris Costa as Stan, Maria Elena Olivares as badass maid, Saul Williams as emcee, Tiffany Persons as Interviewer and Ben Jacobson as Ben. 

This was surprising directed with clarity and foreboding by Zoe Kravitz. For being a filmmaker with absolutely no other experience, i.e. feature films, TV, shorts, etc, this was delineated with clarity, and her ability to showcase her actors' slow transition from simply enjoying one another's company to it being a cat-and-mouse game including a slow progression, was brilliant. She is an actor and that certainly had to have been an element that helped her tremendously. And, since Tatum has a ton of experience and him being her boyfriend in real life also has to have assisted her as well. Where this film got bogged down was with the writing. It was written by Zoe Kravitz (TV) and E.T. Feigenbaum (TV), and their TV experience was writing one episode of the same TV show, so their writing experience is extremely low.There were areas of the script that were disjointed which caused the story to become a bit bogged down. Since this was Kravitz's film, she should've passed the screenplay to a much more experienced writer that could've taken this very strange story and made more sense of it. It wasn't a total wash--the ending, although bittersweet, was something that the audience wouldn't see coming, but the getting there was difficult at best. The cast was a great ensemble of actors, especially Tatum and Ackie and for that reason it did create more of an ease to watch. It is rated 'R' for a reason: it's gratuitous everything. Certainly by halfway through the film, with the exception of Frida and maybe Sarah,  it was difficult to feel sorry for anyone. They all deserved each other due to their insecurities and total selfishness. Maybe Kravitz needs more experience, but this film suffered. 

If you're into the bizarre, you will revel with this, however, if you're looking for more of a polished film with tighter writing, you might want to pass. Kravitz does have a future as a director which will add to that increasing list of actors who become directors--she should just get another writer. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                       Rated:R                                                  102mins.

My Penguin Friend

We've all seen films based on true stories, inspired by true events and the like, but of all the films that have been produced based on a true event or story, "My Penguin Friend" has got to fall into the best five films under this category. This simply put the 'H' in heartwarming since it chronicles the unlikely friendship between a human and a penguin.

Inspired by an epic true story, comes this enchanting adventure about a little lost penguin, subsequently named 'Dindim' who--after being rescued from an oik spill--transforms the life and soul of a heartbroken Brazilian fisherman, Joao (Jean Reno) years after he experienced a life altering tragedy. The support he receives from their tight-knit community is overwhelming as he gets to know Dindim. His wife, Maria (Adriana Barraza) didn't understand at first, however, after a while,  couldn't say no to him staying with them. 

Others to round out the cast are Alexia Moyano as Adriana, Nicolas Francella as Carlos, Rocio Hernandez as Stephanie, Juan Jose Garnica as Miguel, Ravel Cabral as Paulo, Duda Galvao as Lucia, Roberto Berenstein as Luis and Ellen Camp as young villager. 

This was remarkably directed by David Schurmann ("O Mundo Em Duas Valtas" '07, "Desaparecidos" '11, "Little Secret" '16, "Conexao Schurmann: Patagonia" (TV movie) '18) plus TV and a short. The pathos and heart that this filmmaker used in reaching his audience was utterly brilliant. His innate ability to be able to encourage his actors to exude the emotions they conveyed was incredibly effective. It was equally written brilliantly by Kristen Lazarian ("Tales of Everyday Magic" '12, "My Greatest Teacher" (co-writer) '12, "Trust" '21) plus TV and a video and Paulina Lagudi Ulrich ("Mail Order Monster" '18) plus TV and shorts. As this story unfolded, I was amazingly swept away with the heart, the hurt, the despair by Joao, and as his relationship slowly starts to heal him as he goes through this transformation, I could see how the simplest of things/events can radically change someone. And the fact that this was based on true events makes it that much more appealing since it's a story that is remarkable that it could ever happen. The writing was sequenced impeccably well as was the staging and pacing. It was cohesive and concise as well.  

This is a story that everyone should see, especially if they are hurting--physically or emotionally. It has it all: fear, hurt, despair that is turned into heart, hope and redemption. With a world that is falling apart, this is just  the kind of film we all could use right about now. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                       Rated: PG                                             98mins.

Alien: Romulus

Ever since Ridley Scott's "Alien" premiered in 1979, we have seen a plethora of sequels, prequels and the like. None of them match the original, but are interesting in their own way. And if you must see any of them, it's got to be on the large screen. Unless I miss my count, "Alien: Romulus" is the 12th film within this franchise. If anyone had told me back in 1979 that there would be 11 more installments of the original, I would've said they were insane. Well, here we are. 

While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers including Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny), Andy (David Jonsson), Tyler (Archie Renaux0, Navarro (Aileen Wu), Kay (Isabella Merced), and Bjorn (Spike Fearn) ultimately come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. As in the original "Alien", these are space miners to report to a remote abandoned space station only to realize that everyone has been killed or missing, except one science officer Rook (voice of Ian Holm)--he is a synthetic humanoid like in the original. From this point all hell breaks loose while the visiting crew is only attempting to survive. 

Others to round out the cast are Rosie Ede as WY officer, Robert Bobroczkyi as Offspring, Daniel Betts as facial and voice of Rook, and Trevor Newlin as Xenomorph. 

This was intensely directed with grit and grandeur by Fede Alvarez ("Evil Dead" '13, "Don't Breathe" '16, "The Girl in the Spider's Web" '18) plus TV and shorts. By his very resume, this filmmaker knows his way around a film that is horrific. His actors were staged and paced in just the most strategic way. The photography and editing were both amazing in keeping that scary effect to the film and that is effective directing. Alvarez's "Don't Breathe" was incredible in that it showcased the intense build up within the story that simply kept the audience on the edge of their seat. It was equally penned well by writers Fede Alvarez ("Evil Dead" '13, "Don't Breathe" '16, "The Girl in the Spider's Web" '18, "Don't Breathe 2" '21, "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (story) '22) plus TV and shorts, and Rodo Sayagues ("Evil Dead" '13, "Don't Breathe" '16, "Don't Breathe 2" '21, "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (story) '22) plus TV and shorts, based on characters created by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett. The two writers are obviously a team which can be effective when creating a script or premise. When I saw the trailer on this film, it actually didn't sell it--I basically figured that I had to review something, so since it would look great on the large screen, it being grandiose, I decided to give it a shot, and I was pleasantly pleased. It had all the elements needed for an effective 'Alien' film. There were some areas that were a homage to its original and I loved those features. Other than a couple of very small places of slowness (believe it or not), the script was tight, cohesive, sequenced well and the creative, obviously patterned off of H.R. Giger's designs were presented well and represented that monster as we all know him. The visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic), Weta Digital and Weta FX were seamless, but look at the companies and you'll realize why.

Assuming that one is an 'Alien' fan automatically concludes you'll love this, but even if not, the effects and the sheer factor of scaring you out of your theater seat is enough to get you to the multiplex. Even though Ridley Scott doesn't direct, he is one of the producers, so we know the film will be handled the way it should. Prepare to be scared! As the original tagline went: "In space, no one can hear you scream."

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                       Rated: R                                          119mins.

It Ends with Us

With all the summer season big-budget films out right now, it's refreshing to see a smaller film interspersed within the season. "It Ends with Us" is a small film centering around domestic violence which dissects the reasons behind the issue from the perpetrator and the victim's perspective. If there is anything unique about this, that's it. 

This tells the compelling story of Lily Bloom (Blake Lively), a woman who overcomes a traumatic childhood to embark on a new life in Boston and chase a lifelong dream of opening her own business. A chance meeting with charming neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni) sparks an intense connection, but as the two fall deeply in love, Lily begins to see sides of Ryle that remind her of her parents' relationship. When Lily's first love, Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar) suddenly reenters her life, her relationship with Ryle is upended, and Lily realizes she must learn to rely on her own strength to make an impossible choice for her future. 

Others to round out the cast are Jenny Slate as Allysa, Hasan Minhaj as Marshall, Amy Morton as Jenny Bloom, Lily's mom and Kevin McKidd as Andrew Bloom, Lily's dad. This was delineated with precise dissection by director Justin Baldoni ("Rebel with a Cause: The Sam Simon Story" (TV movie) '15, "The CW Presents: My Last Days, a Special Event" (TV movie) '16, "Five Feet Apart" '19, "Clouds" '20) plus TV and shorts. Considering this filmmaker doesn't have a plethora of experience under his belt, his sequencing, staging and pacing was amazing and integral. Certainly his acting background can and has helped him in is ability to work behind the camera, however he simply has an innate ability to encourage his actors to exude the emotions needed to convey what these characters are like. He also starred in this and has joined that list of directors who also act in their respective films, i.e. Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, John Krasinski, etc. This was executed well by writer Christy Hall ("Daddio" '23) plus TV, based on the book  by Colleen Hoover. I truly understand why this running time exceeded two hours--given the subject matter that was persistent in delineating what happens to those that are involved in a domestic violence situation--both sides of it, however the running time, being 130 minutes, could've been cut to two hours and still not sacrifice the integrity of what the writer wanted to convey. This was definitely better than the trailer depicted since it went much farther than the victim being 'saved' and the perpetrator being carted away. The entire cast were cast well, especially Lively and Brandon Sklenar as Atlas, as being introduced to films, was strong and played his role effortlessly. He should go far in this biz.

Certainly if you like domestic romantic dramas, this is the film for you, but even if you don't, the characters were developed and carried out with expertise. If one doesn't have the time to see this in the theater, it being a small film, you can get away with viewing this on Netflix or whatever and won't kill any impact. The positive about this is that we need to face this issue that happens to so many people in this society, and if anyone is going through this or knows of someone who is, there is information of where to receive help during the closing credits. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                   Rated: PG-13                                          130mins.

Borderlands

While being at the heart of the summer film season, we are typically in the lookout of films that would exude what we would expect from a summer flick. Many films might exude that look, however nothing like "Borderlands" comes close. This is the quintessential summer flick on a stick to revel and have fun with. 

Lilith (Cate Blanchett), an infamous bounty hunter with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home, Pandora, the most chaotic planet in the galaxy. Her mission is to find the missing daughter of Atlas (Edgar Ramirez), the universe's most powerful S.O.B. Lilith forms an unexpected alliance with a ragtag team of misfits--Roland (Kevin Hart), a seasoned mercenary on a mission, Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), a feral pre-teen demolitionist, Krieg (Florian Munteanu), Tina's musclebound protector, Tannis (Jamie Lee Curtis), the oddball scientist who's seen it all, and Claptrap (Jack Black), a wise-ass robot. Together, these unlikely heroes must battle an alien species and dangerous bandits to uncover one of Pandora's most explosive secrets. The fate of the universe could be in their hands--but they'll be fighting for something more: each other. Based on one of the best-selling videogame franchises of all time, welcome to BORDERLANDS.

Others to round out the cast are Janina Gavankar as Knoxx, Benjamin Byron Davis as Marcus, Olivier Richters as Krom, Gina Gershon as Moxxi, Ryann Redmond as Ellie, Haley Bennett as Lilith's mom and Steven Boyer as Scooter. 

This was directed with grit and wit by the comparable Eli Roth ("Cabin Fever" '02, "Hostel" '05, "Hostel: Part II" '07, "The Green Inferno" '13, "Knock Knock" '15, "Death Wish" '18, "The House with a Clock in Its Walls" '`18, "Fin" '21, "Thanksgiving" '23) plus TV, shorts and videos. First of all, Roth is a filmmaker that knows how to go for the juggler, and secondly, as compared to some of his other films, this is rather toned down in its graphic violence, which I believe can allow the audience to dwell more on the story than be subjected to blood and guts aplenty. Each character had their own distinct original personality, and not only is this effective acting, but surely talented directing as well. He truly can give a one two punch with his projects, this being of no exception. It was also written with fun, adrenaline and adventure by Eli Roth ("Aftershock" '12, "The Man with the Iron Fists" '12, plus films listed above) plus TV, a short and videos, and Joe Crombie, based on a story by Eli Roth, which is based on a videogame by Gearbox Studios, produced by 2X. The best thing going for this film is the fact that it was simply created as an excellent form of escapism, replete with crude humor, fun, tons of explosives and high-adrenaline--the quintessential ingredients for a rollicking summer flick. Is it an Oscar worthy contender? Absolutely not, but obviously this wasn't made with that in mind. It apparently has received a number of poor reviews, and I'm not sure why. This running time moved right along leaving one wanting more. Really, other than a couple of very small places of disjointedness, this film was enjoyable and fun as can be! Everyone in the cast were casted well and all worked well off of each other. If you like Roth's work, his "Thanksgiving 2" is in development.

Certainly, if you like video games, or are in the demographic of a single male between the ages of 18-30, you will revel, however, I believe anyone can like this film if you just want to unravel for the day and sit back and enjoy this roller coaster ride. If you like that up, close and personal feel, this also presented in an IMAX format as well. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                           Rated: PG-13                                         100mins.

Harold and the Purple Crayon

The summer film season is typically fraught with big-budget films, animated films and family style films--get those younger, out of school for the summer kids in those theater seats--ca-ching! We've seen "Deadpool & Wolverine", "Despicable Me 4" and now we are offered "Harold and the Purple Crayon". The latter film being a family film is much needed since those films are becoming fewer and farther between.

Inside of his book, adventurous Harold (Zachary Levi) can make anything come to life simply by drawing it. After he grows up and draws himself off the books' pages and into the physical world, Harold finds he has a lot to learn about real life--and that his trusty purple crayon may set off more hilarious hijinks than he thought possible. When the power of unlimited imagination falls into the wrong hands, it will take all of Harold and his friends' creativity including Mel (Benjamin Bottani), Moose (Lil Rel Howery) and Porcupine (Tanya Reynolds) to save both the real world and his own. Can he do it and make things right?

Others to round out the cast are Zooey Deschanel as Terry, Jemaine Clement as Gary, Alfred Molina as Narrator, Pete Gardner as Detective Love, Camille Guaty as Jr. Detective Silva, Ravi Patel as Prasad, Terry's boss and Zele Avradopoulos as Ms. Hemm.

This was whimsically and humorously directed by Carlos Saldanha ("Ice Age" '02, "Robots" (co-directed) '05, "Ice Age: The Meltdown" '06, "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" '09, "Rio" '11, "Rio 2" '14, "Rio, I Love You (segment, "Pas de Deux") '14, "Ferdinand" '17) plus TV, a short and a video. Certainly when it comes to animation, this filmmaker knows his way around a production, however this film is a bit different in that it is a combination of animation and real life--and not within the same frames, but in totally different scenes in the film. He captured the look extremely well, and this has everything to do with his knowledge of the animation world. The balance between the worlds are effective and they work well off of each other. It was equally well penned by writers David Guion ("The Ex" '06, "Dinner for Schmucks" '10, "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb" '14, "Slumberland" '22) and Michael Handelman (See Guion's resume), based on the children's book of the same name by Crockett Johnson. By their very resumes, these two writers are a team and that is very strategic in the eyes of the producers, since these two have the potentiality of being more cohesive. As this film goes from the animated world into the real world is actually reminiscent of the film, "The Wizard of Oz", where the character Dorothy left Kansas to enter the land of Oz. Really, other than a couple of small places of some hokiness--hey, this is a family film, the film was cohesive, sequenced well, heartwarming all with a great message of allowing one to use their imagination and of family being there for each other. This rendition of Johnson's book is a juiced up version of his work, but since the book is rather toned down, they really needed to jazz it up. The cast was believable and melded well with each other. 

This is certainly a film for all to see--whether you have a family or not, since its core message is that of using one's own imagination given just about any situation. And, in this day and age with the use of ones' imagination is at an all-time low, this is definitely a shot-in-the-arm in which to encourage people to implement that imagination that we all have, but don't use. Enjoy!

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                    Rated: PG                                         91mins

Trap

Through the years we've seen many M. Night Shyamalan films that delve into the odd and quirky world of this filmmaker. From "The Sixth Sense" to "Unbreakable", from "Lady in the Water" to "Split", we've seen a wide array of films that not only are bizarre, but original at its core. So, while we have "Trap" in our midst, we have yet another premise that carries that Shyamalan tradition.

A father, Cooper (Josh Hartnett) and his teen daughter, Riley (Ariel Donoghue) attend a pop concert lead up by singing phenomenon Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan) only to realize they've entered the center of a dark and sinister event. It appears to be that the FBI has locked down the arena in order of catching a serial killer whom they received vital tips about, so know one leaves without being vetted. It's not a spoiler to say that it's Cooper. but since his family knows nothing of his double-life, he must keep his daughter from realizing this fact. But simultaneously eluding the cops including one Dr. Josephine Grant (Hayley Mills), who is being used by the FBI as a serial killer profiler, how long can this cat-and-mouse game go on?

Others to round out the cast are Alison Pill as Rachel, Cooper's wife, Jonathan Langdon as Jamie, Marnie McPhaill as Jody's mom, Mark Bacolcol as Spenser, Kid Cudi as The Thinker, Russ as Parker Wayne and Marcia Bennett as Cooper's mom. 

This was directed with grit, obscurity and slickness by M. Night Shyamalan ("Praying with Anger" '92, "Wide Awake" '98, "The Sixth Sense" '99, "Unbreakable" 2000, "Signs" '02, "The Village" '04, "Lady in the Water" '06, "The Happening" '08, "The Last Airbender" '10, "After Earth" '13, "The Visit" '15, "Split" '16, "Glass" '19, "Old" '21, "Knock at the Cabin" '23) plus TV and a music video. I actually look forward to a Shyamalan film, considering there's so many unoriginal and rehashed films out there. This filmmaker certainly has the willingness to challenge the established norm by creating original work. His films don't please all audiences, however I don't believe he tries to please all. The underlying tension of Cooper in this was intense as it was believable, and this is effective directing. It was also penned as well by M. Night Shyamalan ("Stuart Little" '99, "Devil" (story) '10, plus see resume above) plus TV. As the film unfolded, it became interesting, however I can't help but wonder if the audience didn't realize Cooper was the killer until much later in the film it might have been more effective, but after seeing the film, the film would've had to be totally rewritten to house that premise. So, considering this was not the route that Shyamalan took, it actually worked using the route he took. Really, the best thing about this film is Hartnett's performance as the serial killer. He came across as this loving family man, doting father that happens to have a problem with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). If you want to see him shine in another role, he gave a riveting performance in Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer". He truly has become the comeback kid. Of course, Shyamalan is at his usual best, and if you like his approach to filmmaking, his "Labor of Love" that he wrote and directed is in development.

Certainly if you are a Shyamalan fan, you'll revel with this new project, but even if you're not, this isn't like a lot of his films that are totally bizarre--it's a little more tamed down. In any rate, the performance by Hartnett and even that of Saleka Shyamalan, M. Night's daughter playing the role of Lady Raven was not super challenging, but she was not bad and she created and sang the songs in the film.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                      Rated: PG-13                                     105mins.