How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000): 25th Anniversary

The re-issuing of films have become quite popular which has been a profitable way for movie companies so they don't have to trudge through the riggers of making a remake or reboot. Usually the choices of films are ones that are popular and this film, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is no exception. 

In this live-action adaptation of the beloved children's tale by Dr. Seuss, the reclusive green Grinch (Jim Carrey) decides to ruin Christmas for the cheery citizens of Whoville. Reluctantly joined by his hapless dog, Max, the Grinch comes down from his mountaintop home and sneaks into town to swipe everything holiday-related from the Whos. However, the bitter grump finds a hitch in his plans when he encounters the endearing Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen).

Others to round out the cast are Jeffrey Tambor as May Who, the mayor of Whoville, Christine Baranski as Martha May Whovier, Bill Irwin as Lou Lou Who, Molly Shannon as Betty Lou Who, Clint Howard as Whobris, Rance Howard as Elderly Timekeeper, Rachel Winfree as Rose and Kelley as Max, the dog..

This was directed with whimsy and heart by Ron Howard ("Grand Theft Auto" '77, "Night Shift" '82, "Splash" '84, "Cocoon" '85, "Gung Ho" '86, "Willow" '88, "Parenthood" '89, "Backdraft" '91, "Far and Away" '92, "The Paper" '94, "Apollo 13" '95, "A Beautiful Mind" '01, "Cinderella Man" '05, "Frost/Nixon" '08, "The Dilemma" '11, "Rush" '13, "In the Heart of the Sea" '15, "Inferno" '16, "Pavarotti" '19, "Hillbilly Elegy" '20, "Eden" '24) plus other films, TV movies, shorts, videos and a music video. Ron Howard has become a staple of fine directing in Hollywood and has the resume to prove it. Each movie he films becomes so effortless to him and every film he does direct simply gets better with time. He was able to get Jim Carrey to bring the Grinch to life where that character seemed so real even though it's obviously a fictional character. It was effectively written by Jeffrey Price ("Trenchcoat" '83, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"'88, "Doc Hollywood" '91, "Wild Wild West"'99, "Last Holiday" '06, "Shrek the Third" '07) plus TV and Peter S. Seaman ("Trenchcoat" '83,"Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' '88, "Doc Hollywood" '91, "Wild Wild West" '99, "Last Holiday"'06, "Shrek the Third" '07) plus TV, based on the book by Dr. Seuss. This film went beyond the typical story of the Grinch stealing Christmas as the beloved story is about. I believe is was necessary to add to the story in order to lengthen the film since it was originally a short story, and going into what drove the Grinch to become bitter and hating Christmas as much as he did was compelling to have some insight into the character. There was a bit of a problem in combining the actual story and connecting that with the the Grinch's past in how he became the way he became, but all in all these writers did the best that any writer could've implemented, and since they are a writing team, they work well together. The visual effects predominantly designed by Digital Domain and Rhythm & Hues were stunning as was the costume design by Rita Ryack. 

Certainly if you're a fan of either director, Ron Howard or actor, Jim Carrey, this is the film for you. This is quintessential Carrey at his best. It was an exemplary attempt to delve into the story and give the audience a backstory to the Grinch. And bringing back this as a 25 anniversary re-release at Christmas time was genius. It is very difficult to believe this film is 25 years old!

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                             Rated: PG                                         103mins.

Ella McCay

With all the bid-budget films laced with a plethora of visual effects at this time of year, it's pleasantly surprising that we are offered "Ella McCay", a story about a dysfunctional family attempting to cope with each other and with others in their respective lives.

This is a comedy/drama about the complicated politics that arise when a young woman, Ella McCay (Emma Mackey), who, as Lieutenant Governor, ends up becoming the governor as the Governor, Bill Moore (Albert Brooks) receives a position in the president's cabinet. Her career clashes with the dysfunction within her chaotic family, namely her dad, Eddie (Woody Harrelson), her aunt Helen McCay (Jamie Lee Curtis) and even her younger brother, Casey McCay (Spike Fearn). It simply becomes a balancing act between career and family where her sanity becomes at question due to her consistent stress. 

Others to round out the cast are Jack Lowden as Ryan Newell, Kumail Nanjiani as head of security, Ayo Edebiri as Casey's girlfriend, Rebecca Hall as Claire McCay, Eddie's wife, Julie Kavner as Estelle and Sheetal Sheth as Audrey. 

This was directed with subtlety and humor by the incomparable James L. Brooks ("Terms of Endearment" '83, "Broadcast News" '87, "I'll Do Anything" '94, "Spanglish" '04, "How Do You Know" '10) plus TV. This is a multi-faceted filmmaker whereas he is a fine actor, writer and director, where he especially shines is behind the camera--his ability to direct is phenomenal. He comes across as effortless in his ability to have his actors to 'find' that character and showcase it. He hasn't directed a ton of projects, but what he has directed is amazing. It was executed well by writer James L. Brooks ("Starting Over" '79, "Terms of Endearment" '83, "Broadcast News" '87, "I'll Do Anything" '94, "As Good as it Gets" '97, "Spanglish" '04, "The Simpson's Movie" '07, "How Do You Know" '10) plus a plethora of TV, TV movies, shorts and a video. We've all seen films that center around the dysfunction of families--it's a rather common staple with comedies or dramedies, this being one, but this one, although was a captivating story, unfortunately had a tendency to jump back and forth as the story was going from the present to the past and back again. So with this, it started to become a bit confusing. Certainly Brooks is a talented writer--he has a wealth of work, both TV and films under his belt, but this simply needed a bit more polish. A bad day at the laptop? Not sure, but suffice it say, it got a little crazy. Was it a total wash? Certainly not, most of the story line carried well and the performances particularly by Jamie Lee Curtis and Albert Brooks and Julie Kavner were the bright spots. 

If you're a James L. Brooks fan, you'll like this film which definitely has his name written all over it. The direction, acting, music composed by Hans Zimmer and the cinematography by Robert Elswit, asc were incredible. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                        Rated: PG-13                                       115mins.

Hamnet

There have been many incarnations of William Shakespeare's plays in a film format by Hollywood for decades, but "Hamnet", being based on actual events of Shakespeare's life and family, is definitely a separation from simply one of his plays being remade in film form. And this movie is certainly a clear retelling of his life, family and work.

This film, based of true events about William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife, Agnes (Jessie Buckley). She comes from a healing background and he is a writer. Susanna (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), their firstborn, and their twins, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe) and Judith (Olivia Lynes). It's also the story of their small village in 16th century England, and more to the point, about the lives, and especially the deaths from plague, happening in their time. This story is mostly told through Agnes, and her experiences with being supportive to her husband's writing profession and the raising of the children the best she knew how. 

Others to round out the cast are Emily Watson as Mary, Joe Alwyn as Bartholomew, Justine Mitchell as Joan, David Wilmot as John, Noah Jupe as Hamlet, El Simons as Ophelia,Sam Woolf as Bernardo, Hera Gibson as Francisco and Jack Shalloo as Marcellus.

This was brilliantly directed with passion and compassion by Chloe Zhao ("Songs My Brothers Taught Me" '15, "The Rider" '17, "Nomadland" '20, "Eternals" '21) plus TV, shorts and a video. Where this filmmaker actually showcased her talent was with "Namadland". It was gritty, sad, but powerful and her ability to encourage her actors to dig deep to find their emotions was amazing as it was identically with this film as well. She doesn't direct many films, however what she has accrued is pure quality. It was penned well by writers Chloe Zhao ("Songs My Brother Taught Me" '15, "The Rider" '17, "Nomadland" '20, "Eternals" '21) plus shorts. and Maggie O'Farrell, based on her novel by the same name. Sure O'Farrell has no other feature film to her credit, but with this film, no one else really could've done this production justice but the novelist who wrote the novel, Along with the writing collaboration of Zbao who typically writes the films she directs, and you end up with a dynamite film. These writers were chosen carefully, as this film obtains some very complex characters. The script would need to be delineated very delicately, and these two were the correct combination. And the acting by both Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley was essentially perfection. Could they both be considered come Oscar time? It would not be surprising. It has often been said, if an actor can perform Shakespeare well, they are great thespians. Well, when some of these actors were performing in parts of Shakespeare's plays, especially "Hamlet", their acting was amazing. 

Assuming one is a Shakespeare fan, this will be captivating considering this delves so much of the running time exploring the marriage and family of Shakespeare. I recommend this film to any film student or aficionado that is delving into the topic of Shakespearean plays and about his history. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                   Rated: PG-13                                       125mins.

The Thing with Feathers

One of the pluses to small independent films are that they typically are original in their premise instead of commercial films that are usually unoriginal. Certainly "The Thing with Feathers" is one of those indie films that is amazingly original. In fact, it is so original, that it goes deeply into a bizarre psychological story line that deems to captivate the imagination.

Following the unexpected death of his wife, a young father's hold on reality crumbles and a strange presence begins to stalk him, Dad (Benedict Cumberbatch) from the shadowy recesses of the apartment he shares with his two sons, Boy 1 (Richard Boxall) and Boy 2 (Henry Boxall). A man-like crow (voiced by David Thewlis), seemingly brought to life from the father's work as an illustrator, is about to become a very real part of all their lives, ultimately guiding them towards the new shape their family must take. 

Others to round out the cast are Sam Spruell as Paul, friend of Dad's, Eric Lampaert as Crow, Tim Plester as Andy, Leo Bill as Dr. Bowden, Claire Cartwright as Mum, Vinette Robinson as Amanda, Dwane Walcott as Teacher and Lesley Molony as Margaret. 

This was directed with such gut-wrenching grit and pathos by Dylan Southern ("No Distance Left to Run" '10, "Shut Up and Play the Hits" '12, "Meet Me in the Bathroom" '22) plus TV, music videos, a short and a video. The way this filmmaker staged and paced this project was phenomenal, and the characters these actors played were captivating and these actors, especially Cumberbatch, made these characters come to life and that's talented directing. This was also interestingly written by Dylan Southern (TV and a short), based on the novel, "Grief Is The Thing with Feathers" by Max Porter. The premise was a very intriguing story about a man trying to cope with his wife's death and through this his illustrating seemingly jumped off his sketckbook and relentlessly attempting to get him out of his self-pity. Even though the story is fresh and different, the execution needed a bit more polish--it was a bit choppy and not expressly cohesive. But, there were many areas that were thrilling and unforgettable all the while this father was being pushed to the brink. This crow-man sort of became his alter-ego in order for him to get through this grieving process that was taking a long time. Southern obviously decided to write the work he directs which is nothing odd or wrong with it. He basically needs more work to hone his basic talent. Cumberbatch's performance as this grieving, taunted man was incredible, but he is a fine actor. 

This is certainly worthy to see in the theater, where, I believe, is always the best place to watch a movie. If you like fine acting and directing, this is the film for you. It's a bit odd in its story, but when someone is grieving and having a tough time of it, they can go a little off-kilter in the way of thinking. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                      Rated: R                                              98mins.

Zootopia 2

When "Zootopia"was released in 2016, I never assumed it would be sequeled, but then again we are talking about Disney--the king of sequels, prequels, remakes, reboots, franchises. At least they obtained the restraint to wait nine years to make the move. For a sequel, it was was actually a worthy follow up of its predecessor. 

In this film, detectives Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile, a snake called Gary (Ke Huy Quan) who arrives in Zootopia and turns the mammal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before. 

Others to round out the cast are Fortune Feimster as Nibbles Maplestick, Andy Samberg as Pawbert Lynxley, David Strathairn as Milton Lynxley, Idris Elba as Chief Bogo, Patrick Warburton as Mayor Winddancer, Quinta Brunson as Dr. Fuzzby, Danny Trejo as Jesus, Nate Torrence as Clawhauser, Bonnie Hunt as Bonnie Hopps and Don Lake as Stu Hopps.

This was directed with whimsical flair by Jared Bush (Zootopia (co-director) '16, "Encanto" '21) plus music videos, and Byron Howard ("Bolt" '08, "Tangled" '10, "Zootopia" '16, "Encanto" '21, "Tangled: Sing-Along" '22) plus TV, a short and music videos. This particular installment of this franchise was minus one other director that also directed the original--Rich Moore, but this still obtained the spark and quick metabolism of its predecessor. The main cast was fairly intact, and the role of Gary (Ke Huy Quan), the snake, was new, but was a great supportive role. It was equally well written by Jared Bush ("Zootopia" '16, "Moana" '16, "Encanto" '21, "Moana 2" '24) plus TV and a video game. Considering the original "Zootopia" was written by one other writer, Phil Johnston along with Jared Rush, it made its predecessor, still a well penned script, but this installment was perhaps even better honed only being written by Bush. The lessor of writers typically means the tighter, cohesive and well sequenced a film will be. The only flaw I could see in this was that soon after the first ten minutes, it had a tendency to be a bit slow for about five minutes, but very shortly after, it picked up and moved right along. And, as usual, Disney's animation was first rate as it typically is and will continue to be. 

Will there be a "Zootopia 3"? The story leaves it opened-ended, but considering the movie industry is all about the bottom line, as long as this film makes a ton of money, we will assuredly see a part 3 sometime in our future. If you want to experience this up close and personal, it's also presented in an IMAX and 3D format.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                          Rated: PG                                       107mins.

Sisu: Road to Revenge

When "Sisu" was released in 2022, the trailer didn't actually woo me into the theater until I saw further trailers. And then I thought it might be interesting, but decided to review it was with trepidation and considered it was worthy of the review. It was so impressive, that I decided to see "Sisu: Road to Revenge", and I definitely wasn't disappointed. 

This sequel is a wall to wall cinematic action event, a follow up to the original sleeper hit "Sisu"'. 1946. Returning to the house where his family was brutally murdered during the war, "the man who refuses to die" Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila) dismantles it, loads it on a truck, and is determined to rebuild it somewhere safe in their honor. When the Red Army commander who killed his family Yeagor Dragunov (Steohen Lang) comes back hellbent on finishing the job, a relentless, eye-popping cross-country chase ensues--a fight to the death, full of clever, unbelievable action set pieces. This is the quintessential cat-and-mouse game.

Others to round out the cast are Richard Brake as KBG Officer, Einar Haraldsson as a Soldier, Jaakko Hutchings as a Russian Soldier, Kaspar Velberg as a Pilot, Tommi Korpela as a Finnish Man, Erki Laur as a Mercenary and Sten Zupping as a Train Guard. 

This was again directed with amazing intensity and grit as with the original by Jalmari Helander ("Zero deux" (segment "Rare Exports Inc.") '07, "Rare Exports" '10, "Big Game" '14, "Sisu" '22) plus TV, shorts and a video. As with its predecessor, this installment was slickly done, replete with action, intensity and especially many certain ways this Sisu was able to be as creative as he was in taking these evil guys down. What ways that were creative in the original, this film was able to find many other ways to be creative. This filmmaker surely knows how to keep his audience on the edge of their seats, whether with this movie or the original--in fact, this was simply a juiced up version. It was creatively well written by Jalmari Helander ("Zero deux" (segment "Rare Exports Inc.") '07, "Rare Exports" '10, "Big Game" '14, "Sisu" '22, "The Last Stand of Ellen Cole" (based on an idea) '24) plus shorts and a video. As with Helander's direction, his writing still followed the intense journey of this Sisu in attempting to put his life back together only having to deal with evil men wanting to do evil things. So again, he has to resort to his extremely creative ways to rid of these evildoers so he can enjoy what's left of his life. There wasn't a huge amount of dialogue, but these men's expressiveness spoke volumes. This writer had no problem in conveying to his audience what he wanted to relay to us with as few words as possible. Stephen Lang could've played the role as the Sisu since he has played similar roles such as "Don't Breathe", but the title role played by Jorma Tommila was brilliant. 

Certainly if you liked this film's predecessor, "Sisu", you'll love this installation. It has it all: drama, action, war, explosiveness all in a thrilling story that will leave its audience on the edge of their proverbial seats. The creativeness of this Sisu is worth the price of admission alone. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                        Rated: R                                          89mins.

Rental Family

We've all seen many films in our lives whether foreign or domestic in every genre across the board, and with that, some films are easy to fully understand, whereas other movies take some understanding to absorb because of cultural aspects, obscurity or the feeling of them being too cerebral. "Rental Family" is interesting even though there are several times where the cultural aspects of it can cloud certain rationale depending which culture is watching it.

Set in modern-day Tokyo, "Rental Family" follows an American actor, Phillip Vandarpleog (Brendan Fraser) who struggles to find purpose until he lands an unusual gig: working for a Japanese "rental family" agency headed up by Shinji Tada (Takehiro Hira) playing stand-in roles for strangers. As he immerses himself in his clients' worlds such as Mia Kawasaki (Shannon Mahina Gorman) and Kikuo Hasegawa (Akira Emoto), he begins to form genuine bonds that blur the lines between performance and reality. Confronting the moral complexities of his work, he rediscovers purpose, belonging and the quiet beauty of human connection. 

Others to round out the cast are Sei Matobu as Masami Hasegawa, Kikuo's daughter, Shino Shinozaki as Hitomi Kawasaki, Mia's mother, Daikichi Sugawara as Jideo Ikeda and Hideko Hara as Keiko Ikeda.

This was directed with heart, poignancy and insightfulness by Hikari ("37 Seconds" '19) plus TV,  shorts and a music video. Even though this filmmaker has only one feature film under her belt, the many shorts she has to her credit has certainly served her well. Her ability to define the crossover between moral and legal issues was not only subtle but definitely caught one's eye. It was equally well penned by Hikari ("37 Seconds" '19) plus shorts and Stephen Blahut (cinematography). Again, considering these writers' limited experience in this field, this was a very captivating story. It is difficult to relay a story that straddles moral and legal and emotional issues with such subtlety, however with bold reality as the film unfolds. This shows how we, as a society, whether here or abroad can be so disconnected with our emotions in the guise of this rental family being called a business. Certainly, there was lying going on, but then again, acting is technically a form of lying--representing yourself as someone you're not. The difference here is that the 'rep' was lying to people who thought they were on the up and up. It's an interesting story about confronting our lack of ability or willingness to truly connect with people. Other than a small place of choppiness, this script soared. More work their way please.

If you're a Brendan Fraser fan, you will like this. His performance in "The Whale" was probably the best film (acting wise) he's ever done, but this film brought out the compassion and passion in him for sure. It's a film about how we should be more of a society of connecting and not hide behind masks. The more genuine and honest we are toward one another, the happier we will be.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                       Rated: PG-13                                       110mins.

Wicked: For Good

Who ever thought that when L. Frank Baum first wrote the story of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" back in 1899 and was published in 1900, and subsequently became a motion picture in 1939 would become the phenomena today. Many incarnations of "The Wizard of Oz" in 1939 have been produced. And then a Tony Award winning musical play was created, and then its subsequent film "Wicked" in 2024. Now we have the continuation of "Wicked" appropriately titled "Wicked: For Good". 

After challenging the Wizard's (Jeff Goldblum) totalitarian regime in Oz, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) must grapple with her identity as the 'Wicked Witch of the West'. Meanwhile, the Wizard has given Glinda (Ariana Grande) the title 'Glinda the Good' and a public status as the nation's defender against Elphaba. The two witches must make decisions that seal their fates implementing Captain Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) in this second, part 2 musical installment. 

Others to round out the cast are Ethan Slater as Boq, Marissa Bode as Nessa, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, Colman Domingo as the Cowardly Lion, Bronwyn James as Shenshen, Aaron T. Guan Ti as Avaric, Keala Settle as Miss. Coddle, Bethany Weaver as Dorothy and Sharon D. Clarke as Dulcibear. 

As with the first part of "Wicked", this too was directed with passion, whimsy and heart by Jon M. Chu ("Step Up 2 the Streets" '08, "The LXD: The Uprising Begins" '10, "Step Up 3D" '10,,, "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" '11, "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" '13, "Justib Bieber's Believe" '13, "Jem and the Holograms" '15, "Now You See Me 2" '16, "Crazy Rich Asians" '18, "Triage" (TV movie) '20, "In the Heights" '21, "Wicked" '24) plus other films, TV, shorts, and music videos. Like with other directors, this filmmaker is like a chameleon in that he works with many genres or topics, This, like part 1, was sequenced well, cohesive and flowed well from one part to the other. This director is seasoned and I really enjoy his work. It was effectively well written by Winnie Holzman ("'Til There Was You" '97, "Wicked" '24) plus TV and a short and Dana Fox ("The Wedding Date" '05, "What Happens in Vegas" '08, "Couples Retreat" '09, "How to Be Single" '16, "Isn't It Romantic" '19, "Cruella" '21, "The Lost City" '22, "Wicked" '24) plus TV, based on the musical stage play with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, that is based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, which is all based on the characters created by L. Frank Baum. The interesting part of this part of the story is that this film includes the moment of time when Dorothy lands in Oz. "Wicked" is a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz", so this part led into the arrival of Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, and Toto too. And this gives us a little background of these 'Wizard of Oz' characters to see how they are worked into the 'Wicked' story line. The only aspect of this that was a bit strained was that as the story was developing, it was a bit slow and needed to pick up the pace, but once it did pick up, it absolutely soared! The visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) and Framestore were amazing and enhanced the film as it progressed. And the production values--costumes, production design, editing and photography was captivating. 

If you're a "Wicked" fan--play or film, or even a "Wizard of Oz" fan, this will be the film for you. Even though this is the conclusion, will there be a part 3? Probably not--it leaves the story fairly well closed. The musical numbers, choreography and the grandiose of it all has to be seen on the large screen. In fact, it's presented on an IMAX format if that's a thrill for you. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                      Rated: PG                                           137mins'

Now You See Me: Now You Don't

When the original film, "Now You See Me" was released back in 2013, I felt that as long as it profits, there will be another, especially considering the list of actors in it. Well, there was in 2016 yet another one, "Now You See Me 2". I truly thought that would be the end, but wait, there's more. Hollywood figured that maybe one more would be warranted in the form of "Now You See Me: Now You Don't". 

The Four Horsemen return including J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) and Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher) along with a new generation of illusionists including Charlie (Justice Smith), Bosco (Dominic Sessa) and June (Ariana Greenblatt) performing mind-melding twists, turns, surprises and magic unlike anything ever captured on film. This story involves the stealing of the most expensive diamond in the world, the Heart Diamond which in curated by Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike) of the very wealthy Vanderberg family. The problem is that Veronika wants the diamond for herself, so it ends up becoming a cat-and-mouse game between her, her goons and the Horsemen. 

Others to round out the cast are Morgan Freeman as Thaddeus Bradley, Lizzy Caplan as Lula, Thabang Molaba as Lethabo Khoza, Andrew Santino as Brett Finnigan, Ben Seidman as Max Thompson and Mark Ruffalo as Dylan Rhodes. 

This film was directed with twists, action and some humor by Ruben Fleischer ("Zombieland" '09, "30 Minutes or Less" '11, "Gangster Squad" '13, "The List" (TV movie) '13, "Spaced Out" (TV movie) '17, "Venom" '18, "Zombieland: Double Tap" '19, "Uncharted" '22) plus TV, shorts, music videos and videos. Even though this installment carried a different director than its predecessors, the similar feel of the characters was sill intact--with all the mannerisms, even body language which made the sequel much more realistic instead of watching a totally different film. The staging and pacing was spot on as well. It was effectively written by Michael Lesslie, Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese and Seth Grahame-Smith, based on a story by Eric Warren Singer and Michael Lesslie, which is based on characters created by Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt. Seeing as there was four writers for this film astounds me since typically if a film has more than two writers it becomes convoluted, I really assumed less than impressing writing. There were some imperfections with this where, at times, it became a bit choppy and were a couple of continuity issues, but considering the number of writers, this was a screenplay that was simply amazing. Most of it was tight and well thought out, especially the latter half of the movie. It was great to see the old group of actors on the installments which made it more nostalgic. 

Will there be another installment? Not sure, but suffice it to say, this story certainly leaves the story open-ended. Odds are that as long as this film makes quite a profit, Lionsgate will keep rafting them out. And then add the same pivotal cast, and viola, "let's make another one".

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                         Rated: PG-13                                   112mins.

The Running Man

Through the decades Hollywood has rebooted, remade, franchised, sequeled, prequeled and any other form that has all begun with an original idea. Sometimes they work and sometimes not, but suffice it to say, they usually profit--probably effective marketing. "The Running Man" is actually the third film that has been a remake of a Schwarzenegger film--the other two are "Total Recall" with Colin Farrell and "Predator". Originality is a thing of the past. 

In a near-future society, "The Running Man" is the top-rated show on television--a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins including Evan McCone (Lee Pace) with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show's charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort for his family including his wife, Sheila (Jayme Lawson). But Ben's defiance, instincts and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite--and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall, and all being hosted by a sensationalistic cretin, Bobby T (Colman Domingo).

Others to round out the cast are William H. Macy as Molie, Michael Cera as Elton Perrakis, Emilia Jones as Amelia Williams, Sean Hayes as Gary Greenbacks, Martin Herlihy as Tim Jansky, Daniel Ezra as Bradley and Alex Hoeffler as Duninger.

This was directed with grit and intensity by Edgar Wright ("A Fist Full of Fingers" '95, "Shaun of the Dead" '04, "Straight 8" (TV movie) '04, "Hot Fuzz" '07, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" '10, "Baby Driver" '17, "The Sparks Brothers" '21, "Last Night in Soho" '21) plus others films, TV, music videos and videos. This filmmaker's ability to place his actors in situations where they exude that certain look he's striving to achieve is captivating and powerful. His resume is a who's who of eclectic work and this film is no exception. It was effectively written by Michael Bacall ("Manic" '01, "Bookies" '03, "Scott Pilgrim vs, the World" '10, "Project X" '12, "21 Jump Street" '12, "22 Jump Street" '14) plus TV, a music video and a video, and Edgar Wright ("A Fistful of Fingers" '95, "Shaun of the Dead" '04, "Straight 8" (TV movie) '04, "Hot Fuzz" '07, "The Adventures of Tintin" '11, "Ant-Man" '15, "Baby Driver" '17, "Last Night in Soho" '21) plus other films, TV, shorts and videos, based on the novel by Stephen King. This was an interesting film in that especially now, as opposed to the 1987 version certainly is a film that one can see where our society is going--where everyone is pitted against one another by the big corporations in the guise of a television show--how convenient. The film started out strong, but then spiraled into a film attempting to find itself with a couple of places of disjointedness and an issue with sequencing. However, once these writers found the film, the story then soared into the film they were looking for. These are good writers--bad day at the laptops? Not sure, but it did need a little more polish. The visual effects predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) were seamless, and were an improvement of the 1987 version, but they should be considering there is a 38 year difference. 

If you enjoyed the 1987 version, you'll like this easily. It, like its predecessor, reminds us that its not about money, greed, shallowness, and violence in order to co-exist as human beings. It's all about love, family, peacefulness and understanding of one another. As aforementioned, this film simply reeks of the mentality we are seeing today in our society--it's practically scary. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                    Rated: R                                     133mins.

Predator: Badlands

When "Predator" with Arnold Schwarzenegger was released in 1987, who knew that it would be a franchise for 38 years? When ir was released, I assumed it would be another summer flick that would fade into obscurity. Wow, I was way off. So, after a raft of more films in the franchise, we now have "Predator: Badlands". 

This film is set in the future on a remote planet called Genna, where a young predator, Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), is outcast from his clan due to his being weak, finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary that others are not able to conquer but Dek believes he can so he will become part of the clan, while Thia becomes his guide to traverse this violent planet, hence the 'badlands'. 

Others to round out the cast are Rohinal Nayaran as Bud, Mike Homik as Kwei, Dek's brother, Reuben de Jong as Father, Stefan Grube as Kwei's voice, Cameron Brown as Drone Synth, Alison Wright as MU/TH/UR's voice, Matt Duffer as Kwei's ship computer and Ross Duffer as Kwei's ship computer. 

This was directed with grit in a totally gripping way by Dan Trachtenberg ("10 Cloverfield Lane" '16, "Prey" '22, "Predator: Killer of Killers" '25) plus TV and shorts. It's always interesting to see a film with a very limited cast to see how the director compensates how he or she stages and generally handles the cast since the audience can't just lean on the cast to get them through, and this definitely worked. Most of the cast consisted of only two characters--Thia and Dek, and the direction was so tight and well paced that these two practically alone kept your attention, and that's extremely fine directing. It was equally well written by Patrick Aison ("Prey" '22) plus TV, based on a story by Patrick Aison and Dan Trachtenberg, which is based on characters created by Jim Thomas and John Thomas. Considering this writer has only one other feature film to his credit, this script was well thought out, cohesive and tight. Other than a couple of very small places of slowness where it appeared that the writer was looking to find an end to a certain scene and finally found it, it was truly an amazing story. The visual effects predominantly designed by ILM )Industrial, Light & Magic) and Weta FX were seamless and definitely added to the story. 

Certainly if you're a 'Predator' aficionado, you'll love this installment--it's probably one of their best. The chemistry between Fanning and Schuster-Koloamatangi was effortless and simply added to the intensity of the story. The script is well thought out and if you like that up close and personal feeling, it's presented in an IMAX format and in 3D. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                    Rated: PG=13                                     107mins.

Nuremberg

War crimes are a hideous aspect of what humans can and have done to each other. We've seen many films based on atrocities from insane leaders, i.e. "Judgment at Nuremberg", "Schindler's List", "The Pianist", "Sophie's Choice" and others. Ever so often we, as humans, need to see films such as these in order to remind us that these acts are horrific and should never be repeated. So, even though "Nuremberg" is a tough watch, it is imperative that we are yet humbled once again. 

"Nuremberg" chronicles the eponymous trials held by Allied Forces against the defeated Nazi regime. The film centers on American psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek), who is tasked with determining whether Nazi prisoners are fit to stand trial for their war crimes and finds himself in a complex battle of wits with Reich Marshal, second in command to Hitler--who was already dead, Hermann Goring (Russell Crowe). Robert H. Jaxkson (Michael Shannon) was the prosecutor in charge of winning a battle of wits with him a well, but must strive to win if he hopes to receive his position as a Justice on the Supreme Court . Between breaking down Goring and politics involved, will this happen?

Others to round out the cast are Richard E. Grant as Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, Leo Woodall as Howie Triest, Colin Hanks as Dr. Gustav Gilbert, John Slattery as Colonel Burton C. Andrus, Wrenn Schmidt as Elsie, Goring's wife, Lotte Verbeek as Emmy, Mark O'Brien as Colonel John Amen, Andreas Pietschmann as Rudolf Hess and Lydia Peckham as Lila.

This was directed with gut-wrenching grit, and sheer intensity by James Vanderbilt ("Truth" '15). Actually, this filmmaker is a writer, including this film, and as of the last ten years, he has made a transition also into the directing realm, and definitely was a wise choice. With only one other feature film to his credit, this director is a natural, however with the movies he's written and working with a plethora of directors, assuredly their knowledge rubbed off on him. His ability to encourage his actors to search for the most effective personas and characterizations is brilliant. It was also written amazingly effectively by Vanderbilt ("Darkness Falls" '03, "Basic" '03 "The Rundown" '03, "Zodiac" '07, "The Losers" '10, "The Amazing Spider-Man" '12, "White House Down" '13, "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" (screen story) '14, "Truth" '15, "Independence Day: Resurgence" '16, "Murder Mystery" '19, "Scream" '22, "Scream V1" '23, "Murder Mystery 2" '23, "Fountain of Youth" '25), based on the book "The Nazi and the Psychiatrist" by Jack El-Hai. Certainly all the films based on WWII true stories are intriguing, however one that is centered around a cat-and-mouse game between a psychiatrist and a Reich Marshal makes it fresher and original. This writer was able to harness drama, redemption, fear and even some humor in the same script and make it work. His sequencing and continuity was second to none.  This film has Academy Award nominations written all over it including Russell Crowe, Rami Malek and the cinematographer Dariusz Wolski asc. 

This is a film that all must see, but many will probably not be able to see since it is one of the most sobering, tough to watch films I've seen in years. Its stark footage of concentration camps along with its bleak surroundings make for a film that is truly difficult to watch, but one that if we, as a society, can endure the bleakness, we will be blatantly reminded about the atrocities of humankind so maybe, just maybe we won't repeat this kind of history ever again. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                         Rated: PG-13                                   148mins.

Sarah's Oil

Just in the last 20 years, there have been seemingly more films based or inspired by true stories than that of pure fiction. Maybe it's because the old adage, "truth is stranger than fiction". The popularity of them has only increased hence we have yet another film inspired by a true story appropriately titled "Sarah's Oil". 

"Sarah's Oil" is inspired by the remarkable true story of Sarah Rector (Naya Desir-Johnson), an African-American girl born in Oklahoma Indian Territoryin the early 1900s, who believes there is oil beneath the barren land she's allotted and whose faith in God is proven right. As greedy oil sharks, such as Earl (Stelio Savante) and Devnan (Garret Dillahunt) close in, Sarah turns to her family, her mom Rose (Sonequa Martin-Green), her dad, Joe (Kenric Green), friends, Mace (Mel Rodriguez) and some Texas wildcatters such as Bert (Zachary Levi) to maintain control of her oil-rich land, eventually becoming among the nation's first female African-American millionaires-- at eleven years old.

Others to round out the cast are Bridget Regan as Kate, Adyan Copes as Junior, Selase Botchway as Mr. Pharr, Vic Trevino as Horace, Marco Fuller as Jimsye, Tom Ohmer as Judge Leahy, Fracaswell Hyman as Mr. Shep, Malea Mitchell as Gabby, Ryan O'Quinn as Eddie Caron, Robert Goodman as Wilcox and Jonathan Lipnicki as Chemist.

This was directed with soul yet grit about this young entrepreneur by Cyrus Nowrasteh ("Veiled Threat" '89, "The Island" '98, "The Day Reagan Was Shot" (TV movie) '01, "The Stoning of Soraya M." '08, "The Young Messiah" '16, "Infidel" '19) plus TV. By his very resume, this filmmaker has cornered the market on message type films and these films are important since they can teach us lessons that can potentially stay with us for some time. The pathos and incredible concern these characters have for their family and friends speaks volumes, especially in a society today where commitment toward other people is rare. His pacing, staging, conciseness and sequencing was spot on. It was written with passion and compassion by Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh ("Bad Day on the Block" '97, "The Stoning of Soraya M." '08, "The Young Messiah" '16) and Cyrus Nowrasteh ("Veiled Threat" '89, "The Interview" '95, "The Advocate's Devil" (TV movie) '97, "The Island" '98, "The Day Reagan Was Shot" (TV movie) '01, "10,000 Black Men Named George" (TV movie) '02, "The Stoning of Soraya M." '08, "The Young Messiah" '16, "Infidel" '19) plus TV, inspired by the book "Searching for Sarah Rector" by Tonya Bolden. Considering both these writers are passionate in their careers, we are the victors for it since the passion along with compassion is paramount in this particular film. The story was captivating as it was entertaining. I've never heard of the young actor who played Sarah, but she definitely has a future in acting, and Zachary Levi was amazing--one of the best roles he's played in a while. 

If you like films based or inspired on a true story, this will certainly be one not to miss. I like films based on 'famous' people, but I especially enjoy films based on people most of us have never heard of. Their stories can be as remarkable or more so than those based on more famous people. This is a must see. It shows us about entrepreneurship, family, business and corruption in the early years of our nation. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                         Rated: PG                                         103mins.

                                          

Back to the Future

Of late, the different film companies have been re-releasing some of their more popular and iconic films of the past so audiences can have fun with them all over again. Of course, the fact that they also have been making good profit certainly doesn't hurt. So I went to see the 40th anniversary of the film "Back to the Future", and it was a hoot all over again, especially on the large screen which it should be shone. 

Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), a typical American teenager of the 80s, is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a plutonium-powered DeLorean "time machine" invented by a slightly mad scientist, Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown (Christopher Lloyd. During his often hysterical, always amazing trip back in time, Marty must make sure his teenage parents-to-be, George (Crispin Glover) and Lorraine (Lea Thompson) meet and fall in love because of an incident that Marty erred, so this task will allow him to be able to get back to the future. 

Others to round out the cast are Thomas F. Wilson as Biff Tannen, Claudia Wells as Jennifer Parker, Marc McClure as Dave McFly, Marty's brother, Wendie Jo Sperber as Linda McFly, Marty's sister, George DiCenzo as Sam Baines, Frances Lee McCain as Stella Baines, James Tolkan as Mr. Strickland, Billy Zane as Match, Harry Waters Jr. as Marvin Berry and Donald Fullilove as Goldie Wilson. 

This was brilliantly and effortlessly directed by the consummate Robert Zemeckis (""I Wanna Hold Your Hand" '78, "Used Cars" '80, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" '88, "Death Becomes Her" '92, "Forrest Gump" '94, "Contact" '97, "Cast Away" 2000, "The Polar Express" '04, "Flight" '12, "The Walk" '15, "Allied" '16, "Pinocchio" '22, "Here" '24) plus many other films, TV movies, TV, shorts, videos and a music video. The connection between these actors playing these characters were effortless in how they depended on each other to covey to their audience that these people have known each other forever, and this is talented direction, and Zemeckis' direction has only improved through the subsequent years. Any film with his name on it, I will make a point in seeing. It was also written amazingly well by Zemeckis ( "1941" '79, "Trespass" '92, "A Christmas Carol" '09, "The Walk" '15, "Welcome to Marwen" '18, "Pinocchio" '22, "Here" '24) plus other films, TV movies, TV, shorts, videos and video games, and also written by Bob Gale ("I Wanna Hold Your Hand" '78, "1941" '79, "Used Cars" '80, "Trespass" '92, "Interstate 60" '02) plus other films, TV movies, TV, shorts, video games and videos. By their very resumes, these two writers are basically a team and that is definitely a plus since the connection is already there which makes for a more cohesive, concise and tight script which this film certainly exemplified. The visual effects by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) were seamless and surely added to the story at hand. And the different angle shots by cinematographer Dean Cundey were amazing. 

If you've never seen this film on the big screen, you have to see this before it leaves the theater since seeing it on your TV wouldn't and doesn't do it justice at all. The iconic characters along with Huey Lewis' "The Power of Love" title song is a joy. I loved this film all over again! Grab the popcorn and enjoy this gem!

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                        Rated: PG                                             116mins.

Blue Moon

As films based on true stories become more popularized, the more Hollywood produces them, especially since it's all about profit. We've seen many--a list way too numerous to name, but suffice it to say, one could write a film book on just the movies that are based on true people or events. So, we have yet another film based on a particular time and person of notoriety which is called "Blue Moon". 

...You know how in marriage they say "for better or for worse"? I think in terms of my life, I have entered the "for worse" part, and it happened so quietly I didn't even recognize it. Richard Linklater's "Blue Moon" tells the story of legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) bravely facing the future as his professional and private life unravel at the opening night party for his former partner's, Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) hit show "Oklahoma!" By the time this night is over, Hart will have confronted both a world that no longer values his talent and the seemingly impossibility of love, all through his friends, his bartender Eddie (Bobby Cannavale), his protege, Elizabeth Weiland (Margaret Qualley) and E.B. White (Patrick Kennedy) who love him, but listen with a great deal of restraint. 

Others to round out the cast are Simon Delaney as Oscar Hammerstein II, David Rawle as George Roy Hill, Jonah Lees as Morty Rifkin, Giles Surridge as Sven, Cillian Sullivan as Stevie and Elaine O'Dwyer as Gladys.

It was brilliantly directed with such power and conviction by Richard Linklater ("It's Impossible to Plow by Reading Books" '88, "Slacker" '90, "Dazed and Confused" '93, "Before Sunrise" '95, "SubUrbia" '96, "The Newton Boys" '98, "Waking Life" '01, "Tape" '01, "School of Rock" '03, "Before Sunset" '04, "Bad News Bears" '05, "Fast Food Nation" '06, "A Scanner Darkly" '06, "Bernie" '11, "Boyhood" '14, "Last Flag Flying" '17, "Where'd You Go, Bernadette" '19, "Hit Man" 23) plus other films, TV movies, shorts and a video. This seasoned consummate director has helmed so many influential films to his credit for his creativity, his style and his willingness to go out on that proverbial limb to present to us his artistry is perfection. His ability to get his actors to dig deep in order to show the audience the essence of these different characters in incredible, this film being of no exception. Hawke's portrayal of Lorenz Hart's depressed and alcohol-infused personality was amazing. Hawke and Linklater should be nominated come Oscar time. It was penned incredibly well by writer Robert Kaplow (novel "Two in the City" '79, "Me and Orson Wells" (based on the novel) '08). Considering this writer has no sceenwriting experience, this was an amazing script. Usually scripts that are written by novelist writers typically can't pull off an effective screenplay, however with this, the opposite occurred. Other than a couple of small continuity issues, this script was spot on. He will undoubtedly receive more work. One aspect that is interesting to note ,is that this film was written in a play format since it was shot mostly is a bar--simply giving the appearance of a play at work.

Certainly if you're a Linklater fan, this should hit home. Also, if seeing what goes on behind the limelight of the entertainment arena thrills and intrigues you, this will also fit the bill. And if these people in the film offers us to see how they, on the most part, were troubled individuals, truly makes it tougher to watch. Who said money and fame can bring happiness? 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                           Rated: R                                          100mins.

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Through the years as biopics have only gotten more popular, we've seen a plethora of them, i.e. "Ray", "A Complete Unknown", "Get on Up", "Respect"--and these are just singers, not to mention the other biopics of famous people of all walks of life. But to add to that ever growing list, we are offered "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere".

This film chronicles the making of Bruce Springsteen's 1982 "Nebraska" album. Recorded on a 4-track recorder in Springsteen's New Jersey bedroom, the album marked a pivotal time in his life and is considered one of his most enduring works--a raw, haunted acoustic record populated by lost souls searching for a reason to believe. This follows Bruce Springsteen (Jeremy Allen White) as he traverses some pitfalls in his life with his manager, Jon Landau (Jeremy Strong) and his producer Chuck Plotkin (Marc Maron) behind him as he goes through a difficult time with creativity and along with that, depression. With his work buddy, Mike Batlan (Paul Walter Hauser) and his semi girlfriend, Faye Romano (Odessa Young), his buddy Matt Delia (Harrison Sloan Gilbertson) and the persistent manager, Bruce seems to be holding fast until the floor bottoms out. 

Others to round out the cast are Stephen Graham as Douglas Springsteen, Bruce's father, Gaby Hoffman as Adele Springsteen, Bruce's mother, David Krumholtz as Al Teller, Matthew Anthony Pellicano Jr, as young Bruce Springsteen and Jayne Houdyshell as Viv. 

This was directed with pathos along with an abundance of reality by Scott Cooper ("Crazy Heart" '09, "Out of the Furnace" '13, "Black Mass" '15, "Hostiles" '17, "Antlers" '21"The Pale Blue Eye" '22) plus TV. Certainly, by this filmmaker's resume, he stays to what he does best, and that's drama, and more to the point, fairly intense dramas. He doesn't branch out, but considering his expertise in the film work he has and is doing, I can definitely understand. His characters simply jump off the screen with his incredible staging and pacing. It was also penned well by Scott Cooper ("For Sale by Owner" '09, "Crazy Heart" '09, "Out of the Furnace" '13, "Hostiles" '17, "Antlers" '21, "The Pale Blue Eye" '22), based on the book by Warren Zanes. As with many other directors where they have a tendency to write and direct their films, this is definitely a film that Cooper has by the reins in that he can choose how this story is to be aligned. His work is traditionally written with a tight, well sequenced format, however, this seemingly had a difficult time 'finding' the film, but once it unfolded further into the film, the story became clearer and more defining. And for this reason, it seemed a little long, but only because of a difficult beginning. As aforementioned, once this story continued, it became more interesting and intriguing whereas the cohesiveness and conciseness improved dramatically. 

Certainly if you like biopics, you'll love this. The format is something you've certainly seen before, but it's direction and acting, especially by Jeremy Allen White and Jeremy Strong is amazing. Both could be up for potential Oscar nods come that time. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: PG-13                                 120mins.

After the Hunt

The genre of thrillers has always been a favorite of mine, and more to the point, psychological thrillers have a tendency to be more intriguing. Quite often they can have an interesting twist in plot along the way or and the end, and when I saw my first trailer of "After the Hunt", I thought it would be a very gripping and well thought out story...but the execution of it lacked.

A gripping psychological drama about a college professor at Yale University, Alma Imhoff (Julia Roberts) who finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star student, Maggie Resnick (Ayo Edebiri) levels an accusation against one of Alma's colleagues, Hank Gibson (Andrew Garfield), and a dark secret from her own past threatens to come to light. Because of personalities and politics, the sexual assault accusation balloons into something as a threat from Maggie...or is it. The more Maggie confides to Alma, the more confused Alma becomes since Hank is a colleague and very good friend.

Others to round out the cast are Michael Stuhlbarg as Frederik Mendelssohn, Alma's husband, Chloe Sevigny as Dr. Kim Sayers, Lio Mehiel as Alex, David Leiber as Dean RJ Thomas, Thaddea Graham as Katie, Will Price as Arthur and Christine Dye as Patricia.

This was effectively directed with intensity and grit by Luca Guadagnino ("The Protagonists"'99, "Melissa P." '05, "I Am Love" '09, "A Bigger Splash" '15, Call Me by Your Name" '17, "Suspiria" '18, "Bones and All" '22, "Challengers" '24, "Queer" '24) plus other films, TV, shorts, music videos and videos. The slow build up with this story was gripping and definitely kept one on the edge of their seat. It was shot in a way where the characters were beginning to spiral as the story continued to unfold which is talented directing. It was written by Nora Garrett (Acting). Where the acting and directing was pivotal in this film, its downfall was within the writing. Certainly considering Garrett has no other writing experience under her belt, this was an amazing attempt at script writing. She's come from an acting world, which can be a help or a hindrance, however with this movie it was possibly the latter. The story's premise was intriguing, hence watching the trailer, but the inconsistencies were too numerous and it had a tendency to meander--possibly because it was a bit long-in-the-tooth. There were several subplots that were to be connected hopefully by films end. And there was a clock ticking sound at the beginning and another couple of times that were never explained--maybe they were self explanatory, not sure. Was this a total wash? No, of course not. The acting, especially by Julia Roberts and even Andrew Garfield were riveting, but not quite enough to save the writing. I believe this writer has promise--maybe she can start writing TV or shorts to hone her talent.

Certainly if you like thrillers and fine acting, you will probably enjoy this, but if tight screenwriting intrigues you more, this might miss. It was a bit disappointing considering how promising the trailer appeared, but with more work, the writer will surely improve.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                      Rated: R                                      139mins.

Truth & Treason

Wars have provided many stories that Hollywood has tapped into, such as "Schindler's List", "Sophie's Choice", "The Pianist", "Fury", "Inglorious Basterds", "1917", "All Quiet on the Western Front", and the like. Because there have been so many films of this subject matter, it's amazing that "Truth & Treason" is an film based on an incredible true story, and is a gripping story.

1941. As World War II rages, a teenage boy, Helmuth Hunener (Ewan Horrocks) in Germany is forced to confront a terrible truth--loyalty to his country now means loyalty to a lie. When his trusted bishop, Arthur Zander (Daniel Betts) urges obedience to the Nazi regime, he begins to question everything. And after his Jewish friend, Solomon Schwarz (Nye Occomore) is taken away, he secretly listens to banned radio broadcasts and launches a resistance including his friends, Karl-Heinz Schnibbe (Ferdinand McKay) and Rudi Wobbe (Daf Thomas), exposing the truth. But a nation ruled by fear, defiance comes at a cost--and as the regime closes in, headed up by Erwin Mussener (Rupert Evans), he must decide what it truly means to be a good German.

This is directed with intensity and soberness by Matt Whitaker ("Truth & Conviction" '02, "Small Fortunes: Microcredit and the Future of Poverty" (TV movie, documentary) '05) plus TV and a short. Even though this filmmaker doesn't have an abundant of experience behind the camera, what he has certainly has served him, The element of fear he was able to surface from his actors was realistic and haunting. He has written more work, however is he a natural? Maybe, but regardless he knows his craft. It was brilliantly written by Matt Whitaker ("Truth & Conviction" '02, "Saints and Soldiers" '03, "The Work and the Glory II: American Zion" '05, "Small Fortunes: Microcredit and the Future of Poverty" (TV movie, documentary) '05, "Stalking Santa" (additional writing) '06, "The Work and the Glory III: A House Divided" '06 , "Instrument of War" '17) plus TV, a short and a video, and Ethan Vincent ("The Romney Code: The Life and Ethics of George W. Romney" (TV movie) '08, "The Soul of Kalaupapa: Voices of Exile" '11) plus shorts. The sequencing, staging, pacing and continuity was truly spot on with the making of this film. Whitaker, the director had a passion about the premise of the film which helped him direct with more confidence and made ir easy to write, which made for an effective and sobering film. 

Certainly if you like war films, you'll revel with this. When seeing this film, I can't help but compare the incredible antisemitism back in the early 40s as compared to now. Antisemitism is on the rise and increasingly more rampant, and this is how this issue started back in the 40s. So, unless we want to have history repeat itself, we could see the 40s happen in this country in the near future. All must see this film lest this does end up happening.

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

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Soul on Fire

Ever so often, we are offered an inspirational or religious film to cause us to think and reflect on our lives and those around us. Films such as "Ordinary Angels", "Angels in the Outfield","Soul Surfer", "Miracles from Heaven", "The Unbreakable Boy", "American Underdog", "Invincible", and the like are films to tug on the heart while allowing us to witness a sobering situation. Now, to add to that list, we have "Soul on Fire".

"Soul on Fire" is an emotional and faith-filled portrait of resilience as John O'Leary (Joel Courtney) not only battles to survive an awful fire at the age of nine with years of surgeries and rehab, but ultimately discovers what it means to truly live. From frontline workers including Nurse Roy (DeVon Franklin) and Dr. Ayvazian (Iyad Hajjaj) to family members including his father, Denny O'Leary (John Corbett), his mother, Susan (Stephanie Szostak), his then girlfriend, Beth (Masey McLain) and the support of the wider community including the owner of the St. Louis Cardinals, Jack Buck (William H. Macy), this film is a celebration of heroes. 

Others to round out the cast are James McCracken as Young John, Natalie Buck as Nurse Colleen, Stella Bratcher as Amy O'Leary, Mikey Cestone as Jim O'Leary, Lucy Panozzo as Susie O'Leary, Enya Flack as Mrs. Whittacher and Brandon Davis as Self. 

This was directed with heart and inspiration by Sean McNamara ("Hollywood Chaos" '89, "The Legend of Galgameth" '96. "P.U.N.K.S." '98, "Race to Space" '01, "Bratz" '07, "Soul Surfer" '11, "Space Warriors" '13, "Spare Parts" '15, "Hoovey" '15, "The Miracle Season"'18, "Orphan Horse" '18, "Mighty Oak" '20, "The King's Daughter" '22, "On a Wing and a Prayer" '23, "Vindicta" '23, "Reagan" '24) plus other films, TV movies, Shorts, TV and videos. This seasoned director obviously knows his way around a film set and like with other movies, his staging and pacing seems effortless. The emotions these actors exuded wasn't fraught with sentimentality while still tugging at your heartstrings and this is well delineated and structured direction. He has many films and TV shows in the workings whether they be in development or pre-production. It was penned well by Gregory Poirier (" Danger Zone III: Steel Horse War" '90,  "Death Riders" '94, "Wild Malibu Weekend!" '95, "Rosewood" '97, "Gossip" 2000, "See Spot Run" '01, "Tomcats" '01, "A Sound of Thunder" '05, "The Spy Next Door"'10, "A Warrior's Tail" '15, "Yaga i kniga zaklinaniy" '23, "Knox Goes Away" '23) plus TV and videos, based on the book, "On Fire" by John O'Leary. There were a couple of small areas of continuity issues where the film was formatted in a quasi flashback way, and with that it became a bit confusing as the script was traversing from one scene to another, but certainly not enough to detract from this incredible story of the resiliency of this young man. 

If films based on true stories, or more to the point, inspirational films also are your liking, this film will fit the bill in spades. The cast was very effective where they hinged on one another's characters, and in this type of film, that is crucial. It's a sobering, heartfelt yet entertaining movie that teaches us all what strength in God is about and how grateful we all are and should be. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                        Rated: PG                                        112mins.

Roofman

There are films based on true stories, then there are films based on unbelievable stories such as "Pain and Gain" with Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson--an outrageous story, and "Dog Day Afternoon" with Al Pacino. Now we have "Roofman" about a man who robbed fast food places entering through the roof--hence the name which remarkably was based on a true story.

Based on an unbelievable true story, "Roofman" follows Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), an Army veteran and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald's restaurants by cutting holes in the roof, earning him the nickname: Roofman. After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys "R" Us, which was managed by Mitch (Peter Dinklage), for six months in their hidden storage area, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for Leigh Wainscott (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat-and-mouse as his past closes in. 

Others to round out the cast are LaKeith Stanfied as Steve, Ben Mendelsohn as Pastor Ron, Uzo Aduba as Eileen, Ron's wife, Emory Cohen as Otis, Juno Temple as Michelle, Tony Revolori as Duane, Alissa Marie Pearson as Becky, Jeff's daughter and Charles Cummings as Truck Driver. 

This was humorously yet interestingly directed by Derek Cianfrance ("Brother Tied" '98, "Blue Valentine" '10, "The Place Beyond the Pines" '10, "The Light Between Oceans" '16) plus TV and shorts. This director was absolutely able to get Tatum in that place where he could dig deep to strive to find the persona and character makeup of Manchester, His staging and pacing were also well structured. It was well written by Derek Cianfrance ("Brother Tied" '98, "Blue Valentine" '10, "The Place Beyond the Pines" '12, "The Light Between Oceans" '16, "Sound of Metal" (story) '19) plus TV and Kirt Gunn ("Lovely by Surprise" '07) plus a short. What makes this story so compelling is that, except for a neighboring Circuit City that Manchester also used that wasn't mentioned in the film, the rest of it was actually fact. I do remember hearing about this on the news back in the late 90s and found it unbelievable to think that anyone would rob a business from the roof--quite bizarre!. But he did get away with it for months simply by "hiding in plain sight" where no one looks. He was smart; calculating, but his dpwnfall was that he was so nice to everyone he came into contact with. The script was created in a way that one almost felt sorry for him since he wasn't the regular hardened criminal. He was just desperate. It was cohesive and concise and the casting of Tatum was spot on. 

This is definitely one film that is worthy of the price of admission. It was dramatic, funny an adventurous all rolled into the same movie. The supporting cast, especially that of Kirsten Dunst was equally effective and the roll of Mitch as the Toys "R" Us manager was uproarious. 

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

TRON: Ares

When "Tron" was released back in 1982, it was considered a film with amazing cutting edge technology. So with a huge box office draw, Disney, of course, took advantage of those profits, and then produced "Tron: Legacy" in 2010. It obviously wasn't as strong as its predecessor, so another sequel was quelled. But because of public input, Disney finally decided to release "Tron: Ares", and although this installment isn't as well thought as its original, itr was better than 'Legacy'. 

"TRON: Ares" follows a highly sophisticated Program, Ares (Jared Leto), who is sent by his creator, Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters) from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind's first encounter with A.I. beings. Encom, Dillinger's rival company has found a way to make the A.I. beings last longer than 90 minutes, Eve Kim (Greta Lee) being the creator of this amazing program. So, her having this information, Dillinger wants it tremendously so he can make an incredible profit. 

Others to round out the cast are Arturo Castro as Seth Flores, Gillian Anderson as Elizabeth Dillinger, Julian's mother, Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, Jodie Turner-Smith as Athena, Hasan Minhaj as Ajay Singh, Cameron Monaghan as Caius and Sarah Desjardins as Erin. 

This was intensely directed with grit by Joachim Ronning ("Bandidas" '06, "Max Manus: Man of War" '08, "Kon-Tiki" '12, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" '17, "Doomsday" (TV movie) '17, "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" '19, "Young Woman and the Sea" '24) plus TV and shorts. What's extremely refreshing about this filmmaker is that he can handle the much size and complexity of a large big-budget film, as with this film, but also he can easily be as comfortable in manning the direction of a smaller production such as "Young Woman and the Sea", which was a very well executed film. It was written with the similarity of its predecessors by Jesse Wigutow ("It Runs in the Family" '03, "The Prince" (TV movie) '15) plus TV and shorts, based on a story by David DiGilio ans Jesse Wigutow, which is based on characters created by Steven Lisberger and Bonnie MacBird. "Tron: Legacy" incorporated two screenwriters for the script, which typically can be effective. However, this installment involved only one screenwriter which can make the story more adhesive and tighter, which made this a better script than that of 'Legacy". It was interesting how this writer was able to incorporate Kevin Flynn (Bridges) into this installment as well as 'Legacy', since the original chronicled Flynn and his issues with the grid. Other than a couple of small inconsistencies in script, this story soared. It did take a little time to get the story going, but once it did, it was much more entertaining. The visual effects, predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) were stunning, as was the cinematography by Jeff Cronenweth asc!

If you are an ardent fan of this franchise, you'll revel with this. It definitely does leave the door open for yet another sequel--assuming it makes a truck load of money. If you like the up, close and personal feel, it is presented in an IMAX and a 3D format as well. Assuming you want to see this, you must see it on the big screen to get the full grandiose feeling of it. 

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

The Smashing Machine

Films based on true stories have been a common staple in Hollywood for decades. And with this, sports films based on true stories have grown. And even more to the point, boxing/wrestling films have become more popularized. Films like "Rocky", "Creed", "The Fighter", "Southpaw", "Raging Bull" have captured audiences. So to keep that list growing list,  we have "The Smashing Machine" in the offing. 

This film is based on the unforgettable true story of Dwayne Johnson portraying the former MMA/UFC champion Mark Kerr. This surrounds Kerr's life with his girlfriend, Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt), his coach and friend, Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader) and others, and his rise through the MMA world which unfortunately ended up being derailed by his opioid addiction. This part of his life was set between the years of 1997-2000 where he was to ultimately vie for the coveted top wrestler of the world being telecast in Japan. 

Others to round out the cast are Bas Rutten as himself, Oleksandr Usyk as Igor Vovchanchyn, Andre Tricoteux as Paul Varelans, James McSweeney as Varelans' cornerman, Jerin Valel as Sergio Batarelli. Jill Basey as Peggy, Ilan Rosenberg as Colema's cornerman and Yasuko Mitsuura as Pride Director. 

This was creatively directed by Benny Safdie ("Daddy Longlegs" '09, "Buttons" '11, "Lenny Cooke" '13, "Heaven Knows What" '14, "Good Time" '17, "Uncut Gems" '19) plus shorts and music videos. The amazing quality that this filmmaker has is his innate ability to give a stark and painstakingly vivid approach to his projects. This film was almost approached as though it was a documentary even though it obviously was not--via the photography, editing (which he also edited) and the staging. It definitely made the production much more real than it would've been otherwise. If you like his directing style, his "Lizard Music" is in pre-production. The film was also written with grit and intensity by Benny Safdie ("Daddy Lonhlegs" '09, "Uncut Gems" '19) plus shorts and a music video. Even though he has only two other feature films to his credit, his shorts has certainly served him well. His "Uncut Gems" was remarkable; not only for Safdie, but Adam Sandler as well, who should perform in more dramas. This. like the direction was formatted in a way that the audience was watching the layout of a documentary, or at least a reality show. It was like peering into the lives of Kerr and all he knows. It will be interesting to see how he handles his "Lizard Music" which, as aforementioned, is in pre-production. And being the editor of this film only helped him to convey the feel of the film in order to convince the audience of who this man truly is. It was shot well by Maceo Bishop and the acting by Johnson could possibly garner a nomination for him come Oscar time--it was stunning!

If you like biopics or sports films, or more to the point, boxing/wrestling films, this is one film you must see. The acting, directing and photography are all first rate. Other that a couple of very small areas of inconsistencies in script, this screenplay soared. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                      Rated: R                                          123mins.