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.

 

Dead of Winter

Hollywood has produced many genres, but the genre of the thriller can be quite exciting yet entertaining depending on how it's crafted. We've seen many: "Pacific Heights", "Shutter Island", "Psycho", "Drop", "Locked", "Prisoners", "Seven""Gone Girl", "Panic Room" "Life"to mention a handful. So, when I saw the first trailer of "Dead of Winter", I felt it would keep me on the edge of my seat, and it did. 

Hit by a blizzard, a grief-stricken loner, Barb (Emma Thompson) gets lost among the backroads near a Minnesotan lake and stops for help at a remote cabin in the woods so she can do some ice fishing. While at the cabin, she discovers a young woman, Leah (Laurel Marsden) kidnapped by a desperate couple, (Judy Greer and Marc Menchaca) who are armed and intent on murder. Isolated and without cell phone service, this unlikely hero realizes she is the woman's only hope of survival. Can she save her?

Others to round out the cast are Gaia Wise as young Barb, Cuan Hosty-Blaney as young Karl, Barb's husband in earlier years, Brian F. O'Byrne as tall hunter, Dalton Leeb as younger hunter, Lloyd Hutchinson as a lawyer and Paul Hamilton as old Karl. 

This was directed with sheer grit and intensity by Brian Kirk ("Middletown" '06, "My Boy Jack" (TV movie) '07, "Gilded Lilys" (TV movie) '13, "21 Bridges" '19) plus TV and shorts. This filmmaker certainly knows how to put his actors in that intense, volatile situation that exudes a frightful and thrilling format. His "21 Bridges" was also truly intense in almost every scene whereas the star, Chadwick Boseman's character  was consistently perplexed in so many scenes. It was interestingly written by Nicholas Jacobson-Larson (Composing) and Dalton Leeb (Acting). This film, considering these writers have no other writing experience (whether feature films or TV), this was executed decently all the while keeping the audience on the edge on their proverbial seats. Where the issues ensued was that there were places where situations either weren't explained in detail enough or not at all. And there were places that physically couldn't be done. I would list the situations, but they would cause spoiler alerts. Suffice it to say that the script needed polish. Was it a wash? No, not at all. The acting by Thompson and Greer were consummate, and, as aforementioned, this yarn definitely kept the audience on the edge of their seats. These writers certainly have potential--they just need more work. The cinematography by Christopher Ross bsc was truly shot with a great deal of cool tones which added that cold temperature feeling which was prevalent throughout the film. 

If you're into thrillers with an underlying mystery feel to it, you'll like this film. It was well acted, directed and shot, but the writers do have promise. They, like I said, simply need more work, and with that, they will be able to hone their talent that much more. It's bone-chilling, so worthy of the price of admission. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                   Rated: R                                         98mins.

Downtown Abbey: The Grand Finale

As the title of this film indicates, "Downtown Abbey: The Grand Finale" is the third and final installment of this franchise. Of course, if it makes a hefty profit, I'm sure yet another will be in the works. This is based on characters created by Julian Fellows and decided to put the TV series in the format of films starting back in 2019. Six years later, this is a neatly produced ending.

This film is the cinematic return of the global franchise, follows the Crawley family, including Robert Grantham (Hugh Bonneville), Cora Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern), Lady Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery), Lady Edith Hexham (Laura Carmichael), Lady Petersfield (Joely Richardson), etc,  and their staff including Mr. Carson (Jim Carter), Daisy Parker (Sophie McShera), Andy Parker (Michael Fox), etc, as they enter the 1930s. When Mary finds herself at the center of a public scandal and the family faces financial trouble, the entire household grapples with the threat of social disgrace. The Crawleys must embrace change as the staff prepares for a new chapter with the next generation leading Downtown Abbey into the future.

Others to round out the cast are Joanne Froggatt as Anna Bates, Alessandro Nivola as Gus Sambrook, Dominic West as Guy Dexter, Paul Giamatti as Harold Levinson, Arty Froushan as Noel Coward, Allen Leech as Tom Branson, Robert James-Collier as Thomas Barrow and Phyllis Logan as Mrs. Hughes. 

This was crisply and staged and paced well by Simon Curtis ("My Week with Marilyn" '11, "Woman in Gold" '15, "Goodbye Christopher Robin" '17, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" '19, "Downtown Abbey: A New Era" '22) plus TV movies, TV and a video. Even though this filmmaker has been directing feature films since 2011, his resume is quite impressive to say the least. His ability to allow these actors to dig deep in order to make these characters come alive is consummate and this is the true mark of fine directing. It was solidly written by Julian Fellowes ("Gosford Park" '01, "Vanity Fair" '04, "Piccadilly Jim"'04, "Separate Lies" '05, "The Young Victoria" '09, "The Tourist" '10, "Romeo & Juliet" '13, "Crooked House" '17, "The Chaperone" '18, "School of Rock" '18, "Downtown Abbey" '19, "Downtown Abbey: A new Era"'22) plus TV, TV movies and a book, based on the TV series "Downtown Abbey" created by Julian Fellowes. This script was structured very similarly as the previous films of the same name, but because they were also penned by Fellowes, it would make sense. Other than a couple of areas that had continuity issues, this was what any fan of this series would expect. It, like its predecessors, are written in a sophisticated 'soap opera' approach, , but I feel that is purposed to give it that entertaining feel. 

This is supposed to be the third and last of the franchise, but will it be, especially if it makes a ton of money for Focus Features? Not sure, but there have been other franchises that, after they ended the franchise, still made more films because of the profit factor--'Jurassic World' comes to mind. We'll see, but this ended well with a nicely tied up closing. Why spoil it? Of course, this film didn't include Maggie Smith since she unfortunately passed away. But this was still strong considering her absence. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                     Rated: PG                                      124mins.

 

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey

When it comes to the genre of fantasy, they are typically original in their premise which makes them a refreshing change from the typical sequel, franchise, remake, reboot and the like. The originality of them attracts me, and so when I saw my first trailer of "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey", my first thought was that this film was definitely possible, and I was right. 

Some doors bring you to your past. Some doors lead you to your future. And some doors change everything. Sarah (Margot Robbie) and David (Colin Farrell) are single strangers who meet at a mutual friend's wedding and soon, through the guidance of a GPS (Jodie Turner-Smith) and a surprising twist of fate find themselves on A Big Bold Beautiful Journey--a funny, fantastical, sweeping adventure together where they get to re-live important moments from their respective pasts, illuminating how they got to where they are in the present...and possibly getting a chance to alter their futures.

Others to round out the cast are Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Female Cashier, Kevin Kline as The Mechanic, Lily Rabe as Sarah's mother, Jennifer Grant as David's mother, Hamish Linklater as David's father, Lucy Thomas as Amanda, Brandon Perea as Mike, Julian Zane as Eddie Bora and Joyce Guy as Doctor Vernon. 

This was directed with pathos and compassion by Kogonada ("Lunch Line" (co-director) '10, "Late Summer" '12, "Columbus" '17, "After Yang" '21) plus TV, shorts and videos. The way this filmmaker was able to encourage his actors, specifically Farrell and Robbie, to show how they just happen to meet where this was purely a setup was genius. The chemistry between these two actors was amazing and this is talented directing. This was whimsically written by Seth Reiss ("The Menu" '22) plus a plethora of TV and shorts. Even though this writer has only one feature film to his credit, he has a ton of TV and shorts which have served him well. His feature film, "The Menu" was a film that was obscure and quirky which, like this film, was an original piece of work. This film was fresh, concise, cohesive and tight all rolled into a completely entertaining way. As aforementioned, the chemistry was truly effective between Farrell and Robbie which is the mark of creative, effective writing. Being a fantasy, one must put aside a good amount of reality in order to enjoy this story, because it simply doesn't go by the usual norm. The story becomes poignant at different aspects of the film whereas both David and Sarah are pushed to confront their issues and therefore slowly become intertwined with each other. This script is complex in some ways, however definitely simple in others, and this is another compelling intriguing feature of the film. 

If you like fantasies, this is one you will truly love. It's got reality that becomes intertwined with fantasy which, in my book, makes this more captivating and enticing. And with all the films out there that are ripoffs of one another, it is incredibly refreshing to see a film that is original yet entertaining all in the same film.

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

The Senior

Hollywood has been producing sports films for decades, and more to the point, football films have been a common staple for filmmaking. Films like "Any Given Sunday", "The Longest Yard", "North Dallas Forty", "Leatherheads", "American Underdog", "Invincible" and others are movies an audience can revel with. And now we have "The Senior" in the offing to revel once again.

2007. At 59 years old, Mike Flynt (Michael Chiklis) may be too old to be on a college football field, but not too old to feel the weight of unfinished business. After nearly four decades, in this film based on a true story, he returns to his alma mater to take the hit that changed everything. Bruised, doubted, and nearly broken, he pushes for one more game, not for glory, but for the teammates he lost, the family he fractured, and the ending he still believes is possible. Through the support of his wife, Eileen (Mary Stuart Masterson), his coach, Sam Weston (Rob Corddry), his teammates, Jeremy Cartwright (Corey Knight), Jamal Johnson (Terayle Hill), Fernie Acosta (Chris Setticase), and even his son, Micah (Brandon Flynn), and others, Mike was able to get to that place of realizing who he was and who was truly on his side. 

Others to round out the cast are James Badge Dale as J.V. Flynt, Mike's father, Shawn Patrick Clifford as 22-year-old Mike, Taylor Fono as 18-year-old Eileen, Gail Cronauer as Pat Flynt, Mike's mother, Steven Van Tiflin as Kyle and Lance Allen Kramer as Randy.

This was directed with pathos and grit by Rod Lurie ("Deterrence" '99, "The Contender" 2000, "The Last Castle" '01, Resurrecting the Champ" '07, "I'm Paige Wilson" (TV movie) '07, "Speechless" (TV movie) '08, "Nothing But the Truth" '08, "Straw Dogs" '11, "The Surgeon General" (TV movie) '13, "Killing Reagan" (TV movie) '16, "Monsters of God" (TV movie) '17, "The Outpost" '19) plus TV and shorts. Certainly a fair amount of the films this director has helmed have had a similar feel to them, but he knows what genre and subject matter works for him and can't be blamed for that. His ability to encourage his actors to dig deep to find those characteristics for their roles is amazing, and this film is no exception. Chiklis gave a riveting performance as this ex-football player wanting and needing to redeem himself by, after all these years, to re-invest himself back on the gridiron. It was equally well penned by writer Robert Eisele ("Breach of Contract" '82, "Last Night" (TV movie) '93, "Vanishing Son" (TV movie) '95, "The Great Debaters" '07, "Hurricane Season" '09) plus other TV movies, TV and a video. By the sheer amount of films this writer has been involved with, he is certainly a seasoned writer and has proven himself with a tight, cohesive script which this film has. It was sequenced well and was able to bring his audience the knowledge of this real person and what he had to endure in his life. 

If you like football and/or films based on true stories, this is the film for you. It has it all: drama, fear, humor, pathos, and redemption all rolled up in an amazing story about this aged athlete ready to make a comback--this is the quintessential underdog film where it creates a want from the audience to stand up and cheer, and isn't this a film we all could use right now?

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                       Rated: PG                                            100mins.

The Long Walk

Usually when a film is based on any work of Stephen King, I have a tendency to skip it, predominantly because his work is typically too gratuitously violent. However his "Misery" and "1408" were the exceptions. They were very suspenseful--kept one on the edge of their seat, but not really violent. Well, "The Long Walk" is basically the same in that, yes there was blood, but not gratuitously so, and that speaks volumes for King. 

In the near future, where America has become a police state, one hundred young men including Raymond Garraty (Cooper Hoffman), Pete McVries (David Jonsson), Stebbins (Garrett Wareing), Art Baker (Tut Nyuot), Gary Barkovitch (Charlie Plummer), Hank Olson (Ben Wang) and others are selected to enter an annual contest where the winner will be awarded whatever he wants for the rest of his life. The game is simple--maintain a steady walking pace of at least three miles per hour without stopping. Three warnings of slowing down or stopping, and you're out--permanently! Many of them struggle--anywhere from a rock in their shoe to having to defecate which became problems since they are warned and if they aren't walking by the third warning, they're done, so consistent movement is vital. This contest is headed up annually by the tyrannical 'The Major' (Mark Hamill) who puts a whole new definition of the term ruthless. 

Others to round out the cast are Jordan Gonzalez as Richard Harkness, Joshua Odjick as Collie Parker, Roman Griffin Davis as Curley, Judy Greer as Ginnie Garraty and Josh Hamilton as William Garraty. 

This was brutally directed with intensity and grit by Francis Lawrence ("Constantine" '05, "I Am Legend" '07, "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" '13, "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2" '15, "Red Sparrow" '18, "Slumberland" '22, "The Hunger Games: The Ballard of Songbirds & Snakes" '23) plus TV, music videos and videos. Obviously this filmmaker could handle this type of production since he was involved with the 'Hunger Games' franchise which, in some ways is a bit similar to "The Long Walk". His ability to involve each of his actors as far as they interacted was consummate. It was interestingly written by JT Mollner ("Outlaws and Angels" '16, "Strange Darling" '23) plus shorts, based on the novel by Stephen King. Even though this writer has limited feature film experience, his experience in producing shorts has served him well where he has had the ability to hone his craft that much more. The writing was sequenced, paced and staged well, and other than a couple of very small places of continuity issues, this script soared. They way this writer showcased these characters different and distinct personalities was amazing. If this writer suits your interest, his "18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses" is in production at this time. It was interesting that even though the premise is held in the near future, the vintage vehicles in this were all circa 60s and 70s, where as certain watches were digitally displayed, and the clothing seemed aged as well. This had to be purposed whereas to allow us to pay attention to the story and not so much the surroundings. 

If you are a King aficionado, you will like this even though it's not his typical fare--this is a plus in my book. This film is similar in what we, as a country, are experiencing today. This film involved a divided nation ending up with a tyrannical government, which is where we are begging to allow to happen here. So, it is high time that we, as a nation, get off our high horse and start listening to one another lest we become this way. Humble ourselves now and allow ourselves to let this film have a sobering effect on us. Nuf said. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: R                                         108mins.

Caught Stealing

There are your typical opposing sides of the law who are only after what they want--no more and no less and will do anything to get what they want--even kill without batting an eyelash. Then there's the two opposing sides who think that this one individual is playing them, but he is your quintessential patsy not knowing anything while not being believed. This film, "Caught Stealing" makes for a somewhat humorous and unexpected film which sets it apart for the usual fare of this genre. 

Burned out ex-baseball player Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) unexpectedly finds himself embroiled in a dangerous struggle for survival amidst the criminal underbelly of 1990s New York City only after he promises to take care of his fiend and neighbor's, Russ (Matt Smith) cat, Bud while he's taking care of his sick dad in London. After Russ leaves, two thugs show up at Russ' door wondering where he is and Hank gets practically killed not answering questions he didn't know. So he knows that he must confide to His girlfriend, Yvonne (Zoe Kravitz) and call the cops and ended up speaking to Detective Roman (Regina King) for help. From this point, so many other people get involved and all hell breaks loose. This is simply a treacherous underworld Hank had never imagined. 

Others to round out the cast are Griffin Dunne as Paul, Liev Schreiber as Lipa, Vincent D'Onofrio as Shummy, Action Bronson as Amtrak, Benito Martinez Ocasio as Colorado, Carol Kane as Bubbe, Nikita Kukushkin as Pavel and Yuri Kolokolnikov as Aleksei.

This was directed with grit and conciseness by Darren Aronofsky ("Pi" '98, "Requiem for a Dream" 2000, "The Fountain" '06, "The Wrestler" '08, "Black Swan" '10, "Noah" '14, "Mother!" '17, "The Whale" '22, "Postcard from Earth" '23) plus TV, shorts, a video game, a music video and a video. This is one director you can't pigeon-hole--in fact, he is the quintessential chameleon since he has approached most of all the genres. His ability to get his actors, especially Butler to convince the audience of the realness of the characters they were portraying was carried out with perfection. If you need convincing, watch "The Whale" or "Black Swan" and you'll soon see. If you like his brand of directing, his "Breakthrough" is in pre-production. It was cleverly written by Charlie Houston ("All Signs of Death" (TV movie) '10) plus TV, based on the book by the same name by Charlie Huston. This script was sequenced well and was cohesive. Even though this writer only has a TV movie and some TV to his credit, the fact that he wrote the screenplay from his own book certainly assisted him in his ability to create an interesting premise. But even though he is the novelist, this film was still a tour de force not only for Houston, but for Butler as well. This actor has definitely showed his acting chops is the amount of films he has been involved with, "Elvis" comes to mind which he received an Oscar nomination for. 

Certainly.if you like Aronofsky's work, you'll love this. But if you want to see an actor who gets better with each film he does, Butler is definitely the other reason to see this film. This actor has so much raw talent that is just waiting to be used for more films down the road. It's a bit rough around the edges, but worthy of the price of admission. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                  Rated: R                                           107mins.

Toy Story (30th Anniversary)

Back in the mid 90s when there was talk of an all together new form of creating animation was being formed, it was difficult to comprehend that this animated film would be created totally by computer, and this film was Pixar Animation Studios' "Toy Story" with an all star voice cast including Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts and Don Rickles to mention a few. After that became a box-office bonanza, they went on to produce three sequels--all of which profited. Now, after a 30-year period, we have the re-release of "Toy Story" (30th Anniversary).

A little toy named Andy (John Morris) loves to be in his room, playing with his toys, especially his doll named Woody (Tom Hanks). But, what do the toys do when Andy is not with them? They come to life. Woody believes that his life (as a toy) is good, however he must worry about Andy's family moving, and what Woody does not know is about Andy's birthday party. Woody doesn't realize  that Andy's mom gave him an action figure known as Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), who does not believe that he is a toy, and quickly becomes Andy's new favorite toy. Woody, who is now consumed with jealousy, tries to get rid of Buzz. But by attempting this, both Woody and Buzz are now lost. They must find a way to get back to Andy before he moves without them, but they will have to pass through a ruthless toy killer, next door neighbor Sid Phillips (Erik von Detten). 

Others to round out the cast are Annie Potts as Bo Peep, Wallace Shawn as Rex, Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head, John Ratzenberger as Hamm, Jim Varney as Slinky Dog, Laurie Metcalf as Mrs. Davis, R. Lee Ermey as Sergeant and Sarah Freeman as Hannah.

After watching this film, I can see why three other sequels were made since this was brilliantly created. It was wonderously directed by John Lasseter ("A Bug's Life" '98, "Toy Story 2" '99, "Cars" '06, "Cars 2" '11) plus TV, shorts and videos. His direction was so realistic, it almost gave the feeling that these characters were live--and this was 30 years ago! It was also brilliantly written by Joss Whedon ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer" '92, "Alien: Resurrection" '97, "Titan A.E." 2000, "Serenity" '05, "The Cabin in the Woods" '11, "The Avengers" '12, "Much Ado About Nothing" '12, "Avengers: Age of Ultron" '15, "Justice League" '17) plus TV, shorts, videos and a video game, Andrew Stanton ("Monsters, Inc." '01, "John Carter" '12, "Lightyear" (addl. material) '22) plus TV, shorts and videos, Joel Cohen ("Hot Money" '86, "Sister, Sister" '87, "Pass the Ammo" '87, "Monster Mash: The Movie" '95, "Money Talks" '97, "Goodbye Lover" '98, "Cheaper by the Dozen" '03, "Garfield: The Movie" '04, "Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties" '06) plus TV, shorts and video games and Alec Sokolow ("Monster Mash: The Movie" '95, "Money Talks" '97, "Goodbye Lover" '98, "Cheaper by the Dozen" '03, "Garfield: The Movie" '04, "Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties" '06, "Rymdresan" '20, "Magic Arch 3D" '20) plus TV, shorts, videos and a TV movie, based on an original story by John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton and Joe Ranft. What made this film a true success was that of a very simplistic premise, which was that toys come to life, have feelings and with that are more than mere inanimate objects. It was pure genius! This was a story that, not only can kids can relate to this, but adults as well--what with the adult humor in the story.. And as this mixture made a ton of money, Pixar went on to make the three subsequent sequels which, of course, made even more money. This is true Pixar when they were great along with being amazingly entertaining. 

Certainly if you like the 'Toy Story' franchise, you'll love this. It's original, well written, directed, with an amazing voice cast all of which was the first animated film created totally by computers. Nowadays, this seems ordinary, but then it was quite the feat! 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                  Rated: G                                            82mins.

Jaws (50th Anniversary)

I am old enough to remember the release of "Jaws" (1975), and I believe no one, especially that of director, Steven Spielberg, thought that this film would become the phenomena it has become. With the over costs, the 100 day late schedule and mechanical problems, Spielberg thought he would never direct another film. That was then...this is now.

It's a hot summer on Amity Island. a small community whose primary business is its beaches. When new Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), discovers the remains of a shark attack victim, his first inclination is to close the beaches to swimmers, however it doesn't bode well with Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) and several local business people. Brody backs down to his regret of that weekend when a predator kills a young boy. The dead boy's mother, Mrs. Kintner (Lee Fiero), puts out a bounty on the shark, and Amity is soon swamped with amateur hunters and fishermen hoping to cash in on the reward. A local, gritty fisherman, Quint (Robert Shaw) with much experience hunting sharks, offers to hunt down the creature for a hefty fee. Soon, Quint, Brody and Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) from the Oceanographic Institute are hunting the Great White shark at sea. As Brody succinctly surmises after their first encounter with the creature, they will need a bigger boat. 

Others to round out the cast are Lorraine Gary as Ellen Brody, Martin's wife, Carl Gottlieb as Meadows, Jeffrey Kramer as Deputy Hendricks, Susan Backlinie as Chrissie, Jonathan Filley as Cassidy, Chris Rebello as Michael Brody, Jay Mello as Sean Brody, Jeffrey Voorhees as Alex Kintner and Dr. Robert Nevin as Medical Examiner.

This was directed with subtle suspense and grit by Steve Spielberg ("Duel" (TV movie) '71, "The Sugarland Express" '74, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" '77, "1941" '79, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" '81, "E.T. the Extra Terrestrial" '82, "The Color of Purple" '85, "Jurassic Park" '93, "Schindler's List" '93, "Saving Private Ryan" '98, "War of the Worlds" '05, "War Horse" '12,"The BFG" '16, "Ready Player One" '18, "The Fabelmans" '22) plus many other films, TV movies, TV and shorts. Spielberg is the quintessential American director that knows no boundaries. He has hit essentially every genre with precise delineation and all the while to entertain us with that film in which to escape into. This film, even though it was a very early film of his, was filmed so well, what with cinematographer Bill Butler, film editor, Verna Fields, ace and that iconic soundtrack brilliantly composed by the master, John Williams. It all, along with a gripping cast, was the best ingredients for a top notch film looked upon by many 50 years later as one of the best films of all time. It was penned well by writers Peter Benchley ("Jeremiah of Jacob's Neck" (TV movie) '76, "The Great Houdini" (TV movie) '76, "The Deep" '77, "Hunters of the Reef" (TV movie) '78, "The Island" '80) plus TV, video games, shorts and a video, and Carl Gottlieb ("Which Way Is Up?" '77, "Jaws 2" '78, "The Jerk" '79, "Caveman" '81, "Doctor Detroit" '83, "Jaws 3-D" '83) plus TV movies and TV, based on the novel by Peter Benchley. The story, particularly by today's standards is not expressly original, but since this was 1975, and the direction, photography and music were so incredible, simply made this the iconic film it has become. After the success of "Jaws", there were, not only sequels, but also many other films like this in order to cash in, but this film was one of a kind. The effects, visual and mechanical, were state of the art then and still hold up as effectively today. 

If you liked "Jaws" when released back in 1975, you'll like this, since not only can you see it in standard form, but in IMAX and 4DX format as well. It's a great re-release for sure, but I would love to see a re-release of the uproarious film, "It's Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963) directed by the incomparable Stanley Kramer with a star-studded cast. Watching "Jaws" might make you reconsider in going into the water all over again.

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

P.S. Just to leave all know out there, the reason why I haven't written a review since 8-27-25, was because I am recovering from an emergent abdominal surgery earlier and this is the first time I've had the strength to even sit through a film. All's good, just at this age, recovery takes a little longer than if I was younger.

 

Relay

Through the decades Hollywood has made quite a number of surveillance or espionage or closer films to get the fill of most audiences out there. Films such as "Wolfs", "Amateur", "Body of Lies", "Three Days of the Condor", "The Day of the Jackal", to mention a handful, are films that can leave the audience either wanting more or have gotten a bit too much, "Relay" carries a nice in between whereas it is quite the cat-and-mouse game.

In this story, Ash (Riz Ahmed) plays a world class "fixer" who specializes in brokering lucrative payoffs between corrupt corporations and the individuals who threaten their ruin, He keeps his identity a secret through meticulous planning through a "relay" service and always follows an exacting set of rules. But when a message arrives one day from a potential client, Sarah Grant (Lilly James), needing his protection just to stay alive, because of her employer, Optima Pharmaceuticals made a supplement that could potentially kill many customers through side effects, headed up by Steve Dawson (Sam Worthington), Ash's rules quickly start to change. 

Others to round out the cast are Willa Fitzgerald as Rosetti, Jared Abrahamson as Ryan, Pun Bandhu as Lee, Eisa Davis as Wash, Matthew Mayer as Hoffman, Seth Barrish as Morel, Victor Garber as McVie and Jamil Haque as Tariq. 

This was intensely directed with a ton of suspense and grit by David Mackenzie ("The Last Great Wilderness" '02, "Young Adam" '03, "Asylum" '05, "Hallam Foe" '07, "Spread" '09, "Perfect Sense" '11, "Tonight You're Mine" '11, "Starred Up" '13, "Hell or High Water" '16, "Outlaw King" '18) plus TV and shorts. This filmmaker certainly knew how to sequence, stage and pace this film with extreme expertise and precision. Every scene led the audience right to where he wanted them to be, in order for them to feel the full impact nearing the end. It was written by a newcomer to feature films, Justin Piasecki ("TV and a short). Even with his limited experience in the TV and short biz, he must've been mentored by others in the field, unless he is a true natural. This story had one gripped to their proverbial seat wondering what was coming next. This fixer, Ash was seemingly always one step ahead of the corporate baddies. This guy mostly spoke to his client via through a relay service where the client spoke, the service would send the fixer a message and visa versa. This way, there would be less leaks released. So, his actual spoken word was minimal. And by the writer doing it this way, not only does it give him a 'moody feel', but keeps the cat-and-mouse game even more suspenseful. This writer will receive more work, especially if this movie profits. Riz Ahmed as Ash.the fixer was riveting as he was captivating. 

If you're into these types of films, this is the movie for you. It has a certain amount of painstaking suspense that will keep its audience biting their nails til the film's end. Could there be a sequel> Probably not, unless it makes a ton of money. In any rate, enjoy this gem, and I'm not sure why it's rated R, since there was next to no bad language or any sex. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this and I believe others will as well. 

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

Eden

When it comes to survival films, Hollywood doesn't hold a plethora of them as opposed to other genres, but when these types of films are released, they certainly can pack a wallop. One is the case of "Eden", whereas, it starts as an idyllic situation, but as in most of these films, all hell finally breaks loose.

1929. Fascism was coming into vogue. By 1932, this unravels the shocking true story of a group of disillusioned outsiders, namely Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law), Baroness Eloise-Bosquet (Ana de Armas), Dore Strauch (Vanessa Kirby), Heinz Wittmer (Daniel Bruhl), Margeret Wittmer (Sydney Sweeney) and others who abandon modern society in search of a new beginning. Settling on a remote island--Galapagos, which was then uninhabitable, their utopian dream quickly unravels as they discover that the greatest threat isn't the brutal climate or deadly wildlife, but each other. What follows is a chilling descent into chaos where tensions spiral, desperation takes hold, and a twisted power struggle leads to betrayal, violence, and the deaths of half the colony.

Others to round out the cast are Jonathan Tittel as Harry Wittmer, Friedrich's son, Felix Kammerer as Rudolph Lorenz, Toby Wallace as Robert Phillipson, Ignacio Gasparini as Manuel Borja, Richard Roxburgh as G. Allan Hancock, Paul Gleeson as Stampa and Thiago Moraes as Captain.

This was directed by the comparable, seasoned 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, "Apollo 13" '95, "Edtv" '99, "A Beautiful Mind" '01, "Cinderella Man" '05, "Frost/Nixon" '08, "Rush" '13, "In the Heart of the Sea" '15, "Solo: A Star Wars Story" '18, "Hillbilly Elegy" '20, "Thirteen Lives"'22, "Jim Henson: Idea Man" '24) plus other films, TV movies, TV and shorts. Howard has certainly come a long way from "Grand Theft Auto", and with every film he has helmed, he has only become more polished, more concise, and with more delineating expertise. He has that innate ability to learn as he starts another project more than a number of other directors which is smart and we are the victors for it. It was effectively written well by Noah Pink ("The Show" '17, "Tetris" '23) plus TV, shorts and a video, based on a story by Noah Pink and Ron Howard. For the lack of writing experience Pink has, he certainly was able to write quite an effective yarn. Of course, with Howard's assistance, it surely helped. After seeing this, I can't help but think about the 1963 film "Lord of the Flies" which is based on the novel of the same name. That film involved adolescent boys, whereas this film involved grown adults. In both films, we were able to see, once these individuals were taken out of a civilized culture, they become wild and unmanageable no matter how proper and dignified they were. That film as this one was and are societal films to teach us a lesson. There were certainly other aspects to "Eden" that "Lord of the Flies didn't have, but the overall premise seemed similar which possibly could've been a homage--not sure. Really, other than it was a bit long-in-the-tooth--could've been about 5 minutes shorter, it certainly found itself as the movie unfolded. This was based on a true store as aforementioned, but obviously by the individuals that were were left who could tell the tale. 

If survival films are your thing--and they can be exciting and gripping, this is a must see. Ron Howard's direction was spot on down to the last frame as the writing by Noah Pink showed expertise and a ton of promise. It's a bit darker of a film for Howard, but this makes it even more gripping. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                       Rated: R                                    130mins.

East of Wall

While we've seen many films based on a true story, "East of Wall" not only is based on a true story, but is considered a 'docu-fiction' film, meaning it blends real events and people with fictionalized elements, such as Tabatha Zimiga stars as herself, whereas Scoot Mcnairy and Jennifer Ehle are used as professional actors. 

This film explores Tabatha's life managing her horse ranch after the death of her husband John, her financial struggles, her unresolved grief and her role in providing refuge for a group of wayward teenagers. As she and her daughter Porshia, as herself, are somewhat estranged and the different traits of these teens make it even more difficult to make ends meet, their mom/grandma, Tracey (Jennifer Ehle) and a rich horse manager, Roy Walker (Scoot McNairy) who come into their lives, attempt to help in their different ways to help them financially, emotional--really anyway they can.

Others to round out the cast are Jesse Thorson as Jesse, Chancey Ryder Witt as Ryder, Clay Pateneaude as Clay, Leanna Shumpert as Leanna, Brynn Darling as Brynn and Wyatt Mansfield as Skylar.

This was directed by virtual newcomer Kate Beecroft (shorts and a music video), who spent three years living with Tabatha's family and community, which inspired the script and shaped the film's authentic portrayal of rural life in the Badlands, South Dakota. Certainly this trek helped her shape the direction of the film, but I certainly would like to see what she could do next, which this film was handled which such pathos and poignancy. It was equally well written by Kate Beecroft (shorts). As aforementioned, because of her residing with the Zimiga family for three years, this helped shape the script as well. It carried the personal touch because it was a very personal film.There were a small place of choppiness, but clearly not enough to detract from the overall film, and it was just a bit slow in a couple of places also.  All in all, this filmmaker will receive more work, because she is basically a natural and with that should be rewarded with more work. The performances by both Scoot McNairy as Roy Walker and Jennifer Ehle as Tracey were riveting and definitely were captivating in their respective roles. The cinematography by Austin Shelton showed the expanse of the Badlands with sweeping photography. 

If you're into films based on true stories, or better yet, films that give one the feeling as though you're peeking into their lives since many of the characters are playing themselves, this is certainly the film for you. The acting, writing, directing and sweeping cinematography are simply amazing and this is definitely worthy of the price of admission.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: R                                         97mins.

Nobody 2

When "Nobody" was released in 2021, I must've been besieged with several films to review, so I just didn't around to viewing it. But, after seeing the trailer of "Nobody 2", I actually felt it was a definite possibility. And now, viewing this film, I was correct--this film was action-packed, funny and simply slickly done.

Workaholic assassin Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) takes his family including his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen) and kids, son, Brady (Gage Munroe) and daughter, Sammy (Paisley Cadorath) on a much needed vacation to the small tourist town of Plummerville, however, he soon finds himself in the cross hairs of a corrupt operator, Wyatt (John Ortiz), a shady sheriff, Abel (Colin Hanks) and a bloodthirsty crime boss, Lendina (Sharon Stone). These events soon unravel secrets about Hutch and Becca's past. 

Others to round out the cast are Christopher Lloyd as David Mansell, Hutch's dad, Michael Ironside as Eddie Williams, RZA as Harry, Colin Salmon as The Barber and David MacInnis as Tobey. 

This was cleverly directed with humor and action by Timo Tjahjanto ("Macabre" '09, "V/H/S/2" (segment: 'Safe Haven') '13, "Killers" '14, "Headshot" '16, "May the Devil Take You" '18, "The Night Comes for Us" '18, "Portals" '19, "The Big 4" '22, "The Shadow Strays" '24) plus others. I'm not sure if the original film carried a similar feel as with this film--hopefully did, but this filmmaker's ability to stage, pace and create his actors in a humorous, yet fluid way was amazing. The pace of this simply kept the audience glued. It was penned, again in a slick way by Derek Kolstad ("One in the Chamber" '12, "The Package" '12, "John Wick" '14, "Nobody" '21, "Die Hart" '23) plus others, TV, shorts and a video game, and Aaron Rabin (TV and a short), based on a story by Derek Kolstad, which is based on characters created by Derek Kolstad. Considering this is the same writer (Kolstad), that brought us the mind of John Wick, this was devised in the same vein. It too, was processed in that slick, action-packed, not holding back any punches kind of a film which makes it that much more entertaining. Really, other than a couple of very small places of continuity issues, this script was captivating as it was funny which added to the entertainment factor. Bob Odenkirk pulls off this assassin who's like this 'nobody' kind of guy, hence the mane, and does so with convincing fervor.

Seemingly, if you liked the predecessor of this, this will please. This film was like, 'can't a guy go on vacation with his family and not feel like he doesn't has to work?' These types of films are made with the sole purpose of escaping into a story that will take you away from ones' own problems even if it's just for an hour and a half.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                  Rated: R                                          89mins.

My Mother's Wedding

During the summer film season where we are besieged with big-budget films, once in a while, we are offered an independent film or two. It certainly gives a relief of all the CGI, explosiveness, big stars and sound effects--so it's nice to see an indie film such as "My Mother's Wedding" come along.

Heartfelt and funny, this film follows three sisters who return to their childhood home for a momentous weekend: the third wedding of their twice-widowed mother, Diana Frost (Kristen Scott Thomas). The three daughters are from vastly different walks of life: Katherine (Scarlett Johansson) is a Captain in the Royal Navy; Victoria (Sienna Miller) is a Hollywood star; and Georgina (Emily Beecham) is a hospice nurse. Over the weekend, the family gathers to celebrate the new marriage, but mother and daughters alike are forced to revisit the past and confront the future, all with the help from a colorful group of unexpected wedding guests. 

Others to round out the cast are Freida Pinto as Jack, James Fleet as Geoff Loveglove, Samson Kayo as Steve, Mark Stanley as Charlie, Joshua McGuire as Jeremy, Ziggy Gardner as Skylar, Fflyn Edwards as Marcus, Lydia Jones as Clara, Michael Spicer as Ted Schenlker and Elliot Warren as Second in Command. 

This was poignantly directed by virtual newcomer behind the camera Kristen Scott Thomas. Being a veteran actor (she also starred in this) obviously allowed her to be able to connect with other actors in order to encourage them to dig deep to reach into themselves to convince the audience that they are these characters they are portraying. She will receive more work if she decides to go down that road. It was executed effectively by writers Kristin Scott Thomas and John Micklethwait. Again, these writers have no experience penning a screenplay, and with that, their attempt at producing an effective script was certainly better than I had expected. Not that I believe that the more one does, the better the work, but like the old adage goes, "practice makes perfect".There was a certain amount of continuity issues and at times, the different subplots had a difficult time in connecting with each other, but otherwise, it was a valiant attempt at an interesting story. There are scenes when it comes to Katherine's character where she reflects back to her past which is indicative by being presented in animated form which is interesting. These characters definitely were dysfunctional where it made one wonder what their problem is--Charlie was probably the most grounded character in the flick. These writers simply need more work since potentiality is certainly present. 

Certainly if you are into films surrounding a wedding, like many films are, you'll be comfortable with this.  This did have some issues, however not so much that one couldn't enjoy the story along with the acting. It's worthy of the price of admission, but since this is a 'small' film, it wouldn't lose any impact if seen on your home screen. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                         Rated: R                                             95mins.

Sketch

There have been many films that have been produced that have utilized the plight or concern of kids (whether it be dramatic or comedic), and with that, has created a fascination with people to enable them to be pulling for the little tykes. The list can be endless: "Home Alone", "The Goonies", "School of Rock", "Stand and Deliver", "Spare Parts", "Coach Carter", "Stand by Me", "Hardball", "Rudy" to mention a few. So now we have as an offing, "Sketch". 

When a young girl, Amber's (Bianca Belle) sketchbook accidentally falls into a nearby strange pond, her drawings come to life--unpredictable, chaotic and dangerously real. As the town unravels, she, her brother, Jack (Rue Lawrence) and their classmate, Bowman Lynch (Kalon Cox) must track down the creatures before they leave permanent damage to the town. Their father, Taylor Wyatt (Tony Hale)and his sister, Liz Wyatt (D'Arcy Carden), racing to find them through the fallout, must navigate a town in crisis to reunite their family and stop the disaster they never meant to unleash. 

Others to round out the cast are Jaxen Kenner as Demarcus Davidson, Genesis Rose Brown as Carson Quinn, Randa Newman as Miss Thompson, Allie McCulloch as Ally Wyatt, Nadia Benavides as Dr. Land, Dajanae Cole as Maggie and Josh Inocalla as Rick.

This was whimsically directed by Seth Worley (TV, shorts and a video). Even though this filmmaker has no feature films under his belt, he certainly was able to stage, pace and have the innate ability to get his actors to show the worry, concern and fear they needed to exude in order to pull off the representation of this fantastical film. It was equally well written also by Seth Worley (TV, shorts and a video). Really, other than an area  that didn't show enough continuity, this film rocked. And it wasn't even enough to deter away from the impact of this film. As one sees this film unfolding, they end up realizing that this film is much more than creatures coming to life out of a child's sketchbook, but to clue you in would constitute a spoiler alert. Suffice it to say that. even though, again this writer has no feature film experience for writing, he goes much deeper that what is seen on the surface. The creatures simply cause these two siblings to have to grasp what's really going on in their respective lives, and Worley pins it down royally. This is done by Angel Studios; you know, the same company that brought us "Sound of Freedom", "The Last Rodeo", "Sight"."Cabrini", "His Only Son", "The Shift" and others. They seem to have tapped into the audience's taste in what they want to see and that's smart!

Certainly if you're a fan of Angel Studios, like the other aforementioned films, you'll love this one. It has fantasy, humor, originality and redemption all rolled up in a captivating movie. And the visuals predominantly created by Fin Design + Effects and OD Studios were stunning as they truly appeared as though a young child drew them. It's a fun flick for all to see! 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                      Rated: PG                                      92mins.

The Bad Guys 2

Dreamworks Animation has produced many well known animated films, i.e. "Shrek", "Kung Fu Panda", "The Boss Baby", "Dog Man", "The Wild Robot", "How to Train Your Dragon", "Madagascar", "Home", to mention a handful, so when "The Bad Guys" showed up in 2022, I was not surprised to see a sequel on the horizon, simply titled "The Bad Guys 2".

Everyone's favorite felons are back including Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson) and Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and this time they've got company. In the new action-packed chapter from Dreamworks Animation's acclaimed comedy smash about a crackerjack crew of animal outlaws, our now-reformed Bad Guys are trying (very, very hard) to be good, but instead find themselves hijacked into a high-stakes, global-trotting heist, masterminded by a new team of criminals, including Kitty Kat (Danielle Brooks), Doom, aka Susan (Natasha Lyonne) and Pigtail Petroya (Maria Bakalova), they never saw coming: The Bad Girls. 

Others to round out the cast are Zazie Beetz as Governor Diane Foxington, Richard Ayoade as Professor Marmalade, Lilly Singh as Tiffany Fluffit, Colin Jost as Mr. Moon and Alex Borstein as Commissioner Misty Luggins. 

This was directed with crisp staging and pacing by Pierre Perifel ("The Bad Guys" '22) plus shorts. Even though he has only one feature film to his credit, all the shorts he was involved with certainly served him well, and this film's predecessor was simply brilliant--well sequenced and paced. His expertise in the animation world definitely has a clear future. It was co-directed by JP Sans (a short). Even though the directing was predominantly on Perifel's shoulders, this filmmaker still had input. It was executed well by writers Yoni Brenner ("Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" '09, "Rio 2" '14, "Ice Age: Collision Course" '16) plus shorts and a video and Etan Cohen ("Idiocracy" '06, "Tropic Thunder" '08, "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" '08, "Men in Black" '12, "Get Hard" '15, "Holmes & Watson" '18, "The Bad Guys" '22, "Brothers" '24) plus TV and a short, based on books by Aaron Blabey. I believe what made this premise works was that of predominantly Etan Cohen, being the seasoned writer he is. Certainly Yoni Brenner was pivotal with the script, but typically with a filmmaker having the resume that Cohen has, the conclusion is that quality can reign. And in this case, other than a couple of very slow places in script, this story rocked. The cohesiveness, conciseness and tightness of the story was remarkable. The returning Bad Guys cast was amazing--the chemistry was spot on. Dreamworks Animation has turned out to be the premiere studio they started out to be and continue to do so. 

If you liked this film's original, you'll love this. Like with other films, wait until the credits roll--there could be a surprise. Will there be another sequel? Certainly if it makes a truckload of money, assuredly it will. But so far it's looking good for Dreamworks. It's also presented in a 3-D format as well. This, like its predecessor, is a fun flick!

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: PG                                         103mins.

The Naked Gun

When the film series of the TV series of "Police Squad" started with "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad" in 1988 with two sequels, we will see if this is pulled off well with "The Naked Gun". It's been 27 years since that first film and now we have the son of Lt. Frank Dreben played by Liam Neeson. It's like the feel of the past hasn't changed. 

Following in the footsteps of his bumbling father, Detective Frank Dreben Jr. (Liam Neeson) he must solve a murder case to prevent the police department from shutting down. As with the original, this has hilarious sight gags and lines that we've come to expect from the Police Squad. Neeson's Dreben's femme fatale in this is that of Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), with Dreben's police partner which is the son of Dectective Ed Hocken played by George Kennedy which in this version is Hocken's son, Ed Jr (Paul Walter Hauser). These and villain, Richard Cane (Danny Huston) are brilloant in their roles. It's a fun ride. 

Others to round out the cast are CCH Pounder as Chief Davis, Kevin Durand as Sig Gustafson, Liza Koshy as Detective Barnes, Eddie Yu as Detective Park, Michael Beasley as Detective Taylor, Moses Jones as Not Nordberg Jr., Chase Steven Anderson as Police Squad technician, Cody Rhodes as bartender and Busta Rhymes as bank robber. 

This was directed with the same feel as the early film series by Akiva Schaffer ("Regarding Ardy" (TV movie) '03, "Hot Rod" '07, "The Watch" '12, "SNL Shorts" (TV movie) '14, "SNL's NFL Saturday" '15, "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping" '16, "SNL Presents: Halloween" (TV movie) '17, "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers" '22) plus TV, shorts, videos and music videos. This filmmaker has certainly found that place where when watching this, the timing, pacing and staging is so close to its predecessor that it staggers the brain. He must have studied the prior series a great deal since Leslie Nielson, George Kennedy and even O.J. Simpson have all passed away. Timing of these lines is what this film is all about and Schaffer pulled it off in spades. It was effectively written by Dan Gregor, Doug Mand and Akiva Schaffer, based of the TV series "Police Squad" by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker. As with the TV series and earlier film series, this was written with an almost vaudevillian feel about it, such as 'please take a seat. No thanks, I have one at home', and many others. It's uproarious since we just don't see this humor anymore. Along with the visual gags, this film is simply funny and something fun to see in an afternoon to escape into. The laughs weren't necessarily 'belly laughs', but did leave one laughing at humor we aren't used to. Was it flawless? Certainly not. There was a couple of fantasy scenes that became too silly, even for a film like this, but one comes to expect it considering the material. 

If you're a Police Squad/Naked Gun fan, you will like this. Liam Neeson is amazing casting for Nielson's son--it is so easy to believe Neeson in that role since so many roles he has played were dead-pan. Anderson's Beth was wonderfully played as well. This is simply silly, fun and pure escapism. Grab the popcorn. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                      Rated: PG-13                                         85mins.

 

Sorry, Baby

For decades, Hollywood has produced a vast array of independent films that span the spectrum of topics that hopefully stimulate the imagination and the wanting for more of these films. I've seen many indie films--both good and not so good--but "Sorry, Baby" is assuredly one of those films that will present a 'tug of war' feel to it.

Something bad happened to Agnes (Eva Victor) that shouldn't happen to anyone...ever. But life goes on in whatever way they are able to endure life. Everyone around her, specifically her best friend, Lydie (Naomi Ackie) seemingly had an OK life all the while Agnus' life is coming to an insurmountable level of attempting to deal with it. Her neighbor, Gavin (Lucas Hedges), her intolerable classmate, Natasha (Kelly McCormack) and her austere professor, Preston Decker (Louis Cancelmi) all try to be a friend, but considering their own issues, Agnus became more and more withdrawn. What is a woman to do?

Others to round out the cast are John Carroll Lynch as Pete, Hettienne Park as Eleanor Winston, an attorney, E.R. Fightmaster as Fran, Cody Reiss as Devin, Jordan Mendoza as Logan and Anabel Graetz as Professor Wilkinson. 

This was directed with careful precision and sobriety by Eva Victor (TV series). Since this is her only feature film behind the camera, it's difficult to foresee the kind of films she will endeavor--maybe she will not be able to be pigeon-holed. The emotion in which she was able to extract from her actors (her included) was amazing in that they were as realistic as one would see people today. As her direction was convincing, her writing needed work, This was written by Eva Victor (TV series) in that it, after a short while, became disjointed and choppy. It was sectioned into 'the year of' and one wasn't sure if the years mentioned were in chronological order or if they jumped around according to the script. The story wasn't at all clear until 30 minutes into the running time, and even at that point, became straining to watch. It was truly difficult to feel sorry for just about anyone in this film--even poor  Agnus. When it was all said and done, these characters don't really improve--their dysfunction is crystal clear. Was this a total loss? Of course not. This writer has true potential, and this being her first feature film as a writer, she has it, but maybe she should hone her innate talent more on TV or shorts before going in head first into feature films. The actors involved were crisp and professional, especially Ackie, Victor and Hedges. 

If the independent film is your liking, especially if it's odd and quirky, this is the film for you. As aforementioned, Eva Victor has an amazing amount of potential, and with either more TV or maybe films that she can have a mentor to consult with, she will be a contender. Her directing abilities are right on. 

Out of 4 Stars: 2                                         Rated: R                                        103mins.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

When 'The Fantastic Four' first started beyond its Marvel comic book days, it was 1994, then a TV series was spawned in 1967-1968, then again in 1978. Then an animated TV series which ran from 1994-1996. Then it received a restart in 2007 with "The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer", and yet another in 2015. This is just a handful of all the other TV, videos and other films based on this franchise. Now, we are offered "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" to add to Marvel's never ending list. 

This Film is set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro futuristic world. The film follows Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus' plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren't bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal. 

Others to round out the cast are Natasha Lyonne as Rachel Rozman, Paul Walter Hauser as Harvey Elder, Sarah Niles as Lynne Nichols, Mark Gatiss as Ted Gilbert, Ada Scott as Franklin Richards and Matthew Wood as H.E.R.B.I.E.

This was directed with action, explosiveness and humor by Matt Shakman ("Cut Bank" '14) plus a plethora of TV. Considering this filmmaker has only one other feature film to his credit, this was staged and paced with extreme delineation from beginning to end. Although he does have a TV resume that seemingly goes on and on forever, this kind of film would still be difficult to direct considering all the staging, angle shots, the cameras used, set design and editing that is the responsibility of any director. Shakman will receive more work. It was written by Eric Pearson, Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer, based on a story by Kaplan, Springer Pearson and Kat Wood, which is based on the Marvel comic, based on characters created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. As with most films, it's the writing that ends up having a couple of flaws in that there were a couple of places where (I know it's sci-fi), a certain situation wouldn't have been carried out the way that it did, but then it would've either ruined the scene or could've potentially killed or screwed with the premise, so I get it. And there were at least one place of slight slowness, but otherwise this was certainly better than I ever thought possible. Eric Pearson has the lion's share of the writing, and it showed here. I really went into the theater with trepidation assuming it was going to be like another one of its predecessors and it wasn't.  And, of course, the visual effects that were predominantly designed by ILM (Industrial, Light & Magic) and SPI (Sony Pictures Imageworks) were seamless as they truly enhanced the story. Also, this having a retro look, the production design by Kasra Farahani was designed incredibly well--their car was amazing.

If you are a 'Fantastic Four' fan, or even a Marvel fan, this is one you must see, and you definitely have to see it on the large screen (it's also presented in an IMAX format as well) to breathe in that grandiose feel. This is definitely one of the best films of this franchise, and don't worry, there will be a sequel, so stay for the credits. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                         Rated: PG-13                                      114mins.