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.

 

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.