Desert Warrior

War films are about as common in Hollywood as crime dramas, and just about every war has been addressed, i.e. WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Korean, Civil, Revolutionary, Middle East certainly. But even if a film is not directly based on an actual war, we have "Desert Warrior to ponder over. 

Set in seventh-century Arabia, Princess Hind (Aiysha Hart) defies her fate, refusing to become a concubine to the ruthless Emperor Kisra II (Ben Kingsley). Fleeing into the desert with her father, she is hunted by a merciless army and forced to trust a legendary bandit (Anthony Mackie) with secrets of his own. Rising from fugitive to fearless warrior, Hind unites warring tribes for a final stand--the Battle of Dhi Qar, a clash that will change history. 

Others to round out the cast are Sharlto Copley as Jalabzeen, Sami Bouajila as Hani, Ghassan Massoud as Al-Numan, Lamis Ammar as Medicine Woman, Ramsey Faragallah as Ibn QaBisah, Younes Bouab as Aasif, Said Boumazoughe as Samir, Geza Rohrig as Al Hamerz, Alain Saadeh as Yazid and Omar Al-Atawi as Shepherd Boy.

This was directed with such delineation and dissection of characters by Rupert Wyatt ("Subterrain" '01, "The Escapist" '08, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" '11, "The Gambler" '14, "Captive State" '19) plus TV and shorts. Considering all the diverse characters, this filmmaker was able to establish, through his actors, a definite distinction between one another. It was captivating, enough that I'm encouraged to see how his "Boxman" is treated which now is in pre-production. It was written interestingly by David Self, Rupert Wyatt and Erica Beeney. Both Wyatt and Beeney have collaborated in other films, but clearly felt they needed someone that obtained a bit more experience, so enters Self, who certainly has the lion's share of feature film experience. The premise was definitely an interesting one, and with the exception of a couple of places of disjointedness and that it was a bit long-in-the-tooth, it was entertaining and for sure a swashbuckler. It probably would've faired better with only two writers--this is a common mistake with other films, where there's just too many hands in the pot. But even with these aspects, it was still a film worthy of viewing, if for no other reason than for its sweeping cinematography by Guillermo Garza. 

If you like war films or even films that deal with conflicts due to property or religious, etc, this will fit the bill. The photography, costumes, acting, especially by Mackie, Hart and Copley were all stunning and definitely kept the audience's attention. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                        Rated: R                                   127mins.

The Devil Wears Prada 2

When "The Devil Wears Prada" was released in 2006, because of its amazing profit, it is surprising that it took 20 years to produce a sequel. 20 years! It is difficult to believe it's been that long with the existing cast still in tow. Certainly this is a sequel, which usually aren't as effective, but the director and writer, who filmed its predecessor, produced a worthy film. 

"The Devil Wears Prada 2" reunites Mirada Priestly (Meryl Streep), and Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) as they navigate the changing media landscape, with Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) and Nigel (Stanley Tucci) also returning, alongside new cast members like Stuart (Kenneth Branagh), Lucy Lieu and Benji Barnes (Justin Theroux). This story centers on Miranda facing industry flux and a forced reunion with a more mature Andy, who is now a major player, while confronting Emily, who is a powerful executive at the major brand, Dior. This explores themes of modern journalism and the evolution of the fashion world.

Others to round out the cast are Simone Ashley as Amari, Tracie Thoms as Lily, Caleb Hearon as Johnny, Patrick Brammall as Peter, B.J. Novak, Helen J. Shen as Jin Chao and Lady Gaga as herself. 

This was directed with consistency and wit by David Frankel ("Miami Rhapsody" '95, "The Pennsylvania Miners' Story" (TV movie) '02, "The Devil Wears Prada" '06, "Marley & Me" '08, "The Big Year" '11, "Hope Springs" '12, "One Chance" '13, "The King of 7B" (TV movie) ''15, "Collateral Beauty" '16, "Jerry & Marge Go Large" '22) plus TV, shorts, videos and a music video. Considering this filmmaker directed the original, this came across very similarly, which helped as far as getting reacquainted with the characters. His staging, pacing and cohesiveness, like the original was spot on which made it easy to follow along. Like it predecessor, this was also written by Aline Brosh McKenna ("Three to Tango" '99, "Laws of Attraction" '04, "Drive/II" (TV movie) '06, "The Devil Wears Prada" '06, "27 Dresses" '08, "MorningGlory" '10, "I Don't Know How She Does It" '11, "We Bought a Zoo" '11, "Annie" '14, "Cruella" (story) '21,"Your Place or Mine" '23) plus TV, based on characters created by Lauren Weisberger. This film became a bit frustrating for the reason that it was very similar to its predecessor--this can be a plus or minus depending on how the script is treated. So, as I'm waiting for a 'different' film to come out of this story, the script then turns and slowly becomes the film they and we were hoping for, and this made the film much better. Miranda wasn't as intense as in the original, but then they got to know one another more in the 20 years. I remember that when I went to see the original back in 2006, my sister, who read the book the film was based on mentioned  that the character of Miranda Priestly was actually more 'evil' that in the original film. I was amazed considering the intensity that Streep brought to that role. And, of course, the production values i.e. costumes, photography, production design, were seamless and truly enhanced the production. 

It was certainly nice to see the original cast--Streep, Hathaway, Blunt and Tucci back again for another uproarious banter back and forth. Even the new characters including Branagh, Theroux, Lui and Ashley were effective and supportive. Certainly, if you liked the original, "The Devil Wears Prada", you'll love this. It shows how many changes in 20 years can happen culturally and professionally. 

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

Animal Farm

When George Orwell wrote the novel "Animal Farm" back during the time of November 1943 and February 1944, who knew we, as a country would be even thoughtful about the possibly of communism in this country? He was clearly a visionary and he was warning us, because there are many people today who are concerned about this country going that route. This animated "Animal Farm" addresses that potentiality by Angel Studios which is quite timely. 

From visionary director Andy Serkis, and featuring the voices of Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Glenn Close, and Woody Harrelson, comes a satirical allegory of revolution and power. Animal Farm traces how a movement for equality is systematically corrupted. As the pigs, including Napoleon (Seth Rogen), Lucky (Gaten Matarazzo), Puff (Iman Vellani), Squealer (Kieran Culkin), and others consolidate control, truth is erased, dissent is crushed, and the farm descends into a ruthless dictatorship--fulfilling Orwell's warning about the dangers of communism. Through Lucky, Boxer, a horse (Woody Harrelson) and others, the power lust of Napoleon  and human, Freida Pilkington (Glenn Close) is put through the test. 

Others to round out the cast are Jim Parsons as Carl, Steve Buscemi as Mr. Whymper, Kathleen Turner as Benjamin, Laverne Fox as Snowball, and Andy Serkis as Mr, Jones, the farmer. 

This was directed with the ability to increase the intensity in a subtle, but continuous way by Andy Serkis ("Breathe" '17, "The Ruins of Empires" (TV movie) '18, "Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle" '18, "Venom: Let There Be Carnage" '21) plus a video game.  Most of this fimmaker's experience has been as an actor, so going from in front of the camera to behind it was an easier place considering his knowledge of what to expect from his actors, him being one. His resume isn't extensive, however what he's done has been quality. If fact, if you like his style, his "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum" is in post production for a 2027 release. His staging and pacing is effective and the characters interacted well. It was interestingly penned by Nicholas Stoller ("Fun with Dick and Jane" '05, "Yes Man" '08, "Get Him to the Greek" '10, "Gulliver's Travels" '10, "The Muppets" '11, "The Five-Year Engagement" '12, "Zoolander 2" '16, "Storks" '16, "Night School" '18, "You're Cordially Invited" '25) plus other films, a TV movie, TV, and a video, based on the novel, "Animal Farm" by George Orwell. Obviously this writer is seasoned. The end of this is a bit different than the novel it's based on, probably because of it being geared toward family, and being animated. There were a couple of places of disjointedness and was a bit choppy in some places, but the message and execution of it was strong and much needed in this society. The animation was created by Cinesite was effective and fit the film well. 

'If you've never read Orwell's novel, read it. Being written in the mid '40s, this is basically prophetic. It's like looking at the newspaper today. Interesting it was Orwell who also wrote 'the book "1984" about 'big brother' with the corporate world and huge government back between 1946 and 1948, that was published in June of 1949. This man was a visionary. They probably laughed at him back then, but whose laughing now? 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                        Rated: PG                                         95mins.

Fuze

We've seen films that center around the threat of a bomb in a city, and also have seen films about war, specifically in around the Middle East, but we haven't seen the combination of the two, which is where "Fuze" was born. This carries a whole new meaning of the term, 'a nail-biter'.

Set in contemporary London, "Fuze" unfolds after an unexpected World War II bomb is unearthed at a busy construction site, forcing a massive citywide evacuation headed up by Major Will Tranker (Aaron Taylor Johnson). Amid the escalating tension and chaos, a daring criminal operation headed up by X (Sam Worthington) and Karalis (Theo James) is set in motion--one that uses the evacuation as cover for a meticulously planned heist. As authorities race against time to contain the crisis, alliances blur and moral boundaries are crossed, the film deftly propels audiences through a series of calculated twists delivering a wildly entertaining ride. 

Others to round out the cast are Elham Ehsas as Rahim, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Zusana, Saffron Hocking as Dootsie, Laurie Duncan as Wardy, Hannah Collins as PC Marks, Matt Beverage as PC Turner, Shaun Mason as Y and Nabil Elouahabi as Z. 

This was directed with tenacity, grit and incredible intensity 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, "Relay" '24) plus TV and shorts. This became a great character study between Will, Karalis and X which is talented directing. These characters obtained their own distinct personalities and although these actors are talented, this was fine directing. Look at this filmmaker's resume and you'll see that Mackenzie was very much in his zone. It was cleverly written by Ben Hopkins ("Simon Magus" '99, "Janice Beard" '99, "The Nine Lives of Tomas Katz" 2000, "The Market: A Tale of Trade" '08, "Napoli: City of the Damned" (TV movie) '09, "Lost in Karastan" '14, "Hasret: Sehnsucht" '15, "Marionette" '19, "In Search of Monsters" '21, "Inside" '23, "Limonov: The Ballad of Eddie" '24, "The Narrative" (co-writer) '26). The way this writer was able to intertwine the story of the mass evacuation and of the bank heist and still was able to tie them together was amazing. However, was this flawless? No, since there were a couple of places that seemed a bit disjointed, it did have a tendency to meander a little. But otherwise, this story kept its audience on the edge of there seats and the twists and turns will keep anyone riveted. 

The directing and writing were implemented well, but the combination of the three stars, James, Worthington and Taylor-Johnson kept you glued to the screen. The raw intensity between them and the supporting cast was real, convincing and compelling.

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

Michael

As time has gone on through the decades, we've seen a plethora of different biopics about singers in the limelight. We have biopics on singers, such as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, Bob Marley, to mention a handful. So, now to add to that ever growing list is "Michael" about the 'king of pop' Michael Jackson.

"Michael" is the cinematic portrayal of the life and legacy of one of the most influential artists the world has ever known. The film tells the story of Michael Jackson's life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless  pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world. Highlighting both his life off-stage and some of the most iconic performances from his early solo career, the film gives audiences a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before. This is where his story begins. Through Michael's (Jaafar Jackson) upbringing in Gary, Indiana, by his dad, Joe Jackson (Colman Domingo) and his mom, Katherine (Nia Long), the starting of his career as the lead of the Jackson Five, to his breaking away from them to go solo with his new manager John Branca (Miles Teller), to his Pepsi commercial gone awry, he lead a rather tumultuous life all the while not really experiencing anything of a normal childhood or life in general. 

This was directed with incredible delineation and oreciseness by Antoine Fuqua ("The Replacement Killers" '98, "Bait" 2000, "Training Day" '01, "Tears of the Sun" '03, "Lightning in a Bottle" '04, "King Arthur" '04, "Shooter" '07, "Brooklyn's Finest" '09, "Olympus Has Fallen" '13, "The Equalizer" '14, "Southpaw" '15, "The Magnificent Seven" '16, "The Equalizer 2" '18, "What's My Name: Muhammed Ali" '19,"Infinite" '21, "The Guilty" '21, "Emancipation" '22,"The Equalizer 3" '23, "Troublemaker: The Story Behind the Mandela Tapes" '26) plus TV, TV movies, shorts, videos and a plethora of music videos. This filmmaker simply improves with each and every project he is attached to--his sequencing, staging, pacing, cohesiveness in his films are effortless and this film is no exception. His "Training Day" and "The Magnificent Seven" films are definitely a couple of his best. This film was dissected with amazing clarity and he was able to get his actors to dig deep in the way they conveyed their respective characters. It was equally well written by John Logan ("Bats" '99, "Any Given Sunday" '99, "Gladiator" 2000, "The Time Machine" '02, "Star Trek: Nemesis" '02, "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas" '03, "The Last Samurai" '03, "The Aviator" '04, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" '07, "Rango" '11, "Coriolanus" '11, "Hugo" '11, "Skyfall" '12, "Spectre"'15, "Genius" '16, "Alien: Covenant" '17, "They/Them" '22) plus TV, TV movies, shorts, videos and and a video game. As with Fuqua, this writer is a seasoned pro with work that is a list of artful projects. This was formatted as a flashback as has occurred in many films, especially biopics, but this clearly showed us how Michael became the individual he became through the different incidents in his life letting the audience in on his way of thinking. The only aspect of this film that was perplexing was that after Michael's London tour in 1988, the screen then shows three words which says, his story continues, which I certainly wasn't expecting, but was definitely purposed.So, there's more than likely a continuation. And the cinematography by Dion Beebe acs/asc ("Crush" '92, "Chicago" '02, "Collateral" '04, "Memoirs of a Geisha" '05, "Green Lantern" '11, "Gangster Squad" '13, "Into the Woods" '14, "13 Hours" '16, "Mary Poppins Returns" '18, "The Little Mermaid" '23) plus other films,TV, TV movies, shorts, videos and music videos) was absolutely stunning as are all his productions. He certainly brings out the color, the vividness and clarity in his films. 

Certainly if you love Michael Jackson's music, you'll be in that heaven. I'm not expressly a Jackson fan, however, with all objectivity, this film was amazing--acting, writing, directing, photography. Apparently Michael Jackson's nephew (Jaafar Jackson) played the part of Michael as an adult in this and considering this is his first film, he will go places. If you like that up close and personal feeling, this is presented in an IMAX format as well. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                       Rated: PG-13                                       127mins.

Normal

Films about small-town America can be fraught with deep secrets "Normal" being of no exception. Everybody knows everybody and all stick together, so what happened with this small town? Well, it certainly wasn't anything I could've thought of which makes it definitely more fresh and original. 

"Normal" is a neo-Western thriller that stars Bob Odenkirk as Ulysses Richardson, an unassuming substitute sheriff assigned to the quiet Midwestern town of Normal, Minnesota. Seeking a temporary escape from personal and professional turmoil, Ujysses instead finds himself drawn into a crisis when a botched bank robbery exposes a dangerous secret beneath the town's calm exterior. As tensions escalate (and boy, do they escalate), he is forced to confront his troubled past and the true nature of the community namely the mayor, Kibner (Henry Winkler), Deputy Blaine Anderson (Ryan Allen), Deputy Mike Nelson (Billy MacLellan) and others he has been tasked with protecting. 

Others to round out the cast are Lena Headey as Moira, Reena Jolly as Lori, Brendan Fletcher as Keith, Peter Shinkoda as Joe, Jess McLeod as Alex, David Lawrence as Dr. Walter Ville, John C. MacDonald as Kenny, Alex MacMillan as Kent, Dan De Jaeger as Ernie and Derek Barnes as James.

This was slickly directed with grit, intensity and humor by Ben Wheatley ("Down Terrace" '09, "Kill List" '11, "Sightseers" '12, "A Field in England" '13, "High-Rise" '15, "Free Fire" '16, "Happy New Year, Colin Burstead" '18, "Rebecca" '20, "In the Earth" '21, "Meg 2: The Trench" '23, "Bulk" '25) plus TV movies, TV, videos and a music video. This director's staging, pacing and sequencing was incredible in how this film kept its audience on the edge of their seats. Odenkirk's character as sheriff was so staid, but with an underlying intensity to him and this is simply effective directing. It was creatively well written by Derek Kolstad ("One in the Chamber" '12, "The Package" '12, "John Wick" '14, "John Wick: Chapter 2" '17, "John Wick 3--Parabellum" '19, "Nobody" '21, "Die Hart" '23, "John Wick: Chapter 4" '23, "Nobody 2" '25) plus TV, shorts, and videos, based on a story by Derek Kolstad and Bob Odenkirk. Considering that Kolstad wrote this film, it's no wonder why or how it could've been written in any other way but slickly and cohesive. The sequencing in script was spot on, and the cast worked so well off of each other.This definitely had a "Nobody"feel to it which is a plus, but then again, Kolstad wrote that film as well. The premise was unique, fresh with definite twists. Can't wait to his next project, and many more are coming. 

If you liked the 'Nobody' or 'John Wick' franchises, you'll love this. It simply has it all: action, high-adrenaline, explosiveness, passion, humor and redemption all rolled up in this tight, concise and slickly executed thriller. It does have a few more than a few cuss words, so not for the kids, but it is rollicking and thrilling. Enjoy! 

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

Beast

Through the decades we have experienced many boxing films, i.e. "Rocky", "Raging Bull", "The Fighter", "Southpaw", "Creed" and others, however "Beast" is one of the first MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) films that has come along. This film comes across as something that is similar to the format of a boxing film, but clearly is not. And with this, it's about redemption, revenge, soul-searching and fear, elements that typically boxing films deal with.

After years away from the cage, a once-feared MMA champion, Patton James (Daniel McPherson) is pulled back in for the fight of his life when his younger brother, Malon (Mojean Aria) is put in danger. Reuniting with the trainer who once made him a legend, Sammy (Russell Crowe), he commits to one final showdown against the reigning title holder--Xavier Grau (Bren Foster), a brutal fighter determined to dismantle the ex-champ's legacy in front of the world. Along with Sammy, he has his MMA fighter daughter, Rose (Amy Shark) to assist him in the training. Pushed to Patton's  breaking point, the contender's stakes are simple: win, or lose everything he's built. 

Others to round out the cast are Luke Hemsworth as Gabriel, Kelly Gale as Luciana, Patton's wife, George Burgess as Neal, Matt Nable as Barry, Nathan Phillips as Skipper, Saphira Moran as Nadine and Eliza Matengu as Toni. 

This was directed with grit and intensity by Tyler Atkins ("Ocean Boy" '22) plus a short. Even though this filmmaker doesn't have a plethora of experience, he was still able to convince his audience of the peril, the grittiness and pathos of this contender trying to balance his marriage, his family and career all the while having to fight for his life in that cage. This director's sequencing and staging was amazing. He will undoubtedly receive more work. It was penned well by writers David Frigerio ("Wreckage" '10, "The Signal" '14, "Crypto" '19, "Land of Bad" '24) plus a short and Russell Crowe ("Poker Face" '22), based on a story by David Frigerio. Before I viewed this film, I was expecting basically a modern day "Rocky", with the trainer coming back to retrain a contender, Rocky, however after seeing this, it was definitely different in its approach and format in what needed to transpire beyond the re-connection between the two. The script obtained a couple of small places of slowness, however all in all, the story, in a short while, did find its footing, and became a very captivating sports film. This was well cast, especially of that of Daniel McPherson as Patton. I've never heard of him--maybe he's more known in Australia--the locale of the film, but he gave a riveting performance. Between the photography and stunts, this carried the audience throughout. And I've never seen Luke Hemsworth, the older brother of Chris and Liam, in a role before, even though he is an actor in his home country of Australia. 

If you like action sports films, this will be a knockout (pun intended). It has action, fear, challenges, high-adrenaline and redemption all rolled up into a nice way to spend a couple of hours. It has an eclectic, but effective cast that will intrigue.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                        Rated: R                                        115mins.

You, Me & Tuscany

Typically, the genre of romantic comedies, or romcoms as they are often called are unoriginal, banal projects that fall flat because of their predictability, but there have been a handful that are actually executed well depending on all the ingredients, i.e. acting, directing and especially writing. "You, Me & Tuscany" is one that is basically predictable, while still entertaining us.

Sometimes the wrong place is right where you need to be. From the Will Packer productions comes an interesting romcom about one little lie, one large Italian villa, and two people getting lost in the sauce of love. Halle Bailey stars as Anna Montgomery, a young woman who has abandoned her dreams of becoming a chef and is now drifting through her twenties with a series of bad choices. When Anna loses her house-sitting job (and housing) in one fell swoop, a chance encounter with Matteo (Lorenzo De Moor)--a handsome Italian who happens to have a villa sitting empty in Tuscany--will inspire her to jet off for Italy, against the advice of her always honest bestie, Claire (Aziza Scott). But Anna's plan to crash at Matteo's villa, without permission, just for one night, falls apart when Matteo's mother, Gabriella (Isabella Ferrari) shows up at the house unexpectedly. In a panic, Anna allows Gabriella to believe that she is Matteo's fiance. That little lie becomes a big problem, though, when Matteo's cousin, Michael (Rege-Jean Page) shows up, and Anna discovers that the heat between them may ignite a fire that will transform her life. 

Others to round out the cast are Stefania Casini as Nonna Alessia, Desiree Pooper as Isabella, Stella Pecollo as Francesca, Paolo Sassanelli as Vincenzo, Tommaso Cassissa as Enzo, Luca Setaccioli as Leo and Emanuele Pacca as Giuseppe.

This was directed with heart and wit by Kat Coiro ("Life Happens" '11, "And While We Were Here" '12, "A Case of You" '13, "Daddy Issues" (TV movie) '18, "Happy Accident" (TV movie) '19, "Marry Me" '22) plus TV, shorts a video and a music video. As with a seasoned resume which has certainly served her, she definitely knew how to sequence, stage and pace this film. It being shot in New York and Tuscany, the sequencing was effortless in its conveyance. It was also effectively written by Ryan Engle ("Non-Stop" '14, "The Commuter" '18, "Rampage" '18, "Breaking In" '18, "Beast" '22) plus a short, based on a story by Ryan Engle and Kristin Engle.  This film started out a bit rocky whereas the story started as an extremely predictable premise, as with most romcoms. It was simply meandering and was written in a way that one could basically mouth the words. But then, as the film went to Tuscany and other eclectic characters were introduced, the plot then started to pick up and it ultimately became the film they and we were looking for. The Italian cast turned an otherwise fair story into something fresh and quite humorous in how the story was being conveyed. Certainly the chemistry between Michael (Page) and Anna (Bailey) was incredibly well matched. The other aspect that saved the film was also its location in Tuscany--breathtaking!

Certainly, if you like romcoms in general, you'll love this, and with the eclectic characters and beautiful locales, you'll be in romcom heaven. With a seasoned director and writer and a great cast, this was a fun film for all to enjoy.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                       Rated: PG                                       105mins.

Fantasy Life

Comedy/drama, or dramedies as I like to call them have become more popularized through the years, and usually are very well artistically achieved. I believe this particular genre was started or was prolific in the Woody Allen era, whereas comedy/dramas were something Allen either created or allowed this concept to be known. So, now we have "Fantasy Life" in the offing mixing dry humor with drama amongst several dysfunctional individuals. 

This story centers around an anxious law school dropout, Sam Stein (Matthew Shear) as he stumbles into a job babysitting his psychiatrist, Fred's (Judd Hirsch) three granddaughters and falls for the girls' mother, Dianne Cohen (Amanda Peet), an actress in a rocky marriage to David Finman (Alessandro Nivola), all while attempting to manage his life due to the panic attacks he constantly fights with little success. This is a smart, New York--set romantic comedy with a heaping amount of dysfunction to carry one through the story. 

Others to round out the cast are Bob Balaban as Lenny, Andrea Martin as Helen Finman, David's mother, Zosia Mamet as Jenny, Holland Taylor as Dr. Mary Greene, Jessica Harper as Toby Seltzer, Romy Fay as Zoe Finman, Callie Santoro as Claire Finman and Riley Vinson as Emma Finman, all three as David and Dianne's kids and Alana Raquel Bowers as Lauren Waters.

This was surprisingly well directed by Matthew Shear (acting). This being his first outing behind the camera is better than one would think considering his limited experience. He, like other actors, is obviously attempting to transition from in front of the camera to behind--even though he did star in this, assuming he keeps to this pattern, he could join the club of others, i.e. Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, John Krasinski, etc. The directing was a bit slow in its pacing, but given more work, he'll only improve. It was executed well by writer  Matthew Shear (acting). Again, with no other writing experience under his belt, this writer was able to capture the pure dysfunction of his character as well as others. Even though the running time was only approximately 90 minutes, it was still a bit long-in-the-tooth. There could have been a good 5 minutes cut from the final and still obtain the impact that Shear was trying to convey. The character development along with the acting was probably the best aspect of this film and kudos to Shear for that. Seriously, if given more work, i.e. writing and directing, this filmmaking could only improve since he has the raw talent. Certainly his acting has served him well in being able to commit himself to such an undertaking'

If the 'Woody Allen' style of comedy/drama works for you. this will hit a home run. The acting and characters in this are well developed and are distinct in their interactions with one another. If this is Shear's first outing in the writing and directing field, I would be interested to see what he creates next.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                                        Rated: R                                     91mins.

A Great Awakening

Many times in ones' life do two remarkable individuals meet and spark , in many cases, an unlikely friendship, and we are made privy to some of those meetings in film. One that comes to mind is the film, "Freud's Last Session" with the meeting of Sigmund Freud (Anthony Hopkins) and writer, C.S. Lewis (Matthew Goode)--an amazing meeting. Now we have another remarkable meeting between the then reverend George Whitfield and Benjamin Franklin.

This tells the true story of an unlikely friendship between the Reverend George Whitfield (Jonathan Blair) and Benjamin Franklin (John Paul Sneed) that resulted in one of the most defining moments in American history. With the colonies on the brink of collapse, the Reverend George Whitfield ignites the first Great Awakening, uniting an entire generation with his thundering and faithful sermons and proclamations of liberty. In a miraculous turn of events, one of Whitfield's closet friends and greatest promoters becomes none other than Benjamin Franklin. With the nation's freedom hanging in the balance, the founders discover true liberty cannot only be written into law--it must be awakened in the hearts of the people. 

Others to round out the cast are JT Schaeffer as Benny Franklin Bache, Benjamin Franklin's grandson, Josh Bates as Alexander Hamilton, Jonathan Bauer as Holy Club member, Jeff Bender as William Johnson, Zachary Amos as Oxford Servitor, Timothy Ryan Bartlett as Oxford Servitor and Robert Bigley as George Mason.

This was incredibly delineated with perfection by director Joshua Enck ("I Heard the Bells" '22). It absolutely astounds me that this filmmaker has only one other directing credit to his name, esspecially since this was directed as though a seasoned director helmed it. A natural? Not sure, but suffice it to say, he definitely has a future as a continued director. The film had cohesiveness, conciseness, was sequenced well and the actors really found their footing with the development of their characters, and this is fine directing. It was equally penned well by writers Jeff Bender (I Heard the Bells" '22, "Sight & Sound Presents: Daniel LIVE" '24) plus a video, Joshua Enck ("I Heard the Bells" '22) and Jonathan Blair ("Found on South Street" '15) plus a short. Again, considering the lack of experience these writers have, this script was well thought out and the fluidity was as seasoned as any other writer in the biz. This writing and directing crew will undoubtedly go places in the very near distant future. Whitfield was definitely one of the great evangelistic, humble yet powerful preachers back in the day along with John Wesley and later with Amy Semple McPherson and C.S. Lewis. 

This is certainly a film for all to see--whether one is a Christian or not since it can and will speak to all hearts if they simply allow that to happen and does it in such a loving way. The writing, directing and acting, especially by John Paul Sneed and Jonathan Blair as Franklin and Whitfield respectively was amazing and captivating. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                            Rated: PG-13                                   129mins.

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist

When it comes to the genre of film, documentaries are probably one of my favorite simply because of their passion, objectivity (assuming they're really that) and the array of eclectic subject matter which can span many topics, The sky is the limit: sports, politics, entertainment, science religion, etc to mention a handful. Now we have "The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist" to sink our teeth into.

A father-to-be, Daniel Roher attempts to figure out what is happening with all this AI insanity. "The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist" is a hand-made, eye-opening documentary about the most powerful technology humanity has ever created..and what's at stake if we get it wrong. This is an exhaustive expose with director Daniel Roher ("Ghosts of Our Forest" '17, "Once Were Brothers" '19, "Navalny" '22, "Blink" '24, "Turner" '25) plus TV and shorts). It was also directed by Charlie Tyrell (TV, shorts and videos). As stated, Roher was involved with in-depth interviews about the pros and potential cons of AI with Sam Altman, CEO, Open AI, Daniela Amodei, President & Co-Founder, Anthropic, Dario Amodei, CEO & Co-Founder, Anthropic, Demis Hassabis, CEO & Co-Founder, Google Deepmind, Peter Lee, President, Microsoft Research, and many many others with final conclusions that if we don't work together as people who want to do the right thing, AI could, if left unchecked, create situations that could harm our society. It's sobering. but on the other hand, if continually checked, AI would help our society immensely. It's our call as a people. Do we want to have children in our near future? Will many people lose their jobs do to AI? These questions and many more were asked and tackled through objective discussions. 

I truly want to encourage all to see this film--if not in the theater, on Netflix once it reaches that, since this doesn't actually need to be seen on the large screen to receive the full impact. AI is here and I really don't believe it's going anywhere. We, as a society, need to realize its full potential and gear AI to a place that will benefit us all, and not be involved for greed and avarice reasons. It looks as though AI can be our best friend or our worst enemy--it's really up to us. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                    Rated: PG-13                                      104min.

Project Hail Mary

There is sci-fi, then there's sci-fi with humor and heart all wrapped up in a story of the survival of Earth all in the form of "Project Hail Mary". For an individual that's usually not an avid sci-fi fan, this was one of those true exceptions. This had it all: adventure, intensity, humor and heart rolled up into a modern masterpiece.

Science teacher Dr. Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there.As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything and one on Earth from extinction mostly through his boss of the mission Eva Stratt (Sandra Huller)...but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

Others to round out the cast are James Ortiz as the voice of Rocky, Lionel Boyce as Carl, Ken Leung as Yao, Mia Soteriou as Dr. Browne, Milana Vayntrub as Olesya Ilyukhina, Priya Kansara as the voice of Mary, Annelle Olaleye as Olivia and Maya Eva Hosein as Rekha. 

This was wonderfully directed with suspense and heart by Phil Lord ("Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" '09, "21 Jump Street" '12, "The Lego Movie" '14, "22 Jump Street" '14) plus TV, and Christopher Miller ("Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" '09, "21 Jump Street" '12, "The Lego Movie" '14, "22 Jump Street"'14) plus TV and a short. By their very resume, these two filmmakers are clearly a team and work incredibly well with one another, and this film proves that in spades. the camaraderie between Grace and Rocky was simply amazing--about as well structured as any team of characters considering one of them was an alien. And this being an almost solo performance by Gosling was equally amazing that he was, through these talented directors, able to carry this film to the point that captured one's attention in a way that came across effortlessly.  It was equally impeccably written by Drew Goddard ("Cloverfield" '08, "The Cabin in the Woods" '11, "World War Z" '13, "The Martian" '15, "Bad Times at the El Royale'18) plus TV and a short, based on the novel by Andy Weir. Considering this was written by the same screenwriter and based on the novel by the same novelist as "The Martian", it's no wonder that this would be as well structured as any film could be. The chemistry between Grace and his alien friend Rocky was incredible. This movie was sequenced well and was amazingly captivating with its cohesiveness, conciseness and was a very tight and organized script, especially given that it was formatted as a flashback. It's truly why we go to the movies!. The acting by Gosling was stunning as were the production values, i.e.music, cinematography, editing, sound effects and visual effects. 

This is a film that all must see--it's got crowd pleaser written all over it! It has adventure, action, suspense, humor and heart all rolled up in a film that will leave everyone wanting to stand up and cheer. It is wonderful to see a film that is made for all audiences--not just a handful and be artful at the same time time. Enjoy this gem, I know I did!

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                           Rated: PG-13                                         156mins.

  

The Pout-Pout Fish

When it comes to animated films, we have the usual companies such as Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, even Blue Sky to create many animated flicks, but now we have an Australian film company, Macmillan Publishing to create "The Pout-Pout Fish" to sink our teeth into. 

Living on a rundown shipwreck, Mr. Fish (Nick Offerman) one day discovers a hyperactive young sea dragon Pip (Nina Oyama)--who had mistaken his home for a junkyard pilfering his belongings. The heated argument that ensues leaves both their houses in ruin. But there is hope. Embarking on a seemingly impossible quest in search of a mythical "Shimmer" (Jordin Sparks) to grant them a wish, there's only one problem: someone else is on the hunt. 

Others to round out the cast are Remy Hii as Benji, Miranda Otto as Marin, Nazeem Hussain as Archie, Andrew Buchanan as Red Starfish, Amy Sedaris as Pink Dolphins, Mark Coles Smith as Hector, Bessie Holland as Baz, Mel Buttle as Shaz and Grant Denyer as Beautiful Mike. 

This was directed with heart by Ricard Russo ("The Wishmas Tree" '19, "Combat Wombat" '20, "Daisy Quokka: World's Scariest Animal" '20 "Scarygirl" '23, "Combat Wombat: Back 2 Back" '23, "A Sloth Story" (co-director) '24, "Mission Santa: Yoyo to the Rescue" '25) plus TV and shorts, and it was co-directed by Rio Harrington (visual effects). I could truly appreciate the staging, pacing and the different angle shots this director used to achieve the effects he was looking for. Even though the co-director had no other feature films to his credit, he was still pivotal with the impact he was able to convey. It was cleverly written by Elise Allen, Elie Choufany and Dominic Morris, based on the book by Deborah Diesen and illustrated by Dan Hanna. This film has a somewhat childlike format, but since it is based on a children's book series, the script was aptly written. The message? overcoming bad moods with an element of joy--something we can all learn from. Other than a couple of places of slowness (I know, it's only 90 minutes long), it, after a point moved right along and ultimately conveyed the message it was intending to unfold. Even though these writers have virtually no feature film experience, all of their massive amount of TV, shorts and video experience have certainly served them well. They will undoubtedly receive more work. 

If you like animated films, this will hit home. It was purposely written in a childlike format hence its base being a children's book. This is something for the entire family--if fact since it is about ridding of consistent bad moods and replace them with joyful situations, it's definitely something we all can learn from and take to heart. It has heart and soul and will truly move you. 

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                  Rated: PG                                         91mins'

Reminders of Him

Most romance drama type films are fairly typical in their creation, however "Reminders of Him" is a bit different in that it involves the loss of a young woman's boyfriend in a car accident, only unbeknownst to the boyfriend's best buddy that this young woman was his buddy's girlfriend. It's an interesting turn of events that definitely goes against the odds. 

After a perfect outing with her boyfriend, Scotty Landry (Rudy Pankow), Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe), makes an unbearable mistake that sends her to prison. Seven years later, Kenna returns to her hometown in Wyoming, hoping to rebuild her life and earn the chance to reunite with her young daughter, Diem Landry (Zoe Kosovic), whom she has never known. When Diem's custodial grandparents, Patrick and Grace Landry (Bradley Whitford and Lauren Graham) respectively, adamantly refuse Kenna's attempts to see her daughter, Kenna discovers unexpected compassion, and then something truer and deeper, with former NFL player and local bar owner Ledger Ward (Tyriq Withers), who is Kenna's late boyfried's buddy. As their secret romance develops, so do the dangers for both of them, leading Kenna toward heartbreak and, ultimately, the hope for a second chance. 

Others to round out the cast are Nicholas Duvernay as Roman, Jennifer Robertson as Ruth, Lainey Wilson as Gage, Hilary Jardine as Mary Anne, Monika Myers as Lady Diana, Skye MacDonald as Stacey, Jillian Walchuck as Whitney and Laird Reghenas as Gage's manager. 

This was directed with compassion, heart all with a tenseness about it considering the story line by Vanessa Caswill ("Love at First Sight" '23) plus TV, shorts and a music video. Considering the fact that she has only one feature film to her credit, she's an accomplished director. Certainly all the shorts and TV she has directed has served her well. She had the task to encourage her actors to do a substantial amount of character flip-flopping with the characters, especially the leads, Monroe and Withers, and with that, she will receive more work. It was effectively penned well by writers, Lauren Levine and Colleen Hoover (novels and videos), based on the novel by Colleen Hoover. Because the premise of this was somewhat different than we've seen in other romance dramas, it allowed its audience to be more interested in it. In fact, I felt it was far more interesting than I expected. The different family dynamics were complex, yet it was made clear that one could only imagine what it would be like in to be in either Ledger or Kenna's place--this was implemented quite well. Really, other than a few short moments soon after the film started that were a bit slow and were a bit tough to believe, it was a cohesive and tightly written film. I'm sure that one of the writer's that wrote the novel the film was based on didn't hurt.

If you like romance drama films, this will hit home, especially given that the story was something that one doesn't see in this particular genre. This has effective directing, interesting writing and the chemistry between the two leads, Monroe and Withers are worth the price of admission.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                     Rated: PG-13                                    115mins.

Hoppers

Ever since Pixar Animation Studios produced "Toy Story" back in 1995, we have seen a plethora of films since. "Toy Story 5" will be released this May, to give an interesting perspective on their longevity. The bevy of their films have been genius, however a few lesser than perfect ones did slip through the cracks. Now we have "Hoppers" in the offing to sit back and enjoy.

What if you could talk to animals and understand what they're saying? In Disney and Pixar's all-new feature film "Hoppers", scientists including Dr. Sam (Kathy Najimy), Nisha (Aparna Nancherla) and Conner (Sam Richardson) have discovered how to 'hop' human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals! The adventure introduces Mabel (Piper Curda), an animal lover who seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined. 

Others to round out the cast are Bobby Moynihan as King George, Jon Hamm as Mayor Jerry Generazzo, Dave Franco as Insect King, Meryl Streep as Insect Queen, Karen Huie as Grandma Tanaka, Isiah Whitlock Jr as Bird King, Eduardo Franco as Loaf and Tom Law as Tom Lizard. 

This was directed wit heart and passion by Daniel Chong ("We Bare Bears: The Movie" (TV movie) '20) plus a video. This filmmaker doesn't have any other feature film under his belt, however the expertise this film provided is exemplary and proves he's a natural and will receive more work. It was cleverly written by Jesse Andrews ("Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" '15, "Every Day" '18, "Luca" '21, "Elio" (additional screenplay) '25) plus TV and a video, based on a story by Daniel Chong and Jesse Andrews. The premise of this film, however bizarre, was different and original. It started out with a bang, but fairly soon became slow and was wandering. Then, all of a sudden, it picked up and became the story they were definitely looking for. This writer does have some experience, but since brilliant former Pixar writers such as Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich, who were involved with the producing certainly had an impact on the writing which had to have helped. These former writers along with Andrew Stanton were gold to Pixar and helped put them on the filmmaking map. 

Please do not use the trailer to encourage you to see the film--the trailer doesn't sell it. I almost didn't go see this by viewing the trailer, but after watching it, I would recommend anyone to see this. Sure, it does scream environmental, but in a healthy way. We all should be good stewards of this planet, however this film doesn't shove it down your throat. So, grab the popcorn and enjoy!

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                      Rated: PG                                            104mins.

The Bride!

The 'Frankenstein' franchise is probably one of the longest there is out of all the franchises in Hollywood's history, and it simply keeps showing the endurance of it. Ever since its premiere back in 1931, with its first sequel, "The Bride of Frankenstein" in 1935, the audiences have been hooked. Now, after many incarnations, we have "The Bride!" which is effective with a few more visuals and graphic presentation.

Frankenstein's monster (Christian Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to seek the aide of a Dr. Cornelia Euphronius (Annette Bening) in creating a companion for him. So, the doctor reinvigorates a murdered young woman, Ida (Jessie Buckley) and the Bride is born. She is beyond what either of them intended, igniting a combustible romance, the attention of the police, including Detective Jake Wiles (Peter Sarsgaard) and his assistant, Myrna Malloy (Penelope Cruz) and a wild and radical social movement. 

Others to round out the cast are Jeannie Berlin as Greta, John Magaro as Clyde, Jake Gyllenhaal as Ronnie Reed, Matthew Maher as James, Zlatko Buric as Lupino, Louis Cancelmi as Officer Goodman, Julianne Hough as Iris/Jinx and Massiel Mordan as Mable.

This was graphically and darkly directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal ("The Lost Daughter" '21) plus TV. Maggie, like her brother, Jake are consummate actors and have proven themselves time and again, so, even though this director only has one other feature film to her credit, she is definitely a natural. This is the first time she has directed her brother Jake. Other actors have made the transition from acting to directing, i.e. Clint Eastwood, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, and others, so, it's not exactly novel that yet another actor would attempt the same. She made these characters that these actors portrayed come to life and jump off the screen--it was amazing. It was also written by Maggie Gyllenhaal ("The Lost Daughter" '21) plus TV. This is where an artist needs to understand their limitations; where her directing skills are consummate, her writing skills simply needed polish. This script was a bit disjointed and jumped too much--it was difficult, at times, to keep up with the pace of the film. Of late, there have been so many directors that attempt to write their films and visa versa, and this becomes , or has become an issue. Filmmakers need to realize their limitations and hire a seasoned writer for there project. Pay a bit more with the whole idea of a better return on the investment. This has an interesting premise, not to mention an accomplished crew--actors, cinematographer, editor, costume designer, production designer, so why not continue and hire a great a very talented writer and assure for an incredible project? Was the screenplay a wash? No, it simply needed more polish. 

Certainly if you like or have cinematic respect for this franchise, you will like this, but since it is 2026, it's definitely an updated view replete with many F-bombs, lots of graphic scenes along with enough blood, but it is a dark horror flick with a dash of subtle dark humor. Very possible that Bale, Buckley and Bening could be up for Oscar nods come that time. And if you like that up, close and personal feel, it is presented in an IMAX format as well. 

.Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                          Rated: R                                           126mins.

Pillion

There are independent films out there and there are independent films that basically live on the cusp. As for the film, "Pillion", an unorthodox indie film that is unapologetically is s portrayal of the underworld of a biker's lifestyle and their pillions who ride behind them on the bike. There have been some other indie films that delve into the seedy gay scene, either partly or wholly, i.e. "Midnight Express", "Cruising", and others, but this is definitely a seedy look at that particular lifestyle. 

Colin (Harry Melling), a weedy wallflower letting life pass him by, meets Ray (Alexander Skarsgard), the impossibly handsome leader of a motorbike club, who then takes him on as his submissive. Ray uproots Colin from his dreary suburban life, introducing him to a community of kinky, queer bikers and taking all sorts of virginities along the way. But as Colin steps deeper into Ray's world of rules and mysteries, he begins to question whether the life of a 24/7 submissive is for him. Has he found his calling, or simply swapped one form of suffocation for another?

Others to round out the cast are Douglas Hodge as Pete, Colin's dad, Lesley Sharp as Peggy, Colin's mum, Jake Shears as Kevin, Mat Hill as Steve, Nick Figgis as Don, Zoe Engerer as Don's wife, Jake Sharp as Chigs and Jacob Carter as Cousin Roy.

This was directed with grit and subtle intensity by Harry Lighton (shorts). Even though this is this filmmaker's first outing as a feature film director, his amount of shorts certainly was able to serve him well since this was directed with such subtleness and intensity as he was able to encourage his actors to dig deep in finding the characters in themselves. I can easily see him behind the camera in future shorts where he has proven himself, and possibly directing another feature film if given the right vehicle. It was written also by Harry Lighton (shorts), based on the book "Box Hill" by Adam Mars-Jones. I can't be positive of the thoughts going on in Lighton's mind when constructing this script since the film had a tendency to convey the 'lostness' of these two men as they grapple with this particular lifestyle, especially that of Colin. But even with that of Ray, there seemed to be that underlying difficulty with his sexuality where so many aspects in his life was so stoic and overly serious. Some would say that I don't understand that life--and I don't, however there are times in our lives where we can and do act human. There were times Ray would lighten up, but most of the time, he lived an extremely lonely life. As for the writing, it did have some sequencing issues and became, at times, disjointed, but all in all, this being his first feature film screenplay, he did well considering this lifestyle must be difficult to write about and be convincing. The best thing about this is the acting by both Skarsgard (Ray) and Melling (Colin), which were very convincing roles. 

Being the extreme film it is, this is definitely not a film for all to view hence the not-rated (NR) rating, but if this suits your fancy, you'll be at home. The acting and directing were done with deftness and expertise. You certainly don't have to see in the theater to get the full impact, but worthy if this fare is your liking.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                          Rated NR                                           105mins.

How to Make a Killing

Comedies, and more to the point, dark comedies can be a unique way to tell a story, however if not polished as much as would be needed, can end up as a letdown, as with the case of "How to Make a Killing".This film's trailer was funny in that it came across as a premise of: get them before they get you. This wasn't actually the premise which created a plot that became confusing.

Disowned at birth by his obscenely wealthy family, blue-collar Becket Redfellow (Glen Powell) will stop at nothing to reclaim his inheritance, no matter how many relatives stand in his way. Becket feels that since he is a member of the family, whether certain people realize that or not, he still feels that he is entitled once that time occurs, even though this family including Taylor Fedfellow (Raff Law), Steven Redfellow (Topher Grace), Cassandra Redfellow (Bianca Amato), Noah Redfellow (Zach Woods), and even the patriarch, Whitelaw Redfellow (Ed Harris) adamantly stand in his way. Couple that with his life-long friend, Julia (Margaret Qualley) and her husband Lyle (James Frecheville) end up attempting to blackmail him. 

Others to round out the cast are Bill Camp as Warren Redfellow, Jessica Henwick as Ruth, Phumi Tau as FBI Agent Megan Pinfield, Stevel Marc as FBI Agent Brad Matthews, Nell Williams as Mary Redfellow and Adrian Lukis as Father Morris

This was directed with grit and intensity by John Patton Ford ("Emily the Criminal" '22) plus a short. This was a bit stiff in its staging, otherwise it was executed with decent pacing. It was also a bit disjointed in the approach of the character development, all in all, the direction was decent. It was also written by John Patton Ford ("Emily the Criminal" '22, "Metal Man" (TV movie) '23) plus a short. This is where the actual issues ensued whereas the script ended up being a bit disjointed in the fluidity of this screenplay, not to mention it did not have, what I thought, the same premise that the trailer seemed to be laying out. I thought, and still think would be a better idea, it would be that these family members were so vigilant in protecting their 23 billion-dollar inheritance, that if anyone made any inroads in challenging them of this, there would be a 'war'. However, it became a situation where, even though these rich, conceited family members were obnoxious, they really, on the most part, had no idea who Becket was, especially the younger, more entitled ones. So, Becket being 'low on the totem pole', for inheritance, they had to go. It was truly difficult to feel sorry for just about any one character in this, whether they were family or not. And with this, the film truly was remiss in pulling its audience in. It definitely had some redeeming sequences in this: the dark humor, the acting and simply watching them 'go at it' with each other, Ford is definitely not a natural, and with that,just wasn't quite ready for prime time.

If you're looking for more of a comedic film, this isn't that sort of film. It's not a fratfall type movie, however humorous. It has a great ensemble cast and effective acting. It certainly is a good way to go watch something to get away from all the trials and troubles going on in the world today.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                                      Rated: R                                             106mins.

I Can Only Imagine 2

When "I Can Only Imagine" was released back in 2018, who knew that this smaller inspirational film would become the phenomena it did? And with that, the makers of it mulled it over and then decided to create a follow up appropriately titled "I Can Only Imagine 2". This simply continues the true spiritual story of the Christian band MercyMe at their peak of success.

After the breakout success of "I Can Only Imagine", lead singer Bart Millard (John Michael Finley) is living the dream--sold-out arenas, a devoted fanbase, and a thriving career. But Bart's world begins to shift under the weight of devastating challenges, including a life-changing diagnosis of type one diabetes for his young son, Sam (Sammy Dell). As Bart struggles to hold his family together, his wife Shannon (Sophie Skelton) becomes the steady anchor--caring for Sam, supporting Bart, and holding on to hope when it feels far away. When Sam and newcomer Tim Timmons (Milo Ventimiglia) join the band for their biggest tour yet, Bart must navigate the demands of fatherhood and the pressures of fame, all while helping his son find the courage to sing his own song. 

Others to round out the cast are Arielle Kebbel as Hilary Timmons, Tim's wife, Dennis Quaid as Arthur, Bart's dad, Trace Adkins as Scott 'Brick' Brickell, Jason Burkey as Mike, Randy McDowell as Jim, Mark Furze as Nathan, Nicole DuPort as Amy Grant and Anjelah Johnson-Reyes as Dr. Ramirez.

This was powerfully directed with heart and conviction by Andrew Irwin ("The Cross and the Towers" '06, "Alumni" (TV movie) '09, "October Baby" '11, "Mom's Night Out" '14, "Woodlawn" '15, "I Can Only Imagine" '18, "I Still Believe" '20, "American Underdog" '21, "The Jesus Music" '21) plus TV, videos and a music video, and Brent McCorkle ("Unconditional" '12, "Jesus Revolution" '23) plus TV and a short. Since the original was directed by Andrew Irwin and his brother Jon, it definitely helps that this sequel was directed by one of them lest the same feel of characters might not match well. What does keep this fresher is that it did introduce some new characters i.e. Ventmiglia (Tim) and Dell (Sam) which kept it more captivating. This was paced and staged well, as was what they were attempting to convey to their audience which was empathy and conviction. It was written with humbleness and redemption by Brent McCorkle ("Unconditional" '12, "I Can Only Imagine" '18) plus a short. This was basically a continuation of where "I Can Only Imagine" left off. This script was written in a tight, cohesive and heartwarming way--going from success to tragedy, from tragedy to humbleness, from humbleness to redemption which is something that Christians do go through to live the life that God wants them to lead. This was written unapologetically showing that being a Christian can be difficult, however the reward of God's grace always awaits. Considering this involves the Irwin Brothers and McCorkle--kings of the inspirational/Christian type films, it's no wonder why this was as effective as it was. 

If this genre is something of your liking, this is the film for you. This film is for all to see--not just Christians. Everyone will receive something from this movie considering all have issues and all need God in their life (whether they realize this or not). It pulls the heartstrings without being maudlin and sentimental like some of these films can be. And it's a captivating closure to its original story. 

Out of 4 Stars: 4                                            Rated: PG                                           111mins.

GOAT

Even though animated films typically are released in summer, sometimes film companies like to get a head start prior, even though it's only February. Sony Pictures Animation felt that better now than later to release "GOAT" so as to profit as much as they could considering how aggressive the film industry can be.

From Sony Pictures Animation, comes "GOAT", an original action-comedy set in an all-animal world.The story follows Will (Caleb McLaughlin), a small goat with big dreams who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball--a high intensity, co-ed, full contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world. Will's new teammates, including Jett Fillmore (Gabrielle Union), Lenny Williamson (Stephen Curry), Olivia Burke (Nicola Coughlan), Archie Everhardt (David Harbour) and Modo Olachenko (Nick Kroll) aren't thrilled about having a little goat on their roster, but Will is determined to revolutionize the sport and prove once and for all that "smalls can ball!"

Others to round out the cast are Aaron Pierce as Mane Attraction, Jenifer Lewis as Flo Everson, Patton Oswalt as Dennis Cooper, Jelly Roll as Grizz, Jennifer Hudson as Louise Harris, Will's mom, Andrew Santino as Chuck, Bobby Lee as Rusty, Ayesha Curry as Carol, Wayne Knight as Frank, Sherry Cola as Hannah and Eduardo Franco as Daryl.

This was directed with excitement, yet grit by Tyree Dillihay (TV and a video) and co-directed by Adam Rosette (TV). Even though neither of these filmmakers have any feature film experience, they definitely proved themselves worthy behind the camera. Are they naturals? Not sure, but suffice it to say, this film was delightfully well organized and well thought out in its staging, pacing, lighting, layouts, etc. They will receive future work. It was well executed by writers Aaron Buchsbaum ((TV) and Teddy Riley (TV), based on a screen story by Nicolas Curcio and Peter Chiarelli, which is inspired by the book "Funky Dunks" by Chris Tougas. Again, these writers, as with the directors have no feature film work under their belts which is amazing. Were there any flaws? Sure, as the film was getting going, the story, at first, seemed like I've seen this story many times over--simply take out the animals and put in people and viola, a very similar story. But, as the story continued to unfold, the plot became more interesting--a bit different than the usual underdog with raw talent, but not given the opportunity to showcase what they can do, even with a certain amount of support. This film was written in a way that each teammate had their own 'crosses to bare', not just Will, so it created more of an interest. Then the film picked up and it became a very effective film. The animation by Sony Pictures Animation was perfection and truly enhanced the story even more. 

First of all, if you like animation, this hits a home run, and secondly, if you like a great underdog story, which most people do, then this will be a film that you'll want to bring the entire family to see. And the story certainly teaches us all that we need each other and that 'no man is an island', and that whatever is going on in our lives, we can't do it on our own.

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

Crime 101

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dracula

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

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

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

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

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