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A Perfect World Movie Review

2025-09-08T02:00:00.129-04:00

A Perfect World (1993)

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Written by: John Lee Hancock
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Kevin Costner, T.J. Lowther, Clint Eastwood, Laura Dern, Bradley Whitford
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
A kidnapped boy strikes up a friendship with his captor, an escaped convict on the run from the law.

Verdict
While it's overly sentimental, it does such a great job with the odd couple pairing. A boy with a strict mother is on the run with a criminal who ends up being a father figure the boy never had. While Butch is the typical charismatic criminal, he resolves to be the father he never had to a boy that needs guidance. This isn't what you'd expect an escaped convict to do, but it ends up being incredibly touching.
Watch It.

Review
Such an idyllic opening with Butch (Kevin Costner) lying in a field as a breeze blows money around. If you're guessing there's a twist to this, it's the how we got here trope.

Butch escapes prison with another inmate, where they steal a car and then break into a house for food and clothes. We quickly see that Butch is the reasonable one and his companion plays the typical crazy criminal that would fire his pistol into the air just for attention. Then again, Butch does kidnap a kid, Buzz (T. J. Lowther), and uses him to guard the other inmate with a pistol.

T. J. Lowther, Kevin Costner play Buzz, Butch

Butch exemplifies this dichotomy of a malicious yet charismatic criminal. We've seen Butch commit multiple crimes, but he has a way of talking to Buzz, coaxing him into helping out by treating him like an adult. Buzz is a Jehovah's witness, sheltered from many things in the world, but Butch identifies with the kid. Neither of them had a present father. The criminal and the precocious kid is a bit of a fairy tale, but that also makes it endearing. Butch buys clothes from a department store for Buzz, but when the police show up Butch has to run. He stops to pick up Buzz, offering the kid a choice to stay or go.

The story gives them both someone they never had. Butch gets to be the father he wishes he had, while Buzz has someone that provides encouragement and life advice. Butch believes in making your own choices, be them good or bad. You've got to figure out who you are, and Buzz hasn't had the chance. He has a philosophy, and he tells Buzz to make a list of all the things he never got to do. Butch is smart enough to know this is his chance to be a dad, and with that he can give Buzz opportunities he's never had, free of stifling boundaries.

Clint Eastwood, Bradley Whitford, Laura Dern play Chief Garnett, Bobby Lee, Sally Gerber

Chief Garnett (Clint Eastwood) chases Butch throughout the movie, and it turns out he has a past with Butch though Butch doesn't remember him. Garnett realizes Butch isn't malicious, and he feels a degree of responsibility lingering from the past. Unfortunately, the others in Garnett's party are more wary. You can't trust criminals.

This is such a touching conclusion. Butch negotiates on behalf of the boy instead of himself. Even with his mom present, Buzz is hesitant to leave Butch. They each got something they never head; one a son and the other a father. During this we see Garnett's concern for Butch's safety. This isn't what you'd expect from a movie about an escaped convict, but the emotional moments are incredibly touching. This is a great performance by Costner

When Harry Met Sally... Movie Review

2025-09-05T02:00:00.079-04:00

When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

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Written by: Nora Ephron
Directed by: Rob Reiner
Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Two strangers share a car trip from Chicago to New York, discovering it is impossible for men and women to be "just friends."

Verdict
The premise in the movie is that men and women can't be just friends, it will always lead to something more. Through the rest of the movie we see Harry and Sally grow closer. We want them to get together as that's how movies work. This tells us they can't be friends while a large portion of the movie is them being friends. They try to deny it, but they both know. When they finally have that moment together, they don't know what to do and both flee. It's the end to what could have been a relationship and their friendship, but neither are happy being apart. They miss the other, and they're mourning the relationship. Distraught Harry goes to Sally and admits he can't live without her. It's a romance movie that defies the typical story. The leads spend most of the movie emphatic they don't like each other while the audience knows they do.
Watch It.

Review
This spans decades, starting when Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) meet in college, sharing a ride. It's clear she's a planner and likes a degree of control while Harry is carefree yet pessimistic. They bicker from the start with Harry asserting she's uptight because she's never had good sex. He then asserts, one of the most quoted lines from the movie, that men and women can't be friends as sex always gets in the way. Any male friend a woman has, he wants sex. It's clear she's not interested, and since they can't be friends, there's just nothing there.

Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal play Sally, Harry

Five years later they run into each other at the airport. He remembers her due to a complicated drink order. It's ten years after college that they become friends. She's just broken up with her boyfriend and he's newly separated. Harry is surprised and impressed at his platonic relationship with Sally. He doesn't have to impress her and he can be completely honest while getting a female perspective on relationships. But this contradicts the original premise of the movie. They can't just be friends despite appearances. Will the movie sustain or defy the premise? Has Harry just matured since college?

Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan play Harry, Sally

There's the famous scene in a deli where Harry states his girlfriend is obviously satisfied. Sally counters that an orgasm can be faked, demonstrating that in the restaurant much to Harry's chagrin and the interest of everyone surrounding them.

They try to set each other up with their best friends, denying their chemistry, only for the best friends to more interested in each other. We're shipping Harry and Sally, and they seem destined to be together with the way they rely and defend each other. When she's upset about her ex getting married, they have sex. He's distraught at losing a friend and the relationship changing. They're both weird about the situation, drifting apart. Finally Harry goes to Sally and admits his feelings. That's the movie's finale with a quick epilogue that they were soon married. This epilogue follows interstitials of different older couples that relate how they met and how long they've been married. This movie has been Harry and Sally's meet cute.

The Godfather Part III Movie Review

2025-09-04T02:00:00.293-04:00

The Godfather Part III (1990)

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Written by: Mario Puzo & Francis Ford Coppola
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Andy Garcia, Talia Shire, Eli Wallach, Joe Mantegna, Bridget Fonda, Sofia Coppola
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Michael Corleone, now in his 60s, seeks to free his family from crime and find a suitable successor to his empire.

Verdict
The fact that Coppola refused to make a third movie until he needed money is a big indicator of what to expect. It doesn't help that this tries to make an unnecessary addition to two highly regarded movies; that alone is a lot to overcome. Bearing the Godfather name requires this to ascribe to a higher standard.
This feels like The Godfather in name only. Michael isn't the same character. This is '90s Pacino's take on the person when his characters were over the top. The movie wants to create plot lines for a successor and a love interest for his daughter, combining them into a first cousin romance. Instead of creating a meaningful sequel, it seems the writers opted for misguided fan service. For a completely unnecessary sequel, this frequently references the past movies. Without The Godfather name this still wouldn't be a good movie, but in this franchise it's an even greater blemish.
Skip it.

Review
Coppola refused the offer for a third film, but the financial failure of his 1982 musical fantasy One from the Heart (1981) led to Coppola accepting Paramount's long-standing offer to make the third movie.

The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone is a re-edited version of Part III and not a different movie. Released in 2020 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Part III, Coppola oversaw the alterations featuring a different opening, story structure which alters the pacing, and some edited scenes which result in a shorter runtime. It's considered to be better than Part III.

Before this movie even begins, The Godfather Part II (1974) concluded Michael's (Al Pacino) story. He gained dominance but lost his family. This is a soft reboot by default to add to his story. Every movie starts with a celebration, and in this one Michael gets an award from the church for his generous giving. After the ceremony the Don conducts business in his office. Vincent (Andy Garcia) wars with one of Michael's captains Zasa. Vincent is impulsive, rough around the edges. He's a young upstart, even attacking Zasa in front of Michael. Later Zasa stages an attack on Michael. That's the underpinning to the plot of the entire movie.

Al Pacino plays Michael Corleone

Michael wants to sell shares of his casinos so he can buy shares from the Vatican in a real estate company. He may finally take the family legitimate.

This lacks the subtlety of the previous movies. Kay (Diane Keaton) tells Michael she knows about Fredo. She's never been that direct with him. Maybe things have changed over time, but it's quite the leap without a bridge. Mary (Sofia Coppola) later asks Vincent if her dad killed Fredo. This is the movie's way to reminding us of Michael's sins despite how he appears in this movie.

In another scene Michael has brought all of the crime families together. They're sitting around a conference table when a helicopter descends outside the window and shoots up the room. That seems like 90s action bloat. Zasa may be the culprit, but the act itself is blatant. While Michael disrespects Zasa during the meeting, Zasa would have had to plan the attack prior to that. Somehow Zasa, Michael, and Vincent are the only ones that make it out alive. It's quite convenient for our main characters.

Then there's the romance between Mary and Vincent... who are first cousins. None of the characters seem that alarmed. Michael's against it, calling her out for dating her cousin but he doesn't stop it. She runs away like she's twelve right into the arms of her cousin. Sonny's kid is a nice pull, and I get that. Mary doesn't even need to be in this movie, much less a love interest. The story wants a family member to take over and shoehorn a romance too. For whatever inexplicable reason this doesn't want to separate the two.

Sofia Coppola, Andy Garcia play Mary Corleone, Vincent Mancini

Vincent carries out an execution on Al Neri and Connie's order, but are they really the ones in charge when Michael is incapacitated? When did Connie step into a power seat? She's always been a liability, spoiled, and dependent on Michael to fund her free wheeling lifestyle. While characters can change, this movie does nothing to insinuate she, or any of the characters, have changed.

Half way in this is adequate, not great. The problem is that it's a sequel to two of the greatest films in the medium. Even Coppola had enough sense to avoid a follow up until he needed a paycheck. That's all you really need to know about this movie. It's uninspiring. Michael is still trying to go legit. Bringing up plot points from the first movie is dangerous. Why remind me of a better movie? I always assumed Michael never told anyone about Apollonia. He was always so private. In this Mary looks at photos of Apollonia longingly. It's strange she doesn't have some resentment to the woman that represents a betrayal to her mom.

Michael in Part III doesn't seem like the same character in previous films. He goes on a Sicily tour with Kay, a woman that doesn't like him, and they have a long talk. She should be shocked, he probably says more to her in this movie than he did their entire marriage in the franchise on and off screen. While it could be Michael becoming nostalgic in his old age, how does he overcome Kay's abortion in Part II? He perceived it as a grave offense, and now he doesn't mind. I just don't buy it. Both should be more conflicted, but instead they're reconciling. Michael even in this movie is vindictive. How can he forgive Kay's betrayal? It just doesn't match. I can get the regret and some of the nostalgia, but it feels like fan service. There's no connection to Michael of the previous movies, and this needs some kind of link if it's going to pivot a main character. One scene where we see he's still got it or can still muster that icy stare would help. While Michael is different, even frail in a couple of scenes and a lot of time has passed, he might as well be a different character. Coppola is giving fans a misguided story he thinks they want instead of digging deep to create a meaningful addition to the series, by fundamentally changing characters. That's the root of the problem. This is The Godfather in name only. It feels like 90s Pacino playing Michael when Pacino's characters in the decade had an over the top quality, most notable in Scent of a Woman. This interpretation of Michael slides into that a bit too easily. To write off Michael as having changed as he's aged is too convenient of an excuse.

Zodiac Movie Review

2025-09-03T02:00:00.191-04:00

Zodiac (2007)

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Written by: James Vanderbilt (screenplay), Robert Graysmith (book)
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, John Carroll Lynch, Chloë Sevigny, Elias Koteas, Dermot Mulroney, Donal Logue, June Diane Raphael
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A San Franciso newspaper cartoonist obsessed with solving San Francisco's infamous "Zodiac" serial killer case closes in on a suspect long after the case has become cold.

Verdict
The enduring question is who did it. We follow along from the beginning with the same clues trying to determine the answer. There has to be an answer in all these facts, but that obsession with finding the answer is the downfall of several characters. In most movies the pieces fit together neatly at the end, sometimes too close to the beginning. With this, it never quite fits. We can guess with a reasonable assurance, but you never get the smoking gun. This not only relays the facts of the case, but makes us feel the hope, fear, and anxiety that this case generated in so many.
Watch It.

Review
An introductory scene shows an unseen murderer attacking a couple parked in their car at night. From there we start the story proper with cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) at the newspaper the day the Zodiac Killer sends a letter claiming the murder with a coded message. This starts his fascination with the case and its puzzles that later becomes an obsession. While he can't solve the cipher, a history teacher eventually does.

Another murder of a couple occurs as this killer terrorizes a city. The killer continues to send more letters to newspapers, threatening to kill more people if his musings aren't published. We know he'll kill anyway, but you can't risk exacerbating the situation. His letters seek attention, clamoring for the spotlight. While reporter Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.) initially dismisses Graysmith, and we understand why, they form a partnership in part for Graysmith's predilection for puzzles.

Robert Downey Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal play Paul Avery, Robert Graysmith

Happening across multiple jurisdictions makes coordination difficult. A mistaken description means the cops narrowly miss "Zodiac" one night. Four crime scenes in, cops Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and Armstrong (Anthony Edwards) aren't any further than the newspaper. The story is the talk of the town because it's so salacious. The killer toys with everyone using letters and ciphers. Then he even calls in to a television station. Additional calls and letters leave everyone wondering if it's the Zodiac or other people seeking attention. There's no way to confirm whether it's him or others wanting to be a part of the investigation by claiming kills and providing information. That makes it difficult to sift through real and fake. It's how the police initially lost a phone tip.

Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards play Dave Toschi, Bill Armstrong

Arthur Leigh Allen (John Carroll Lynch) has several connections to the admittedly circumstantial evidence. While there's nothing directly incriminating, despite searching Allen's house, it's the closest suspect they've had. Is the lack of evidence because he's the killer and very good or because he's not the guy? With nothing concrete the case stalls.

Years later Graysmith still chases the Zodiac Killer. He tries to pull everything together, picking up on things that were missed and not coordinated. With so many departments involved and several unaware of what was happening initially, plenty of information was missed. You need someone to pull the information together, and that's Graysmith. It's rare to have someone not only obsessed but with resources and contacts. With that obsession, it leads to neglecting his family. This case has ruined almost everyone. Armstrong transferred out early, Avery turned to self medication, and Toschi made mistakes in trying to garner attention for a case long dead.

John Carroll Lynch plays Arthur Leigh Allen

Graysmith's hunt for answers make him foolish, leading him to the house of a man that could be a suspect. He ventures into the guy's basement. He's uneasy, and we're uneasy for him. The fear he feels is the concern his wife had over the obsession and the publicity it would garner. Graysmith reaches a point where he's trying to make his assumptions fit the facts. His family leaves and he follows clues instead of them. At the beginning of the movie we saw the concern he had for his kid, but at the end of the movie he's completely obsessed with the case.

Even at the end of the movie, all the pieces seem to fit but we don't have a definitive answer. That's what drove the characters in the movie. It's what drives the fascination in this case. There's got to be a clue or an answer somewhere.

Title Card

The Warriors Movie Review

2025-09-02T02:00:00.129-04:00

The Warriors (1979)

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Written by: Sol Yurick (based on the novel by), David Shaber and Walter Hill (screenplay by)
Directed by: Walter Hill
Starring: Michael Beck, James Remar, Dorsey Wright
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A street gang known as the Warriors must fight its way from the Bronx to its home turf on Coney Island when its members are falsely accused of assassinating a respected gang leader.

Verdict
It's a simple movie with a singular goal. There's little character development, but the setting is a character with each gang and every interaction buildings this place that seems like a parallel world. It isn't much different from a post apocalypse setting with roving gangs fighting over territory and resources. While the different gangs look silly, it never feels that way as presented in this movie. It's paced perfectly, excelling in the simplicity. The goal is simple, survive until the end while we root for them, and this manages to make that thrilling from start to stop.
Watch It.

Review
Various gangs of New York converge at a summit during a truce. We've got the titular Warriors, a gang that looks like mimes, ones wearing baseball uniforms, and several more. Cyrus proposes the gangs unite and run the city as they outnumber the cops. He's shot just before the police raid the summit, sending everyone scattering. One of the Rogues claim a Warrior shot Cyrus, though by that point the Warriors are already running from the cops.

The Warriors

This is some kind of alternate or bizarro world. We see the seedier side of New York, save for the subway it doesn't seem contemporary. It could just as easily be a a post apocalypse setting with the Warriors traversing the wasteland to get back to their base. It checks many of the boxes for an apocalypse movie, though I suppose the deserted streets and lack of people could be the late night setting.

Michael Beck plays Swan

The Warriors escape the summit, not realizing they were accused of the assassination. Their concern is whether the true is still intact and what opposition they'll find making it back to their turf. Their attempt to ride the train keeps getting thwarted. As they traverse gang territory, the question is always do they fight or run? The group disagrees on strategy, but with each encounter they make it one step farther. At one point they meet a gang that mixes the face paint of the band Kiss with baseball uniforms. Understandably, a fight ensues.

It's a simple concept that manages to be engaging. There's no way to explain this world, and the movie smartly doesn't try. This world just exists. Whether it's contemporary or a parallel is up to the viewer. Despite no character development, the city is a character and every scene expands on this world. How people react to the Warriors gives us a sense of this city. We're well into the movie before we get a direct reaction.

Their goal is to get back, but that comes with opposition from the entire city. The simplicity helps this. We're rooting for them to survive the night, and the pacing is great. Even with their turf in sight, that's not the end. This goes down to the wire, the excitement never wanes.

Evolution Movie Review

2025-09-01T02:00:00.133-04:00

Evolution (2001)

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Written by: Don Jakoby (story), David Diamond & David Weissman and Don Jakoby (screenplay)
Directed by: Ivan Reitman
Starring: David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Julianne Moore, Seann William Scott, Ted Levine, Ethan Suplee, Ty Burrell, Dan Aykroyd, Sarah Silverman, Kyle Glass
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
Two college professors team up with a fire-fighting cadet and a government scientist to combat an alien organism that has been rapidly evolving since its arrival on Earth inside a meteor.

Verdict
It's not a new concept, but the twist is rapidly evolving aliens. The creature designs are creative, but the rest of this movie feels generic. It's dull. There's nothing especially funny other than a few crude jokes that make an attempt. Really, most of this movie is just an attempt; at an alien invasion, at action, at humor. It's a comedy that's not funny, and that's the inescapable problem.
Skip it.

Review
A meteor lands out in the desert. Whatever is in the meteor, the organism seems to replicate quickly. It's evolving rapidly, millions of years of evolution occurring in hours. Two scientists, Ira Kane (David Duchovny) and Harry Block (Orlando Jones) discover the meteor and are instantly excited about the implications of the fame and Nobel prize they're sure will come their way. Of course the army takes over the site and meteor. The story beats are all so generic. The army even raids Kane's office and lab to acquire any samples.

David Duchovny, Orlando Jones play Ira Kane, Harry Block

Can you sue the army, and on top of that get a hearing the same day? I'm not sure how it works or that the army's scientist can depose and question Kane, but this is a comedy that's not dedicated to realism. In retaliation Kane and Block quite easily break in to the guarded site and access what is now a thriving alien habitat. The military tries to contain a rapidly deteriorating situation as the organisms spread. Kane and Block try to regain access while these creatures evolve and replicate exponentially. They just can't be contained.

Seann William Scott, David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Julianne Moore, Dan Aykroyd, Ted Levine play
Wayne, Ira Kane, Harry Block, Allison Reed, Governor Lewis, General Woodman

The creatures are creative, but I have to wonder why in movies like this characters see some strange never before seen creature and think it's a dog. I've never seen dogs look anything like an alien. It's a generic joke that makes no sense. While this is silly, it's never funny. It's shallow both in plot and humor. Kane figures out a potential solution to destroy the aliens. It's not the Napalm the military want to use but shampoo. Heat accelerates growth in these creatures, but Kane and Block can't get to the military to inform them. The group must defeat a now giant alien with shampoo. Luckily they find an orifice on the bottom of the creature and of course there are numerous jokes about that fact.

Ultimately several anal jokes do seem like a succinct summary and conclusion for this movie that belies a lack of cleverness and creativity.

Carlito's Way Movie Review

2025-08-30T02:00:00.181-04:00

Carlito's Way (1993)

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Written by: Edwin Torres (novels "Carlito's Way" and "After Hours"), David Koepp (screenplay)
Directed by: Brian De Palma
Starring: Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller, John Leguizamo, Luis Guzmán, James Rebhorn, Viggo Mortensen
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Released from prison early, a Puerto Rican criminal buys a nightclub and decides to go straight, but his cronies and enemies pull him back to the dark side

Verdict
There's no easy way to get out of the criminal life. Carlito has a plan, but loyalties and violence have a cost. It's a balancing act as his old friends expect him to return to his old ways, and he just wants out. Wanting it and getting it are entirely different. The ironic fact is that if Carlito wasn't trying to escape the life, and remained ruthless like before, he might not have gotten into such a jam. Then again, that might only have prolonged the inevitable.
Watch It.

Review
This opens with one of my most disliked tropes, the how we got here, with a scene that obviously appears near the end of the movie. I will give it credit, that often this trope is used just to add excitement, but here it's used to make us wonder and instill a sense of dread. We know Carlito (Al Pacino) wants to get out but obviously something happens. What, and how bad is it?

Carlito argues in court that he's reformed. It seems like bravado. Even the judge knows it, but Carlito's lawyer Dave (Sean Penn) is correct that evidence was illegally obtained. The judge has no choice but to release him. Carlito returns home, and immediately his old friends want to know if he's back. He tells them he's going straight, but he also agrees to join his cousin on a drop off. If you want to quit crime you can't be around it. As soon as they walk in the door the drop off feels uneasy. When things go bad we see that Carlito knows how to handle himself. He acts quickly, managing to escape with the drop off money and uninjured. That allows him to buy a stake in a club. He hopes to earn enough money to retire from the life.

Luis Guzmán, Al Pacino play Pachanga, Carlito Brigante

There's a lot of voice over as Carlito laments how much has changed since he was in prison. While he feels disconnected after his incarceration, he still understands people's motivations and thus business. He wrestles with his life before and now as well as the people he's left behind. While it's difficult to believe his earnest claims that he wants to go legal, it may just be true when we see how many people he knows that have died in the life. That and he spent five years away, incarceration can change a person. With the opening scene, it seems like Carlito has an expiration date. His dreams of getting out might be in vain. Then again, could the movie be faking us out? Either we we know something will happen, it's just how. A movie should generate questions, too many and viewers are overwhelmed, too few and they detach. This opening provides great foreshadowing, and rarely do I like that trope.

After a dust up with Benny Blanco (John Leguizamo), we see Carlito has changed. He talks about how he would normally kill a guy in this situation but he can't burn bridges as he needs to get out. He knows how much reputation means in this world and still doesn't kill Benny. He only threatens him.

Al Pacino, Ingrid Rogers, Sean Penn play Carlito Brigante, Steffie, Dave Kleinfeld

Dave becomes erratic, making mistakes in all avenues. He's stealing, getting high. Desperate, Dave asks Carlito for help. What is Carlito going to say? This is his best friend, the guy that got him out of prison early. He wants to leave the criminal life, but that's difficult when you're right in the middle of it. Carlito knows he shouldn't help Dave who is spiraling. As the movie progresses, we begin to wonder if he doesn't escape. The job doesn't go as expected, and Dave even claims to have evidence on Carlito to save himself. Even then, Carlito refuses to give up Dave.

Carlito is on his way out, and you just know he'll get one step away before his aspirations crumble. Dave freed him, but he's also the reason for the trouble. Because of Dave mobsters confront Carlito at his club. He escapes, but not without being seen. That leads to a chase in the subway and Grand Central Station that's exciting and tense. We're rooting for Carlito while also wondering if the moment is near.

This ending. It was no one thing that caught up to Carlito. You could critique and suggest he took a half measure when it should have been a full measure, but Carlito knew what he was doing. It's ironic that trying to keep the peace had a cost. He survived being a criminal but couldn't make it out alive when he tried to leave that life behind.

Hook Movie Review

2025-08-29T02:00:00.132-04:00

Hook (1991)

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Written by: J.M. Barrie (books, play), James V. Hart & Nick Castle (screen story), James V. Hart and Malia Scotch Marmo (screenplay)
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Julia Roberts, Bob Hoskins, Maggie Smith, Charlie Korsmo
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer

Plot
An adult Peter Pan must return to Neverland and reclaim his youthful spirit when Captain James Hook kidnaps his children.

Verdict
It's Spielberg, and as he often does he captures the childlike wonder and awe inspiring adventures for which he's so skilled. We also get plenty of touching moments as adult Peter Pan must re-discover his childlike wonder to save his own kids. The way into this is an adult that doesn't have time for games. The quintessential child grew up to be a boring adult that doesn't appreciate his own kids. By becoming Peter Pan again, he can save the day, his kids, and become a better father. Imagination is never really lost.
Watch It.

Review
It feels like a story a child would imagine, and that's exactly the point. Peter Banning (Robin Williams) is a workaholic father more concerned with his job than his son. He misses his son's little league game, making promises he won't keep as it's clear this isn't the first game he's missed. The boy Peter Pan grew into the man Peter Banning. A man that's afraid to fly and yells at his son to grow up and quit acting like a child. He's even a merger and acquisitions lawyer, a modern day pirate taking over companies. This lays the in jokes on heavily. Adult Peter Pan is everything the mythic Peter wasn't. Initially we wonder how real is the Peter Pan myth in this movie.

Dante Basco, Robin Williams play Rufio, Peter Banning

After Peter's children go missing Granny Wendy tells him the truth. He is the real Peter Pan of the stories and Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) took his children. Peter doesn't believe it. That's a kids' story, but when Tinkerbell (Julia Roberts) returns to take him back, his excuses only go so far. Peter tries to apply logic to a ridiculous situation. It must be a hallucination.

Even in Neverland, he tries to make sense of the setting. He's an adult in a child's world and completely outmatched. The Lost Boys reject him, but we get a touching moment when one of them can see through the wrinkles and age, seeing that adult Peter is indeed Pan.

Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman play Peter Pan, Captain Hook

Peter has to fight Hook to get his kids back. Tinkerbell has three days to turn this lump of an adult into the Peter Pan of old. While Peter makes some improvement, Hook becomes the father figure Peter's son Jack never had. That motivates Peter and he regains his imagination and his childlike qualities. Reborn as Peter Pan once again, he attacks Hook along with the Lost Boys. It's a calamitous battle, fueled by a child's sensibilities.

This is a completely fun adventure, and I don't think that's just nostalgia talking. The explores what it means to be a kid, an adult, and a parent. It's a difficult balance to strike, all the more erroneous that the prototypical kid Peter Pan became such a stodgy adult and boring father. This builds on the original story about a boy that doesn't want to grow up by creating a story about an adult that's lost his imagination.

Pandorum Movie Review

2025-08-28T02:00:00.159-04:00

Pandorum (2009)

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Written by: Travis Milloy (screenplay), Travis Milloy and Christian Alvart (story)
Directed by: Christian Alvart
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet, Norman Reedus
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Two crew members of a spaceship wake up from hypersleep with no memory of their mission or who they are, discovering that all their colleagues are missing.

Verdict
This does just enough to set itself apart despite borrowing heavily from other sci-fi stories. Questions abound as we ponder what went wrong with this mission, searching for answers along with the remaining crew. We're provided plenty of fodder for guesses. With a split focus, and a proverbial timer, the action never lags. Despite the deficiencies in the story, the conclusion helps make up for it.
Watch It.

Review
A couple centuries into the future a spaceship is launched from Earth as the last hope due to overpopulation. Most of the inhabitants hypersleep with a rotating crew to manage the ship. At some point in the mission Bower (Ben Foster) wakes up to find the ship in disrepair and his colleagues missing. He's disoriented due to the hypersleep and can't remember anything. Soon after Lt. Payton (Dennis Quaid) awakes, experiencing the same symptoms. Unable to remember anything and with no one else to provide information, they separate. Payton stays behind to watch the monitors while Bower crawls through the ventilation duct to access the reactor which is malfunctioning.

Ben Foster, Dennis Quaid play Bower, Payton

It's all a pretty typical opening, waking up on a ship with no memory of the mission, but this shifts when Bower exits the duct and finds some kind of mutants. What's their origin? Were they on this ship or is the hull breached?

It's convenient that their comms cut out just as Bower exits the duct. Of course it reconnects at the worst possible time as these mutant humanoids are nearby. Bower manages to evade and encounters another flight crew team member that provides a few cryptic answers before running into someone else on the agriculture team that only speaks Vietnamese. The fact Bower is still alive is movie magic. There are so many instances where he's nearly killed. I wonder how anyone is alive.

While Payton watches the monitors someone appears. With how many people seem to appear, Gallo could just be another disoriented crew member, but the movie has also hinted at space madness, pandorum. Is Payton or Gallo going mad?

Ben Foster plays Bower

We finally get answers when a cook captures Bower and his recent acquired friends. It's convenient that the cook drew a mural on his wall to tell the history of the ship just in case anyway came by. Maybe he tells the story to all his victims. It paints a harrowing tale of what happened on this ship.

This is a story of what can go wrong will. Bower's entire mission is fix the reactor. When he finally finds it, that's the room where all the mutants sleep. Nothing is ever easy. The threat of pandorum is present from the beginning and by the end, anyone might be susceptible.

The best part of this movie is the conclusion when we find out where this ship is. The movie has a lot of neat ideas, pieced together from other sci-fi stories, though the plot relies on convenience frequently. It's never less than intense, and surprises abound. Nothing is quite what it seems. The satisfying conclusion makes a better impression for the rest of the movie.

Freaky Tales Movie Review

2025-08-27T02:00:00.180-04:00

Freaky Tales (2024)

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Written by: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Directed by: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Ben Mendelsohn, Jay Ellis, Normani, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion, Ji-young Yoo
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
Four interconnected stories set in 1987 Oakland, CA showcase the love of music, movies, people, places, and memories beyond our knowable universe.

Verdict
Composed of four shorts, it doesn't feel like a movie. While it doesn't give you a chance to grow bored, it doesn't have the impact of a longer narrative. The last short loosely connects all of them, and throughout the movie this is such a strange ride. It's inventive, but what is the mysterious green glow? It's wild, but with a Tom Hanks cameo and the last story I'd argue that makes this worth watching.
It depends.

Review
Boden and Fleck have done such a range of projects from the small sports drama Sugar (2008) to the big budget action Captain Marvel (2019).

A voice over introduction sets this in 1980s Oakland and raises questions about the pervasive green glow and some kind of telekinetic power. Just moments in, and I'm not sure what this is. Each story features something glowing green.

Broken into four parts, the first story is a punk rock romance as they prepare for and then fend against a white supremacist attack on their music venue. The fight is cartoonish with exaggerated gore that spills out of frame. It's not much of a story, but it is a primer for this world.

Normani, Dominique Thorne play Entice, Barbie

The second story starts in the same location as the first with characters exiting a movie theater. A female rap duo, Danger Zone, is invited to perform at a show by Too $hort, but it's apparent they are just there so the main act can win a rap battle. In the first two stories the mysterious green glow imbues power to the beholder. While Danger Zone initially falters, the green glow empowers them and they prove not to be an easy opponent. The rap battle has a great energy as the duo combats Too $hort's misogyny which is underscored by what they face even at their jobs during the day. They overcome to win the battle. It's a fun vignette, but half way in this lacks the punch of a lengthier story. The only connection is the setting and this green glow that still raises several questions.

Pedro Pascal plays Clint

In the third story Clint (Pedro Pascal) is a criminal of some sort that wants to reform. Tom Hanks has a great turn in a cameo role as a video store clerk. That scene is one of the highlights of the movie as he discusses the best underdog movies.

Ji-young Yoo, Jack Champion, Jay Ellis, Dominique Thorne play Tina, Lucid, Sleepy Floyd, Barbie

The fourth and final story ties everything together, featuring Sleepy Floyd (Jay Ellis) who was an actual NBA player. His house is robbed by the supremacist group we saw in the first story, and he's informed about it by two of the punks. Sleepy not only had a playoff game for the ages, but he's a martial arts master intent on revenge. He embarks on a gory rampage that defies expectations.

This is such an odd movie. Part four is the best of the stories just for how ridiculous it is. While I don't understand it, it's a wild ride. That and the Tom Hanks cameo are the best parts, but this is more a curiosity than a memorable movie.

Body of Lies Movie Review

2025-08-26T02:00:00.108-04:00

Body of Lies (2008)

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Written by: William Monahan (screenplay), David Ignatius (novel "Body of Lies")
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong, Oscar Isaac
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A CIA agent on the ground in Jordan hunts down a powerful terrorist leader while being caught between the unclear intentions of his American supervisors and Jordan Intelligence.

Verdict
With such a complex story you could guess this is based on a book. The core of the story is the contrast between a field operative that makes decisions when looking people in the eye and his detached chief who decides which terrorists and where to attack from the comfort of his home and office. I could argue this is too realistic with no elements of fun but really it's that we get very little character development. There's nothing to hold on to. The characters are here just to serve the plot which feels more like a documentary than a movie. To gain an advantage over the terrorists everyone plays each other to draw them out. No one wins.
It depends.

Review
CIA operative Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) tracks terrorists in the middle east. He meets a contact that's willing to provide information for asylum. Ferris uses the contact to draw out the cell, but when the contact is captured Ferris shoots him to protect his identity. This is a dangerous profession.

The movie considers the dichotomy between Ferris, an operative in the field and his chief Hoffman (Russell Crowe) who acts from his office in Washington D.C. completely detached. Ferris is in constant danger, surviving gunfights and explosions. Hoffman is never in danger, but since he's the boss he calls the shots.

Russell Crowe plays Hoffman

Ferris obtains information on a high value target, and he begins surveilling the house. While Ferris experiences the hunt firsthand on the ground, Hoffman runs a side operation that ends in Ferris having to kill someone while also getting injured. The two are a contrast. Hoffman seeks quick solutions while Ferris understands the culture and nuance of the situations. He can't freely burn contacts like Hoffman can. It's a dense movie, this game of cat and mouse trying to track terrorists and in turn draw them out. They're always a moving target, and the bait to draw terrorists out in this movie is always human and sometimes innocent.

I get Ferris's love interest humanizes him, and it may work better in a broader story, but in this movie it seems like a distraction from the mission. It shows us how he respects the culture and is fully integrated, but that's nothing we didn't already know.

Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio play Hoffman, Ferris

To draw out their target Ferris and Hoffman set up an innocent to look like a terrorist. Either their target will be mad that someone is taking the spotlight or want to team up. Either way the target should make an appearance. That tactic puts Ferris on the outs with Jordanian Intelligence due to the omission.

Ferris is captured by the target, but just like he and the CIA used people to draw out terrorists, Ferris was used in the same manor. He's jaded by the whole experience, both what happened to him and the continued tactics of the CIA. Hoffman continued detachment doesn't help. While the target is captured, Ferris isn't happy with the method.

Based on the movie, I'd imagine a book was the right medium for this story. I appreciate it more in reflection than I did while watching it.

The Godfather Part II Movie Review

2025-08-25T02:00:00.167-04:00

The Godfather Part II (1974)

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Written by: Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo (screenplay by), Mario Puzo (based on the novel by)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, Talia Shire, Morgana King, John Cazale, Mariana Hill, Lee Strasberg
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
In the 1920s Vito Corleone is introduced to a life of crime while in 1958 Michael Corleone expands his grip on the family crime syndicate.

Verdict
This is such a well made movie; every scene, each glance, the lighting; all of it creates an atmosphere as we watch Michael consolidate his power in the present and his father Vito begin his empire in the past. Vito gains power, influence, and friends. While Michael's empire expands, he only becomes more isolated. We watch his emotionless calculations as he charts a path to victory. You could call it the rise and fall, but Michael is successful with his empire, it just costs him his family.
Watch It.

Review
As for the debate for which is better, and the general consensus seems to be Part II, I prefer The Godfather (1972). It introduces us to this under world that has it's own language as we see what it takes to hold your ground and succeed. The subtext is the entrepreneurial spirit of America and the subversion of traditional means. One of the first lines is, "I believe in America." The second movie is darker. We see Michael fend off attacks, both physical and political, contrasted with Vito beginning his business that would continue to expand. Both generations win in blood, and Michael is reaping what his father planted. Vito's first murder cemented what this family would do to best their enemies. Vito begins the business and a family. While Michael expands the empire, by the time his story winds down he's alone and isolated having sacrificed his family for dominance. This builds on the first movie where we saw Vito broker peace with his enemies and in this one Michael doesn't rest until everyone that has wronged the family is gone. In the final scene, he's the only one in the family left. The first movie helps elevate the second with the inherent comparison.

This starts in 1901 with Vito Andolini, who would later become Vito Corleone, as a boy in Sicily. His parents are dead by the hands of the local don, and Vito escapes to America.

Al Pacino plays Michael Corleone

In 1958 Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) lives in Nevada, expanding the family's stake in Las Vegas casinos and hotels. He's conducting business during a party at his home. Even his sister Connie (Talia Shire) must wait in line to see him. One scene tells us all about her. She wants to pretend she's independent, but she relies on Michael and is probably resentful of his success. Despite being the youngest, Michael is head of the family, ruling with a staid calm. We see how ruthlessly he operates, and it's contrasted with Vito (Robert De Niro) now in New York. They start at different points, though both are quiet and observant.

Michael looks to expand the family, but he must always look over his shoulder due to his position of power. He faces the fact that family betrayed him, even if it's a matter of degrees. We decipher the odds and threats along with Michael. Who attacked him? He feigns peace with everyone until he can determine the who. The movie doesn't hold your hand, you need to be invested. With Michael's expansion, we see Vito establish his position. He realizes the local don is weak and sees an advantage. What a scene as he waits in the shadows to cement his legacy.

Robert De Niro plays Vito Corleone

With the length and structure this is two movies. Switching between Vito and Michael robs each story of momentum, but the contrast and dynamic is what adds interest. This is a sequel and prequel in one. I've seen it described as the rise of the family under Vito and the fall with Michael, but Michael is successful. He only expands the business, but it is the failing of his relationships. In tandem with business his greed and ego also increase, but he grows more isolated. It's a matter of degree. Vito and Michael both killed, in this movie and the first one. Michael doesn't just want to beat the competition, he wants to dominate and eliminate. The original introduced us to the world. Part II assumes we know it, relying on the audience having watched the first.

Vito grows in prominence and wealth while Michael is on trial. He denies the crimes we know are true, but there's no proof. The investigative committee claims to have a witness. Even if you don't know the who, you know Michael brought someone important that the witness Pentangeli knows, and that leads to him recanting his statements. Michael is free to go.

With both stories, it's what you do to survive and thrive. The bigger the Corleone family grows, the more danger. Michael's a target because of his vast influence. His cold calculation is that enemies can't attack you when you eliminate them. Towards the end Michael determines who attacked him at the beginning of the movie, and he wants the culprit to face consequences. Tom questions Michael, telling him they've already won, but Michael is never content just to win. It's a nod to the first movie when Michael took his first step in the criminal enterprise. He stated in the first movie, it wasn't personal it's business. Then and now, it's personal. It's ego. Winning isn't enough.

The Incredibles Movie Review

2025-08-23T02:00:00.102-04:00

The Incredibles (2004)

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Written by: Brad Bird
Directed by: Brad Bird
Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee, Wallace Shawn
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer

Plot
While trying to lead a quiet suburban life, a family of undercover superheroes are forced into action to save the world.

Verdict
Pixar always does such a great job with story. While it's a super hero tale, it also analyzes suburban life through that lens. While it seems like a kid's film, it offers plenty of depth for adults. This captures aspects of feeling unfulfilled, isolation, middle age, and family dynamics. Bob's dissatisfaction with his job is especially pertinent as he longs to return to his glory days as a super hero. His children are tired of hiding their abilities. The final act provides a big moment for all of the characters as they must rise to the challenge the villain presents.
Watch It.

Review
Mr. Incredible is the preeminent super hero. Even in the face of danger he helps old ladies and cats while stopping criminals. He dismisses a big fan that wants to lend a hand. You understand why. The fan is just a kid without super powers. Tagging along with Mr. Incredible would be dangerous. Later, when Mr. Incredible is sued for interfering with a man jumping off a building, that's the end of heroes.

Craig T. Nelson voice Bob / Mr. Incredible

Mr. Incredible is now Bob the insurance adjuster. I'm not sure it could be a bigger contrast with his previous occupation. This goes against all his instincts to help people. As an adjuster he's expected to find ways to deny claims, instead he finds ways to aid the disadvantaged. Bob married Helen aka Elastigirl. They've got three kids, and all of them resent having to hide their abilities. Bob can't leave the life behind, moonlighting at night and still saving people.

It's easy to relate to being different or an outcast. Bob's kids have to hide their power to avoid undue attention. Bob is bored at work and unsatisfied with his life. He's prevented from his true calling which is noble; he just wants to help people.

Dash, Violet, Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl

When Bob loses his job, he gets an offer to reprise his role as a super hero. It's his calling, and he trains to get back in shape but this offer may have been a test for something more nefarious. He fights a robot that's designed to be a weapon, a robot created to defeat heroes. He's detained, and Helen goes to save Bob. She inadvertently brings the kids, but the combination of their powers is well done and very balanced as they defeat opponents.

The villain is Syndrome and his desire is to be the greatest hero. He devises a plan to appear to be the only hero that can defeat the robots he's built. It's the dream he's had since he was a kid. The difference is that Bob wants to be a hero to help people, but Syndrome wants to be a hero for his own self adulation. Bob and his family must band together to defeat Syndrome's unconstrained robot. Each family member gets their own big hero moment.

While it doesn't explore new themes, this does such a great job of packaging all these themes together in a coherent and exciting package - in a kid's movie no less. Each character has a goal. While the villain and hero are contrasts, which is typical, Syndrome's motivations are a direct result of how Bob treated him. Syndrome just wants to feel important, even if he goes about it the wrong way.

Pain & Gain Movie Review

2025-08-22T02:00:00.134-04:00

Pain & Gain (2013)

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Written by: Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely (screenplay), Pete Collins (based on the magazine articles by)
Directed by: Michael Bay
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Tony Shaloub, Ed Harris, Rob Corrdry, Rebel Wilson, Ken Jeong, Michael Rispoli
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A trio of bodybuilders in Florida get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong.

Verdict
It's an absurd tale about a trio of bumbling criminals, and what's crazier is that this is based on a true story. This oscillates between over the top absurdity and stylish editing. The true story is more serious and absurd than comedic, but this frequently opts for an easy joke. The characters serve the plot instead of the story. This doesn't create characters, they're just props. I'd like a more coherent story and more motivation.
It depends.

Review
While this is based on a wild true story, the script does make several changes to streamline this for film. The original story is riveting, the movie isn't as it dilutes the seriousness and creates a screwball comedy. I read the true story and saw it unfold. This movie isn't what I read. While the actual story has hilarious moments arising from the sheer absurdity, this is less serious relying on cheap jokes. At one point we're told "this is still a true story" when it's only half true. The actual story is better.

Personal trainer Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlberg) longs for more. He believes that hard work is the key to get ahead. It's just like lifting weights. Work had to gain. He doesn't like the life he has, but he knows if he believes enough he can manifest the life he deserves.

Dwayne Johnson, Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Mackie play Paul Doyle, Daniel Lugo, Adrian Doorbal

Lugo envies a rich client, Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub), who has all the material wealth Lugo believes he deserves. He goes from wanting to be rich to deciding to kidnap someone. There's comedy to this. Lugo is the mastermind without a clue, basing his plans on what he's seen in movies. He recruits Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie) and Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson). They think he's a genius, unable to see through Lugo's charade.

The trio kidnap Kershaw and coerce him into transferring his assets to them. Setting up their base in a sex toy warehouse seems like too easy of a gag. It's not clever, it's easy. While they're initially successful, they're flying blind with no idea what they're doing and no long term plan. They start burning through the money Lugo takes the house and car, and his neighbors are enticed by his charm and the prospect of a friendly neighbor. Lugo's home safety seminars endear the neighbors all the more. That's contrasted by Lugo hanging out with the neighborhood kids like he has never interacted with children. He bullies and taunts them while playing basketball. While it's funny to see a grown man act like a child, it makes a joke of how serious Lugo's crew's crimes are.

Mark Wahlberg plays Daniel Lugo

We wonder how they aren't caught. They make no attempt to hide their newfound wealth, but all too often if you drive the nice car and claim to live in the nice house, that's enough to convince most people. No one liked Kershaw, so he's not missed.

This also aims to be stylish with slow motion, freeze frame, and on screen text. At one point text on screen claims "this is still a true story," but that's only somewhat true. It's a farce, generating humor by attempting to portray fiction as truth. This stretches the story at nearly every turn. I wouldn't take issue with it, if the movie didn't intentionally try to mislead.

Doyle spirals and Doorbal needs more money. They plan to extort someone else. The plan worked so well before, so they think. They don't realize that they just got incredibly lucky. The plan goes off the rails almost immediately. Kidnapping soon becomes unintentional murder. This is a tale of the most inept criminals that accidentally succeed the first time. It was never a question of whether they'd get caught, only how quickly it would occur. They get much farther than expected.

I get why Lugo is unsatisfied, but the leap to violence is a stretch at least by the character portrayed. Why do Doorbal and Doyle follow him? The characters often seem to serve the plot with no depth. They're never portrayed as dark as you'd imagine someone capable of these crimes would be.

I like the end credit that shows the actors and the people they portrayed along with their prison sentences. The only issue is that there was no Paul Doyle. He's fictional. It's another tale.

The Strangers Movie Review

2025-08-21T02:00:00.086-04:00

The Strangers (2008)

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Written by: Bryan Bertino
Directed by: Bryan Bertino
Starring: Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Glenn Howerton
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A couple's vacation at an isolated cabin is disrupted by three masked assailants.

Verdict
It's a nearly unadulterated psychological thriller. This provides the vaguest of stories to set up the protagonists with speculation about the relationship. Where this excels is in these moments we all experience, a noise in the house, a late night knock at the door. The movie provides plenty of time to ponder what we would do in these situations while also wondering why this couple is being attacked. The answers are infrequent, but the unnerving mood pervades. I wish the ending gave us more. I'm okay with the lack of answers, but what we get only generates more questions.
It depends.

Review
James and Kristen are driving back to their cabin, dressed up. It's obvious they've been fighting, and we get a flashback to James with a ring. We can surmise his proposal didn't go as planned. Will we find out why? The simple premise of a rejected marriage proposal leads to a lot of speculation about their relationship, but it's also all the characterization we need.

Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman play Kristen, James

A knock at the door late at night surprises them both. A woman asks for someone that doesn't live there before eventually leaving. It's unnerving. James, still irritated with the prior situation, finds an excuse to leave. Kristen is now home alone and someone knocks on the door again

You have to go with this a bit, people knocking about outside the house yet not present when you open the door or look outside. People are making noise outside as Kristen tries to hide. The next instance James arrives, scaring her as she think it's the unseen strangers. Somehow he returned and saw nothing. There's no way he missed them as close as the sounds and his arrival were.

Scott Speedman, Liv Tyler play James, Kristen

This excels in giving us plenty of time to not only wonder what's happening and fear what might happen next, we get time to imagine what we might do in the same situation. Would you go to the window and look for the source of the noise? Would you go to a bedroom and shut the door? We've all had these moments, a noise in the house you hesitantly check, peering around the corner. While we don't typically have people after us, it's always a fear that manages to attack our reasoning.

We don't know why James and Kristen are being attacked, but that's not the point. This wants to tap into this pervasive fear. What begins as sounds outside escalates to people in the house. While it's senseless but effective, the end takes this up a notch. It's gruesome and violent, no longer a psychological horror. What was frightening manifests into a physical attack. That's when imagining the various horrors that could happen ceases. Imagination almost always trumps what we can see. I'd much rather this leave it open ended. Once the victims and assailants meet this just loses it. Less would be more.

Final Destination: Bloodlines Movie Review

2025-08-20T02:00:00.059-04:00

Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025)

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Written by: Guy Busick & Lori Evans Taylor (screenplay by), Jon Watts and Guy Busick & Lori Evans Taylor (story by), Jeffrey Reddick (based on characters created by)
Directed by: Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein
Starring: Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Anna Lore, Brec Bassinger, Tony Todd
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Plagued by a recurring violent nightmare, a college student returns home to find the one person who can break the cycle and save her family from the horrific fate that inevitably awaits them.

Verdict
This is a lot of fun, provided you can stand more than a few incredibly gory deaths. It's a Rube Goldberg machine of death, and each one taps into common fears. The movie realizes that a large part of the fun is the anticipation. It's a solid horror movie despite an unseen villain, and the way this keeps you guessing as to what item will actually kill someone is incredibly engaging. This even manages to find a way to tie all the movies together, albeit loosely. By connecting the movies and providing homage to some of the greatest scenes of the franchise, this impressed me far more than I expected.
Watch It.

Review
It's clear the movie knows the audience in just the first few minutes. We see several elements that could lead to death, and of course all of this is at a brand new restaurant hundreds of feet in the air. This takes a common fear to the maximum, and what a sequence that generates. It turns out to be a reoccurring dream for college student Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), a nightmare that's disrupting her life.

We get scenes where the anticipation is off the charts. At a backyard barbecue we wonder if it will be the piece of glass, the gas grille, or the rusty rake. The movie knows what it's setting up, having characters start and stop just before something bad almost happens. When it breaks, it breaks hard with gruesome and horrifying deaths.

I like how this finds a thread to connect every single movie. It's not even a big lift. The reason death is after her family is the same reason death was after everyone in all the other movies. You can't skip your destiny.

Kaitlyn Santa Juana plays Stefani

This has so much fun with the concept. There are so many ways Eric could die in the tattoo shop. He has so many near misses without realizing it. Just as we're sure it's the end the movie has another surprise. This even plays with the common tropes.

All of the death sequences are well plotted, though they all become gross. Nearly everything we see in the lead up to a death plays a part.

The entire movie is characters thinking they've cracked the code and are safe only to realize they aren't. You're never safe. It's a back and forth. Just when they think it's okay, the rug is pulled out from under them and someone dies. On top of that, this movie knows the log scene from the second movie is an ever lasting memory for anyone that's seen it. It's too good of a scene not to put a twist on it. This knows that everyone wants to see the death machine unfold, and this provides exactly what you want to see.

Death of a Unicorn Movie Review

2025-08-18T02:00:00.265-04:00

Death of a Unicorn (2025)

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Written by: Alex Scharfman
Directed by: Alex Scharfman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Anthony Carrigan, Richard E. Grant
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A father and daughter accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss seeks to exploit the creature's miraculous curative properties.

Verdict
With an enticing concept, a dead unicorn, it lures you in. Unfortunately, this isn't comedic or emotionally deep enough to be memorable. An accident with a unicorn leads to a wealthy tycoon looking to exploit the discovery. This doesn't do enough, instead trying to balance comedy, action, and greed. I'd love for this to embrace the camp or focus on deadpan humor in such a ridiculous situation. Instead it feels like a by the numbers thriller seeking a broad audience despite the unique premise.
Skip it.

Review
A unicorn? It's a ridiculous premise. This wastes little time establishing that Elliot and his daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega) have an uneasy relationship as they drive to his boss's house. He's bringing her just to impress his boss who is big on family. When Elliot (Paul Rudd) hits a unicorn, the weekend is dramatically altered.

Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega play Elliot, Ridley

They soon discover the healing powers of unicorn blood before his boss Odell's (Richard E. Grant) family discovers the unicorn Elliot hid in the car isn't actually dead. Of course Odell is dying and the healing properties of the unicorn could resolve his illness. The family wants to cash in on this discovery while Ridley researches fables about the unicorn. She cautions them to not harm the unicorn.

This is a dark absurdist comedy, but it doesn't push far enough. Odell's son Shepard (Will Poulter) is a spoiled rich kid that could be so much funnier and more ridiculous. The character seems like a great idea, but he's never as comedic as he should be. As everyone argues over what to do, Odell eats a unicorn steak, a transfusion of the unicorn's blood having healed him. He needs more. This moment should be so much bigger.

Richard E. Grant, Paul Rudd, Téa Leoni play Odell, Elliot, Belinda

Eventually additional unicorns attack the home. These unicorns are brutal and deadly. While this movie has several silly situations, it has just as many serious ones too where people are impaled by a unicorn's horn. It doesn't balance. In one scene Shepard is snorting unicorn horn dust. In the next staff are shooting at unicorns. This needs the actors, or just a couple of them, to chew more scenery. Towards the end this relies on gruesome deaths to entertain. There's a lot of them, and it's all just chaos.

It's a neat idea that never quite develops. This could be such a silly situation where the characters take it with the utmost sincerity, or it could be a silly premise that becomes serious with the characters becoming caricatures. This could dive deeper as a character study or embrace the absurdity and go for more comedy. It's never funny enough or emotionally gripping enough to be memorable past the idea of a dead unicorn.

The Phoenician Scheme Movie Review

2025-08-15T02:00:00.159-04:00

The Phoenician Scheme (2025)

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Written by: Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola (story by), Wes Anderson (screenplay by)
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend, Willem Dafoe, F. Murray Abraham
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
Wealthy and ruthless businessman Zsa-zsa Korda appoints his estranged daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate after a sixth assassination attempt. As Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists, and determined assassins.

Verdict
Like most of Anderson's movies, it's an odd yet visually driven adventure. His films exist in their own world from dialog to story and the overall ambiance. It's style over substance, and while it's certainly artistic, I don't connect with the story. The plot is odd yet quite simple. The way the story is told and shown makes it seem more complex than it is. I suppose that's part of the appeal for those that enjoy it. Despite having watched all of Anderson's movies, I just can't connect with this style and stilted story telling.
Skip it.

Review
I understand the appeal of Wes Anderson's movies. They're unique, visually rich, and distinct. I often find them to be a bit much. I liked The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023), but the brief length and subject mattered matched Anderson's style well.

Korda's scheme is to force his investors to cover the cost gap for him as material costs have risen. I don't quite understand why he and the investors don't cover the gap equally, but it could be that Korda was going to pocket any profits above and beyond. He doesn't seem to have a plan, initially trying tricks and deceptions before trying to talk himself back when caught.

Michael Cera, Benicio Del Toro, Mia Threapleton play Bjørn, Korda, Liesl

Anderson's style always focuses on artistic presentation with a rich detail in the sets. Even the dialog has a certain cadence. With a fixation on art direction, the story and dialog are stilted to serve that style. Everything about this movie, and all of Anderson's movies, is strange. It's a world divorced from reality. A government wants to stop Korda and his unethical prices through the price of rivets. Rising supply prices will tank his project in Phoenicia.

Business tycoon Korda (Benicio Del Toro) bypasses his sons to appoint his only daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton), a nun, as his heir. While she doesn't like him, she is interested in his wealth. Korda, with Liesl in tow, must confront his investors about the rising costs as he tries to swindle them. This sets off a string of cameos as Korda must save his future and fortune.

Benicio Del Toro plays Korda

Korda put his entire fortune into this endeavor, and this project could bankrupt him. It's a madcap adventure as Korda and Liesl encounter all types of odd characters. During the trip Korda carries around and offers hand grenades to people. The cast is huge with all kinds of cameos. Kardo beseeches each investor to help cover the gap. That involves wagers and deceitfulness.

While Kardo's scheme initially was to trick investors, the ultimate result is Korda's near death experiences fundamentally alter him as he changes his ruthless ways and becomes generous. This is quite the artistic vision; creative and unique, but it is an odd story like all of Andersons's movies.

Animal Kingdom Series Review

2025-08-14T02:00:00.383-04:00

Animal Kingdom (2016-2022)

Season 1 - 10 episodes (2016)
Season 2 - 13 episodes (2017)
Season 3 - 13 episodes (2018)
Season 4 - 13 episodes (2019)
Season 5 - 13 episodes (2021)
Season 6 - 13 episodes (2022)
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Created by: Jonathan Lisco
Based on: Animal Kingdom by David Michôd
Starring: Ellen Barkin, Scott Speedman, Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, Daniella Alonso, Molly Gordon
Rated: TV-MA
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Plot
After his mother's death, "J" Cody moves in with his estranged grandmother and her sons in Southern California who fuel their excessive lifestyle through criminal activities.

Verdict
This starts well, a California family that breaks the law to live an opulent lifestyle. The heists are the best part of the show while the uneasy family dynamic and strong personalities always provide drama. Ellen Barkin is a force every time she's in a scene, and later seasons suffer as she appears less. The second half of the series also splits the main story with an ongoing flashback that details much of what we already know, diverting focus from the main plot. It seems like filler. With a show focused on robbery, the heists need to be good and every season delivers on the high stakes robberies. They're almost always creative and intense. The first season is the best season, but the fourth season on isn't quite as good.
Watch it.

Review
This show is modern day outlaws. The family aren't moral standouts, but they are interesting. Each of them have issues and conflicts that provide depth. In a world where it's all about the stuff you have, this family has found a shortcut. Because of that they're always on edge. You can't do this work and not attract some amount of attention

To start season one, after his mom dies, J (Finn Cole) goes from living in squalor with his mom to moving in with his grandmother Smurf (Ellen Barkin) and uncles Baz (Scott Speedman), Craig (Ben Robson), and Deran (Jake Weary) who obviously spend some money. It's a culture shock as his brothers throw money around so easily and he grew up with nothing. We wonder why J's mom was estranged, and it could be the strange family dynamic. That or the secrets everyone seems to keep. Smurf is more of a pal than a parent. We soon see that Smurf and her sons are planning a robbery. That's how they've paid for their lifestyle. When Pope (Shawn Hatosy) returns, he doesn't seem to like J.

S1: Finn Cole, Ellen Barkin play J, Smurf

Barkin's presence in every scene is commanding. Smurf's rule is that all jobs run through her. She doesn't miss a beat, and she knows when her boys pull jobs behind her back. Everything she does seems to be a test, either loyalty or strength. She's unscrupulous, even with her kids. That might be why each of her sons seems to have something to prove. That and they all keep secrets.

Later in the season Baz starts to work J's girlfriend Nicky's dad Paul. It's a confidence scheme as Baz pushes him one small step to where they want him. He's the key to their next big heist at Camp Pendleton. While J doesn't like that they're using his girlfriend, he's told no one is off limits.

In season two, the boys have nearly spent through their Pendleton cash, and they want a new job and off Smurf's leash. Baz wants to be the new lead, but Smurf sets the rules. That starts a season long arc of the boys feuding with Smurf and her rules.

A series like this needs good heists, and the show delivers on that. They plan to rob a mega-church. The church heist has fun details like the boys placing sound monitors in the church and sound dampening the safe room with spray foam to muffle the drilling sounds.

Someone from Smurf's past pops up, and they want revenge. They beat up J to get the point across. With the life Smurf has lived, you have to imagine she has more than a few enemies, but Smurf also isn't one to leave any loose ends.

S2: Scott Speedman, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, Shawn Hatosy play
Baz, Craig, Deran, J, Pope

I liked season one more than two. It's such an easy and predictable story arc to pit the boys against Smurf. While we get a heist early, I'd love to see another one. The first season established the family dynamic, season two wants to tear the family apart. All of the strife among them is just too easy of a plot. That culminates in Baz discovering Smurf was skimming. Instead of seeing it as useful for when the family hits hard times, he decides to take out Smurf. Unfortunately for Baz, Smurf was paranoid and made J her power of attorney so she could run the business in case anything happened. The family is irate, but as J succinctly put it, she trusted him more than them.

S1: Scott Speedman, Jake Weary play Baz, Deran

Season three picks up after the cliff hanger of season two. J is trying to manage the family business, the boys are running out of money, and they need another job. J has to protect Smurf while she's in prison. His uncles still are upset with her, and that gets worse as we discover just how far Smurf will go to protect her place at the top of the hierarchy. The problem with putting Smurf in jail is that we don't get the presence and command she brought to every scene. It's a noticeable absence.

In episode four the boys pull off a risky heist of a convenience store that's a front. They shim the doors to keep the guards out while using a garbage truck to pick up and take the safe away.

Deran's dad Billy (Denis Leary) pops up and Smurf orders everyone to make sure he leaves. They don't, and we eventually find out why she wanted to get rid of him. He's nothing but trouble, creating discord among the brothers. He gives Deran just a bit of hope before ruining it. I waited multiple episodes for Pope to go off on a rage and beat up Billy. That does finally happen.

They rob a plane and Smurf gets released. J wants to loop Smurf in, but the other kids don't. I get why they're mad but it feels like a bit of drama at this point. She provided for them and had a framework to cover their tracks. We've seen how ruthless she can be, but this season shows what J can do. He stole from Smurf and murdered to cover his tracks. This season ends with J planning to topple Smurf. It seems a bit out of left field, a way to end the season on a dramatic note. While that would explain why he stole from her, it seems like a reason after the fact.

Season four begins the concurrent flashbacks to a young Smurf. She's on a bank robbery and in the present day the boys are on a bank robbery. I wondered why this season introduced the flashbacks. Was it Smurf reflecting on her life? Eventually the past and present connect, but the past sequences feel like a distraction or filler. While interesting, I'd rather see what's happening in the present day.

This season is the ascension of J. He's always been smart, but this season he's the new Smurf; completely ruthless. His girlfriend Mia becomes a larger problem throughout the season while Julia's friend Angela might be a problem for Pope

Smurf's flashbacks contrast how she started versus where she is and how she sees herself, reconciling her current fate with what she's overcome. She's never had an easy road. The flashbacks intersect with the present, though years apart, to set up Smurf's final heist.
Barkin had wanted to leave the show since the first season but wasn't allowed. While she's proud of the work she did, she stated it wasn't a pleasant job.

There's unrest in the Cody household to start season five. Who is in charge? While Pope and J agree to work together, not everyone likes that. Smurf gave her estate to Pamela and nothing to the boys. They don't know Pamela and don't like that. Pamela plans to keep what was given, but she agrees to give it back to the Cody boys if they work for her. The show traded one powerful mother for another, but I assumed Pamela would be a larger presence in the show. She didn't stick around long. I was disappointed this season fractures the group into a bunch of separate plot lines.

A cop wants to team up with them, but the cop's increasing demands make you think that relationship won't last. When the cop fixes an issue by creating a lot of trouble for the boys and wants them to pay him for it, it's all but over.

Their heist this season involves an illegal money transfer system. The heists are always the best part. They must break into a container at the port. Deran has a getaway boat with another dodge on top of that. This series never shows much of the planning or setup, so you never know how they'll escape from a job.

With Smurf out of the picture, the boys have to develop their own contacts or transition her contacts. That's a bumpy road as one of those contacts tries to rip them off. By the end of the season the brothers and J reunite.

The flashback story depicts Smurf with her young twins. It's her slow road to stability as she eventually ends up in her dream house. It's just background that I never needed. It's filling in questions that don't really matter. Are assumptions easily fill in the gaps.

The final season, season six, focuses on Julia, Andrew/Pope, and Baz as teens under Smurf's rule. She's pushing Julia and Andrew into heists when they'd rather go legal. She's using them for her benefit and wants to control them, and she lies to keep them in line. Part of is that through them she can't get charged. None of this is new information. We already knew Smurf was toxic.

J wants to set the family up for the future, wanting to start a trust, get into investments, and have their property work for them. While J is talking to a lawyer, he gets involved with a paralegal. It wouldn't be a Cody deal if their weren't some complications, but it seems that the brothers finally trust J.

Unfortunately the season shifts more and more to the flashback story. It's not bad, but it isn't the show I started watching. I don't need the background on characters when we know where they end up. It doesn't add to the show. Baz is just an adversary for Pope in the past, and it seems out of character from what we've seen. This cuts the present day story in half, and I'd rather focus on present day heists. This season, they're stealing from a high-end jeweler. Deran poses as a fire marshal while J and Pope cut open a sewer pipe to catch the jewelry Deran flushes.

The run up to the end involves a cop working a cold case that of course ends up being Baz's girlfriend Catherine's case. That's a problem for Pope who ends up in jail and confesses instead of dragging anyone he knows through a legal proceeding. The rest of the Cody boys plan to cash out and leave the country.

I get that J's dastardly ways make for good drama, but earlier in the series he wants to get back at Smurf. Now it's everyone else. Why? Did he have that much hate for the whole family? Even the flashback underscores it was Smurf at fault for what happened to his mom. It just seems story driven more than character driven. His uncles have given him several opportunities, and they didn't have to. J is always out for himself. Everyone is a means to an end. While that mirror's Smurf's journey, she didn't have uncles that gave her a home and a job.

The final episode is explosive. The Cody family attempts their most daring crime yet. While his uncles are counting on him, J has other plans. When we first met J, and throughout the series, he continues to isolate himself. Even at the very end, everyone else is just a liability. The final episode is death and destruction top to bottom.

I enjoyed the first season, the second less so as it went into a predictable story arc. Season three was tough as we lost a main character, and season four under utilized Barkin. While the flashbacks starting in season four felt like filler, they did serve a point with past and present converging as well as providing background on Pope. Season four felt a bit scattered but seeing the rise of J certainly helped. Season three felt like a connector as the show changed directions. Season five just doesn't feel like the same show without Smurf. Season six bests it just because it's the big finale and provides closure. I'd rank the seasons one, four, three, two, six, and five. With a show about robberies, every season delivers on the heists, while I wouldn't mind even more, all them are exciting.

The Gilded Age Season 3 Review

2025-08-13T02:00:00.214-04:00

The Gilded Age (2022-)

Season 3 - 8 episodes (2025)
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Created by: Julian Fellowes
Starring: Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Louisa Jacobson, Denée Benton, Taissa Farmiga, Harry Richardson, Blake Ritson, Thomas Cocquerel, Simon Jones, Jack Gilpin, Cynthia Nixon, Christine Baranski
Rated: TV-MA
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Plot
A young woman entering 1882 New York City's rigid social scene is drawn into the daily conflicts surrounding the new money Russell family and the established van Rhijn-Brook family, who are neighbors across 61st Street near Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

Verdict
I like this season the most of any season, though it still feels scattered as it tries to follow so many characters. Focusing on the Russells would give this direction, and they are the most important family. Bertha has always been a social climber and this season creates a rift between her and her daughter. Bertha arranged a marriage. She claims she did it for her daughter, but we know Bertha is cementing her own legacy. There are plenty of other side plots and characters though it ranges from more dramatic to comic relief. I suppose this wants to create an encompassing portrait of life at the time, but that often feels like distraction. While I like this season the most, watching this show is more chore than enjoyment.
It depends.

Review
In season two, Bertha (Carrie Coon) continued to claw for position by starting an "opera war" and pushing for her own prestigious box at the Metropolitan Opera House. She won the war, but the implication is that she might have promised the Duke, who gave her the win, her daughter Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) in marriage. Meanwhile her husband George (Morgan Spector) deals with issues at the railroad, eventually reaching an agreement with the union at the ire of other railroad tycoons.

Ada (Cynthia Nixon) loved and lost but became rich in the process, swapping her position in the hierarchy with her sister Agnes (Christine Baranski) who lost her wealth due to her son's mistakes and was on the brink of selling everything.

This season has more drive. I like it more than prior seasons. The goal is more human, relatable. What do i care about opera houses? Bertha is living vicariously through her daughter, trying to give Gladys the position Bertha always desired. Gladys doesn't appreciate the shortcut because that's not her desire. Bertha did promise Gladys to the Duke, but it's also a huge social boost for Bertha too. Did she do it for Gladys as she claims or for her own gain? George tried to argue for Gladys, but he can't change Bertha's mind. This entire season is largely about how far Bertha will go for status. Gladys argues that Bertha had the opportunity to marry for love, but Bertha dismisses it. It's all about the status climb.

E2: Matt Walker, Taissa Farmiga play Billy Carlton, Gladys Russell

Meanwhile Agnes and Ada argue over the household. The servants don't know whose orders to follow. Ada is paying their salary, but they've always been given orders by Agnes. Their footman Jack Trotter is trying to invent and market a clock. He's at a weird juncture between footman and aristocrat. He doesn't know what to do, and none of the other servants like his new found wealth.

Bertha claims she wants her grandchildren to be "important." Bertha has always been a social climber, new money desperate to prove she belongs. George urges her to reconsider the marriage, but Bertha tells him she doesn't advise him in the board room and he doesn't get to advise her about the family. We know Bertha promised the Duke Gladys. George doesn't. He even asks Bertha if he knows everything. She states yes, but he later discovers that's a lie. George draws the line at family, Bertha doesn't. She thinks she can fix everything when it comes to her children. It's easy to dislike her, but you at least understand the why. This show has so many characters that steal focus from the Russells. If it focused on them it would be more compelling.

There's also the ongoing question of who leaks information to the press about the Russells. Whoever it is seems to know everything about the entire family.

Bertha is planning the wedding, but I have to guess she's planning her dream wedding, not Gladys's. Bertha's sister Monica (Merrit Weaver) comes to town. Bertha didn't want her to come and didn't think she would. Monica doesn't care for social climbing which irritates Bertha. She doesn't want her family embarrassing at this big event. There's still the question of whether Gladys will go through with the wedding. Even as the ceremony starts, the question remains whether she'll run out.

My favorite moment of the season may be in episode six. Gladys is adjusting to life in England and her husband's snooty sister who obviously dislikes Gladys. That or the sister doesn't like relinquishing control over her brother. Gladys is being pushed into a corner. If she had the confidence and resolve of her mother she could manage, but she doesn't. The Duke's sister wants to wear Gladys down. She's a villain for Gladys to overcome. When Gladys finally stands up to the sister, it's a great scene. I hoped for more of that in the season. As Gladys and the Duke start to genuinely like each other, the tides may be changing for Gladys.

Tensions boil between George and Bertha in episode seven over Gladys. George is mad he didn't do more for her, and he doesn't want to make the same mistake with his son Larry and his new fiancee Marion. George is also facing yet another dire financial situation. He gets a deus ex machina that solves everything, but episode seven provides quite the cliff hanger for George and his business with yet another obstacle.

The events at the end of episode seven bring everyone together. I thought the drama might play out longer, but George is back to business soon enough. While everyone is coming together and making friends, George and Bertha still haven't reconciled. For the most part this season reaches a reasonable conclusion for the arcs with plenty of potential for next season, and season four has already been confirmed.

Van Helsing Movie Review

2025-08-12T02:00:00.085-04:00

Van Helsing (2004)

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Written by: Stephen Sommers
Directed by: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham, Robbie Coltrane
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
The famed monster hunter is sent to Transylvania to stop Count Dracula, who is using Dr. Frankenstein's research and a werewolf for nefarious purposes.

Verdict
It's an unrelenting assault on the senses, a movie where a lot of stuff happens but none of it really matters. This movie wants to do everything, and it never slows down while relying solely on CGI and action. Trying to fit all the classic monsters in this only complicates a flimsy story that needs more focus. This wanted to look good on paper with the stars, the monsters, and big actionb but it doesn't deliver any compelling moments or characters.
Skip it.

Review
Universal Pictures planned a sequel and announced a television series titled Transylvania before the film premiered. Despite some financial success, critics panned the movie and both properties were canceled soon after the movie released.

The opening is an homage to classic monster movies, displayed in black and white, invoking Doctor Frankenstein and his monster and the villages wanting to burn the castle down. Dracula (Richard Roxburgh) and Frankenstein have teamed up with the vampire interested in the monster.

Hugh Jackman plays Gabriel Van Helsing

From there we shift to Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman) fighting Mr. Hyde with an action packed introduction to the monster hunter and his weapons. Van Helsing is then charged by the church to kill Dracula and save Anna (Kate Beckinsale) and Velkan Valerious (Will Kemp). They are the last of their family line, and if Dracula kills them the entire lineage will forever be trapped in purgatory.

This movie throws so many characters and monsters on the screen with no characterization. It's easy enough to assume Van Helsing is good since his job is to kill Dracula, but we never see him do anything heroic other than fight monsters. There's a lot of monster fighting, even werewolves. It's like this movie has a mandate to not let more than a few minutes pass without a monster fight. I imagine when this movie had to trim length it cut story instead of action.

Kate Beckinsale, Hugh Jackman play Anna Valerious, Gabriel Van Helsing

If the Valerious family pledged to defeat Dracula, doesn't Van Helsing killing him undermine that pact? Not in this movie. Dracula is undead. His children are undead, but for his children that's a problem. I'm not sure why other than it's the main plot of this movie. Dracula wants to use the Frankenstein technology to animate his children and conquer the world. Don't even start wonder about why his children are born in cocoons. How does that work?

This seems to have the sensibilities of a cartoon. The concept is what if we take all the Universal monsters and put them in one movie. That's why this has leaps on logic. With so much CGI the movie feels dated. It's just so mindless, a bunch of action scenes tied together with more action scenes.

The only thing that can defeat a vampire is a werewolf. So it's quite convenient that Van Heling becomes a werewolf. Now he's leveled up and can fight Dracula. The last fight sums up this movie. Whatever needs to happen will, and any character that will enhance the action will soon appear. This never slows down enough to develop plot, story, or characters.

Boiler Room Movie Review

2025-08-11T02:00:00.017-04:00

Boiler Room (2000)

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Written by: Ben Younger
Directed by: Ben Younger
Starring: Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Nia Long, Nicky Katt, Scott Caan, Jamie Kennedy, Tom Everett Scott, Ben Affleck
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A college dropout gets a job as a broker for a suburban investment firm which puts him on the fast track to success, but the job might not be as legitimate as it seems.

Verdict
Delving into shady side of stock brokers, Seth finds a job that's too good to be true. While his boisterous coworkers flaunt their wealth, he can't help but wonder what's happening behind the scenes at this company. Seth wants to get rich and simultaneously impress his father, but he jeopardizes everything by being too curious. It's interesting enough, but it references and tries to emulate better movies with mixed results. I'd rather watch Wall Street (1987) or Glengarry Glen Ross (1992).
It depends.

Review
This opens with a monologue about not wanting to innovate. Seth (Giovanni Ribisi) just wants to get in the door and make a quick buck. He becomes a stock broker. This shows us a rowdy group of brokers at a hotel wreaking havoc before cutting to three months earlier before Seth got the job. He was a college dropout running an illegal casino in his apartment. His cousin recruits him and he goes to a group interview for a brokerage firm out in Long Island.

Giovanni Ribisi plays Seth

The office is a high testosterone environment with a bunch of guys that have bought into their own self importance. They seem like guys imitating Gordon Gekko in Wall Street, and that's not far from the truth. From the location to the group interview and even the name of the firm, JT Marlin seems like an imitation. The name is quite similar to J.P. Morgan.

Seth just wants to fit in while getting rich. The recruiter promises them they will make a million dollars easily. His coworkers have more money than they know what to do with, and they worship the movie Wall Street. The job also gives Seth the chance to impress his dad. His dad questions the firm. The situation seems too good to be true, but Seth is committed. He wants the wealth his coworkers flaunt.

Vin Diesel, Jamie Kennedy, Scott Caan, Nicky Katt play Chris, Adam, Richie, Greg

There's a scene where a newspaper calls him to sell a subscription. He criticizes the salesman for a weak pitch and coaches him on really selling the benefits. While Seth doesn't buy, he's seeing everything as a transaction. He's doing well, but he becomes suspicious. He can't shake the doubt his father planted, and a number of things he witnesses don't add up. How can they take commissions higher than legally allowed? Why does the firm owner have an empty office full of telephones next door?

Giovanni Ribisi plays Seth

Intercut with Seth's rise in the firm are scenes of Seth's client Harry. He's a father of two that's swayed by Seth's pitch. Harry represents everyone sucked in by this too good to be true pitch that don't want to miss out, and Harry is also Seth's guilt of duping a working man just trying to make ends meet. Harry has plenty of objections, but Seth thwarts them and gets Harry to buy. Even when the stock begins to stumble and Harry is alarmed, Seth talks him down.

Eventually Seth can't ignore the warning signs. He discovers the firm is a scam. JT Marlin artificially inflates the demand for stocks by pushing them on cold calls. These are stocks the owners are invested in. When they peak, the owners sell off and the firm's investors can't sell the worthless stock. The investors take all the loss while the firm profits. Seth plans to right the wrongs, lamenting that his best work was running an illegal casino. While he wanted a legit job in part to please his father, the fact the firm is a scam is yet another disappointment for dad. While his dad disapproves of his method to bring down the firm, he eventually respects Seth's decision to do the right thing.

Equilibrium Movie Review

2025-08-09T02:00:00.008-04:00

Equilibrium (2002)

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Written by: Kurt Wimmer
Directed by: Kurt Wimmer
Starring: Christian Bale, Sean Bean, Emily Watson, Taye Diggs, Dominic Purcell, William Fichtner
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
In an oppressive future where all forms of feeling are illegal, a man in charge of enforcing the law rises to overthrow the system and state.

Verdict
It's a dystopian society that's found a way to prevent war and conflict at the expense of creative expression. The rules of this world break down quite easily just in what we see. Preston misses one dose and everything flies off the rails. I don't know how this society would have sustained. It provides a problem but not a definitive answer. With a world that already feels flimsy, what happens after leadership is toppled? I do love that this introduces "gun kata" for how our hero doesn't get shot even when completely outnumbered.
Skip it.

Review
This falls into the sub-genre with 1984 (1984), Fahrenheit 451 (2018), and even V for Vendetta (2017). The difference with this movie is that this world was created not as a power grab but to create a safer society.

This opens with a voice over reading a text crawl. It's redundant. World War 3 led the powers that be to realize that feelings lead to wars. Their solution is to eliminate all feelings. They create a totalitarian government, the Tetragrammaton Council. Tetragrammaton translates to YAHWEH or God.

Christian Bale plays Cleric Preston

The council appoints clerics that track sense offenders, anyone that shows feelings. Preston (Christian Bale) finds offenders, which usually leads to a cache of items like art and books. He's good at his job, and this is a world where feelings are so suppressed that he doesn't feel any remorse over turning his wife in which led to her death. He turns his partner in for violating the law. What makes these clerics so effective is "gun-kata." Shooting and avoiding bullets comes down to predictable variables. Through careful study they're been taught evasive tactics to avoid being shot in a gun fight. It's part magic, but it works, explaining why Preston never gets shot.

This is a world that's plain, boring as color may induce feelings. It seems like it would be difficult to keep people on these interval dosages that suppress all feelings. It's easy to forget or drop the glass vial. That's how Preston misses a dose which leads to the plot of the movie. When Preston misses one does, the entire system starts to falter. It seems like a poor system. Then again, maybe the dose makes people docile and most people crave it.

Christian Bale plays Cleric Preston

Preston now deals with feelings for the first time. I don't know how anyone wouldn't suspect him. A blind person could see he's suspicious. He imprisons a sense offender, instead of the customary execution. Interestingly enough, she wears a pink dress instead of a drab uniform while in custody. That seems like a recipe for disaster. Eventually Preston's strange behavior catches up to him.

Equilibrium is an interesting title. A balance of emotions and order would have led to a less suppressed society. This is one borne of willful ignorance. What's the point of living if you can't feel? They're all robots, emotionally stunted. By going to an extreme, it created unrest and rebellion. It's not really new ideas, but it is an update. While an extreme method achieves peace, the big question is at what cost? I'd like this more if some of these plot points weren't so flimsy. How can you rely on individuals to dose themselves? I appreciate this movie for giving us gun-kata, a silly explanation for why the character is bulletproof, but at least it tries to provide some logic. It doesn't provide a clear answer for how society should be modeled, other than creating something more balanced.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Movie Review

2025-08-08T02:00:00.024-04:00

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)

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Written by: Pen Densham (story), Pen Densham & John Watson (screenplay)
Directed by: Kevin Reynolds
Starring: Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Christian Slater, Alan Rickman, Michael Wincott, Sean Connery
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
Robin Hood decides to fight back as an outlaw when faced with the tyranny of the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Verdict
It's a grand experience, taking the concept of the Robin Hood legend and transforming it into a fresh take. The production design does a great job of creating and reinforcing the world. We get adventures, battles, one liners, and a range of performances. While Costner feels more like a cowboy, it's Freeman bringing quiet dignity to his role that balances Rickman's scenery chewing as the sheriff we love to hate. This does everything an adventure movie should, creating a world that feels big and intriguing with plenty of moments you want to revisit.
Watch It.

Review
This was the second highest grossing movie of 1991, eclipsed only by Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). It was a blockbuster by all rights, heavily marketed with toys, Kevin Costner's star power, Bryan Adams's song "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", and even a breakfast cereal.

Imprisoned in Jerusalem during the crusades, we see the courageous and heroic Robin of Locksley (Kevin Costner) falsely claim to have stolen bread to save his friend punishment. He uses that to stage an escape and free a Moor, Azeem (Morgan Freeman) who feels indebted to Robin for the act.

Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman play Robin Hood, Azeem

Robin and Azeem return to England where they discover the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman) is taking over with the King away. The Sheriff is absolutely villainous, having claimed Robin's father's land. Robin soon finds himself in a fight and requests Azeem fulfill his vow. Azeem is slow to join the fray, arriving as it's over. While Robin is upset, Azeem makes the point that Robin survived. The characters form a great duo with Robin providing humor and Azeem providing commentary. In another moment the blind Duncan decries the Moors and Saracens in conversation with Azeem, unaware Azeem is a Moor.

The costumes look absolutely great, and with the sets that lends a sense of authenticity. It's a fun movie that hits the high points of the classic story while adding enough to make it more than just a remake. It's certainly epic with plenty of quotable lines. It was the tale of Robin Hood for a new generation.

Kevin Costner plays Robin Hood

Upset with the Sheriff, and seeing how many people have been sent to Sherwood Forest to hide, Robin decides to lead the revolt. Robin's arrogant, antagonizing the Sheriff who in turn terrorizes the town, driving even more people to the woods. The Sheriff isn't just bad, he has a witch advising him. While the townspeople initially doubt Robin, his impassioned speech wins them over and inspires them to build huts and forts in the forest.

The legend buys into fighting against unjust rule. The noble outlaw takes from the rich, often portrayed as villainous, and gives to the poor, the downtrodden. While this downplays Robin's marksmanship, we do see him split an arrow, though it's not that big of a moment. To be the hero, Robin does get kicked around and beaten up frequently. Robin is a man of the people, everything the Sheriff isn't. Being the villain, it's fitting, a contrast to Robin and Azeem's staid calm especially. Rickman really brings it in every scene.He makes a character that could easily fall flat into something intriguing. You'd think his overacting would make the Sheriff comical, but it doesn't. He plays the part perfectly.

What legend wouldn't be complete without the blossoming romance between Robin and Marion (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). While there's initially tension between them, it's clear he's smitten. Then there's the jealousy of Will Scarlett (Christian Slater), another detractor Robin must win over.

Alan Rickman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio play Sheriff of Nottingham, Lady Marian

An attack on Sherwood Forest kicks off the third act. In his bid to take over, the Sheriff must rid himself of Robin and his outlaws while also planning to wed Marion and join the royal line to cement his position of power. The Sheriff combines a wedding with a public hanging which leads to the big battle. Robin and his remaining followers must attack the castle to save the captured outlaws and halt the wedding.

My only complaint is that in the finale the witch somehow exits the locked room Robin and Azeem are attempting to enter, is stabbed and presumed dead outside the room, then gets up to attack inside the room after we think the battle is over, where Azeem finally opens the door and confronts her. Are we to assume she can teleport? That power isn't substantiated anywhere else, but she's in, out, and then in again while Azeem is trying to get through the door the entire time.

This is a grand adventure, and that's not just nostalgia talking. It's fun in all the right ways, and every character contributes. Costner is criticized as Robin, and not without reason, but I think the fact that he was in so many western type movies at the same time influenced opinion and had people seeing him as a cowboy. While Costner has a limited range, I don't mind him in this. He does well enough as the every man hero.

Superman [1978] Movie Review

2025-08-07T02:00:00.012-04:00

Superman (1978)

Rent Superman on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster (character created by: Superman), Mario Puzo (story), Mario Puzo and David Newman and Leslie Newman & Robert Benton (screenplay), Tom Mankiewicz (screenplay, uncredited)
Directed by: Richard Donner
Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Terence Stamp
Rated: PG
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Plot
An alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest superhero.

Verdict
It's impressive for the time period, as well as pre-dating the superhero genre. The scenes that build Superman as a hero and show the duality of Clark Kent and Superman are great, but the second half of this falters with a bumbling villain and a ridiculous plan. It feels like two different movies. I get this wants to have a big comic book villain and in turn inspiring finale, but what's delivered feels ridiculous. Everything Lex Luthor does stretches credibility. That's capped off with Superman turning back time, and I just can't take that seriously. Superman is a hero while Luthor is a cartoon that drags this down.
It depends.

Review
Mario Puzo, known for the novel The Godfather, was hired to write a script due to the producers wanting someone famous. His script reduced the sci-fi aspect and combined Superman and Superman II into one movie. It was later rewritten due to the heavy themes. Newman and Benton's script was much more campy and split Puzo's script into two movies while making it much longer.. Mankiewicz ultimately wrote the script that was filmed. By the time the movie started filming, it was claimed not a word of Puzo's script remained, though it does use Puzo's story structure.

An introduction with a comic talking about the newspaper precedes an extremely long text credits sequence before we finally start with Krypton. Superman's father exiles a group of rebels and also warns of a star destroying the planet. No one believes him, and he agrees to remain quiet. Instead he prepares to send his son away to a primitive planet where he knows he will thrive.

I'm surprised that Jonathan and Martha Kent don't find it completely odd that a boy in a burned field looks like he fell from the sky. It's only when toddler Clark lifts a truck they wonder if he's different. Despite his ability, Clark hides in plain sight, not revealing what he can do. Exposition from his father provides the reason. He must hide so he isn't taken away.

I assume that just as the crystal in his space ship hidden in the barn called to him, so did this fortress in the Arctic. Who built the fortress? It has a message from Clark's father, and this is the turning point where Clark Kent becomes Superman. He's created this persona of Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve), a weak, clumsy but well meaning boy scout. These scenes, though improbably, build the character. He and Lois are mugged, and he catches the bullet. It's a way to show his power and his motivations.

Christopher Reeve plays Superman

Something this does better than the 2025 version is showcasing Clark's strengths and goals. I get the new one assumes everyone knows who Superman is, but when Superman grabs the falling helicopter, it's such a cool moment. We see a montage of Superman at his best. It shows us who he is as he's also becoming a hero. Reeve does a great job between the two, changing his voice and posture. The Superman parts of this movie are inspiring.

Margot Kidder, Christopher Reeve play Lois Lane, Superman

The Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) aspect of the movie feels like a comic book, but that's also a part of when this was released. Lex has a hidden secret lair in the subway and his goals are silly. This is an attempt to create a villain with a grandiose plan. You need something grandiose like sinking a continent or starting your own country. A Superman villain needs to seem big with designs that affect the entire world. It's not an easy task. Luthor plans to sink California in a real estate scheme. In turn Superman gets to single handedly repair the San Andreas fault. It's wild, but it's a nod to the ambitious comic book adventures. Then to add stakes, Superman must save Lois. Even when I watched this as a kid, I found it dubious than Superman could reverse time by flying around the Earth and changing the rotation. To restart it, he flies the other way to start time again. Yes, it's a big finale, but it's also eye roll inducing.

This does a great job of introducing Superman, someone truly heroic. It falters in trying to create a formidable villain for one of the greatest heroes. We need a villain that has designs on the world. Luthor suffices, but everything about him is just so silly. Superman avoids feeling campy, Luthor doesn't.