• Dog Man
    Dog Man leaps from animated page to big screen as Dav Pilkey’s beloved characters come to life. All of your favorites from the 13 books are in this adventure that moves a lot like the books; for better or worse. Synopsis: Dog Man, half dog and half man, he is sworn to protect and serve…
  • Flight Risk
    Flight Risk is an intense, 90-minute, check rational at the door, fun ride at the theater. Part drama and part action comedy, it will elicit a few eye rolls but also keeps you on the edge of your seat. Synopsis: A pilot (Mark Wahlberg) transports an Air Marshal (Michelle Dockery) accompanying a fugitive (Topher Grace)…
  • Wolf Man
    WOLF MAN releases in the month where movies go to die. Not all films have fallen into the stereotypical January and February box office bombs. But for every M3GAN there is a MADAM WEB. Sadly WOLF MAN is a poster child for everything that can go wrong in early year films. Synopsis: A family at…
  • The Damned
    THE DAMNED is a bleak, isolated thriller that takes full advantage of location, folklore, and fear of the unseen. I am not sure horror is the word I would use for this one, but fans of gothic styled ghost stories should enjoy its eeriness. Synopsis: a tense psychological horror film that follows 19th-century widow, Eva….
  • September 5
    September 5 is a slow, meandering film that is saved only by its clever use of real, archived footage. It offers only a few edge of your seat moments, and an ending that is simply a sad remembrance. Synopsis: During the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, an American sports broadcasting team must adapt to…
  • The Last Showgirl
    THE LAST SHOWGIRL is a testament to aging out of the thing you most love to do. It is about fighting for relevance in an evolving culture. Pamela Anderson gives us a beautiful and emotional performance of a character struggling to just hold on to anything. SYNOPSIS: A seasoned showgirl must plan for her future…
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3
    Sonic the Hedgehog 3 speeds into theaters at just the right time! This Holiday season has plenty of adult films to offer but very few for the kiddoes. Luckily this one is kid approved and family friendly with enough smart humor to make up for the over the top Jim Carrey moments. Synopsis: Sonic (Ben…
  • Baby Girl needs to go to her room
    BABY GIRL needs to go to her room and never come out. Easily the worst film of the year, and not for the reasons you might think or expected. Watching movies this bad will make you angry. Angry that they took your hard earned money, and angry that you wasted valuable time that could have…
  • Nosferatu
    NOSFERATU is in theaters this Christmas. Not the film you would expect during your yuletide celebration, but certainly one for award season. If you have had your fill of traditional love stories via Netflix and the Hallmark Channel this might be a pallet cleanse for sure. SYNOPSIS: A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted…
  • A Complete Unknown
    A Complete Unknown hits theaters on December 25th. Timothée Chalamet takes on the role of a young Bob Dylan during Bob’s rise to fame in the world of Folk music. Fans of Bob Dylan know much of this story already, yet there are still plenty of iconic moments from the early days of Dylan’s journey…
  • The Order
    THE ORDER is a familiar plot point that will attract fans of domestic terrorism, the FBI, and small town crime. Jude Law leads an apt cast as an FBI agent trying to flush out a white supremacy group before they can build an army, and do more damage. Synopsis: A series of bank robberies and…
  • Gladiator II – I didn’t hate it
    Gladiator II. “I didn’t hate it” seems to be a compliment for this film as it has been panned by critics and audiences alike. I talked on my radio show that there are possible theories as to why. High expectations and box office costs cause viewers to demand a lot. Going in super low and…
  • Angelina Jolie hits the high notes as MARIA
    Angelina Jolie hits the high notes as MARIA in Pablo Larraín’s final “Lady with Heels” trilogy of female-led biopics. Like his other two offerings – JACKIE and SPENCER – this one is so beautifully shot. Each frame is like a painting. A still life to be displayed. But sadly this one is just as slow…
  • Wicked: Part I
    Wicked: Part I is just about as close to a perfect stage to screen adaptation as you can get. Director Jon M. Chu handles the content and characters with respect and consideration. Fans of the musical – which I am one – are protective of this property. Seeing it done so well was a relief…
  • Nightbitch
    Nightbitch is the new drama based on the 2021 novel by Rachel Yoder. A look at motherhood and the stress of keeping another human alive as you have never imagined. More importantly it stars Amy Adams in what could and should be an award garnering performance. Adams plays Mother – yes it is one of…
  • Conclave
    CONCLAVE is my first 5-star rated film this award season. This PG rated drama proves that an engaging narrative and strong performances are the cornerstone for powerful movie making. When Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with leading one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the center…
  • The Apprentice
    The Apprentice is now in theaters. Two solid performances from Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong aid in the watchability of this new film about the early business days of Donald Trump. Synopsis: The story of how a young Donald Trump started his real-estate business in 1970s and ’80s New York with the helping hand of…
  • Salem’s Lot (2024)
    The Max Original film SALEM’s LOT debuts THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3 on Max. The adaptation of Stephen King’s 1975 bestselling novel reunites the producing teams behind the record-breaking horror franchises “The Conjuring” universe and the “It” films. Gary Dauberman writes, directs, and executive produces the film. Producers are James Wan and Michael Clear for Atomic Monster;…
  • Monster Summer
    MONSTER SUMMER kicks off October with a creepy tale. In a season of family un-friendly slasher and gore films it is nice to have a spooky story crafted for the younger movie goers. Though rated PG-13 it is pretty tame and – depending on the kid – fine for your older tweens as well. Synopsis:…
  • Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
    Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the followup to the 1988 cult classic, Beetlejuice. Some films need to distance themselves far from the original in order to properly be embraced. The characters have to be fondly missed, and the films memory better than the movie actually was. Synopsis: After a family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family…
  • Greedy People
    GREEDY PEOPLE is a hilarious – in that dark Fargo type of way – crime comedy full of eccentric characters, zany action, and plenty of twists and turns. Hands down one of the craziest films you will see this year. GREEDY PEOPLE will arrive in Select Theaters & On Demand this Friday, August 23rd. SYNOPSIS:…
  • Alien: Romulus
    Alien: Romulus is a sci-fi lovers dream when it comes to more tentacles, caustic drool, and dark space peril. But what does it give the rest of the movie realm? Who cares? This is an alien movie for the alien fans. On that note it delivers where needed. In this ninth (if you count the…
  • It Ends with Us
    IT ENDS WITH US was on my radar because it was on my wife’s radar. Based on the best selling novel by Colleen Hoover, this story of brokenness and family violence is a powerful narrative brought to life by a very pretty group of men and women. Having not read the book I can only…
  • TRAP is a lot of Shyamalan
    TRAP is the new suspenseful tale from the mind of M. Night Shyamalan. Night has hit his stride of late with the films he has given us. Split was a great look at how he can bring about unhinged characters. TRAP elevates the creep factor and gives us a character I would actually like to…
  • The Instigators
    The Instigators is the film we needed all summer long. A super stacked cast, hilarious hijinks, and easily one of Matt Damon’s most fun-to-watch roles. Apple TV+ is always quality over quantity, and this is another example of them delivering the goods! “The Instigators” will debut in select theaters on August 2, 2024 before streaming…
  • Deadpool & Wolverine (Spoiler Free Review)
    Deadpool & Wolverine. Where to start? It is like bagging feathers in a windstorm trying to explain how this movie moves from one scene to another. The most anticipated Marvel film since Iron Man 3 is now on the big screen. Bolder, bigger, ruder, raunchier, graphic, and funnier than imagined. What at times feels more…
  • TWISTERS an EF5 on the action scale
    TWISTERS blows into theaters July 19th in hopes of stirring up a rather dismal summer box office. I feel we have had little to cheer about the last few months, but luckily this one brings action, excitement, and some heartland humor to local theaters. Synopsis: A retired tornado-chaser and meteorologist is persuaded to return to…
  • Despicable Me 4
    Despicable Me 4 is back with what we have missed in this franchise; Gru! The run of minion films and origin stories were fun, but what made this franchise fantastic from day one was Mr. Despicable himself. Synopsis: Gru, Lucy, Margo, Edith, and Agnes welcome a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who is…
  • Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
    Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga hits the road with even more fury, and a lot of zany Wasteland characters. See it on the biggest, loudest screen possible. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) was a fantastic movie and a follow up prequel could have ruined the adventure. Fans of the franchise and Furiosa’s (Anya Taylor-Joy) character…
  • Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
    Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is several monkey generations past from the last film, War for the Planet of the Apes (2017). It has even been seven years in human time. Yet this film feels very much like those before it. I was hoping we would get something more evolved. Still, it had…
  • The Fall Guy is a perfect summer flick
    THE FALL GUY is the most anticipated film ushering in those summer blockbusters. From the first trailer we knew this one would be full of humor, action, and on screen romance. Often campy with tongue firmly planted in cheek, The Fall Guy is pure entertainment beginning to end. Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is a Hollywood…
  • Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
    Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the latest in the MonsterVerse movie series, and arguably one of the better films. This one is as different from the last three as Kong: Skull Island is to them all. This one packs a punch with more Titans, some groovy music, and an epic battle that rivals…
  • Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is cursed with too much fluff
    Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a follow up to Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) which introduced us to the next generation of Spenglers. This film has the new, the old, the newer, and a lot of extra characters thrown in for good measure. There is too much to keep up with on top of an already muddy plot….
  • Road House now on Prime
    The new Road House is now streaming on Prime Video. Did we need a new version of this classic film which starred Patrick Swayze? In the words of Dr Ian Malcolm, “they were so preoccupied with whether or not they could they didn’t stop to think if they should!” Luckily it resembles it by name…
  • Arthur the King in theaters
    Guest critic Nathan Chandler, host of the film podcast, “Movies are Life.” takes a run at the new film ARTHUR THE KING. Rated PG-13 and in theaters March 15th. “Runners run,” is a phrase that comes up often in Arthur the King. I like to consider myself a runner. Though I have never, nor will…
  • Imaginary is real creepy
    IMAGINARY is the new PG-13 rated horror film from our friends at Blumhouse and Lionsgate. I mean, I guess we can still be friends after this. I may have to come back and haunt them though. Plenty of jump scares and enough creep factor to make it palatable. Will it fair better once streaming? Absolutely….
  • Damsel on Netflix
    Damsel hits Netflix streaming on March 8th. Millie Bobby Brown and dragons? Who could say no to that? This fantasy film from writer Dan Mazeau and director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo needed more though. A lot more. DAMSEL is rated PG-13 for sequences of strong creature violence, action, and bloody images SYNOPSIS: A dutiful damsel (Millie…
  • Kung Fu Panda 4
    Kung Fu Panda 4 is in theaters March 8th from Universal Pictures. This spring, for the first time in almost a decade, comedy icon Jack Black returns to his role as Po, the world’s most unlikely kung fu master, with a hilarious, butt-kicking new chapter in DreamWorks Animation’s beloved action-comedy franchise: Kung Fu Panda 4….
  • Dune: Part Two is a lot Dunier
    The long awaited and much anticipated, DUNE: PART TWO is a few days away, hitting theaters March 1st. Writer/Director Denis Villeneuve again brings us a monumental production that has to be seen – and heard – on the biggest screen possible. It is filmed for Imax so see it there if you can! Dune: Part…
  • LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP
    LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP, lands on U.S. VOD on February 22nd from XYZ Films. This mind bending thriller is for all horror fans, but especially those of us who love those Midnight, Film Fest screenings. There is a special vibe about those films, and this one checks off all of those boxes. I have never…
  • Argylle meow in theaters
    ARGYLLE is in theaters this weekend. It is not a bad way to start February which is normally not the greatest month for theater releases. If you are into spies, mystery novels, unseen twists, and a lot of silly antics; this one is for you. Synopsis: A reclusive author (Bryce Dallas Howard) who writes espionage…
  • Scrambled Review and Interview
    SCRAMBLED is in theaters February 2nd 2024 from Lionsgate. Written by, directed by, and starring Leah McKendrick. It is a story of ticking clocks and a search for the perfect.. man. If this film is anything it is surprising. Full of unexpected emotion, tons of humor, and an intimate look at one woman’s brave adventure…
  • The Underdoggs on Prime Video
    THE UNDERDOGGS is hard to root for. It is true that everyone loves an underdog story. Sadly the writers decided to go the crude humor route instead of focusing on the important and vital part of community. The Underdoggs streams on Prime Video January 26th. Rated R for pervasive language, sexual references, drug use, and…
  • Miller’s Girl – Review and Interview
    Miller’s Girl is a seductive and smartly written film about the power of longed for affirmation and the alluring attraction of shared interest. Written and directed by Jade Halley Bartlett, and starring Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega. See it in theaters January 26th For those looking for a nerdier, less dark and morose Jenna Ortega;…
  • I.S.S Review
    The new R-rated space thriller I.S.S is in theaters starring Ariana DeBose, Chris Messina, and John Gallagher Jr.. It is a decent watch that might play just as well on the small screen. A thin script and lack of character depth keep this one from soaring very high. Synopsis: Tensions flare in the near future…
  • The Iron Claw
    THE IRON CLAW. The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s.Named for the signature wrestling move created by Fritz Von Erich, The Iron Claw hits theaters December 22nd. For a certain generation it is hard not to get nostalgic…
  • The Color Purple (2023)
    The Color Purple sings its way into theaters this Christmas with award worthy performances and one of the best ensemble casts this year. Produced by Oprah Winfrey and led by Fantasia Barrino this new film has all the power and emotion you would expect. Those who remember the original film from 1985 know how moving…
  • The Boys in the Boat
    Inspirational. Timeless. The Boys in the Boat is the underdog movie of the year. Add this to the list of true sports stories that most of the country never knew took place. Directed by George Clooney starring Joel Edgerton. Rated PG-13 in theaters December 25th 2023. Synopsis: A 1930s-set story centered on the University of…
  • Wonka is Wonderful
    You have never had Wonka like this. An origin story of our favorite – and most eccentric – candy man. Full of original songs, vibrant colors, and hilarious characters, this WONKA is a wonder to watch for the whole family. Rated PG in theaters December 15th. Those who grew up watching the 1971 film Willy…
  • POOR THINGS is rich in style
    POOR THINGS is in theaters December 8th. Director Yorgos Lanthimos’s follow up to his 2018 film, THE FAVOURITE. Poor Things stars Emma Stone who was also in The Favourite. So I guess she must be. Not to play favorites myself, I have to say that Stone is my front runner for this years Best Actress…
  • The Holdovers
    The Holdovers is a coming of age and coming to terms film with powerful performances and an emotional script. Funny, tearful, and up-lifting. Paul Giamatti leads The Holdovers full speed into the movie award season. From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, THE HOLDOVERS follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who…
  • May December
    MAY DECEMBER is in select theaters November 17th 2023 and streaming on Netflix December 1st! LOGLINE: Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple (Julianne Moore, Charles Melton) buckles under the pressure when an actress (Natalie Portman) arrives to do research for a film about their past. Normally if you…