“Apples” is a foreign-language movie (Greek) that is from a first-time Writer and Director. Many times this can mean you could be in for a treat, a very personal take about a very deep subject. Yet many other times, it could mean that you can watch a meandering effort that offers up a promising premise, but then it sputters out like a wet wick. When you hope for the former, but you actually get the latter — well, it can drive you Bananas!
“Minions: The Rise of Gru” — In The Beginning, Illumination Entertainment created ‘Me’ – and they saw that Me was Despicable. The overlords saw that it was not good for Me to be alone. So, thus was begat the ‘Minions’ – and these yellow companions were adorably annoying. The Sequel was begat, in order to fill the void that did not have adorably annoying creatures. Then, Sequels begat even more Sequels. And as the Sequels multiplied, the creatures grew less adorable… Read more
“The Black Phone” is tightly plotted and wonderfully acted movie about “Stranger Danger” set in the late 1970’s. This was a time of anxious fear of another ‘John Wayne Gacy’ just around the corner. A teenager confronts with abject shock and terror that single scariest of things. That is, an old-fashioned, wall-mounted, rotary-dial telephone! Oh, that and the serial killer who lives upstairs and will always wear freaky masks. Yeah, that’s a scary thing too! Read more
“Jurassic World Dominion” is the culmination of the “Jurassic Park” movie series. This franchise has had its ups and downs. But the dinosaur craze from thirty years ago might not seem as fresh and exciting. Is the time ending when “Dinosaurs Ruled the Box Office”? Read more
Streaming on Hulu starting June 3, 2022
“Fire Island” is a traditional romantic comedy, updated to be a very non-traditional ‘gay romp’. Take that as meaning that the main characters (looking for love and affection — or least a good hook-up) are all Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual, and the like. It is about the LGBTQ & ECT (etc. cetera) crowd bringing new meaning to an old Jane Austen novel. Call this revamping – “Gay Pride and Prejudice”.
“Top Gun: Maverick” is a movie that feels the need, the need for speed! However, that speed does not carry over to the speed in which this new update/remake/sequel of the original “Top Gun” was made. Even with the Pandemic Pause that pushed it out a couple more years, this movie was still over thirty plus years in development. Was it worth the wait? YES INDEED! It will ‘Take Your Breath Away’!
“Men” is a bizarre horror movie seeped in symbolism. When a young woman experiences a traumatic event that changes her life, she decides to decompress with pastoral stay in a quaint English village. Yet her time in that idyllic setting turns into a nightmare. Perhaps it is her inner torment from guilt and grief. Perhaps it is the ancient Celtic myths alive in the woods. Perhaps the village is far from being quaint…
Showing theaters starting May 20
Streaming on Prime Video starting May 27
“Emergency” is goofy mix of movies like “The Hangover” and “Weekend at Bernie’s”. There is a high alcohol content missing person, and a few folks stuck with an extra person who is non-responsive. That person is not dead, but they are so blitzed out that they might as well be. The college roommates who find the inebriated under-age girl are in a bad spot. The two Black guys and their Hispanic roomie are afraid to call the authorities. They are capable of handling the situation, right?
“Downton Abbey: A New Era” is the second movie based on the long-running British BBC series about the English Upper Crust family and the country home and servants who work there. It begins with the nuptials of two newlyweds in the Abbey at Downton. Then it ends with the death and final services of a beloved character in this BBC series, now turned into a ‘moving picture talkie’. They have missed the chance to call this movie “One Wedding and a Funeral”.
“Dr Strange In The Multiverse of Madness” gets the magical Marvel movie action pumping again. But in this movie, it is not just set in one space, or time, or even one dimension. It makes for a crazy spin dry cycle for the previous wash loads of numerous prior Marvel-produced movies, and even some Disney+ TV series. Like somebody once said “Hold on to your butts”… Read more
