Comedy
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery continues the franchise’s tradition of assembling an excellent ensemble cast, with Daniel Craig (Knives Out) as Detective Benoit Blanc leading the mystery with his familiar Southern charm. This time, he shares the spotlight with Josh O’Connor, who plays Father Jud Duplenticy, a young priest with a violent…
Blue Moon
Blue Moon is a bittersweet, bordering on sad, dialogue-heavy biopic of Lorenz Hart, the 1930-era lyricist who worked with Richard Rogers (Rogers and Hart). The high point of Lorenz Hart’s partnership with Rogers is writing the lyrics of Blue Moon in 1934. The song Blue Moon is an American standard that everyone still recognizes. Due…
Eternity
Eternity takes an idea – life after death – a potentially heavy idea and turns it into something light, funny, and surprisingly enjoyable. The story begins when Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) dies and arrives at the big train station in the sky where everyone goes to choose their eternity. Her main dilemma is choosing between eternity…
Chocolat
Chocolat is still a remarkably meaningful and stylish film 25 years after its release. Set in a small fictious French village in 1959, the story follows Vianne (Juliette Binoche), and her young daughter Anouk as the two wander from town to town driven on by a family tradition of restlessness. When Vianne and Anouk settle…
My Dead Friend Zoe
My Dead Friend Zoe is a film that explores themes of grief, humor, and PTSD through its main character, Merit (Sonequa Martin-Green), an Afghanistan war veteran. The story presents Merit as interacting with the ghost of her deceased military comrade, Zoe (Natalie Morales). This ghost figure serves as a companion and source of dialogue, contributing…
Quiz Lady
THE QUIZ LADY Writing a review of Quiz Lady I realize I’m competing with Google’s AI Bard (which I like the best right now), Bing Copilot, ChatGPT, etc.? Those “AI beings,” do write movie reviews well and quickly. However, they lack substance. AI’s have no depth; no concern with minor characters, none of the human…
- 2023
- Comedy
Flamin’ Hot
FLAMIN’ HOT Did you ever eat Flamin’ Hot Cheetos? I haven’t and this film doesn’t make me want to run out and buy Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. But, like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, this film is a good 99 minute snack – a worthy snack. Flamin’ Hot stays positive and upbeat even through the darkest times-and the…
Father of the Bride
FATHER OF THE BRIDE Hard to compete with the 1991 Father of the Bride movie with Steve Martin and Diane Keaton as the parents and Martin Short as the hard-to-understand French Wedding Planner, Franck Eggelhoffer, who sells a $1,200 wedding “ceke.” The 1991 Father of the Bride is silly, funny, and politically incorrect in portraying…
Hustle
HUSTLE Hustle is a basketball drama that is enjoyable to watch even if you don’t know the names of the NBA players in the film, that is, if you are like me. There are sixty past and present players and owners listed in the credits as HIMSELF or HERSELF, so if you are a sports…
Four Quick Movie Reviews
Metal Lords and Kimi
- 2026
The Bubble
THE BUBBLE It takes a particular type of person to enjoy the entirety of The Bubble, which is a silly comedy with a great ensemble of actors that do everything they came to amuse you, make you laugh, creep you out, or generally just act weird to show you a mostly warped view of what…
- 2022
- Comedy
The Adam Project
THE ADAM PROJECT Ryan Reynolds chooses another big-screen film, The Adam Project, where his character’s persona is identical to the role he played in Deadpool 1, 2, and 3, Red Notice and Free Guy. This role is not an acting stretch for Reynolds, but he plays Adam perfectly in The Adam Project, a time-traveling action-comedy….
- 2022
- Science Fiction, Adventure, Comedy
Together
TOGETHER Together is an intelligent British comedy-drama about a couple’s changing relationship during the lockdowns of 2020 and into 2021. The movie explores the wide range of emotions the couple experience during the lockdown year. Emotions range from hateful to funny to poignant and sad. Together will satisfy your theater urge if you are starving…
Christmas Sail
CHRISTMAS SAIL “Hey, Google – Define Christmas movie.” A movie you watch at Christmas that makes you feel the holiday spirit “Hey, Google – What makes a movie a Christmas movie?” A film that features one of the traditional Christmas themes, such as love, hope, generosity, faith, redemption, family, or fear. Christmas Sail fits all…
Best Sellers
BEST SELLERS Best Sellers is a comedy drama released in September 2021. Aubrey Plaza (The Little Hours) is the female lead, Michael Caine (Tenet) is the male lead. One of the production companies on this film is Chicken Soup for the Soul, a socially conscious company making stories since 1993 with positive content that brings…
Cinderella
CINDERELLA Cinderella, a live-action non-Disney movie, is reimagined in 2021 into an entertaining pop musical designed to empower pre-teen/teenage girls. Teenage boys may enjoy parts of this film, and the main message they receive is “Happy Wife, Happy Life.” This Cinderella still has the Ball, the magical carriage, the mean stepmom and stepsisters, the Prince,…
Come From Away
COME FROM AWAY Come From Away, a Broadway musical is one of the rare joyful remembrances of 9/11. The heartache and confusion of that day are present in Come From Away. But the all-inclusive generosity and respect of people that come together and help each other is the emotion you take away. Come From Away…
Sword of Trust
SWORD OF TRUST Sword of Trust is a comedy written, directed, and produced by the late Lynn Shelton. At the time of her unexpected death at 54, Ms. Shelton was in a relationship with Marc Maron, who stars in this film. Sword of Trust is an excellent example of mumblecore writing. Mumblecore is a type…
Kajillionaire
KAJILLIONAIRE A Grifter family: A family that engages in petty or small-scale swindling The Breast Crawl Fear of earthquakes and flying A limping Debra Winger Unrecognizable Evan Rachel Woods Meeting Melanie (Gina Rodriquez) on a plane 5 PM weeping walls You named your daughter Old Dolio? Pretending to act like a typical family while the…
Spontaneous
SPONTANEOUS Spontaneous is a teen horror-comedy film, but I think it is more of a coming-of-age and romance film occurring under a unique set of circumstances. Spontaneous is darkly funny and could have been even more poignant but went for sarcasm and profanity at the end. The story originates from a 2016 Young Adult (YA)…