Author: James Hathaway

Movie 1: Thelma

What a wonderful little gem of a movie. A very senior citizen gets scammed out of $10,000 and goes out to get it back. This movie is difficult to categorize as it’s part action, part drama, part comedy. All great fun. June Squibb is an absolute treasure.

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Movie 2: The Bikeriders

A group of Chicago friends and fellow motorcyclists decide to start a riding club. Set in the late 1960’s this movie does a fine job of evoking a certain era of Midwest biker clubs. This very masculine film is uniquely told through the eyes of a woman. Good acting all around.

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Movie 3: Robot Dreams

Set in 1980’s New York City, a dog assembles a robot for companionship. We were not expecting such a wonderful movie. There is virtually no dialogue, just a periodic musical soundtrack. Yet somehow this animated film conveys deep felt emotions of love, loss, loneliness and hope. It received a well deserved Oscar nomination earlier this year for Best Animated Film. Really unique and special.

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Movie 1: Inside Out 2

This is the long anticipated sequel to the 2015 Oscar winning Inside Out. This film discusses emotions in a way children can learn and understand. While it is charming and entertaining, we found it nowhere near as good as the original. Although national critics are generally praising the quality of this movie and an Oscar nomination is sure to follow.

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Movie 2: Treasure

What a charming discovery this movie is. Set in 1990 an Auschwitz survivor and his daughter travel to his childhood Polish home and the infamous concentration camp where he and his wife were held. We found this movie very touching. Stephen Fry is perfect as the father. It needs a wider distribution and more publicity. Hopefully you will find this in your area.

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Movie 3: Tuesday

Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays the mother of a dying teenage girl. This movie deals with death in a heart wrenching, fairy tale type atmosphere. Death is played by a large, talkative parrot. Performances are excellent. It is helpful to know the role of the parrot before seeing this movie.

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Movie 1: Kidnapped

This is a very intense historical drama based on a true story. In 1858 Pope Pius IX has a young Jewish boy kidnapped to persuade his parents (and all Italian Jews) to convert to Catholicism. It’s a powerfully told story with good acting. Italian with English subtitles. Currently in select theatres but look for it streaming later this year.

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Movie 2: Under Paris

This is a really good horror movie about sharks in the Seine river in Paris. As Paris is getting ready for the Olympics and events in the river, the government tries to get rid of the sharks. Totally implausible, but fun none the less. On Netflix. We watched the dubbed English version.

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Movie 3: Eric

This is an excellent psychological thriller about a young boy who goes missing in New York City in the 1980’s. Benedict Cumberbatch is outstanding as the boys puppeteer father. Excellent acting, writing and directing. Six part miniseries on Netflix.

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Movie 1: Ezra

This is an endearing and tenderly made film. A standup comic gets a call to appear on the Jimmy Kimball show but must travel by car from New Jersey to LA with his special needs son. The acting and cast are terrific all round and always good to see Whoopi Goldberg in a movie. Currently in theatres but will soon be on Netflix.

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Movie 2: Bad Boys: Ride or Die

This is the fourth installment of the action-comedy franchise and first movie for Will Smith since his infamous incident with Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. It’s OK, some funny moments, but not as entertaining as the previous movies. Martin Lawrence and Will Smith do have good chemistry together and this film made over $100 million worldwide in its first weekend.

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Movie 3: The Commandant’s Shadow

This is a compelling Holocaust documentary. The son and grandson of Rudolf Hoss, the infamous commandant and mastermind behind the murder of more than a million Jews at Auschwitz, come to the London home of a 98 year old camp survivor. It truly is amazing that these people could actually meet each other. It raises all sorts of questions about guilt, acceptance and hope. Currently in theatres but will stream on Max later this year.

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Movie 1: IF

This is a family friendly, heartwarming story about imaginary friends. It is sensitive and very well done. John Krasinski’s directing and writing is skillful and first rate. The voices behind the characters is a plethora of Hollywood stars, including Louis Gossett Jr.’s last role.

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Movie 2: Young Woman and the Sea

This is a wonderfully compelling biographical drama about a person and an event we knew nothing about. In August 1926 American Trudy Ederle became the first woman to swim across the English Channel from France to England. The entire cast is filled with charming characters. This is a very inspiring sports story.

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Movie 3: Summer Camp

Three friends who spent their preteen years together at summer camp, have a camp reunion fifty years later. There really isn’t anything believable about this story, nor is it particularly funny. Yet somehow it’s good to see Alfre Woodard, Kathy Bates and Diane Keaton in the same movie. Best to wait for this one to stream on TV.

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Movie 1: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Filmed as a sequel generations after the original film, this is one of the better movies in this storied franchise. In this film apes are the dominant species and humans are mute and living in the shadows. The cinematography, costumes, acting, writing and directing are excellent. In the past two weeks we’ve seen this movie twice, once in Strasbourg France and then again in Zurich Switzerland, and enjoyed it both times.

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Movie 2: Back to Black

Not knowing too much about her life or her music, we found this biopic of Amy Winehouse sensitive and interesting. But most national critics found this movie weak and not well done. It chronicles the last few years of her life from struggling artist to superstar. We enjoyed the acting and music and always good to see Lesley Manville.

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Movie 3: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

This is a prequel to the Mad Max franchise, of which the first film was 45 years ago. We were very disappointed! We found this movie loud, confusing (as in impossible to follow), violent and long. The writing and acting very poor. However, critics and audiences seem to like this movie. This is another film we saw in Strasbourg and were the oldest two amongst a young and enthusiastic audience.

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Movie 1: Nowhere Special

This is a heartfelt, touching and beautifully made British film. A young father has a terminal illness and is determined to find a home for his 4-year-old son. James Norton, currently at the top of the list to replace James Bond, gives an achingly tender performance. While the title is Nowhere Special, this movie is very special indeed. In limited theatres now, but should be streaming later this summer.

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Movie 2: The Golden Hour

This is a very good Dutch thriller six part series currently on Netflix. After a terrorist attack in an Amsterdam market, the lead detective finds himself the prime suspect as he chases a childhood Afghan friend. Really well done. Each episode is about 50 minutes. A second six part series is currently being filmed. In Dutch, but we watched the dubbed English version.

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Movie 3: Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace

In theatres for its 25th anniversary, we found this Star Wars rather dull and boring. Meant as a prequel to the original 1977 Star Wars, but unfortunately, the special effects just don’t hold up and seem rather amateurish compared to where the industry is now. Probably better watched on TV, even though worldwide it has raked in a lot of money in one week.

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Movie 1: The Fall Guy

This action packed romantic comedy is wonderfully good fun. This is an homage to Hollywood stuntman past, present and future. Inspired by the Lee Majors TV series of the 1980’s, Ryan Gosling is perfect as a down on his luck stuntman. His chemistry with Emily Blount is filled with good humor. Grossing $11,000,000 in its first two days and opening to rave reviews, this is a fun movie to sit back and enjoy.

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Movie 2: Baby Reindeer

This is a Netflix six part limited series based on the real life of the main actor. This dark drama/comedy is at times difficult to watch yet totally compelling. A female patron in a bar stalks and terrorizes the male bartender. There is a lot going on here, from sexual abuse to sexual identity. Set in a London pub with a very good British cast.

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Movie 3: We Grown Now

This coming of age story is set in the early 1990’s in the infamous Cabrini Green Housing Projects in Chicago. The story of two young friends unfolds slowly, yet poignantly and nostalgically. Good acting all around. Personal note: growing up in Chicago in the 60’s, I had a good friend who was bussed each day from Cabrini Green to my high school on the southwest side.

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Movie 1: The Beast

This is a romantic drama thriller set in the near future, near past and we suppose the present. Whatever decade it is in, we found it totally confusing. Which is a shame because the young cast is usually very, very good and the main reason we went to see it. It is two and half hours long and after two hours we finally walked out (it took us that long to wake up from a very nice nap). We should be fair though and say most national critics found this art film very good. English and French, with English subtitles.

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Movie 2: Challengers

This is a love triangle drama that seamlessly shifts time between the present and the past. While tennis is the main thread that binds them all together, there is a lot going on here. We found the acting, script and especially the cinematography really well done. While the two main male actors could probably have been better cast, Zendaya shines.

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Movie 3: Alien 45th Anniversary Re-Release

This is one of the first horror sci-fi movies and after 45 years it still holds up pretty well. A space crew is returning to earth but find themselves with an unwanted creature on board. Some of the earliest work by a cast of very good actors and writer/director Ridley Scott. Periodically on TV over the years, it’s great to see it on the big screen. Currently in re-release worldwide.

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Movie 1: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

This World War II true story is based on recently released declassified British documents. A small group of fighters try and destroy the Nazi supply lines to their North Atlantic submarines. This is another fun movie by Guy Ritchie. While not exactly sticking to actual events, this action comedy/drama is very watchable and enjoyable.

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Movie 2: Abigail

It seems there’s never an end to horror films. This one has a kidnapped vampire ballerina killing, decapitating and eating her kidnappers. Not great filmmaking by any stretch, but still pretty well done.

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Movie 3: Civil War

This is a stunning and frighteningly realistic movie about the next American civil war. It follows journalists and war photographers as successionist troops from California and Texas make their way to Washington DC to overthrow the government. Excellent acting, writing and directing. The best movie of the year so far. We’ve seen it twice.

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