Category: Movies

Movie 1: Equalizer 3

The third movie in the Equalizer franchise does not disappoint. Set in the beautiful south of Italy, Denzel Washington’s character attempts to save the area he has moved to from the infamous and brutal mafia. This movie is more violent than the first two, but it is very entertaining.

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Movie 2: Bottoms

This buddy comedy is about a pair of lesbian best friends who form a fight club in high school to try and make themselves more popular. It explores feminism, sexuality and masculinity in very clever ways within the high school environment. While entertaining and very well done, we missed a lot of the jokes, angst and nuances. Being 50 years younger probably would’ve helped..

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Movie 3: Joyland

This is a Pakastani drama that explores homosexuality and transgender issues in a claustrophobic and repressive neighborhood in Lahore. A young couple marries, even though the husband is gay, and the family pressures them to have children. The stifling patriarchal attitudes are palpable. We found this movie fascinating, sad, uplifting and confusing. In Arabic with English subtitles. This movie has garnered accolades and awards all over the world yet has been banned in Pakistan and much of the Arab world. Limited release in theatres but also on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.

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Movie 1: Retribution

Liam Neeson gives another reliably satisfying performance in this action thriller. He plays a Berlin-based investment banker with several powerful enemies. Unlike previous movies where he is running on rooftops all over the world, here he spends most of the movie driving a car with a bomb under his seat. Most critics did not care for this movie, but we thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Movie 2: Gran Turismo

What an unexpected treat this movie is! Based on the real life of auto racing champion Jann Mardenborough, this is a wonderful crowd-pleasing drama. A young man from Cardiff, Wales turns a popular online racing game into a brilliant career. Knowing very little about this sport, we found ourselves on the edge of our seats most of the way. Really well done.

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Movie 3: The Pope’s Exorcist

The Pope sends the Vatican’s exorcist to Spain to investigate what appears to be a demonic possession. Based on actual writings from the Vatican’s archives this is a fun horror movie. Russell Crowe does not take himself, or the movie, too seriously and plays a whisky loving priest. Not great movie making but entertaining. On Netflix.

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Movie 1: Landscape With Invisible Hand

Set in 2036 this is a satirical sci-fi drama that depicts how our planet tries to survive when taken over by seemingly nonviolent aliens. Seen mostly through the eyes of teenagers, this movie blends social commentary with science fiction. Very well done and very thought provoking. Based on M.T. Anderson’s 2017 novel of the same name.

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Movie 2: Golda

Helen Mirren transforms into Golda Meir. This is a biopic set during the Yom Kippur War. This historical drama is tense and almost claustrophobic as the camera focuses on extreme closeups of Golda’s face and constant chain smoking. The scenes between Golda Meir and Henry Kissinger (Liev Schreiber) are Academy Award quality.

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Movie 3: Blue Beetle

This is a fun action-packed movie about one of the lesser known DC comic characters. A young college kid comes home looking for a job. There is plenty of humor and social commentary. The special effects are very good. The movie is about a half hour too long.

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Movie 1: Fatale

This is a very good psychological thriller with lots of twists and turns. Hillary Swank is a detective investigating a murder in a wealthy Los Angeles neighborhood. Not exactly a remake of Fatal Attraction, but the similarities are inescapable. On Netflix.

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Movie 2: Red White & Royal Blue

This is a charming and delightful romantic comedy. The son of the first female President of the United States and the second heir to the British throne fall in love. This has all the right ingredients for a fun fairytale. It’s the number one movie worldwide on Prime Video.

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Movie 3: Strays

This is a very funny, and at times intelligent, comedy about a stray dog trying to find his way home. And the sidekicks who accompany him. But, unfortunately, the relentless vulgarity is a total distraction from an otherwise pretty good movie.

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Movie 1: Painkiller

This is a very good six part Netflix series about the opioid epidemic and the pharmaceutical company and doctors responsible for it. Based on true events, this docudrama has a frantic urgency about it. The acting, especially Uzo Aduba, is very good.

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Movie 2: The Last Voyage of the Demeter

As far as Dracula movies go, this one is ok. Based on the seventh chapter of Bram Stoker’s book Dracula, dangerous cargo sails between Romania and London. The movie has a moody, dark, gothic feel. Good acting and eerie cinematography.

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Movie 3: Jules

This is a charming movie. Anyone who has seen ET will know the premise. Three senior citizens befriend an extraterrestrial whose spaceship lands in one of their backyards. The real life topics of aging, dementia, loneliness are poignantly and beautifully portrayed. Try not to miss this gem.

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Movie 1: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

This is the 10th Ninja Turtle movie in the franchise, dating back to 1990. In this version, the turtle brothers, having spent their lives in the sewers of NYC, venture out to live with the humans. The animation is amazing, meticulous and dark. The dialogue is witty and timely. If you are a Ninja Turtle fan, you will enjoy this movie.

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Movie 2: My Fault (Culpa Mia)

This is a Spanish romantic drama set near the beautiful beaches of southern Spain. A divorced mother with a teenage daughter marries a wealthy divorced father with a teenage son. There is typical stepsister/stepbrother angst and rivalry until, well, there isn’t…. It is a very well-done movie with good acting and believable dialogue. On Amazon Video. In Spanish with English subtitles. We watched the dubbed English version.

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Movie 3: Shortcomings

This was a very pleasant surprise and a wonderful little movie. It’s a romantic comedy/drama with witty humor and perfect casting. A young Japanese American couple, living in Berkeley California, decide to take a break and she moves to New York City. What follows is a very touching and funny realistic look at life.

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Movie 1: River Wild

This is a pretty good remake/reimagining of the 1994 Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon movie The River Wild. Two brothers take a white-water rafting trip with a small group of women. One of the brothers is a convict recently released on parole. There is good dialogue, plenty of tension and beautiful mountain scenery. On Netflix.

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Movie 2: Meg 2: The Trench

This is a horror action movie with bland not-so-special effects. Not sure why the shark is supposed to be eating everything in sight. And where a humongous octopus came from is still a mystery. OK action but otherwise pretty dull overall. If you liked the first Meg movie, you may enjoy this one. If you didn’t like it, then one Meg is enough.

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Movie 3: Dreamin’ Wild

This is a very well-cast, written and directed drama based on a true story. Two teenage brothers create an album that a Seattle record promoter finally discovers 30 years later. Set in Eastern Washington state, the look and feel of this movie is very affecting. Casey Affleck gives a strong performance.

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Movie 1: Cobweb

An eight year old boy hears sounds coming from his bedroom walls. His parents don’t believe him. This is a horror film that just falls apart. Interesting premise but amateurish acting. Something definitely goes bump in the night, but by the end we don’t care much.

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Movie 2: Haunted Mansion

This is a fun movie, but not as much as we had hoped. A mother and son buy a mansion that is, you guessed it, haunted. The movie does not take itself seriously, and that’s part of the appeal. Anyone who has been on the Haunted Mansion ride at any of the Disney theme parks will recognize the very good special effects.

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Movie 3: Talk to Me

This Australian horror film started out really well done with good acting and plot. A group of friends discover an embalmed hand that can conjure up past memories and spirits. Then it just took itself too seriously and collapsed. It’s extremely violent and gory. We finally couldn’t wait for it to end.

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Special Note: We have seen Oppenheimer, Mission Impossible and Barbie twice each. Movies get no better than this.

Movie: Oppenheimer

This film chronicles the brilliant mathematician’s life before, during and after he creates the world’s first atomic bomb. This movie is about as near perfect as a movie can be. All the months of hype is well worth the three hour run time. The acting, direction, screenplay, cinematography, sound are breathtaking. This is the best movie of the past several years and has Oscar written all over it.

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Movie 2: Theater Camp

Young kids go to a theater summer camp in upstate New York. We really wanted to like this movie, but it was slow, dumb and missed the mark on several important messages. But we seem to be in the minority though. Critics liked it a lot. And our audience had about a dozen young teens who laughed, applauded and had a good time. Maybe theater folks got the inside jokes, but we didn’t.

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Movie 3: Barbie

Barbie goes to the real world to see what it’s like to be human. This movie is visually dazzling. The costumes and sets are stunning. This movie has a lot to say about a lot of current and relevant topics. It hits the mark perfectly. In one weekend it has broken money records worldwide. This is a wonderful summer extravaganza.

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Movie 1: Insidious: The Red Door

This is a horror thriller that is the fifth movie in the Insidious franchise. Not our favorite genre of movie, we do not remember seeing any of the first four. A father and son are hypnotized and eight years later find themselves in the identical nightmares. Not great film making, but better than we expected.

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Movie 2: God’s Crooked Lines

This is a brilliant thriller with many twists and turns. A detective pretends to be mentally ill so she can be admitted to an asylum to investigate a death. This movie won several Spanish Goya awards. On Netflix. In Spanish, but we watched the dubbed English version.

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Movie 3: They Cloned Tyrone

Well, now. We had read nothing about this movie before we saw it. Jamie Foxx plays a pimp who uncovers a murderous conspiracy in the neighborhood. Part thriller, part comedy, part Syfy and more than a little offensive and stereotypical, we found this a very entertaining movie. But know this movie is not for everyone. You will either enjoy it or turn it off. There is very little in between. We saw it in the theatre, but on Netflix starting July 21, 2023.

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