LOVE HURTS

Ke Huy Quan stars as Marvin Gable, a successful realtor within the Milwaukee market, who has turned over a new leaf since leaving his former life as a hitman behind. However, when previous love interest Rose (Ariana DeBose) re-enters his life, Marvin's past catches back up with him and he must decide whether or not to help his friend and former colleague Rose or if he enjoys his current life's trajectory more. The billing from the trailers has this coming off as some sort of fight feast and that is the major issue I had with the film. Outside of an early fight scene and the final act, there's not a lot in between. Despite the micro runtime of only 87 minutes, there isn't much else going on in between save for 2 other storylines involving a coworker of Marvin's and as assassin who's looking for him as well as Marvin's brother Knuckles (Daniel Wu) who wants him back in his old role. While I was curious what Quan could do as the star of a martial arts film, there wasn't enough action onscreen to appease my appetite. Although, some of the scenes did have a few "man that's gotta hurt" moments. Throw in the other 2 lacking storylines and this is just a poorly written mess. 5.5/10

HEART EYES

A serial killer known as HEK (heart eyes killer) stalks and kills couples only during a 24 hour period on Valentine's Day. The interesting twist is the killer moves from city-to-city, never staying long enough to be captured. This year he (or she) has chosen Seattle where advertising executive Ally (Olivia Holt) is fighting to salvage her job after being responsible for launching a poorly received ad campaign. Freelancer and wunderkind Jay Simmons (Mason Gooding) is brought in for damage control. The 2 attempt to rework the campaign, only to get mistaken for a couple and are now within HEK's crosshairs. Holt actually gives a strong, and at times b*tchy, performance while Gooding is there to provide the eye candy for the female gaze. He's polite and respectful but also comes across as too much of a pushover. The couple works well together and their chemistry is easily believable. The body count on this isn't too high and the film isn't overly grotesque either. I really liked the fact the killer strikes different cities as it just opens up the playing field that much more. To my surprise, the couple is supported by detectives Jeanette Shaw (Jordana Brewster) and Hobbs (Devon Sawa), both veterans of the horror genre who were missing from most of the marketing. It's a decent enough horror film that I had some fun with even though I'm still digesting the reveal. I wish this holiday could get better horror movies though as my favorite is still 1981's MY BLOODY VALENTINE. 6/10

SEPTEMBER 5

The tragic events from the XXth Olympiad from Munich, West Germany in 1972 follows an ABC sports broadcast team who quickly pivots to the real-time events happening within the Olympic village. Unfortunately, most of the audience is aware of the events surrounding this Olympiad; however, I'm truly puzzled at why this film was made in the first place. Not to be disrespectful to the real life characters who are portrayed here but as I was watching this film, I'm asking myself, "why was this even made?" The focus should be on those 11 innocent athletes whose lives were tragically taken from them by a group of terrorists. Was anybody outside of media personnel really clamoring for a movie to be made within the control room? My gut tells me no and this comes off vaguely as a sort of media propaganda piece in an attempt to perhaps sway the viewer to once again buy into the modern media since trust in them is at an all time low. A respectful piece dealing with a tragic subject matter but one who's point of view was not needed. 6/10

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD

President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) attempts to mend bridges with Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in an effort to reform the Avengers and to help secure a new, vital resource that's appeared on our planet: adamantium. However, Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito) and the Serpent Society have been hired by a mysterious buyer in order to kill President Ross. I'll be fully transparent that I was not looking forward to this movie for a few reasons. The first, 4th installments within the same franchise rarely are worth any type of quality and are a studio looking to continually cash in on the property. Secondly, it's extremely lazy and obvious to take an established character like Captain America and recast him with a minority actor. Not taking anything away from Mackie as I am a fan of his work but Marvel has so many characters in their library they could have easily introduced a new character or started another franchise rather than taking this route. And yes, I'm FULLY aware Wilson becomes Cap in the comics too but for theatrical purposes, they should have left him alone. If that's the case then can we recast T'Challa in the next Black Panther movie with a white actor? As for the movie itself, Marvel still isn't able to find its old magic formula. And while I'm glad they've slowed down the number of products they're churning out, superhero fatigue is real and I for one am at least worn out from it. Many of the same faults with recent Marvel movies are still on display: Mackie doesn't have the same presence as Cap as Chris Evans did, the storyline is thin while they barely move the needle for the next film in the MCU, and there's very little to get excited about in terms of the direction for this film or the MCU as a whole. Let's hope this summer's THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS can bail them out otherwise they're really in trouble! 6/10

THE GORGE

American sniper Levi (Miles Teller) and Lithuanian sniper Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy) occupy the west and east sides of a gorge respectfully. They are not to have any contact with the other while on this year long assignment. Their only mission is to guard and ensure what's inside of the gorge, does not reach the surface. Judging from the trailer it appears the story is built around this premise but it actually comes to the surface (pun intended) rather early in the story. The rest of the film unfolds with the what and why behind the need for people like Levi & Drasa. Originally this looked more like a horror film to me but turned out to be way more sci-fi as the story is rather out of left field but I just couldn't buy into it. I continue to love Taylor-Joy's work as she always comes off as authentic in any character she portrays and is once again stellar here. Teller continues his trope at an attempt of a modern day Gary Copper, you know, the "strong, silent type." I'm assuming they both signed on for this for the paycheck because the story isn't anything to write home about outside of the love story between the 2 characters. A film that showed promise but disintegrated upon its unfolding. 5.5/10

THE MONKEY

Twin brothers Hal & Bill (Theo James) stumble upon an organ grinder monkey that's left behind by their absent father (Adam Scott). They soon realize once the key on the back of the toy (don't ever call it that) is turned, someone soon dies under extenuating circumstances. Based upon a short story from Stephen King, writer/director Osgood Perkins follows up his LONGLEGS masterpiece with this over-the-top, dark comedy. The film is more funny than scary as the deaths are more in the vein of "WTF" while the comedy has dry but witty humor. It's dark and messed up in parts but the monkey itself is rather creepy. Unfortunately, Disney holds a copyright to a cymbals-welding monkey thanks to TOY STORY so the original Stephen King monkey had to change his tune to a drum, which still works absolutely fantastically for the picture. A minor edit but one worth mentioning. However, if folks like myself were hoping to be as blown away as they were from LONGLEGS they're in for a disappointment. The film overall is enjoyable but doesn't have the same quality as its predecessor. A third of the film shows the young twins stumbling upon the monkey while the rest plays out in current time. However, the ending and the reasons behind the carnage are understandable but also rather flimsy. I was hoping for more but maybe this'll grow on me in time and repeat viewings? 6/10

POPEYE'S REVENGE

The character of Popeye has now entered the public domain and with that, he's quickly treated to his own horror spin off. This one involves the house where Popeye lived and died, attempting to be reopened as a summer camp. However, with a new batch of unsuspecting visitors, Popeye can't help but greet them with a ripe welcome. The film shares many similarities with the FRIDAY THE 13th franchise except for quality. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I decided to watch this but even I didn't expect the amateur hour I sat through. The cast and crew are green. The effects and makeup are halfway decent and while I usually can laugh along by the shear absurdity of the story or at minimum gain some type of satisfaction from watching these films, this sadly has no redeeming qualities. It's not funny, it's not scary, it's a little gory but overall, just boring. 4/10

ZERO DAY (2025)

In this six-part Netflix series, unknown hackers briefly take down America's electrical grid, communications and transportation, then restore all--leaving a warning on every phone that it'll happen again. President Evelyn Mitchell (Angela Bassett) taps respected former president George Mullen (Robert DeNiro) to head a Zero Day Commission to investigate the incident and prevent it from happening again. Things get complicated--too complicated--right away because a Congressional oversight committee appointed by an overly ambitious Speaker (Matthew Modine) is headed by Mullen's daughter Jessica (Lizzy Caplan), and Mullens' right hand man Roger Carlson (Jesse a) isn't who he seems to be. But, then, no one else is, either. The first two episodes are gripping, but then the series degenerates into extraneous complications, probably added to keep the series going. The ending is ridiculous. DeNero reprises his Frank Sheeran persona from "The Irishman"--a doddering, mostly inarticulate senior--and Caplan has one expression--scared. The rest of the cast is ok. Not worth it.

Thanks for the review TB. The trailer did nothing for me so I skipped it. Glad to know I didn't miss anything.

THE LINE

Tom (Alex Wolff) is a sophomore at Sumpter College in Georgia and a fraternity brother of Kappa Nu Alpha. Initially his identity is tied to the fraternity, even someone who could be groomed one day to become President of the fraternity. The fraternity is known for churning out future Presidents and CEO's of Fortune 500 companies and Tom sees it as a way of gaining a leg up in the future. However, things come to ahead when pledge Gettys O'Brien (Austin Abrams) doesn't fit within the KNA culture. The film was completed in 2023 and was bounced around from gaining a theatrical release to finally a streaming one and I can understand the reasoning for the indecisiveness: the film drags and is quite dull. Even with a cast of young up-and-coming actors such as Wolff, Abrams, Angus Cloud, and Lewis Pullman, it isn't enough to make this anymore enjoyable. I was afraid from the trailer it would be yet another commentary on "toxic masculinity" but surprisingly it isn't. It deals more with family, brotherhood, and conformity. The trailer looked decent enough but unfortunately the final product didn't deliver. 5/10

You're welcome! Good decision.

THE RULE OF JENNY PEN

Taking place in the Royal Pine Mews Care Home (a New Zealand nursing home), Stefan Mortensen (Geoffrey Rush) plays a former judge who's suffered a stroke and needs round-the-clock care as he rehabilitates. However, this nursing home is unofficially run by fellow resident and Alzheimer's patient Dave Crealy (John Lithgow). During the night Dave psychologically (and sometimes physically) terrorizes his fellow residents to bend to his will while always reminding them his baby puppet (Jenny Pen), rules over them. I'm usually not one for psychological horror films as I'm more of a slasher fan but this was quite good. When you have two legends in Rush and Lithgow going at it, it's not a surprise to see such entertaining results. Lithgow especially is creepy and turning in some of his best work. Removing the eyes to Jenny Pen was a nice touch as well as it increases the creep factor as well. I haven't been a fan of movies released by Shudder in the past too and this was probably the best I've seen from them so shout out to them too for this quality film. Definitely worth a watch when it leaves the theater, which I'm predicting will have a short theatrical run. 6.5/10

QUEEN OF THE RING

A film chronicling the life and career of pioneer, female wrestler Mildred Burke (Emily Bett Rickards). Burke paved the way not only for female wrestlers but female athletes as a whole during the 1930's-1950's, during a time which women were found fulfilling more domesticating activities. Rickards is great all around. Physically the work she put in shows onscreen as she's in great shape and absolutely beautiful too. She's strong, empowering, confident in herself and her abilities, and a smart business woman. I've been a wrestling fan every since I can remember but I'll show my ignorance as I'd never heard of Burke before so this entire story was new to me. Surprisingly, this film was able to attract quite a cast of actors and wrestlers such as Martin Kove, Josh Lucas, Walton Goggins, Deborah Ann Woll, Jim Cornette, Toni Storm, and Kamille. It's a feel good story that plays like most sports film about an underdog overcoming the odds but it's not preachy or heavy-handed either. It doesn't insult the audience while still dealing with topics on race and sex. A solid film! 6/10

NOVOCAINE

Nate (Jack Quaid) is an assistant manager at San Diego Trust Credit Union and he has a secret: he can't feel any pain due to an autoimmune disorder he has. After a one-night stand with teller Sherry (Amber Midthunder), who at times positively pushes him out of his boundaries, Nate is smitten. However, when their credit union is robbed the next day (on Christmas Eve no less) and Sherry is taken as a hostage, Nick will stop at nothing to save her. I may be in the minority here but I'm going to go ahead and say it: Jack Quaid has done nothing for me with his recent films (SCREAM, COMPANION, and now this). I don't know what it is about him but he's beginning to get a bad reputation from me where if I see him advertised for films going forward, I can already tell I won't like it. And this time around, it's not actually his fault (while the other 2 films I do partially blame him for). He's more likeable here but judging from the trailer, I was disappointed to learn there aren't as many laughs or action outside of what's already shown. Amber Midthunder unfortunately isn't given much to work with here either as outside of the date she goes on with Nate, she's buried for the rest of the movie. What should have been a badass action film in the vein of a CRANK, sadly can't numb the pain of this film. 6/10

OPUS

Ayo Edebiri stars as Ariel, a young journalist at J magazine who has aspirations to move up from her current position within the company. She plays into the typical stereotype of the character who can solve all of the problems in the film yet is continually overlooked by her boss Stan (Murray Bartlett) and her fellow costars (you know, because "patriarchy" and "microaggressions"). When legendary musician Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich) makes his first public appearance and releases a new album in 30 years, Stan and Ariel (and a group of 4 other media members) are given an invitation to his compound for the weekend to listen to and discuss the new album before it's release. Once there, the group finds the compound inundated with Moretti's fans who worship him as a godlike figure. The film comments on both religion and celebrity status without poking fun at either but serves more as a warning. Malkovich is purposeful with his character, he provides more weight in his performance with his delivery and words than what's on the page. I digested the ending longer than I thought I would upon leaving the theater and while it does have a twist to it, overall, this is pretty forgettable. The studio missed an opportunity to tie in a great soundtrack with this but sadly only a handful of songs by Malkovich play throughout the film. 6/10

BORDERLINE

Mentally ill and obsessed fan Duerson (Ray Nicholson) stalks pop star Sofia (Samara Weaving), believing they're in love and going to get married. After escaping a mental hospital with fellow inmate Penny (Alba Baptista), the 2 hold Sofia hostage in her house until the ceremony. I took a flyer on this for Weaving as she usually brings her A game and makes the watch worth it. Sadly, here she is lost with not a lot of range for her character. Most of the time she's in some type of shock or subdued mode. The antics of both Nicholson and Baptista kept the movie going. Apparently Nicholson has a long resume already as, unbeknownst to me, he's been in a number of films that I've seen but don't ever remember him save for SMILE 2. This is his coming out party as the very over-the-top, eccentric, and mentally sick Duerson. Unfortunately, the film is listed as a comedy but Duerson's jokes are enough to make you smirk, not necessarily laugh. Baptista picks up his slack though as his french henchwoman who's character is still working on her English and speaks with a thick accent. She is however 5 feet of fury. I expected more from this film and while I'll still give Weaving future opportunities to prove this was a fluke and will be on the look out for more from Baptista, best to not waste your time here. 5/10

THE ELECTRIC STATE

In an alternate 1990s, a war between man and machine was fought and eventually won by mankind. As a result, machines have been outlawed. One night, a robot visits our main character Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), convincing her she's the consciousness of her dead brother Christopher (Woody Norman). In an attempt to save him from being destroyed, she crosses paths with a scavenger, Keats (Chris Pratt), who also happens to have a robot of his own who saved his life during the war. The 4 attempt to bring down an evil technology company at the center of Christopher's disappearance. Somehow Netflix was able to rein in the DEI and activism that's continuously overflowing from their projects, which was a breath of fresh air for this audience member. Millie Bobby Brown continues to grow up in front of our very eyes and gives a heartfelt performance as a big sister looking to reunite with her little brother while Pratt always brings his charm and wit with him wherever he goes. The Russo Brothers created a wonderful and unique world here. The first half is rather quite interesting and grabbed my attention earlier on but wasn't able to maintain it as by the second half the film stumbles to towards the finish line. The visual effects department deserves a shout out for their creations. Sadly, this could have been more and better. Almost on par with a READY PLAYER ONE which I loved upon it's release. 6.5/10

THE LEOPARD (2025)

This six-episode Netflix series centers around Don Fabrizio Corbera (Kim Rossi Stuart), Prince of Sarna, a Bourbon nobleman whose Sicilian fiefdom is bending under the Garibaldi hurricane blowing through the Italian peninsula and across to Sicily in 1860. He still expect, and gets, deference from the natives and officials, but he knows his position is getting more tenuous by the month. His objectives are to do right by his beloved nephew Tancredi (Saul Nanni), who, along with other nobles, throws in with Garibaldi's Red Shirts, and his daughter Concetta (Benedetta Porcaroli), whom he wants to marry off to his family's advantage. This is a Super Soap, but the action keeps you riveted to the Machiavellian maneuvering the Prince pulls off, and the compromises he makes, to retain his position. The acting is exceptional despite being dubbed in English from the original Italian, and the filming of the lush, beautiful Sicilian countryside and lavish palaces is beyond gorgeous. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Check out Alto Knights. It surprised me. Don't listen to the negative reviews

I just read a positive dutch review.


The film's careful recreation of the 1950s is largely due to Robert De Niro's exceptional performance , who brilliantly differentiates the two protagonists through subtle nuances of posture, gaze and diction. Debra Messing , as Bobbie Costello, brings a human dimension to the story by playing a woman aware of the dangers of the world her husband lives in. Cosmo Jarvis delivers a convincing performance as Vincent Gigante, a henchman caught between loyalty and opportunism.

Barry Levinson’s direction is elegant and compelling. The camera is constantly in motion , capturing the latent tension of this world where one wrong step can be fatal. Close-ups during verbal confrontations intensify the exchanges, while wide shots illustrate the characters’ dominance over their urban environment.

Visually, The Alto Knights opts for a dark color palette , dominated by grays and browns, which enhances the oppressive atmosphere of the story. The use of chiaroscuro reflects the moral duality of the main characters, while the muted lighting gives an intimate and menacing dimension to the dialogue scenes. The soundtrack, a mix of jazz and orchestral music , subtly accompanies the escalating tension of the story.

Despite its undeniable formal qualities, the film suffers from an uneven pace , alternating moments of dramatic intensity with more contemplative passages that occasionally hamper the story's momentum. Some of the secondary characters, while promising, could have deserved more in-depth development , especially Vincent Gigante, whose motivations remain superficial.

The Alto Knights may not match the mastery of Casino or The Godfather , but it's a riveting mafia thriller nonetheless , with a masterful performance from Robert De Niro . Levinson has created a twilight drama in which ambition and betrayal seal the fates of two legendary organized crime figures.

With its heavy atmosphere, sharp dialogue and exploration of power games, the film will delight fans of the genre, even if it could have gone further in the psychological exploration of its protagonists . It's a high-flying duel that leaves you with one thing in mind: in the mafia, the real enemy is never far away... sometimes it's even your face.

MAGAZINE DREAMS

Killian Maddox, the name star Jonathan Majors wants you to remember. Maddox is an amateur bodybuilder with dreams of winning the big competitions and getting his body on the covers of magazines. However, while Maddox struggles with his physical limitations (at least physical limitations in his mind), he's also dealing with some mental problems as well. Reminiscent of a Travis Bickle or Arthur Fleck, the film is a study of a loner character dealing with mental issues. As with the former 2, Majors keeps in step by turning in probably the best performance of his career. It's a tragedy what's happened in his personal life as this, I believe, should have in the very least garnered him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor (if not outright winning it). It's quite evident this was filmed around the time of CREED III as Majors is in the best shape of his life. The hard work to prepare for both characters is obvious and shows just what people who train like this, how restrictive and disciplined they are to achieve these results. I applaud and am grateful distributor Briarcliff Entertainment picked this off the scrap pile and gave it the proper release it deserved. I'm not excusing what Majors has been convicted of but I do believe in second chances. And while I despise the cancel culture society of today, I really hope this is the type of performance that can springboard Majors back into the Hollywood spotlight as he clearly has much more to give to this art form. The best picture I've seen so far this year. 8/10

THE ALTO KNIGHTS

Robert De Niro plays double duty as both Frank Costello & Vito Genovese, following their good times growing up together in New York City until their ultimate falling out later in their lives. Supporting both men are their wives played by Debra Messing (Bobbie Costello) and Kathrine Narducci (Anna Genovese). Even after watching the film I'm still confused why they had De Niro play both roles of Frank and Vito? And while De Niro is more than capable of turning in 2 very distinct and divisive roles, I'm just wondering why they couldn't find someone else to help him share the load? Was Pacino unavailable as you can never get enough of those 2 icons going head-to-head onscreen. As I will admit, I had flashes of William Forsythe's Flattop from DICK TRACY while seeing De Niro act with all of the makeup they put on him for the role of Vito. Not to mention the pairing of him and Messing seemed awkward at times due to him being 25 years her senior. But at the age of 81 De Niro, pulling double duty, proves to us yet again he never lost it. Unfortunately, this isn't writer Nicholas Pileggi's best effort compared to previous works of his like GOODFELLAS or CASINO, nor will this be remembered as such. Will probably be forgotten as quickly as it came. 6.5/10

THE ASSESSMENT

In the future, parenting is only granted by the State and prospective parents need to undergo and pass an assessment which is proctored by a representative of the State. Married couple Mia (Elizabeth Olsen) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel) believe they are ready to undergo their assessment and are assigned Virginia (Alicia Vikander), who will observe all aspects of their life for the next 7 days, after which her decision will be made and will be final with no recourse for the married couple if they fail. This sci-fi story quickly turns into a psychological nightmare for both Mia and Aaryan as they are not prepared for Virginia's assessment. Vikander is absolutely dazzling as Virginia, bouncing between assessor while pushing Mia and Aaryan's buttons in an attempt to get a reaction out of them. In addition, the story reflects society for couples who say they want a child but don't necessarily consider everything that goes into that process while also dealing with trust issues between Mia and Aaryan as the story unfolds. While this didn't receive a big marketing push and I took a flyer on it as I happened to be in the area of my local theater, I'm really glad I did as this surpassed my expectations. The story is original, the filming location is just right, and the performances are great! I would seek this movie out for anyone with even the slightest bit of interest in it. 7.5/10

Yeah, I pretty much agree with this review, H. I especially love the whole feel of the movie, the score, the dark color palette, and the way the dialogue was written. That, paired with De Niro's magic, made it worthwhile for me.

CLEANER

Daisy Ridley plays Joey, former military who was kicked out for striking another officer. Now, she's relegated to washing windows at a high rise office building while also taking care of her adult autistic brother Michael (Matthew Tuck). Although one day while working, the building is taken over by a group of environmental terrorists who threaten to blow up the building and everyone inside if their demands aren't met. The first thing that came to my mind while watching this is how? How and why did both Daisy Ridley and Clive Owen sign up for this? They are both way more talented than the rubbish that is this final product for the public to attempt to consume. Ridley hangs off the side of the building for 2/3 of the film and doesn't get inside until the final third of the runtime. Not to mention former 2-time James Bond director Martin Campbell still seems to be on somebody's bad side as he's fighting to salvage a career with these horrendous VOD films like this and his previous effort DIRTY ANGELS. As a fan of Ridley/Owen/Campbell, this was a difficult watch to get through. The dialogue is eye rolling and all 3 have nothing exciting to work with here with this incredibly thin script. Somebody must have either called in some favors to get them on board or have something on them they don't wish to become public. Campbell's now got 2 strikes against him in my book. One more and he's out! 4/10

GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS: DEATH AND PORRIDGE

A group of 5 friends are on holiday at an Airbnb in the middle of the woods. However, once they get there, they realize they were mistakenly sent to the wrong location. With the sun soon setting, the group decides to break in to spend the night and head out first thing in the morning. But they have no idea who's house they've broken into until it's too late. Listen I'm all onboard for these classic children's characters that are now in the public domain getting their horror treatment. They're low budget, cheesy, B-style slasher flicks that I would compare to grindhouse films of the past (which are also a guilty pleasure of mine as well). But this sets a new low standard. The film comes off cheap, with an inexperienced cast and crew, that I couldn't wait for the film to mercilessly end. There's post-voice over work done by the actors that comes off painfully obvious and the actors come across extremely green while the presentation comes off as if it were made as a college student film. Again, I'm well aware of what I'm getting myself into when I choose to watch these films but even I wasn't expecting anything this bad. Worst film I've seen in a long time. 2/10

POPEYE: THE SLAYER MAN

Dexter (Sean Michael Conway) is a college film student who breaks into the Anchor Bay Canning factor the night before it's set to be sold and then demolished. He enlists a group of friends to assist him documenting the occasion but what they don't know is that Popeye calls the factory home and they've disturbed his residence with their presence. The 2nd such film to be released recently with a killer Popeye and while just barely, I think this one beats out POPEYE'S REVENGE (although that bar was low to clear). I'm sure the budget was tight as most of the kills are offscreen with just noise effects to clue the audience in that someone was being killed before briefly panning to their extinguished body. This Popeye was a little more comical as the mask and bodysuit he wears leaves one laughing rather than terrified. 3/10