SHE RIDES SHOTGUN (2025)

August 1, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. “A gritty thriller” is a frequently used description that, when heard or read, typically elicits red flags from this movie watcher. However, exceptions to the rule are welcome and writer-director Nick Rowland (CALM WITH HORSES, 2019) has delivered just that with this adaptation of Jordan Hopper’s 2017 novel. The screenplay is co-written by SUPER DARK TIMES (2017) collaborators Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski.

Eleven-year-old Polly (a remarkable Ana Sophia Heger, “Life in Pieces”) is lounging in the park, waiting for her beloved mother to pick her up after school. The minutes roll by until the final teacher departs, leaving Polly with no way home. Polly’s observant and intense blue eyes follow a speeding car as it pulls up near her. She recognizes the father she hasn’t seen over the years he’s been in prison. He exerts pressure on her to get in the car, despite her reticence. Nathan (Taron Egerton, ROCKETMAN, 2019) has a buzzed head, a chiseled physique, and a tatted-up body. His appearance is unquestionably frightening to the young girl.

Polly notes the car is stolen and that Nathan is wearing her stepdad’s hoodie. When they check into a motel, we all assume she’s been kidnapped. As dad naps, Polly sees a TV news report depicting the murder of her mother, her own kidnapping, and the key suspect … dear old dad. There is plenty of familiar territory covered as the two go on the lam, trying to avoid the police and ‘Steel’, the Aryan faction that is seeking revenge on Nathan’s disloyal actions in prison. A “Green Light” (hit) has been issued for Nathan and his family, including Polly. It turns out Nathan is actually trying his best to protect her.

Cinematographer Wyatt Garfield (A DIFFERENT MAN, 2024) works wonders with the New Mexico landscape, as well as the intimate scenes that follow. We feel the tension and danger thanks to the camera work and the developing bond between Nathan and Polly. There’s the mandatory car chase scene and at least three shootouts, the last of which is quite impressive. We also get good cop versus bad cop. Crusading detective John Park (Rob Yang, THE MENU, 2022) wants nothing more than to shut down the local meth lab known as Slab Town, while corrupt and menacing Sheriff Houser (FARGO’s John Carroll Lynch playing against type) relishes his opportunities to torture and wield power.

Despite the familiar territory covered … and the similarity in style to the outstanding Taylor Sheridan film, HELL OR HIGH WATER (2016), there is plenty here to keep our attention and justify the ‘gritty thriller’ description. Redemption is often beyond reach for some, but the effort means a great deal.

Opens August 1, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

EDDINGTON (2025)

July 17, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. It’s frightening to see how societal norms and individual behavior have shifted over the past five years. It seems clear that the COVID Pandemic was a turning point … or at a minimum, an accelerant. Writer-director Ari Aster (MIDSOMMER, 2019; HEREDITARY, 2018) uses this as a theme in this Neo-noir Western that takes place in a small fictional town in 2020 New Mexico as the pandemic was kicking into gear.

You should know upfront that Aster serves up a giant pot of cinematic vegetable soup. Topics touched on include: politics, racism, pedophilia, Antifa, gun rights, Black Lives Matter, White guilt, envy, divisiveness, murder, conspiracy theories, George Floyd, David Hogg, face masks, social distancing mandates, cults, ambition, abortion, and Native American land rights. If that’s not enough for you, the film also includes an abundance of dark comedy and the final act features a barrage of violence. Just writing that is exhausting, yet nowhere near as exhausting as watching this film.

Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix (JOKER, 2019) stars as Sheriff Joe Cross, an odd man in a white hat who dares challenge his rival, the sitting town Mayor, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) for the office in the upcoming election. Cross is the one who eschews wearing a mask, while Garcia is the smooth-talking type who encourages commitment to the mandates. The differences between the men are obvious when we see Garcia’s heart-warming (pandering) TV ad as contrasted to Cross’ campaign car sign with “You’re” spelled “Your”. The two men don’t like each other, a situation exacerbated by rumors of a long-ago incident between Garcia and Cross’ wife, Louise (two-time Oscar winner Emma Stone).

Being ill-equipped to run an election, even with the assistance of his two deputies, Michael (Michael Ward, EMPIRE OF LIGHT, 2022) and Guy (Luke Grimes, “Yellowstone”), isn’t the extent of Cross’ problems. His marriage to Louise is rocky at best, and having her mother, Dawn (Deidre O’Connell, a talented actor in TV and movies since the 1980’s) live with them and spew her conspiracy theories only adds to the bumpy ride. Things get worse for Joe when Louise grows close to charismatic but vacuous cult leader Vernon (Austin Butler) … a guru who manages to calmly say things that rile folks up in a hollow-cause kind of way.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji works his magic with a film that bounces all over the place thematically. In traditional Westerns, it was always good versus evil; however, this contemporary version is more political and seems to lack any people who are actually good. Joaquin Phoenix goes all in for his role, and Pedro Pascal continues to prove he can play just about any character. Emma Stone and Austin Butler take on minor roles, while Deidre O’Connell gets to shine in a couple of scenes. Don’t believe for a second that filmmaker Aster is attempting to explain how we’ve reached this moment. It’s more a snapshot in time of how people react under extreme pressure and how everyone has a snapping point. Is the film provocative or is Aster just having fun stirring the pot? Talk amongst yourselves (after watching).

Opens in theaters on July 18, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH (2025)

July 1, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been 32 years since John Hammond “spared no expense” on ice cream and Chaos Theory Doctor Malcolm pleaded that the colorful jeep “must go faster”. That 1993 film by Steven Spielberg awed us and changed the course of cinema. Now director Gareth Edwards (ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, 2016; GODZILLA, 2014) brings us the seventh film in the ‘Jurassic’ franchise. Having adapted Michael Crichton’s books for the first two in the series, renowned screenwriter David Koepp (who has also contributed to Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, and Spider-Man franchises, among others) returns for “Rebirth”.

Opening with a flashback to fifteen years prior, we see the InGen lab where experimental cross-breeding has resulted in dino-mutations, and we are only about four minutes in when we get the first dino snack (an unfortunate lab worker). Returning to modern day times (five years after the end of JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION), we find a citizenry somehow bored with the dinosaurs that have been released into the wild – most of which have died or are dying due to environmental issues caused by us despicable humans. The exception is a remote island near the equator where the climate most resembles prehistoric times, and the beasts are free to roam … as it’s now a “No people allowed” sanctuary. It’s also a former InGen lab site.

This all sets the stage for greedy Big Pharma executive, Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend) to plan an excursion with the goal of collecting DNA from the three largest dino species from land, sea, and air. Oh, and minor detail – the DNA has to be collected from live specimens. The DNA can supposedly be used for major medical breakthroughs. Krebs hires Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), a mercenary for “situational security and reaction”, and Dr Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey, WICKED, 2024) a paleontologist trained by the infamous Dr Grant. Zora assembles the rest of the team, including friend and boat captain Duncan Kincaid (Oscar winner Mahershala Ali), and the rest of his crew.

Separately, a family sailing the same waters is introduced. Reuben (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and his two daughters, college-aged Teresa (Luna Blaise) and clever 11-year-old Isabella (Audrina Miranda), along with Teresa’s lazy and spacey boyfriend Xavier (David Iacono). This secondary group provides us with ‘normal’ folks to fear for as their boat is dino-attacked, leaving them stranded in the sea, awaiting recovery by the pharma boat. This creates a strange mixture of folks and, most importantly, allows for the mandatory kid-in-peril. Another dino-attack on the boat separates the family from the team and begins the process of scratching characters from the story.

The adventures are quite different for the two groups, and the island scenery is consistently awe-inspiring. But we are all here for dinosaurs, and on that front, the film never disappoints. Very few gaps occur between sightings or attacks, and the dinosaurs dazzle. A slumbering by the river T-Rex provides one of the best chase/attack scenes from any of the Jurassic movies (with a tip of the raft to the Crichton novel). Of course, we know who the villain will be, and we know how things go for villains in these movies. The story includes an altruistic approach from Loomis, who flashes some survival instincts despite a career spent in an air-conditioned museum, rather than a dino-filled jungle.

We are left to ponder what the titular “Rebirth” refers to. The film doesn’t offer anything new, outside of the mutants … including the much-anticipated D-Rex (sporting the head of a Beluga whale?). Your individual level of critique will determine whether you buy Scarlett Johansson as the ultimate tough warrior, although John Mathieson’s stunning cinematography and composer Alexandre Desplat’s score (generously sprinkled with John Williams’ iconic JP score) are complementary to an overall entertaining and crowd-pleasing big-budget summer blockbuster, with many nods to the previous films in the franchise. Race cars and dinosaurs in the same summer … spared no expense.

Opens in theaters on July 2, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

F1: THE MOVIE (2025)

June 26, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. I can’t explain why auto racing movies have always appealed to me. This dates back to such classics as GRAND PRIX (1966, with James Garner), WINNING (1969, with Paul Newman), and LE MANS (1971, with Steve McQueen). Toss in the more recent films like SENNA (2010), RUSH (2013), and FORD V FERRARI (2019), and that’s a lot of roaring engines and squealing tires on the track and the big screen. Writer-director Joseph Kosinski is no stranger to movies with stunning action and movement and speed as evidenced by his TOP GUN: MAVERICK (2022), OBLIVION (2013), and TRON LEGACY (2010). Kosinski co-wrote the story here with Ehren Kruger, his screenwriter from that high-flying 2022 gem.

Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” blasts through the IMAX sound system as we are introduced to brash driver Sonny Hayes (Oscar winner Brad Pitt, ONCE UPON A TIME … IN HOLLYWOOD, 2019) during 24 Hours at Daytona. We learn quickly that Sonny marches to his own drummer and is a bit of a loner living and traveling in his van. When Ruben (Oscar winner Javier Bardem, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, 2007), his long-ago friend and one-time racing rival, shows up to offer him a seat for the Formula One team he now owns, Sonny politely declines, despite his friend’s financial struggle and desperate need to win a race or risk losing his team. Of course, we know Sonny will show up.

Sonny discovers that the other driver on the team is an arrogant and talented rookie named Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris, “Snowfall”). Pearce represents a certain generation with arrogance and entitlement beyond his actual success (along with a supportive mama, Sarah Niles, “Ted Lasso”). He certainly wants nothing to do with an ‘old man’ who hasn’t driven F1 in decades. The two polar opposite drivers provide the conflict in the film, but it’s Sonny’s backstory that makes things click. As an immensely talented young driver, his dreams and expectations came crashing down, leaving him a broken man with no home – other than his life as a gypsy driver bounding from one racetrack to the next.

If you’ve seen BULL DURHAM (1998) or THE COLOR OF MONEY (1996), you know how it goes when the grizzled veteran mentors the cocky (and talented) newcomer. It’s a rough start and slowly the two begin to work as teammates. Sonny’s sixth sense on the track stems from knowledge and experience. His swagger initially rubs former aerospace-engineer-turned-car-designer, Kate (Kerry Condon, THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, 2022), the wrong way, but of course anyone who has ever seen a movie knows where they are headed.

As with everything these days, especially when big money is at stake, politics and power play a huge role. This time it’s sleazy investor Peter Banning (Tobias Menzies, YOU HURT MY FEELINGS, 2023) who provides the ugly underbelly of greed and corruption. Still, none of that much matters … same with the dialogue that often veers into pure cheesiness. What matters is that the race scenes are exhilarating … the best we’ve ever seen on screen (and make that an IMAX screen if possible – for both sight and sound). Cinematographer Claudio Miranda won an Oscar for LIFE OF PI (2011), and I’m guessing the filming during actual Formula One events proved even more challenging than that one. Definitely deserving of attention are co-editors Stephen Mirrione (Oscar winner, TRAFFIC, 2000) and Patrick J Smith, as well as the entire Sound team. I’ll admit it’s not my favorite Hans Zimmer score, and I’m certain that neither he nor his two Oscars care about my thoughts on the matter.

As an actor, Brad Pitt no longer survives simply by existing – he actually emotes (and does so quite well). He’s a big movie star in a BIG movie that strives to wow viewers. The mystery is how many will be drawn to the theaters for fast cars. For those that do, this one delivers.  On the other hand, if TALLADEGA NIGHTS (2006) or Pixar’s CARS franchise is more your speed, well there’s no shame in that.

Opening in theaters nationwide on June 27, 2025 followed by streaming on AppleTV+

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Posted by David Ferguson

ECHO VALLEY (2025)

June 13, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. We should all be so fortunate to have a friend as loyal as Leslie, and we should strive to be wiser than Kate so that we don’t ever have the need to test that friend’s loyalty. Director Michael Pearce (ENCOUNTER, 2021) is working with a script from screenwriter Brad Ingelsby (the excellent “Mare of Easttown”, OUT OF THE FURNACE, 2018), and a superb cast to deliver a thriller that offers both familiar territory and twists and turns in a film that is ultimately relatively entertaining to watch.

The film opens with a stunning overhead shot of a lifeless body floating in the middle of a tree-lined lake. We don’t know who it is or the story of how it got there. Oscar winner Julianne Moore plays Kate, still in a grieving funk nine months after a tragic accident killed her wife Patty (Kristina Valada-Viars, “Chicago Med”), who is seen only in flashbacks and heard on saved voicemails. Kate manages to crawl from bed each morning and do just enough to keep her horses alive on the farm where her business is giving riding lessons. Since she’s cancelled most of those lessons, she must grovel to her ex-husband (Kyle MacLachlan) so she can fix the sagging roof on her barn. The two argue about money, her state of mind, and their daughter … whom dad describes as “sick”.

It doesn’t take long for us to understand how all the pieces of their argument fit together because daughter Claire (Sydney Sweeney, “The White Lotus”, “Euphoria”) shows up at the farm, and we learn that her mother Kate is the ultimate example of an enabler. Claire has a long-standing drug problem as well as the corresponding mental issues. She knows her mother can be manipulated into doing just about anything for her. It doesn’t take long for a couple of other players to enter. Ryan (Edmund Duncan) is Claire’s drug-addled boyfriend, and Jackie (the ubiquitous Domhnall Gleeson) is their compelling drug dealer … one who is out about ten grand due to the idiocy of Claire and Ryan.

Once the dynamics are in place, the twists and turns begin – none of which will be detailed here. You should know that it’s all pretty suspenseful provided you are able to overlook a bit of creative stretching from a storytelling perspective. Fiona Shaw plays Kate’s bestie Leslie (as mentioned in the opening paragraph), and what comes across clearly here is that this group of actors definitely elevate the material to the point where we actually care what happens to Kate, Claire, and Leslie. Ms. Moore excels in her grief, in her role as (overly) dedicated mother, and as a shrewd independent. Ms. Sweeney goes against her usual glam role and flashes some pretty impressive emotional range, while Mr. Gleeson nails the opportunistic drug dealer. It’s kind of hard not to notice that the males in the story are all various shades of scumbags, save for the detective near the end.

Cinematographer Benjamin Kracun (PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, 2020) manages to capture both the beauty of the setting and the intensity and emotion of the personal interactions. Composer Jed Kurzel (SLOW WEST, 2015; THE BABDOOK, 2014) takes a unique approach to the score, preventing it from sounding like most suspense films. It seems probable that Mr. Ingelsby writing and Mr. Pearce’s directing would have been better served in a limited series … although this outstanding cast might not have happened. I found the film’s ending somewhat less than satisfying, yet overall the entertainment value was fine.

The film will premiere globally on AppleTV+ on June 13, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

DANGEROUS ANIMALS (2025)

June 6, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. I’ll admit to being braced for a low-budget horror movie that would have more in common with SHARKNADO than JAWS. This genre film from director Sean Byrne and screenwriter Nick Lepard is neither of those films, but certainly holds its own as terror on the open sea.

The extended pre-credit opening sequence tells us all we need to know about Bruce Tucker (Jai Courtney, A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD, 2013). He’s a survivor of a childhood shark attack and his scars led to his obsession with the creatures – running a tour boat for those who want to get up close and personal with sharks (while in a cage, of course). Athletic and adventurous Greg (Liam Greinke) coaxes his meek and timid girlfriend Heather (Ella Newton, “Harrow”) onto the boat and into the cage. It turns out her hesitancy would have been better served as Tucker’s rugged charm quickly turns quite sinister.

Independent surfer, Zephyr (Dallas’ own Hassie Harrison, “Yellowstone”) crosses paths with Real Estate dude Moses (Josh Heuston, “Heartbreak High”) and the two exchange banter that certainly qualifies as high-level flirtation … leading to the back of Zephyr’s van, and her eventual unannounced departure. It doesn’t take long before her evening of bliss turns into her being next in Tucker’s long line. It’s a line so long, he has a VHS tape library of all his conquests/victims. See, Tucker does more than just sing the “Baby Shark” song. He feeds his sadistic nature in a manner that I won’t detail here.

IFC and Shudder films have teamed up to deliver a surprisingly taut thriller from an absurd premise thanks to Jai Courtney not overplaying a villainous role that could easily be over-the-top, and Hassie Harrison playing a believably tough woman fighting for survival. When Tucker first says, “No one even knows you’re here”, we recognize that we are in for a ride. This is director Sean Byrne’s first movie in ten years (THE DEVIL’S CANDY, 2015), and the first to include two versions of the “Ooby Dooby” song by Teen Jesus and CCR. For lovers of this genre, just know that the money shot is worth the wait.

Opening in theaters on June 6, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING (2025)

May 26, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. The eighth and (supposedly) final entry in a fantastic action film franchise that began in 1996 may not be the best of the bunch, yet it’s a mostly satisfying farewell to Ethan Hunt and his team of world-savers. Making his fourth stint as a writer-director for the latest “MI”, Oscar winner Christopher McQuarrie blends new danger and stunning action sequences with admirable (if not a few too many) tributes and nods to the past films and characters (including villains).

Of course, none of this would be possible without the freak-of-nature we know as Tom Cruise. Something I’ve said and written many times before – Mr. Cruise was not only born to play the role of Ethan Hunt, through the years he has definitively made it his own. What has allowed most of these films to work is a combination of thrilling escapades required to prevent a catastrophe, and the tongue-in-cheek tone designed to let the audience off the hook in recognizing the audacity of the whole thing. Unfortunately, this one omits the clever banter and instead goes with a couple of wise cracks that lack the effect.

For anyone who is a bit concerned about the future impact of Artificial Intelligence, “The Entity” is the real villain in this one, and it’s likely to spook you a bit more about the unknown and untapped power. Although Esai Morales returns as bad guy Gabriel, the true danger of global destruction comes courtesy of AI and its ability to take over control of all nuclear weapons on the planet. Only Ethan Hunt (should he choose to accept) and his team can stop this from happening, and if they do, it’s very likely those heroics will be last-second and towards the end of the 169-minute runtime … and after numerous action sequences that leave us breathless.

There are two truly stunning action/stunt sequences that feature Cruise at his most daring and a filmmaking team at its most technically advanced. The second of the two sequences, and the one getting the most attention is the aerial battle between two vibrantly-colored vintage biplanes. Now that description would be cool enough for most movies, but not for this franchise and certainly not for Cruise. Here, he climbs around the wing as one plane is airborne so he can take over the pilot’s seat. Again, that would be an incredible feat for anyone, but it barely scratches an itch for this guy. Instead, he then makes his way from one airborne plane to other airborne plane so that he can then fight THAT pilot (Gabriel) … and he must do so while executing another task that is required to save the world.

Yes, that aerial sequence is breathtaking and deserves accolades, yet it’s the ‘other’ huge action sequence that left me wide-eyed and clutching the armrests. Watching Ethan Hunt deep dive into frigid ocean waters to a long-ago sunken submarine, and then navigating his way through the giant metal tube as it tumbles on the sea floor is nothing short of astonishing and jaw-dropping. It’s fantastic to watch and unlike anything previously seen on screen – including other submarine movies or underwater scenes.

In addition to Cruise and Morales, other returning players include Haylee Atwell as Grace, Simon Pegg as Benji, Pom Klementieff as Paris (an amazing character), and Henry Czerny as Kittiridge. Also returning is Ving Rhames as Luther … he and Cruise are the only two to appear in all eight MI films. Additions to the superb cast are Angela Bassett as the President, as well as Holt McCallamy, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Tramell Tillman, and Hannah Waddingham. There is also a significant surprise appearance by another returner – one that I won’t spoil here. The final scene in Trafalgar Square comes across a bit corny, but let’s say they’ve earned the right.

Cruise’s courage and brilliance as Ethan Hunt are noted, while McQuarrie clearly has a love for the mission; and yet, we need to acknowledge the technical expertise brought by many, especially cinematographer Fraser Taggart and editor Eddie Hamilton. While this final entry might not be tops for the franchise, it’s yet another expertly crafted big budget film that delivers the thrills its audience expects. And for the price of a ticket, those two colossal action sequences combine with Lalo Schifrin’s timeless (and blood-pumping) theme song are tough to beat … make that impossible.

Playing nationwide in theaters

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Posted by David Ferguson

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH (2025)

May 22, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. A filmmaker takes a risk by opening a movie with a frenetic and extended chase scene. This approach tends to announce that the action is more important than the story or characters … a message most filmmakers prefer not to convey. With his track record including SNATCH (2000) and LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS (1998), I tend to give the benefit of doubt to every new Guy Ritchie-directed project. Most offer some heft and creativity, yet the disappointments are often amplified due to expectations. Working from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt, this one strives to be a blend of NATIONAL TREASURE and Indiana Jones, with Thor and Loki banter.

The opening chase scene here sets the stage for what this movie is … one long chase. It seems everyone is always chasing what Luke Purdue (John Krasinski, A QUIET PLACE, 2018) is after – whether that’s a particular Rembrandt painting or the mythical Fountain of Youth associated with explorer Ponce de Leon (though the legend dates back centuries more). For most of the movie, Luke and his team are being chased by an Asian gangster, a committed mercenary, and an agent from Interpol. Rather than the traditional meet-cute, we get a reconciliation of estranged siblings. Luke’s sister Charlotte (Oscar winner Natalie Portman, BLACK SWAN, 2010) is a museum curator and both were trained by their since-deceased archaeologist father.

Luke is the adventurous one in the mold of Indiana Jones, whereas Charlotte tries her best to live a safe life with her musical prodigy son – despite the in-process split with her husband. Many of the scenes are based on the contrast (and corresponding similarities) of this brother-sister duo. Esme (Eiza Gonzalez, BABY DRIVER, 2017) is the mysterious woman hot on Luke’s trail, while Inspector Abbas (Arian Moayed, “Succession”) is the Interpol agent who’s been tracking the art thefts for a long time. Luke’s crew includes Deb (Carmen Ejogo, SELMA, 2014) and Murphy (Laz Alonso, “The Boys”), and the quest is funded by billionaire Owen Carver (Domhnall Gleeson, General Hux in the Star Wars universe), who claims to be seeking the healing powers of the Fountain of Youth due to his terminal cancer.

There is an interesting early sequence that finds Luke and Charlotte scrounging for a lost painting aboard the sunken Lusitania. What makes this interesting is that Alfred G Vanderbilt did actually die in 1915 when the ship went down, and the screenplay for this film is written by his great grandson, James Vanderbilt. Unfortunately, it’s that screenplay that is a constant drag on the film. The dialogue is too often cringy while trying desperately to be clever and funny. Krasinski and Portman seem to realize this and overact while attempting to salvage some scenes. For mindless entertainment, there is certainly a place for adventure films with settings as breathtaking as the Austrian National Library and the Pyramids of Giza, yet it’s a shame that a more thoughtful and intelligent story wasn’t delivered.

The film will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, May 23, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

SHARP CORNER (2025)

May 9, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. Purchasing a home is often called ‘The American Dream.’ For Josh and Rachel, it’s even more special when their son, 6-year-old Max, refers to their new place as “a mansion”. Sometimes (especially in movies) dreams turn into nightmares, and that’s exactly what happens in this film from writer-director Jason Buxton (his first feature since his debut BLACKBIRD, 2012). Adapted from the short story by Russell Wangersky, this film is billed as a psychological thriller – which it is, yet it’s also an enigmatic character study.

Ben Foster (HELL OR HIGH WATER, 2018) plays Josh. Only this isn’t the Ben Foster we’ve come to expect. His usual high-intensity and simmering danger-on-edge is replaced by a mild-mannered man who is even a bit meek whether dealing with his wife or the new manager he once trained at work. Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill in the Marvel Universe) plays his wife Rachel, and their first night in the new house leads to one of the worst cases of coitus-interruptus in history. A car tire comes flying through the living room window just after the loud crash of a car hitting the tree in their front yard. The horrific wreck leaves a young man dead, and the family stunned.

As you might have guessed from the film’s title, their new home is located on a dangerous curve. The only warning sign for drivers is mostly blocked by overgrown vegetation. Josh’s reaction to the wreck amplifies his struggles at work, while also creating tension with Rachel. He wants to talk about it, and she wants to ignore it. A second wreck has Josh trying to comfort the driver. The wreck convinces Rachel it’s time to move, while it simultaneously convinces Josh he could have saved the man’s life. Clandestine CPR lessons follow, while family therapy exposes all we need to know.

Rather than a curve, Josh and Rachel come to a fork in the road … and take different paths. While Josh becomes obsessed with waiting for the next wreck so he can save a life. Rachel simply wants to protect herself and her son, and avoid the obsessed Josh. He’s a man who desperately wants to be a savior to strangers, when the best thing he could be is a father/husband. Foster’s performance is unlike anything we have seen from him, and it can’t help but make us feel uneasy. Director Buxton gives us an early sneak peek at the curve, but mostly we are confused as to why a speed bump or protective/reflective barrier hasn’t been installed. Sometimes a movie leaves us feeling like it should have been more interesting, more entertaining, … more something … than it was. Foster keeps us watching, yet the whole thing feels a bit hollow.

Opens in select theaters and VOD on May 9, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE SURFER (2025)

May 1, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. There are a few actors who regularly take on roles that leave us hoping they are nothing like those characters in real life. Willem Dafoe comes to mind, but the president of that club would be Nicolas Cage. Over the last 18 years or so, no actor has more often regaled us with emotional and mental unraveling on screen. Keep in mind it’s been thirty years since he won his Oscar for LEAVING LAS VEGAS.

This time, it’s the second feature film from Lorcan Finnegan (VIVARIUM, 2018) that finds Cage’s titular character on a downward spiral. The script comes from Thomas Martin, and opens with a father (Cage) driving along the Australian coastline, preaching surfer philosophy to his son (Finn Little, THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD, 2021), who’s a bit miffed that he got dragged from school to hear the lecture. It turns out dad wants to spend the day surfing with his son so he can show him the house he’s purchasing. It’s the cliffside family home once owned by his grandfather.

It all sounds lovely until two things happen. The real estate deal is in jeopardy because Cage has been outbid, requiring him to raise an extra hundred grand fast. More dramatically, when the father and son hike down to the beach carrying their surfboards, they are accosted by locals who live by the mantra, “Don’t live here. Don’t surf here.”. Cage explains that he used to live there, is buying a house there, and just wants to surf with his son. The group of ‘Bay Boys’ threatens to get physical, sending father and son back up the hill.

These bullies have created a ‘localized’ culture at Luna Bay through inspiration served up by their cult-like leader, Scotty “Scally” Callahan (Julian McMahon, “Nip/Tuck”), a former classmate of Cage’s character. Now most reasonable folks would just pack up and leave, but this is a man on the edge. His divorce is pending, his relationship with his son is shaky, his boss is pressuring him to finish a project, and his dream real estate deal is crumbling. Cage is a frazzled middle-aged man, and we are about to witness things get much worse for him.

The patented Nic Cage downward spiral involves a local homeless man (Nicolas Cassim), a public restroom, a kiosk, and frequent run-ins with the ‘gang’ of local surfers. Even the local cop (Justin Rozniak) tries to encourage Cage to give it up and head out. However, the inner demons of a man who has worked hard for a specific goal that is now within grasp – or maybe just out of reach – begin to take over. This may seem like the beginning of a breakdown for Cage’s character, but the truth is that it began long before.

Is this psychological, psychotic, or psychedelic? We are never quite sure, especially as the sun beats down on Cage and he has flashes of childhood trauma … a precursor to where this is all headed. Are these nightmares or hallucinations? It plays out kind of slowly, but we do enjoy the stylish approach of director Finnegan and cinematographer Radek Ladczuk (THE BABADOOK, 2014), whose visuals juggle the blistering glare of the sun, sweat and stains on Cage, and the stunningly beautiful blue ocean. Additionally, it’s Australia, so you know there will be a snake, as well as other critters like bugs, birds, a rat, a porcupine, and dogs. As Cage’s material status possessions are stripped away (phone, watch, car, clothes), it is all accompanied by composer Francois Tetaz’s music that can be described as hypnotic or ethereal. There is an ending that many might take issue with, but after so many times thinking “Just leave, dude”, I was willing to take whatever happened. How long until a theater runs an entire festival of Nic Cage Midnight Movies?

Opens in theaters on May 2, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

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