PAINT (2023)

April 5, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. You might wonder how a low-key painter becomes ubiquitous, evolving into the source of pop culture references in everything from “Saturday Night Live” to “Family Guy” to recent horror film SMILE. Bob Ross hosted “The Joy of Painting” on public television from 1983 until 1994. His soft-spoken manner and ability to connect with the audience while finishing a painting in 30 minutes drew in many dedicated viewers and turned him into an unlikely celebrity (as did the internet). Writer-director Brit McAdams uses Bob Ross as inspiration for his first feature film.

Though it’s certainly not a profile or biography of Ross, Owen Wilson’s portrayal of Carl Nargle is part tribute and part caricature, and it seems that McAdams wanted to go the comedy route, despite most gags and punchlines landing as softly as Carl Nagle’s signature sign-off, thanking viewers for finding that “special place.”. Whereas Ross’ whispery vocal seemed soothing, Wilson’s is kinda creepy. The comedy never really lands for a few reasons, but mostly because we don’t much care for Carl Nargle and his out-of-touch ego and misogyny … although this isn’t the fault of Wilson, who does his best with what he’s given.

Carl Nargle’s (a fictional character) painting show has been a long-time fixture on the Vermont PBS channel where he regularly creates landscapes featuring Mount Mansfield. His loyal audience ranges from the elderly at a senior citizen center to the frequenters of a local dive bar to the women drawn to Carl’s calm nature and fold-out bed in the back of his custom van. The latter group includes his ex, Katherine (a criminally underutilized Michaela Watkins), who is also the program manager, and Carl’s assistant Wendy (Wendi McLendon-Covey). His newest interest is the young intern Jenna (Lucy Freyer), who seeks to be the next to receive the gift of a painting, which Carl gives to each conquest. But times are changing for Carl. Station Manager Tony (Stephen Root) needs a ratings boost and seizes the opportunity by hiring Ambrosia (Ciara Renee) to bring in new painting blood. There is more to the competition between Carl and Ambrosia than painting and ratings and ego … it extends to Katherine, generating an entirely new dynamic.

The film has a lackluster feel to it. While some would-be intriguing topics are broached, none of them are explored to the point of creating any real interest. As for the comedy, there is no energy or sharpness. It comes across as believing many punchlines and situations are funnier than they really are. Everything is just a little off … doesn’t quite work as comedy, satire, self-discovery, or drama. To top it off, the timeline is confusing. While no cell phones are present, it never gives off a strong enough vibe for us to place the era. There is simply no joy in this painting.

Opens in theaters on April 7, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE FIRST STEP (2023, doc)

April 3, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. The old adage goes, “Politics makes for strange bedfellows.” And there may have never been a stranger pairing than Donald Trump advisor (and son-in-law) Jared Kushner and CNN political contributor and activist Van Jones. The two joined forces to push through a prison reform bill that resulted in 10,000 prisoners gaining early release.

Documentarian Brandon Kramer stuck with Jones during his crusade, and the final product delivers insight into the complex world of politics. Now, you might not consider either Kushner or Jones to be true politicians, but the fact is, they worked together to make the system pay attention to a cause that mattered to both … despite their polar opposite political views. This was red and blue working in unison for a shared cause – just the way the two-party system was designed to work.

However, the most fascinating piece isn’t that republicans and democrats came together for a cause. No, the shocker was the criticism and vitriol Jones received from those on HIS side. It was the democrats and the BLM group who were so adamantly against negotiating with the Trump administration, that they were willing to sacrifice the cause – and those who would benefit. Fortunately, Van Jones, a Yale educated lawyer, is a passionate and intelligent man, and not one easily dissuaded from pursuing what he believes to be righteous causes.

Jones is the kind of guy who, when seated on a panel at a conservative function, gets asked, “Van Jones, what are you doing here?” When discussing the “whitelash” of the 2016 election, Jones proclaims it’s not enough to be anti-Trump; we have to be for something positive. Jones’ personal library includes many volumes that help him “know the enemy.” And his fascination with all things Superman – t shirts, comics, bedspreads – offers some insight into his personality.

The most interesting segment of the documentary features Jones bringing together two diametrically opposed groups for a shared cause. Inner-city Los Angeles folks and rural West Virginia residents couldn’t be any different on their views of Trump, but they do share the pain of drug addictions tearing apart their communities. These two groups try to understand their disparate political views, but mostly they share the desire to rid their communities of the personal tragedies brought on by drugs. Jones uses this to prove how complex the issues are when it comes to prison reform … and sentence reform.

At times, this Kramer documentary feels like cheerleading for Van Jones, but it also shows just how complicated and confusing and emotional political topics can become in the world of Washington DC. The pushback Jones receives from his own side (having a white ex-wife doesn’t help) speaks to how close-minded folks have become, and even though this was filmed during the Trump era, the divide still exists today. The real message to me is that intelligent, persistent crusaders working for a just cause, and willing to deal with those throughout the political spectrum, are today’s real superheroes.

Available on VOD beginning April 4, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

MURDER MYSTERY 2

March 31, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. You know who you are. You are either a fan of Adam Sandler movies or you’re not. And no, we aren’t referring to his stellar dramatic turns in films like UNCUT GEMS (2019) and PUNCH DRUNK LOVE (2002). Rather we mean ‘funny Sandler’ and his distinctive comedic style. Of course, Mr. Sandler doesn’t much care about your judgment, as his comedy movie empire becomes more enormous and successful with each release – and his partnership with Netflix has taken things to a new level. This time he returns with leading lady Jennifer Aniston for a sequel to their 2019 hit, and it’s again written by James Vanderbilt (ZODIAC, 2007), but with a different director, Jeremy Garelick (THE WEDDING RINGER, 2015).

An opening “previously” sequence catches up anyone who has forgotten what happened in the original MURDER MYSTERY (2019), and anyone who didn’t watch. The basics are that it’s now four years after Nick and Audrey Spitz (Sandler and Aniston) solved their first case, and they are struggling to get their detective agency up and running. It’s causing a bit of marital strife as Nick is a bit tired of talking business and the relentless pressure, while Audrey (and Aniston’s “free the nipple” ways) wants her husband to be a bit more committed to the cause.

The couple gets what they need when their old friend (from the first movie) Maharajah (Adeel Akhtar) calls them and invites them to his wedding being held on his own private island. Nick and Audrey embrace their friend, as well as the lavish surroundings of the Indian wedding – even though the bride to be, Claudette (Melanie Laurent, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, 2009) is not Indian. A murder and kidnapping for ransom ruin the wedding party, although that happens after a boisterous Bollywood-style song and dance number.

Much like a traditional whodunnit, everyone close to the Maharajah is a prime suspect in his kidnapping. This includes his sister Saira (Kuhoo Verma: his ex-fiancé, Countess Sekou (Jodie Turner-Smith, AFTER YANG, 2021); his demoted head of security (returning from the first film) Colonel Ulenga (John Kani); and even bride-to-be Claudette. When Miller (Mark Strong) shows up, he quickly becomes the detective-in-charge … after all, he wrote the book. Unlike a traditional whodunnit, there are non-stop comedic twists, even permeating the more-impressive-than-expected action sequences.

Unlike the first movie where much of the happenings occurred on a boat, this film ‘escapes’ the private island and heads to beautiful Paris, France where the iconic Eiffel Tower becomes a significant set piece. This move also allows another reunion from the first movie when Inspector Delacroix (Danny Boon) shows up to work on the case. Sandler and Aniston have good chemistry and play off each other quite well, and there aren’t many movies that feature animals wearing diapers so as not to mess the grass. Sandler gets in some zingers, and it’s fun to watch Strong’s macho posing, but I still can’t believe they skipped a final “Gary” joke. Anyway, this will please fans of the first movie, and likely set the stage for a third, assuming Sandler and Aniston are up for it.

On Netflix beginning March 31, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

TETRIS (2023)

March 31, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Were you one of those? Did you spend hours strategically placing ‘tetrominoes’ on the Gameboy screen for maximum points? Were you addicted to Tetris, one of the earliest globally popular video games? As one of the few people alive today who has never once played Tetris, I was still interested enough in its origin story to watch and review the film from director Jon S Baird (STAN & OLLIE 2018, and FILTH 2013) and screenwriter Noah Pink (creator of the “Genius” TV series).

Taron Egerton (ROCKETMAN 2019, EDDIE THE EAGLE 2015, the KINGSMEN movies) stars as Henk Rogers, who, when we first see him, is pushing the floundering video game he designed himself. It’s at a 1988 conference where he stumbles on an early version of Tetris, and the rest of the movie involves Henk trying to outmaneuver Russians, hucksters, and corrupt businesspeople – each more powerful than him – for the territorial rights to market Tetris, a surefire hit in the early days of video games.

At times, the story plays like a spy thriller, but mostly it’s a story of Communism vs Capitalism, with greed playing a significant role with all involved. One wouldn’t expect foreign intrigue and geopolitical business strategy to facilitate video game distribution, yet in fact, those elements are front and center. Henk’s’ journey finds him crossing paths with Robert Stein (Toby Jones), an international video game agent; renowned publisher and politician Robert Maxwell (an unrecognizable, except for that distinctive voice, Roger Allam) and his arrogant wannabe-power broker son, Kevin (Anthony Boyle); Hiroshi Yamauchi (Togo Igawa), the head of Nintendo; and most importantly (and stressfully), the Russians. If you don’t recognize the name Robert Maxwell, you surely know the story of his daughter, Ghislaine.

Alexey Pajitnov (played by Nikita Efremov) is the Russian computer programmer who initially developed Tetris, and of course, he is the one in danger when the game becomes embroiled in a tug-of-war between Russia and Westerners. Belikov (Oleg Stefan) negotiates on behalf of the Russian government, while Tracy (newcomer Mara Huff) acts as Henk’s translator. But, of course, in Russia, not everything is as it seems, so Henk and the Maxwells and Stein all act in ways not acceptable to Russian protocol. It’s Henk who has literally bet his house on Tetris, but Maxwell’s highly publicized shady business dealings are a factor as well.

At times, the film has a cartoonish feel to it … some of that by (8-bit) design, and some of it just in how the story is presented. Those involved have admitted they were following in the footsteps of THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010), a superior film. Ego and greed are always a bit uncomfortable to watch play out, but we do learn that the name Tetris was formed by blending ‘tetra’ (four) with ‘tennis.’

AppleTV+ on March 31, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

IN VIAGGIO: THE TRAVELS OF POPE FRANCIS (2023, doc)

March 31, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. More than one billion people identify as Catholic, and since 2013, the head of the Church has been Pope Francis. He’s originally from Argentina and is the first Pope from the Americas. Of course, one need not be a practicing Catholic to respect and appreciate the mission and impact of this man … and his commitment to improving humanity. Director Gianfranco Rosi received an Oscar nomination for his 2016 documentary, FIRE AT SEA, and here he utilizes archival footage and clips to chronicle the Pope’s focus on certain topics: poverty, immigration, his anti-war stance, and his pleadings for solidarity amongst Earth’s residents.

The film begins by informing that Pope Francis, in his first nine years as Pope, took 37 trips while visiting 53 different countries in order to spread the messages (noted above) that are so close to his heart. When we see him speak to the globalization of indifference, we can’t help but acknowledge his insight. At each stop, throngs line the road to get a quick glimpse, or perhaps even a touch from the man they view as being on a mission from God. He preaches for the need for a culture of solidarity where countries, politicians, and citizens work together for a better world.

This is a man who has forsaken many of the creature comforts afforded his predecessors, and instead turns his attention to those people and groups marginalized by society. This really hits hard as he rides towards a massive mural of Che Guevara. Pope Francis speaks to an unforgivable pattern of war, and pushes what should be a pattern of peace. He is now 86 years old, and we see a man filled with Peace, Love, and Understanding. One need not be Catholic to see these admirable traits and his commitment. Director Rosi’s film is not so much a Pope’s travel journal, but more an intimate portrait of a man so committed to his mission and purpose that he rarely slows down, even with some physical limitations due to age. We see Pope Francis do that in which he excels … providing hope for a better life, a better world, a better tomorrow.

**As this is posted, Pope Francis has been hospitalized for a respiratory infection.

Magnolia Pictures will release IN VIAGGIO: THE TRAVELS OF POPE FRANCIS 
in theaters and VOD March 31, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE LOST KING (2023)

March 23, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. Obsession often gets a bad rap. Sure, being obsessed with another person to the point of stalking is not just bad, but illegal. However, most hobbies are a form of obsession … you know, like watching movies! OK, that was a self-serving (weak) attempt at making a point, although obsession can lead to innovation and discovery. In fact, if an obsession does turn into something productive or exciting, it is often re-labeled as commitment. That’s pretty much the moral of the story when it comes to Phillipa Langley.

Ms. Langley wrote the 2013 book, “The Search for Richard III”, the basis for this screenplay by Steve Coogan and Jeff Cope, and this film by director Stephen Frears … all three whom collaborated on the Oscar nominated PHILOMENA (2013). Based on the true story, the always terrific Sally Hawkins stars as Phillipa Langley. Ageism has compromised Ms. Langley’s job, as has her Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), medically known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). But Phillipa is no victim, and it’s a stage production of Shakespeare’s “Richard III” that sets her off on deep research into the life and death and after-death stories of the former and often disrespected King.

Shakespeare’s play is referred to as “historical”, but it’s Phillipa who reads all the books and attends the lectures, and even joins the Richard III Society. She quickly realizes many of the theories about the malformed usurper and his character and actions are not correct. She sets her mind to calculating his final resting spot; meaning she’s certain his corpse was not dumped unceremoniously into the river.

An interesting and entertaining aspect of the film is that Richard III (Harry Lloyd) “haunts” or follows Phillipa during her research. She sees him and talks to him, adding a new dimension to her obsessive behavior and the “feelings” she often possesses. After initial skepticism, Phillipa’s ex-husband John (played by co-writer Steve Coogan) begins to support her quest, as do their young sons. She searches not just for a body supposedly buried in the 15th century, she also searches for funding and partnerships. The city of Leicester offers to assist in cutting red tape, but funding is a bit more challenging, though she finally finds a supporter in archaeologist Richard Buckley (Mark Addy) who understands how to work the University grant system.

As an amateur historian-researcher-sleuth, Phillipa proves to be a stronger person than even she thinks herself to be. What unfolds for her is a textbook example of power plays and glory hogs as those who had once laughed at her theories, began to take credit for the accomplishment and bask in the publicity. Credit in the academic world is often more valued than knowledge or integrity, and yet Phillipa’s sense of accomplishment did ultimately lead to the Queen awarding her MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).

Director Frears has had a prestigious career with films including: THE QUEEN (2008), HIGH FIDELITY (2000), THE GRIFTERS (1990), and DANGEROUS LIASONS (1988). And Sally Hawkins consistently brings a realism and likability to her roles to the point that we simply believe her every move. Here she portrays a woman whose search for Richard allowed her to find herself. We will never view that “R” in a reserved car park the same way again.

Opens in theaters March 24, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS? (2023, doc)

March 23, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. “What goes up, must come down” … those are the opening lyrics to “Spinning Wheel”, a huge hit for the brass-rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears. The lyrics are meant to convey the cycles of life, but they also reflect the meteoric rise and fall of the band itself. John Scheinfeld is a knowledgeable and passionate documentarian behind profiles of such acclaimed musicians as Herb Alpert, Brian Wilson, Sergio Mendes, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Bette Midler, Rick Nelson, Rosemary Clooney, John Coltrane, Andy Williams, and Dean Martin. He’s a natural choice to provide the answers to the titular question.

A 9-piece jazz-rock band hitting the charts big time is not something that could have been predicted in the late 1960’s. Scheinfeld opens the film with clips of the band live on stage in Bulgaria in 1970 as David Clayton-Thomas belts out “Spinning Wheel”. We learn they were the first American rock band to perform behind the Iron Curtain, and we also learn there is more to the story. Much more. At the time, the United States was in the Vietnam War and social and political unrest and upheaval were occurring regularly. There is every indication that the State Department invoked a strategy of using a popular band to ease tensions in communist countries. It was the legal and visa issues of Canadian singer Clayton-Thomas that provided the opening the State Department needed to pressure the band to undertake the tour with the goal of softening the U.S. reputation as a bullying military force.

Ultimately, it was a tour that turned most everyone on all sides against the band. Romanian concert goers initially enjoyed the ‘freeing’ aspect of the band’s music, but soon the police used dogs to break up the crowds and end the celebration. When the band returned home, the counterculture couldn’t forgive them for the tour in communist territory, and the conservative right couldn’t forgive them for being against the Vietnam War. Everyone was upset at Blood, Sweat & Tears.

We get a bit of the band’s history in that it was founded by Al Kooper in 1967 when they introduced a new sound, however, after the first album, it was determined a new singer was preferred and a very brief audition from Clayton-Thomas secured the job for him. The rest of the band consisted of Jim Fielder on bass, Bobby Colomby on drums, Steve Katz on guitar, Dick Halligan multiple instruments, Jerry Hyman on horns, Fred Lipsius on sax, and trumpeters Chuck Winfiled and Lew Soloff. For the most part, the band members were not politically outspoken. The exception was Steve Katz who was adamantly opposed to the foreign land tour. It was the band’s second album that changed everything. Three huge hits – “And When I Die”, “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy”, and “Spinning Wheel” – helped them win Album of the Year over the now classic Abbey Road from The Beatles.

Scheinfeld solves another mystery when he explains why, listed as headliners, the band was not featured in the “Woodstock” documentary. Not surprisingly, the answer involves money, and of course, the band members now look back on their manager’s decision with some regret. But there is more to the story of the band’s faded glory than the communist block tour. An early Las Vegas residency, though a much sought-after gig these days, garnered the label “square” for the band … this despite performances at the Fillmore and MSG. Although the band never regained the popularity of that second album, they did have subsequent hits that included “Hi-De-Ho” (written by Carole King) and “Go Down Gamblin’”. Perhaps most shocking is that more than 65 hours of concert footage was shot on the Iron Curtain tour, yet the State Department shelved the documentary project, likely for political reasons given the police and military activity against concert goers. Bonus points to Scheinfeld for solving a couple of long-term musical mysteries here, and also for including some “Bullwinkle” clips.

Abramorama will release the film in theaters beginning March 24th. 

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Posted by David Ferguson

KUBRICK BY KUBRICK (2023, doc)

March 22, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. The throngs of us who are not artistic geniuses ae always fascinated with insight and analysis from those few who are. And when said genius is renowned for eschewing interviews and most any chance to discuss the work, we become all the more intrigued. Such is the case with Oscar-winning director Stanley Kubrick. Although he passed away in 1999, Kubrick’s filmography features many classics that are studied in film schools today: THE KILLING (1956), PATHS OF GLORY (1957), SPARTACUS (1960), LOLITA (1962), DOCTOR STRANGELOVE: OR HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964), 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968), A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971), BARRY LYNDON (1975), THE SHINING (1980), FULL METAL JACKET (1987), and EYES WIDE SHUT (1999).

Gregory Monro is a biographer and documentarian (JERRY LEWIS: THE MAN BEHIND THE CLOWN, 2016) and as the structure for this profile of Kubrick, he uses the recordings made by French film critic Michel Ciment during his conversations with Kubrick spanning nearly 20 years. Ciment used the recordings as the basis for his seminal 1982 biography on Kubrick, and Monro adds familiar clips from the well-known films, as well as recognizable set pieces and interviews from faces you’ll surely recognize. These include a young Malcolm McDowell, a thoughtful Jack Nicholson, an annoyed Sterling Hayden, renowned author Arthur C Clarke (2001 interview), a frustrated Marisa Berenson, a forthcoming R Lee Ermey, and megastar Tom Cruise. Most of these folks worked with Kubrick.

Since most of us have not previously heard the recordings, it’s the voice of Kubrick that draws us in and keeps us tuned in. The truth is, we’ve heard from many of his collaborators over the years, yet we’ve heard little from the man himself … until now. Still, although we hear him talking, a natural defensiveness seems to prevent him going too deep on his inspirations, motivations, or objectives. He does speak often of “conflict”, and we see two types in his film: war (PATHS OF GLORY, SPARTACUS, FULL METAL JACKET, DOCTOR STRANGELOVE), and personal (all of the others, including crossover with the war films).

With his reputation as a perfectionist, we are a bit surprised at how open Kubrick seemed to be with spontaneity. On one hand, we have Oscar-winning composer Leonard Rosenman (BARRY LYNDON) recalling tempers boiling over when Kubrick made the orchestra re-do the piece more than 100 times. On the other hand, he allowed actors like Peter Sellers and Jack Nicholson to bring their own spin to roles. Kubrick was a New Yorker who relocated to London, where we learn he ran his world, both professional and personal.

This is one for those cinephiles who never miss a chance to discover even a morsel of insight into the greats of cinema. We can’t help but recall the 2015 documentary Hitchcock/Truffaut, although the master of suspense seemed much more willing to share thoughts on his craft than what we get here with Kubrick. None of this should be surprising from the guy who created and filmed the maze in THE SHINING.

Available VOD beginning March 21, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

INSIDE (2023)

March 16, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. We’ve seen movies about isolation, and we’ve seen movies with survival stories. However, as best I can remember, this is the first survival story about a guy isolated and trapped in an ultra-luxury Manhattan penthouse apartment. Ben Hopkins wrote the screenplay from an idea of director Vasilis Katsoupis. The best idea was casting the always interesting Willem Dafoe in the lead (and almost the only role), while the worst idea was wedging in a forced statement on the one-percenters.

Mr. Dafoe plays Nemo, an art thief working with a never-seen/only heard walkie-talkie partner. After being air-dropped onto the balcony via helicopter, the first few minutes are a thing of beauty in a criminally precise way. Nemo swiftly navigates his way through the apartment gathering paintings by famed expressionist Egon Schiele, whose self-portrait is to be the gem of the haul. The first problem is that painting is nowhere to be found, and the second, much more serious problem occurs when Nemo is ready to leave and the security system malfunctions. This renders Nemo a prisoner, trapped like a rat.

This is the type of apartment that features a plunge pool in the living room, two massive aquariums, a steel-reinforced door, and an automatic indoor sprinkler system for the plants. Valuable art is professional displayed throughout. What it doesn’t have is an easy escape route. The sleek modernism of luxury slowly transforms into a cold, prison-like fortress. We watch as Nemo’s initial panic is slowly overtaken by a sinking feeling of despair. His partner’s final walkie-talkie words, “You’re on your own”, ring out as Nemo takes stock of his dire straits.

It’s an unusual security lockdown. There is no running water, phone line, or emergency escape, yet the HVAC seems to have a mind of its own by spontaneously shifting from desert-level heat to Arctic winter cold. And for some reason, there seem to be no security cameras inside this high-tech apartment, yet the TV periodically displays closed-circuit video from around the building. Those cameras give Nemo his only link to the outside world, and also help us understand how far he has drifted from reality … especially in regards to Jasmine, a cleaning lady he spots. He scavenges for food and water in some not-so-appealing ways, including some scraps inside a refrigerator that plays “Macarena” on full blast if the door is left open too long. Although we aren’t told exactly how many days this ordeal lasts, we get some idea from a certain pile shown.

Any movie that has us engaged enough for us to ask ourselves, “What would I do in this situation?” has something going for it, but it’s really Dafoe’s performance as a guy losing his grip that keeps us zoned in. Supposedly the owner of this apartment is away in Kazakhstan, and given the weak attempt towards the end to comment on the ultra-rich, we assume this detail is meant to prevent us from having too much sympathy for him. It appears the filmmaker believes we should take a morality lesson from a criminal (one who doesn’t carry a cell phone) who, as the narrator, tells us twice, “Cats die. Music fades. Art is for keeps.”

Opens in theaters on March 17, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

BACK TO THE DRIVE-IN (2023, doc)

March 14, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. As one who spent many evenings in my childhood and teen years lounging in a vehicle as the clunky metal speaker hung from the car window crackling with the dialogue and sound effects from that night’s movie, I was anxious for a dose of the nostalgia that April Wright’s documentary was sure to inspire. However, rather than a feel-good flashback to better days, Ms. Wright deals head-on with the challenges faced by those devoted few brave souls keeping the drive-in tradition alive.

Covering eleven theaters across eight states, the film allows the owners to use their own words in describing the difficulties in running a drive-in. We hear that the pandemic was a boon for business at many of these venues, as people were desperate to get out of the house for entertainment, yet needed to maintain the required social distancing. Drive-ins became the perfect family outing, and a first-time experience for so many (especially kids).

But will the ‘drive-in renaissance’ endure? That’s really the question at hand, and after two hours of listening to owners bemoan the difficulties, it’s hard to hold out much hope. To ensure we get the full picture, the visited drive-ins cover Texas, Ohio, Nebraska, Maryland, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, and California. They cover such diverse areas as Cape Cod, rural Texas, the Midwest, and San Bernadino County in California. The oldest was founded in 1952 (and purchased in 1984), while the newest was opened as the pandemic began. Most are family businesses, some handed down from previous generations.

So who wouldn’t love to run a theater in the great outdoors where families come to spend time together, kids play, snacks are encouraged, and customers are treated to the joy of movie watching – usually a double feature? Consistently we heard the same issues from each of the owners and manager: proper staffing is nearly impossible, the full parking lots have openings since the pandemic has eased, the availability of first run movies has been negatively impacted by streaming services, maintenance of equipment is always difficult, and too many customers are downright rude these days. If that’s not enough, the Cape Cod theater deals with “the F-word” … no, not that one. Instead, it’s the weather – specifically “og” (they refuse to pronounce the F). Yep, poor weather causes visibility issues from inside a vehicle, so even Mother Nature can be an adversary.

Sure, I was often jealous of the families that got to flip down the tailgate on their station wagon or pickup truck, but this movie doesn’t focus on the thrill of watching a double feature of THE BIG LEBOWSKI and COOL HAND LUKE (as one of the massive neon marquees advertised). This is about the fading culture of drive-ins. We learn one of the profiled owners has already sold off his theater to a land developer for more than his revenue would be for the next 25 years! While watching, I kept thinking that the piano music was intrusive and the editing was a bit choppy, but I was left with the feeling of a Greek tragedy … nice folks sadly losing a grip on the last bit of rope holding up an industry. Was it, as one owner says, “nice while it lasted”, or is there still hope that future generations will get to hop out of the car and head to the concession stand during intermission?

On digital and On Demand (Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu) beginning March 14, 2023

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Posted by David Ferguson

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