Bloodshot (2020)

I figured before I start the 30 day film challenge tomorrow that I would check out a film that I wanted to see before the pandemic hit, but I just never got a chance to until it hit my local Redbox. Everyone knows that Marvel and Disney have dominated the box office for the last ten years or so and every once in a while a studio gets gutsy and they try to tackle a comic book title that diehard comic book fans know about which was the case with 2020's Bloodshot which is based off of the Valiant comic of the same name and directed by Dave Wilson (Avengers; Age Of Ultron). The film stars Vin Diesel (The Fast and The Furious) as Ray Garrison, a soldier in the US Army who thinks he was wife was killed by a terrorist and that he was murdered only to be brought back to life and given some superpowers. Unfortunately, there is always more to that story and if he finds out they are in big trouble. The film also stars Eiza González (Baby Driver) as KT, Sam Heughan (A Princess For Christmas) as Jimmy Dalton, Toby Kebbell (Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes) as Martin Axe,  Talulah Riley (Inception) as Gina Garrison, Lamorne Morris (Game Night) as Wiggins, Guy Pearce (Iron Man 3) as Dr. Emil Harting, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Game Of Thrones) as Nick Baris,  Alex Hernandez (Hemlock Grove) as Tibbs, and Siddharth Dhananjay (The Real Bros Of Simi Valley) as Eric.

I am going to be honest in saying that in reality it's only worth the price of a Redbox rental because I wouldn't have paid the price of admission at a theater for this. In the comics, it had been years of missions and getting captured by a rival for him to finally realize what had happened to him thanks to P.R.S.. In this film, we don't know exactly how many missions he had been on and it only seemed like a few until Wiggins who "awakens" him tells him how many he has killed. I am not sure if it was Vin Diesel that was the problem I had with the film or if it was the fact that Bloodshot looked nothing the comic books that was my problem. I understand that they were going for a more realistic look with him because a gray human being with a giant red spot on his chest would give him away everywhere he went, but even Captain America looked like Captain America. For what it was, it had some cool moments in the film particularly all of the fight sequences were pretty cool if I am being honest, but that is kind of where it ends for me. Guy Pearce played a good villain like usual, but the other villains were kind of uninteresting so you couldn't wait to see them get their asses kicked. I am going to give Bloodshot a C for a final grade cause it kind of let me down a bit.

Good Will Hunting (1997)

I am literally two days (a little less than) from embarking on a real 30 day film challenge and there were some films that I wanted to catch up on before I did that. One of those films happens to be considered a classic and one that Sheldon had recommended to me so this is also a Sheldon's Choice film, but for today we checked out 1997's Good Will Hunting which was directed by Gus Van Sant (My Own Private Idaho). The film stars Matt Damon (Downsizing) as Will Hunting, a janitor who has had it rough while living in South Boston, but one day that all changes. Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård), A professor at MIT always puts up math problems that are hard to solve, but not for Will who easily answers it. Lambeau is baffled by it and upon meeting Will feels that he just needs the right kind of push to move his life in the right direction and so he hires a psychologist to help Will. The film also stars Robin Williams (Hook) as Sean, Ben Affleck (Dazed And Confused) as Chuckie,  Casey Affleck (A Ghost Story) as Morgan, Cole Hauser (Dazed And Confused) as Billy, Minnie Driver (Grosse Pointe Blank) as Skylar, Scott William Winters (The People Vs Larry Flynt) as Clark, and George Plimpton (L.A. Story) as Psychologist.

First things first and that is I cannot believe that I waited 23 years to watch this film and you'll notice that a lot with me if you pay attention to some of my film selections. The second thing is that there is a reason that this film was nominated for nine Oscars back in the day because it was that good even though they only won two awards. Robin Williams needs no introduction and after watching this film there was no denying that he was going to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor because he did his job and he supported Matt Damon and elevated him throughout the film. The amazing feet is that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote this film together and they won the Oscar for Best Writing directly for the big screen and deservedly so. The film is so much more than a fun look at Boston accents because it was the look at the effects of abuse and what it did to a kid who was afraid of rejection. He is so afraid of it that he pushes people away and he is so afraid of pushing himself that he is stuck in South Boston breaking bricks. All he needed was the right guy to push the right buttons which was Robin William's character, but more important than that was what Ben Affleck told him in the film. It's easy to dismiss outsiders and their advice, but when it comes from someone you trust like your best friend then it really resonates with you. This was a beautiful film with some amazing cinematography, great acting, and some amazing editing. If you have not seen this yet then you need to get off your a** and do so. I am giving the film an A+ for a final grade.

My Friend Dahmer (2017)

America has always had a fascination with serial killers and it's been ingrained in Hollywood for a long time now especially with horror films. One of the strangest cases in America has always been that of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer who was convicted in 1991 of 17 murders I believe that he did some strange things to. Not a lot was known about his early life until his former best friend released the book My Friend Dahmer which was turned into a film and that is my choice for today. The film stars Ross Lynch (The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina) as Jeffrey Dahmer, but Jeffrey is in high school and he is struggling to make friends while also dealing with his messed up family situation. From advice from his father to make friends, Jeffrey acts out during his senior year and this is the account of his decent into madness. The film also stars Vincent Kartheiser (Alpha Dog) as Dr. Matthews, Alex Wolff (Jumanji: The Next Level) as Derf, Anne Heche (Donnie Brasco) as Mrs. Dahmer, Dallas Roberts (Mayhem) as Lionel Dahmer, Tommy Nelson (The Good Sheppard) as Neil,  Harrison Holzer (Better Living Through Chemistry) as Mike, Cameron McKendry (I'm Not Ashamed) as Moose, Liam Koeth as Dave Dahmer, and the film was written, directed, and produced by Marc Meyers (We Summon The Darkness).

You hate to make excuses for serial killers because at the end of the day, they did the deed and no matter what they have to face the consequences, but this film was very telling. You could almost tell right from the start that there was something wrong with him especially before he joined up with those kids. He just always seemed a little off and his family definitely did not help him either as all he felt was pain and he journeyed into drinking and such to mask the pain. I don't hold his friends accountable for what he became, but I don't think the situation was right because they may have had the best intentions, but Jeffrey was off and it didn't help at all his journeyed down the downward spiral. I thought Ross Lynch did a fantastic job playing Dahmer to the point that he was really creeping me out. He was the focal point of the film to me because the film was all about him after all and the tones just matched the mood of the film which was dark and gray. I definitely think that if you want to see what psycholgists are always talking about when it comes to serial killers then this film is a great case study for sure. Anne Heche was great as his bat shit crazy mom who has lost grip severely on reality to the point that she takes off on Jefferey during his most vulnerable time in his life. I definitely think this is a film worth checking out for the performance so if you want you can find the film on Kanopy and on Tubi for free right now. I am going to give the film an B+/A- (somewhere in there) for a final grade.

The Family (2013)

If you think about it, we have seen Robert De Niro (The Irishman) play every aspect of a gangster from a mob boss to a soldier, but he has never played one that was a rat or in witness protection (as far as I know). Well that was until today because I found a film that seemed interesting enough to watch on Tubi in the 2013 black comedy The Family which was adapted to the screen and directed by Luc Besson (Leon: The Professional) based on the book Malavita by Tonino Benacquista. The film stars De Niro as former Mob capo now mob informant Giovanni Manzoni or known as Fred Blake. Fred and his family settle in Normandy, France hoping that this spot could be the one, but you know what they say? You can take the mobster out of the mafia, but you can't take the mafia out of the mobster (maybe they don't say that). The film also stars Michelle Pfeiffer (The Witches Of Eastwick) as Maggie Blake, Dianna Agron (I Am Number Four) as Belle Blake, John D'Leo (Orange Is The New Black) as Warren Blake, Tommy Lee Jones (The Hunted) as Stansfield, Jimmy Palumbo (Beer League) as Di Cicco, Domenick Lombardozzi (The Irishman) as Caputo, Stan Carp (Little Children) as Don Luchese, Vincent Pastore (Vault) as Fat Willy, Paul Borghese (The Toxic Avenger Part II) as Albert, and Oisín Stack (Redwater) as Henri.

The film is definitely a dark comedy to say the least, but laced within are some serious topics and one of them definitely deals with De Niro's daughter who at one point contemplates Suicide after he she gives herself away only to be rejected later by the man she thought loved her. That was kind of a heavy moment in a film that was filled with a lot of fun moments provided by De Niro and Pfeiffer (who was masterful once again). One of my favorite moments of the film comes towards the end when De Niro's character goes to a cinema night where he is the guest of honor and while there was a mistake in the shipment, the new film they watch is the classic Goodfellas which De Niro starred in and to see him relish in it was great. He then proceeds to act like the film was based off of his own life as he is talking to the crowd of Frenchman. I thought that was a nice nod to his career in gangster movies and a chance to talk about it in a different way. This is a family of bad asses who can't seem to let go of their bad ass lifestyles long enough to pass as different people. I also loved the combo of De Niro with Tommy Lee Jones as they played a good version of the Odd Couple in this film. Jones just looks so weathered and beat up like he's almost had enough of De Niro's crap, but he knows he has to take care of them. This was actually a really good film and I honestly didn't think it was going to be when I first went into it. I am definitely glad that I did and that is why I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade.

The Toxic Avenger Part II (1989)

I thought for today that I would check out a film from Troma Now which is only $4.99 a month and I realized that I had never seen any of the The Toxic Avenger sequels and it was definitely time to start watching them. So for today's film, we are checking out the 1989 sequel The Toxic Avenger Part II which was once again directed by Lloyd Kaufman (Class Of Nuke 'Em High) and Michael Herz (Troma War). Things in Tromaville have definitely changed since the events of the first film and not just in the sense that things improved in Tromaville since the arrival of Toxie (Ron Fazio). The only problem is that a lot has changed for Toxie in the sense that he has no evil to fight so he feels like he has no purpose. so as an evil corporation starts to move in , they have his shrink trick him into going to Japan to find his dad while they take over. The film also stars Phoebe Legere (King Of New York) as Claire, Rick Collins (Class Of Nuke 'Em High) as Apocalypse Inc. Chairman, Rikiya Yasuoka (Black Rain) as Big Mac Bunko, Mayako Katsuragi (Angel To Be Sacrificed) as Masami, Jessica Dublin (Fellini Satyricon) as Mrs. Junko, Erika Schickel (Aaahh!!! Real Monsters ) as the Shrink, Joe Fleishaker (Tromeo & Juliet) as Apocalypse Inc. Employee, Michael Jai White (Spawn) as Apocalypse Inc. Thug, Dan Snow (Return To Nuke Em High Volume 1) as Cigar Face, Paul Borghese (The Family) as Lou Sipher, and Benny Nieves (The Devil's Advocate) as Apocalypse Inc. Employee.

What can I say about this film that probably wasn't already said before other than the fact that it was fun to sit back cracking a couple of cold ones and just enjoying the show. One of the best sequences of the film is the opening fight scene which is just epic in my opinion because it's literally one guy after another and each one is as interesting as the last. My only problem with it is that I wanted a full fight with Michael Jai White and we never got that through out the whole film. They teased us at the beginning of the film, but they never followed through because the rest of the return to America is spent with him chasing after the motorcyclist. The film has everything you would love about a Toxic Avenger film from the outrageous stunts, kills, and even all of the breasts, but this one kicks up a notch and takes us to Japan. One of the things I loved was seeing the Japanese people and their reactions to Fazio dressed up as Toxie because some of them seemed generally surprised and amused while others were told to act scared, but I feel that not everyone in Japan was aware of him. That was definitely a fun aspect of the film, but I have to be honest in saying that the parts in Japan were cool to have, but it doesn't top the first film. I definitely want Michael Jai White to be in the next film, but I am not sure if he actually is, but nonetheless I am going to give the film an B- for a final grade.

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)

It has been a long time since the last time I did a Sheldon's Choice here on the blog and I believe it was almost when this whole Quarantine thing happened. For all the time that I have known Sheldon, there was always one film that he kept telling me to watch and that is 1997's Romy and Michele's High School Reunion which was directed by David Mirkin (The Simpsons). The film stars Mira Sorvino (The Replacement Killers) and Lisa Kudrow (Booksmart) as our title characters Romy and Michelle who have been best friends through out all their years in school. Despite not being the most popular, they had always stuck together. Now it's ten years later and they aren't really doing much in Los Angeles, but after hearing about the ten year high school reunion they have a plan to get everyone back. The film also stars Janeane Garofalo (Ratatouille) as Heather Mooney, Alan Cumming (Son Of The Mask) as Sandy Frink, Julia Campbell (Kicking & Screaming) as Christie Masters, Elaine Hendrix (Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll) as Lisa Luder, Vincent Ventresca (This Space Between Us) as Billy Christiansen), Camryn Manheim (The Land Before Time XII: The Great Day of the Flyers) as Toby Walters, Justin Theroux (The Girl On The Train) as Cowboy, and Jacob Vargas (Heaven Is For Real) as Ramon.

Now I know you're going to say that A Night At The Roxbury came out a year after Romy And Michelle, but there are just way too many similarities as far as structure is concerned. We also know that release dates mean absolutely nothing because a film could have been in development hell, but nonetheless I will tell you what I mean. Both films have to deal with two nitwits who are just clueless to how society really works. The differences are one features two guys and the other features two women while the two men are brothers and the women are best friends. They both like to go to clubs and dance and they are just dumb as rocks. Both films do feature two different plots, but at one point in the film there is a separation between the duos only to have the amazing reunion. I will say though that Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino are a lot nicer to look at than Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell. Now this one did have it's funny moments, but the real gem in this film is the soundtrack that is attached to it which is a mix of 90's with the best of the eighties and the same could be said about the clothing and the hairstyles as well in the film. The one thing that I will say is that Kudrow's character was a not a far fetch from what she was used to playing in Friends, but that's what we loved about her. I definitely recommend this film for anybody wanting to take a trip down memory lane to a time that may have been different, but it was simpler than today. I am going to give the film an B for a final grade and there is still time to check it out for free on VUDU, but you only have until May 31ST.

The Lovebirds (2020)

I remember before the Coronavirus Pandemic shut everything down like movie theaters, there were some amazing looking and funny trailers that were playing on the big screen. As we know, there were countless films that fell victim to the Coronavirus and were forced to find new homes online and one of those films is The Lovebirds which was released this past Friday on Netflix. The film stars Kumail Nanjiani (Life As We Know It) as Jibran and Issa Rae (BoJack Horseman) as Leilani, a couple who is having a little bit of a rough patch. All of that is put to the test when they get carjacked and witness a murder and then try to solve it because now they have to avoid being caught by the killer before it's too late as they run around New Orleans. The film also stars Paul Sparks (Thoroughbreds) as Moustache, Anna Camp (The Most Hated Woman In America) as Edie, Nicholas X. Parsons (Power Of The Air) as Bicycle,  Kyle Bornheimer (Onward) as Brett, Barry Rothbart (The Wolf Of Wall Street) as Mr. Hipster,  Catherine Cohen (The Special Without Brett Davis) as Mrs. Hipster, Andrene Ward-Hammond (The Fright Night Files) as Detective Martin, Mahdi Cocci (Watchmen) as Keith,  Betsy Borrego (Cloak & Dagger) as Reya, and the film was directed by the amazing Michael Showalter (Wet Hot American Summer).

I know the film has been getting a lot of flack from various critics that I have seen, but to be honest, it's really not that bad of a film. The question going into it was obviously whether the film was as funny as the trailer suggested and that is what might be the problem for most people because it definitely was not. It had some moments sprinkled throughout the film, but when you actually see all of the scenes from the trailer actually play out, you'll notice it's not as funny as the trailer made them out to be. Now the film like I said was not terrible at all as it had it's moments where it kept me entertained for the whole duration of the film. I thought Kumail and Issa made a great team in the film, but the whole film rested on their shoulders and not all of their jokes were funny all the time. A lot of the jokes in the film were those that have been used over and over again like how many times have we seen the interrogation room scene where they are not in deep trouble, but they just keep spilling their guts. I'm not saying originality was the problem, but it was the overuse of the typical comedy themes in the writing which was the overall problem and it's too bad because I am a huge fan of Michael Showalter. The film has a 67% on Rotten Tomatoes, a 6 out of 10 on IMDB which sounds about right because it's a middle of the road kind of film. That is why I am going to give the film an B- for a final grade.

Yours, Mine and Ours (1968)

We have a special Sunday At The Classics for everyone today and it's a film that as soon as I saw it, I had to check it out. There have been plenty of films that we have seen in the past that emulate the same idea as today's film like Cheaper By The Dozen (original and remake), but it was seeing Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy) name attached to 1968's Yours, Mine, and Ours is what made me pick this film. The film stars Henry Fonda (12 Angry Men) as Henry Beardsley, a Navy officer who is the father of nine children and recently widowed is looking to get back in the game to find a companion, but what he does realize is that his companion Helen North (Ball) is the mother of 8 kids herself. Together, they'll form an alliance that most people would fail to do, but they are in it for the long haul. The Beardsley's were Tim Matheson (National Lampoon's Animal House) as Mike, Gil Rogers (Lost In Space) as Rusty, Nancy Roth (Here's Lucy) as Rosemary, Gary Goetzman (Philadelphia) as Greg,  Morgan Brittany (Dallas) as Louise, Holly O'Brien as Susan, Maralee Foster (Bewitched) as Mary, Tracy Nelson (The Night Caller) as Germaine, and Michele Tobin (Wacko) as Veronica. The Norths were Jennifer Leak (Agent On Ice) as Colleen, Kevin Burchett (Shade) as Nicky, Kimberly Beck (Friday The 13TH: The Final Chapter) as Janette, Mitch Vogel (Bonanza) as Tommy, Margot Jane (The Rat Patrol) as Jean, Eric Shea (The Poseidon Adventure) as Phillip, Greg Atkins (The Under Achievers) as Gerald, and Lynnell Atkins as Teresa. The film was written and directed by Melville Shavelson (Houseboat).

This was definitely quite the movie if you ask me and one that definitely did not disappoint at all. It had your typical 60 quirks written into the script and it was everything you would expect from a film that is about a family of 19 that gets together. The one thing that I will say is thank God for Eric Shea who provides plenty of comedic relief as young Phillip North who wants to do good by his mom and be apart of the family, but it seems that he is the runt of the litter who just keeps getting the shaft. The poor kid just can not catch a break whether it be at home for breakfast or at school with a nun for a teacher who will not budge. He alone made the film worth watching and I am telling you that you will laugh hopefully as hard as I did every time he is on screen (I am laughing right now thinking about it). Henry Fonda is masterful as he always was when he was on screen and Lucille is just as amazing as she was in this semi serious role that she had and what about a young Tim Matheson who was still years away from his big role in Animal House. He plays a character that I didn't like too much, but as the film goes on, he sort of grows on you as he did absolutely great in the film. If you just want some wholesome family entertainment then this is definitely the film to check out and I am sure the 2005 version does not hold a candle to this one which is why I am going to give the film an A- for a final grade. There is only one more Sunday At The Classics before I do my 30 day challenge so stay tuned. Oh and if you think Christmas or your grocery bill is bad, just watch how they do shopping.

Isle Of Dogs (2018)

There are films that I had wished I was able to see when they were released in theaters, but circumstances in life sometimes get in the way of doing so. The film that I chose for today is one of those films that I wished I had for how amazing of a job that writer and director Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums) does with his films and so I chose his last film Isle Of Dogs as my film of choice. In the country of Japan, a royal family was sick of how much the dog population had grown in the country so they attempted to eradicate the country of them only to fail. Centuries later, the mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura) from the same clan that failed is successful as the dog flu runs rampant in Japan so he banishes them to Trash Island where they'll have to fend for themselves. That is until his 12 year old nephew Atari (Koyu Rankin) decides to go looking for his once loyal sidekick Spot. The film also stars Edward Norton (The Illusionist) as Rex, Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) as Chief, Bob Balaban (Gosford Park) as King, Jeff Goldblum (Mortdecai) as Duke, Bill Murray (Ghostbusters) as Boss, Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) as Tracey Walker, Frances McDormand (Primal Fear) as Interpreter Nelson,  Scarlett Johansson (Jojo Rabbit) as Nutmeg, F. Murray Abraham (Last Action Hero) as Jupiter, Fisher Stevens (Short Circuit) as Scraps, Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) as Spots, and Tilda Swinton (Okja) as Oracle.

There are just way too many names to list in this film that helped out like Yoko Ono, Harvey Keitel (The Irishman), Angelica Huston, Ken Watanabe (Inception), and Courtney B. Vance (Dangerous Minds) to name a few that helped make this a great film. It's old school stop motion animation, but they did such a great job with it that you barely notice. This was also a film that featured an all star cast of the whose who of Wes Anderson films of the past and they did an excellent job in the film especially Edward Norton and Bryan Cranston whose interactions were comedy gold as they couldn't agree with each other as to who was leader of the pack. Besides the touching subject matter of never forgetting who man's best friend is, the film had a rather political spin to it or at least you can make it seem that way if you choose to. They alienate a species because of the fat that they develop a virus that is affecting everyone and in a major political move they segregate them to an island to fend for themselves. Nonetheless, it was an excellent film in my opinion as it explored the lost art of stop motion animation that Wes Anderson pulled off for this film and it had all of the suspense that you needed to keep you on your toes. So, I definitely recommend the film to any one that enjoys these types of films and Wes Anderson films. I am going to give the film an A- for a final grade.

The Witches Of Eastwick (1987)

It's Friday and hopefully everyone is ready for the long weekend because it's Memorial Day weekend. So for today, I decided to breakout the VCR (Videocassette Recorder) for old times sake and I decided to check out one of my recent acquisitions in the 1987 film The Witches Of Eastwick which was directed by George Miller (Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior) and based on the novel by John Updike. The film stars Susan Sarandon (Dead Man Walking) as Jane Spofford, Cher (Mask) as Alexandra Medford, and Michelle Pfeiffer (Murder On The Orient Express) as Sukie Ridgemont, three friends who are either widowed or their husbands left them and they are feeling pretty lonely especially with the prospects in the small New England town they live in. One night, they wish for the perfect man (or at least what their version is), but what they get might be more than they bargained for when a mysterious man shows up the next day. The film also stars Jack Nicholson (The Little Shop Of Horrors) as Daryl Van Horn, Richard Jenkins (Fun With Dick and Jane) as Clyde Alden, Veronica Cartwright (Flight Of The Navigator) as Felicia Alden, Carel Struycken (The Addams Family) as Fidel, Helen Lloyd Breed (Mickey Blue Eyes) as Mrs. Biddle, and Keith Jochim (A Pleasure Doing Business) as Walter Neff.

I have a couple of things that I want to say about this film and I am going to start this paragraph with them. The first thing is that before this film, the only other film that I ever found Michelle Pfeiffer attractive in was Batman Returns when she played the Catwoman. I take back all assumptions because she was an absolute fox in this film and one of the best things about the movie besides Cher who was proving once again that she had acting chops. The second thing is that in Jack Nicholson do we trust because if Jack can't do it then no one can! Jack Nicholson once again proved in this film why he is one of the G.O.A.T.'s of Hollywood with his hellraising performance as the devilish Daryl Van Horn. He had some amazing dialogue in the film and he absolutely nailed it with his sinister wit and charm. Seeing Jack Nicholson perform in this film is the reason I never became an actor because I couldn't pull off that performance. The part of the film when he becomes beats like just brought chills to my spine and gave me goosebumps because it reminded me of how great he was in The Shining and it makes me want to see the film Wolf just to see how he does in that film. Some of the stuff in the film was a little zany, but it worked with the subject matter at hand. The cinematography in the film was excellent and not enough credit goes to Richard Jenkins and Veronica Cartwright who put on one hell of a performance as well. This was a very fun film to watch which is why I am giving the movie an A- for a final grade.

Beautiful Creatures (2013)

I know what you are thinking and that is I am have seen so many Zoey Deutch (Good Kids) films this year and while you may be right I have made it my mission to see as many as I can. For today's film, we cruised over to IMDB.com and we checked out the 2013 film Beautiful Creatures which was adapted for the screen and directed by Richard LaGravenese (The Last Five Years) and is based off of the novel of the same name by Kami Garcia. The film stars Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) as Ethan Wate, your everyday small South Carolina town kid who dreams of one day leaving the town of Gaitlin to see the world outside. Plans change for Ethan when the mysterious Lena Duchannes (Alice Englert) shows up and stirs things up to the point that Ethan discovers that his town actually holds some very dark secrets that make it anything, but boring. The film also stars Deutch as Emily, Jeremy Irons (Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice) as Macon Ravenwood, Viola Davis (How To Get Away With Murder) as Amma, Emmy Rossum (The Day After Tomorrow) as Ridley Duchannes, Thomas Mann (The Stanford Prison Experiment) as Link, Emma Thompson (Burnt) as Mavis Lincoln/Sarafine, Kyle Gallner (The Haunting In Connecticut) as Larkin, Tiffany Boone (The Following) as Savannah Snow, and Pruitt Taylor Vince (Constantine) as Mr. Lee.

This was a time in Hollywood when every studio was looking for the next teen book franchise to turn into a film dynasty like they had with Twilight, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, etc. Unfortunately, no one was interested in some witches (or casters) with southern drawls because no other film was ever made and I could be wrong about that. I do not know exactly how many books were written in the series, but this seems like a thank the heavens moment for no other film. I am not saying that it was a terrible film because it had some cool moments in it, but it wasn't exactly that great either. The whole entire film felt like a witch version of Romeo and Juliet where Juliet finds out that she is a witch who doesn't know how she is going to turn when she hits 16. Is she going to be a good witch or a bad evil witch? Then she has to deal with the fact that Romeo is no one special because he is a mortal and he has the potential to screw things up so that the dark side ends up choosing her. The whole film is a back and forth argument of you shouldn't be with him versus the star crossed lovers realizing that they should be together. The only real difference is how the events play out and what the end result is which I loved the final confrontation sequence at the end of the film even though the build up was annoying. I am going to give the film an B-/C+ for a final grade because it's somewhere in there.

Good Kids (2016)

After watching the film that I did the day before, I was looking for something to make up for it and I couldn't find a different title. So, I decided that I would once again catch another film from my latest Hollywood crush in Zoey Deutch (Buffaloed) as we watch 2016's Good Kids which was written and directed by Chris McCoy (The Bicycle). The film evolves around four friends who have spent their whole lives in school being good and building up for their futures in College that they forgot to enjoy themselves. So for their last summer before they head off to college, they decided to make a summer of yes and just get wild and adventurous, but even that comes with a cost. The film stars Nicholas Braun (The Year Of Spectacular Men) as Andy, Deutch as Nora, Mateo Arias (Yours, Mine & Ours) as The Lion, Israel Broussard (Happy Death Day) as Spice, Ashley Judd (Kiss The Girls) as Gabby,  Demián Bichir (The Nun) as Yaco, David Coussins (Born Guilty) as Erland, Dayo Okeniyi (See) as Conch, Julia Garner (We Are What We Are) as Tinsley, Virginia Gardner (Halloween 2018) as Emily, Brett Wyman (Dumb And Dumber To) as Plymouth Rock, Eduardo Fernandez-Baumann (Love Is All You Need) as Salavatore, and Nick Chambers (It's Not Funny Anymore) as Cop.

This movie is what would happen if you took the kids from Good Boys as they continued to stay good kids throughout the rest of their school years and then filmed them in a movie again when they're 18. The only thing is that the kids from Good Boys were a lot funnier, but don't take anything away from the Good Kids because they provided me with some really good laughs too. I enjoyed the film because it took everything it meant to be an 18 year old inexperienced kid with no real life experience and summed it up to a T because part of the film was my life and I remember all the awkward moments. I also remember all of the triumphs that came along too and that is what made this film so enjoyable to watch besides the fact that it took place down in Cape Cod (well, it was really filmed in Boston and Duxbury). I kept thinking to myself how I was so jealous that Andy was getting with Ashley Judd who looked fantastic in this film and she is still a fox. I have to say that one of my favorite characters in the film was definitely The Lion who I kept wondering does this kid really know Tai Chi, but when you find out he definitely does not disappoint. One thing that was very prototypical of the type of film we watched is that it has that a-typical storyline where friend finally notices that female friend of the group is actually hot and he becomes jealous. I don't blame them for using it because it was an effective sub plot to use in the film. I thought that this was a really good film and I am happy that I did and with that being said, I am giving the film an B for a final grade.

Zombie With A Shotgun (2019)

Back in 2019, I stumbled upon a project that was being released as a film, but they had a comic book that was going to be the companion to the film. I thought that it was a pretty cool concept that I had seen on Kickstarter, but over time I had lost track until I was reminded on Twitter that the film Zombie With A Shotgun was available for free on Tubi and if you have Amazon Prim, it's available there as well. The film stars Braeden Baade (One Under The Sun) as Aaron, a guy on the run from everyone because Aaron is not sure if he is infected with the zombie virus or some other virus all in general because of the effects he's feeling. For this very reason along with his girlfriend Rachel (Kathryn Kuhn) they start discovering that there is more to what is happening then they ever knew before. The film also stars Kyle Hester (The Book Of Daniel) as Hank Ray, Emilie Paap (Mama Claus, Deck the Halls with Guts) as Melissa, Chelsea LeSage (Existential Mashed Potatoes ) as Angela, Jeremy Fultz (The Greed Of Men) as Hobo, Brandi Satterfield (The Inquisition of Camilo Sanz) as Alina, David Lee (Mad Full Of Dreams) as Mr. Yoshida, and the film was written and directed by Hilton Ariel Ruiz (6/6/66).

If I am being 100% honest about the film, I loved the effort to make something that was different than what we normally get with zombie movies, but the execution was just not there. The story at times just felt like it was a little too rushed and things were happening that were just confusing me and people were making choices that baffled me as well. There are certain things that are just not avoidable when you do not have the proper budget and I can't fault them for that because you do the best you can with what you have. I could pick apart the special effects when it comes to the gunshots, but I won't because you do the best you can with what you have. The one thing I will talk about is the audio issues and that is because I am a stickler for that side of production. There were times when the audio was fine and you could clearly hear what the actors were saying and then there were times when a boom or shotgun mic were clearly not present for the scene and the audio became muffled or just too low. The audio issues was really my only main issue with the film because the special effects makeup is where it was at in this film and makes me wonder if that is where all the money went. I loved the make up that Braeden Baade is in when it's shown him as a zombie months later and even before that was good with all the veins. I definitely enjoyed the weird satanic imagery as well with the very beautiful Chelsea LeSage channeling her inner enchantress. I love the effort they put in to this film because it's obvious they cared about the project, but too many faults for my liking and that is why I am giving the film an C+ for a final grade.

Lady Macbeth (2016)

There is nothing worse in the world than arranged marriages and being sold into marriage for a piece of land that can barely fit a cow for grazing. It just creates awkward situations and it doesn't give the couple time for any real chemistry to develop. That is the problem facing our main character in today's film Lady Macbeth which was released in 2016 and the film that was based off of the story  Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk by Nikolai Leskov was directed by William Oldroyd in his feature length directorial debut. The film revolves around 19TH Century England and it stars Florence Pugh (Fighting With My Family) as Katherine, the aforementioned woman that was sold into a tough marriage where it seems that the man does not care for her. As loneliness starts to set in, she develops a desire to have an affair with a worker on the estate, but things begin to take an ugly turn and it does not stop. The film also stars Cosmo Jarvis (The Habit Of Beauty) as Sebastian, Paul Hilton (Princes In The Tower) as Alexander, Naomi Ackie (Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise Of Skywalker) as Anna, Christopher Fairbank (Guardians Of The Galaxy) as Boris, Golda Rosheuvel (Coma Girl: The State of Grace) as Agnes, Rebecca Manley (The Selfish Giant) as Mary, and Bill Fellows (Charlotte Link - Im Tal des Fuchses ) as Dr. Burdon.

The film was interesting to say the least as we walk down the downward spiral of one woman who will do anything to keep her life together the way she wants it. The only thing I did not care for in the film was the scene where a child is murdered because of all the things they had done, why would you agree to do so if you couldn't already live with the things you had done. It's a story of how far a woman will go to keep living the indulgent decadent lifestyle that is now being afforded to her since she was sold into marriage. You ask yourself through the film, what will she do next and every time she does exactly what you think she is going to do. One thing is for sure and that is Florence Pugh did a lot of nude scenes in the film and for those of you that get excited over that, just watch Game of Thrones, there's tons of that going on in that show. The film also proves one thing for sure in 19TH Century England and that is that if you're not white then be careful because you may think you can trust her, but she is looking after her own wants and needs after all. The film overall was OK, I wasn't overly satisfied by the film and if I am beign honest I probably wouldn't see it again. Therefore, I am going to give the film an B for a final grade.

X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963)

The month of June is nearly around the corner so I am trying to get in as many classic films for Sunday At The Classics as I possibly can before that challenge begins. While I was cruising through Amazon Prime, I stumbled upon a film that looked too good to pass up and the film I am talking about is 1963's X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes which was produced and directed by B-movie King Roger Corman (The Little Shop Of Horrors). The film stars Ray Milland (Dial M For Murder) as Dr. James Xavier, a man who is obsessed with the idea of wanting to see more than just what the human eye and brain allows you to see. Through some experiments, he develops an eye drop that instantly gives you x-ray vision, but the only problem is that it comes with a great cost that he does not yet understand. Despite the pleas of colleagues, he will continue his research to the extent that he reaches the point of no return. The film also stars Don Rickles (Toy Story 2) as Crane, Diana Van der Vlis (The DuPont Show Of The Month) as Dr. Diane Fairfax, Harold J. Stone (The Doctors and The Nurses) as Dr. Sam Brant, and John Hoyt (Attack Of The Puppet People) as Dr. Willard Benson.

This was an excellent film and one that I was happy to watch because Ray Milland who I often mix up with Jimmy Stewart was an excellent actor who absolutely commanded the screen every time he was awarded it. As minuscule as they were in terms of what can be done with today's special effects, I thought the effects they used in this film were great and helped tell the story with all of the bizarre colors helping convey his strange visions. I wouldn't mind seeing the film get a remake, but I am afraid that the club scene would actually show nudity in today's version where the original didn't and they really didn't need to because you got the gist of what he could see. The visions definitely worked as colorful as they were, but you could understand how frustrating they must have been for him as much as he may have astonished the fact. The film really has that battle as he fights it within because this is after all what he has always wanted, but the consequences of it are weighing heavily on him as well. It's both a gift and a curse if you get what I am saying and it's one that some will try to expose for their financial gain like the completely serious role that Don Rickles has in this film. I have to be honest in saying that it worked because I could honestly believe the character that Rickles was portraying as being money hungry and misleading. This was probably one of my favorite Sunday At The Classics films that I've watched all year so far which is why I am going to be giving the film an A- for a final grade.

30 Day Film Challenge: The Way It Should Be Done

So the month of June is almost upon us and I wanted to do something different for that whole entire month and so I came up with a better version of the 30 Day Film Challenge. I said a better version because isn't the whole point of a challenge to challenge yourself? I mean it's easy to watch a film that you have already seen, but the real challenge is in films you have not seen. I took the time to think the list through and this is what I came up with. If you want to join in on the fun then feel free to because the more the merrier, but I will be starting this challenge on June 1ST. Check out the list below:

30 Day Film Challenge
1. A film starring your favorite actor
2. A film starring your favorite actress
3. Watch an Action film
4. Watch a Horror film
5. Watch a high rated Rotten Tomatoes film
6. Watch the lowest scored Rotten Tomatoes film
7. Watch an animated film
8. Watch a film with a number in the title
9. Watch a film from the year you were born
10.  Watch a film from your favorite director
11. Watch a film adapted from a book
12. Watch a film adapted from a play
13. Watch a foreign film
14. Watch a chick flick
15. Watch a comedy
16. Watch a film that is based on a true story
17. Watch a film that won the Oscar for Best Picture (any year)
18. Watch a Disney Channel Original film
19. Watch a film that has a color in its title
20. Watch a musical
21. Watch a movie from the 80’s or 90’s
22. Watch a film that came out before 1960
23. Watch a sci-fi film
24. Watch a Netflix Original Film
25. Watch a Lifetime/or Hallmark original film
26.  Watch any film that was nominated for Best Independent Film at the Saturn Awards
27. Watch one of the top 10 films on IMDB’s Top Rated Movies List
28. Watch one of the films that was nominated for Best picture in the year you are doing this challenge
29. Repeat any previous option (your choice)
30. Watch the worst picture winner (if not available then watch any of the nominees) for the Razzies

Hellboy (2004)

Over the years their have been a lot more comic book movies then you may have realized and a lot of them came out way before the MCU was officially a thing. One of the film franchises that slipped through the cracks for me over the years was the Dark Horse Comics original Hellboy so I thought there was no better time than now to check out the 2004 film that was written and directed by the great Guillermo del Toro (The Shape Of Water). Back towards the end of World War II, the Nazis were on the retreat and about to lose the war when they decided to revert to the dark arts to try and summon a demon from the other world. The only problem is that they summoned a baby demon and the allies won and adopted the baby demon calling him Hellboy (Ron Perlman). Now it's 60 years later and the conjurers are back to finish the job. The film also stars Doug Jones (Ouija: Origin Of Evil) as Abe Sapien, John Hurt (Alien) as Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm, Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions) as Liz Sherman, Rupert Evans (The Man In The High Castle) as John Myers, Karel Roden (The Bourne Supremacy) as Grigori Rasputin, Jeffrey Tambor (How The Grinch Stole Christmas) as Tom Manning, Ladislav Beran (Blade II) as Karl Ruprecht Kroenen, and Biddy Hodson (Doctor Who) as Ilsa Haupstein.

I have to be completely honest in saying that I don't know what was wrong with this Hellboy film that they had to remake it? I found this to be a very enjoyable film to watch from Ron Perlman as the title character to the bad ass underrated villain KRK (played by Beran) who should have been used more in my opinion. In my opinion, the story was a pretty solid one as Rasputin has returned from the dead once again to try and finish the job, but there is only one problem and that is that he needs Hellboy to complete it so what happens next is a game to sucker him in. Then there is the imagery that is shown in this film from the scene with the beast from the other world to KRK and what he really looks like underneath that mask which is horrifying, but excellent at the same time. Could there have been some improvements to the film? I am sure there could have been with just about any film that comes out now that we look at them years later, but this film was fun. My only criticism is that I thought less could have been done with the whole love angle, but I get why it was included because it did provide some decent laughs at times. Doug Jones is the man as he played Abe Sapien in the film and he does a fantastic job transforming himself into the roles. That is why he is so sought after in Hollywood for what he can bring to the table. I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade.

The Illusionist (2006)

One of my favorite actors to emerge in the 1990's was the one and only Edward Norton (The Score) who impressed me tremendously with American History X. It is very rare to find an Edward Norton picture that doesn't live up to the hype, but there are also a lot of films that have slipped through the cracks and today's film is one of them. Tubi, a free app presented the opportunity for me to see the 2006 film The Illusionist which was adapted for the screen and directed by Neil Burger (Limitless). The film stars Norton as Eisenheim the Illusionist, a man who abilities to do things that are dazzling people in turn of the century Vienna, Austria. It dazzles them so much so that he is able to secure the long lost love of his life (who is above his social class), but it comes with as very deep cost. The film also stars Jessica Biel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) as Sophie, Paul Giamatti (Private Parts) as Inspector Uhl, Rufus Sewell (A Knight's Tale) as Crown Prince Leopold, Eddie Marsan (The Gentlemen) as Josef Fischer, Jake Wood (EastEnders) as Jurka, Tom Fisher (The Mummy Returns) as Willigut, Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Avengers: Age Of Ultron) as Young Eisenheim, Eleanor Tomlinson (Jack The Giant Slayer) as Young Sophie, and Karl Johnson (Hot Fuzz) as The Doctor.

I don't think this was my favorite Edward Norton film and it 's not even because of his performance because that was absolutely amazing. I just thought that while the story was cool it wasn't super exciting or on the edge of your seat kind of stuff. I think the first half of the film is great and the pacing is wonderful as you see him do all of these amazing tricks and the story to get the girl is great, but the last half of the film was just a little slow. The whole time, you were wondering what was going to be his way to get revenge on this evil crown prince guy and you do not find out the juice until the very end of the film. Your left with the notion of how clever it was, but in the back of your mind you sort of had an idea that was what was going to happen. As I said before, Edward was absolutely fantastic in this film as he took total charge of the film and camera time with confidence. He is only rivaled by one man in the film and that was definitely Rufus Sewell who played a very good asshole in the film making him the perfect villain for this film. I loved the sets and I loved the overall tones of the film which were kind of medieval or primal if that makes any sense. You sense the fact that everything was lit by candlelight in those days so it has that tone to it. The film as I said before is available on Tubi, but it is also available to watch on IMDB right now as we speak. So, I definitely think you should check this one out and I am going to give it an an B+ for a final grade.

Downsizing (2017)

There are a lot of actors who love to use their art as a way to express their personal beliefs and believe me this has been going on for quite some time. The film that I chose for today is one that I avoided only because of the general reaction of people that left the theater when it was done, but with the help of HULU, I have decided to check out 2017's Downsizing which was written and directed by Alexander Payne (Nebraska). We all know that sometimes in this life, it seems like we'll never get the leg up on others who seem to have it all in terms of wealth. Well, what if I told you that the amount of money you make in your current life would make you rich if you shrunk yourself to be only five inches tall. Would you do it? That is the question that Paul Safranek (Matt Damon) faces in this film when he realizes that he can live a more comfortable life being five inches tall, but is he really happy? The film also stars Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) as Dusan, Hong Chau (BoJack Horseman) as Ngoc Lan Tran, Kristen Wiig (Whip It) as Audrey, Rolf Lassgård (The Hunters) as Dr. Jorgen Asbjørnsen, Ingjerd Egeberg (Mammon) as Anne-Helene Asbjørnsen, Udo Kier (Blade) as Konrad, Jason Sudeikis (Booksmart) as Dave Johnson, and James Van Der Beek (Jay And Silent Bob Reboot) as Anesthesiologist.

I know a lot of people left the theaters saying that this was another excuse for Damon to get the word out about his care in the environment and I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing. I mean isn't that what films are for? Are they not there to convey a message to thew audience to try and raise awareness on the impending doom that is already upon us because we never pay attention to the signs? I mean this isn't anything new and it shouldn't really come as a surprise. Nonetheless, I feel like the film conveys two messages and I like that they did that. They did it in the form of two people with Damon being the one who cares what happens to the planet and Christoph Waltz as the guy who says if the planet is ending then I am going to live it up because it's better than being isolated. Who does Damon ultimately choose in the end, well watch the film to find out. Waltz was absolutely amazing in the film, but the real star was Hong Chau who absolutely stole the show in my opinion. She provided the film with some much needed comedic relief as sort of Paul's love interest and when I say much needed I mean it. The film overall was decent and it had some great cinematography, but it's definitely not the best Matt Damon film that I viewed this year. Check it out on Hulu for yourselves, I am going to give it an B- for a final grade.

Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made (2018)

One of the coolest things about Salem Horror Fest is the fact that this festival actually introduces you to some of the coolest content in the world. One of my biggest regrets about Salem Horror Fest 2019 is that I didn't get to see a film whose poster instantly caught my attention in Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made, but thanks to Amazon Prime I viewed the film for today. The film is considered to be cursed and that weird things have happened to those who have watched it from weird fires to unexplained deaths. For the first time, they found a copy and are showing it to those who dare. The film follows a young boy who just lost his dog and was told that he was not in heaven. So the boy and his sister go off to the woods to the spot where it was believed that they devil fell through on his way to hell (Antrum) to try and save the dogs soul before it's too late. The film stars Nicole Tompkins (American Horror Story) as Oralee, Rowan Smyth (NCIS: New Orleans) as Nathan, Dan Istrate (Dinner with the Alchemist) as Cassius, Circus-Szalewski (Bunker of Blood: Chapter 8: Butcher's Bake Off: Hell's Kitchen) as Hanzie, Shu Sakimoto (The Silk Road) as Haruki, Pierluca Arancio (The Imperialists Are Still Alive!) as Demon Amon, and the film was written and directed by David Amito (Beautiful World...) and Michael Laicini (Beware Pickpocket).

One thing is for sure and that is I love how far they went to make you believe that this was a real film and that there are consequences to watching the film. It reminds me of the days of the Cannibal films where people were questioning whether those were real films or not especially when they said it was documentary footage that was found. One thing I will say about the film is that it goes from being normal to weird and it just keeps getting a lot weirder as the film progresses to the point that some scenes are uncomfortable to watch like the scene where they stick a person inside the stomach of Baphomet while they heat it up. It's a lot like the ancient Greek torture device known as the Brazen Bull because when you scream inside of it, it sounds like the bull is making his sounds. Then there is just all the weird scenes that they throw in like the random shot of the demon who is just staring at you for what seems like an eternity or the fact that they made it look like it was shot on old 35 mm film which added to the film if you ask me. One thing I will say is that I saw the ending coming a mile away and while they don't show the result, you can assume that I was right all along. If you're a fan of horror then I think this is one film that you should check out because now it has me paranoid. With that being said, I am giving the film an A- for a final grade.

Horse Girl (2020)

Netflix for a very long time had come out with material that was just phenomenal whether it be original documentary films/series, original series, stand up specials, or even their original films. Now with Disney Plus being around, the company has to step up their game. The film that I chose for today features a slew of actors that have all either been on Netflix shows or films as we watched 2020's Horse Girl which was co-written and directed by Jeff Baena (The Little Hours). The film stars Netflix veteran and co-writer of the film Alison Brie (The Little Hours) as the socially distant, but innocent Sarah who has a love for paranormal TV shows, horses, and arts and crafts. One day after a weird dream, Sarah begins to decline mentally as the things she dreams about start to trickle into her real life and start becoming a hindrance. The film also stars Debby Ryan (Netflix's Insatiable) as Nikki,  Jake Picking (Netflix's Hollywood) as Brian, Molly Shannon (The Little Hours) as Joan, John Ortiz (Silver Linings Playbook) as Roy, Lauren Weedman (Date Night) as Cheryl, John Reynolds (Stranger Things) as Darren, Meredith Hagner (Set It Up) as Heather, Paul Reiser (Aliens) as Gary, Robin Tunney (Empire Records) as Agatha Kaine, Matthew Gray Gubler (Alvin And The Chipmunks) as Darren, and Dylan Gelula (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) as Jane Doe.

The film is actually very good and definitely one that I think is worth checking out if you are into the more psychological side of thrillers because this is a story of a girl falling into hysteria. I couldn't have thought of anyone better to play the role than the amazing Alison Brie who is yet to disappoint me with what she releases whether it be G.L.O.W., BoJack Horseman, The Little Hours, etc. The poor girl even has an awkward full frontal nude scene in the film that must have been interesting to film, but she does such a great job. She makes you believe that everything is OK with her in the beginning of the film, but the thing is you have to pay attention to the signs when given to you. I say that because she eventually descends into madness and the signs have been there all along with how some of the people act when they are around her. I should have known when I saw them, but I was like why are they acting like she's weird and then the film progresses and you begin to understand. She is definitely the main star of the film while everyone else is literally a supporting actor to just her and it definitely works. They did a great job with the acting and I loved when they went into the dream sequence towards the end because that was a trip. I definitely recommend this to anyone because a good story can take you anywhere and they accomplish that with good cinematography as well.  With that being said, I am giving the film an A- for a final grade.

The Usual Suspects (1995)

I want to start the article by saying that I do not condone the actions of one of the actors in the film and the reason for choosing the film had nothing to do with that said actor. The director Bryan Singer (X-Men) and the writer Christopher McQuarrie's (Edge Of Tomorrow) and the rest of the actors in the film's art should not suffer because of one man's actions. With that being said, the film I chose for today is 1995's The Usual Suspects which was Singer's second film and it tells the tale of one lone survivor's recounting of the chaos that ensued from New York to Los Angeles that ended with one major gunfight and destruction on some boats and all thanks to one random police lineup where they met. The film stars Stephen Baldwin (The Flintstones In Viva Rock Vegas) as McManus, Gabriel Byrne (Vampire Academy) as Keaton, Benicio Del Toro (The Hunted) as Fenster, Kevin Pollak (Buffalo '66) as Hockney, Chazz Palminteri (Vault) as Dave Kujan, Pete Postlethwaite (Inception) as Kobayashi, Suzy Amis (The Ballad Of Little Jo) as Edie Finneran, Giancarlo Esposito (Okja) as Jack Baer, Dan Hedaya (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) as Jeff Rabin, and Paul Bartel (Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills) as smuggler.

This was an interesting movie to say the least that took a different direction that most crime films. One thing that kind of bothered me is that if all of these guys did not know each other at all before the police lineup then why would you join up to do jobs in the first place? It's just such a random thing for me to believe that they would be as good as they were together if they didn't know each other before hand or maybe they are just that lucky. This ended up being one of those films where you were trying to figure out just who was Keyser Söze as they kept building up this character for the whole entire film as this mysterious enigma that apparently everyone was terrified of, but he was the link to all of them being there. As much as many of you may hate the man, he did a terrific job as he told the story and he kind of steals the show as the cripple who pretty much manipulates everyone and when you see the twist at the end, you're like I should have seen that coming. Chazz Palminteri also did an amazing job int he film and it was crazy to see him play a character that wasn't a mobster. I don't know what Benicio Del Toro's character was, but it was almost like he was the Boomhauer of New York. You could barely understand anything he was saying during the film which was kind of funny, but other than that it was an OK film. There wasn't anything revolutionary about it, but the caliber of actors was there and that was kind of what it had going for it. That is why I am going to give the film an B- for a final grade.

The Aristocats (1970)

It's Mother's Day and I wanted to watch something to help celebrate this very important day and there wasn't really much and I sort of broke my golden rule of Sunday At The Classics. Usually we only view films before 1969, but for today we are watching 1970's The Aristocats which was directed by Wolfgang Reitherman (The Sword In The Stone) and is available on Disney Plus. The film stars Hermione Baddeley (The Secret Of NIMH) as retired opera singer Adelaide Bonfamille who has a fortune, but no benefactors. So one day she decides that she is going to leave her fortune to her beloved cats, but that does not sit well with her butler Edgar (Roddy Maude-Roxby). So one night Edgar decides that he is going to get rid of them, but with the help of an alley cat, they'll make their way home. The film also stars Eva Gabor (Green Acres) as Dutchess, Dean Clark as Berlioz, Gary Dubin (Pump Up The Volume) as Toulouse,  Liz English (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as Marie, Pat Buttram (The Fox and The Hound) as Phil Harris (The Patsy) as O'Malley the alley cat, Napoleon, George Lindsey (Robin Hood) as Lafayette, Scatman Crothers (The Patsy) as Scat Cat,  Sterling Holloway (The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh) as Roquefort.

If the movie itself doesn't seem old then the animation certainly does because it has that old style animation that we were used to seeing from Disney back in those days. Nonetheless, the film actually has a really good story as weird as the notion of leaving all your money to cats may seem. You have the jealous butler who will do whatever it takes to get rid of them and that sequence when he reaches a duo of tough dogs is absolutely hilarious. As soon as they came back on screen for a second time, I could not stop laughing at what was going on. That was pure comedy gold right there and there were a couple of those moments scattered here and there throughout the film. Are French girls really that easy to impress as in are they really that gullible for romance because someone like Dutchess looks like she would never give an alley cat the time of day if she was English prestige or came from English wealth. They are far too snobby for someone like O'Malley, but not Dutchess. All he had to do was lead her and her kids home and she melted right in his arms and paws. Maybe that is what makes the French such romantics because they can see through all the crap life throws at you or maybe it's just a Disney cartoon. Nonetheless, this was definitely a fantastic choice for today and I was happy that I actually took the time to watch. The scene with Scatman Crothers and all of the other alley cats is awesome and the music was cool especially the song they played. What is there not to like about this film? Well, there always is that dastardly butler named Edgar, but nonetheless I am going to give the film an A- for a final grade.

Chicago (2002)

There are reasons that I have missed out on watching certain films over the years and that is because I am not crazy about musicals. Usually, I will avoid them at all costs unless there is a reason for me to watch, but for today I needed to know what was the big deal behind the 2002 film adaptation of the Broadway hit Chicago which was directed Rob Marshall (Into The Woods). The film stars Renée Zellweger (Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation) as Roxie Hart, a girl that has been dreaming about hitting the stage ever since she made it to Chicago. The only problem for Roxie is the guy who she is hooking up had promised her a shot at the stage, but when she finds out he lied she ends up killing the guy. Now, Roxie has to rely on a hot shot lawyer and a few tricks up her sleeve to hope that she can get off before she's hanged for her crime. The film also stars Catherine Zeta-Jones (The Mask Of Zorro) as Velma Kelly, Richard Gere (Primal Fear) as Billy Flynn, Queen Latifah (Taxi) as Matron Mama Morton, Dominic West (Rock Star) as Fred Casely, Taye Diggs (Set It Up) as bandleader, John C. Reilly (The Little Hours) as Amos Hart, Colm Feore (The Chronicles Of Riddick) as Harrison, and Chita Rivera (Sgt. Peppers Lonely Club Hearts Band) as Nickie.

One of the things that I loved most about this film is the way they handled the Broadway like musical numbers in between the more serious parts of the film. Every time Roxie would dream or daydream during the film is when they would go into the musical numbers and I loved that because they felt like daydreams because as soon as you snap out of it, it's back to the lonely existence we all live sometimes. It also shows how obsessed she is with wanting to be a singer on stage that it almost seems as if she is writing out her own story as she daydreams and sings along. I honestly think knowing that made the film more tolerable, but if I am being perfectly honest with you, it was actually a pretty enjoyable film about how if you can't get famous then be infamous like the tag line suggests. The film shows you how desperate some people will be just to be infamous because they feel they need love and attention constantly by others that they will go to certain lengths. I thought the acting overall in the film was quite well, but the star of this one is none other than Richard Gere who just steals the show every time he steps out on screen as the hot shot lawyer and in one of my favorite scenes as the puppet master. If you like musicals or you're kind of on the fence about it, then this is definitely one to watch because it's actually a pretty good story, the talent is obviously in this film, and it's enjoyable to watch as well. That is why I am going to give the film an A- for a final grade because it won six Oscars for a reason (Best Picture, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best supporting actress for Catherine Zeta-Jones).