• MOANA 2
• Starring the voices of:  Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson and Alan Tudyk
• Directed by:  David G. Derrick Jr., ason HandDana and Ledoux Miller
• Rated:  PG
• Running time:  1 hr 40 mins
• Walt Disney Pictures

Our score:  3.5 out of 5 

On an island somewhere in the ocean, a young girl and her companions – a pig and a chicken – make their way to the top of a mountain.  There they can look out over the land.  The girl, named Moana (Cravalho) blows into a large conch shell, hoping to get a response.  But she is only greeted by silence.  Maybe next time?

A beautifully presented continuation of the 2016 hit, “Moana 2” finds our title character growing up and mounting a long, dangerous tip to the far seas of Oceania, where she is convinced she will find other civilizations.  Besides her two animal pals, she is accompanied on the journey by youthful Moni (Hualalai Chung), the industrious Simea ( Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda), and the elder Kele (David Fane).  Their trip is full of peris, with each day bringing a new adventure.

It is amazing what can be done with animation these days.  I’ve always found the hardest things to animate realistically are hair and water.  Something always made them seem just a little…”off.”  Not here.  The film is beautifully rendered and the ocean waves are so realistic you may find yourself ducking for fear of getting wet when they splash onto the shore.  The story is straightforward but quite dark at times.  Thankfully there are brief respites of humor, most of it provided by the amazing Maui (Johnson), obviously having fun with the role.  The other characters are standard Disney-fare – Moni could be a distant relative of “Beauty and the Beast” tough-guy Gaston, while Kele is the atypical “the sky is falling” character, casting doubt at every turn.  But, also following in the Disney tradition, are some great songs beautifully performed.

Overall, while younger children may be frightened by some of the images, the older ones (my two grandchildren included) should have a fun time.

On a scale of zero to five I give “Moana 2” ★★★1/2.

• GLADIATOR II
• Starring:  Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington
• Directed by:  Ridley Scott
• Rated:  R
• Running time:  2 hrs 28 mins
• Paramount 

Our score:  4.5 out of 5

Screenwriter Carl Gottlieb once noted that “the only sequel to lose money is the last one.”  Translated, it means that Hollywood Is not afraid to stick a number at the end of a film title and will continue to do so until people stop showing up.  So I was very apprehensive when I heard that a sequel to the Oscar-winning “Gladiator,” release almost a quarter century ago.  I’m happy to report that I needn’t have worried.

Rome.  While once a mighty city rulled by beloved men, it has deteriorated into a city of unrest.  While Rome was founded by brothers Romulus and Remus, it is now run by the Latin versions of Tweedledum and Tweedledee, brothers Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger).  When the two aren’t bickering over the smallest perceived injustice they are sending their best general, Marcus Acacius (Pascal) to conquer every neighboring city.  When his latest attack takes the wife of an opposing soldier, vengeance is sworn.  But how to get it?

On my short list of film directors who criminally have never won an Academy Award for their work, Ridley Scott is right at the top.  With films like “Alien,” “Bladerunner,” “Thelma and Louise,”  “Blackhawk Down,” and, of course, “Gladiator,” he has crafted some of the best films of the past five decades.  You can now add “Gladiator II” to the list.

The film follows the vengeance-seeking soldier, (Mescal) after his capture.  His fighting spirit leads him to be chosen to train to fight in the Colosseum, championed by Macrimus (the always brilliant Denzel Washington).  As he hones his skills by fighting everything from giant, wild monkeys to rhinoceroses, he continues to win, driven by the thought of one day hoisting Acacius’ head.  And a memory.

Action-packed, “Gladiator II” is wall-to-wall adventure.  Like the original film, the dialogue is short and direct while the action is over the top.  Scott’s pacing keeps the film moving quickly and the visual effects are top-of-the-line.  The film does have an association with the original Oscar-winning film, but to say more would spoil the surprise!

On a scale of zero to five, I give “Gladiator II” ★★★★1/2. 

Starring: James McDougall, Douglas Nyback and Joel Labelle
Directed by: Derek Barnes
Rated: R
Running Time: 91 minutes
Saban Films

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 Stars

Movies don’t always have to have plots. In fact, there’s the saying that too much plot gets in the way of the story, which basically means the film’s vibe. Some people’s favorite films are all about the vibe, more than it is the actual story. A lot of coming-of-age films are about relating to the character or movies like “The Big Lebowski” thrive on it’s characters, as opposed to the rug and kidnapping mystery. So, when a film like “Whiteout” comes along, you have to wonder, “What does it thrives on??

The film hooks you immediately by opening with Russian men kidnapping several individuals from an office complex. The men from the office are sent to labor camps while the few women we see in the background at the office…are probably sent to something worse. “Whiteout” follows Henry (James McDougall), who quickly, after the opening, ends up being involved with the escape plans of two other different prisoners, Kurt (Douglas Nyback) and Anthony (Joel Labelle). While the trio survive a labor camp gun battle, they quickly find out they might not be able to survive the snowy, rocky elements of Mother Russia.

So, why were Russian men raiding the office complex? I don’t know. Why was Henry captured and sent to a miserable labor camp? I don’t know. Who are these two who’ve picked Henry for their escape? I don’t know. Why does everyone we encounter seem to be a sharpshooter? I don’t know. “Whiteout” is a vibe. That vibe is non-stop action, although it does reveal a little as the film progresses, but not enough to add stakes to the overarching plot. Which is unfortunate because it’d be nice to care about Henry’s plight, more than feeling bad for the out of shape tubby guy who has to deal with the worst from Old Man Winter and the lack of trust from those he’s escaped with. That being said, the movie isn’t as predictable as you might think as the third act delivers a few decent shocks.

While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend “Whiteout,” if you were to tell me you were going to watch it, I wouldn’t stop you from watching it. That being said, you really have to enjoy some mindless thrills and actions because you’re not going to get much in the way of thought provoking content. There’s a lot to enjoy from Derek Barnes in his debut feature. He really does capture the vast emptiness of the wilderness and some of the more unforgiving aspects of it. And even with a low budget, the action is incredibly choreographed and the suspense keeps you engaged even if Barnes didn’t know how to write anything beyond a basic plot.

• WICKED – PART ONE
• Starring:  Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Jeff Goldblum
• Directed by:  Jon M. Chu
• Rated:  PG
• Running time: 2 hrs 41 mins
• Universal

 Our Score: 5 out ot 5

Sometimes when you get your hopes up, they get dashed, especially when it comes to movie musicals.  For every “West Side Story,” you get a “Cats.”  For every “Les Miserables,” you get a “Cats.”  For every “La La Land” you get, well… “Cats.”  So you can imagine my trepidation as I sat down to see “Wicked.”  Thankfully, there was nothing to worry about.

Based on the still-running 2003 Broadway show of the same name, “Wicked” tells the story of two very different people whose lives are inevitably linked in Pop Culture.  The film begins with what could almost be a coda to “The Wizard of Oz.”  The wicked witch of the West has been killed and the residents of Oz are celebrating.  They are visited by Glinda (Grande), a beautiful witch who floats along in a bubble.  She confirms the witch’s death and begins to leave.  Before she can make her escape she is asked, “is it true that you and the wicked witch were once friends?”  And the story begins.

Where to start?  Among my fears was that devoting over two and half hours to the first act of the show, which only runs for ninety minutes on Broadway, would fill the screen with unnecessary clutter and nonsense.  But director Chu fills the screen with wonderful scenery, none of it wasted space.  He keeps the film moving at such a pace that you don’t realize you’ve spent nearly three hours sitting in the dark.

The cast is top notch.  As an “old guy” I am not familiar with any of Ariana Grande’s music.  That being said, I was blown away by her voice.  She also gives Glinda a likability that other actresses may not have been able to exude.  As Elphaba, the future wicked witch, Erivo excels at keeping the character grounded.  She has a sense of humor, which you most certainly need when you are green.  Her performance gives Elphaba a humanity that the audience can relate to.  It’s not her that’s bad, it’s those that bully her.

The film also has an inner message about accepting those around you and treating them as you would like to be treated, a message that is often forgotten in today’s world.  Fans of “The Wizard of Oz” will find many Easter Eggs and homages to the 1939 film.  And fans of the original Broadway show may even see some familiar faces.

But it’s the music that makes “Wicked” what it is, and each and every song are presented magnificently.  Both Glinda and Elphaba are iconic roles and it would have been easy for the cast, especially Ms. Grande and Ms. Erivo, to play it safe and sing the songs in the style familiar with audiences.  But both of them bring a new spin to the songs.  Even if you’re a fan of the show you feel like you are hearing these songs for the first time.

If you can’t tell by the title, “Wicked” is being presented in two parts, with part two hitting theatres next November.  Take it from me and get in line now!

On a scale of zero to five, I give “Wicked – Part One” ★★★★★

Those pesky cyclones of destruction return for Lee Isaac Chung’s sequel-in-spirit Twisters. An indirect followup to the ‘90s fan-favorite disaster flick, we find a new generation of tornado chasers with Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos on the hunt to tame the most destructive force on the planet. On 4K UHD Twisters wins with an excellent Dolby Vision / Atmos combo and plenty of extra features.

If Hollywood loves to do one thing it’s make the same movie again with twice the budget. If there’s a thing most sequels lack it is originality. It’s easier to play it safe, do a version of the same thing again, shell out a gargantuan amount of cash, and hope audiences go for it. They do that because most often it works… unless they turn it into a jukebox musical. Now with Jan de Bont’s Twister, the film was a modest albeit not HUGE hit at the box office. It made money, but the film also wrapped things up well enough that a sequel wasn’t altogether needed or necessary. Attempts were made, but indy-darling Lee Isaac Chung got Twisters to the big screen without any returning original characters. In our sort-of pseudo-sequel, we have intrepid would-be tornado-tamer Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) living in New York. Years earlier she was part of a team of chasers with the dream of being able to stop a tornado, but tragedy destroyed their group. Now fellow survivor Javi (Anthony Ramos) turns up with new tech and an opportunity for redemption if Kate comes back to Oklahoma. But the chasing game has changed. On the scene are any number of amateur storm chasers including the YouTube famous Tornado Wrangler Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) ready to chase down the biggest twisters.

It’s weird to think of Twister as a franchise now, but it is. A long time coming, there were several attempts over the last 28 years to get a new film up the funnel. As he effectively edged into writing and directing, Bill Paxton had his own idea based on the notorious 1925 tri-state tornado that killed nearly 700 people. The plot would have been similar to this sequel where Paxton would be back behind the wheel of the red Dodge Ram with a space-aged material designed to stop tornadoes. But that pitch sadly didn’t get far before his untimely death. Then as of a few years ago Helen Hunt had her own plan to write and direct a sequel – but I’m not entirely sure of the plot, but obviously that didn’t get picked up. And now we have this spiritual sequel from director Lee Isaac Chung and writers Mark L. Smith and Joseph Kosinski (Maverick). I call this a spiritual sequel because it doesn’t pick up where the last one left off. It doesn’t feature any of the original characters, but this one doesn’t entirely ignore the first film either. During the very exciting opening sequence, we see a “field-tested” Dorthy 5 hooked up to Kate’s barrels of absorbent polymer to get important data. And that’s all the acknowledgment this film offers of the original. Unlike so damn many recent legacy sequels, this one isn’t saturated with constant callbacks or nostalgia bombs. It’s certainly not entirely original, but it wisely doesn’t try to do the exact same plot twice. I mean both films are about people trying to give tornados a scientific instrument suppository, but how they achieve that mission is very different.

Best of all, it’s just as cornball, it’s just as silly, and just as much fun as the first. What I really enjoyed about Twisters was how it ramped up the amount of death and property destruction. Each tornado gets bigger and more deadly with people caught in the path and sucked up to meet their makers. With the big budget and advancements in visual effects, they could afford to do more destructive chaos right through to a thrilling climax at a small-town movie theater. That said, what holds this one back is we’ve seen CGI tornadoes before. There’s already a sense of familiarity going into this film and even with bigger more deadly and more flammable tornadoes, Twisters just can’t quite muster up the same sense of dread and primal terror of the 1996 original. To be fair, this film has its share of great and memorable sequences, the best hits a rodeo (with a cameo from Bill Paxton’s son). Also working in this film’s favor is it avoids trying to ape the romance/drama of the Paxton/Hunt dynamic. There’s an obvious chemistry between Powell and Edgar-Jones, but this film wisely avoids going down that road again. However I personally found it more interesting regarding the plot.

So sure, not an incredible film, not as great as the first, but I enjoyed the hell out of it. It was great seeing this on IMAX with my fiancée, who actually was more excited to see it than me. And while I enjoyed the hell out of Twisters in the theater, it’s just as much fun at home with my 4K screen and Atmos rig. The action is big and loud. The characters are colorful and fun. The titular cyclones are plenty windy and destructive. About all you need for a tornado flick.

 PICTURE

 Smashing onto 4K disc, Twisters devours 2160p with an excellent Dolby Vision transfer. From frame one all the way through to the end, this is a crisp, clean, detailed image. Shot on 35mm and finished with a 4K Digital Intermediate, the image maintains a film-like appearance with a naturally cinematic grain structure. Fine lines, facial features, and production design details are razor-sharp. I was really impressed with how well the CGI effects appear here. Time and technology have worked in this sequel’s favor for creating some big-scale tornado destruction. A lot of effort was used to combine practical effects with digital counterparts so a lot of the time the big wow moments have true weight to them. A few pieces here and there can look a tad cartoonish – Powell running from the disabled tram car always looked janky and still does on disc. The rest of the time the film looks great. Colors are right where they need to be, big bold with great saturation. Thanks to Dolby Vision those reds, blues, and yellows really pop nicely. Whites are well-balanced against the dark ominous shadows. Again that rodeo sequence is a highlight moment that hits all those marks. All around a damn near-perfect transfer.

SOUND

On the audio front, Universal delivers a rousing wall-to-wall Atmos mix to match their impressive Dolby Vision transfer. I mean, it’s a disaster movie with massive tornados, it’d be a huge failing on Universal’s part to crap the bed here. I really enjoyed the mix for this one because it really played with the creepy silence that happens during a big storm where you think everything is going to be fine before all hell breaks loose. And when hell comes it hits on all channels. Shipping wind effects beautifully circulate throughout the soundscape rising upwards into the heights. Heights are thankfully not only reserved for wind or rain, any time a hapless NPC gets sucked up their screams fly into the heights. Likewise, the bursts of fireworks are a fun highlight. Dialog isn’t lost, but like any disaster movie, we’re not here for the quality of the flowery speeches, we want to enjoy the chaos on screen rattling our walls, ceilings, and floorboards! The big El Reno finale delivers all of that. As each tornado escalates in intensity, so does the mix. By the end, the LFE is rattling away while the front/center, side, rear, and height channels do their work. Crank the volume and let ‘er rip!

SPECIAL FEATURES

What’s particularly nice to see is Universal didn’t skimp on the extra features. You get a great director’s commentary track, some fun gag reels, some deleted scenes, and plenty of featurettes to gnaw through once the main feature is done. The commentary is probably the most informative piece you can enjoy if you’re really into “how it was done, what it took to do this, yadda yadda” but the featurettes are still enjoyable even if they lean a little more EPK fodder. The Deleted Scenes aren’t all that extensive and feel likewise pacing cuts rather than missing subplots or character development. Bonus features are on both discs.

FINAL WORD

I went to the theater for big tornado destruction fun and got exactly what I wanted. It helps that Lee Isaac Chung, the writers, and the solid cast actually made a solid pseudo-sequel to the 1996 original. It might not be better (but it’s more interesting), but it thankfully doesn’t repeat itself or saturate it with numbing nostalgia callbacks. Twisters has its own wildly entertaining fun to have on the big screen letting it stand alongside the original without feeling like a complete repeat. On 4K UHD, Twisters storms (pun intended) onto disc with an excellent Dolby Vision transfer with a fantastic Atmos mix to match. Tag in about an hour of genuinely interesting extra features on top of a commentary track and you’ve got a damn good home release. Highly Recommended!

Film ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Picture ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sound ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Extras ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

(out of five stars)

• RED ONE
• Starring:  Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans and J.K. Simmons
• Directed by:  Jake Kasdan
• Rated:  PG 13
• Running time:  2 hrs 3 mins
• Amazon/MGM Studios

 Our score 3.5 out of 5

With the holiday’s approaching, many of us are already preparing for the upcoming festivities.  That includes a certain gentleman named Nicholas who lives at the North Pole.  But he can’t do it alone.  Meet Cal Drift (Johnson), Santa’s head of security.  He’s about to retire after several centuries on the job but he’s staying around for one more sleigh ride, one he will never forget.

There aren’t a lot of Christmas-themed action films.  There’s “Die Hard” and there’s, well, “Die Hard.”  “Red One” – Santa’s code name – is no “Die Hard,” but it is an entertaining two hours of fun.  The film begins in the mid 199os, where a family gathering introduces us to young Jack O’Malley (Wyatt Hunt), a boy who doesn’t believe in Santa Claus, quite possibly because he is sure to have been on the infamous “naughty” list.  Jump ahead to today and we learn that the adult Jack (Evans) is still a rotten person who actually DOES take candy from a baby.  Jack is known in certain unsavory crowds as the “Wolf,” a con man who can get you almost anything you want.  His current client is looking for Santa (Simmons) and his secrets.  When the big man is kidnapped Jack and Cal form an unlikely team to save him.

The film’s believability rests solely on the shoulders of the cast, who all give fine performances.  Johnson has continued to grow as an actor and he has an uncanny ability to appear both tough and tender at the same time.  Evans, as a father who has kept himself out of his young son’s life, is also well cast.  Simmons, one of the greatest character actors ever, is also solid, giving what could have been a very routine role some emotional depth.  Bonnie Hunt as Mrs. Claus and Lucy Liu as the Director of the security agency.  Special mention to Kristofer Hivju, who steals scenes as the fun-loving, not evil, Krampus.

The effects are well done and the action set pieces well crafted.  Not sure how many little ones will enjoy this – some of the humor is a little over their heads – but kids love Christmas.  Except for young Jack O’Malley that is.

Overall, I recommend you get in your sleigh and head out over the river and through the woods to see “Red One.”

On a scale of zero to five I give “Red One” ★★★1/2

Starring: Esther Garel, Alex Zhang Huntai and Isabelle Barbier
Directed by: Lev Kalman and Whitney Horn
Rated: NR
Running Time: 91 minutes
Yellow Veil Pictures

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 Stars

As a product of the 90s (technically born in the 80s, but predominantly remember the 90s), I feel like I know what “Dream Team” is going for. The movie bills itself as an “absurdist homage to 90s basic cable TV thrillers.” That triggers memories of “La Femme Nikita,” “The Pretender,” and “The X-Files.” The 90s is also considered the golden age of erotic thrillers with films like “Body of Evidence,” “Basic Instinct” and “Wild Things.” I’m sure I’m name dropping a lot of content that conjures fond memories, but “Dream Team” isn’t able to.

“Dream Team” is about two INTERPOL agents, played by Esther Garel and Alex Zhang Hungtai, investigating mysterious deaths which may or may not be linked to gaseous coral. That’s the plot in a nutshell, but because this is a mysterious 90s thriller, the film is filled with non sequitur character introductions, soap opera subplots, bad practical effects, cringey dialogue, and a lot of unspoken hornyness. This isn’t really a movie though. The film is presented like a VHS of recorded episodes, with the film broken up with episode title cards. It looks and feels like an homage, but it never comes full circle.

The biggest problem in “Dream Team” is that the movie doesn’t seem to know what to do in between some of the more clever moments of the film, like the antiquated technology jokes, incompetent investigation skills and the intentionally shoehorned unsexy sexual moments. The problem is, there’s not an interesting bare bones story to follow along with. There are also long moments of B-roll like waves crashing on the shore, sea creatures just derping about, or shots of the beach. Some of these scenes last for several minutes, almost as if it was begging me to check my latest phone notification.

The movie is tackling 90s erotic thrillers in a way that’s reminiscent of “NTSF:SD:SUV” or “Children’s Hospital,” a bonkers reality where everyone is Leslie Nielsen in “Airplane!” But the problem is that there isn’t a cast and crew stocked with comedic chops. There were moments where I wondered if the cast was interpreting the script correctly because of the different approaches. At other times I felt like the film was telling an inside joke that I wasn’t privy to. It’s also quite possible I’m not a connoisseur of bad 90s like directors/writers Lev Kalman and Whitney Horn. While I’m sure there’s a niche audience for this,  “Dream Team” is, like most of my dreams, forgettable.

• HERE
• Starring:  Tom Hanks and Robin Wright
• Directed by:  Robert Zemeckis
• Rated: PG 13
• Running time:  1 hr 44 mins
• Miramax

In 1994, “Forrest Gump” became a phenomenon, winning 6 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and grossing over $670 million worldwide.  Thirty years later, most of the creative team behind the film return for a new family drama, “Here.”

I think we all have our favorite memories about our childhood homes.  My father worked for the newspapers and by the time I was 15 we had lived in six different cities in various states.  My favorite memories were created in a house in Cleveland.  I used to visit the house whenever I was in town.  Even after 40 years I could tell you the layout, where my room was, etc.  It broke my heart in 2020 when I last visited to find that it had been torn down. “Here” not only takes place in a home, but actually in the living room of a home, spanning the length of time.  From the dinosaurs that roamed the land where the house would eventually be built to where it stands today.

Though told in a non-linear fashion, the film focuses mostly on the family that purchases the home shortly after World War II, remaining in it for several decades.  As the film progresses, we get intimate glimpses, framed like snapshots, of the various lives lived within those four walls.  Good times and bad, dramatic moments and times of sheer joy,  the audience is privy every secret.

One can’t help watch this film and be reminded of the creative team’s previous film, “Forrest Gump.”  As history goes by, we run into a few well known p;eople.  It’s not as hit-on-the-head obvious as in “Gump,” but what are the odds that Ben Franklin used to live across the street?  The musical score, by Alan Silvestri, echoes the Oscar nominated score he wrote for “Gump.”  Finally, a hummingbird, whose appearances bookend the film, is reminiscent of the famous “Gump” feather.

The film is well cast and it’s great to see Hanks and Wright back together on screen.  The film follows them from their teenage years until late adulthood, and the de-aging process used here is spot on.  The younger versions of the actors are quite believable, and fare much better than the process used in “The Irishman.”

Overall, the film is an interesting piece of cinema and definitely worth taking a trip to the theatre for.

On a scale of zero to five, “Here” receives ★★★1/2.

Starring: Colin Cunningham, Jessica Staples and James Morris
Directed by: James Morris
Rated: NR
Running Time: 89 minutes
Dread

Our Score: 2 out of 5 Stars

Gabe (Colin Cunningham) is on the run. The escaped federal convict is hiding in a motel, waiting for some of his old criminal pals to help him further escape. Passing the time in the motel, Gabe leaves the TV on but never watches, talks with his ex-girlfriend over the phone but has no immediate interest to reconnect, and listens to strange noises from the room next door but no explanation as to what they could potentially be. With no one to trust, little to understand, and nowhere to go, Gabe may have found himself in the crosshairs of the town serial killer, Pale Face.

There’s a lot of interesting moving parts in “He Never Left.” Well, moving parts in that there’s a lot of interesting exposition for a film trapped inside the confines of a motel. Probably not this much since “Identity.” The film opens with on-screen text about Pale Face, a slasher whose kills have haunted the town for decades, coming, killing, and leaving without any rhyme or reason. Without revealing more, Gabe hogs the screen time with his criminal uncertainty. How these two plots are connected isn’t immediately clear. That should be a great way to keep a movie flowing, but after the film’s opening act, it becomes less and less interesting.

While a slasher doesn’t necessarily need a lot of exposition, or even a killer’s motive, it’s odd that “He Never Left” sets up all these dangling threads, only for Pale Face and Gabe’s plots to pay off lazily. As for Gabe, he turns out to be the most interesting piece of this film’s puzzle. The other issue, still, is that Pale Face’s story kind of derails what’s working for the film. In a lot of ways, “He Never Left” feels like two ideas struggling to take charge of the film.

While the film maintains steady suspense, it undermines its own enjoyment with overwrought explanations that feel repetitive. For instance, the film mainly takes place at this motel, which allows for some creativity in revealing more about Gabe and Pale Face, but it’s when the film jumps narratively through time and location that the film feels like it’s simply overexplaining what it’s clearly explained prior at the motel.

I really wanted to enjoy “He Never Left” because there is a good movie, somewhere in the narrative mess. It leans heavily on its influences while attempting to tell a fresh slasher story, but it never seems confident enough to stop leaning on those cliches. The acting is good, the direction creates a tense atmosphere, but the script prevents everything from excelling.

GHOST
RITE HERE RITE NOW
4K, Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS Available for Pre-Order
Now Streaming at VEEPS, Available to Pre-Order for Purchase or Rental via iTunes and Amazon

By Popular Demand the #1 Hard Rock Cinema Event in US History Comes to Home Video December 6

Following a rapturously received global streaming premiere, RITE HERE RITE NOW is now available for pre-order on DVD, BluRay, 4K and VHS — to stream at VEEPS, and to pre-order for purchase or rental in advance of its October 28 digital release via iTunes and Amazon. The film captures all songs played during GHOST’s now-legendary sold out two-night stand at L.A.’s Kia Forum — including tracks not on its #1-charting soundtrack album — while proving to be much more than a mere concert film: Stunning performance footage is interwoven with a narrative that develops and advances plot threads from the band’s long-running Chapters webisode series, featuring familiar faces interacting behind the scenes with GHOST’s Papa IV, as his future and fate rest with the Ministry.

For more information, go to https://ghost-official.com/

Starring: Stavros Halkias, Wes Haney and CM Punk
Directed by: Ben Kitnick
Rated: NR
Running Time: 90 minutes
Dark Sky Films

Our Score: 3 out of 5 Stars

You ever had an annoying person in a friend group, but you can’t get rid of them? Chip (Stavros Halkias) is kind of like that friend, but instead of being in a friend group, he’s in a cult. In fact, he’s so annoying, the cult commits their mass suicide without him. He’s about to resign back to a life at home, where his own family doesn’t want to be around him, when he finds out that the ex-cult leader, William (Wes Haney) is actually still alive. In frustration, Chip tracks down William, and forces William to reboot the cult so they can commit ritualistic suicide the right way.

Wacky comedies used to be a dime a dozen, but now they feel more like a lost art, if you consider mid-2000s films like “Strange Wilderness” or “Grandma’s Boy” a lost art. “Let’s Start a Cult” doubles down on absurdism at every turn, starting with the film’s lead, Chip. He would actually be an obnoxious individual to be around, but as the film progresses, it peels back layers to reveal this relatable softness which undercuts his chaotic spirit. It’s a lot like a 90s Adam Sandler character, without access to endless pools of money or having some kind of insanely unique talent.

We learn, fairly early on in the film through dialogue and interactions, that Chip joined the cult in search of a family. He really doesn’t seem to have any friends and his family seems to view him as some kind of unwanted adoption. Even around strangers, he’s frequently vulgar for no reason, which is off-putting the every day individual. Eventually this plays into Chip’s charm, especially when sandwiched with William, who may be the most cowardly cult leader in cinema history. Of course, the cast of characters they meet and recruit to their cult, are also broken down souls that have been rejected by friends, family and society.

The film has a subtle, let your freak flag fly, morality to it, which plays into Chip’s odd nature. As for the laughs, they don’t come a mile a minute and they sometimes mistake simple crassness for humor, but the film finds itself tickling the funny bone in several inspiring moments; thanks to Halkias performance. It’s hard to imagine anyone else taking this self-deprecating material like Halkias and elevating it to such dizzying heights. The film is mercifully short, meaning that it does run out of steam with minutes left to spare on its somewhat inspired sketch comedy premise.

It seems like the only comedies I’ve watched this year have been blends or attached to other genres, like “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Didi,” “Lisa Frankenstein” and so forth. Because of that lack thereof, I think I enjoyed “Let’s Start a Cult” more than I normally would. Very few studios or artists are willing to take a leap on a pure comedy, so props to Director Ben Kitnick, as well as Halkias and Haney, for pulling the trigger on something that isn’t as bankable as it used to be. You told a story worthy of comedies from 21st century heydays.

THE DEADPOOL CORPS INVADED THE BIG APPLE
ON A “BIG A** BUS TOUR” TO CELEBRATE THE
HIGHEST-GROSSING R-RATED FILM OF ALL TIME

LESLIE UGGAMS (AKA BLIND AL, AKA BESTIE FOR LIFE) JOINED
THE DEADPOOL VARIANTS AT NEW YORK COMIC CON

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE IS NOW ON DIGITAL AND ARRIVES ON
4K UHD, BLU-RAY AND DVD THIS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22

LFG!!! To celebrate the summer blockbuster hit, Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine, the Deadpool Corps rolled through the Big Apple for the first time on a wild bus tour that had fans losing their chimichangas in excitement! The tour gave superfans the chance to take iconic selfies and grab exclusive prizes from the Deadpool variants.

The adventure, in true Merc-with-a-Mouth style, broke the fourth wall at every turn, with stops at some of Manhattan’s most famous landmarks, including Times Square, Grand Central Station and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

The action-packed day ended at New York Comic Con, where fans were joined by none other than Leslie Uggams (aka “Blind Al”) and an army of Deadpool and Wolverine cosplayers, capping off an epic celebration of the iconic duo.

The #1 R-Rated movie of all time is now available at digital retailers (Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home), and arrives on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on October 22.

Film Synopsis
Marvel Studios presents their most significant mistake to date – Deadpool & Wolverine. A listless Wade Wilson toils away in civilian life. His days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. When his home world faces an existential threat, Wade must reluctantly suit up again with an even more reluctantlier… reluctanter? Reluctantest? He must convince a reluctant Wolverine to… oh hell, just watch the movie. Synopses are stupid.

SHUDDER GOES BIG AT NEW YORK COMIC CON WITH
MULTI-PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR 2025

Poster And Release Date Revealed For Wrestling Horror Film
DARK MATCH Starring Chris Jericho

V/H/S Franchise To Continue With Eighth Installment
Following Success of V/H/S/BEYOND

Teaser Trailer Premiere For Flying Lotus’ ASH
Starring Eiza González And Aaron Paul

Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, previewed its highly anticipated 2025 film lineup during a special panel at New York Comic Con 2024. The event, titled “Shudder is here to Scare the S*** Out of You,” was led by Shudder’s VP of Programming, Samuel Zimmerman, and featured a distinguished group of horror industry talents including actors David Dastmalchian and Devon Sawa, musician and director Flying Lotus, actor and director Kate Siegel, and director Tina Romero. During the panel, Shudder revealed several key updates: the upcoming release of DARK MATCH, a wrestling-themed horror film debuting on January 31, 2025, and a first-look teaser for the sci-fi horror feature ASH, set for theatrical release through RLJE Films and streaming on Shudder in 2025. Additionally, Shudder confirmed the greenlight for the highly anticipated eighth installment of the V/H/S franchise.

“At New York Comic Con we are not only celebrating an exciting 2024 at Shudder, showcasing the fearless and provocative voices of our filmmakers, but looking ahead,” commented Samuel Zimmerman. “As 2025 and our 10th anniversary draws near, DARK MATCH, V/H/S/8, and ASH are just the beginning of our boldest, most frightening year yet.”

Shudder has acquired the US, UKI, and ANZ rights to DARK MATCH, written and directed by Lowell Dean and starring wrestling superstar Chris Jericho (TERRIFIER 2), Ayisha Issa (TRANSPLANT), Steven Ogg (THE WALKING DEAD, WESTWORLD), Sara Canning (THE VAMPIRE DIARIES), Michael Eklund (THE CALL) and Jonathan Cherry (GOON).

In DARK MATCH, a small-time wrestling company accepts a well-paying gig in a backwoods town only to learn, too late, that the community is run by a mysterious cult leader with devious plans for their match. The film will debut on Shudder on January 31, 2025.

The found footage franchise V/H/S will continue with an eighth film, set to debut on Shudder in 2025. The news comes on the heels of a record-breaking opening for the latest installment V/H/S/BEYOND, which debuted on Friday, October 4 and became the #2 most streamed film of all time across Shudder and AMC+ and the most streamed movie in the V/H/S franchise.

RLJE Films and Shudder have acquired the US rights to Grammy Award Winner Flying Lotus’ second feature ASH. The film stars Eiza González (BABY DRIVER, 3 BODY PROBLEM), Aaron Paul (BREAKING BAD, WESTWORLD), Iko Uwais (THE RAID, THE NIGHT COMES FOR US), Beulah Koale (NEXT GOAL WINS), and Kate Elliott (WENTWORTH), and will feature an original score composed by Flying Lotus, whose previous films include the Shudder Original KUSO and a segment in V/H/S/99. ASH will have a wide theatrical release through RLJE Films and streaming on Shudder in 2025.

On the mysterious planet of Ash, Riya (González) awakens to find her crew slaughtered. When a man named Brion (Paul) arrives to rescue her, an ordeal of psychological and physical terror ensues while Riya and Brion must decide if they can trust one another to survive.

The Despicable Me franchise has kind of had a rough ride. After the success of a pair of movies, Illumination decided to spin-off the series with a movie centered entirely around those lovable, mischievous yellow, blue-coveralled minions. While the movie performed well at the box office, it wasn’t received quite as well, and ended up being kind of a mixed bag in the end. A third Despicable Me followed, which ended up being pretty fun (although unnecessary), and then 2022 saw the return of the minions in the COVID-delayed sequel, Minions: The Rise of Gru — which actually ended up being pretty good. This takes us to 2024 where we have Despicable Me 4… and while I love these characters, I’m starting to get that Shrek Forever After vibe that the franchise may be running out of steam. I can’t even quite put my finger on what it is about Despicable Me 4 that lacks so much. Is it just more of the same? Too different? All the best parts shown in the trailer? Maybe it’s a little of all the above. In the previous movies, it was largely Gru’s show, and maybe part of the problem is there are so many characters to follow now, the focus is divided too much. Probably the best sequence of the movie is when Gru is part of a heist, and he ends up having to use the contents of a diaper bag in a clever way to get the job done. The minions are still funny, fun and lovable, but so much of their hijinks were spoiled in the trailers, that it often feels like “This? We saw this already, give us something new!” I didn’t revisit the previous movies before watching this one, so doing that may have given me more insight, but with Gru having a family now – and one that is growing, it’s starting to feel a lot like The Incredibles, and you can definitely sit down and draw more than a couple comparisons between the two movies.

This time around, we have another villain who wants revenge on Gru, and this one is voiced by comedy legend Will Ferrell. However, it really could have been anyone providing the voice of Maxime, because it sounds absolutely nothing like Ferrell. 

Clearly, he had fun with the character, but it was so hard to recognize it was him that after seeing his name in the opening credits, I was never able to pick out which character he was playing. (For example, picking out Stephen Colbert and Sofia 

Vergara was pretty easy to do.) For a kids movie, too, Maxime is a pretty intense villain. For one, it’s kind of silly to have a French villain who wants to turn people into cockroaches – including himself – and when he reveals his own physique has been mutated into a cockroach form, it’s kind of intense (and maybe a little disturbing for kids?). Another scene shows him turning a gas station attendant 

into a cockroach-human mutant, and we see his face twisted and twitching. Later, another character is transformed and threatens to kill a main character, and it’s also pretty intense for young viewers (then again, I suppose a lot of The Incredibles was too?). Not too much of the content is crude necessarily, but there’s a gag where Agnes commands her pet baby goat to sit. It then expels 

little poops, to which Agnes says, “No, I said sit!” Ha, I was a little surprised they went there.  Also, can we address the elephant in the room here? 

While it’s commonplace for shows like The Simpsons to never let the children characters age, it’s especially weird to see Gru’s adopted children not age when clearly he and Lucy have a baby now which would mean at least 2 or so years have gone 

Little Agnes should be considerably older – especially after the other movies are also taken into consideration in the timeline. Sure, it might be tough to see these cute characters grow, but it worked for How to Train Your Dragon, and it could possibly work here. I guess it wouldn’t be such an obvious issue if the family hadn’t added a baby to the mix, which clearly shows time has passed and their newborn is aging.

I suppose if you’re a diehard fan of the franchise thus far, Despicable Me 4 should scratch the itch for a new story (and a return of lovable characters), however, it just feels like its lost its spark. Steve 

Carell’s performance as Gru is on-point, and everyone else seems to be all-in here, but there wasn’t much to really draw the viewer in. Around the climax of the movie, it begins to show some heart, but it just might be too little too late, as it just isn’t enough to elevate everything that came before it. I suppose, when all is said and done,

Despicable Me 4 is a fairly forgettable sequel that isn’t nearly as fun as the previous films, and lacks enough heart to make up for it. If you’re a fan who’s a bit easier to please with these movies, by all means, don’t miss this one. But if you’re a bit pickier, and was maybe a little on the fence about the other Despicable movies, you should probably just pass it by.

VIDEO

Despicable Me 4 is a gorgeous looking animated film. When they show clips from the previous three (especially the first one) during the featurettes, it’s amazing to see just how far the quality of animation has evolved. With that said, the color really pops with this movie in 4K, so it’s pretty much a no-brainer when deciding whether or not to spring for the 4K release or not.

SOUND

The Dolby Atmos track is quite amazing. Even the Dolby Digital track on the Blu Ray is reference quality. Also included are tons of extras including 2 hilarious four minute mini movies. 

MOVIE ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

PICTURE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SOUND ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

(out of five stars)

• THE APPRENTICE
• Starring:  Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong and Maria Bakalova
• Directed by:  Ali Abbasi
• Rated: R
• Running time:  2 hrs 2 mins
• Golden Media

Fifty years ago, Richard Nixon address the citizens of the United States, trying to assure them that “their president is not a crook.  To drive home the message, Nixon added “Everything I’ve got, I’ve earned.”  He then tried to sell people oceanfront property in Arizona (thank you, George Strait).

The mid-1970s were a tough time for many cities in the USA, most notably New York City.  In 1975 the city literally ran out of money.  The city could not pay its bills nor could it borrow money.  President Ford – it turns out Nixon WAS a crook and had to resign -famously told Mayor Abe Beame to “drop dead.”  New Yorkers were furious.  Except for one wide-eyed man with a dream.

Released just in time for this years Presidential Election, “The Apprentice” delves into the rise of real estate magnate Trump (Stan) and his friendship with ruthless attorney Roy Cohn (Strong, in an amazingly uncanny performance). If you’re a student of history, as I am, you may know Cohn as one of the Justice Department prosecutors  who successfully lobbied for the Death Penalty in the espionage trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg in 1953, as well as Senator Joseph McCarthy’s chief counsel during the Army-McCarthy Hearings investigation suspected communists in 1954.

Our story begins with Trump, whose father, Fred, is currently being sued by the Justice Department for discrimination, meets Cohn in a restaurant and explains his situation.  Taking a liking to Trump, Cohn offers his assistance, and mentorship.  Not the most ethical person in the room, Cohn gets the case dropped and soon finds himself assisting Trump as he begins building his real estate empire.  Trump does his best to follow Cohn’s 3 Rules of Success, most notably to never admit defeat.

As the film progresses we get a journey through Trump’s achievements, both positive and negative.  Building Trump Tower, revitalizing, if only temporarily, Atlantic City, meeting his future wife Ivana (Bakalova).  We also get a glimpse at his family.  His doting mother, Mary Anne (Catherine McNally), his disapproving father, Fred (Martin Donovan) and his brother Freddy (Charlie Carrick) an airline pilot with his own demons.  Along the way Trump also crosses paths with everyone from Andy Warhol (Bruce Beaton) to Rona Barrett (Valerie O’Connor).  Each actor brings their characters to life, doing more then just impersonations.  They all give fine performances but I would be remiss if I didn’t (as I did above) give high praise to Mr. Strong.  I’ve seen enough archival footage to be able to say that Strong nails everything about Cohn, from his tone to his body language.  A performance that I hope is remembered during awards season.  As Trump, Mr. Stan gives an admirable performance, which couldn’t have been easy knowing that the character you are playing did not approve of this film being made.

Let me say right here, in conclusion – I am not a political person.  Yes, I vote and yes, I’m passionate about the certain issues, but I never have, and never will, let my leanings effect how I review a film.  Like him or not, Donald Trump is a force to be reckoned with, though I think I can say with a great deal of certainty that he will not be a fan of “The Apprentice.”

On a scale of zero to five, I give “The Apprentice” ★★★1/2