• THE LOST CITY
• Starring:  Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and Daniel Radcliffe
• Directed by:  Aaron Nee and Adam Nee
• Rated:  PG 13
• Running time:  1 hr 52 mins
• Paramount

Fun.  That’s the first thing I thought of as the credits rolled on “The Lost City.”  This movie was Fun!

Following the death of her husband, romance/adventure author Loretta (Bullock) is struggling to finish her next book.  She has the action.  She has the romance.  But she just can’t find an ending.  However, when Loretta finds HERSELF in peril, the story almost writes itself.

I have to admit that when I sat down I was expecting a watered-down retelling of “Romancing the Stone.”  Nope.  “The Lost City” is a film with great characters, rich locations and, darn it, here’s that word again…fun.  I had no idea that Sandra Bullock was such an amazing physical comedienne.  Whether traipsing through the jungle in a spangled jumpsuit or caught in the middle of a high-speed chase while tied to a chair, she effortlessly uses the situation to the audience’s benefit.  She is joined by Tatum, who longs to be thought of as more than Ash, the cover model of Loretta’s novels.  Radcliffe is also well cast as the villain of the piece, who is searching for a long-lost treasure.  You may even spot a very familiar face who is enlisted to help track down the missing Loretta.

The is witty and adds a few surprises to the normal tropes found in a film like this.  The pace is fast, but never hurried and the locations are lush and exotic.  The musical score, by Pinar Toprak, helps set the mood and keep the story moving.

To sum it all up, “The Lost City” is a fun way to usher in the spring movie season.

• THE BATMAN
• Starring:  Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz and Jeffrey Wright
• Directed by:  Matt Reeves
• Rated:  PG 13
• Running time:  2 hrs 55 mind
• Warner Bros.

Hey everyone, guess what?  Batman is back!  Only now he’s THE Batman.  He’s a lot meaner this time around, but you’ll be happy to know that he’s still the brooding loner we’ve come to love.

It’s Halloween night in Gotham City, a few days before the city elects it’s next Mayor.  A raspy voice tells us that it’s only been two years since he began donning the cowl and dealing with the scum of the city.  He is referred to in the media as “the Vigilante,” but we know him as Batman.  Or, rather, THE Batman.  Whatever you call him, his presence is embraced by Detective James Gordon (Wright), who angers his superiors by giving the Caped Crusader access to crime scenes.  After all, he IS the World’s Greatest Detective!

A local politician has been brutally murdered and a calling card has been left on the body in the form of a riddle addressed to the Batman.  This sets up the next chapter in the revolving Batman saga.

Dark, both in theme and presentation, “The Batman” is the latest attempt to bring the character into the 21^st Century.  Director Reeves thankfully spares us his vision of the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents, apparently assuming that everyone knows that Thomas and Martha Wayne were murdered in front of their young son, thereby creating the impetus that makes him a crime fighter.  Of course, with a running time of almost three hours, perhaps Reeves shot the scene but cut it for time.  Thank you. 

In this Gotham City the sun rarely shines, it constantly rains and the best way to see ANYTHING is with a flashlight.  If I lived there I would be the very wealthy proprietor of a chain of FLASHLIGHT WORLD stores.  The darkness spills over into the tone of the film.  This Batman reminds me of the character from the 1940s comic books, someone not afraid to brutally punch a criminal in the face until his arm gets tired, or kick one off a roof for being naughty.  “I’m Vengeance,” the Batman remarks early in the film.  He isn’t kidding. 

The film is full of familiar characters with slightly different spins, including Selina Kyle (Kravitz), Alfred (Andy Serkis) and Oswald Copperpot, played by a brilliant and unrecognizable Collin Farrell.  It also has some much needed humor, something that was sorely missed in the recent Zack Snyder/Ben Affleck incarnation.  The humor helps offset some of the more darker moments.  The action scenes are intense and well choreographed, but the film eventually falls victim to its own running tine.  Sometimes too much is…well…TOO MUCH. 

The cast is fine, with Pattinson adding his own touch to a role now undertaken by six different actors in the past 30 years, seven if you go back to Adam West and the original television show of the 1960s.  If you only think of Pattinson as Edward from the “Twilight” series you are selling a very talented actor short.  The supporting cast is equally engaging and the new character arcs are a nice change. However, I think the film could have dropped 45 minutes and created a much tighter story, which is why I’m not as high on the film as I’d like to be.     

Starring: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett and Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Directed by: Joe Dante
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 124 minutes
United Artists Releasing

I tell people that sometimes I’m grateful I’ve been ignorant of certain elements in pop-culture. 2022’s “Cyrano,” based on “Cyrano de Bergerac,” a play written in 1897, has been adapted dozens of times. So what does the new one have that the others don’t? I don’t know, but I can tell you that this “Cyrano” features a dazzling performance, some solid ensemble songs and some touching moments.

In the original story, the title character has a big nose that prevents him from proclaiming his love. In this updated story, Cyrano (Dinklage) has a size problem that prevents him from professing his adoration for Roxanne (Bennett). Instead of singing his love to her he lends a helpful ear when she needs one. That leads to him watching as she begins to fall for a Christian (Harrison Jr.), a young soldier that isn’t as witty, clever or skillful with a sword as Cyrano. Despite this, a love triangle forms as Christian recruits Cyrano to win over Roxanne, but is that what’s right for everyone?

It took me a while to warm up to “Cyrano” because I wasn’t quite sure if this movie had anything to say other than “looks aren’t everything” and I’m glad it did, but it took a while. That’s because the film is littered with several music scores (some great, some mediocre) that break up the pacing of the plot, especially when the song calls for something completely unrelated to the storyline. The thing that kept me hanging on during those down moments was Dinklage’s performance, one that I can say is one of the best of the year.

Despite his stature, Dinklage commands the screen and the actors around him. Dinklage doesn’t chew the scenery, he serenades it, enchants it and morphs into it raising everyone and everything up to his level. Bennett, Harrison Jr., as well as Ben Mendelsohn in the role of villain, only appear to be acting their proverbial butts off when Dinklage is in the vicinity. Otherwise the film seems a little lost without Dinklage’s magnetic presence.

Dinklage is such a massive part of this film, I was shocked that he wasn’t the director, writer (although his wife did pen the script), editor and distributor as well. While Dinklage is more well known for his time on HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” fans of his role as Tyrion Lannister may find themselves hypnotized by his quick wit and quick tongue in “Cyrano.” At the very least, “Cyrano” is a testament to Dinklage’s abilities as an actor and as a leading man in any role he’s given.

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Jake Manley and Elizabeth Ludlow
Directed by: Brian Skiba
Rated: R
Running Time: 92 minutes

It’s always easy to say there’s too many cooks in the kitchen when the end product fails. But for a film that has four writers, you would think someone would have eventually read the script and axed some of the characters, trimmed the dialogue and cleaned up the jumbling, bumbling plot. But since that didn’t happen, we’re left with “Pursuit,” a film that’s almost too difficult to explain and even more difficult to care about.

So if I understand the 92 minutes I watched correctly, Rick (Hirsch), a hacker that is the epitome of hacker film clichés, is searching for his wife who has been kidnapped by a mysterious drug cartel, off screen. But while Rick is searching, he is being hunted by Mike (Manley), a New York City detective. Mike actually arrests Rick about a third of the way into the film, setting up the rest of the film which is about Rick potentially offering up worse individuals, including Rick’s father, played by John Cusack, who may have something to do with the kidnapping of Rick’s wife.

It’s sometimes difficult to tell where this movie is supposed to take place, who is working for whom, what characters are actually important to the story and which ones have been created to simply provide an exposition dump, which is funny since the exposition dump’s don’t clear anything up, and instead complicate the plot even further. Even with all the forced twists and turns, there is no payoff at the end for the ridiculousness on screen. It’s almost as if all four writers for “Pursuit” were told four different things about what the story was about.

Compounding the messy story issues in “Pursuit,” is the insane tonal shifts. In the opening sequence alone, the film tries to tell us it’s a techno thriller, but becomes so comically inept, it makes you wonder if one writer was writing a comedy, one writer was taking it too seriously, one writer was trying to figure how many ancillary characters is too many and one writer simply believed there wasn’t enough gun play. So when the film attempts humor, and it does frequently, it comes off jarring. We’re supposed to laugh at a bystander getting shot as some kind of physical comedy, but then in a few minutes we’ll see innocent women and children leaking life force after being shot? Those two things don’t jive well in an entire film, much less in a few minutes of each other.

Almost as if he saw the writing on the wall while reading the writing in the script, John Cusack, who’s predominantly featured in this film’s marketing, seems to be on autopilot as he casually drifts from mundane scene to mundane scene, at least the ones he’s in. I also wonder how much he was actually in it and how many times they just recorded him talking and then had an extra with their back turned for the scene. When we actually know Cusack is the one on-screen, he spends most of his time reacting or talking solemnly on the phone, which tells me his contract most likely stipulated that he would only do the film if they would film it at his house in one day.

Somehow “Pursuit” is equally grotesque and boring with it’s action. As far as low-budget action movies go, “Pursuit” isn’t even worthy of being in a discount bin in Wal-Mart or ran during off-hours on one of Pluto TV’s channels. You’re better off pursuing a different movie, or even a different hobby if “Pursuit” is the only movie you have at your disposal.

Starring: Kentucker Audley, Penny Fuller and Grace Glowicki
Directed by: Kentucker Audley and Albert Birney
Rated: NR
Running Time: 91 minutes
Music Box Films

The year is 2035 (although you’d never know it’s even in the 21st century based on the technology you see in the film) and the only thing that appears to have changed are dreams and taxes. Government auditors, like James (Audley), check in on people’s dreams, assessing the costs associated with the various items that pop-up in the person’s brain. We’re not told much about this structure, which I’ll admit I’m disappointed in since the conceit is fascinating, because the real story involves one dream audit in particular. The audit of Bella (Fuller), an eccentric woman that lives by herself, involves James going through Bella’s dreams one-by-one from her youthful era, which have been recorded on VHS tapes to circumvent the establishment and it’s tax system. Nonetheless, she opens up her mind to James who’s about to open up his mind and heart to the surreal visions he’s about to experience.

“Strawberry Mansion” is like a small town carnival funhouse, most people will see it as a cheap excuse for entertainment while those with an open mind will look past the duct taped together bits and fully immerse themselves in the non-sequitur dreamscape. Part of what made me really enjoy this movie is the obvious budget issues. “Strawberry Mansion” isn’t getting a check from Disney or Miramax, but I’m sure the directors had to max out a few credit cards to cobble some scenes together. The story also gives credence to the somewhat patchwork filming because we are in a dream and dreams aren’t necessarily flawless visual feasts, but more or less flawed droplets of our own introspection and self-actualization. So when James communicates with a subconscious advertisement in an entirely pink kitchen or is the captain of a pirate ship staffed by sentient mice, we accept the insanity of the premise and the cheapness of the effects, knowing that James is in a dream state.

Even though James is viewing old dreams, he’s able to interact with the elements, including Bella, who approaches James much like you approach others in dreams, believing they are the real deal. But as the movie progresses it seems like Bella understands who James is, almost as if her dream memories know they’re dream memories. The overall messaging of the film is a little frustrating, but I feel like it’s intentionally set-up for people to take away different concepts and run with them, whether it’s a commentary on obtuse filmmaking or the dreams we attempt to analyze despite their fleeting nature. “Strawberry Mansion” could also be a meditation on humans allowing the noise and clutter of unnecessary things inhabit our lives, like advertising and government influence. I saw a lot of themes and ideas, but none of them were strong enough to sway me one way or another. I wasn’t sure if it was intentional or not by the creators to be like this, but in a film like “Strawberry Mansion,” there may not be a wrong answer, and therein lies the cleverness of the film at moments.

“Strawberry Mansion” is far from being a head trip action-adventure film like “Inception” or “Total Recall,” but feels more like an Adult Swim acid trip because it’s bizarre, crass at times, silly, confusing and oddly heartfelt. If you’ve ever watched the fake “Infomercials” on Adult Swim, “Strawberry Mansion” is for you. Thankfully, “Strawberry Mansion” isn’t be weird to simply be weird, so even people who aren’t the film’s target demographic may be able to take something positive away from it, even if they don’t like the film. 

Starring: Booboo Stewart, Nils Allen Steweart and Scarlett Sperduto
Directed by: Robert Rippberger
Rated: NR
Running Time: 94 minutes
VMI Releasing

Every year I try to make it to the annual horror movie festival in my neck of the woods (Kansas City, Mo.) called Panic Fest. Over the years I’ve talked with people about this event and a lot of times I get asked the same thing, “How can you enjoy low budget horror? It’s bad.” Well, here’s the thing. I don’t need a horror film to be from Blumhouse to appreciate low budget craft and I can ignore average acting if other elements are above par. Everyone’s gotta get their start somewhere. I’ve always been more likely to judge a big budget film more critically than I am a film put together with a shoestring budget and first time director. So when I say “Those Who Walk Away” is decent, I’m potentially only telling that to people who feel the same way about low budget horrors. Everyone else will watch it and go, “How can you enjoy low budget horror? It’s bad.”

Max (Stewart) is on a tinder date with Avery (Sperduto) and the nerves are palpable as they meet in-person for the first time in a park. Avery, a theater manager who’s also in school for literature, isn’t upfront with every little detail, apologizing profusely while also cushioning the blow of lying by saying that she’s genuinely interested in Max, and that’s why she’s being honest. This is one of many red flags as the two stroll through their town making idle chit chat and revealing their own personal demons. Avery’s personal demon is clearly lying, while Max’s personal demon is his emotional inability to take care of his ailing mother. This elongated conversation and revelations are setting up the film’s monster, which doesn’t arrive until the date begins taking bizarre turns.

I don’t want to reveal too much more about “Those Who Walk Away” because my attempt at the synopsis above does more than cover basic exposition, it covers the first half of the film. That’s right, the first 40ish minutes of the film (I didn’t pause to check) is a conversation/date between Max and Avery. While this kind of set-up helps establish our characters for the second half of the film, it also prevents this movie from ever developing its aesthetic. I say that because the second half of the film is like a found footage nightmare in a still livable home that more closely resembles a condemned shack. Max finds himself in a maze of horror, even though the audience feels no fear moving forward because we’ve already spent a good chunk of time watching a bad first date.

“Those Who Walk Away” employs a lot of single takes, attempting to pull a “Birdman” by tricking the audience into believing it’s all one single take even though the director and cinematographer aren’t as adept as Inarritu at fooling people. Even though they aren’t very good at tricking us, or much less scaring us, the visuals that are created are sometimes fascinating to pick apart and sometimes do offer a mirror to Max’s psyche. Actor Booboo Stewart really gets to shine through in the latter half of the film whereas I wasn’t sure in the first half if he was still stretching his acting legs or simply channeling an introverted man on a first date.

I had to think for a bit after watching “Those Who Walk Away” because I felt that there was an important message being delivered. However, I couldn’t quite pick through the noise to see the message as the credits began to roll. It’s a good ending, but it feels like such a misfire in terms of conveying what it wants to say. “Those Who Walk Away” offers up plenty of peculiar, surreal horror moments in it’s finale, but without a cohesive message the overall look and idea feels lost. It’s difficult for me to recommend “Those Who Walk Away” because the film’s title feels like such a self-fulfilling prophecy about the audience members who will get tired of waiting for the haunted house spooks to begin, and even those who do tough it out, will most likely find themselves walking away empty-handed.

• JACKASS FOREVER
• Starring:  Johnny Knoxville, SteveO,, and Chris Pontius
• Directed by:  Jeff Tremaine
• Rated:  R
• Running time:  1 hr 36 mins
• Paramount

HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS?

OK, since we have younger readers, the word HATS is code for something else.  A place on the body that many men, this one included, consider very special.  Thankfully the group that make up the JACKASS gang have different feelings, and their pain is our laughter.

It’s been almost 20 years since Johnny Knoxville and his band of idiots amused viewers with such harmless pranks as sneaking up on someone and shaving part of their heads, or blowing an air horn at a fancy golf course during people’s backswings.  My how the times have changed.

“Jackass Forever” is exactly what you think it is.  A group of friends hanging out and doing all kinds of things to each others, and some times their own, private parts.  And as unusual as that may sound, it’s truly mesmerizing.  It’s like when people slow down to look at a car accident but in this case you’re stopping to  to watch someone wearing only a protective cup take a direct hit from a soft ball, an NHL player’s slap shot or even a pogo stick.

With some of the Jackass gang getting up there in age, a majority of the pranks are done by a new generation of pranksters, including one who answers to the name “Poopies.”  There is also a father/son team who seem to put their fears aside (anyone want a giant spider crawling on their heads?) in order to spend some quality time together.

Is it fine art?  No.  But it’s hilarious.  This is probably the hardest my wife and I have laughed since “BORAT.”  As the credits rolled my wife said to me, “everybody needs to laugh like this…especially now.”  My thoughts exactly.

Starring: Todd Blubaugh and Nicola Collie
Directed by: Trevor Hawkins
Rated: N/R 
Running Time: 97 minutes

Forrest (Blubaugh) is a wanderer. He spends his days tending to his sailboat, which doubles as his house, on a Missouri lake. He goes to land for essentials and to zip around town on his motorcycle. One day he finds another wanderer named Everly (Collie). The two fall for each other immediately and discuss a future that may never happen.

“Lotawana” reminds me a lot of 2016’s “American Honey,” and not just because both had scenes filmed in and around Kansas City, my hometown. Both films show aimless young adults coming into their own as adults even though they don’t want to become adults and do everything in their power to avoid that inevitability. Forrest, who we literally know almost next to nothing about, enjoys a simple life on a Missouri lake daydreaming about journeys around the globe he will never take. Everly, who we know barely a little bit more about, listens to these daydreams and adds to them. Neither of them is following through with those daydreams, but I won’t spoil why.

As “Lotawana” goes through the motions, we learn very little about our characters, picking up hints from the nature surrounding them as well as interactions they have with people who also live on or around the lake. Because of its vague nature, it wouldn’t surprise me if viewers had different theories as to what is happening and why. Personally, I feel like Forrest and Everly represent two ideologies when it comes to youth.

Forrest appears to be a symbol for privilege. We never really learn what he does or how he has money, but it’s clear he has no problem financially maintaining a boat with food. He also seems to be in no hurry to find a career unless that career is an unpaid internship he gives himself on his boat. Everly, who has a rocky relationship with her family, appears to be fleeing trauma she’s not willing to confront yet, if at all. Both find solace in their wanderlust, but both are following it for wrong reasons, meaning that the happiness we see on screen will eventually turn into conflict unless one of them makes the first move by making an adult decision.

Very rarely do I find myself enjoying a film that features no exposition, much less dialogue that reveals the inner workings or backstory of our characters. Most of the time I’d probably find this frustrating, but thanks to some outstanding cinematography and vignettes involving Forrest and Everly’s relationship, “Lotawana” is gorgeous and serendipitous at times. If “Lotawana” is any indication, first-time film director Trevor Hawkins has a bright future ahead.

Starring: Tim Roth, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Iazua Larios
Directed by: Michel Franco
Rated: R
Running Time: 83 minutes
Beecker Street Media

Neil (Roth) and Allison (Gainsbourg) appear to be a happy couple on vacation in Mexico. Two kids are with them as they go to and from the beach, enjoying the sun and warmth. Then, Allison receives a call about trouble back home. The family packs, dashes to the airport, and then all of a sudden Neil says, “I forgot my passport.” No problem as he says he’ll take the next flight home and gets into a cab. But he doesn’t go back to their hotel nor has he seemingly lost his passport. What happens and why is what “Sundown” is about.

To really become engaged with this film, you need to know as little as possible. In fact, the less you know, the more my opening paragraph reveals that not everything is as it seems. Neil seems apathetic about the family tragedy and we aren’t sure why. He checks into a cheap motel, he lounges around on the beach sipping on drink after drink, and then finds a cute young woman to bring back to his cheap motel. Well, wait, what about Allison and the kids? What about that family tragedy? What’s going on?

So even if you begin to understand what is happening, because Neil doesn’t appear to be the most trustworthy and definitely least likable person in the film, are we really seeing reality? Is reality Allison and the family tragedy or is the reality the one Neil is telling this young woman? There are certain truths that are revealed as the movie goes on, but the crux of the film centers around this event. This family death back home leads to the death of whatever was happening between Neil and Allison, or it’s possibly on a more personal level with Neil. Is Neil frustrated or relieved?

“The Abandon” withholds a lot of information, expecting audiences to do some mental digging on their own. For some audiences, that could easily backfire since there are a lot of times in this film where nothing happens. I’m not saying that Roth isn’t using that nothingness to command the screen, but there really is nothing happening. That’s going to frustrate some to the point where they will no longer care about the conclusion and by the time the film ends, I’m curious if Franco even knew how to say what he wanted to say. I also realize this review is probably frustrating because much like the director, I’m not telling you much.

What I am trying to say, without spoiling the film, is that this is a tough film to enjoy, much less a tough film to fully comprehend. That’s not me saying this film is on another intellectual level, I just feel the messaging is crafted in such a way that you’re most likely going to be mad that you watched the film. While I wasn’t mad about the ending, I certainly felt let down that such a meticulously crafted and well-acted movie seemed to ultimately say nothing when it felt like it wanted to tell me everything.

Starring: Jonathan Rosenthal and Tamara Perry
Directed by: Jason Satterlund
Rated: N/A
Running Time: 96 minutes

Back in the summer of 2002 I went to my local Blockbuster to rent “Cube” after going down an internet rabbit hole. “Cube” is about multiple people waking up in different colored cubed shaped rooms with tiny doors on all sides leading into another similar cube in a different color. The movie kept building and building, making you wonder what was going on and if they’d get out. I only mention this film because I kept getting that vibe from “The Abandon,” a film about an American soldier in Iraq who’s wounded during a firefight, only to be mysteriously transported to a cubed, bland room with no doors.

Miles (Rosenthal), the soldier, spends probably the first 20 minutes by himself in this cubed room, examining his surroundings at first before tending to his injuries he suffered in the gun battle. Before too long, his satellite phone rings. On the other line is Damsey (Perry), a woman who sometimes seems to know more about Miles than she leads on, but nonetheless she isn’t a soldier or in any way shape or form connected to the powers that have imprisoned Miles. She’s an elementary school math teacher who is also imprisoned in a cubed, bland room with no doors.

Despite the slow, and I mean really slow, start to the film, “The Abandon” begins to pick up as Miles’ and Damsey’s conversation gets more and more personal. It’s during these moments where some of the theories people might have begun to take shape. At the beginning, it’s easy to believe that aliens may be behind the whole plot, but before the final frame, I had several theories in my head, including that this may in fact be a secret sequel to “Cube.” That being said, these kinds of films hinge on two things, whether or not the person on screen can carry the somewhat solo adventure and if the ending reveal is worth it. Let’s call it a draw.

“The Abandon” is rarely boring past the first 20ish minutes of Miles frantically pacing around the cube and testing the walls. Not only are little bread crumbs scattered about for us to pick and piece together, but the film manages to create tension between Miles and Damsey, making us question Damsey’s motives and sometimes Miles’ motives. There’s a fascinating cat and mouse game for most of the film, that is until the climax and finale. So, this brings me to the payoff.

It’s not very good. The ambiguous nature of the ending is a bit too ambiguous. While I feel like there can be a straightforward answer, the messaging of the film is mixed. I won’t ruin the ending, but I really want to because it’s difficult to discuss films like these without spoiling everything. These films demand you watch through until the end because the end is what’s supposed to bring it all together, but “The Abandoned” seems to have abandoned any attempts at a cohesive conclusion. That’s not to say the rest of the film isn’t interesting or good, but it feels dampened by its finale.

• VAL
• Starring:  Val Kilmer
• Directed by:  Ting Poo and Leo Scott
• Rated:  R
• Running time:  1 hr 49 mins
• Amazon Studios

Let me say here at the beginning that I have been a Val Kilmer fan since“Top Secret.”  Couple that performance with his role of Chris Knight in“Real Genius” and he was, by far, one of my favorite actors of the 1980s.Over the years he has been a part of some wonderful films, and has created

Such iconic performances as Jim Morrison in “The Doors” – hey Academy, I’m still waiting for you to explain why Val wasn’t nominated for his work – and, of course, “Doc” Holiday in “Tombstone.”  But there is a lot more to Val Kilmer than you or I think we know and the documentary “VAL” gives us a true look at the artist and his processes. 

The film begins with a quick montage of Mr. Kilmer’s work, then a voiceover begins the story.  I was taken aback when I heard that Mr. Kilmer had dealt with throat cancer which had ruined his speaking voice.  We then learn that, though the words were penned by Val, the narration is coming from his son, Jack, who sounds amazingly like his father.  Val does talk some during the film, but his voice is so raspy that subtitles are often required to fully understand his comments.

Mr. Kilmer informs the viewer that he was one of the first people he knew to own a video camera.  As a youngster, he and his brothers used to make their own takes on popular films, among them “Jaws.”  (how could I not love this guy?)  Outgoing and popular, he becomes the youngest person ever accepted into the acting program at Julliard and heads to New York.  There he strives to learn everything an actor needs to know for a successful career.  We see early footage of he and his classmates working on shows.  We also learn that an actor’s job is humbling.  Signed for the lead in his first New York theater production, young Val is soon asked to play a lesser role because Kevin Bacon is available.  Things get even worse when, a week later, he’s asked to take an even lesser role to accommodate Sean Penn. 

As his career takes off we are taken behind the scenes of several of his Films, including “Top Gun,” “The Doors” and, most interestingly, “The Island of Dr. Moreau.”  The last film is legendary for all of the mishaps that beset it during production.  From replacing the director to script changes, there is plenty of blame to go around.  Most of the stories I’ve heard centered around Mr. Kilmer’s alleged indifference to the project and his temperament.  Maybe.  But from the footage shared it look’s like Mr. Kilmer’s dream of working with Marlon Brando became a nightmare for all involved.  In one funny clip, Mr. Kilmer and co-star David Thewliss are talking about Brando when the actor comes on the set in full costume.  Only after studying the man do the two actors realize that isn’t really Brando   Further investigation reveals, it is a guy named Norm, who is filling in for Brando. 

One thing I enjoyed learning is that, when submitting audition tapes for roles he’d like to play, instead of just reading lines Mr. Kilmer would make short films, His takes on prospective roles in “Full Metal Jackeet”  and “Goodfellas” are quite inventive.  He shares a lot of thoughts on how he got the role of Jim Morrison in “The Doors” as well as how he took over for Michael Keaton in “Batman Forever.”  His words ring true when he says that every boy wants to be Batman.  Amen, brother. 

Something else I found fascinating is that Mr. Kilmer toured in a one-man show where he portrayed Mark Twain.  There are a few clips included and he’s marvelous.  Move over, Hal Holbrook. 

Of course, with a career like Mr. Kilmer’s, some films get glossed over.  I would love to know his thoughts on “Real Genius,” “Willow,” “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, “ Wonderland” and others.  But, to paraphrase Spencer Tracy, “what there is is cherse.”

Mr. Kilmer is slated to be in the upcoming “Top Gun: Maverick,” which was originally slated to be released in 2020.  Can’t wait to see the Iceman again.  He can be my wingman anytime! 

Directed by: Regan Linton and Brian Malone
Rated: NR
Running Time: 77 minutes

“Imperfect” opens with Regan Linton’s morning routine of showering, putting makeup on and getting clothed, but it’s different from most. That’s because in college she was in a car accident that paralyzed her, forcing her to use a wheelchair to get around. Despite her disability, she continues to live and follow her dreams. According to her, her lifelong dream has always been acting and being on the silver screen, but her new focus in “Imperfect” is an entirely different beast, directing.

“Imperfect” follows Linton’s journey as she directs the musical “Chicago” in Denver with a cast made up entirely of people with disabilities. We see people from all walks of life come to audition, some with Parkinson’s, some with autism, and nearly every disability. However, instead of focusing on those disabilities, the documentary cleverly shows us the artistic process. That’s because we watch as art elevates everyone in the production regardless of challenges they face. We watch as Linton and her crew make accommodations or changes with production schematics so that some of the actors are able to come to life on stage.

As pointed out in the film and by Linton, audiences won’t see the disabilities, but instead will see the characters and stories they tell as long as they act as well as they promised they could at their auditions. While it is impossible to see past some of the actor’s disabilities, it makes the final product of the performance that much more impressive and heartwarming when everyone comes together and puts on a real banger of a show.

Outside of taking a behind-the-scenes look at this wholly unique production, we learn about some of the actors. Some have spent years working a basic job and have merely dreamed of being on a stage to get their big break while others actually have had a big break in Hollywood, but are still relegated to stereotypical roles suited for their disability, which in a lot of cases (as the film points out) is a damn shame. Some of these people have incredible talent, not only as actors, but as singers and dancers.

Not everything is inspiring and hopeful. At times we see the pain and frustration that comes with this overwhelming process, as well as how difficult the disabilities can be. Despite the film’s brief runtime, the film never wastes a second perfectly showing who these people are, what their talents, dreams and hopes are. It’s the kind of documentary that makes you upset you didn’t experience this production yourself. Despite its title, “Imperfect” is a near flawless look at a once-in-a-lifetime production.

Directed by: Jonah Tulis
Rated: NR
Running Time: 94 minutes
Neon

There’s a current trend happening with documentaries and I’m pointing the finger of blame directly at Youtube. This trend is to hop on a big moment in contemporary history immediately and then attempt to encompass and explain the entire scenario in a brief documentary film. I blame Youtube because Youtube content creators are doing this on a daily basis, sometimes foregoing things like facts and pertinent information that sometimes comes with the passage of time. It’s kind of like a “strike when the iron is hot” idea.

Since my full-time job is in news, I will admit that this wasn’t a structure created by Youtube, but I would say was created by TV news organizations that are wanting to quickly and briefly explain complex situations and condense lengthy interviews. Sometimes it works, but that requires a news room with a large staff with good ethics and knowledge of storytelling. So, when a documentary like “GameStop: Rise of the Players” comes out, I have to wonder if what I’m being told is the God honest truth because so many players in this story are still actively participating in what happened.

If you didn’t know, or had been doing a media break last year (and honestly, I wouldn’t blame you), a little brick-and-mortar store by the name of GameStop was, at least through public perception, dying. Stores were closing, the stock was starting to look like it was going to be worth less than a few mere dollars and the video game industry itself was evolving towards a digital market. But something odd happened, the stock began to double, then triple, then quadruple, in value, but it kept going. Not just over a period of months or week, but hours and then minutes. So, what was going on?

“GameStop: Rise of the Players” kind of explains all this with spliced footage of talking heads on 24-hour news networks, but that really isn’t the meat of the film. The best thing the documentary offers is one-on-one interviews with stock traders who benefited from GameStop’s meteoric stock. Some are simply down on their luck individuals looking to turn things around by, quite literally, gambling on the stock market. It’s these personal stories that make us root for these individuals, as well as GameStop’s stock, throughout the film. Some of the people benefiting were always going to be well off, so I can’t speak to my sympathy or rooting of them, but for the individuals who were having to move back in with their parents or who had received a devastating cancer diagnosis, I’m glad to see their David vs. Goliath story on-screen.

That being said, I wish the film had more context which wouldn’t be possible in the time frame the documentary was created. A quick Google search shows that the GameStop stock is still percolating with hot gossip, whether people are talking about the stock making another climb to infamy or media outlets looking at the aftermath as if the stock will now be left to die. The story of GameStop has yet to be fully told, yet here we are with a documentary claiming to do just that. While I knew most of what was being discussed, I couldn’t help but think that even someone who knew the basics of what happened would still be confused about what was happening. At times the documentary seems to forget that maybe you don’t know about certain things, like how these people were talking to each other over Discord or the phenomenon of people seeking financial advice on Youtube. “GameStop: Rise of the Players” attempts to tell a story, but just like GameStop’s old brick-and-mortar stores, it offers nothing new.

• tick, tick…BOOM!
• Starring:  Andrew Garfield and Vanessa Hudgens
• Directed by:  Lin-Manuel Miranda
• Rated:  PG 13
• Running time: 1 hr 55 mins
• NETFLIX

It’s sad when you don’t see your hard work come to fruition…to not see the impact it had on the world around you.  One example is Steve Gordon, the writer and director of the film “Arthur.”  He passed away shortly after the film came out and, though he had a chance to see how his work was embraced, he never lived to see “Arthur” become a true classic film.  Then there’s Jonathan Larson. 

Larson created one of the most beloved musicals of all time, RENT, which won pretty much every award possible.  Sadly, Larson never got to see how his work was embraced, passing away the night before RENT had its first public performance.  But there was more to Larson’s life, and “tick, tick…BOOM!” gives us a musical look at the man behind the music. 

Jonathan Larson (an AMAZING Andrew Garfield), is about to workshop the new musical he’s written.  He’s gotten good feedback from everyone whose heard it, from his friends to the great Stephen Sondheim (Bradley Whitford), But Larson feels he needs one more song to, in the words of the late, great Mr. Sondheim, “Put it all together.” 

What do you do after you’ve written two Tony-award winning musicals, including the brilliant “Hamilton?”  If you’re Lin-Manuel Miranda you make your feature film directing debut with a musical about one of your peers.  Miranda is a true genius and I can’t think of another modern  director who could bring all of their knowledge of musical theater and translate it to the silver screen.  I say modern because this film would have been right up Bob Fosse’s alley.  The musical numbers are brilliantly staged while the more quiet moments are framed to convey the most powerful of emotions.

Miranda is aided by a top-notch cast, including the aforementioned Mr. Garfield who, besides being one of the best young actors working today, displays a strong singing voice.  The cast is peppered with a who’s who of theater talents, including Joel Grey, Judith Light,  Judy Kuhn and Roger Bart.  I think I even caught Lin-Manuel Miranda as a singing kitchen worker. 

As the film progresses, we follow Larson though his daily routine, and as he deals with his daily struggles and those of his friends, we begin to see the first sparks of what will one day become RENT. 

“West Side Story” has garnered most of the attention this year as THE movie musical to see.  And that attention is well deserved.  However, as the Jets and the Sharks learn, there is always room for one more.  BOOM!