Reuniting the director, writer and stars of Forrest Gump, HERE is an original film about multiple families and a special place they inhabit. The story travels through generations, capturing the most relatable of human experiences. Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Cast Away, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Contact, Back to the Future) directs from a screenplay by Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, Killers of the Flower Moon, Dune: Part One, A Star is Born) and him. Told much in the style of the acclaimed graphic novel by Richard McGuire on which it is based, TOM HANKS and ROBIN WRIGHT star in a tale of love, loss, laughter and life all of which happen right Here.

Here tells an incredibly simple tale.  The story is centered in literally one spot.  The camera does not move, but time does.  When the film opens, we are in prehistoric times. Dinosaurs are passing by and the big bang occurs.  As time evolves, we see Native Americans living off of their land.  Then colonial times come forth.  Further down the line, we see the gilded age, the past becoming the present as frames place themselves everywhere on-screen showing different things, sometimes from other times.

Here is not told in a linear style.  Something that will make the film a difficult watch for some viewers is that there’s a lot of jumping around. One moment, you’re spending time with Tom Hanks’s Richard Young, or even before that, his parents. They have purchased the house from another couple, an inventor and a housewife.  We see glimpses of the inventor making his invention.  We also see the other inhabitants of the home before and after the Young family.

Interestingly, Richard never does leave his parents.  His father (Paul Bettany) is surly and drinks, while his mother (Kelly Reilly) can at times be forgetful, but this is usually brushed off.  When Richard brings home Margaret (Robin Wright), his parents enthusiastically welcome her into the family.  For the story’s sake, Richard and Margaret get pregnant and then have to get married in the living room.  Before this occurs, we see Benjamin Franklin pass by in a carriage, as we see his New Jersey become more modernized.  Eventually, Richard and Margaret move on from the house, and a new family moves in, only to be devasted by the loss of someone close to them from Covid, and then in turn, moving out of the house, making it possible for Richard and Margaret to have one more moment in that living room, where even after they’ve left, we never have.

Here deals with a lot of things in one space.  Before the house is built, we see things developing and evolving and changing.  As the house comes together, we see the different types of people moving in and out.  The first people living in the house turn their noses up at it, feeling that is isn’t good enough, and hating that Ben Franklin is their neighbor, stating that he lives in a monstrosity.  The next family are more modern and modest, with the husband showing interest in being adventurous with the newly honed skill of flight, and his wife waiting at home for him all the time. The inventor and his wife are next, and they’re the most interesting to me, even more so than Richard and his brood.  They are bohemian, playing jazz music, dancing, having fun… they are lively! After Richard’s family moves out, the last family leading up to 2024 moves in.  This is the only family that seems to be wealthy moves in, and also the only family of color too.

Here is not lost on characters or decent acting.  The premise is interesting in a way also.  It can also be emotional depending on how you feel about tales of love, struggle, loss, and life paths crossing.  It also depends on your patience on films whose scenes take place in much the same space for their duration.  In the case of Here, the camera doesn’t even move.  For some, this could become tedious.  I think it’s safe to say you can put me in the group of the “some” in that respect.

Here comes to the screen with a clear idea of the story it wants to tell, but unfortunately, what was released feels muddled.  The pacing is snail-like, and unfortunately the reliance on CGI, including fully rendered CGI characters, makes the whole experience feel false and cold.  I would have loved to see the film further fleshed out.  I could see the film using the house more and following its characters from every era around the house, and not just sticking to the living room.  I have no doubt those reading this will say that this voids the purpose of the film, but if we stay in the house, it’s still utilizing the point of Here and fleshing it out a bit by moving you and the characters around the home to make it less static.

Since I am a person who reviews films and does not make them, I can share my opinion, but I don’t dare believe I could write a capable film.  As a person in the audience, I do have to say that for me this continues a disappointing downturn in Robert Zemeckis’s career.  You can see his desire to innovate but things feel so stagnant, made worse by a camera that doesn’t move.  I can’t place the blame solely on Zemeckis though.  There Is also Eric Roth, who not only wrote Forrest Gump, but also Dune Pt. 1, Killers of the Flower Moon and a TON of other films.  This doesn’t even feel like something he’d write.  It’s so stalely written, moving in random ways from one bland moment to the next.  Save for the inventor and his wife (Spoiler: He invents the Lay-Z Boy), this movie is not one I can see gaining much of an audience despite the pull of having Tom Hanks starring and reuniting so many people who worked together on Forrest Gump.  It’s a shame too, because I know I’m not alone in my desire to see all of those involved here celebrating the success of their newest cinematic experiment.

SPECIAL FEATURES

How We Got Here (The Making of HERE) – A 20 Minute Documentary talking about the cast, crew and writer reuniting for the film, and the execution of the film.

Deleted Scenes – About 10 minutes in total, nothing essential, but interesting!

Final thoughts:

HERE is a film you’ll either love or despise. Although I enjoyed the 1080p picture and Dolby Surround Sound, I found myself getting a bit frustrated because the camera never moves (until the end). It’s admirable that Zemeckis continues to push the technical envelope each time he makes a film, but a film’s technical aspect is one thing. To move a film watcher with an engrossing story is most important. I would guess the ones who truly love this film are either Zemeckis fans or those who relish in seeing Hanks and Wright again in a film role.

Film ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Video ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sound ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Extras ⭐️⭐️

• THE BRUTALIST
• Starring:  Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce
• Directed by:  Brady Corbet
• Rated:  R
• Running time: 3 hrs 20 mins (3 hr 35 with intermission)
• A24

Our score:  5 out of 5

Budapest.  World War II has recently ended.  We find Erzsabet (Jones) writing a letter to her husband, Laszlo (Brody), reminding him of her love and where he can find her.  An important fact as Laszlo is now living in Pennsylvania, trying to build a new life in a constantly changing new world.

Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, “The Brutalist” is a beautifully shot film that celebrates one mans desire to be remembered, no matter the cost.  Arriving in America, Laszlo is given work by his cousin, a businessman with a furniture store.  Laszlo is an architect and his skills go well with furniture designing.  He is also a proud Jew, who is upset that his cousin has not only changed his last name but is now a Catholic.  Laszlo battles many demons, from terrible dreams to drug addiction but no matter what, he will fight to achieve the “American Dream.”

Thanks to the amazing cast, the three hour plus run time does not seem that long.  Brody is always at his best when he is playing tortured souls and his performance here is top notch.  Both he and Huffman are Oscar nominated for their work and they are well deserved.  But the stand out performance here goes to fellow nominee Guy Pearce, who owns every scene he is in.  I have loved Pearce ever since his breakout performance in “L.A. Confidential” and he is outstanding here.

The film is beautifully shot and the period settings perfect right down to the smallest detail.  The film is also propelled by it’s Academy Award nominated musical score, as well as the greatest selection of mid-century standards since, well, “L.A. Confidential.”

Please note, I had the opportunity to see the film without and intermission so if you see it in the cinema, add 15 minutes to the run time.  But believe me, it is time well spent.

On a scale of zero to five, “The Brutalist” receives ★★★★★

Starring: Bill Skarsard, Lily-Rose Depp and Nicholas Hoult
Directed by: Robert Eggers
Rated: R
Running Time: 132 minutes
Focus Features

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars
Blu-Ray Score: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

One of the biggest questions for me heading into Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu” was how he would handle the undead title character. Would we see a harkening to the quiet evil of the 1922 version or something akin to Werner Herzog’s nuanced version in 1979? Having recently watched both in the past year, I realized as soon as Nosferatu was spotted that Eggers had done his homework, adding a dash and splash from each into Bill Skarsard’s version of Count Orlok. Thankfully, that isn’t the only storytelling blend that Eggers attempts, along with some fresh takes in the story of the undead.

Unlike prior imaginings, the 2024 version opens on Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) who already senses Count Orlok’s impending arrival deep in her soul, and probably her pants. This sense of dread could also be because her darling Thomas (Nicholas Hoult) is to actually meet the cryptic Count Orlok for a real estate deal. Thomas’ story is retread as we watch him travel to Orlok’s castle and experience horrors beyond his imagination. But the film does something curious, it constantly cuts back to Ellen, as she slowly loses sense of reality and has nightmare after nightmare of Orlok. Although at a certain point, as I hinted at earlier, you could make that argument that the nightmares become wet dreams.

If you haven’t sensed by now, the biggest change in Eggers’ vision is just how horny this film is. The sexual tension has always been there, but it’s never been this overt. The film notes that Nosferatu not only has a thirst for blood, but innocent virginal nude blood, although I doubt he’s too picky when he’s hankering for a midnight snack. The film also serves us a reminder that women weren’t generally believed, on anything, for centuries. Ellen’s treated with whichever weird medicinal practices of the time and when Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz (Willem Dafoe) shows up he, he actually believes Ellen, but tends to view her as a pawn in his chess battle with Count Orlok.

The film follows the originally closely enough that if you aren’t paying attention, you wouldn’t notice the subtle, yet profound differences in how the story unfolds. Fans of the originals will surely spot and mark the changes. Obviously, based on the trailer and Eggers’ other films, we weren’t about to see a more colorful and visually vibrant vampire film like the 1979 film. However, he really takes a few pages out of the Herzog vision of plague arriving in Europe. While “Nosferatu” doubles down on the darkness and the haunting shadows of Germany and Transylvania, Eggers vision is filled with evil in every nook and cranny.

It’s hard not to heap copious amounts of praise on Eggers, who has solidified himself as a modern voice in horror. While being quite longer than its predecessors, Eggers makes use of every frame, finding ways to crawl under our skin, suffocating us in Gothic horror imagery. The biggest weakness, which isn’t necessarily a flaw in the film, but is just enough for me to mention it as a reason this isn’t rated higher, is that the acting doesn’t leap off the screen as much as Count Orlok’s claw-like fingers. That’s not a huge knock against the film because so much of the film is told through visuals.

“Nosferatu” is surely going to be talked about for years, but in a year with lots of fantastic horror, it simply has to take a spot on the 2024 Mount Rushmore of horror films instead of standing tall like a monument to scary cinema. However, “Nosferatu” is Eggers best film, so far, as he takes the best components of his prior films, like “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse,” to craft a menacing film that Bram Stoker himself would surely be inspired by.

Special Features:

• EXTENDED AND THEATRICAL CUTS OF THE FILM
• NOSFERATU: A MODERN MASTERPIECE – A look behind-the-scenes
• BREATHING LIFE INTO A DREAM – A talk with Robert Eggers about bringing his vision to the screen
• BECOMING COUNT ORLOK – A look at nailing Count Orlok’s look in the film
• CAPTURING THE MOOD – A look at the Oscar-nominated cinematography of the film
• RECREATING 1838 – A look at how the film captures the look of 1838.
• DRESSING THE PART – A look at the film’s wardrobe
• THE END IS JUST THE BEGINNING – A look at the film’s visual effects
• DELETED SCENES
• FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH WRITER/DIRECTOR ROBERT EGGERS

As the 40th anniversary of Return of the Living Dead approaches in 2025, DRagonSTUDIOS, the official copyright holders, proudly announce a brand-new cinematic universe! Kicking it off with the highly anticipated feature film: TRASH’s REVENGE part of The Return of the Living Dead Universe.

Legendary actress Linnea Quigley, who brought the iconic character Trash to life in the original film, has joined forces with DRagonSTUDIOS to return to the world of the undead in this thrilling new chapter.

And here’s the best part, you can be a part of this epic adventure! Join us in making horror history by supporting our crowdfunding campaign and becoming a key player in the next evolution of the Return of the Living Dead universe!

Click here to support the film: https://cinebacker.com/product/trashs-revenge-rotld-universe/

What is TRASH’s REVENGE all about

As the saga continues decades after the horrific events of the 1985 cult classic, Trash the notorious punk rocker, played by Linnea Quigley, finds herself trapped in a past where fame has faded. Once a rebellious icon, Trash now embraces the persona of a grotesque Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard, attending conventions to sign autographs while her co-stars rise to greater heights.

For Linnea, her legacy as a star of Return of the Living Dead becomes both a curse and a twisted ticket to notoriety in an industry obsessed with horror and scandal. But when a young filmmaker approaches her to make a documentary with staged re-enactments from the original film to celebrate the film’s 40th Anniversary, Linnea sees an opportunity to reclaim her place in the spotlight no matter the cost.

As the documentary delves into her past, a shocking truth emerges: Return of the Living Dead wasn’t just fiction, part of it was real. Linnea confesses that she still possesses three original cannisters from the film, hidden away in her basement. Cannisters that were never revealed to the public… until now.

• CONCLAVE
• Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci
• Directed by: Edward Berger
• Rating: PG
• Running Time: 2 hrs
• Focus Features

Our Score:  4.5 out of 5

Nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Ralph Fiennes), and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Isabella Rossellini), “Conclave” is one of the best films to grace the silver screen this past year. Its dialogue is nothing less than superb and its overall screenplay is almost flawless. The stellar cast rises to the occasion at every mesmerizing moment during this somber, tense drama.

In the wake of the pope’s death from a heart attack, British Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Fiennes), the dean of the College of Cardinals with liberal views about the church’s future, convenes a conclave in Vatican City. Cardinals from around the world arrive for the secluded, secretive meeting. Four leading candidates emerge – liberal-minded American Cardinal Aldo Bellini (Stanley Tucci), socially conservative Nigerian Cardinal Joshua Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), moderate Canadian Cardinal Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow), and staunch traditionalist Italian Cardinal Goffredo Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto, “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”).

Trembly and Tedesco are both power hungry, although the former is more about subterfuge while the latter wears his feelings on his sleeve. Adeyemi and Bellini are more reserved and humbler about their ambitions. It’s a political minefield that Lawrence, who struggles with his faith and is adamant that no one should vote for him during the process, must make a delicate dance to get through. Further wrinkles include the unexpected arrival, via Afghanistan, of previously unknown Mexican Cardinal Vincent Benitez (Carlos Diehz), a back-and-forth relationship with Sister Agnes (Rossellini), the headstrong nun who oversees the cardinals’ accommodations, and a suicide bombing.

Watching “Conclave” is like savoring a finely aged red wine. It’s the kind of film that sticks with you long after viewing it. The political intrigue and infighting during the papal election process are mesmerizing to view. Each actor/actress deliver pitch perfect performances as they navigate the story’s twists and turns. While the climax has been enjoyed by some and hated by others, it is certainly something you won’t see coming. Fiennes is unforgettable with a brilliant performance of a man who is resolute yet conflicted. He absolutely deserves to win Best Actor. Overall, “Conclave” is one you should catch on streaming before the Oscar ceremony.

“Conclave” receives ★★★★ ½  out of five.

• SEPTEMBER 5
• Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, Jeff Magaro
• Directed by: Tim Fehlbaum
• Rating: R
• Running Time: 1 hr 35 mins
• Paramount Pictures

Our Score:  4 out of 5

Nominated for Best Original Screenplay at this year’s Academy Awards’ ceremony, “September 5” is an important and tragic historical drama detailing the massacre of Israeli athletes during the 1972 Summer Olympic games in Munich, West Germany. Told from the viewpoint of an ABC sports broadcast team, “September 5” is a haunting tale, told with quick pacing by director Tim Fehlbaum (“The Colony”), that still resonates today as humanity cannot seem to break the endless cycle of violence caused by terrorism.

Crammed inside a tight control room in Munich, the production staff of ABC Sports attempt to control chaos as split-second decisions are constantly being made to keep up with various sporting events. ABC Sports President Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard, “The Batman”) and control room head Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro, “The Many Saints of Newark”) work tirelessly to ensure its all as seamless as possible. Athletic competition begins to take a backseat during the early morning hours of September 5, 1972, when shots ring out in the Olympic village as a Palestinian terrorist group takes several Israeli athletes hostage.

When it becomes clear that an unprecedented crisis is unfolding, Arledge and Magaro do their best to manage the chaos while broadcasting the situation live to the world. Not only do they have to keep a diverse group of people working together, even though women are relegated to secondary roles, but Arledge and Magaro must also maintain high standards of journalism even if they are just sports people. All the while, a series of mistakes by everyone involved, including the ABC crew, leads to a disastrous conclusion.

Like “Civil War” in which the story of war, albeit a fictional one, is told through the eyes of journalists, this film’s viewpoint is an intriguing one as well. We see the story unfold much like viewers did in 1972 – helpless to do anything about it and yet unable to pull our attention away from it. Archival footage is blended in with rich dialogue, solid ensemble acting, and an accurate depiction of historical complexities to bring back to life a sobering event that, much like the Holocaust, should never be forgotten.

“September 5” receives ★★★★ out of five.

• NOSFERATU
• Starring: Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult
• Directed by: Robert Eggers
• Rating: R
• Running Time: 2 hrs 12 mins
• Focus Features

Our Score:  2 out of 5

Nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Achievement in Cinematography and Best Achievement in Costume Design, “Nosferatu”, the latest remake of the 1922 classic “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror”, is a vampire flick with more yawns than frights. It meets the eye test for plenty of horrific visuals punctuated by great period costumes. However, it is about as terrifying as watching an episode of the PBS series “This Old House”. The film’s pacing is a bit awkward and its cast, while obviously talented, does not do anything to leave an indelible impression.

Sometime during the 1810s, a young, disturbed girl named Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp, “The King”) cries out for a supernatural being to prevent her from being lonely, but it ends up awakening a supernatural creature who makes her pledge herself to him. Fast forward to 1838 when Ellen, who is plagued by nightmares, and her husband, Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult, “Mad Max: Fury Road”) are living in the fictional town of Wisborg, Germany.

Desperate to make a better life for Ellen, Thomas takes on a commission offered by his eccentric employer that takes him to Transylvania where he meets Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgard, “It”), a sinister recluse whom the locals fear. It is not long before Count Orlok sets sail to Wisborg and in the process kills the entire crew and unleashes the bubonic plague upon the city. Ellen tries to resist him, which results in Count Orlok threatening to kill Thomas and the entire town if she does not repledge herself to him. Aided by a Swiss scientist (Willem Dafoe) who is an expert in the occult, Thomas sets out to confront Count Orlok and save his wife.

To be blunt, if you want to watch a horror film that will scare you, then I would recommend “The Exorcist”, “The Blair Witch Project,” or even 1992’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” starring Gary Oldham. While it looks creepy, “Nosferatu” is more window dressing than substance. Skarsgard is unrecognizable but his version of the character is somewhat boring, and the violence is gratuitous at best. Get some garlic and holy water and keep this vampire flick at bay.

“Nosferatu” receives ★★ out of five.

• WICKED
• Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande
• Directed by: Jon M. Chu
• Rating: PG
• Running Time: 2 hrs 40 mins
• Universal Pictures

Our Score:  3.5 out of 5

Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, “Wicked” delivers a wickedly good time for young and old alike. Wonderful visual effects, fantastic costume designs, and an imaginative script all serve to breathe new life into the world of Oz. It is all topped off with a pair of superb performances by Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the eventual fabled “Wicked Witch of the West”, and Grammy Award-winning singer Ariana Grande as Galinda, the future “Good Witch of the East”. Their chemistry is nothing short of mesmerizing on the silver screen, which is only enhanced by their powerful vocals.

After the Wicked Witch of the West has been killed by a bucked to water tossed on her, the citizens of Oz celebrate with joyful abandon as Galinda watches on. When questioned if she was a friend with the now deceased witch, Galinda reveals they did indeed know each other and she goes on a journey down memory lane to explain what happened. Their relationship began when they attended school at Shiz University where they also became roommates. Initially, they hated one another as Galinda was intent on being Miss Popular while Elphaba, due to her green skin, remained an outcast.

The two eventually become friends and it because of that friendship, the first Elphaba has ever experienced outside of the bond with her sister, that Elphaba takes Galinda with her to the city of Oz to meet the wizard (Jeff Goldblum), who has summoned her after hearing about her natural talents as a witch. Secrets are revealed and unsavory motivations come to light that end up testing the two ladies’ friendship. It all sets the stage for a “Wicked” sequel that will tell the second half of the story adapted from the stage musical by Stephen Schwartz.

Erivo (“Harriet”, “Bad Times at the El Royale”) provides a tangible sense of isolation within her character, causing Elphaba to be a much more sympathetic individual that one could imagine, that is if they have only seen the 1939 classic film. In it, the witch is abstract villainy and wholly unsympathetic. It is quite the opposite in this film as Erivo infuses her with a wide range of emotions, enough to cause the viewer to forget about all preconceived notions. Grande demonstrates just how powerful her vocal range while also proving she has acting chops, which are obviously good enough to get an Oscar nod. While Goldblum and the remaining cast with all the effects are great, it is “Wicked’s” two leading ladies who cast a spell over the audience.

“Wicked” receives ★★★½  out of five.

• LOVE HURTS
• Starring:  Ke Huy Quan, Josh Stoddard and Ariana DeBose
• Directed by:  Jonathan Eusabio
• Rated:  R
• Running time:  1 hr 23 mins
• Universal
• Our Score: 3 out of 5

With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend I’m reminded of a question that is usually reserved the game’s MVP:  “Hey Ke Huy Quan, you just won the Academy Award.  What are you going to do now?”  However, instead of proclaiming he’s going to Disney World, Quan declares, “I’m going to make an uneven action film.”

Valentine’s Day.  As a mysterious woman spends the morning defacing the many bus benches and yard signs featuring real estate agent Marvin Gable (Quan).  Meanwhile, Marvin is doing his best to sell his most recent house, repeating his mantra for prospective buyers, “I want a home for you.”  Returning to work, Marvin is stunned to learn that he has received a prestigious award for his realtor skills.  It’s a pretty good day for Marvin.  Except, of course, for the assassin hiding in his office.

Full of fun martial art battles, but not much else, “Love Hurts” seems to be a film that was hurried to theatres to capitalize on both Valentine’s Day and the fact that the cast includes a pair of recent Oscar winners (Ms. DeBose won hers a couple of years ago for “West Side Story.”)  While the action scenes are top notch – first time director Eusabio did a lot of stunt work for films like “The Fall Guy” and the “John Wick” series), the story is fragmented.  With a run time of only 83 minutes, including credits, it feels like there is more to the story that is missing.

That being said, the film boasts a strong cast.  If you’ve ever seen an interview with Quan, you know that he is a very likable person, and that personality fits Marvin to a tee.  Marvin has done his best to distance himself from his past, but even nice guys have bad days!  The rest of the cast play to their strengths as well, with a special mention to Sean Astin, who gives his character a true humanistic heart.

Overall, the film is enjoyable, but I can’t help but wonder about what it could have been.

On a scale of zero to five I give “Love Hurts” ★★★

Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, Leonie Benesch
Directed by: Tim Fehlbaum
Rated: R
Running Time: 1 hr 35 mins
Paramount Pictures

Our score:  4 out of 5

George Orwell once lamented, “To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.”

It’s even more challenging when you’re also the one deciding how the rest of the world sees.

That’s the engrossing setup behind September 5, a recounting of how the Palestinian terrorist group Black September held members of the Israeli Olympic team hostage in 1972. The incident was the basis of Kevin Macdonald’s Oscar-winning documentary One Day in September and Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner’s gripping Munich.

Despite covering well-trodden territory, September 5 still feels fresh because it covers how ABC Sports found themselves in the middle of the crisis. Keeping on top of it proved Herculean and required the broadcasters to jerry rig technology where it hadn’t gone before. They also wrestled with ethical issues that would vex experienced hard news reporters.

At the beginning of September 5, the most newsworthy events for ABC’s audience had been the spectacular performance of American swimmer Mark Spitz. Things seem to be so settled that the head of operations, Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard) thinks he can catch up on his sleep.

In his place is the relatively inexperienced Geoffrey Mason (John Magaro) and an overworked German translator Marianne Gebhardt (Leonie Benesch). The expected drudgery turns into relentless anxiety when gunshots ring out from inside the Olympic Village.

Instantly, the crew has a more urgent concern than Spitz’s next medal. Reporter Peter Jennings (Benjamin Walker) has to improvise ways to find out how to get the near the scene of the action and how to get heavy cameras and recording equipment where they were never designed to go.

Some of the tensions that worked its way from the Middle East also erupt in the control room when Jasques Lesgards (Zinedine Soualem), a Frenchman of Algerian descent, briefly clashes with ABC executive Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin), who’s Jewish. Of course, it’s a given that both realize the story in front of their eyes is more important.

Sportscasters today make placing a distant event in your living room look easy. Much of the thrill of September 5 is that it shows how much effort goes into making something seem effortless. Bader, Arledge and Mason have to sneak 16mm film past guards (who failed to keep Black September out) so that viewers can see how pressing the situation is.

Because the heavens are littered with satellites these days, it’s shocking to learn that ABC Sports had to negotiate with other networks for access to the one satellite available in 1972. Simply staying on the air was almost impossible.

Knowing these facts helps make September 5 exciting. Tim Fehlbaum’s taut direction also helps. In a brisk 95 minutes, Fehlbaum, who wrote the Oscar-nominated script with Mortitz Binder and Alex David, never gives viewers a chance to catch their breaths.

The three acknowledge that ABC Sports completed a formidable achievement in September 5, but they also make Arledge and company completely human. When two technicians successfully figure out how to tap into the Munich police frequency, one makes the mistake of sending Gebhardt out for coffee when she’s the only person in the building who can understand what the cops are saying. Real, flawed people were working that day, and much of the vitality of the story comes wondering which mistakes they can afford to make.

One clever touch Fehlbaum ads is not casting an actor to play Olympics anchor Jim McKay. Instead the director incorporates the actual footage of McKay relaying the story as it came to him. It’s hard to imagine even the best of thespians replicating the power of McKay’s faithful announcements, and Fehlbaum and company seamlessly replicate what the people in the control booth might have been feeding him.

The movie also acknowledges that sometimes doing a good job isn’t always satisfying. Perhaps we don’t get more coverage of the kind ABC Sports provided is because tragedies like the one in September 5 affect the witnesses as well as the participants. Benesch’s turn as Gebhardt is especially moving because she and other Germans hoped the games would be a way for Germans to atone for their homicidal tyranny.

If September 5 is a fascinating look at the past, it’s also a chilly reminder of how terrorism hasn’t gone away and why we need alert and capable people to cover it.

“September 5” receives ♣♣♣♣ out of 5.  

• KRAVEN: THE HUNTER
• Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe
• Directed by: J.C. Chandor
• Rating: R
• Running Time: 2 hrs 7 mins
• Sony Pictures

Our score: 2.5 out of 5

Available on streaming platforms, “Kraven: The Hunter” was without a doubt, based upon its overall box office numbers and poor ratings, a bomb at the box office. It could, in fact, be argued that it may have landed with a larger thud upon Earth than the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. However, yours truly has a somewhat more positive take on it even if it is just putting lipstick on a pig. Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Avengers: Age of Ultron”, “The Fall Guy”, “Bullet Train”) delivers a solid performance and Academy Award winner Russell Crowe is entertaining as his ruthless father. The action is fun, and the story is watchable. The problem with it, and every other live action Sony film that is supposed to be a part of the Spider-Man universe is the complete lack of any tie-in to Spider-Man himself. More on that later.

For apparent majority of human beings who have not seen “Kraven: The Hunger” yet it begins with Russian Serge Kravinoff (Taylor-Johnson) and his meek half-brother, Dmitri (Fred Hechinger) being pulled out of their private school by their ruthless, cold-blooded father Nikolai (Crowe) to be trained to take over his criminal empire. While on a hunting trip in Tanzania, Sergie is fatally injured during a lion attack and is saved because of a mysterious potion given to him by a young girl named Calypso.

Sergie soon discovers he has developed incredible powers because of this experience, but instead of becoming his father’s heir, he runs off into hiding in the Russian wilderness. Years pass and Sergie, who now goes by the name of Kraven, has become a vigilante who sets out to kill the world’s worst bad guys. Still, Kraven is unable to escape his past when mercenaries kidnap his brother for a ransom to be paid by Nikolai, who refuses. It’s up to Kraven then to save his beloved brother before his abductors kill him, which leads to a lot of action that anyone is sure to enjoy

That is the shorthand recounting of the film, which is certainly better than “Morbius” and “Madame Web”. The common fatal thread with all of them, including the “Venom” trilogy to an extent, is that they don’t tie in together hardly at all much less to Spider-Man, the main protagonist of Sony’s franchise. What Sony has failed to understand is that not only is the web slinger probably the most popular character in the Marvel universe, but also no one cares to see standalone films about each of his greatest enemies. The brilliance of the Infinity Saga was that every film was tied together without the need for full movies dedicated solely to bad guys. At this point, it’s hard to say if even a fourth, live-action Spider-Man with Tom Holland will save Sony’s endeavor to create a universe of its own.

“Kraven: The Hunter” receives ★★ ½  stars out of five.

• THE WILD ROBOT
• Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal
• Directed by: Chris Sanders
• Rating: PG
• Running Time: 1 hr 42 mins
• Universal Pictures

Our Score: 3 out of 5

Nominated for three Academy Awards – Best Original Score, Best Sound, and Best Animated Feature Film – “The Wild Robot” is a wonderful film the entire family can enjoy, especially the little ones. Based upon the 2016 novel of the same name by American author Peter Brown and the first of a trilogy, “The Wild Robot” contains beautiful, animated imagery, well-written dialogue, and plenty of fun animal characters. What it does not contain is anything that is original. The story is reminiscent of every other animated feature like “WALL-E” or any cinematic work involving a robot who goes on an adventure that leads to them developing human emotions. Yawn.

Much like the Mayflower, a violent storm blows a cargo ship off course and in the process its ROZZUM robots, designed to do tasks humans don’t want to do, are lost at sea to later be washed up on an uninhabited island. When ROZZUM 7134, or Roz (Lupita Nyong’o, “Black Panther”, “Us”), is the sole robot to survive intact. She is soon accidentally activated by wild animals who are terrified of her as she believes her mission is to help them with their tasks. Even after learning animal languages, Roz can’t seem to fit in.

Without any task to fulfill, Roz attempts to contact the company who made her, but a lightning strike prevents her from accomplishing it. The failed attempt leads to her crushing a bird’s nest and the subsequent adoption of a young gosling named Brightbill (Kit Connor). Her only help comes in the form of a fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal), who initially wants to eat the gosling. From there, Roz develops an identity of her own, which runs contrary to her programming. This in turn sets up a “dramatic” confrontation with the heartless, villainous company that built her when they reach her location.

Don’t get me wrong, “The Wild Robot” is a story any age can enjoy. It’s filled with laughter, action, and a few tears. The voiceover work by Nyong’o is delightful as she does a brilliant job with infusing life into her character, who goes from zero to hero. Pascal, known best for his more serious roles, is perfect as the film’s comic relief. Still, “The Wild Robot” is nothing that has not been seen before a million times. Entertaining? Yes. Creatively original? No. It becomes almost forgettable after watching it, unless, of course, your five-year-old insists that you watch again for the 98th time.

“The Wild Robot” receives ★★★ out of five.

Starring: Phillip Cordell, Ravi Patel and Quinnlan Ashe
Directed by: Danny Dones
Rated: NR
Running Time: 96 minutes
Freestyle Digital Media

Our Score: 3 out of 5 Stars

I couldn’t pass up “Clone Cops.” The title and image at the top of the press release alone sold me. I didn’t need to read the synopsis or any of the other information in the press release. I just knew I had to watch something that looked like an incredibly low budget version of “Smoking Causes Coughing” that would worm its way into the brains of select audiences at 3 a.m. on Adult Swim. So, does it live up to the hype that I’m currently pumping it full of? Kind of, but I also think what it does is perfectly fine and fun.

With a backdrop that looks like whatever abandoned buildings were in the director’s neighborhood, “Clone Cops” introduces us to a world run by NefariCorp, a company that operates like a spite baby made by Amazon, Meta, and Pfizer. If you’re running the world, you need your own law enforcement, right? Enter the clone cops, who are all played by comedically self-deprecating and scenery chewing Phillip Cordell. The clones are made in a lab out of continuously recycled pink slime because they’re about as useful at stopping criminals as Stormtroopers are at stopping the Rebel Resistance. They’re deployed en masse, over and over again, to bust some criminals participating in a heist. Sounds like a great excuse to watch slapstick gore, but just when you think you’re about to watch a film on a 21st century version of the Keystone Cops, the movie flips on its head.

The silly bad acting action does unfold like an episode of “Power Rangers,” but the film manages to twist the story consistently while wedging in commentary on the social media age and the cruelty that inhabits it, the cutting corners ineptitude of corporate run public services, the idea of endless content to feed humanity, and how Earth may just now be where poor people inhabit it to provide for the rich on the Moon. However, all of that may be the film’s biggest problem because it really does way too much on top of the inherent comedy. I’m not saying it didn’t tackle these topics in fun ways, but it seems to overinflate the runtime and break up too much of the comedy and moments where we learn more about these absurd characters. It is a fun giggle-filled ride, but it could have been a low budget “The Other Guys” with some more fine tuning.

The film appears to pay homage to sci-fi genre amongst the laughs while developing a low-budget Troma charm (although not as gross out). Sometimes it leans into those low budget charms while other times it just does look and feel like a low budget film. I haven’t really talked about the plot, but that’s because so much relies on the twists which evolve over time. “Clone Cops” is just fun, and honestly, that’s all you can really expect, want and need out of a film that barely passes the hour-and-a-half mark.

• INTO THE DEEP
• Starring:  Scout Taylor-Compton, Callum McGowan and Richard Dreyfuss
• Directed by:  Christian Sesma
• Rated:  R
• Running time:  1 hr 30 mins
• Saban Films

Our Score:  3.5 out of 5

The ocean is a pretty scary place.  Especially if you’re a young girl just learning to swim.  While treading water with her father, young Cassidy (Quinn P. Hensley) is getting mad, as her father keeps kicking her legs.  Only dad is several yards away.  Uh oh!

Well-acted, with some equally good effects, “Into the Deep” tells the story of the now grown up Cassidy (Taylor-Compton) and her boyfriend, Gregg (McGowan) as they prepare to dive to recover a rumored sunken treasure.  Thanks to the constant guidance of her grandfather Shamus (Dreyfuss), Cassidy has conquered her fears to become a marine biologist.  When the pair, and their friends, are taken captive by modern-day pirates searching for 80 kilos of heroin that has been lost at sea, it will take every bit of Cassidy’s will to stay alive.

Of course, any shark-themed film will be compared with “Jaws,” and “Into the Deep” is no exception.  Even with Dreyfuss aboard, it’s not “Jaws.”  But then again, it doesn’t try to be.  If I compare the film to a Peter Benchley story it would be “The Deep.”  The film’s suspense comes from the interactions with the pirates.  They are bold and ruthless and not above executing innocent boaters or the coastal authorities.  The sharks ramp up the suspense even more, and the attacks are well staged.  Nothing over the top.  Very perfunctory and quick.  In this day of CGI overuse, it is a credit to the filmmakers that they don’t go overboard, so to speak.

The cast is strong, especially Taylor-Compton, who displays the silent toughness she will need to survive.  Kudos also to Jon Seda, who plays the leader of the pirates.  He takes a character that could be played over the top and keeps him grounded, making him even more menacing.  And what a great bit of casting to have Mr. Dreyfuss in the cast.  He has always had a way of holding the audience with just his words, and as we listen to his advice, shown through flashbacks, you hang on every word.  “Remember,” he tells the young Cassidy, “this is their world.  You are a visitor.  You are a guest.”  The film is well-paced, and moves along swiftly.  Production values are strong and the musical score, by Andy Fosbery, sets the tone well.

The final credits run alongside a very heartfelt PSA from Dreyfuss on the importance of sharks in our world and how to assist in shark conservation, something that was very important to “Jaws” creator Peter Benchley.

On a scale of zero to five, “Into the Deep” receives ★★★ ½