Actors: Ben Affleck, Elle Fanning, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Messina, Sienna Miller
Directors: Ben Affleck
Rated: R
Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: March 21, 2017

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

I was flat out surprised with the lack of success around Ben Affleck’s “Live by Night”. Personally, I think it was affected by his nonstop headlines with his role of Batman. Fans are torn on him now between popularity. This film I enjoyed. I love Affleck in it as well as his script and his direction. Affleck does best when he is in control of his story and shots. I also loved the supporting cast including Elle Fanning and Brendan Gleeson. This film also came out a tough time of the year during award season. The studio wasn’t pushing this film for awards hard enough and it ended up hurting the film as it disappeared like other missed attempts like “Silence”.

Official Premise: Taking fatherly advice is not in Joe Coughlin’s nature. Instead, the WWI vet is a selfproclaimed anti-establishment outlaw, despite being the son of the Boston Police Deputy Superintendent. Joe’s not all bad, though; in fact, he’s not really bad enough for the life he’s chosen. Unlike the gangsters he refuses to work for, he has a sense of justice and an open heart, and both work against him, leaving him vulnerable time and again—in business and in love. Driven by a need to right the wrongs committed against him and those close to him, Joe heads down a risky path that goes against his upbringing and his own moral code. Leaving the cold Boston winter behind, he and his reckless crew turn up the heat in Tampa. And while revenge may taste sweeter than the molasses that infuses every drop of illegal rum he runs, Joe will learn that it comes at a price.

Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert Richardson (“The Aviator”, “Hugo”) captures the film’s time setting perfectly within its 1080p transfer. Surprisingly this film has a Dolby Atmos available to choose from, which don’t get me wrong is amazing but seems overkill. There is also a DTS-HD MA 5.1 track. The special features are lacking including the rather boring of the audio commentary track with Ben Affleck, Director of Photography Robert Richardson and Production Designer Jess Gonchor. There are three featurettes focusing on the characters, cast interviews and the car chase scene. Lastly there are some deleted scenes included optional commentary.

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British documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux is no stranger to controversial subjects. In his wide-ranging tv career, the unflappable Theroux has immersed himself in subcultures ranging from US TV infomercials to Neo-Nazis and the infamous Westboro Baptist Church. For his first feature film documentary, Theroux acted on a years-long fascination with the Church of Scientology. When the notoriously secretive Church wouldn’t admit Theroux to film their practices directly, the documentary took a much more unique approach. Theroux, director John Dower and crew turned instead to former Scientologists to share their experiences within the church and decided to film re-enactments of their stories. Their filming, including casting their own version of Church leader David Miscavige in the form of actor Andrew Perez, quickly drew the attention of the church. The crew finds itself being tailed, filmed and even confronted on public property. The resulting documentary is at once an entertaining examination of the alleged inner workings of the church as well as a realtime account of the lengths the church goes to to defend itself. The film made its debut at last spring’s Tribeca Film Festival where I sat down with Theroux as well as John Dower and Andrew Perez to discuss their impressions of the church and how the doc came together.

Lauren Damon: Before you started making the film, how much did you know, or thought you knew about Scientology?

Louis Theroux: I think I thought I knew quite a lot—

John Dower: You do know a lot.

Louis: Yeah, I mean but then to be honest with you, I’d first been interested in Scientology you know, more than 20 years ago. And then in 2002 or thereabouts, I made my first approach and took a tour of the celebrity center and basically was in negotiation to make a tv doc that way. That fizzled out. And then about ten years after that, our producer Simon Chinn came to me and said ‘Hey what about a theatrical doc? You know, we could do it on Scientology’ And by then—it was around then that the first book, Janet Reitman’s book,  Inside Scientology came out, I read that…I mean the fact is that you could really make a full time job of kind of reading the stuff that comes out on Scientology. The challenge in a way is to not kind of sink into the quagmire…there’s so many threads that you can follow, you know what I mean?

John: You know there’s stories from the past that could be made to whole films themselves.

Louis: You could make a film about just what [ex-Church leader and My Scientology Movie star] Marty Rathbun did in the 80s.

John: The Lisa McPherson Story…

Louis: The Lisa McPherson story. Or you could do one of Clearwater in the 70s and 80s or Bob Minton. About how he went from being a critic to being a Scientology supporter. Or at least agnostic. I mean it’s a lot of individual…and then there’s whole family stories. Not just Lisa McPherson but other ones…There’s a lot. The challenge is not kind of lack of material. It’s a sort of an overabundance.

LD: And that’s also just before you even get to researching what the beliefs are which is also so involved.

Louis: That’s right.

LD: And then Andrew, what had been your experience?

Andrew Perez: I knew just I’d heard some stories of experiences just sort of on the top—the intro levels of communications and courses. I knew that it was on the surface, or to beginners it was a kind of self-actualization, a kind of self-help, kind of therapeutic…I mean going through past trauma and weeding out sensory things that you associate with that. And seeing The Master. So I did have a kind of a good intuition about the introduction to it and why it makes some people get into it. And also the fact that there was also a sort of deep sea of mystery after that intro couple courses or whatever.

Louis: It’s really interesting because—you know when you read Dianetics, like the kernel of what Scientology is is basically just a kind of take on Pavlov’s dog, isn’t it? It’s just about sort of sensory associations.

Andrew: Yeah.

Louis: And when you read Dianetics, it’s got a volcano and it’s like “This is the most amazing book I’ve ever read in my life!” it’s all “Rome fell because of not having a science of the mind!”…Then you find out it’s all about you stubbed your toe and an ambulance went by and now every time you hear an ambulance, you get a sore toe. And you’re like “That’s IT?!” That’s the modern science of mental health? How could anyone think that that was the answer to life’s mysteries?

LD: Then going back, when you considered doing it as a tv series, what do you think it was that made it warrant making a feature movie?

Louis: That’s a good question. And in a way that’s maybe something John would be better at answering.

John: This is my first feature. Yeah, there are…little nuts and bolts, like I think you need a great musical score for instance. And I do think the music in this film is amazing. The composer Dan Jones did an extraordinary score in this film and it needs a sense of scale. If you want people to play eight or nine quid or fifteen bucks, you know they need to feel like they’re getting something with a sense of scale. And I think Scientology has that built into it anyway. And it needs to be entertaining, it needs to feel like you know, it’s…You can ask Michael Moore, he says about his films he wants them to be like date movies. That people will go on dates. You know, it’s a big deal to go to the cinema these days. And I’d like to think that that’s in our film. I’d like to think that it’s entertaining. It’s got to be, it’s a movie.

Louis: For me, I think also it has to do with like in my tv stuff, it is fundamentally journalism and so I have agency but in terms of my place in the film and how I kind of change and push through the journey through the tv shows, but in this one I really do actually really kind of take the story—take the bull by the horns in a sense. So you’ve got—I’m much more of a protagonist which I think is important for the film to work….You know I’m the guy ‘on a mission’ in a sense.

LD: Had it ever crossed your mind to try and surreptitiously join the church?

Louis: Yeah we talked about it—

John: That was floated at one point.

Louis: Obviously when you’re brainstorming, you don’t—everything’s about ‘let’s talk about…well what’re the merits? What’re the ethics of doing this? How would it feel?’ I think quite quickly we concluded that it didn’t feel right.

John: Bad faith…for something like this.

Louis: Plus you wouldn’t even get to see very much. You know without actually having access to someone inside the SeaOrg and even then it might takes months to really get deep inside…Actually while we were making it, I did go along to the Los Feliz mission to just see what happens when you go in the front door. And just show up and say ‘What is this all about?’ To me it was interesting because I’m fascinated by Scientology but imagining if we’d been filming, it would not have been very interesting. It’s just there is a sort of hard-sell that they do at the church.

LD: How long were you shooting your re-enactments before you were aware you were being tailed?

Louis: Marty said that ‘This car has turned up before’, do you remember that?

John: I think we were probably being tailed when we didn’t realize. There was a couple of times—that car, that white Toyota pickup truck that’s in that scene—one of our PA’s Shane said ‘I’ve seen that at the hotel before.’ You know, a good few days before. Maybe even on a previous trip. So we were probably being tailed but we didn’t realize.

Louis: The first time Marty tippled that we had been tailed, though I don’t think I believed him at the time, was the day we did the drills at the studio.

John: Oh yeah, he dashed around the corner, didn’t he?

Louis: Yeah, I mean that was the same day as two people turned up filming us who were journalists. I don’t know if they actually were Scientologists but on the same day Marty said ‘This car is suspicious.’

LD: So like a couple weeks in?

Louis: Well no, it was a while, we were filming more than a year. About two months in.

John: So how did they know that we put out a casting for David Miscavige?

Louis: I mean that casting went out on the wire, didn’t it?

John: I guess so.

Louis: So it wasn’t a secret.

Andrew: But yeah that’s one thing that we’ve said was that they knew that you’d done the casting for a young David Miscavige with Marty in the room.

John: With Marty, that was the kicker. So I wonder did they follow Marty the first day he arrived—

Louis: Maybe.

John: So maybe they were following us from the—

Louis: Anytime Marty came into LA, there’s a chance they might have known about it.

LD: Andrew, when you saw that casting how did you react to it? How did you feel knowing you were kind of playing half yourself and half re-enactments?

Andrew: I just came in, I knew they were doing re-enactments, it said like a BBC documentary on Scientology and I just—I knew that they were kind of shooting outside as I was entering, so I was aware of that and I just focused on playing the role. And I didn’t know where it was all going. It was kind of fun…They would go back to England and then they would come back and have some more material for me and it was kind of a workshop at first. Mike Rinder would show up, Marty was normally there. So I was learning through Marty. They were shooting the rehearsals. There’s a lot that you don’t see that was just the process of….So we were in a blackbox theater listening, watching Marty lead some auditing kind of sessions. Then we did that day at the Mack Sennett Studios, a full day of communication TR training and things. But yeah, I knew that there would be some stuff of just me being me…but I just wanted to focus on the role.

LD: Now do you guys have any idea of where all that footage that they shot of you goes?

Louis: I think it goes into an editing suite somewhere probably in Hemet, California and I think they will be piecing it together into some kind of online video.

John: I suspect they’re waiting for the film to be here. It’s already been seen in the UK—been to festivals in the UK, I think they’re more interested about…I have no idea.

Louis: I think they’re waiting to see what happens with our film and if our film reaches a certain kind of having a profile, that they will release their counterpunch.

John: It would be great if—obviously it would never happen but—I imagine theirs is going to be a shorter film given they only filmed us on two or three occasions…It would be great if, you know how they used to have shorts before the main feature? It would be nice to have theirs.

LD: Is the church as prevalent in the UK as it is here?

Louis: No. It exists and it has high profile kind of missions in locations—orgs, they call them— on Tottenham Court Road and by Paddington…but in terms of their actual number of followers, I think it’s really small.

John: No, it’s quite telling that there’s a road in London—Tottenham Court Road— and they have an Org on Tottenham Court Road and actually there was a time when it was very, in 90s even, I worked in the company around the corner and there were always people sitting outside, always people trying to get you to do a personality test but it’s just dead now. There’s like one person at the front desk, which is quite telling in and of itself.

My Scientology Movie is in select theaters, OnDemand and available to stream on Amazon and iTunes starting March 10th. For more information visit MyScientologyMovie.com.

Starring: Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson and John C. Reilly
Directed by: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Rated: PG-13
Running time: 2 hrs
Warner Bros

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

There are two funny stories attributed to the late producer Dino De Laurentiis, who produced the 1976 remake of “King Kong.” The first is that, every time his film was compared with “Jaws” he would comment on how “nobody cry when the Jaws die”…and that audiences would be weeping at the end of his film. The other is when he first met producer John Peters, who was not only dating Barbra Streisand at the time but had produced her film “A Star Is Born.” Both movies opened on December 17, 1976 and Peters congratulated Dino on “Kong” out grossing “A Star Is Born.” “I’m not surprised,” De Laurentiis is said to have commented. “My monkey can act!”

1973. As the war in Vietnam winds down, a group of soldiers, led by Colonel Packard (Samuel L. Jackson) is chosen to accompany a group to a recently discovered island on a trip funded by the United States government. Finding the island surrounded by horrible weather and storms, the group takes a few helicopters out to make the journey from ship to land. On the way they encounter a big problem. A problem named Kong.

Though it seems like the big ape has been around forever, this is only the eighth film to feature him and the first since Peter Jackson’s remake of the original 1931 classic over a decade ago. Some people didn’t like Jackson’s version but I thought it was well made and really made Kong a sympathetic character. The same holds true here. We learn that Kong is really less of a bully and more of a protector of the indigenous people living on Skull Island. There are lots of creatures roaming around, from lizard-like monsters to giant octopi. But nothing is as big of a threat to the big beast than Colonel Packard, who takes Kong’s protective attack on his choppers as a declaration of war.

Though you really don’t go to a movie like this to see the actors, the cast here is quite good, including a rather dashing looking Hiddleston, strong-willed photographer Larson and World War II vet Reilly, who is truly the heart of the film. Reilly’s former soldier has been on the island since the end of World War II and it’s fun to watch him learn about the world ahead of him while he tries to save the one he’s involved in. Ironically the weakest part of the cast is Jackson, who here plays…Samuel L. Jackson. Clever comments, like “bitch, please” roll from his lips as he continues to plan Kong’s demise. And while Kong isn’t all over the film he appears enough to remind you who’s King. The action is intense and the special effects are well done.

What’s next? Stay through the end credits and find out!

Actors: Kate Mara, Shia LaBeouf, Jai Courtney, Gary Oldman, Clifton Collins Jr.
Directors: Dito Montiel
Rated: R
Studio: LIONSGATE
Release Date: March 7, 2017
Run Time: 90 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

How did a film like “Man Down” sneak onto Blu-ray with no one really knowing. This film packs a solid cast with Jai Courtney, Gary Oldman, Kate Mara, and Clifton Collins Jr…and yeah I guess Shia LaBeouf is the star but he just honestly urks me these days and he is just too damn weird. The only thing that interested me in this is because it is set in a post-apocalyptic America but neither the talent or the setting can save this rather bland/boring film.

Official Premise: When U.S. Marine Gabriel Drummer (Shia LaBeouf) returns home from his tour in Afghanistan, he finds that the place he once called home is no better than the battlefields he fought on overseas. Accompanied by his best friend Devin Roberts (Jai Courtney), a hard-nosed Marine whose natural instinct is to shoot first and ask questions later, he searches desperately for the location of his estranged son, Johnathan (Charlie Shotwell), and wife Natalie (Kate Mara). In their search, the two intercept Charles (Clifton Collins Jr.), a man carrying vital information about the whereabouts of Gabriel’s family. As we revisit the past, we are guided in unraveling the puzzle of Gabriel’s experience and what will eventually lead us to finding his family.

The combo pack comes with a Blu-ray + Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer looks good enough for this film. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 works well with the action/suspense. The special features are boring and empty like the film. There is only an audio commentary included with the director Dito Montiel and Military Advisor Sergeant Nick Jones Jr.

Starring: Dan Stevens, Emma Watson and Luke Evans
Directed By: Bill Condon
Rated: PG
Running Time: 129 minutes
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Disney has effortlessly remade one of its greatest films. That in itself should be commended because of the power that “Beauty and the Beast” still holds for old and young fans of the Disney brand. The 1991 animated classic still has some of the best theatrical music in their catalogue. It also has a story that managed to retell a fairy tale classic while thumbing its nose at formula, something that still feels fresh over a quarter of a century later. So how did Disney recapture the magic?

The sincerity by everyone involved is clear from the costume and set designers to the cast populating the screen. Emma Watson’s portrayal of Belle is spot on, from her obvious attractiveness to Watson matching Belle’s powerfully independent demeanor with stoic glares and gentle warmth in her eyes. There is subtle personality changes that evolves Belle from the two-dimensional hand-drawn character of yesteryear into a three-dimensional character grounded in reality that dances off the screen.

As for Dan Stevens, he had a tougher time capturing the brutish nature of his character, since the Beast is CGI. While I’d be willing to place bets that his voice was digitally tinkered with, Stevens’ ruffs, gruffs, and even singing, makes him stronger than Robby Benson’s portrayal back in the early 90’s. It also helps that we get a lot more backstory behind the Beast’s character and an extra layer of geniality beneath the coarse fur and fangs.

Going in I had my doubts that Luke Evans could play such a vain, muscular villain like Gaston, but luckily I was proven wrong by his character’s roguish suaveness and cunning wickedness. Josh Gad pairs with him nicely as a much more good-natured LeFou in this update. The cutlery and castle furniture are just as charming as their voice actors, Ian McKellan, Stanley Tucci, Audra McDonald, GuGu Mbatha-Raw, and Ewan McGregor, who’s leading the way as the talking candlestick, Lumière. McGregor doesn’t disappoint when he voices the show stopping “Be Our Guest.”

The story remains true to the original, scrambling up a few pivotal moments, adjusting pacing, sewing in ideas from the Broadway adaptation, and taking some creative liberties (which I’m sure you’ve read or heard about one in particular in the media by now). After 25 years, it makes sense that some nuts and bolts have to be shifted and modernized, but it never forsakes the heart and spirit of the movie. The story’s soulful mix of romance and music remains intact.

There are about 30 more minutes of content that gives the audience a deeper of understanding of the characters, and not just our two lovebirds. We relate and feel more for the talking furnishings and silverware more than we did previously. While purists might fold their arms and slouch in their theater chairs in disgust over these changes and the vision, others will be enchanted by this interpretation, finding something there that wasn’t there before.

“Beauty and the Beast” is a magical retelling that will make fans of young ones and make Disney loyalists fall in love with the story all over again. While the original is still the standard bearer for Disney storytelling and animation, this 2017 version isn’t without its own merits. The 21st century “Beauty and the Beast” is a lot more melodic and even more visually extravagant without ever being gaudy. Its familiarity makes it a must-see, but its newfound charm makes it an instant classic for newcomers.

Actors: Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Abbie Cornish, Colin Farrell, Matt Gerald
Directors: Afonso Poyart
Rated: R
Studio: LIONSGATE
Release Date: March 14, 2017
Run Time: 102 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

“Solace” was originally supposed to be a sequel to the 1995 film “Se7en”. I guess when they realized that it wasn’t up to the par of its predecessor they dropped the connection. They are only giving it a push now because of the fame that Jeffrey Dean Morgan brings from “The Walking Dead”. Anthony Hopkins and Colin Farrell co-star and along with Morgan they all give great performances but the film itself isn’t very memorable.

Official Premise: When FBI Special Agent Joe Merriwether (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is unable to solve a series of homicides, he enlists the help of a former colleague, Dr. John Clancy (Anthony Hopkins), a retired physician with psychic powers. Soon, Clancy realizes that his exceptional intuitive powers are no match for the extraordinary powers of the vicious murderer (Colin Farrell) on a mission.

The combo pack comes with a Blu-ray + Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer presented with an aspect ratio of 2.41:1 looks perfect for this cat/mouse thriller. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 also nails the suspense down pat! The special features are a bit of let down only featuring an audio commentary track with Director Afonso Poyart and a short featurette called “Visions and Voices: The Making of Solace” and a trailer.

Actors: Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement
Directors: Ron Clements, John Musker, Don Hall, Chris Williams
Rated: PG
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 7, 2017
Run Time: 107 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 5 out of 5 stars

“Moana” is one of my favorite movies of 2016. I love the story, the music, the characters. Everything about it is perfect. I have not stopped listening to the soundtrack since before the film came out. This is one strong female character film as well. With having a nearly five year old daughter, this is very important. My daughter as well hasn’t stopped dancing around the house to the songs from this film and even has a full Moana costume that she frequently dresses up in. We need more films like this!

“Moana” stars Auli’i Cravalho as the voice of Moana, Dwayne Johnson as the voice of Maui, Temuera Morrison (“Once Were Warriors”) as Moana’s father, Chief Tui; Rachel House (“Hunt for Wilderpeople”) as Moana’s Gramma Tala; and Nicole Scherzinger (Grammy®-nominated singer) as Moana’s mother, Sina; Jemaine Clement (“What We Do in the Shadows,” Flight of the Conchords) voices the crab, Tamatoa; and Alan Tudyk (“Zootopia,” “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Big Hero 6”) voices the rooster Heihei.

Official Premise: From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana”, an epic adventure about a spirited teen who sets sail on a daring mission to save her people. Along the way, Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once mighty demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), and together they cross the ocean on a fun-filled, action-packed voyage. Bring home the movie full of heart, humor and oceans of bonus extras!

Disney is releasing this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer is gorgeous. I love the use of colors in this film. It is so bright and vibrant. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 also works perfectly with the film’s beautiful songs and score. The special features are amazing like the film itself. There are two shorts included. The first was the theatrical short film “Inner Workings” that premiered before the film. There is also an all-new Maui mini-movie called “Gone Fishing”, which is a blast to watch.

The rest of the special features are just incredible. “Voice of the Islands” looks into how the Pacific Island people and cultures inspired the story. There are features about the cast/stars, the musical team Opetaia Foa’i, Mark Mancina and Lin-Manuel Miranda and the making of the music also. There is a fun hidden images throughout the film in “Fishing for Easter Eggs”. “The Elements of” is a series of short behind-the-scenes in the production.

There is a deleted song called with “Warrior Face” with introduction by songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda. There are a bunch of deleted scenes with intros from the directors. There is a music video for “How Far I’ll Go” – Performed by Alessia Cara as well as a Multi-language collection of the song. Lastly there is a must-listen audio commentary track again with directors with great insight view into the production from all aspects.

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Lisa Kudrow and Craig Robinson
Directed By: Jeffrey Blitz
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 87 minutes
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Our Score: 3 out of 5 Stars

The indie dramedy genre is generally characterized by it’s portrayal of a dysfunctional family, a haphazard group of friends or a bumbling arrangement of strangers in a scenario where there are multiple revelations, declarations and betrayals, soaked in sappy sentimentality and feel-good moments. Very rarely do the movies give audiences a cathartic release or genuinely move our hearts and soul. However, a few do. “Little Miss Sunshine” comes to mind. But most of these films are a dime a dozen, floundering on their own predictability or offering audiences brief, but humorous escapism. “Table 19” does both.

“Table 19” is named after the wedding table where the people who got an invitation, but should have known better and declined the offer, showed up. It’s the final table to be set and have it’s food delivered at the wedding. It’s brushed to the corner of the banquet hall, near the bathrooms and out of sight. The table 19 occupants are equally as random as their connection to the bride or groom. It almost makes you wonder if the nicer thing would have been to just never have sent an invitation at all.

There’s the heart-broken, former best friend of the bride and ex-maid of honor, Eloise (Kendrick). To her left is the Kepps, Bina (Kudrow) and Jerry (Robinson), whose marriage is struggling so bad they don’t even bother keeping up the appearance of smiling happiness or tolerable hatred anymore. To Eloise’s right is the adolescent Rezno (Tony Revolori), who’s only at the wedding because his mom didn’t think he had a chance of scoring a date or dance at his junior prom. Rounding out the table is ex-convict, Walter (Stephen Merchant) and a nanny from the past, Jo (June Squibb).

There’s a lot of emotion and backstory to unpack, but “Table 19” reveals a lot of it without sacrificing a handful of entertaining moments. Most of it unfolds naturally, in a manner that’s logical to the scant plot. Jerry loves mystery novels and wonders why such an oddball group would be stuck at the worst table. Eloise provides the answer, while withholding some secrets as to why she, a jilted lover, would bother showing up to the wedding her ex-boyfriend is at and why the couple even broke up in the first place.

Kendrick, as usual, is bubbly, likable and cute. It’d be interesting to see if she’d be able to pull off the villain in a movie someday. Merchant’s awkwardness as Walter provides some much needed comic relief that isn’t Jerry’s sardonic bluntness about the whole situation. The audience will surely relate with a lot of the characters on screen, but only because their plights are so generic. Despite my complaints about its reliance on indie tropes, I found myself enjoying the funny quirks each character carried as well as how the story resolved. The conclusion is the one thing I couldn’t quite predict.

The movie is written by the Duplass brothers, who’ve worked on a lot of indie dramedies, some bad and some well-written. What’s missing from their brand is the uncomfortable comedy that should be populating their envisioned settings. That’s where director Jeffrey Blitz comes in, whose work includes episodes of “The Office.” Together, the writers and director, create a passable movie, skirting on secondhand embarrassment, but nothing memorable or outstanding.

“Table 19” has some heartfelt performances and some jaunty comedic moments, but too often it finds itself lost in its own plotting and backstory. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell if we’re supposed to enjoy the characters company because they’re emotionally disfigured buffoons or sympathetic damaged souls. Even at 87 minutes, it feels like it takes too long to tell a simple story. At times its sappy like any love story culminating at a wedding, but sometimes you feel like you’ve shown up to a wedding you don’t want to be at.

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Starring: Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage and Cynthy Wu
Directed by: Ry Russo-Young
Rated: PG-13
Running time: 1 hr 39 mins
Open Road Films

Our Score: 0.5 out of 5 Stars

It was less than a month ago when, commenting on seeing the worse film of 2017, I included the following in my review of “The Space Between Us:”

“Thankfully I think I’ve found my winner for 2017 so the next 11 months of movie-going should be enjoyable for me.”

To the cast and crew of “The Space Between Us” I extend my sincere apologies.

I can sum this film up in one sentence: Imagine if a group of people got together and decided to make the worse movie possible based on the premise of the film “Groundhog’s Day.”

We meet moody teenager Samantha (Deutch) as she is awakened by a text that reads “Happy Cupid’s Day.” She is greeted repeatedly with this comment, often followed by, “or as you call it, Valentine’s Day.” Which would be nice if the date on the phone didn’t clearly read February 12. Oops. Anyway, she heads to school with her three idiot friends – I had so little interest in them that I didn’t even make the effort to look up their names – who are obviously the “cool” girls of the school. Tonight is the big night because Samantha is going to have sex with the dreamy Rob. Sam gets a rose from a classmate but ignores it. She spends her lunch hour picking on the “weird” girl then finds herself at a party. Finding Rob disappointing she leaves the party with her gal pals. Then she dies. Or does she?

I’ll have to admit that for the first few minutes of the film I thought it might be interesting. I was reminded of the film “Carrie” when I noticed the quartet of girls were very similar to the leads in that 1976 film. Sam is Sue Snell, the good girl played by Amy Irving. She is surrounded by girls similar in character to the ones played by Nancy Allen, P.J. Soles and Edie McClurg. Make the “weird” girl Carrie and you’re set. Sadly, the film and its makers are not that clever. “Before I Fall” is a film that is so bad it’s almost insulting to the audience. So many teen movie tropes fill the screen that you almost have to brush them away to see what’s happening. The acting is wooden and the laughs are almost non-existent. Except to the three ladies who sat behind me who guffawed as if they had just walked into a comedy club with Robin Williams on stage every time one of the gals hands Sam a condom and comments “no glove, no love.” HA-HA-HA!

Time after time the condom is exchanged, things happen and Sam dies. It gets to the point where, as soon as the “new” day begins you’re hoping Sam will just die in bed. I haven’t been so anxious to see a character die on screen since I rooted against the shark in “Jaws.”

Damn it, Mike, isn’t there ANYTHING positive you can say about this film? Yes there is. I was impressed with Elena Kampouris, who plays the “weird” Juliette. Both she, and her character, deserved a better fate then this film.

Actors: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelsen
Directors: Scott Derrickson
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release Date: February 28, 2017
Run Time: 115 minutes

Film: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Doctor Strange” is easily of the best films that I have seen. It is definitely one of the best Marvel flicks that I have seen in a long time. I am honestly getting a little or more like a lot superhero fatigued. This film deals with time-traveling, world-bending and supernatural powers, which really interested me a lot. A must see for any fan. Cumberbatch is perfect in the role and I can’t wait to see what he does in “Avengers: Infinity War” and hopefully “Doctor Strange 2” on day soon.

Official Premise: From Marvel Studios comes “Doctor Strange”, the story of world-famous neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose life changes forever after a horrific car accident renders his hands useless. When traditional medicine fails him, he travels to remote Kamar-Taj in search of a cure, but instead discovers the mystical arts and becomes a powerful sorcerer battling dark forces bent on destroying our reality.

“Doctor Strange” is a visual marvel (no pun intended). I love this film and the way it looks is just perfect. The 1080p transfer looks amazing on Blu-ray. I am sure it looks even better in 4K. I personally prefer this film in 3D, which just looks so amazing. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 is amazing. I believe that this is in the running for top Blu-ray A/V merits for this year already.

The special features are quite awesome. Kicking off with a exciting and fun audio commentary track with director Scott Derrickson, which gives awesome into into the film and it’s production. It was recorded a day before the film was released, I would have preferred to have Scott cover more post release tidbits from fan requests etc otherwise it is great.

There are five featurettes that dive into the production. The first is “A Strange Transformation” which covers the basics – the cast, locations, story etc. “Strange Company” dives more into the character development. “The Fabric of Reality” looks at costumes and set construction. “Across Time and Space” looks into the stunts and digital effects.  Lastly there is “The Score-Cerer Supreme”, which focuses on Michael Giacchino’s score.

There is a piece called “Marvel Studios Phase 3 Exclusive Look” which looks at the films in the phase and Doctor Strange’s place within them. “Team Thor: Part 2” is follow up to the short film that nearly broke the internet last year! Can’t wait till “Thor 3”! Lastly there are a few deleted and extended scenes  included as well as a fun gag reel.

Actors: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges
Directors: Kenneth Lonergan
Rated: R
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: February 21, 2017
Run Time: 137 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

“Manchester By The Sea” is a very rare film that I was unable to finish. I made it halfway through this film twice but I cannot finish it. I couldn’t stand it from the moment it started. This doesn’t mean that the acting isn’t good. Casey Affleck definitely did a great job. Was he better than Denzel Washington in “Fences”? No way! People have loved this movie I am sure but I am not one of them and its not the first time I heard someone else say that they couldn’t finish it either. Congrats to Amazon Studios but I will take a pass on this.

Official Premise: Casey Affleck heads a powerhouse cast in this acclaimed and deeply moving film from award-winning writer-director Kenneth Lonergan. After a solitary Boston janitor (Affleck) unexpectedly becomes the sole guardian of his 16-year-old nephew, he must come to terms with a past that separated him from his wife (Michelle Williams) and his hometown, as uncle and nephew unite for an unforgettable journey of love, community, sacrifice, and hope.

The Blu-ray presentation are solid but at the same time nothing special. The 1080p transfer doesn’t have any visual aspect that wowed me very much at all. It looks good though. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 sounds good with the music and score but again nothing groundbreaking. The special features are rather weak as well. There is a “A Conversation with Director / Writer Kenneth Lonergan”, which is more like an audio commentary but I didn’t listen much there. There is also an EPK “Emotional Lives: Making Manchester by the Sea” and some deleted scenes included.

Actors: Naomie Harris, Trevante Rhodes, Janelle Monae, Mahershala Ali
Directors: Barry Jenkins
Rated: R
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: February 28, 2017
Run Time: 111 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

First of all let’s start with a BIG congrats to “Moonlight” for winning Best Picture during the 2017 Oscars and also to Mahershala Ali for winning Best Supporting Actor, in which he deserves for another impressive performance.  This wasn’t a film that I originally rushed out to see and it features some great acting. Personally not my cup of tea and definitely not the best picture of 2016, but worth checking out for the performances.

Official Premise: A timeless story of human connection and self-discovery, Moonlight chronicles the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami. Anchored by extraordinary performances from a tremendous ensemble cast, Moonlight is profoundly moving portrayal of the moments, people, and unknowable forces that shape our lives and make us who we are.

The Blu-ray looks fantastic. I really love the way that this film was shot. The 1080p transfer is presented with a 2.38:1 aspect ratio. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is also very effective with the film’s score. The special features are decent and worth checking out if you enjoyed the movie. There is an audio commentary with the film’s director Barry Jenkins. I enjoyed this during a second viewing to get some great insight. There are also three featurettes on the production. The first is “Ensemble of Emotion: The Making of Moonlight”, next is “Poetry Through Collaboration: The Music of Moonlight” and last is
“Cruel Beauty: Filming in Miami”. Overall pretty solid release!

Starring: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris, Simon McBurney, Lizzy Caplan, Daniel Betts
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Rated: R
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: February 28, 2017
Run Time: 124 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Allied” is a solid film with a solid cast and a solid director but doesn’t deliver a completely satisfying film. “Allied” is what I call a one timer. I definitely enjoyed it but it is no likely to be something that I would watch again. I like the way that film was shot. Pitt and Cotillard really look the parts from the makeup to their attire. There was alot of detail put into this production to capture the specific era.

Original Premise: Oscar winners Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard star as Max Vatan and Marianne Beauséjour, two of the world’s deadliest spies, who fall in love while undercover on a top-secret mission and marry during World War II. But when Max learns his wife may be secretly conspiring with the enemy, he has only 72 hours to prove her innocence and save his family before he must do the unthinkable.

The combo pack comes with a Blu-ray and UV/iTunes digital copy. The 1080p transfer works perfectly with the way the film is shot and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is on point with the film’s score and dialogue. The special features consist of ten featurettes covering the entire production from the story to the costumes to the vehicles, music and much more.

Actors: Steven Seagal, Russell Wong, Jemma Dallender
Directors: Keoni Waxman
Rated: R
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: February 28, 2017
Run Time: 90 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1.5 out of 5 stars

I have to admit I have a sweet spot for anything with Steven Seagal. “Contract to Kill” though just feels like him collecting a paycheck for really no effort. This film is lazy as is Seagal’s performance. It’s hard to critique him because I am a fan but he just is sleep walking through this film and it really shows. Hopefully his next role (aka cash-in check) will be better. I will still loyally watch, I am sure.

Official Premise: Action star Steven Seagal stars as a government enforcer investigating a terrorist plot that leads him and his team to Istanbul. There, they uncover an extremist plan to use drug-smuggling routes to bring deadly weapons — and leaders — into the U.S. To prevent an attack on America, Harmon must turn these two savage forces against one another before his time — and luck — runs out.

Lionsgate is releasing this film as a Blu-ray and Digital HD combo pack. The A/V on the Blu-ray aren’t anything special. The shaky camera used in the film makes it annoying to watch and keep track of Seagal. Like the film itself, there isn’t much content in the special features department. The other extra included is “The Making of Contract to Kill” featurette, which is a brief look into the production.

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams and Catherine Keener
Directed By: Jordan Peele
Rated: R
Running Time: 103 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 4 out 5 Stars

Something’s not right. It’s not just the subtle and blatant racism by Rose’s (Williams) family, but it’s the growing sense of dread that the audience experiences through the eyes of Chris (Kaluuya). Every other African-American that Chris encounters wears clothes straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting and speaks in uncomfortable pleasantries. Even worse is that when talking to these African-American’s Chris feels like he’s talking with every other white person he’s encountered at the family event.

Despite the blunt, and comedic, warnings of one of his friends, Chris is visiting the relatives of his five-month girlfriend. Rose tells him that she hasn’t mentioned she’s dating a black guy to her family, but she assures him it’s perfectly OK. She even tells him that her father (Bradley Whitford) would have voted for Obama for a third time if he could have. He later shoehorns that racially motivated banter into conversation as a way to get to know her daughter’s new boyfriend, as if her father assumes all black people voted for the 44th President. The awkward remarks and comments aren’t fooling Chris though. Something’s definitely not right.

For those familiar with Jordan Peele, who’s worked in television sketch comedy for over a decade, it might come as a surprise that his directorial debut is satirical horror, that’s a lot heavier on the tension than it is the jokes. The comedy is served up as a way to divide viewer apprehension, which there’s plenty of. Peele has a keen eye for unnerving the audience with numerous close-up shots, specific musical arrangements in even more specific spots, and performances that convey a sinister plot hidden deep in suburbia.

Peele, throughout his comedic career, has dropped muted and blunt horror movies references and “Get Out” is no different. For horror aficionados, there are plenty of nods, homages and stylistic choices reminiscent of Wes Craven, Stanley Kubrick and others. But for those in on the trick of the trade, you’ll find more to “Get Out” than its director’s love of scares as the film progresses. The social and racial commentary is sprinkled throughout and just not in Rose’s eerie, grinning family.

Chris, as well as his friend who keeps in constant contact with back home, seem to be the only ones that understand racism is still a thing. It’s seen early on with a policeman taking a statement after Rose hits a deer with her vehicle. Despite her being the driver, the officer still asks for Chris’ ID. That’s a more obvious statement by the film, but there are plenty of other moments shrouded behind smiling faces and looks, demeaning questions, and using undignified nicknames when talking with Chris.

The boogeyman in “Get Out” isn’t anything supernatural, but very real. As a white man who’s sat through plenty of horror movies, rarely do I ever get two distinct impressions. One, I am the boogeyman. Two, this is what the average black man deals with. The movie even begins with a nod to the Trayvon Martin incident as a black man walks through suburbia at night, thinking out loud about what George Zimmerman is lurking just around the corner.

As politically and socially carnivorous as “Get Out” is, it’s never victimizes black people or vilifies white people. The terror is real, projecting minority’s real world fears onto a plot revolving around body horror, brainwashing and 21st century slavery. It helps that Chris doesn’t find himself in the stereotypical backwoods, but in a picturesque homestead where everyone’s educated, nice and welcoming. But as I stated at the beginning, something’s not right. If “Get Out” is any indication, Peele is not only a refreshing voice for horror, but may have just steered the genre in a completely new direction that’s wildly exciting, scary and ferocious.