Starring: Rebecca Hall, Tracy Letts and Michael C. Hall
Directed by: Antonio Campos
Rated: R
Running time: 1 hr 55 mins
The Orchard

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

There is a saying in the television news business that goes, “If it bleeds – it leads.” Definition – people are drawn to seeing other people suffer. Have you ever watched the news and the anchor looks into the camera and says, with a serious voice, “the video we are about to show you may be disturbing?” And if so, have you ever turned away? So imagine now that you’re watching television on July 15, 1974 and you hear the pretty broadcaster say, “In keeping with Channel 40’s policy of bringing you the latest in ‘blood and guts’, and in living color, you are going to see another first—attempted suicide.” Would you turn away?

The story of television personality Christine Chubbuck, who actually spoke the above words, “Christine” is an in-depth look into a problem that was either misdiagnosed or just ignored: depression. We meet Christine (Rebecca Hall in an award-worthy performance) sitting in front of a camera and “rehearsing” an interview she’d love to have with the disgraced President Richard Nixon. She uses these tapes to study her on-camera “language.” She also uses a pair of hand puppets to express many of the things she’s afraid to voice. Once an important part of Boston news, Christine now finds herself at a little station in Sarasota, Florida, where she went to relieve the stress in her life. Even though she has a crush on the stations anchorman (Michael C. Hall), she doesn’t date and, at age 29, is still a virgin. Her depression is obvious to us, the viewers, but to those around her she just seems put-offish. But with the opportunity to go to Baltimore being dangled in front of her, she begins to change.

I have to admit that I barely remember the incident that made Christine Chubbuck infamous. Television often blurs its reality. That’s why, in the film, Christine continually rails against the set decorator who insists on using artificial flowers. She strives for reality in all things. Ms. Hall gives a thorough and nuanced performance, making Christine both sympathetic and almost unlikable. The supporting cast also acquits itself well, with special mention going to Mr. Hall and the great Broadway star John Cullum as the owner of the news station.

With the success today of so many female television reporters, including Diane Sawyer, Martha Radditz and Katie Couric, it’s hard to remember how tough women had it in the workplace 40 years ago. The fact that one of the characters watches “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” is all we, as the audience, need to see. See you on the news.

Actors: Chris Pine, Jeff Bridges, Ben Foster, Katy Mixon, Kevin Rankin
Directors: David Mackenzie
Rated: R
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: November 22, 2016
Run Time: 122 minutes

Film: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars

“Hell Or High Water” easily has some of the best performances of the year. In fact, this film easily nudged itself in my top films of 2016…YES it is that good. Chris Pine, Jeff Bridges, Ben Foster together are GOLD! Bridges is hysterical and steals the show. Foster delivers yet another outstanding performance for the underrated actor, who was also fantastic in “Warcraft” this year. Of course, let’s not forget Chris Pine who once again shows off his acting chops. Lastly, props should go out to Gil Birmingham, who hasn’t gotten enough credit from this film because he was amazing also and put up with Jeff Bridges’ character, which was a challenge. Overall, this is a fun, action packed, slow burn drama that I highly recommend you do not miss!

Official Premise: Toby is a divorced father who’s trying to make a better life for his son. His brother Tanner is an ex-convict with a short temper and a loose trigger finger. Together, they plan a series of heists against the bank that’s about to foreclose on their family ranch. Standing in their way is Marcus, a Texas Ranger who’s only weeks away from retirement. As the siblings plot their final robbery, they must also prepare for a showdown with a crafty lawman who’s not ready to ride off into the sunset.

In the Blu-ray combo pack also comes with a DVD of the film as well as a digital HD copy. The Blu-ray 1080p transfer is gorgeous showing off the beauty of Texas and the DTS-Master Audio 5.1 track nails the score and the music by Nick Cave. There are three decent featurettes included, the first is “Enemies Forever: The Characters of Hell or High Water”, which features the cast dicussing their roles. The next is “Visualizing the Heart of America”, which discusses the shooting locations for the film. Last one “Damaged Heroes: The Performances of Hell or High Water” reviews with the cast/crew about our leads and how they nailed their characters. Also included is the Red Carpet Premiere footage as well as a Filmmaker Q&A that is working checking out for sure.

Actors: Emma Roberts, Dave Franco, Juliette Lewis, Emily Meade, Miles Heizer
Directors: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Run Time: 96 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Nerve” is a movie that makes me feel like I am getting old. It starts Emma Roberts (TV’s “Scream Queens”) and Dave Franco (“Now You See Me” franchise) both of whom I cannot stand at all. They seem to represent all that the younger Millenial generation stand for and they honestly can’t act either. Plus it is just wrapped up in this obxvious world of social media, which I try and stay away from. So obviously, this film was not made for me personally, which is fine but I did have to sit through it to complete this. If you are a Millenial that like to tweet, Instagram or whatever else you kids do, you will enjoy this but anyone over 30 should steer clear.

Official Premise: Industrious high school senior Vee Delmonico (Emma Roberts) is tired of living life on the sidelines. Pressured by her friends, Vee decides to join Nerve, a popular online game that challenges players to accept a series of dares. It’s not long before the adrenaline-fueled competition requires her to perform increasingly dangerous stunts. When Nerve begins to take a sinister turn, Vee finds herself in a high-stakes finale that will ultimately determine her entire future.

The Blu-ray Combo Pack, which comes with a Digital HD copy of the film has one pretty cool feature that I was impressed with. They give viewers the unique opportunity to experience being a WATCHER or a PLAYER. In WATCHER mode, you can go behind-the-scenes with 15 “Creating Nerve” pods which dive into the making of the film itself. “The Fat Jewish Gets Tattewish” is a collection of outtakes from internet personality Josh Ostrovsky and “The Governor’s Ball Takeover” features a game of dare played at the 2016 Governor’s Ball in New York.

If you take the interactive PLAYER mode route, you can take interactive quiz called “Are You a Watcher or a Player” or play the “Do You Have the Nerve?” Game, which would be for viewers looking for an adrenaline rush or view Player Profiles of the top Nerve players. Oddly enough, the DVD included, only features the Watcher mode special feature.

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Tilda Swinton
Directed By: Scott Derrickson
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 115 minutes
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

How many trick or treaters did you get that were dressed as Doctor Strange? I’m going to guess that you got none. You probably saw more kiddos dressed like Thor, Spiderman, Batman, Harley Quinn or Iron Man. Well next year you might see a few more kids wearing fake or drawn on goatees and donning red velvet colored capes.

The latest addition to the Marvel cinematic universe is the egocentric neurosurgeon, Stephen Strange. The world renowned doctor showboats while patients’ lives are on the line. He loves demonstrating his calm demeanor and unflinching hands under immense pressure during operations that require precise movements. He values his hands much like a model covets their hourglass shape. But that all goes out the window after he suffers a horrific accident (don’t text and drive), that requires pins, needles and plates to reconstruct his hands. All that’s left after multiple surgeries are trembling scarred fingers resembling flesh pudding.

Refusing to accept that he’s lost the use of his hands, Strange goes on an experimental medical journey that ends in impoverished Tibet. Whispers and rumors have led him to the mystic Ancient One (Swinton). Despite reservations about Strange’s narcissism, she takes him in. She hopes to upend his self-centered Western mind and open it to the powers of Eastern religion and ancient mysticism; all while spouting lines of dialogue reminiscent of Taoism or Gautama Buddha.

Outside of being the most mentally and spiritually stimulating entry into the Marvel movie catalog, “Doctor Strange” features a superhero that prefers brains over brawn. But when fighting is required, it’s a visually stunning treat. The visuals are a mix of “Inception,” M.C. Esher, “Avatar: the Last Airbender,” “The Matrix,” and a Pink Floyd acid trip. When the world begins to bend and fold, the grand music score, with morsels of Eastern stringed musical instruments and psychedelic synthesizers, props up the optical mind trickery.

As for the story, it lacks the right amount of emotional magic and it seems to suffer what most Marvel movies lack, an interesting and relevant villain (just sit through the credits for more proof that Marvel is out of villains). Mads Mikklesen, who’s been an iconic villain in everything from
“Casino Royale” to his eerily role as a middle-aged Hannibal Lecter in NBC’s TV show, seems wasted in this movie as Kaecillius. Kaecillius’ motivation is a blend of rebellion against the Ancient One and his immoral infatuation with immortality.

Despite my frustrations with a lack of Mikklesen, Cumberbatch and Swinton are a delight to watch with their “Karate Kid” teacher/student moments. The duo has the most to offer their characters while everyone else is left to play second fiddle to them. Rachel McAdams plays Strange’s toss-away love interest and Chiwetel Ejiofor spends most of his time standing in proximity to main characters so he can provide key plot points.

Despite some of its storytelling flaws, Doctor Strange is the most thought provoking of Marvel’s movies, while keeping intact the thing we’ve come to know and love from Marvel studios. “Doctor Strange” was definitely a risky gamble for Marvel, but it’s paid off. And not just because of Cumberbatch’s acting and a crew dedicated to dissecting and dismantling everything we thought about the world, but because it puts aside the city destruction and violence for some thoughtful superhero development.

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Teresa Palmer and Vince Vaughn
Directed by: Mel Gibson
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hrs 11 mins
Summit Entertainment

Our Score: 5 out of 5 Stars

In the summer of 1979 I joined the U.S. Army and took Basic Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. I’d like to think we were tough then…running in the Carolina heat – we were the last training cycle to have to run in boots – running the obstacle course and complaining loudly that, when we got the chance to see a movie on post, we got stuck with “Beyond the Poseidon Adventure!” I mention this because, 37 years before I arrived, another young man took Basic at Fort Jackson. His name was Desmond Doss.

We meet young Desmond (Darcy Bryce) and his brother, Hal (Roman Guerriero) as they run through the beautiful countryside of their Virginia home. Like most boys do, they begin to rough-house, which quickly turns to punches. Egged on by their father, the boys begin to throw haymakers. Sensing he’s going to lose, Desmond picks up a brick and lands it against the side of Hal’s head. We have a winner. Of course this does not sit well with his parents, who warn the young boy that he could have easily killed his brother. Religion is important in the Doss household and the commandments are stressed. To break the one that reads, “Thou shall not kill,” according to Desmond’s mother (Rachel Griffiths), is the worse sin of all. Which seems like an easy rule to remember until Pearl Harbor, when the passive Desmond joins the Army. In doing so he learns he’ll have to fight to the bitter end for his beliefs and his life…against his fellow soldiers.

Based on the life of the only Conscientious Objector – these are people that refuse military service on the grounds of personal or religious beliefs – to win the Medal of Honor during WWII, the film relies on strong performances and brilliant storytelling to tell the story without being heavy-handed. Wanting to serve his country, Desmond (Garfield) joins the Army, having been assured that his CO status will not hinder his basic training experience. Sadly, that is not the case. His fellow soldiers, his drill instructor (an amazing Vaughn) and his unit commander are not pleased with his decision. In their eyes, a soldier who won’t pick up a weapon is a coward…someone they certainly can’t count on in battle. As he is given terrible tasks to perform, as well as almost nightly beatings, Doss continues to push on. He scarcely avoids a courts martial and, after much debate, is allowed to travel to Okinawa with his fellow soldiers. It is there that he shows all that will listen what a true hero is.

The cast, led by Garfield, proves to be up to the task of taking the audience into the middle of a war. All of the young men are able to get across the message of helplessness of having to keep your wits about you when everyone else is unable to do so. Garfield does a fine job, as does Ms. Palmer, who plays Desmond’s soon to be wife, Dorothy. But it is Vince Vaughn, as the company NCO in charge that delivers the most powerful performance. Gone is the snarky smart guy, replaced by a character that is perfectly fleshed out. Think of him as a cross between R. Lee Ermey in “Full Metal Jackson” and Tom Sizemore in “Saving Private Ryan.”

Like the latter Spielberg film, the depiction of war is, indeed, hell. Gibson pulls no punches as he moves his camera among the casualties, filling our eyes with missing limbs and our ears with screams. Gibson has always had a great eye behind the camera and this film only adds to that reputation.

“In peacetime, sons bury fathers,” one man notes in the film, noting that “in times of war, fathers bury their sons.” Such is the price of war. I thank God every day that in my six years in the Army I never had to pick up a weapon in anger. I didn’t have to make that choice. Desmond Doss did. And his choices made him a hero.

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“T.A.M.I. Show and The Big T.N.T Show”
Shout Factory
Producer: Brian Blum
2 Discs
Runtime: 205 Minutes

Our score: 4 out of 5 stars

Fans of classic rock and soul can now own the legendary concert film “T.A.M.I. Show” along with its long -lost and much requested follow up “The Big T.N.T Show” which is being released via Shout Factory on December 2nd. The two films are available together in standard DVD and High Definition Blu-Ray and will both come packaged with a special 36 page booklet containing rare photos and detailed essays written by Don Waller.

If the music of the mid 1960’s is your thing then the great folks over at Shout Factory have a stellar two disc package for you. The “T.A.M.I. Show and The Big T.N.T Show” will be available just in time for Christmas and will a welcome gift under the tree of any music fan. Together all on two disc watchers are treated to classic performances by the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys and Ray Charles to name just a few. Mastered from a new High Definition transfer the show looks and sounds amazing No-where else will you be able to see such early footage from acts that would go on to define a generation. Not only do you get to see the likes of Chuck Berry and many others but they are back by none other than “The Wrecking Crew” one of if not these best studio/backing band every assembled!

From beginning to end the “T.A.M.I. Show and The Big T.N.T Show” collection is a hit. Not only are the performances spot on but so is the audio and video as well. After all the decorations and excitement of the holidays are gone these films will be a great thing to put on and enjoy some peace and quiet with the family as they will instantly transport you back to a generation and world that unknowingly was on the cusp of great change.

“T.A.M.I. Show” Performances
David McCallum- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (instrumental
Ray Charles- What’d I Say
Petula Clark- Downtown
The Lovin’ Spoonful- Do You Believe in Magic, You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice
Bo Diddley- Hey Bo Diddley, Bo Diddley
Joan Baez- 500 Miles, There But For Fortune
Ray Charles- Georgia On My Mind, Let the Good Times Roll
Joan Baez w. Phil Spector- You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling
The Ronettes- Be My Baby, Shout
Roger Miller- Dang Me, Engine Engine #9, King of the Road, England Swings
The Byrds- Turn!Turn!Turn!(To Everything There is a Season), The Bells of Rhymney, Mr. Tambourine Man

The Big T.N.T Show” Performances
Jan and Dean- 9Here They Come) From All Over the World
Chuck Berry- Johnny B. Goode, Maybelle
Gerry and the Peacemakers, Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying, It’s Gonna Be Alright
Chuck Berry- Nadine
Gerry and the Peacemakers- Like It
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles- That’s What Love is Made Of, You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me, Mickey’s Monkey
Marvin Gaye- Stubborn Kind of Fellow, Pride and Joy, Can I Get a Witness, Hitch Hike
Lesley Gore- Maybe I Know, You Don’t Own Me, You Didn’t Look Around, Hey Now, It’s My Party, Judy’s Turn to Cry
Jan and Dean- The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena) Sidewalk Surfin
The Beach Boys- Surfin’ USA, I Get Around

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Actors: Eddie Murphy, Britt Robertson, Natascha McElhone, Xavier Samuel, Lucy Fry
Directors: Bruce Beresford
Rated: PG-13
Studio: Lionsgate
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Run Time: 105 minutes

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

Eddie Murphy hasn’t had the best of luck recently. His films haven’t been let’s say…quality. Due to those films, “Mr. Church” got shoved to the corner and not giving much love. It’s not a perfect film but it is definitely a great performance from Murphy and his co-star Britt Robertson (“Tomorrowland”). I am usually not a huge fan of the “heart-warming” films but this one I enjoyed.

Official Premise: Mr. Church tells the story of a unique friendship that develops when a little girl and her dying mother retain the services of a talented cook – Henry Joseph Church. What begins as a six-month arrangement instead spans fifteen years, and creates a family bond that lasts forever.

The Blu-ray for “Mr. Church” includes a Digital HD copy along in addition. There is also some decent bonus features. There is an interview with co-star Britt Robinson, as well as three featurettes. The first, “Food on Film”, features cast/crew discussing film. “Based on a True Friendship” looks at the true story the film is based on. Lastly “Eddie Murphy: Doing a Drama” is a focus on the star.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones and Ben Foster
Directed by: Ron Howard
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hrs 1 mins
Sony Pictures

Our Score: 2.5 out of 5 Stars

It’s funny that I saw this film the same night the World Series started. The film opens with Bertrand Zobrist (Foster) being chased through some classic Italian streets only to jump to his death from one of the grand towers. Is Bertrand’s story exciting or would I have been better off watching Chicago Cub player Ben Zobrist getting three hits in game one. I’ll let you know in a second.

Based on the latest best-selling novel by Dan Brown, and once again starring Tom Hanks as renown symbologist Robert Langdon, the tale finds Dr. Langdon waking up in a hospital believing that he is in Boston. Imagine his surprise when he discovers that he is in Florence, Italy and has been in the hospital due to having been grazed in the head by a bullet. His wallet and watch are gone but he does find something called a Faraday Pointer which, when activated, produces a map to Dante’s various levels of hell. Intrigued yet?

While I very much enjoyed both “The DaVinci Code” (I gave it 3 ½ stars out of 4 on a website I wrote for long ago) and “Angels and Demons” (3 out of 4 – same site), those films had a lot more action in them. I found “Inferno” quite boring at times, wishing I had paid my money to have someone read the book to me, which would have been more exciting than what was happening on screen. But I don’t blame the cast or the crew. This is the third time Hanks has played Langdon and it’s obvious that he is comfortable in the role. The supporting cast also does well, with Foster’s Bertrand Zobrist popping up through flashbacks to try to keep the story moving. And director Howard, one of my personal favorites, has no trouble keeping the action interesting. When there is action. Unfortunately there are also huge chunks where people just ramble on and on about Dante, hell and where they should be heading to next. Wherever it is, the cast waits and waits on Hanks to divulge the next destination, then gives him a resounding “Of Course!”

If you’re a fan of the series you might enjoy this more than I did. If not, spend your time with BEN Zobrist. Go Cubs!

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On behalf of Chiller Films, we are pleased to share the OFFICIAL TRAILER for their original film SiREN. SiREN was directed by Gregg Bishop and stars Chase Williamson, Justin Welborn, Michael Aaron Milligan, Hayes Mercure, Randy McDowell and Hannah Fierman and will be released in theaters on December 2nd and on VOD, Digital HD and DVD on December 6th.

ON VOD, DIGITAL HD AND DVD: December 6, 2016

DIRECTOR:  Gregg Bishop

WRITERS:  Based on a short by David Bruckner.  Written by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski

CAST:  Chase Williamson, Justin Welborn, Michael Aaron Milligan, Hayes Mercure, Randy McDowell, Hannah Fierman

SYNOPSIS: SiREN is a horror-thriller about Jonah, an apprehensive groom-to-be whose bachelor party turns into a nightmare when he frees a seemingly innocent victimized girl locked up in a supernatural sex club. Her ruthless handler and proprietor of the sex club will stop at nothing to re-capture his prize. Jonah struggles to rescue the girl only to discover it is he who needs to be rescued as he comes to the realization that she is a dangerous fabled predator who has chosen him as her mate.

GENRE: Horror, Thriller

DISTRIBUTOR: Chiller Films
FACEBOOK:  www.facebook.com/SiRENMovie2016

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/siren_movie

WEBSITE: http://www.callofthesiren.com/

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Actors: Laya DeLeon Hayes, Lara Jill Miller, Robbie Rist, Loretta Devine, Jess Harnell
Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: October 18, 2016
Run Time: 142 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“Doc McStuffins: Toy Hospital” is the latest DVD release from the popular Disney Junior series “Doc McStuffins”. Coincidentally, “”Doc McStuffins: Toy Hospital” is also the new title of the show for the fourth season. The only episode though from the new season is “Welcome To McStuffinsville”, which is basically what Doc McStuffins: The Movie” could be if they made it ever. It is a full-length adventure with a great new adventure and new songs. It is a great introduction into the new season. I wish the DVD continued the “Toy Hospital” trend though and included more episodes from season four.

Official Premise: Join Doc as she expands her practice from the backyard clinic to the magical new world of McStuffinsville, where she will carry on a family tradition by becoming Chief Resident of McStuffins Toy Hospital. After Grandma McStuffins shares the news that she too has the ability to bring toys to life, she transports Doc and her friends to McStuffinsville, a magical world made up entirely of toys. There, Doc appoints Lambie in charge of the toy nursery, Stuffy on vet duty, Chilly as receptionist and Hallie as head nurse.

The additional episodes included on this DVD are “Baby McStuffins/Selfless Snowman”; “Runaway Love/Tour De McStuffins”, “Bringing Home Baby” and “Baby Names/Night, Night Lala!”. These episodes are all from the latter side of season three. Great episodes but doesn’t fit the “Toy Hospital” theme that the DVD is really pushing. So I feel like that is a bit of a miss here. As well as the episodes, there is also a cute Exclusive Toysponder Bracelet included with this DVD!

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Here’s some trivia for you. What writer/director, whose scripts include “Taxi Driver,” “Blue Collar,” “Hardcore,” “Raging Bull” and so many others didn’t even SEE a movie until after he turned 18? If you guessed Paul Schrader, give yourself a hand.

To honor a career that has spanned more than four decades, The Metrograph in New York City will be hosting a retrospect beginning this week, with screenings of five of his best known films and highlighted by a screening of his latest film, “Dog Eat Dog,” starring Nicolas Cage and Willem Dafoe. A Q&A with Mr. Schrader will be held immediately after this screening.

The other films chosen for this tribute include “Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters,” “American Gigolo,” “Patty Hearst” and “Affliction.” The retrospect runs from Saturday, October 29 through Tuesday, November 1.

For more information click HERE

“Dog Eat Dog” opens in NYC and LA on November 4 and expands its run on November 11

Directed By: Mat Whitecross
Rating:R
Genre: Documentary
In Theaters:Oct 25, 2016
Runtime: 122 minutes
Studio: Mint Pictures

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

Oasis is a band torn apart by fame, drugs and family disputes. As soon as the band got famous, they also were falling apart. Flashback to 1994, I picked up a cassette of Oasis’ debut album “Definitely Maybe” and I was an instant fan but that love affair did not last long. Following the band’s 1995 follow up “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?”, which superseeded the first but also lead to the band’s decline. I don’t recall really latching on to their third studio album, “Be Here Now” and their future albums as well.

“Oasis: Supersonic” is a new documentary from team behind the Academy Award-winning biopic “Amy”. The film tell sthe story of the band from the beginning to the peak of their career, conflicts between the brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher and almost immediate decline from the top. Overall, I wouldn’t call them my favorite band but I was curious to learn a bit more of their downfall but the film honestly was a bore. Running over two hours, I felt like it could have been summed up in a one hour MTV special, if MTV covered music anymore.

I do have to commend the film though and the reason I kept watching was due to the very up close and personal footage that was included. This wasn’t a documentary filled with interviews from people around the band or unrelated people but with the band themselves. If you are looking for some never before seen archive material and interviews with the band, then this film does deliver in that sense. I just got bored very quickly and just wanted to revisit their few hit songs and move on.

Actors: David Schimmer, Jim Sturgess, Michael Gladis, Lorenza Izzo, John Doman
Directors: Daniel Attias, Jon S. Baird, Dennie Gordon, Steve Shill
Number of discs: 3
Studio: Lionsgate
DVD Release Date: October 11, 2016
Run Time: 377 minutes

Season: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“Feed the Beast” is yet another example of the post-“Friends” curse that has been haunting its star David Schwimmer (although he was good in “American Crime Story”). With a show coming from the minds of the people behind “Dexter” and “Nurse Jackie”, I expected much more. The series also co-starred one of my favorite actor Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe, Cloud Atlas). Alas, it was nixed after just the first season. Overall, I enjoyed it. Wasn’t the best thing that I have seen on TV but I also don’t think it deserved to get canceled so quickly especially when “Friends” co-star Matthew Perry still has his much harder to watch remake of “The Odd Couple” on the air. Feel like saving another show Netflix?

Official Premise: For Tommy (Schwimmer) and Dion (Sturgess), two friends on the brink of losing everything, a dusty pipe dream of opening an upscale restaurant in their hometown of the Bronx is all they have left to turn their lives around. Together, Tommy and Dion take on the insanity of the New York restaurant world, navigating its underbelly of petty criminals, corrupt officials, and violent gangsters.

This show is available on Blu-ray and DVD but I was only provided with a DVD for the source of this review. The DVD does come with a Digital HD copy of the season, which is a bonus for sure. There are three featurttes included, “Fate, Friendship and Food: Crafting Season 1”, “The Food Behind The Fancy” and “Building The Beast”, which features cast/crew reflecting on the season, their characters and how it was brought to life. Lastly there are also audio commentary track with the cast & crew on few select episodes, so at least we have a little repeat value here.

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Starring: Sasha Lane, Shia LaBeouf and Riley Keough
Directed By: Andrea Arnold
Rated: R
Running Time: 163 minutes
A24

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

The thought of a nearly three hour movie starring Shia LaBeouf is likely to scare a lot of people off from watching “American Honey” and I’m not going to sway you back. “American Honey” is a road trip movie without an end or direction, but during its entire runtime, it feels like it should. It’s a unique movie with an honest portrayal of Middle America, but also a frustrating long movie without a rebuke for some of its more sour themes.

Having been filmed in parts of the Kansas City metropolitan area, I admit I felt a unique connection to the movie, seeing all the familiar sights. That familiarity helped me attach characters to people that populated my own Kansas City high school and neighborhood. But the movie doesn’t begin in my hometown; it begins in lower class suburban Florida with Star (Lane). When we meet her, she’s scouring dumpsters for tossed out food that’s still in the bag. It’s so she can feed her younger brother and sister because no one else will. Her father seems more focused on drinking beer and groping Star to slow-dance music, while her mom, having moved on with her life, seems more obsessed about line dancing at a country bar.

So it makes sense that Star is lured away by Jake (LaBeouf) and a crew of ruffians that sing along to gangster rap and Rihanna’s #1 hits. Jake’s innocent flirting and the promise of a life without restraint convinces Star to abandon her siblings, leaving them in her divorced parents “care”. This new life though, with Jake and the others, is actually a “magazine crew” (those annoying kids who find a different lie every time to sell overpriced magazine subscriptions) that goes from town to town across the country. Leading these youthful Nomads is a druggie vagabond that’s never sober.

The journey takes the “magazine crew” from Kansas City to Oklahoma to Grand Island, Nebraska and to Williston, North Dakota. Each city offers an interesting slice of Americana, from the rich people that dot the Midwest farmland to the blue class workers stuck in underpaying jobs. “American Honey” seems to offer more spice and intrigue with the people that Star encounters, which is unfortunate considering how interesting Star’s character is.

She’s good-hearted and naturally trusts the strangers she encounters, even hopping in a vehicle with three adult men in Nebraska who take her back to their place for expensive tequila and steaks. She loves Jake even though he’s clearly a loser with deep emotional issues. She befriends everyone in the “magazine crew” and appears to enjoy the work even though the “job” is exploiting her. She finds different ways to cheer up people around her or help those that she doesn’t know. Yet we never get a distinct feeling about how the sights and interactions are impacting her psyche or if she’s intelligent enough to understand the deteriorating situations around her.

Her aimless path possibly signifies the wanderlust that has infected much of America’s youth today. It never vilifies or champions the magazine crew beyond portraying them as the fun-loving potheads that they are. None of them seem like bad individuals or rotten apples, just young adults without ambition outside of money, getting inebriated and fornication. “American Honey” may simply be stating that youthful lethargy is a consistent no matter the generation. But there’s no denying that during the course of the movie, the pop-culture they consume is feeding into their apathy and idleness.

“American Honey” never blames Star and the others for what the audience may be faulting them with, but it never really points any blame at anyone. Without ever coming to a conclusion, it’s very frustrating that the movie never points a finger of blame or indirectly implies that the actions of someone, something, or society has led Star to this fun, yet troubling point in life. “American Honey” may simply be asserting that bad things happen and may always happen to a certain demographic of this country and that their joy is just as fleeting as their youth.

“American Honey” will certainly have meaning to various people and that might actually be one of its strongest points. It paints such a vivid and beautiful picture of youth in the U.S., that it could say a lot of honest things to a lot of different people. It’s a movie that grew on me, much like a melancholy memory from my youth. I may not have enjoyed the experience, but looking back on it I slowly begin to understand its importance and significance. But I go back to the first sentence of this review and say, do you really want to watch a directionless movie that pushes towards three hours with Shia LaBeouf? If you want an idiosyncratic art film, this is it. But you also run the risk of finding yourself bored and exasperated.

Starring: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick and J.K. Simmons
Directed by: Gavin O’Connor
Rated: R
Running time: 2 hrs 8 mins
Warner Bros

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Christian Wolff seems like a normal child. Until you spend time with him. Currently he is sitting at a table, feverishly putting a puzzle together. Suddenly he panics – he only has 999 of the 1000 pieces. When the missing piece is found Chris completes the puzzle. As he inserts the final piece we see that he has completed the puzzle upside down – the image is face-down. All we see is the blank cardboard back. “Is this normal,” Chris’ father asks the man Chris has been brought to meet. His reply: “Define normal.”

A well-crafted thriller, “The Accountant” picks up 20-years after the puzzle incident with young Christian Wolff (Affleck) now a successful C.P.A. With his dented thermos, brought-from-home sandwich and pocket protector, he could be the nerdy guy next door. Except Christian has a secret. One that Ray King (Simmons), head of the US Treasury Department’s Crime Enforcement Division has been trying to solve for years. King enlists the help of Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) to discover why Wolff seems to be involved with some very high profile (read: non-law abiding) customers. Meanwhile, Wolff has been also asked to solve a problem. When a corporate accountant for a major robotics company suspects that someone is stealing from the company she asks Christian to take a look at the books, which may or may not have been cooked for years.

Smartly directed, with a nice twist in the story, “The Accountant” rests squarely on the shoulders of Ben Affleck. I love the fact that he is a mathematical savant, giving the audience a chance to wonder what could have happened to Will Hunting had he not followed Skylar to California. Affleck gives Wolff a quiet coolness, never raising his voice or getting agitated. Kendrick’s role is really secondary. She is here to attract Christian to the main plot line of the film, the going-ons at the robotics company. Affleck is aided by several great character actors, including John Lithgow, Jon Bernthal and Jeffrey Tambor. Director O’Connor, who helmed the underrated MMA film “Warrior,” keeps the film moving with strong pacing that never misses a beat.