To say I was pleasantly surprised by this film would be an understatement. There is plenty to love here and it is a promising directorial debut from The Office’s B. J. Novak.

Now, the premise of this film is a bit odd on reflection. Ben (Novak) is a journalist from New York City who gets a call from the family of Abilene, a girl he had a fling with, informing him that she is dead. Her brother asks Ben to come to West Texas for her funeral where he quickly realizes that the girl had made much more of their relationship than he had. To top it off, he decides to record a podcast about the situation, complete with interviews with the family and acquaintances, as he tries to figure out who murdered her.

​As odd as that may sound, I think that’s the whole point here. I could actually see myself listening to a podcast like the one Ben makes in the film with the help of his producer Eloise (Issa Rae), who also serves as his lifeline back to New York and the life he had before.

The film plays the “fish out of water” trope in a fresh way for the most part, dropping in humor at Ben trying to fit in while clearly not fitting in at all. The film is clearly a statement on certain aspects of our culture and veers a bit between beating you over the head with it and keeping it so hidden that it’s hard to find. It is not a perfect film, but a solid directorial debut which leaves me excited to see what Novak tackles next.

7 out of 10​

A tour-de-force of visual stylings, The Daniels (Scheinert and Kwan) deliver the best multiversal story of the year in Everything Everywhere All at Once (affiliate link).

By now, you’ve likely heard someone raving about this film and it’s definitely one I think everyone should experience. It is just that, an experience, and you need to be open to thinking about film in new ways, something that doesn’t happen that often in film.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (affiliate link) is many things, and that’s what gives it broad appeal. It is an immigrant story, a family drama, a science fiction dimension travelling epic, and a kung fu action film all rolled into one. Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Wang is the heart and soul of the film. She is not only the glue holding the film together, but similarly strives to hold together her family across time and space. Ke Huy Quan is similarly wonderful as Evelyn’s husband Waymond Wang. It was great to see him in a role completely different from his most famous roles as Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (affiliate link) and Data in Goonies (affiliate link) even if Waymond retains some of the goofiness of those characters from Quan’s youth.

Stephanie Hsu looks to be a star on the rise and her portrayal of Joy, Evelyn and Waymond’s 20-something daughter is spot on. The other star of the film is Jamie Lee Curtis as the IRS inspector auditing the Wang’s finances. She feels deliberately out of place in the film and is so much fun to watch as she changes characters based on which universe we see her in.

We need to talk about the rock scene. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more deep and emotional heart to heart talk between a mother and a daughter than when they are simply rocks on the edge of a cliff. Everything leading up to that moment has made the audience invested in the characters, that we absolutely believe that these two random rocks are the characters we have seen over an hour and a half. I also love the fact that the Daniels included actual footage of Michelle Yeoh as an actor on red carpets and such for the universe where Evelyn is a movie star.

Not to spoil too much, but I understand the “happy” ending that the film provides. Personally, I almost wish it would have concluded on a more somber note, but understand the decision to end it the way it did. I hope that the buzz about this film continues strongly enough as we head into Oscar season and it gets the recognition it deserves in categories like Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Screenplay. I doubt that any of the acting will be recognized, but think it could be a long shot for a Best Director nomination and even perhaps Best Picture.

9 out of 10

​It feels like the Despicable Me franchise has run its course, yet we continue to get new entries in the series over a decade after we first met Gru and his lovable yellow minions.

However, despite my initial apprehensions, I was pleased with this continuation of the saga. Set after the events of 2015’s Minions (affiliate link) and before Despicable Me (affiliate link), Rise of Gru (affiliate link) chronicles some of the events that led to Gru becoming one of the world’s greatest villains at the beginning of the first movie. The plot revolves around Gru (Steve Carrell) trying to join a supervillain team called the Vicious Six led by Belle Bottom (Tarji P. Henson) after their previous leader Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin) is presumed dead. Gru is denied entry into the team since he is just a kid, but he steals something called the Zodiac Stone during his interview, leading to a chase around the world.

Julie Andrews returns as Gru’s mother in a few scenes, but the returning role that was much more central to the plot is that of Russell Brand’s Dr. Nefario. We meet him as an amateur inventor working at a record store, that just happens to be involved in some nefarious underground dealings…literally. There are also some fun cameos from the first film with the banker (working as a teller here) who also mentions his young son Vector.

Despite the title, I didn’t feel like we really got the “rise” of Gru in this film. Instead, we get a fun adventure film that ends up with Gru gaining a father figure in Knuckles, something that has been lacking throughout the rest of the series. True, Dr. Nefario could be seen as something of a father figure as the only older adult male in his life, but Knuckles fills that role much better here and I will be interested to see if we get another prequel at some point in the future. Gru himself does rise to the occasion of the film, but really comes across as more of a hero than a villain, regardless of his intentions.

As with any modern entry into a film series like there, there is plenty of expected fan service. Several minions can be seen eating out of a Scarlett Overkill lunchbox at one point and Gru uses a “cheese ray” to shoot melted cheese in a coffee shop, a call back to his freeze ray in the first film. We learn where Gru got his giant alligator couches seen throughout the series and toward the end of the film, Knuckles tells Gru to “shoot for the moon,” an obvious reference to the central heist of the first film. None of these references are overly engineered and I’m sure there are plenty more I missed. Fans of the series will enjoy digging up all the Easter Eggs.

Like most sequels these days, this film wasn’t entirely necessary, but I found it enjoyable and fun for the whole family. I can definitely see one more film fitting in between this and the original Despicable Me with more films continuing the series into the future.

7 out of 10

This is a fascinating documentary look at the crazy media obsessed culture we live in today and the immediate effects our reliance on social media has on our ability to digest and be critical of information.

Wait, this isn't a documentary? That just makes it even more depressing.

Don't Look Up is a fantastic political/social satire that gets right at the heart of the problems facing the world today. The horrible part about this film is that nearly every beat is fully believable. The pop-star going on a trendy talk show to spend 20 minutes discussing her recent public breakup followed by a short segment of the same show on a pending cataclysmic event that no one even pays attention to. Yet even as horrible as this is, it's also the genius of the film, getting us to look at this by presenting it in a way that is utterly ridiculous, but completely plausible at the same time.

This film is unique in that nearly every character has their likeable moments and their moments when you hate their guts (yes, I said nearly for a reason). The cast is stellar from top to bottom including the likes of Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Timothée Chalamet, and Jonah Hill. It's also nice to see several of these actors playing somewhat against their standard roles. Streep plays the ruthless president, more interested in her party winning the midterm elections than the end of the world. Even Chalamet sheds the meek young man and shows up in the final act as a grungy kid from the street stealing booze from the liquor store.

My only qualm with the acting actually comes from DiCaprio's character, but it's more the script or the direction than Leo's fault. His portrayal of Dr. Randall Mindy at the beginning and end of the film is spot on, but he spends the middle third of the film in what seems like a different character that was cut from the script and blended into Dr. Mindy.

That small qualm aside, the film made me laugh out loud, ponder my own technology usage, and wonder to myself how much of what we see on the screen actually goes on behind closed doors, or possibly even right out in the open, without most people even noticing. The film is a wake up call of sorts for me and one that will stick with me for some time to come.

9 out of 10

Kingsman: The Golden Circle falls into some of the same traps as 2014's Kingsman: The Secret Service, but manages to salvage the story in much the same way as the original.

Picking up the story of british secret agent Galahad, aka Eggsy (Taron Egerton), Golden Circle introduces a number of new characters starting with the new villain/drug lord Poppy (Julianne Moore). After the Kingsman organization is attacked, Eggsy and Merlin (Mark Strong) seek help from a related organization called Statesmen, based in Kentucky. Here they meet American agents Tequila (Channing Tatum), Whiskey (Pedro Pascal), Champagne "Champ" (Jeff Bridges), and Ginger Ale (Halle Berry).

The two agencies combine forces to find and fight against Poppy's evil plan to hold a enormous swath of the human population hostage through the drugs she distributes around the world. As with any good spy flick, there are plenty of misdirections and some double crosses before finally figuring out where all the allegiances lie.

Two things work against this film. First, the lengthy cast list. I already mentioned a number of them above and it feels like some of these roles were put in just for the sake of developing a part for the actors that inhabit them. Don't get me wrong, they are all great in these roles, just not all entirely necessary.

Secondly, it's a bit long for a popcorn flick like this. There are moments when it feels like it's trying to take itself seriously like a Bond film, but then other moments when it knows full well that it's a campy romp. If it was serious throughout, it may have justified the longer run time, but as something fun, it would have worked better by losing 25-30 minutes.

That said, the campiness ends up working in the end. Most of the action scenes are so over the top that you just have to sit back and enjoy the insanity of what's happening on screen. Realizing that these stories are based on comics makes it a little easier to swallow. The action is very reminiscent of comic books and that makes it feel OK in the end.

While Golden Circle is not a great film, it is a fun adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

6 out of 10

While it's not entirely necessary to make a feature film about everyone's favorite feuding cat and mouse, Tom & Jerry brings just enough substance to the big screen to make it worth the ride.

It's a little surprising that it took this long for us to get a feature length version of the classic Hanna Barbara Tom & Jerry cartoons. On the other hand, they work so well in short sequences, it is difficult to sustain their level of antics over a 90-minute run time. That is the main downfall of this film, it just can't sustain the typical Tom & Jerry energy throughout the course of the film. That said, I'm not sure it should even try to do that, because then it just becomes a string of gags with little to no plot.

Not that there is much plot here to begin with. The film keeps things simple with Kayla Forrester (Chloë Grace Moretz) faking her way into a job at a prestigious New York hotel on the eve of the wedding of the century between Preeta (Pallavi Sharda) and Ben (Colin Jost). She is assigned to work under the event manager Terence (Michael Peña) who doesn't quite trust her from the beginning. When Jerry shows up in the hotel, Kayla convinces Terence and the hotel manager to "hire" Tom to help find the mouse and get rid of him. Tom & Jerry regular Spike also appears (as Ben's pet dog) along with Preeta's pet cat Toodles Galore just to add to the chaos.

The wedding story line serves to propel the action forward a bit and sets up some of the more hilarious physical comedy of the film. All the animals in the film are animated, while the human characters and settings remain live action. This mix feels right and most of the actors do a passable job of acting against the animated characters, with the best one being Moretz. Kayla even gets a side romance with the hotel bartender while at the same time finding her groove as Preeta's confidante leading up to the wedding.

In the end, this is a fun film, if not terribly engaging cinema. If you have kids and are looking for something new to watch with them, chances are they will love Tom & Jerry. Just don't go in expecting anything more than a longer version of their short cartoons.

6 out of 10​​​​

Tom & Jerry is currently in theatrical release and streaming on HBO Max.

While much was made about the appearance of Trump lawyer and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani in this film, it is the light that it shines on America's divided culture that rules the day.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm picks up with Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen) being let out of forced labor he was sentenced to following the disgrace he brought on his country for the 2006 film. He is brought before the premier and given a mission to deliver the Kazakh Minister of Culture, Johnny the Monkey, to President Trump in order to redeem the nation. Being unable to get close to Trump after defecating in the landscaping of Trump Tower in the first film, they settle on gifting the monkey to Vice President Mike Pence instead.

Borat and Johnny set out across the ocean and arrive in Galvaston, Texas where Borat discovers his fifteen-year-old daughter, Tutar (Maria Bakalova), stowed away with the monkey. Having only just learned of Tutar's existence prior to departure, Borat tries to send her back home before altering his plans and making her the gift to Pence instead of the monkey.

As with the initial film, Cohen dives into his character full force, with the new complication that his character is easily recognized in public. He counters this with numerous elaborate costumes and relying on Tutar to be the new "undercover" character. We see the pair interact with all variety of Americans in their journey while Tutar struggles to come out from the oppressive oversight of her father. They often refer to a guide book to raising girls provided by the Kazakh government, which sounds like something straight out of Taliban controlled Afghanistan. Women are not allowed to drive, work, etc. and these concepts are challenged by the people they meet in America.

While many will write this off as a leftist slam against the previous presidential administration in the United States, there is more here if you explore under the surface. Through all the crazy interactions Borat and Tutar have in the film, Borat learns to love his daughter and more importantly appreciate what she can contribute to society, not as a piece of property to him to hand over to another man, but as her own person.

If you're a fan of the first film, this follow up is sure to please. If you missed the original or dismissed it as too over the top, I urge you to give this film a chance.

8 out of 10​​​​

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is available streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime.

Palm Springs arrived during our pandemic days of quarantine, many of which felt mind-numbingly the same. Seeing the carefree approach of the characters in this film was refreshing in a film that could easily have been a simple rehash of the Bill Murray classic Groundhog Day.

The basic premise is similar to the 1993 film. This time we find Nyles (Andy Samberg) waking up with his girlfriend as they prepare for her sister's wedding that night. Nyles is very clearly just along for the ride as he lounges in the pool at the desert resort before showing up to the wedding in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts. At the wedding, he jumps in to give a touching speech in place of the maid of honor, Sarah (Cristin Milioti) who doesn't want anything to do with the evening's events.

When the pair runs away from the reception together, they end up near a cave in the desert. Nyles enters the cave, telling Sarah not to follow him, which she does anyway, causing her to wake up back on the morning of the wedding, doomed to repeat the day over again.

What made this film work so well for me was the way it addressed living with the same person over and over in the same place and time over and over again. As I mentioned at the top, it was a perfect escape during the pandemic when this became the reality of many people stuck in their homes with their families. You woke up to the same routine of Zoom meetings, virtual school, and the same four walls around you and the days blurred together.

Fortunately for Nyles and Sarah, they know that they are stuck and there doesn't seem to be anything they can do about it, so they might as well embrace it and have some fun. And fun they do have. In what might be the best part of the film, an extended montage follows their exploits as they explore the boundaries of acceptable behavior at and around the wedding, frequently going well beyond those boundaries. 

Of course there is the required love connection between the pair as they come to the realization that they can never be with anyone else. However, unlike Groundhog Day, Palm Springs keeps you guessing right up to the end when it comes to the love story.

With a tight 90-minute run time, Palm Springs wastes nothing and delivers a strong story contained within an initially familiar narrative device. Samberg is hilarious and Milioti proves his equal throughout. Do not miss this one.

8 out of 10​​​​

Palm Springs is available streaming exclusively on Hulu.

A fresh take on the murder mystery, Knives Out brings an all-star cast together in one of the most dysfunctional family comedy dramas in years.

The centerpiece of the story is the death of famous murder mystery author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) in his remote country estate while most of his family sleep in the house below. With his throat slit and blood all over the study where he is found, suicide it the most logical cause of death, however Daniel Craig's mysterious investigator Benoit Blanc is brought in by an anonymous party to investigate further, under the assumption that Thrombey was murdered.

We meet a colorful cast of characters including Thromby's daughter Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis), her husband Richard (Don Johnson) and their son Ransom (Chris Evans). Michael Shannon plays Thromby's son Walt who is in charge of the extensive publishing empire while Toni Collette is the wife of Thromby's other son, tagging along with the family even after her husbands death.

Director Rian Johnson does a masterful job early in the film of painting the picture that just about anyone in the family might have a reason to off their father/grandfather. Interviews in the lounge at Thromby's home provide an opportunity to cut from one family member to the next when they get asked the same questions by investigators.

The last key player in the story is Thromby's nurse Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), daughter of a woman who immigrated to the United States illegally and worries what will happen now that the man she was caring for has passed. Multiple family members insist they will continue to help her all while Blanc enlists Marta as the Watson to his Holmes.

I won't reveal the killer (or if there even is one) so you can see for yourself, but this one should keep you guessing right up to the end. 

Knives Out is available streaming now on Amazon Prime.

8 out of 10​​

If you're looking for more of what made the first film enjoyable ten years ago, you'll get exactly what you're looking for in this sequel. If, on the other hand, you're looking for great plot and character development, you'll be sorely disappointed.

I've made it abundantly clear on this site that I am no real fan of horror films in general. My recent exceptions to this include Get Out and the original Zombieland. (There may be more, but that's the list I can think of right now.) Of course, upon further reflection, I don't really think of Zombieland as a horror film. It's a comedy set in a post-apocalyptic zombie-ridden world where a few people manage to survive, despite sometimes doing really stupid things to attract zombies.

In this sequel, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) are all back, having taken up residence in the biggest house they can find...the White House. When Little Rock and Wichita take off, leaving the boys alone at 1600 Pennsylvania avenue, they must set off to find them and save their friends.

Along the way, we are introduced to a new cast of zombie survivors including the dim-witted Madison (Zoey Deutch), pot-head Berkeley (Avan Jogia), and bad-ass hotel owner Nevada (Rosario Dawson). We also learn more about the zombies themselves and the different categories they fall into from the bumbling Homer (as in Simpson) to the new breed of super zombies dubbed the T-800s after Arnold Schwarzenegger's original Terminator. One thing that is never fully explained is how the zombies are evolving after all these years, and beyond that, how do they continue to multiply as the world population dwindles through death or becoming zombies themselves.

Again, the film isn't big on plot, it IS a zombie movie in the end. The returning gags are funny, and the way the characters play against one another, often coming dangerously close to breaking the 4th wall, is fun and I found myself laughing out loud in several places. I wouldn't be sad to see one of these films released every ten years so we can check in on how the team is surviving in the zombie world.

6 out of 10