Deep Cover (2025)

A cop recruits an improv teacher and a couple of her students to do a quick undercover drug buy. Though nervous, their commitment to the bit gets them in deeper than expected. They are so successful in proving themselves to the gang, that it only makes sense that they keep up the ruse to get even deeper. Yes, it beggars belief, but somehow still works. 

The chemistry between the full-of-himself method actor (Orlando Bloom) the socially-awkward IT guy (Nick Mohammed) and the capable yet in over her head Kat (Bryce Dallas Howard) was silly yet solid. I'd watch a sequel.

B

The Secret Agent (2025)

Watching this, I felt like I was in Brazil in the '70s. I actually caught my breath a couple of times due to immersive scenes that felt less like I was watching them and more like they were enveloping me. That said, I wasn't ever exactly sure what was happening (history is an embarrassingly weak spot for me). I was fully engaged throughout and, as I have an aversion to films that blow way past the 2-hour mark, that's quite a feat. 

Unfortunately, I can't help but ding this for the fact that I'm not quite sure I got the point.

B

Romancing the Stone (1984)

Successful romance novelist Joan lives a solitary life -- her idea of a celebration is opening a bottle of wine and chatting with her cat. When she has to be out in public, she's ill-at-ease and uninterested in the men who are obviously interested in her. But, when her sister needs her urgent help down in Colombia, Joan doesn't hesitate even though she is ill-equipped for the adventure. Good thing the dashing Jack Colton shows up to take things in hand.

It's a fun, lightweight adventure -- I mean, Danny DeVito's one of the bad guys, so we're never truly worried that anything bad will happen. It's just silly fun with Douglas and Turner at their sexiest.

B

One Battle After Another (2025)

A far-left revolutionary group wreaks havoc on the establishment, including a facility holding immigrants on the Mexico/U.S. border. Lockjaw, the bigoted head honcho at the facility, takes an interest in Perfidia, a black leader romantically involved with Pat, the explosives expert for their group. When she has a baby, Pat's ready to scale back the work to prioritize parenthood, but she is uninterested and is eventually scooped up by authorities and pressured to talk, causing Pat to leave town with his daughter to live under assumed names.

I am not a fan of Paul Thomas Anderson, but I'm also not a hater -- he's just so inconsistent that when I hear his name I think neither "must see" nor "skipping it," but just "we'll see." For me, this one is definitely nearer the top of the list than the bottom. DiCaprio is paranoid magic here: just doing everything he can to keep his daughter safe, while coping with the mess that more than a dozen years of anti-sobriety have made of his memory. Penn also holds his own in a role that's much less fun.

This was a fun ride for sure, but Anderson needs to learn to kill his darlings -- there was no reason for this to be as long as it is.

B

Caught Stealing (2025)

Hank is just coasting as a barkeep in 1990s New York after his promising future in baseball is derailed by an injury. But when his dealer neighbor has to leave town and asks Hank to catsit, he's sucked into the criminal underworld and has to scramble to get himself out before he's taken out.

There's barely a dull moment here -- almost nonstop excitement and thrills. Yes, there are more than a couple of plot holes, but that just means you shouldn't look too hard or you'll ruin the good time you'd definitely have otherwise.

B

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

Though both are con men, Freddy leans toward quick-score small potatoes work while Lawrence has honed his craft and has accrued tremendous wealth. Though Freddy is eager to work under Lawrence to learn the craft, he eventually bristles at not getting a cut of the proceeds and goes out on his own, much to Lawrence's dismay because, as he says, "a poacher who shoots at rabbits may scare big game away." They make a wager that whomever can swindle small-town Janet Colgate first will be allowed to stay in town while the other moves on.

This was the third time I've seen this (at least) and it holds up well. Michael Caine and Steve Martin make a hilarious comic duo -- I'm so surprised they didn't work together a few more times! That last scene is just perfect.

B

Sea of Love (1989)

Pacino and John Goodman are detectives on the trail of a serial killer who finds victims through the personal ads. In an undercover operation to gather fingerprints from suspects who respond to the cops' fake personal ad, Pacino's interest is piqued by a beauty who knows what she wants, which is not great since his judgment is immediately compromised.

It's a solid mystery buoyed by the easy-going chemistry Pacino and Goodman share, as well as the red-hot magnetism between Pacino and Ellen Barkin. I went digging to see if Pacino/Barkin had ever been an item and was completely unsurprised to find that they had been.

B

The Driver (1978)

A persistent detective (Bruce Dern) sets his sights on a slippery getaway driver (Ryan O'Neal). The story's told with a minimum of dialogue, heaps of style and some of the best car chase footage I've ever seen. Knowing that those sequences were accomplished via practical effects make them all the more impressive.

B

Abigail (2024)

One of those criminal groups who've never met & have code names are hired to snatch the 12-year-old daughter of some ultra-rich guy and hold her for ransom. They're holing up in a remote mansion without phones (to prevent tracking) for 24 hours, but it's worth it for the life-changing payday. Of course, things start to go wrong almost immediately.

This manages to be a really effective horror comedy, despite the fact that it was easy to guess the twist from the trailer/press materials. It seems perfectly set up for a sequel, and I look forward to seeing it, should there be one!

B

Don't Move (2024)

Bereft mother is considering ending it all from the same hiking trail cliff that took her son, when a stranger arrives and calmly talks her out of it. We soon find out that his motives are more opportunistic than altruistic; too bad for him he did such a good job of convincing her not to give in to the call of death that day.

This is how I like my horror: more psychological than graphic and not trying to be more than it should be. Just scare me without insulting my intelligence, then get off my screen.

B

Babygirl (2024)

Romy looks to be successful in both her career and her family. However, the very first scene hints at something being "off" in her sex life: immediately after having what looks to be mutually satisfying sex with her husband, she nearly runs out of the room to masturbate to porn -- clearly hiding this activity from him.

At work, there's a new crop of interns and Samuel captures her interest with his slightly entitled and unpolished behavior. He selects her as his mentor and she agrees after initial refusal. Somehow, though I completely missed the cues, they both pick up on her desire to be dominated and they have a couple of awkward encounters before settling on some ground rules. Though they both seem to want to keep their activities separate from the rest of their lives, she experiences jealousy when she sees him with someone else and he crosses a line when he shows up at her country home when her family is home.

Though I was kind of blown-away by the story's climax and denouement, I was mostly confused as to what Samuel picked up on. I'd assume this is just what he does and lucked into a willing participant, but we see him having a more traditional relationship, so that didn't seem to be it. This confusion rather overwhelmed the entire experience for me, making it feel like a fantasy rather than an actual possibility.

B

Love Me (2025)

A satellite orbits the Earth long after life has left the planet, putting out a greeting to any who might be listening. A still operational smart buoy comes online and responds but -- as it's not a life form -- the satellite's help program is not interested. The buoy is smart, after all, and researches the vast archives of digital content still available in order to figure out how to be a life form and, perhaps, make a friend.

This longing for connection and life reminded me somehow of City of Angels. We take this messy existence for granted and forget just how absolutely wonderful it all is. Honest laughter. A simple glass of water. Working together. Gary walked in while I was watching and I became suddenly aware of the fact that I was literally wide-eyed and slack-jawed just staring up at what appeared to be a video of a couple of Sims eating dinner on the couch. Though the ending was a bit of a miss, the rest simply captivated me.

If nothing else, this proves once again that Kristen Stewart can pick 'em.

B

The Room Next Door (2024)

Ingrid doesn't hesitate to visit when she hears that Martha is quite ill. Even though it's clear they've been out of each other's lives for quite some time, their reunion had a familial, easy energy and they're soon calling each other daily. When Martha makes up her mind that she is ready to leave her sick body, she makes a huge ask of Ingrid: accompany her on a trip, during which Martha plans to end her life.

I'm a fan of Almodovar. He's got a fantastic sense of style and never shies away from the complicated sides of life. Though the vibe is slightly different here -- I think simply for the fact that this is in English rather than Spanish -- it still delivers. Moore and Swinton are so believable and the script, somehow, doesn't dip into the maudlin. This is a friend showing up for another in an extreme circumstance.

My one issue is the ending: there's a cop on the case who is suspicious. Though we just get one scene with him, it seems like the beginning of something that just doesn't happen, which makes the film feel incomplete.

B

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)

Gary and I saw this during its initial run and I remember laughing so hard that I nearly fell out of my seat. Was it mass hysteria? Was I feeding off the crowd and they from me? It's definitely still charming and earns a few chuckles, but the jokes now feel rather obvious. Perhaps it's just been copied to death and simply cannot evoke the surprised belly laughs it once did.

Two things have not changed: the way that the reading of W.H. Auden's "Funeral Blues" gets the tears flowing every single time and the wretchedness of MacDowell's acting.

B

Apollo 13: Survival (2024)

Really well-done documentary using archived footage and recordings of the Apollo 13 mission. Despite knowing how this turned out, it was a nail-biter. Truly inspiring work by all involved: the calm heads and on-the-fly problem solving were incredible.

My one complaint would be that, although I appreciated getting the insight of how the Lovell family got through the waiting and praying for Jim's safe return, it felt like that portion of the story got farm more screen time than was necessary. I was more interested in the actual "thing" than the emotional impact for those on the ground.

B

Taylor Swift: Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (2020)

I put this on my list right after watching The Eras Tour documentary, which featured songs from her Folklore album with which I had little familiarity. Once again, it's fascinating to hear musicians chat about music with each other. We get stories about inspiration, process and collaboration and are reminded again of Swift's major talent.

This was shot in the middle of the pandemic, which makes it a smaller-scale endeavor, but that works out just fine. The no-frills approach allows us to simply focus on the stories and the music.

B

Do The Right Thing (1989)

One of those neighborhoods where everyone knows everyone else. They annoy each other, yell at each other, joke around together, watch out for each other: they are community. The story takes place over the course of one hot day. It seems like the residents have lived this type of day together hundreds of times before. 

But today, a long-simmering umbrage boils over: why doesn't the pizza restaurant -- run by people who don't live in the neighborhood -- have any photos of black people hanging in its "Wall of Fame"? And, just like that, the powder keg's long fuse is lit. The affront is nurtured and spread until it inevitably explodes and those who have coexisted together for a couple of decades are at war.

It's one of the true "must watch" films. And, though Spike Lee himself is the weak link as an actor, he more than makes up for it with his writing and direction. I did, however, have some issues with Mookie and Jade's brother/sister relationship, especially that gross opening scene where she's sleeping and he pretty much lays across her and fiddles with her mouth -- but it's a single off-note in an otherwise rich symphony of humanity.

I saw this during its initial theatrical run and I think only the fashions have aged.

B

Superman (2025)

Lex Luthor has finally figured how to beat Superman. Not only does he have a super-strong fighter with a huge team dedicated to maximizing its chances when in combat, but Metropolis has finally turned against Superman. Superman himself isn't even quite sure how to feel, now that he and the world have found out that he was sent here to rule without mercy rather than to serve as he'd previously assumed.

But that's just the plot. The movie really succeeds on spectacle and an unruly super dog. Lots of fun with truly excellent casting.

B

Vanilla Sky (2001)

Second viewing, first time was in a theater during its original release. What I retained from the first time I saw it was a general air of confusion without any of the bits that made it make sense. This time, in my living room, with the ability to pause and think about the experience, was a much more satisfying experience. Though my mind was repeating "what the HELL is going on," I was sure I wasn't missing anything, which gave me confidence it would all come together.

It's truly well-done. I was riveted by David's journey, even though I knew I was being gaslit right along with him. The biggest issue was that I didn't like any of the three primary players. David is a rich guy who acts like an entitled brat at work and with his friends -- I mean Sofia was his best friend's date and he didn't think twice about whisking her away from him. Sofia is just a typical manic pixie dream girl: beautiful and silly, hungry for all the attention. And Julie was a dangerous brand of crazy, but I honestly found her to be the most sympathetic.

Random thoughts:

• Jason Lee was Ryan Reynolds before Ryan was Ryan Reynolds
• Tom Cruise was shown as 5'11'' in his mug shot, so it should've been obvious right then that he isn't in touch with reality
• One of the best motion picture soundtracks of all time

B

Ghostlight (2024)

Dan isn't doing well. He's unfocused and short-tempered at work, has no idea what to do about his daughter's defiance and problems at school, and is struggling to connect with his wife. There's obviously been some trauma in their family, but we're not immediately clued-in to what that is. When he gets curious about the community theater group practicing in a strip mall near his work site, he gets strong-armed by the tiny but forceful director into helping them out.

Though I could often see the acting happening, I was charmed nonetheless and the tears I shed were honest rather than feeling manipulated out of me. I believe in the power of art to heal and this film does too.

B