"Lake George"

 2024 * Not Rated * 1h 58m If you're in the mood for something a little different, give this one a shot. It's sort of a noir-crime caper-buddy-road trip movie. If that makes any sense. It reminded me of a comedic take on "Bonnie & Clyde." The acting, writing, and cinematography were all great. 

Don (Shea Whigham-"F1: The Movie" "Non-Stop") has just gotten out of prison. He visits his former gangster boss Armen (Glen Fleshler) who owes him some money. Armen agrees to pay him back as long as he kills his former girlfriend Phyllis, played by Carry Coon ("White Lotus" "Gone Girl"). Well, Don is no killer and when he takes Phyllis out into the country to do the deed, he chickens out. Then she makes him an offer he can't refuse. Since she was Armen's money handler/accountant, she knows not only where he has his money stashed, she knows the combinations to all his safes. 

So, the two of them go on the lam. At first they barely converse, but as time goes on, they open up to each other. It's great fun to see two actors of this calibre interact. The film takes a few twists and turns, both predictable and unexpected. It all adds up to an enjoyable caper I really enjoyed. Another one of those movies that definitely deserve more attention. Not sure why this one isn't better known.

4 out of 5 stars

Currently streaming on Hulu and to rent on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, YouTube, and other services. 

"Get Hard"

 2015 * R * 1h 40m  I was looking for something bit light and corny and noticed this film pop up on Netflix. Wow, it was just what the doctored ordered. It was as outrageous and entertaining as I thought it would be. Because Kevin Hart was in it, it crosses the line into politically incorrect territory on numerous occasions. But that's okay, if anyone can pull it off, it's him.

The story is a bit farfetched. And that's what made it refreshing. James (Will Ferrell) is a super rich investor and financial advisor. One day, he's wrongly accused of illegal trading and is arrested. He has thirty days until he is going to prison. He's absolutely terrified. He ends up hooking up with Darnell (Hart) and being a clueless racist, he assumes he's a former criminal. Darnell is saving up to buy his family a house, so he pretends he's an ex-con. He convinces James to hire him to prepare him for his time behind bars. 

It's a funny, off-the wall caper that had me chuckling out loud throughout the film. The two comedians worked well together. I just don't know why I've never heard of this little gem. If you're looking for an evening filled with laughs, check this one out!  

4 out of 5 stars

"Plane"

 2023 * R * 1h 47m Who doesn't like a good thriller? Every once in a while I need a little bit of escapism. And this movie delivered in spades. It's an action thriller where you check your brain at the door, sit back, and just enjoy the ride. 

Pilot Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) is on a routine flight across the Pacific Ocean when his plane is struck by lightning. He's forced to crash land the plane on a remote island in the Philippines. As if that wasn't bad enough, the island is run by a band of ruthless outlaws. When he heads out looking for help, the passengers are taken hostage. He's accompanied by Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter) who's a suspected murderer being transported by an FBI agent to the U.S. 

The two of them go into hyperdrive and are total badasses dealing with the situation. It turns out that Louis was a highly trained soldier so Brodie has an able accomplice to do battle with. The film has all the usual cliches, but it's full of nail-biting scenes, from start to finish. If you're the type that gets a bit nervous about flying, you might want to skip this one. The scenes of the plane going down are pretty harrowing!

4 out of 5 stars

Currently streaming on Netflix, Starz, and Prime and to rent on Amazon, YouTube and other streaming services. 

"Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping"

2016 * R * 1h 27m  I'm a huge fun of "This is Spinal Tap." In fact, it's right up there on my Top Ten list of comedies. I think Sir Christopher Guest is a comedic genius. It was absolutely groundbreaking when it came out and was one of the first mocumentaries. Often imitated, never surpassed. So whenever I see a new mocumentary, I always compare it to "Spinal Tap." Well, I think this one ranks right up there. 

Andy Samberg is one of the funniest actors and writers working today. I loved him in "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and was sad to see that show end. He's absolutely brilliant here in "Popstar." The film is about a boy band, think The Hansons, only they're a hip-hop group. When the band breaks up, Samberg's character decides he's going to pursue a solo career, because he feels he was the genius behind the group. Well, things don't go according to plan and his first solo album is a flop. And when he starts bombing on tour, his manager decides to add a hot young musician to open for him who ends up even more popular than him. 

I usually don't listen to lyrics to songs, and I'm not a big fan of hip-hop or rap. But you have to listen to the words to the songs here. They're so stupid you can't help but laugh out loud. They're really that funny. And the supporting cast here is terrific. It includes Sarah Silverman, Tim Meadows, Joan Cusack, and several rappers including Questlove, Nas, and Usher. If you're in the mood for some really dumb comedy, be sure to check out this one--it goes up to eleven!

4 out of 5 stars

Currently streaming on Netflix and Prime. Also to rent on Apple TV, YouTube, Fandango, Amazon, and other streaming services. 

"Paul"

2011 * R * 1h 44m  I'm a huge sci-fi fan. So when I spot a movie that spoofs some of the classics like "E.T." and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" I'm in.  And this one certainly paid off in spades. It's a fun, road trip kind of film starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost ("Shaun of the Dead" "Hot Fuzz) and the distinctive voice of Seth Rogan.

Graeme (Pegg) and Clive (Frost) are a couple of Brits who are comic book nerds on vacation in the U.S. They're here to participate in a comic-con and then hit the road the visit some classic alien hotspots in the Southwest like Area 51. While on the road they witness a horrible car wreck and discover the survivor--a funny, sarcastic pot-smoking alien who's on the lam. He's voiced by Seth Rogan who's absolutely hilarious in the part. The alien, Paul, originally arrived many years ago and has finally escaped the research facility that's held him captive for ages. He's on a mission to get to a location where a spaceship will meet him and take him back home. 

The three of them are being pursued by federal agents and things quickly get out of hand. The cast of the movie is stellar (sorry about that). It includes Jane Lynch, Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, and Joe Lo Truglio. I thought the film was great fun. The alien reminded a little of the main character in "Ted." Always sarcastic and irreverent, and a constant stream of one-liners. The humor was juvenile at times, but then again, so am I. Guilty!

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Currently streaming on Netflix and Prime and to rent on YouTube,  Apple TV and other streaming services. 

"Cleaner"

 2025 * R * 1h 37m If you looking for some fairly mindless entertainment, you might want to check this one out. It's an action thriller that got thoroughly panned by most critics. Sure it's rather derivative and you've seen the basic plot before. But sometimes, that's okay. I thought this one was quite well done. 

Joey (Daisy Ridley) is an ex-special forces soldier. She has a menial job washing windows on huge skyscrapers. One day she has to take her brother Michael (Matthew Tuck) to work. He's a special needs kid who's autistic, and just got kicked out of his residence. As (bad) luck would have it, a group of eco-terrorists led by Marcus (Clive Owen) decides to attack the building and take hostages that very day. 

The rest of the film focuses on Joey's efforts to prevent the terrorists from killing all 300 hostages while keeping her brother safe. The two of them eventually work together to foil the plot. It's a nail biter and even though you know how it's going to end, it's fun watching her and her brother foil the attack. I thought the movie was well shot, especially the exterior scenes on the upper floors of the buildings. I'm not big on heights, so it was a little unnerving. But it made for some great action scenes. About the only negative comment is I didn't like seeing Clive Owen play a terrorist--I'd prefer seeing him play a good guy.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Currently streaming for free on Kanopy (with your library card). Also on Prime Video and to rent on Amazon Video. 

"Trap"

 2024 * PG-13 * 1h 45m M. Night Shyamalan has certainly produced some creepy flicks over the years. Films like "The Sixth Sense," "Signs" and "Lady in the Water" come to mind. "Trap" is his latest, and while viewers and critics love to dump on this movie, I rather enjoyed it. Sure, there are plenty of plot holes, but for this genre, you need to suspend belief in reality and just go with it. I thought is was pretty entertaining. 

The film is about a dad Cooper (Josh Hartnett) who takes his teen-age daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to a Lady Raven concert. She's modeled after Lady Gaga and is played by Shyamalan's daughter Saleka. When Cooper starts acting weird, you know something's up. There's talk about a serial killer in town called "The Butcher" and it turns out the concert is an elaborate trap to nab said killer. Well guess who the killer turns out to be? Yep! Cooper. Somehow he's led a double life where he's a solid family man by day, and a brutal killer at night. 

So the chase is on to try to catch him. He finds out early on what's up when a vender spills the beans about the operation. He's constantly staying one step ahead of the police. I thought overall, it was a very entertaining movie. It was fairly tense and kept me guessing the whole time. About the only complaint is I felt the last third of the movie dragged a bit. With a little bit of editing, they could have gotten it down to an hour and a half and had a better movie. But that's just me. 

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Currently streaming on Netflix, Hulu and Max. And to rent on Apple TV, Amazon, and other services.