2022 * Not Rated * 1h 17mThis is proof positive that you can make an excellent movie on a severely limited budget. One of the best ways is to limit the locations, have a decent script, and hire some decent actors. This little creeper of a film hits home on all accounts.
Willem (Stephen Phillips) is in his way to prison for a crime he didn’t commit. His van is intercepted and he’s given the option of participating in an experiment, which will lead to a reduced sentence. He jumps at the chance and is taken to an undisclosed location. It’s basically a solitary confinement cell, and there’s almost nothing to do for days on one. One day he notices a strange creature, which he can see behind a glass partition. The being looks like the “Creature from the Black Lagoon.” If you’ve seen that movie, you get a good idea what it looks like. In his sleep, the creature pays him visits. Or does it? You’re never quite sure, which makes it doubly creepy.
Occasionally a researcher Dalesky (Tristan Barr) comes in to interview him. He’s asked seemingly random questions and if he doesn’t answer them immediately, he’s given an electric shock. And in his sleep, we witness a series of what could potentially be flashbacks of the events leading up to his arrest.
The scary thing about this type of movie is that you never know what’s real and what’s the product of the prisoner’s imagination. If you’re in the mood for something on the creepy side of things, put this one in your queue.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming for free on Hoopla and Kanopy (with your library card), Tubi, and Vudu. Also on Prime Video and to rent on Apple TV and other services.
2021 * Not Rated * 1h 21m This was a bit different than I was expecting. It's sort of a dark-ish comedy that could very easily been written for the stage. I wasn't really familiar with any of the actors, but they all not only did a great job, they played off each other perfectly. Very believable performances. The stars include William Baldwin, Teri Polo, and Mena Suvari.
The story revolves around the parents of kids attending a catholic elementary arts school. Which is kind of funny right there. They're all called to a meeting at the school because a brick of marajuana has been discovered in the classroom. So they need to hash out (pun intended) who's responsible for the drugs, and how to deal with it.
The group includes just about every stereotype you'd expect. And of course, they immediately begin bickering. They start slinging insults and barbs and the meeting comes close to spinning out of control. I thought the dialogue was quite amusing and it held my attention right to the end. And the conclusion put a smile on my face--which is all I ask for when it comes to little indie gems like this!
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming for free on Hoopla (with your library card, Tubi, Vudu, Plex, The Roku Channel, and to rent on other services
2023 * R * 1h 37m If you like slow burning, tense, creepy movies, you're in luck. I wasn't sure what to expect with "Eileen" but I really enjoyed it. If you can use the word "enjoy" with a film like this.
The movie stars the young and talented Kiwi actor Thomasin McKenzie, who I thought shined in the sleeper movie "Leave No Trace." If you haven't seen it, it's a film worth looking for. Here she plays Eileen Dunlop, a secretary who works at the men's prison in a small town in Massachusetts in 1964. The film does a perfect job of setting the scene for the era, and the cinematography gives it a depressing, bleak look and feel. Eileen has a dead-end job, and her home life is no better. She lives with her dad, a retired cop who spends his days drinking himself into a stupor.
One day a glamorous doctor Rebecca (Anne Hathaway), shows up. She's a brilliant woman, determined to use her psychological training to help the inmates at the prison. To say Eileen is smitten is an understatement. She practically worships the ground she walks on. And the two strike up a friendship that appears to be heading in a carnal direction. Until...
I'm definitely not going to reveal what happens next. Let's just say, I never saw it coming. It was quite a shocker. The plot twists will keep you hanging on and guessing right until the end. Speaking of the which, that's the one problem I had with the film. I thought the resolution was a bit weak--the writers could have done better. But overall, the film was definitely worth watching. Especially to see the performances from the two leads.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Currently streaming for free on Kanopy (with your library card) and Hulu. And to rent on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and other services.
2022 "Not Rated" 1h 40m What a refreshing take on the classic road trip movie. It's a perfect combo of buddy (albeit, the love/hate variety) movie, sci-fi, indie, and comedy, all rolled into a zany, fun-filled wild ride of a film. If you looking for something different, and I mean different, you owe it to yourself to check out this little gem.
Peter (Matthew Jeffers) and Winona (Sarah Hay) live in the same apartment complex in NYC. He's a gay, little person who's just plain mad at life. She's a kind hearted prostitute who's on a mission. She's determined to head up north into Canada to meet up with aliens so she can be abducted by them and taken to a distant galaxy. She's on a schedule and convinces Peter to steal a neighbor's car and join her on her quest. Well, actually she bribes him with a huge wad of cash.
This is quite unlike anything I've ever seen before. It's full of laughs, interesting encounters, and at the heartfelt dialogue as you'd expect from a film like this. The writing, acting, and directing, all come together perfecly to create what I think is destined to become a timeless, indie classic.
4 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming for free on Kanopy and Hoopla (with your library card). Also on Paramount, Apple TV, and other services.
2023 * PG-13 * 1h 27m Imagine, if you will the movie “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” for adults. Or seniors, to be more exact. That’s a fairly apt description of this absolutely charming, tenderhearted, and unique little film. It’s directed by Marc Turtletaub, who’s known for such memorable films as “Little Miss Sunshine,” “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” “Safety Not Guaranteed,” and “The Farewell.” The fact that Sir Ben Kingsley stars in the movie doesn’t hurt either. When you see his nuanced performance here, you realize why he’s been knighted. And hearing his American accent, it also confirms just how well trained so many British actors are.
Milton (Kingsley) is a doddering older duffer who lives alone in a small Pennsylvania town. He has a son who lives in California who he has little contact with. Fortunately, his daughter Denise (Zoe Winters), a busy veterinarian lives nearby and frequently checks up on hm. His life isn’t very exciting, to say the least. The highlight of his month is the city council meeting, which he regularly attends. At each session, during the open forum, he recites the same prepared list of complaints. Naturally, his speech is met with rolled eyes from his fellow citizens.
One night, something remarkable occurs. A spaceship crashes in his backyard. Now if this happened to you or me, we’d go crazy. However, Milton is such a mild-mannered soul, he’s almost totally unfazed by the event. In fact, his main concern is that the craft landed on his beloved Azaleas! The next day he discovers an alien laying on the ground half way to his back door. This is no ordinary being. He’s a silver, androgynous creature with kindly eyes and is totally silent. Milton dubs the alien “Jules” and the beginning of a subtle, intergalactic friendship commences. Jules is played by Juade Quon, who in spite of not speaking, conveys a sense of compassion and empathy. You want to just go up and give the little creature a hug!
When Milton discovers Jules enjoys eating sliced apples, he heads to the store to stock up on the fruit. There he tells the cashier he’s buying a big sack of apples for an alien that’s crashed in his backyard. Naturally, word gets back to his daughter who’s already concerned about his mental state. She’s noticed he’s recently done little things like leaving a can of beans in the medicine cabinet, which he shrugs off as being forgetful. After hearing him talking about an alien in his yard, she arranges for him to meet with a neurologist. When she suggests he may want to look into assisted living, he storms out of the office. End of discussion.
Naturally it’s hard keeping a spaceship in one’s backyard a secret for long. Milton eventually confides in two acquaintances, Sandy (Harriet Sansom Harris) and Joyce (Jane Curtin). The three co-conspirators soon figure out that Jules is working on repairing his craft, hoping to return to his home planet. To that end, they join forces to provide him what he needs to make that happen.
What’s more, an event like a ship crashing in a small town doesn’t go unnoticed by the government. The incident is initially reported on the news as a weather satellite falling out of the sky. But as more information is gathered, they suspect it’s from outer space. And the race is on for agents to discover its whereabouts.
I really enjoyed this different take on the alien story. While it’s a sci-fi movie on paper, it has a quiet, folksy feel to it, minus all the histrionics typical of a Hollywood production. It was one of those rare films I simply didn’t want to end. The trio of Kingsley, Curtain, and Hansom was so sweet, you wish you had relatives like them.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
Note to parents: The film is rated PG-13 and I think it would be fine for family viewing. About the only thing objectionable are a couple of F-bombs. But I ask you, what kid hasn’t heard that?
Currently streaming for free with your library card on Kanopy. Also on Paramount, and to rent on Prime Video.
2023 * Not Rated * 1h 45m I know David Duchovny had a good run back in the day with the hit series "X-Files. I never saw the show but noticed recently he's been involved with a number of projects as a director, writer, and actor. And I must say, several of his newer movies have really impressed me. Especially this one. He stars in it along with Logan Marshall-Greene and Stephanie Beatriz. I loved the character she played in "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," but she proves here that she can play a lot more than a snarky, hard-assed cop.
When Marty (Duchovny) discovers he has cancer, his estranged son Ted (Marshall-Greene) decodes to take care of him. The two have a lot to work out, since their relationship wasn't the best. The grief counselor Mariana (Beatriz) assigned to Marty is a sweet, lovely woman and before long, Ted ends up falling for her. All this action takes place against the backdrop of the Boston Red Sox and their battle with the Yankees to win the pennant. The "Curse" in the title refers to the famous "Curse of the Bambino"which, if you're a fan of the game, you'll know what it signifies.
Well, the pennant race isn't going quite like they wanted it to, so Ted arranges for Marty's friend to engage in a bit of clever deception--faking a Boston winning streak. This proves to be one of the funnier parts of the film. The interactions between father and son are equally amusing and poignant. Marty is an old advertising guy (as am I), and he has all sorts of tales to tell.
This movie proved to be a lot better than I thought it was going to be. If you're in the mood for something a bit different, be sure to check out this little indie flick. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Currently streaming for free with your library card on Hoopla and Kanopy. Also on Hulu and to rent on Prime Video.
2011 * PG-13 * 1h 43m I'm a big fan of films from Down Under. Both Australia and New Zealand have produced some brilliant movies over the last decade or so. I absolutely loved the hilarious show "Flight of the Conchords" from back in the day. Actually, I think I need to give it a rewatch. One of my favorite characters was the duet's agent played by Rhys Darby. In "Love Birds" he co-stars with the formidable Sally Hawkins. You can feel the chemistry between these two, right from the start of this sweet little rom-com.
At the beginning of the film, Doug (Darby) and his girlfriend Sally (Fay Smythe) are breaking up. More specifically, she's walking out on him. Then, shortly after a duck crashes into his roof. He's not quite sure what to do with the bird so he takes it to the local zoo where Holly (Hawkins) gives him some advice. Thus begins two relationships. The first one is with the duck, who he names Pierre. They become buds and he takes his loyal pet everywhere, including his work. The second is with Holly, naturally. However, his relationship with Holly is hampered by her son, who is still getting over the loss of his father.
There are a lot of funny bits and Darby is his usual goofball self. I felt his pratfalls and physical humor was a bit over the top at times. But who am I to quibble?
Overall, I thought this movie, while somewhat predictable, was great fun. The interactions between the two stars was delightful. And there's a whole bunch of supporting characters that contribute to the comical nature of this film. If you're in the mood for an amusing rom-com with a Kiwi flavor, give this one a shot!
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming for free on Hoopla (with your library card) and Tubi. Also to rent on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Peacock, and other services.
