"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. 

"Ghostlight"

 2024 * R * 1h 55m. This is another “play within a movie” offering in a totally different setting that took me by surprise. It’s one of those rare films you accidently stumble upon, and makes you wonder why it isn’t better known. What a powerful piece of filmmaking. I can’t recommend “Ghostlight” strongly enough. 

 

It’s a very moving story that’s a bit slow in the beginning, but soon has its talons hooked into you—with an engaging story and fine cast. The movie is co-directed by the Chicago-based team of Kerry O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson and was written by O’Sullivan. The actors play off each other perfectly, which is no surprise since they’re an actual family in real life. Keith Kupferer and Tara Mallen are married and Katherine Mallen Kupferer is their daughter. You’ve probably seen the parents in other films, although they’ve mainly been in supporting roles. 

 

Dan (Kupferer) is a construction worker, usually manning a jackhammer. He’s one of those tough, silent types, who seem to have something bubbling under the surface. One day while at work, Rita (Dolly De Leon) comes out of a nearby building and castigates him for making so much noise. A bit later when he’s almost struck by a passing car, he loses his cool and gets into a confrontation with the driver and is nearly suspended from his job. The same woman witnesses the outburst and subsequently invites him to come inside and see what she’s up to. 

 

As luck would have it, she’s part of an amateur theatre group that’s rehearsing Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” And surprise, they just happen to need someone to sit in on a table reading. Dan is totally out of his element, but he agrees to help out. He finds the whole acting thing very intriguing and it isn’t long before he gets the acting bug. He doesn’t want his family to know what he’s up to, so he lies and tells them he’s out drinking with his work buddies.

 

Meanwhile, his daughter Daisy (Mallen Kupferer), is in trouble at school. She’s been accused of hitting a teacher, and when the family meets with the principal, we get a taste of Daisy’s angst. She’s a high-strung 16-year old who is ready to lash out at any minute. Daisy can barely get through a sentence without a barrage of expletives shooting out of her trap. She ends up avoiding getting expelled by agreeing to see a therapist. 

 

There are hints at some dark secret behind the family’s troubles. We learn early on that there’s an upcoming lawsuit against another family at the school, which they’re preparing for with their attorney. And the mom Sharon (Mallen), is the one holding the three of them together, just barely. The tension is palpable, especially at dinnertime. It’s like a powder keg just waiting to explode, with Daisy on edge and cussing like a sailor. 

 

As the film progresses, much of the focus is on Dan and his involvement with the theatre troop. A young actor playing Romeo complains that Rita is too old to play Juliet and storms out in a rage and quits. Against his better judgment, Dan is coerced into filling in as Romeo. At first he’s totally out of his element, but slowly steps up to the part. As he immerses himself in the role we see how acting begins to heal him. It helps him deal with the emotions he’s hidden deep in his heart. One scene I found especially amusing is when Dan passionately argues that they should rewrite the ending of the play to make it a happy one.  

 

This is one of those movies that really knocked me for a loop. I’m not a huge Shakespeare buff, but I can’t think of any other play that would work better in a film like this. It’s a rare movie that I kept thinking about days after seeing it. Just writing about it now makes me want to watch it again, even though I know how it turns out. It’s also one of those movies you’ll insist all your friends see!

 

In case you’re wondering about where the title comes from, here’s a brief explanation.  A ghost light is a single light placed on stage after hours in order to keep the theatre’s ghosts happy. It’s one of those theatre superstitions like saying, “break a leg” instead of good luck to a performer. Or referring to “Macbeth” as the “Scottish play.” 

5 out of 5 stars

 

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