Documentary Review Sorry/Not Sorry

Sorry/Not Sorry (2024)

Directed by Caroline Suh, Cara Mones

Written by Documentary 

Starring Jen Kirkman, Abby Schachner, Megan Koester, Andy Kindler, Michael Ian Black, Michael Schur

Release Date July 12th, 2023

Published February 1st, 2025 

I have a pet peeve. Every time I hear some boomer a****** talk about how such and such behavior was okay 'at the time, I get seriously annoyed. NO IT F****** WASN'T! There was never a time in recorded history where sexual assault was okay. There was never a time in human history when a man could pull out his penis in front of other people and begin masturbating and it was okay. There has never been a time when inflicting your sexual perversion on other people without their consent was okay. Racism, sexism, homophobia, Transphobia, these things were never okay. They should never have been treated as if they were okay. 

The documentary, Sorry/Not Sorry is about what Louis C.K did to a series of women. Using his position as a powerful star in the industry, he would invite his fellow professional comics, who happened to be women, to his dressing room, where he would proceed to masturbate in front of them. He has not denied doing this. And yet, his fans and enablers can't stop whining about 'cancel culture.' How about we forget about cancel culture and focus on the fact that what Louis C.K did was creepy, weird, and above all, wrong. It was wrong. I was under the impression for many years that we all agreed that this behavior was criminal. Somehow, just because Louis C.K makes some people laugh, we're supposed to look the other way.

lick here for my full length review. 

Movie Review Companion

Companion 

Directed by Drew Hancock

Written by Drew Hancock 

Starring Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid 

Release Date January 31st, 2025 

Published February 2nd, 2025

Companion stars Sophie Thatcher as Iris, the girlfriend of Josh, played by Jack Quaid. The two met while grocery shopping when goofy Josh attempted to flirt with Iris only to dump oranges all over the grocery store. Classic meet-cute stuff. Iris found Josh’s awkwardness sweet and his dorky smile adorable. They’ve been together ever since. If this meet-cute sounds all too perfect, you’re right, it is. 

This memory is related to us by Iris as she remembers it from a dream she was having. She and Josh are in the car driving to a weekend getaway with some of Josh’s friends and Iris dozed off. So the dream explains the gauzy, too perfect, quality of the meet-cute right? Nope, not really. There is still something a little off. It’s in the manner that Josh addresses Iris, his language is a little overbearing. He seems to be giving her orders rather than empathetically relating to the anxiety she feels about being around his friends. He's not rude or mean, per se, just specific and a little insensitive.

Click here for my full length review. 

Documentary Review The Killing of America

The Killing of America 

Directed by Sheldon Renan, Leonard Schader

Written by Leonard Schrader, Chieko Schrader

Starring American Violence 

Release Date September 5th, 1981

Published February 3rd, 2025 

The inspiration for this article is a video I tripped over while researching movies of the 1980s with a friend. We saw that in 1981 there was a documentary about America’s culture of violence and how violence had only begun to take such a hold in America in the wake of the J.F.K assassination. Interesting thesis, I wanted to know more about it. That’s when I learned that The Killing of America, a 1981 documentary created by filmmakers Sheldon Renan and Leonard Schrader, Paul Schrader’s brother, was available to watch for free on YouTube. 

The Killing of America is among the most mind-blowing, shocking, stirring and horrific documentaries to ever exist. The film is boldly uncensored and demonstrates its thesis statement regarding the growth of American gun culture and the culture of violent death that accompanied it, by using uncensored footage of people being killed, footage of morgues full of bodies in the midst of autopsy, and crime scene photos of a kind that haven’t been seen in American media in decades. But it’s so much more than just shock footage. The Killing of America features real instances of American violence that have been forgotten or censored out of existence.

Click here for my full length review. 

Documentary Review My Husband, The Cyborg

My Husband, The Cyborg 

Directed by Susanna Cappellaro

Written by Susanna Cappellaro

Starring Susanna Cappellaro, Scott Cohen

Release Date February 3rd, 2025 

Published February 4th, 2025

My Husband, The Cyborg is a terrific documentary in that it is so very inviting. By that I mean, the film invites you into a conversation with it. Your mind can’t help but argue or challenge the movie, unless you agree with what’s happening, but then you are probably thinking of the possibilities it demonstrates for your own life, in a different conversation with the film. For me, it was a running argument with the protagonist of My Husband, The Cyborg, Scott Cohen, a frustrating human being who, though he is probably a fine person in general, drove me up a wall. 

My Husband, The Cyborg proceeds on the premise of filmmaker, Susanna Cappellaro documenting her husband Scott’s transformation into a ‘Cyborg.’ Scott is starting the process of enhancing his body for the future. The first step is getting a series of bolts in his chest, essentially piercings, which will be in place to hold a small microchip. This microchip has one function, it vibrates when Scott is facing magnetic north. It’s a vibrating compass. That’s it. According to Scott, he will now always know when he’s facing north, which I am sure is valuable information… somehow.

Click here for my full length review. 

Classic Movie Review A.I Artificial Intelligence

A.I Artificial Intelligence 

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Written by Brian Aldis, Ian Watson, Steven Spielberg 

Starring Haley Joel Osment, Frances O’Connor, Jude Law, William Hurt 

Release Date June 29th, 2001

Published February 5th, 2025 

Movies don’t change, you do. A few years back I wrote about the 30th anniversary of Dirty Dancing. I had always been dismissive of Dirty Dancing, foolishly viewing it as a movie for girls who wanted to ogle Patrick Swayze’s swiveling hips. Today, I understand how shallow that reading is, while also being old enough and mature enough to understand that there is nothing wrong with having feelings about an attractive person’s swiveling hips and ripply muscles. The erotic appeal of Dirty Dancing is an asset, not a liability. But that's a topic for another Dirty Dancing essay that I should write. 

The sweaty, sexy, heavy breathing aspects of Dirty Dancing are the inviting surface covering the simmering politics and polemical deconstruction of 80s era America, stealthily hiding in the heart of Dirty Dancing. Director Emile Ardolino uses pop culture signifiers to deconstruct the myth of Reagan’s notion of America, one of repression and a pining for the good old days of the 1950s when women and minorities had fewer rights and weren’t trying to forcefully change the patriarchal society. It’s all there in the detailed and ingenious subtext of Dirty Dancing. And it took me 30 years to see it.

Click here for my full length review. 

Movie Review Clone Cops

Clone Cops 

Directed by Danny Dones

Written by Phillip Cordell, Danny Dones

Starring Quinnlan Ashe, Ravi Patel, Steve Byrne, Laura Holloway, Henry Haggard 

Release Date January 31st, 2025

Published February 6th, 2025 

Clone Cops is a deeply confused movie. On one hand, the film is a broad violent comedy satire of gaming culture. On the other hand, the film features an earnest portrayal of a group of people fighting for their lives and not finding this situation remotely funny. The tonal disconnect is, I assume, intended to create a dark comic vibe but the performances never match up. Some characters are in a broad dark comedy and others don’t know what movie they are in and come off confused and perturbed. 

Co-screenwriter Phillip Cordell takes a prominent role in Clone Cops as the titular, Clone Cop. All of the cops in this future world are based on one super-cop, who may or may not have just been a guy playing a cop in a popular gaming or TV series? Regardless, he’s now been cloned hundreds of times as part of a popular internet gaming series where his clones, wearing bizarre Lego head style masks and engage in combat with a group of terrorists, all for the amusement of an audience watching live on the internet.

Click here for my full length review. 

Movie Review Heart Eyes

Heart Eyes 

Directed by Josh Ruben 

Written by Phillip Murphy, Christopher Landon, Michael Kennedy

Starring Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Jordana Brewster, Devon Sawa, Gigi Zumbado

Release Date February 7th, 2025 

Published February 7th, 2025 

Horror comedy is tricky business. You don’t want to make the movie so funny that people don’t take the horror elements seriously. On the other hand, you don’t want to make the horror so graphic and terrifying that laughing feels awkward or inappropriate. The recent film Companionstarring Sophie Thatcher threaded the horror comedy needle by having the comedy arise from the absurdity of the premise and several clever needle drops. 

Another great example of the horror comedy balancing act at its best is Happy Death Day where the dynamic duo of star Jessica Rothe and writer-director Christopher Landon managed to bring horror and comedy together via a clever reimagining of the premise of the comedy classic Groundhog Day crossed with a slasher movie. But the main reason Happy Death Day worked so well was star Jessica Rothe and her boundless charisma and comic timing. Not to take anything away from Christopher Landon whose script was very smart and his direction was crisp.

Click here for my full length review. 

Classic Movie Review Hitch

Hitch (2005) 

Directed by Andy Tennant

Written by Kevin Bisch

Starring Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James, Amber Valetta, Michael Rappaport, Adam Arkin

Release Date February 11th, 2005

Published February 8th 2025 

With his wit, style and natural charisma it was a wonder in 2005 why Will Smith had not attempted to master the romantic comedy genre. By the time Smith made Hitch, it had been a solid five years since Smith had done a film without a weapon in his hand and an explosion at his back. Not since his breakthrough on TV's Fresh Prince Of Bel Air had Smith done anything close to comedy that wasn’t a one liner amid a hail of bullets.

In New York City there is an urban legend about a guy so charming that he has taken to teaching other men to emulate his charms. This legend is known as the Date Doctor and while most don't believe he exists, he does, in fact, exist in the form of Alex Hitchens, known as Hitch to his clients. The Date Doctor guarantees he can help any guy get any girl in three dates or less. Don't get the wrong idea though, he's not some alpha make pick up artist, Hitch won't help a guy with a one night stand, nor will he teach men to lie to women. He's all about helping them find true love in a long term relationship.

Click here for my full length review. 

Classic Movie Review Fandango

Fandango (1985)

Directed by Kevin Reynolds 

Written by Kevin Reynolds 

Starring Kevin Costner, Sam Robards, Judd Nelson

Release Date January 25th, 1985

Published February 9th, 2025

On January 24th,1985 Kevin Costner took his first leading man role in the mostly forgotten road comedy Fandango. Co-starring Sam Robards, Chuck Bush and Judd Nelson, Fandango follows friends from the University of Texas on one, final, epic road trip before each head off to Vietnam or maybe Mexico.

The year is 1971 and it's the day before Kenneth’s (Sam Robards) wedding and his graduation day from the University of Texas and the day he finds out he’s been drafted. So has his best friend, Gardner (Costner), while their roommate Hicks (Nelson) has already volunteered to go. With their future’s uncertain the friends pile into a generic movie road trip car and head for the border with plans to dig up a relic of their earlier college years.

Click here for my full length review. 

Classic Movie Review Captain America The First Avenger

Captain America The First Avenger (2011) 

Directed by Joe Johnston 

Written by Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely 

Starring Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Stanley Tucci, Dominic Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones, Hayley Atwell 

Release Date July 22nd, 2011 

Published February 10th, 2025

Captain America is returning to the big screen on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, 2025, with Captain America: Brave New World. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson is taking over the mantle of Captain America in the continuation of the franchise that, after Iron Man, solidified the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 2011’s Captain America: The First Avengerwas a terrific introduction of the Captain America character and remains, all these years later, a high point in the MCU. Let’s look back. 

Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) was a 98-pound weakling with a heart twice the size of his tiny frame. In 1942, all Steve wanted was to defend his country in the 2nd World War. Steve didn't have bloodlust or a death wish, rather, he saw Hitler as just the kind of bully that he'd spent his young life fighting against and he was eager to strike a blow on behalf of those being harmed by Hitler's evil.

Click here for my full length review 

Movie Review Kinda Pregnant

Kinda Pregnant 

Directed by Tyler Spindel 

Written by Julie Palva, Amy Schumer

Starring Amy Schumer, Brianna Howey, Jillian Bell, Will Forte, Damon Wayans Jr. 

Release Date February 5th, 2025 

Published February 11th, 2025

Because it has become quite fashionable for men to hate Amy Schumer ever since she rocketed to fame on Comedy Central and in the movie, Trainwreck, I need to say that I’ve always liked her. Despite the accusations of joke theft and a couple of movies that didn’t play to her best assets comedically, I’ve always found her style of comedy appealing. She’s irreverent, she never held back on stage, and as an actor, she had an offbeat style that made her unique from the typical movie star. 

I am mentioning all of this to head off any notion that I am an Amy Schumer hater. It’s not me trying to be part of the cool crowd when I say that Schumer’s new Netflix comedy, Kinda Pregnant is a deeply odd and wildly unpleasant film. The movie, co-written by Schumer, stars the comedian and actress as a deeply unlikable and unreal caricature of a human being. She has traits that are intended to be broadly comic but come off as unformed ideas tossed off in a pitch meeting that accidentally ended up in a completed script.

Click here for my full length review. 

Movie Review Love Hurts

Love Hurts

Directed by Jonathan Eusebio 

Written by Matthew Murray, Josh Stoddard, Luke Passmore

Starring Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose 

Release Date February 7th, 2025

Published February 12th, 2025

Love Hurts stars Academy Award winner Ke Hui Quan as Marvin, a mild mannered real estate agent who is secretly a killing machine. Years earlier, Marvin left behind the life of an enforcer for his gangster brother, Knuckles (Daniel Wu), for the quiet life of a sweet, good natured, real estate agent that everyone quickly comes to like. It’s a strange transition but one that Marvin is incredibly proud of. His new life may appear dull and his persona, milquetoast, but at least he doesn’t break bones and end lives anymore. 

Naturally, the new status quo of Marvin’s life is about to be upended. Rose (Arianna DeBose), has returned after a lengthy absence. Rose happens to have been key to Marvin getting out from under his brother’s thumb. Marvin had promised to kill Rose in exchange for being able to leave his old life behind. With Rose back in town, Marvin’s lie about killing her is exposed, leading Knuckles to send killers after his little brother to find out why Rose is still alive and where she may be hiding while taunting the people who planned to have her killed.

Click here for my full length review. 

Movie Review The Gorge

The Gorge 

Directed by Scott Derrickson

Written by Zach Dean

Starring Anya Taylor Joy, Miles Teller 

Release Date February 14th, 2025 

Published February 13th, 2025 

A woman awakes in a makeshift bed in a wooded area. She marks off a day on a makeshift calendar and begins to listen for a specific sound. That sound is the arrival of a small aircraft on a tiny airstrip far from the rest of the world, and a good deal of distance from where this woman is. The unknown woman then pulls out a long range weapon with a precision scope and trains it on the door of the plane, some distance away. When a man emerges from the plane, the gun is fired, the man falls dead, and the scene comes to an end. 

Editing and visual context are all you have to go on. It’s disorienting but with purpose. The film intends to cause a little confusion and chaos because part of the journey of the movie is clearing up the confusion surrounding a bizarre new assignment for a pair of well trained killers. Our heroine, Drasa, and her opposite number, Levi (Miles Teller), have been given a bizarre new assignment filled with mystery and intrigue that they will have to clear up if they are to survive it. Naturally, clearing up the confusion will require just the kind of skills Drasa demonstrates in this opening scene, patience, intelligence, skill, and stealth.

Click here for my full length review. 

Movie Review Captain America Brave New World

Captain America Brave New World 

Directed by Julius Onah 

Written by Rob Edwards, Malcolm Spellman, Dalon Musson, Julius Onah, Peter Glanz 

Starring Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Carl Lumbly 

Release Date February 14th, 2025

Published February 14th, 2025 

Captain America Brave New World continues the slow death march of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The decline in quality and storytelling from when we were introduced to Tony Stark in 2008 to today is shocking. It reveals the faddish nature of the Superhero movie. It is simply a concept that has run its course. Today, we dutifully attend the next superhero movie in vain hope that things will improve but all the while knowing that things will never be the same. Our collective dedication to superhero movies feels as hollow as the movies themselves have come to feel in the latest phase of the MCU. 

Captain America Brave New World picks up in the wake of the TV show Falcon and the Winter Soldier wherein Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) finally came to accept the mantle of Captain America. Of course, this is merely implied in the movie, having not seen the TV series, I simply accepted that since Sam has the shield and people call him Cap, that he must have become the official Captain America in that show. One of the grave flaws of Captain America Brave New World is acting like a blockbuster movie while playing like a serialized TV show.

Click here for my full length review. 

Movie Review Bridget Jones Mad About the Boy

Bridget Jones Mad About the Boy 

Directed by Michael Morris

Written by Helen Fielding, Dan Mazar, Abi Morgan

Starring Renee Zellweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Hugh Grant, Leo Woodall 

Release Date February 13th, 2025

Published February 15th, 2025 

Bridget Jones Mad About the Boy is shockingly good. Admittedly, I had extremely low expectations for this late period sequel about Bridget as a single mom, several years into grieving the loss of her beloved husband, Mark Darcy. What a wonderful surprise then to find that the film felt remarkably authentic, warm hearted, and highly reminiscent of the charming first chapter of this film series. Renee Zellweger has such a remarkable handle on this character today that even two decades later, instead of feeling like a perfunctory attempt to further capitalize a well known property, Zellweger's performance in Mad About the Boy is one I can’t help but fall in love with. 

Five years ago as this story begins, Mark Darcy died while on a humanitarian trip in Africa. He leaves behind Bridget and their two lovely children, Billy (Casper Knopf) and Mabel (Mila Jankovic). As a trio, they are doing okay. Bridget may rarely get out of her PJ’s but she is a wonderful, supportive, and loving mom. But, it has been five years, perhaps it is time for Bridget to get back into the world. Perhaps she needs to go back to work? Perhaps it’s time for her to start dating again.

Click here for my full length review.