September Movies Ranked Best To Worst

 September sent me to the theater 6 times. The theaters were dead all month...in fact I had a couple screenings all by myself...which is worrisome. However Taylor Swift will help the theater cause in October for sure.

So here are my six....to be honest...I really did not see any terrible films in September. I am finding a recurring problem more and more, it is almost the theme of the year for me, films do not know how to finish. I feel somehow film makers are trying to impress the boring, over analytical critics and not the paying public. What is wrong with giving the public what they want. Just saying......

6

THE LONG WALK

This is a pretty good film, yet, a hard watch. Very much like the hunger games, you keep walking, if you go too slow you get shot, last one standing will receive a boatload of prizes.

 Note, you see them get shot. It is a bloody film. Still, the conversations between the walkers keep you interested, you learn a lot about each character. The highlight of the film..two performances:

Cooper Hoffman as Raymond and David Jonsson as Peter are both amazing, and they keep you watching and caring. Still the ending sucked...no spoiler, give the people what they want. 

Not a bad film, you could do worse, just hard to watch.

5

DEAD OF WINTER

First..awesome poster...maybe the best poster of the year.

A woman , going ice fishing, stumbles on a kidnapped child at a cabin in the snow.

Starring Emma Thompson and produced by Emma Thompson.

Very exciting. While watching, I thought this may be top ten. Then...the ending...so disappointing. Gosh..why? Just why?

4

THE THREESOME

Well you see that title and you think..sex and more sex. Nope.

Well we meet Olivia (Zoey Deutch); Connor ( Jonah Hauer King); and Jeny (Ruby Cruz). All three in the first 10 minutes have a threesome. The movie is about what happens afterwards. Well acted by all three leads., often funny and yet often sad. Again it just had trouble closing. Like...they had an idea and did not plan on an ending. Still....worth a watch at home.

3

SPLITSVILLE

Another film about relationships! 

Ashley (Adria Arjona) breaks up with her partner Carey (Kyle Marvin). Carey stays with his friends Julie (Dakota Johnson) and Paul ( Michael Angelo Covino). This is when the hi-jinx starts.

This film could be a TV series. I love the characters..highlighted by the very funny Marvin; and Johnson who is just a star at this point in her career. Also, there are a bunch of characters that come in and out of scenes that I found hilarious.

I now go back to the theme...the ending. The end result is not what I hoped for or expected and seemed forced. Ugh.

Still a great film to watch at home.

2

DOWNTON ABBEY THE GRAND FINALE

Well not much to say here. There was not really much of a storyline here, and what was a story seemed forced. What did work here was time, the passage of time, as we have now followed these characters for over a decade. Time brought happiness and sadness and hope. This film delivered exactly what fans wanted to see and expected. You can't fault that.

1

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER

Many are calling this the best film in decades.

I have to say...I still think a children's family film is my number one at this point. However I may change that.

This film follows a group of revolutionaries for about 20 years. 

Positives:

Dicaprio as Bob

Penn as Colonial Lockjaw

Del Toro as Sensei

Outstanding Newcomer Chase Infiniti as Willa

Everyone of these actors will probably get an Oscar nomination

Negatives

I am a big fan of Paul Thomas Anderson films. I still had trouble getting past the revolutionaries and the actions of often leaving innocent people in the crossfire. Happily the film changes from that to a chase between bad guys with Willa and Bob's love as a father trying to get her.

Well the film is perfectly shot. Sometimes funny. sometimes aggravating, and well acted. 

Back to the theme...I cant say why I hated the ending without spoiling. I just want to note: Does it end? We are supposed to laugh or cheer a character on and maybe we should not.

Oh a couple last notes:

Teyana Taylor is getting a lot of love for her performance as Perfidia. I highly disagree. I think she is miscast and has zero chemistry with everyone on the screen. Stiff acting.

Regina Hall is fabulous here and is getting no love for her performance. Has Regina Hall ever given a bad performance. She is underrated

See it in the theater if you get a chance to. 

Oh October ...Roofman is coming...is that good or bad we shall see.

From the shadows as always thanks for your time.

August Films I Have Watched, Ranked Worst To Best!!

 Well, August was a much better month at the theater, than July, that is for sure!!

Remember, I post these short film reviews to help you decide which films, I feel, will be worth your time when they become available for streaming at home. Still, remember to support your local Cineplex.

Eleven films I took the time to watch in the theaters in August, and here they are ranked...,.

11

SKETCH

Oh boy this looked promising. A young girl, going through grief, whatever she sketches ends up becoming real.  This was really bad. People with children walked out. It is somewhat scary. Makes no sense. No reasoning. The storyline is boring. Skip this.

10

BAD GUYS 2

The first Bad Guys was very entertaining, it was very much like an old fashioned caper film. So I had hope. This was just not good. Made no sense, I felt like it was being made up as it went on, It wasn't even funny.

Skip it.

9

THE ROSES

Not a fan of turning a marriage break up into a comedy. I found this not funny. The trailer that was played, that we saw for months, all takes place in the last 15 minutes, every part of the trailer. The movie feels slow. Mundane. Uninteresting.

8

FREAKIER FRIDAY

I cannot say its a bad movie. In fact a good part of the film I found entertaining. I just felt the movie blew up in the back half. The film became sooooo cringe, I kinda felt bad for Curtis and Lohan. Throw in...I did not care what happened to anyone, which is a bad sign.

7

BOB TREVINO LIKES IT

Written and Directed by Tracie Laymon. I was able to watch this film in the theater before it ended up on Hulu the following week. 

Lily Trevino has an awful father, one of the worst in cinematic history, she find someone on line named Bob Trevino, who has the same name as her father. They become friends. 

Oh boy, great performances by Barbara Ferreira as Lily and John Leguizamo as the other Bob. It is sweet and heartbreaking. Almost, too heartbreaking, the ending is crushing, and that is why Bob Trevino is not higher ranked for the month.

6

NOBODY 2

I loved the first Nobody. Is this as good? No. Is it bad? No, in fact it is very entertaining. Full of action and laughs. Good performances: Bob Odenkirk is always good; Colin Hanks and Sharon Stone are really good here as the bad guy/woman. Also, important to note, the film comes in at 90 minutes, Director Timo Tjahjanto makes sure the film does not overstay its welcome. Looking for an action film to watch at home? You can do no wrong by choosing this one. He just wants to spend time with his family!

5

HONEY DON'T

Ethan Coen brings us a kinda old fashion film noir. Does it work? Kinda. I loved all the characters:

Aubrey Plaza as cold as ice MG Falcone;  Chris Evans as the perverted Reverend Drew Devlin; and there real star Margaret Qualley as Honey. I just wished the story and the mystery and the outcome lived up to the level of all the performances. The film just lies there at the end. Still, I would love to see Qualley's character Honey in another film.

4

RELAY

A really good old fashioned tense thriller. 

Directed by David Mackenzie and written by Justin Piasecki. We follow Ash (The Fantastic Riz Ahmed) who acts as a broker or a go-between corporations and individuals trying to get out from under an issue, such as Sarah (Lily James). This film, was exciting and was becoming one of the best films I have watched all year. However there is a twist at the end that made no sense and I will leave it there. It was unnecessary. Still I put it at 4 because...it worked for a while, a long while. Watch it and see if you agree with me.

3

CAUGHT STEALING

Tarantino like. Great performances by all, led by Austin Butler and Zoe Kravitz. 

Ex-Baseball Player Hank Thompson finds himself thrown into a game of life and death by making the mistake of helping his neighbor.

Loved this movie. However,and a big HOWEVER, I had a lot of problems getting past a decision made by Darren Aronofsky and writer Charlie Hutson in the middle of this film. I hear I am not the only one.

I am saying every performance is perfect. I was all in. However....

2

AMERICANA

The lives of local outsiders  and outcasts collide in this slow burn of a small town westernish drama.

I do mean slow burn...

What is strange about the film is not the plot that makes it great it's the performances and the characters:

Sydney Sweeney in her best ever performance as Penny Jo a waitress with a stutter and a dream

Paul Walter Hauser  as Lefty Ledbetter. I good soul who happens to not be left-handed.

Halsey as Mandy Starr a mom trying to cut a deal for a better life

 

Director and writer Tony Tost throws a lot at us:

A little boy who thinks he is sitting bull

A Ghost Shirt

A strange cult

A bunch of dreamers

A very good film with a soft ending which may have been too sad and soft...

1 

SHE RIDES SHOTGUN

Directed by Nick Rowland written by Ben Collins; Jordan Harper;  and Luke Piotrowski.

What a great story.

A man gets out of prison and picks his daughter up from school and takes her away. Is he a bad guy?

Oh...who are the bad guys?

This is a run from the law/ bad guys movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

A fantastic performance by Ana Sophia Heger as the little girl Polly. If she does not get a nomination for this performance something is wrong!!

Taron Egerton is so dirty and great as the father Nathan.

Rob Yang and John Carroll Lynch with fantastic supporting roles.

Well anyway, father and daughter are running from the law and maybe some others....

Just exciting and tense...just wish for a better ending. It's almost like they did not know how to finish this film. 

Still one of my favorites of the summer.

So August was a bit better than July.  Here comes the Fall...and Downton!!!

As always from the shadows thanks for your time.

July Films ranked!! Oh 2025 you have to get better.

 Oh my goodness! It cannot get worse. I can honestly tell you that everyone of the following films, I probably will not see again.

So...here I go.....SIX films I watched in the theater in July. Ranked worst to best.

6

TOGETHER

Well you know how I do not like horror films. I was drawn to this because of real life couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco. It was gross...and frustrating. A couple molding together, yes you read that right. Also a couple making bad decisions. Also a cringe worthy sex scene. Avoid it.

5

I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER

Maybe the worst acting I have seen in a film in years. I watched for nostalgia. Bad decisions. stupid plot..bad acting = NO!

4

SUPERMAN

So many people liked this. Sheep. If you like going to a Superman film just to see Superman get his ass kicked over and over and over again have at it. Note Superman never wins a battle. Even in the end..the dog wins. I felt the film was nothing but frustrating.

3

OH HI

I think this is worth a look for home viewing. Girl Loves Boy. Boy Just Kinda Likes Girl And Sex. There is where the film stands. Often funny. Often laugh out loud funny. Well acted by Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman. However the film loses focus in the back half, it can't decide what it wants to be and loses its tone.

Again...that first half makes it worth a look.

2

NAKED GUN 

Yes I know it came out in August but I saw a screening a couple weeks back. The jokes come very quickly and often work. Liam Neeson and Pam Anderson are great together. The film really drags at the end and it is only an 85 minute film! Sooooo,,,,still...I laughed.

1

FANTASTIC 4

Well acted. Gives some hope for the Marvel future. The retro design looks fantastic. It's not a bad film, in fact it's good. I just felt the ending was very flat and kind of boring. Worth a look at home I guess.

Well...goodby July!!! August thankfully started strong but more on that later...

As always thanks for your time, from the shadows as always.

Halfway Through The Year! My Top 5 Films I Have Watched So Far! I will throw in a book also!

 

We have come to the halfway mark of the year. Okay it has been a tough year. Lackluster at best.

I mean last year, my top 5 at the halfway mark, 4 of those 5  films made my top ten best of the year. I have a feeling that may not be happening this year. Well let's get started, in no particular order....

1

SINNERS

Well I am not a horror film kind of guy. I was drawn to this film by good reviews. I must admit it was entertaining. A strong story by Ryan Coogler, about two brothers trying to leave their troubled lives behind, they come home to start a new. Well acted by Michael B Jordan playing both brothers. Hailee Steinfeld as the woman from the past. And a newcomer Miles Caton as Sammie. Throw in some fantastic music, and you got yourself an entertaining film. Watch through the credits.

2

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE THE FINAL RECKONING

The end has come. And what an ending. The story at almost 3 hours..often feels made up as they filmed, yet, the action scenes make up for that problem.  Plus, it is great to see Cruise; Atwell; Pegg; and Rhames one last time.

3

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 

They took a classic animated film and made it better. It just works better as a live action movie. It is a perfect film for adults and kids. Well cast. The special effects are fantastic. The story is the same but seems more exciting.It is just a fun and exciting edge of your seat summer film.

4

JURASSIC PARK REBIRTH

A big improvement from the last couple Jurassic films. Yes the film has the same type of storyline, but with 

Johansson, Ali,  and Bailey it adds a much needed spark. See it on the big screen if you can, it's good summer fun.

5

F1 THE MOVIE

Lots of action. The race scenes are cool. Well acted. A bit long...but exciting.

Well there you go, my top 5 so far. Yes, a lot of big action films. That's because everything else just fell short.

How about a book!!

ATMOSPHERE

Is it as good as The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo? No. Atmosphere gets bogged down a bit by tech talk, still its Taylor Jenkins Reid. This book takes place in the 80s, we follow two female astronauts Joan and Vanessa. However it is bigger than these two,it is about space; god;life and self. Reid tells great stories, by keeping things in 3rd person, and playing with time. Once she grabs you, she always finishes strong. There is a reason why she just signed a 40 million dollar book deal.

Well there you are, six months in!! Go to the theater, see a film!!

From the shadows as always, thanks for your time!

Ranking The Best And Worst Films I have Watched In June!!

 So, in June I watched 12 films in the theaters. Here are my rankings 12-1. Number 2 is cheating and I will explain and number 1 will be a shocker.

So..here they are....I hope this list will help you decide what to see in the theaters or when they are available to watch at home.

12

HOT MILK

I thought it looked interesting. No...3 annoying people. With a plot that went nowhere. Avoid it.

11

DANGEROUS ANIMALS

Crazy man finds joy in killing people by feeding them to sharks. I knew this coming in. I just found no joy in torture porn, and the ending not giving me the results I wanted. The happy part is glossed over..but I want to know what happens afterwards... but no. 

10

28 DAYS LATER

I am not a horror or zombie movie person. However this was getting good reviews so like a sheep I went.

Very violent. It started well, but in the middle they took away the best character (No he did not die), it was downhill from there. Then the movie did not end, it was a to be continued which I always hate.

9

THE PHOENICIAN

I love Wes Anderson films. However in his last couple films, he has an idea it seems, but this idea does not really make a movie. So he fills the movie with Wes Anderson quirkiness, and here that does not work. The film is just flat and not funny and not interesting. A bright spot in the film introduction of MiaThrepleton as Sister Liesi, she is the bright spot.

8

ELIO

Its Pixar. It's not bad..not great. Kinda predictable. Kids may be bored because often nothing is happening, the movie is not moving forward. It is worth a look on Disney +.

7

THE MATERIALIST

Gosh I wanted to like this more. Same director, Celine Song of the fantastic Past Lives. Marketing for this film was awful, by making it seem like a rom-com. So how can you not be disappointed when you find out it is a drama filled with a lot of sadness and a very miscast Pedro Pascal.  It is not bad, you just have to know it is about dating in this age and expectations.

6

LIFE OF CHUCK

Many people love this film. It is a life affirming film. It is edited as 2 movies in one. Sort of a magical story of life lessons and learning to enjoy. They are interconnected both parts in a very odd way. I loved the second part but the 1st part put a damper on the second. So..anyway.. Oscar worthy performance by Tom Hiddleston.

5

BALLERINA

You go in for the action and it delivered. I mean fighting with fire?  Amaras is fantastic. You get to see Lance Reddick,RIP, one last time. The movie really needed editing. 

4

JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE

You go in for the rom-com and you get it. Very predictable. Sweet. Funny. The lead Camille Rutherford is very good. The ending fell flat, but still I liked it.

3

F1

Filled with action. Well acted. Needed an editor. 2.5 hours of race, crash, race, crash, race, crash. After a while you are looking at your watch. The race scenes however are cool, and you learn a lot about racing even though the narrator of the races will not shut up. I did enjoy it. It is fun. Just long.

2

JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH

Wait! That movie comes out in July! It is not in the theaters yet! I know people! However I saw a private screening of it 2 weeks ago because I am special. Well I have been called "Special" often in life.

So I hated the last Jurassic. So going in, I was like naaaaah. I can't tell you enough how good this is. A different story, with great actors Johansson, Bailey, and Ali. This was so fun, a perfect film to watch in the theaters in the summer. How it plays at home I do not know, but I jumped often and laughed. Oh one negative..I hated the kid, drove me nuts. See this in the theaters, come out July 2nd! The water scenes!!!

1

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON

Who would have thought. A remake of a classic animated movie would be better than the animated movie. It works better as a live action film.The action is perfect for adults and kids. It is well cast. The special effects are fantastic. The story is the same but seems more, exciting. I see people on line noting..it shot by shot of the other film...what is the point. Did you say that about the remake of The Great Gatsby; Little Women; Cinderella; and so on. So just shut up and watch, it is a fun, and exciting, edge of you seat summer movie.

Well there was my June. Next week or so I will give my top 5 of the year so far. Bring on July, bring on Superman!

As always from the shadows thanks for your time

Ranking From Worst To Best Films I Have Watched In The Theaters In May!!!!!!!

 Well, I am going to try this. 

This may help you decide what to watch when these films are ready for home viewing, or go to the theaters and take a look.

As you know....I am very wise so you should follow my lead.

So in May I watched 11 films in the theater....

11

Lilo & Stitich

Oh boy rebellious children who don't listen are real cute in animation. Not so much in real life. Could not stand the kid and Stitich bothered me. However I hear kids love it. So................Not for me I guess.

10

The Legend Of Ochi

Just okay...exciting sometimes. Boring and flat ending.

9

Friendship

People like this film. Me? Not so much. Thought it was more cringe than funny.

8

Karate Kids Legends

You get exactly what you pay for. Is that a bad thing? No.  It is not great. However, again, you know what you want going in and it delivers.

7

On Swift Horses

Right now I would pay to see Daisy Edgar Jones read the phone book. This is clearly for adults. Slow moving. Sad sometimes, very moving. Takes place in the 50's, as Muriel upends her life pushing against social norms. Just disappointed in the ending. I wanted it to be more moving

6

Tornado

Oh my gosh.It is like a modern western but not in the west. Tornado, a young girl on the run from some bad guys. Turns the tide. I just did not like the ending. However it is a very exciting film, my first surprise of the year.

5 

The Ballad Of Wallis Island

Former music star gets paid to do a concert at Wallis Island. Not knowing it was for just one person. Enter music stars ex-wife and former band mate. I wanted to laugh more. Still fun and sweet. I keep thinking it may be higher on this list after another viewing, just to appreciate it more.

4

The Last Rodeo

I mean how can you not like this film from Angel Studios. A retired bullrider comes back to raise money for his sick grandson. You know where it's going, but you don't care. Tissues with action. Well acted also.

3

The Accountant 2

I mean action, and laughs. Bernthal and Affleck have great chemistry.. I still can't tell you what the plot is about, something about smuggling people.

2

Thunderbolts or The New Avengers

Fun yet very heavy, great starting point for the new direction of Marvel. We love BOB!!!

1

MIP Final Reckoning

At this point, the mission is possible. Yes, very long. However those action scenes!!!

Okay. Bring on June. Looking at you Ballerina and you Dragon and you Dinosaurs!!!

As always from the shadows thanks for your time.