Coyota vs. Acme - 2 1/2 Stars - THEATERS - August 28,2026

Everything Wile E. Coyote dredges up from the Acme corporation flops - rocket skates, cannons, giant slingshots.  He's had enough of it, ruining his pursuit of the - BEEP-BEEP - roadrunner.  Licking his wounds one night Mr. Coyote catches and for Will Forte's ambulance chasing law firm.  So begins Coyote Vs. ACME.  The mix of cartoons and humans is nice, recalling but not quite equaling Who Killed Roger Rabbit, the gold standard of this kind of thing.  As with the original cartoons, Coyote vs. ACME offers plenty of pratfalls, especially into very deep canyons.  The finale drags out many of the Warner Brothers great stable of characters led by Foghorn Leghorn, the overgrown rooster/bully at the head of ACME. Kids will like.  Some will try to make this a statement on heartless giant corporations.  If you go, just go for the fun.  

Sex and Death at Camp Miasma - 3 1/2 Stars - THEATERS - AUGUST 7, 2026

Forget about every Friday the 13th knock off you ever watched.  Sex and Death at Camp Miasma leaves them in the dust laughing all the way.  Hannah Einbinder seems perfect as a cutting age Gen X filmmaker hired to reboot a tired teenage slasher series.  She travels to the camp where it all happened.  Wouldn't you know the now forgotten star of the original films lives here.  Gillian Anderson channels her best Gloria Swanson - explained as "...you know, like the old lady in Sunset Boulevard."  The deaths are over the top grizzly, the monster is ridiculous, the lampoon of Hollywood execs lands right on the money.  Watch out for all the metaphors about sex, and violence, and fame and generations.  This thing is great fun.  Don't take Grandma, unless your grandma is Jamie Lee Curtis.   

Movie Guide

The Rivals of Amziah King - 4 Stars - THEATERS - August 14, 2026 - Delightful modern noir with Matthew McConaughey as a beekeeper/musician/town character and newcomer Angelina LookingGlass as Matthew's foster daughter who takes over the business and avenges those who sabotaged  McConaughey.   

The Odyssey - 4 Stars - THEATERS- July 24, 2026 - Director Christopher Nolan goes big in the epic of the year.  Battles, monsters, and musings on civilization give viewers a lifetime's worth of food for thought.  Pee before you go.  Three hours.  (really doesn't feel like it.)  

The Invite - 4 Stars - THEATERS - June 26, 2026 - Stunningly funny parable of modern marriage.  Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogan, Penelope Cruz, and Edward Norton never miss a beat.  Edgy R rated and fascinating.  

Tuner - 4 Stars - APPLE - May 28, 2026 --- A piano tuner turns safe cracker and balances a life of crime and music. Classic thriller with jaw dropping twists toward the end. 

Life is Short - 4 Stars - NETFLIX - May 12, 2026 - A surprisingly inspiring review of actor Martin Short's life, his talent, his joy, and the deep grief of love and loss.  

Song Sung Blue - 4 Stars -- PEACOCK - December 25, 2025 - Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson as cover artists chasing a dream.  Grand old school audience pleaser.  

The Pitt - 4 Stars - MAX - January 9, 2025 - Season Two - April 16, 2026  - One of the great medical series, with Noah Wyle as head of emergency medicine in a struggling Pittsburgh hospital.  The Pitt far surpasses Wyle's work in ER.  This one's the real deal. 

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma - 3 1/2 Stars - THEATERS - August 7, 2026 - Delightful send up of slasher flicks and the movie business with Hannah Einbinder as Gen X filmmaker hired to reboot a tired slasher series.  Gillian Anderson channels her campiest Gloria Swanson in a jaw dropping guilty pleasure.  Don't take grandma.   

Obsession- 3 1/2 Stars - May 15, 2026 - PEACOCK - Socially awkward boy gets his wish for cute girl to love him obsessively.  Boy does this turn out bad.  Creative psychological thriller with a great performance from Inde Navarrette. Gets ready for shocks, jolts, and an unnervingly good time.

Remarkably Bright Creatures - 3 1/2 Stars - May 8, 2026 - NETFLIX - An Octopus observes Sally Field's friendship with a young drifter.  Delightful, creative and touching.  

The Sheep Detectives ---3 Stars --- PRIME - June 25,2026 - Delightful mix of animation and live action.  Shepherd Hugh Jackson is murdered.  His flock solves the who-done-it.   

Project Hail Mary - 31/2 Stars -  PRIME - Ryan Gosling as a science nerd shot into space to save the world.  Optimistic and winning tonic for our times.  

The Devil Wears Prada 2 - 3 Stars - May 1, 2026 - STREAMING - Meryl Streep returns for a twenty year update of the iconic comedy.  Nothing new here, but still fun.  

Coyote vs. Acme - 2 1/2 stars - THEATERS - August 28, 2026 - Wile E. Coyote has his day in court, with the cartoon characters you love as well as Will Forte as Wile E's hapless lawyer.  

 

The Christophers - 2 1/2 Stars - STREAMING - April 12, 2026 - Ian McKellen's greedy children hire an artist to finish some of his  art work.  The scheme backfires. 

Disclosure Day - 2 Stars - STREAMING - June 12, 2026 - Steven Spielberg's still chasing space aliens.  This one's long, loud, and loaded with crash scenes.  Emily Blunt and Josh O'Connor feel right, even if the project comes off like something from 30 years ago.  Nothing new to see here.   

  

 

 

The Rivals of Amziah King - 4 Stars - THEATERS - August 14, 2026

Matthew McConaughey spreads charisma all over the wildly unpredictable beekeeper noir The Rivals of  Amziah King .  As King, McConaughey hangs out with a pack of musicians and fellow characters, while keeping a backwoods honey business intact.  The first part of the film relies heavily on cartoon violence and bluegrass music.  It seems some evil doer is stealing honey and maybe Matthew can help the authorities.  Into the mix comes newcomer Angelina LookingGlass as his former foster daughter, back in town to start a new chapter of her young life.  The Rivals of Amziah King turns into two movies---the first half a boisterous cartoon, the second an exercise in slow redemption and vengeance.  Oh yeah, there's the bees --- the actors get covered in them.  That acting feet along earns four stars from me.  Also - a great bad guy cameo for Kurt Russell - of course he's in an oddball movie with Matthew McConaughey. I have a feeling you'll have to look for this one. It sure is worth finding.   

The Odyssey - 4 Stars - THEATERS - July 17, 2026

Christopher Nolan's long awaited epic deserves honors as Movie of the Year.  Matt Damon as Odysseus, King of Ithaca, begins an arduous journey home after winning the Trojan War.  He faces demons, monsters, the elements, and the wrath of the Gods.  The story telling takes a bit of getting used to - veering between almost Shakespearian and East Coast English.  Nolan throws in so much action you barely notice the time. (Pee before you go and add "Run Pee" to your phone apps.)(yes, there is such an app.) Meantime, back in the castle (Ithaca that is) Anne Hathaway and son Tom Holland hold down the fort but just barely.  In all of this, Matt Damon emerges as a great actor.  I hope he wins the Oscar.  Tom Holland steps in for Luke Skywalker while Robert Pattinson makes a great villain.  Hathaway has a couple of rousing speeches worth hearing.  The final third rips and roars making the effort worth the trouble.  It's great to see a movie seep into our national consciousness at a time when movies take a back seat to other media.  Go see what everyone's talking about --- it's worth it. 4 Stars.  

The Invite - 4 Stars -Theaters - June 26, 2026

Olivia Wilde directs and stars in a stunning parable of modern marriage.  In The Invite Olivia invites the neighbors - Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton.  Her husband Seth Rogan forgets about the invitation.  Company arrives and all Hell breaks loose.  The dialog flies fast and furious.  The story never goes to the marriage swapping you expect.  The Invite turns into an intense encounter you never see coming.  I'm betting on this as an Oscar contender in 2027.  

The Sheep Detectives - 3 Stars - AMAZON PRIME - June 25, 2026

One of the spring's most delightful films - The Sheep Detectives - has moved to Amazon Prime, giving countless fans a chance to view and enjoy.  This creative mix of live acting and animation stars Hugh Jackman as shepherd to a flock of very smart sheep.  He reads mystery stories to the assembled animals asking to guess who-done-it.  The exercise comes in handy when a mysterious guest poisons the kindly shepherd.  Of course, the village police are too dumb to figure things out, so the sheep find various ruses to offer clues.  Nice casting beyond Jackman includes Molly Gordon as the shepherd's daughter and Nicholas Braun, the dumb cousin from Succession, as the dumb village policeman who ultimately saves the day.  Emma Thompsonadds a note of class as a town official.  Mixed in with the good humor are threads about life and death that add a surprise note of humanity.  The Sheep Detectives - a delight.  

Disclosure Day - 2 Stars - THEATERS - June 12, 2026

Disclosure Day feels like a Steven Spielberg movie from thirty years ago, in fact, it feels a lot like E.T.  Except this time the action is loud and long beginning with a cage match where we find Josh O'Connor watching while waiting for instructions.  He has something the bad industrial complex guys want.  Soon the chase begins and the movie begins to look like One Battle After Another.  Colin Firth, good old Mr. Darcy, plays the bad guy whose touch of an English accent gives him a proper Snidely Whiplash effect.  Meanwhile, Emily Blunt, finding success as a wacky weather girl in Kansas City switches gears one night and begins forecasting in space talk.  She and O'Connor meet and the chase doubles with a train encounter right out of a dozen other movies, many of them Spielberg's.  Finally, the day arrives and our heroes reveal the secret of aliens among us.  Disclosure Day is very commercial, with lots of big scenes and a ease of a  sci-fi plot.  Because I started watching Spielberg fifty years or more ago, nothing feels new here.  Maybe younger people will disagree.  Knock yourselves out.  

Tuner - 4 Stars - THEATERS - May 29, 2026

Tuner tells the unusual story of Nikki, played by Leo Woodall, a talented piano tuner who flourishes despite sensitivity to loud noises.  A chance encounter with safe crackers uncovers his talent for opening safes.  Nikki falls into a secret life of crime when his mentor, played by Dustin Hoffman, suffers an attack, landing him in a hospital bed with bill mounting daily.  The safe cracking jobs can help pay his mentor's bills.  Along the way, Nikki meets Ruthie, played by Havana Rose Liu, a musical prodigy working toward an apprenticeship with a famous composer.  The tension mounts as the crimes build, threatening Nikki's romance and life.  Tuner throws a plot twist toward the end that to me, turned the movie from pretty good to great.  A second twist and a shocker of an ending made this experience a pleasure.  I found Tuner one of the best movies I've seen this year.  4 Stars.     

Obsession - 3 1/2 Stars - THEATERS - May 15, 2026

In Obsession, socially awkward Bear (Michael Johnson) works in a music store with cute, confident Nikki (Inde Navarrette.)  Trying to find the nerve to ask her out, Bear browses through a new age store and finds "One Wish Willow."  Break the stick and your one wish comes true.  We all know by now to be careful of what we wish for.  Bear wishes for Nikki to love him above all others.  Her love turns to Obsession spinning a psychological murderous thriller.  Johnson's fine as the awkward kid.  Inde Navarrette steals this show as the obsessed lover.  The shocks and twists had me laughing as I squirmed in my seat.  Obsession turns an ordinary story into a creative shocking good time.  This might have been just ok.  Instead, Obsession is pretty great.  

LIFE IS SHORT - 4 STARS - NEFLIX - MAY 12, 2026

Martin Short turns the story of his life over to his friend Director Lawrence Kasdan.  The result celebrates the joy in Short's performances and examines the grief of his great losses along the way.  Home video, behind the scenes footage, and frank comments from Short's friends make this documentary stand out.  I especially enjoyed the stories of Short's SCTV Days and the genuine friendship of the cast. I've watched many celebrity documentaries in recent years.  Life is Short feels more truthful than most.  This is an extraordinary work.  On Netflix - LIFE IS SHORT.

REMARKABLE BRIGHT CREATURES - 3 1/2 STARS - NETFLIX - MAY 8, 2026

Remarkable Bright Creatures serves up a creative mystery comedy starring Sally Field, as an older widow working as the night cleaner of an aquarium.  Her story is narrated by a giant Pacific octopus - voiced by Alfred Molina.  The two form a believable bond adding a charming spark to this story.  Sally befriends a young drifter played by Lewis Pullman as they uncover a life changing mystery.  The result is a delightful family friendly watch.      

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 --- THEATERS --- 3 Stars --- May 1, 2026

The cast of the great 2006 fashion comedy return for an update.  Meryl Streep plays the lead as imperious as ever, even as her magazine empire diminishes to  the point where she has to fly coach and take cabs.  Anne Hathaway returns to "Runway" Magazine as head of features.  Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt reprise their  roles.  The completed film is fun, even as it feels almost exactly like the original, only not quite as good.  THE DEVIL WEARS PARDA 2 - or maybe just again.  

The Christophers - 2 Stars - THEATERS - APRIL 12, 2026

The somewhat greedy children of artist Ian McKellen hire a forger to finish his  uncompleted work, therefor enhancing their inheritance. Michaela Coel plays the forger.  Her relationship with McKellen gives the story spark, as well as comic turns from James Corden and Jessica  Gunning, as the greedy would be inheritors.  McKellen's charming even as the story takes a tad too much time to unwind.  

Project Hail Mary --- 3 1/2 Stars - THEATERS - March 20, 2026

Everybody's talking about Project Hail Mary and I love it.  I fondly remember the days when you ran into a friend and immediately started talking about the cool movie you just watched.  So when a movie gets people talking, that's good by me.  Project Hail Mary begins with spaceman Ryan Gosling waking up with no idea where he is or how he got there.  Gradually we learn he teaches middle school science and once wrote a paper that impressed the right people years later.  He's recruited  on a project to save the world from devouring itself.  Beyond that, the science mystifies me.  But that's ok, sometimes you don't have to understand every plot nuance to enjoy a story.  Project Hail Mary looks great - set mostly in space.  Along the way, it drops little pieces of plot from other big movies - E.T., 2001, Gravity and many others.  Ryan Gosling's a great star for our times --- good looking and modest at the same time. The closest thing he gets to a co-star is a very austere Sandra Huller, a most serious scientist with a talent for karaoke.  Gosling's real co-star is a spaceman from another galaxy, destined to steal scenes and win our hearts.  Fun and exciting and giant and a little loud and sentimental and cute and scary, Project Hail Mary --- what more do you want in a modern movie?  

TEN GREAT MOVIES FROM 2025

 1.  Train Dreams - (NETFLIX) --- The life of a logger from the early 1900's to a man in space.  Told like a story over a campfire. 

2.  The Life of Chuck (PRIME) --- A jolting tale of love and joy and the end of the world. 

3.  One Battle After Another --- (THEATERS) One revolutionary chases the next generation. Best road race of the year. 

4.  Sinners --- (HBO Max) ---The deep South, rhythm and blues, racism, and vampires make a heady mix. 

5.  Weapons (HBO Max) --- Mystery and horror combine for a compelling story. 

6.  Rental Family - (THEATERS) --- Brendan Frasier learns the value of real emotion working for a Japanese company that only pretends to care. 

7.  Nuremberg --- (THEATERS) Russell Crowe personifies evil as a charming Nazi, on trial for his life.  

8.  Song Sung Blue - (IN THEATERS CHRISTMAS, 2025) - Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman touch hearts as small time tribute Neil Diamond singers  - experience success and heartbreak. 

9.  The Choral - (IN THEATERS CHRISTMAS, 2025) - Choirmaster Ralph Fiennes must recruit singers where he can find them during World War I.  

10.  A Little Prayer - (PRIME) - Family drama from the writer of Junebug - David Strathairn struggles to understand his son and protect his daughter-in-law 

11.  Extra --- Roofman - A great true story - Channing Tatum as a charming thief living in a secret area of a Toys are Us store.  He almost gets away with his double life while he wins us over. 

Other notable films:

Wicked for Good --- conclusion to Wicked series - for fans. 

Sentimental Value - father daughter drama - I have a headache.

Hamnet - Felt like a chore.  

Marty Supreme - I'm tired of stories about relentless hustlers.

Jay Kelly - George Clooney as a big star reevaluating his life.  Boo Hoo. 

Bugonia - Too weird for me. 

Frankenstein - I'll take the original. 

Marty Supreme - 2 Stars - THEATERS - December 25, 2025

Timothee Chalamet will most likely win the best actor Oscar for his role as ping pong champion Marty Reisman.  The kid is relentless.  The film matches his relentlessness presenting one loud exhausting adventure after another.  Some will love this story.  Count me out.  I found Marty Supreme exhausting and uninspiring.  It simply tries too hard.  

Song Sung Blue - 4 Stars - THEATERS - December 25, 2025

Song Sung Blue is the kind of story that moves an audience to break into cheers and applause.  Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson play real life couple Mike and Claire Sardina - creators of a Neil Dimond tribute band.  As "Lightning and  Thunder" they play small time gigs, work their hearts out, and taste a big of the big time.  Then comes fate and challenge.  Kate Hudson is especially winning as a woman with a dream and many challenges.  Hugh Jackman continues his string of winning performances.  The result is irresistible.    

Hamnet - 2 1/2 Stars - THEATERS - November 26, 2025

Hamnet imagines the marriage of William Shakespeare and his feisty wife Agnes.  As portrayed by Jessie Buckley, Agnes oozes feistiness.  Their romance and her birth scenes crackle, with screams and howls.  The death of their son Hemnet, most likely from the plague, throws the marriage into chaos.  Shakespeare throws himself into work while Agnes throws herself into the full force of grief.  Did the tragedy influence The Tragedy of Hamlet?  Did the work repair the marriage?  Jessie Buckley's performance overpowers all.  She will most certainly receive an Oscar nomination and probably win.  Hamnet gives this year's awards season an artful entry.  I hate to admit I found it a chore to watch.    

Jay Kelly - 2 1/2 Stars - THEATERS - November 25, 2025 NETFLIX - December 5, 2025

George Clooney might actually be Jay Kelly, the new character in the same named movie.  Now approaching his 60s, Kelly rethinks his life---including choices that on reflection seem arrogant, selfish, or even cruel.  A chance encounter with a college friend ends in a fistfight touching off the character's re-appraisal of his life.  Jay Kelly has some nice supporting characters, particularly Adam Sandler as Kelly's business manager/handler.  But as Casablanca puts it "The problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world."  Same with Jay Kelly.  This plot's been around forever.  Nothing new here.