Normal (2025)

An interim sheriff arrives in the snowy town of Normal, Minnesota following the death of the previous sheriff. It's a small town full of idiosyncrasies and secrets, not unlike their neighbors in Fargo, North Dakota. It goes without saying it's a charming, violent action-comedy from the creator of Nobody and the John Wick franchise, that is not at all what it appears to be at first glance.

3 squeaky leather jackets out of 5

Nobody 2 (2025)

Taking a break from the usual grind, Hutch (Bob Odenkirk) decides to revisit a childhood vacation spot where he gets mixed up in the riff-raff and ends up beefing with meatheads, including the local badge. I enjoyed it up to a certain point, but then it just becomes the first movie all over again, except set in an amusement park. It gave me Beverly Hills Cop 3 vibes, especially the ending. It's very similar to its predecessor, only not quite as consistently amusing.

2 plush badgers out of 5

Nobody (2021)

An unassuming family man who is stuck in a rut gets pulled back into a dark past after a break-in occurs at his home. It's a lot like John Wick, except without all the baggage. There is a raw brutality to the fight sequences which feels satisfying. This fulfills the fantasy of being the everyman in society who everyone looks down upon, but then being able to kick their fucking asses up and down the block. There's one such centerpiece early on that takes place on a bus, but the rest of the film never quite matches up to that gritty potential.

2½ kitty cat bracelets out of 5

NEBRASKA [2013]

Director Alexander Payne is a master at crafting the bittersweet comedic drama and the black & white road movie Nebraska is a perfect example of that notion.
Driven by Bruce Dern's naturally great performance as a drunken old man who isn't quite all there, the film slow-burns it's way through a beautifully shot black & white countryside that mirrors the character's mind that's trapped in the past.  It's not a complicated story but it certainly is one that will harmlessly warm your heart, make you laugh and possibly force a single tear down your cheek.

4 air compressors out of 5

OPERATION: ENDGAME [2010]

A fantastic ensemble cast makes up the comically and ridiculously violent thriller Operation: Endgame.

Sadly that's about all this film has going for it, as each and every single character is despicable and once the plot starts it never really develops into much.

One thing I found fun, despite what the poster art depicts, there's only one gun in the entire film and it's not loaded.  Each character is hilariously killed by something you'd find at an Office Depot.  

2½ footprints of blood out of 5