Caught Stealing (2025)

In 1998, a bartender gets involved with the Russian mafia, Jewish hit men, a narcotics detective and other colorful characters in a hunt across the streets of New York City for a mysterious key. It's an occasionally gritty and frenetic crime thriller, but my enthusiasm is muted because the plot feels so familiar in every way. This is probably the most "conventional" movie Darren Aronofsky has ever directed, and I don't necessarily intend that as a compliment.

3 black and white cookies out of 5

Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)

Joe works a soul-crushing job and feels like death all the time. He goes to the doctor who tells him he only has 6 months left to live. What will he do with his remaining time? Travel to the South Pacific and throw himself into a volcano, of course. That's the setup. It's up to you if you want to follow him there. This is a wonderfully whimsical fantasy adventure and one of my favorite films.

4½ floatable luggage out of 5

Between the Temples (2024)

Suffering a crisis of faith after the loss of his wife, a man finds comfort in reuniting with his childhood music teacher, while she seeks to have the bat mitzvah she was denied as a child. Both of their families disapprove.

I kind of really didn't like this movie at all. Don't get me wrong; I think Carol Kane and Jason Schwartzman are great, but I didn't buy the Harold & Maude angle in the least, especially because it seemed strangely one-sided and completely out of the blue. Meanwhile, he's got this great girl fawning over him and he rejects her? Does not compute.

2 car BJs out of 5

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

A film about a bank heist that doesn't go to plan probably won't seem like much of an original concept to a modern audience weaned on QT, but Dog Day Afternoon sells itself as being true, which is unusual. I've no idea whether it's as factual as it claims to be, but it's an enjoyable journey, nevertheless.
Al Pacino's rifle-wielding character is a kind of likeable rogue that somehow manages to turn amateur hour at the bank into a public media extravaganza, morphing a desperate hostage situation into one that highlights a number of social problems. His partner in crime (John Cazale) is more reserved but leaves a dent all of his own in viewer sympathies. Things increase at length, but Dir.  Sidney Lumet's no-frills approach keeps the heart of the story to the fore.

3½ state-employed con-men out of 5

THE PRINCESS BRIDE [1987]

Rob Reiner delivers a heavily quotable comedic fantasy/romance with The Princess Bride, based upon William Goldman's novel of the same name.
Framed around the story of a grandfather reading his grandson the novel about a dashing mysterious farmhand who must rescue the love of his life from a dastardly smug king, while running into all sorts of interesting folks & creatures along the way.
Reiner & co. do a fantastic job of balancing sweetness, silliness and adventure without ever tipping to far into any tone to become a unbalanced parody of itself.  Blessed with a wicked yet silly sense of humor, a passionate love for fantasy material and a wonderful cast that is safe for all ages.

4½ rodents of unusual size out of 5

My First Mister (2001)

Angsty, alienated teen (Leelee Sobieski) finds an unlikely confidante in her middle-aged boss (Albert Brooks) in this well written coming-of-age story. Sobieski's spicy monologues are what truly sucked me in. Read like diary passages, their extreme honesty treads the line of bad taste, but they remain well in-line with the character. Brooks plays many roles, from friend, father-figure and even love interest. The odd couple's dynamic grows ever more engrossing as each influences the other, stepping over societal boundaries in the process. Unfortunately, a sad twist in the latter half slows the pacing down considerably just as things are heating up, leaving the final meaningful moments sluggish and predictable.

3½ auto-eulogies out of 5

Scrooged (1988)

This is not a perfect film. But it's a film I flock to year and year again, so that's got to count for something. Essentially Charles Dickens meets Beetlejuice, this modern adaptation of the oft-told tale is probably the most consistently watchable as a whole. It's also pretty damn dark to boot. Elfman's score is an integral part of the charm, but Bill Murray holds his own too, along with Carol Kane, Karen Allen and Bobcat Goldthwait. At its heart, it's the same story you've heard repeated year after year, but it's the one I'll always cherish the most.

4.5 taxi rides to hell out of 5