A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (2025)

A whimsical romantic fantasy about two beautiful people who can't find love (that old chestnut). Through the help of a car rental agency and a magical GPS, they go on an uncharted journey filled with doorways to the past where they revisit past traumas and other pivotal moments of life that prevent them from moving on. It's predictable and not all as fun as it could be given the concept, but worth watching if you want to get out of your own head for awhile. If life is this difficult for the privileged, then what chance do the rest of us have?

3 fast food cheeseburgers out of 5

Nickel Boys (2024)

A historical drama that puts us directly in the shoes of two young black men, Elwood and Turner, in 1960s Jim Crow era Florida. This film is unique because it's told completely in first-person perspective as we jump back and forth between these two pupils of Nickel Academy reform school, which forces the viewer to experience firsthand the corruption and casual cruelty on display. As always with films based on real events, we know we're heading towards some sort of undefined tragedy, though it keeps its cards close to its vest. Given the social context, you can expect it to be generally harrowing.

3½ street crocodiles out of 5

GROOVE [2000]

Writer/director Greg Harrison's debut Groove is a fast-paced love letter to the underground rave culture that exploded around the turn of the century.
Set on a single night at an illegal Bay Area rave, we follow a collection of separate participants, all of whom are running on different agendas, different drugs and most definitely different wavelengths.
At times it's funny, entertaining, touching and even wicked engaging but it never really gets too deep or explores the darker side of the subculture, making it all seem like one big ol' party of excellent euphoria.  The lighting and camera-work is incredibly impressive, considering the tight budget and a crew that are almost all new to the craft of film-making.
If you're looking to see these kids face the consequences of their reckless actions then you're in the wrong place...this is played for fun and fun only.

3 well-informed, successful drug-users out of 5

THE BIG SHORT [2015]

Regular Will Ferrel film director Adam McKay takes a slight step out of his comfort zone with the funny biographical drama The Big Short.
It tells the story of th 2007-2008 U.S. mortgage housing crisis and follows four unrelated high-finance figures who foresee the financial collapse and try to milk it for everything they can.
It's not a particularly interesting tale nor is it easy to follow and fortunately McKay & a slew of high profile names make it easier for the average viewer to digest.  Thankfully the dryness of the subject matter is sprinkled with a wicked sense of humor and despicable, yet entertaining, oddball characters giving it an enticing push into an easy-to-follow pace.
McKay's usual brand of silly humor is replaced with a brainy cynicism that might still be funny but never forgets the seriousness of the topics at hand here.  In short, it's like a dull accounting class being effectively taught by an angry clown that's determined to make even the thickest of fools understand.

3½ Margo Robbie's in a bubble-bath out of 5

BATTLESHIP [2012]

Peter Berg's loose "adaptation" of the Hasbro boardgame, Battleship, marks the first time I've Nutted a film without finishing it first.

One hour into it I gave up on this stupid film.  In the same style as Michael Bay's Transformers films, Battleship is noisy & generic, horribly written, badly acted and poorly edited with loads of childish humour to boot.  

No.  Just no.

½ chicken burrito out of 5