MIDNIGHT SPECIAL [2016]

Director Jeff Nichols attempts to channel some old school Spielberg with his wide-eyed sci-fi parable Midnight Special.
A boy with supernatural powers, with the help of his father, drives across the country to evade the government officials and a religious cult.
As it always is with Nichols' films, we have a fascinating watch that thrives on what we and the characters don't know.  Each reveal is slow and sometimes not always obvious, giving the viewer more to think about than what the simplicity of the core story has to offer.
Midnight Special is at it's best when it's quietly unique without even trying but at it's most ridiculous when it tries too hard to be more otherworldly than it really needs to be.
It's not Nichols' best film but as a fan of his previous works it's a real pleasure nevertheless.

3½ night-goggle joy-rides out of 5

TRUST ME [2013]

Actor Clark Gregg writes & directs this black comedy/drama Trust Me which follows a down-in-the-dumps talent agent who's new client brings more trouble than she might actually be worth.  

Like a lesser version of Robert Altman's The Player, Gregg's film seems to fancy itself a noirish satirical view of the Hollywood biz.  Only it never pulls strong enough punches (which occasionally seem to be aimed in the wrong direction) and only comes off as mildly amusing at best.  Fortunately the acting is all top-notch and the dialogue is fresh enough to never becoming too boring, even when the film seems to teeter off towards the side into some questionable out-of-place weirdness.  

2½ butterflies out of 5