Heel (2025)

AKA: Good Boy

A family takes in a wayward youth and attempts to subjugate and reform him against his will, keeping him chained up in their cellar to break him of his rude habits. What's fun is how casually the concept is introduced and how quickly they all become acclimated to their situation. It's one of those films where you think you know what you're going to get, but it still manages to surprise you.

3 chloroforms out of 5

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (2025)

Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) takes on the Boss in this unconventional biopic that takes place during the conception of his 1982 album, Nebraska. Bruce is a difficult perfectionist who does things his own way, in all its imperfections, while coming to terms with his past, but the tortured artist angle gets tiring. J.A.W. does a good enough job, but it's the material that is lacking. There are so many great stories they could have told here, but instead decided to do one that feels trite and uninspired, which skips over the most interesting parts.

2½ demo tapes out of 5

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES [2017]

Directors Joachim Rønning & Espen Sandberg take Captain Jack Sparrow out for a fifth spin Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Once again Sparrow is in search of a mystical treasure while a ghostly revenge-seeking pirate is hot on his trail.    You know the deal when it comes to these films.
After the previous film was so dismally dull it's nice to see the enthusiasm is back, even if the series has clearly run it's course.  It's a tighter story, more well-paced and with lowered expectations there's actually quite a bit of silly fun to be had.

3 ghost sharks out of 5

DOGHOUSE [2009]

Director Jake West's Doghouse seems like another pip-pip's attempt at recreating the brilliant horror/comedy of Shaun Of The Dead.
Scripted by Dan Schaffer, creator of the Dogwitch comic book series, the film is just as bad as Lesbian Vampire Killers with it's blatant misogyny and vapid sense of humor.  Stupidity and lack of originality aside, I found myself chuckling in a few brief moments and quite enjoyed the way West made use of the tiny set.  However, if you're looking for something that will be as much fun as Shaun, then look elsewhere...
...Cockneys Vs. Zombies perhaps?

2 armies of pissed off, man-hating, feminist cannibals out of 5