MOVIE REVIEW: FIGHT OR FLIGHT

 

A mercenary takes on the job of tracking a high-value asset known only as "The Ghost" on an international flight. Realizing the plane is filled with assassins assigned to kill them both, the pair must work together in a fight for their lives.

Director: James Madigan

Cast: Josh Hartnett, Charithra Chandran, Marko Zaror, Katee Sackhoff, Rebecka Johnston

Release Date: May 9, 2025

Genre: Action, Comedy

Rated R for strong bloody violence, language throughout and some drug material.

Runtime: 1h 41m

Review:

Fight or Flight bears more than a passing resemblance to 2022's Bullet Train but first-time director James Madigan delivers some aggressively over the top action sequences, paired with a gonzo performance from Josh Hartnett that makes it distinctive enough to stand on its own.  Madigan brings a fun, freewheeling energy to the proceedings that propels large chunks of the film that make it easier to overlook the barebones script.  He's clearly in his element directing the series of action sequences that mark the film's highlights exemplified by a rather insane but inspired final act.  The quieter moments in between those action sequences aren't nearly as effective making for a herky jerky flow to the film overall.  Tighter editing would have made those moments work better and given the film a steadier flow overall especially since the script is light on depth.  Holding it all together is an inspired turn from Josh Hartnett who goes all in for the entirety of the film's runtime.  Hartnett displays an impressive talent for physical comedy mixed with the fight choreography that makes his character so much fun to watch as he’s surviving wave after wave of crazed assassins.  He's clearly having a ball just letting loose which comes through the screen and makes the film so easy to enjoy.  Charithra Chandran and Katee Sackhoff make up the most substantial portion of the supporting cast with both getting enough screentime to join in on the fun.  Chandran and Hartnett work well together on screen with her proving to be more than capable of holding her own during the action sequences.  Sackhoff's character doesn't get a ton of screen time, but she makes the most of it as she chews up the scenery with villainous glee.  Once it’s all said and done, Fight or Flight doesn't make a ton of sense if you think about it too much but it’s an enjoyable piece of bloody escapism that most won't care.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: JULIET & ROMEO

 

Based on the real story that inspired Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, follows the greatest love story of all time, set as an original pop musical.

Director: Timothy Scott Bogart

Cast: Jamie Ward, Clara Rugaard, Rebel Wilson, Rupert Everett, Jason Isaacs, Derek Jacobi, Dan Fogler, Ledisi, Tayla Parx, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo,  Rupert Graves

Release Date: May 9, 2025 US/ June 11, 2025 UK One Night Only 

Genre: Drama, Musical, Romance

Rated PG-13 for some violence, bloody images and suggestive material.

Runtime: 2h 1m

Review:

Timothy Scott Bogart's ambitious retelling of the "real" story of Romeo and Juliet is a visual feast for the eyes and ears especially if you enjoy original pop musicals.  Bogart's film takes the classic Shakespeare play as its baseline, hitting on the major points of the story although it’s not slavishly tethered to it.  Those looking for a more straight forward adaptation of the story has ample other options to explore by this point with this production attempting to do something different, akin to Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet from 1996.  This take is a full-on musical from start to finish filled with original pop songs that make up the lion's share of the film's narrative.  Jamie Ward and Clara Rugaard make for a likeable duo onscreen with impressive vocal talents to boot which makes their sequences pop off the screen.  Those musical numbers serve the film's lifeblood as every bit of energy is poured into each production's lavish outfitting, staging and choreography.  They provide the best kind of assault on the senses as the lavish costuming and easy to enjoy tunes fill the screen like cinematic confetti.  The film does suffer a noticeable lag between the musical numbers as the more traditional scenes serviceably move the narrative along but lack the energy of what came before and after.  Additionally, there is a bit of recalibration required as the script switches from Shakespearean style dialogue to a more modern spoken word throughout the film's runtime.  It’s an odd balancing act since the film is filmed in a real portion of Verona and the costuming as set it firmly in the 1300's while the songs and majority of the dialogue are clearly products of the present.  It takes a bit to get acclimated to mix and match approach which makes the transitions a bit clunkier than need be.  The aforementioned Ward and Rugaard power through it all with impressive enthusiasm and energy as they pour themselves into their performances.  Ward brings a brash, self-assured aura to his Romeo which softens when his character is around Rugaard's Juliet.  Rugaard's exudes a strong, self-assured confidence that gives their relationship more of an even balance than most adaptations.  Surrounding them are a bevy of recognizable character actors such as Rebel Wilson, Rupert Everett, Jason Isaacs, Derek Jacobi and Dan Fogler playing older characters who do the best they can in their limited screentime.  Derek Jacobi leaves the biggest impression as the well-intentioned Friar who sets off the action in the finale.  There are some surprises that pop up in Juliet & Romeo's final act which could lead to some intriguing narratives since this film kicks off a trilogy of films. 

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: ROSARIO

 

Wall Street stockbroker Rosario Fuentes returns to her grandmother's apartment after her sudden death. While sorting through her belongings, Rosario discovers a hidden chamber that's filled with occult artifacts tied to dark generational rituals. As supernatural occurrences begin to plague her, she must confront her family's buried secrets and face the truth about the sacrifices and choices they made.

Director: Felipe Vargas

Cast: Emeraude Toubia, David Dastmalchian, José Zúñiga, Diana Lein, Paul Ben-Victor

Release Date: May 2, 2025

Genre: Horror

Rated R for bloody violent content and some language.

Runtime: 1h 28m

Review:

Felipe Vargas's feature film debut, Rosario, tries to explore some interesting concepts with his Latin inspired spookfest. Unfortunately, its convoluted story falls back on tired tropes while barely registering any sort of real scares along the way.  Vargas does show some talent behind the camera as he makes solid use of the setting and a series of grossout moments.  Sadly, there's a noticeable lack of tension to the whole thing that saps most of the film of any real energy with most of the scares falling flat.  The script doesn't do him any favors with its hackneyed dialogue and slow roll reveal of the main conceit.  The concept takes an interesting approach to weave in horror elements and immigrant experience together but doesn't take full advantage of the concept before resorting to overused jump scares.  It doesn't help that Emeraude Toubia is onscreen by herself for nearly 90 percent of the film's runtime.  Toubia makes an admirable effort as she tries to carry the film, but she just doesn't have the acting chops required to pull it off.  Her character fluctuates between confused, terrified to oddly ok with all the increasingly odd occurrences unfolding in front of her.  That doesn't include some of the sillier elements such as her grandmother's rather expansive apartment which contains more secret compartments than a medieval castle.   David Dastmalchian, José Zúñiga and Paul Ben-Victor make up the small supporting cast, but the film never takes advantage of their talents.  Dastmalchian feels wasted in what amounts to a pointless, throwaway character who doesn't factor all that much into the overall story.  It all leaves Rosario a rather forgettable experience that fumbles some of the more interesting ideas it throws onscreen.   

D

MOVIE REVIEW: THUNDERBOLTS*

 

Ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes -- Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker -- embarks on a dangerous mission that forces them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.

Director: Jake Schreier

Cast: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Lewis Pullman, Hannah John-Kamen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Harbour, Geraldine Viswanathan, Olga Kurylenko

Release Date: May 2, 2025

Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for strong violence, language, thematic elements, and some suggestive and drug references.

Runtime: 2h 6m

Review:

Marvel's Thunderbolts* proves to be a refreshing change of pace to the standard formula by focusing on the characters’ inner turmoil while still delivering the kind of superhero action you've come to expect.  There's an easy flow to Jake Schreier's film even as it explores various aspects of unresolved trauma and how it affects each of the characters.  There's a noticeable confidence on display behind the camera, proving more than capable of delivering impressive action set pieces and quieter emotionally centered moments.  Schreier maintains a fine balance between the two, which is impressive especially considering how formulaic these films can be.  There's a concerted effort on keeping the focus squarely on the characters as opposed to devolving into the usual CGI fight fest.  Schreier is blessed with an excellent ensemble cast led by the ever-impressive Florence Pugh.  It'd be an understatement to say that Pugh serves as the oil that drives the machine here since she brings so much depth and nuance to her performance that it just makes the entire film more effective.  This iteration of her character carries so much pain that's practically disassociated with life in general with Pugh being able to communicate that with ease.  She's given a wide emotional berth to work with which makes her character feel like the most three dimensional onscreen as we watch her suffer through her pain but support others through theirs.  Pugh and David Harbour share some fun father daughter chemistry together which delivers some of the film's more effective moments of levity.  Harbour slips back into his Red Guardian role and easily brings his outsized presence to the past, his prime superhero.  The rest of the supporting cast is solid across the board even if they don't get the sort of time or depth of Pugh's Yelena.  Wyatt Russell, Hannah John-Kamen and Sebastian Stan share fun chemistry together with the ensemble bouncing off each other easily.  Stan has been playing his character longer than anyone else onscreen which gives him the opportunity to give his performance more layers that have been earned over the years.  It finally allows the character to breathe a bit and have some fun onscreen as opposed to carrying a perpetual scowl.  Lewis Pullman Bob's is subdued and likable when he shows up onscreen with the script adding more to his character as the film moves along.  Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Geraldine Viswanathan are both clearly having fun onscreen, but their characters feel underserved leaving them little to do outside of moving the plot along.  There's a rather inventive final act that brings something different to screen as a climax which is a welcome change from the usual CGI beat em up, making Thunderbolts* more memorable than the recent string of forgettable Marvel entries.

B+

Cindy Prascik's Review of Borrowed Time: Lennon's Last Decade

 

Release date May 2, 2025 (United Kingdom)

My dear reader(s): Recently the documentary Borrowed Time: Lennon’s Last Decade was brought to my attention, and my little Beatle brain couldn’t wait to have a look!

No real spoilers here, as pretty much every aspect of John Lennon’s life has long been part of public lore.

Borrowed Time looks at John’s sometimes tumultuous final decade, mostly through anecdotal accounts from Lennon-adjacent individuals. The documentary is loaded with new interviews, and 45 years after John’s untimely passing, any new material feels very much like bonus content.

 Unfortunately, there is a sensationalized quality to much of this footage, as if those interviewed share more to enhance their own profiles than out of any real desire to provide useful insights on John’s life. There’s also an undercurrent of the tired idea that Yoko Ono was somehow to blame for everything negative, a gross misconception that continues to rear its ugly head no matter how often it’s proved to be false.

Fifty-five years after the breakup of the Fab Four, we Beatlemaniacs find ourselves in the midst of an unlikely Beatles renaissance. A sanctioned John and Yoko film (“One to One”) was released not long ago. Four new Beatles biopics are in the works as I write this. Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney (84 and 82 years old, respectively) continue to tour and make new music, and Sean Lennon, Dhani Harrison, Yoko Ono, and Olivia Harrison join them in keeping the Beatles’ legacy at the forefront of today’s cultural landscape. It’s hard to fault anyone for wanting to strike while that iron remains hot, but there’s a self-serving air to this content that makes me think of a great line from Jersey Boys, “Everybody remembers it how they need to.”

Borrowed Time: Lennon’s Last Decade runs 134 minutes and is unrated.

Borrowed Time is well paced, and the anecdotes are interesting, even if some – particularly those relating to the night of Lennon’s murder - are a bit distasteful. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Borrowed Time: Lennon’s Last Decade gets five.

Until next time…

MOVIE REVIEW: BOB TREVINO LIKES IT

 

Lily Trevino unexpectedly befriends an online stranger, sharing her self-centered father's name. This new Bob Trevino's support could transform her life.

Director: Tracie Laymon

Cast: Barbie Ferreira, John Leguizamo, French Stewart, Rachel Bay Jones, Lolo Spencer

Release Date: March 21, 2025 

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language, and thematic elements.

Runtime: 1h 45m

Review:

Tracie Laymon's feature length debut is equal parts funny and moving as it explores the ability of human connections to heal deep rooted familial trauma powered by a pair transformative performance from Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo.  Laymon's film is disarmingly easy going even as we are introduced to Lily's tattered life as she struggles to find her way in the world and connect with her self-centered, mean spirted father.  Her naturalistic approach is well suited for the deeply personal, semi-autobiographical story being told.  There's an air of authenticity and refreshing lack of cynicism throughout as we watch these characters search for meaningful connections in their lives.  Barbie Ferreira delivers a raw and honest turn as Lily who has suffered a series of traumas by the time we meet her.  She is desperate to please her cruel and spiteful father played with a razor's edge of animosity by French Stewart.  They only share a handful of scenes during the film, but each one is so bitingly effective as their exchanges move from cordial, playful to vicious.  Ferreira pours every ounce of emotion onscreen as her character suffers through these moments before finding an earnest connection in the form of an accidental father figure played with impressive nuance by John Leguizamo.  Leguizamo's role isn't as showy as Ferreira's but it’s just as impressive as his character is equally broken, just more capable of compartmentalizing his pain.  His earnest, well-meaning Bob is a good man who has poured himself his work while his wife, played by Rachel Bay Jones, loses herself in her scrapbooking hobby to cope with their shared loss.  Their accidental connection turns into something deeper and more meaningful as they each heal long festering wounds.  Ferreira and Leguizamo make for an engaging pair on screen as their surrogate father-daughter relationship blossoms into a real connection that will have you fully invested by the time the final act rolls around.  Bob Trevino Likes It proves to be an inspiring, heartfelt testament to the power of real connections even if they aren't bound by blood.  

A-