GOOD FORTUNE (2025) – Review

This big new studio film release takes a tough look at the social economics system in place today. So, it’s a hard-hitting drama or maybe a “searing” slice-of-life documentary? No, it’s a comedy. Stranger still, it’s a fantasy comedy about the “haves” and “have-nots”. It’s about what happens when a rich guy and a “barely scraping by” guy switch lifestyles. And yes, its makers openly acknowledge the 83′ TRADING PLACES, even lifting a “needle drop” as a tribute. So, the fantasy element? It’s not a witch or a djinn or even a fairy godmother (or father). Instead, the “status quo” is upended by an angel. And he’s a bit inept, but (due to the casting) always “awesome” as he delivers a much needed (but is it deserved) “batch” of GOOD FORTUNE.

In the opening moments, we meet that angel watching over the streets of modern-day LA from a rooftop. He’s Gabriel (Keanu Reeves), who may be considered a “second string”, “budget”, or a “minor” angel (his fairly small wings are a hint), who is tasked with alerting those highway menaces who “text while driving”. Gabe pops into their car’s backseat, touches their shoulder, causing them to look up from their “holy” screen. He’s kept busy, but Gabe wants to do more. Perhaps that’s why he takes an interest in one of his “humans”, Arj (Aziz Ansari), an aspiring documentary filmmaker who is mired in the “gig economy” (he’s a “task sergeant”) while trying to get his “big break”. Later, at a meeting of angels, Gabe tells his supervisor Martha (Sandra Oh) that he wants to aid Arj much like adored “lost souls” angel Azrael (Stephen McKinley Henderson). She sternly tells him that he must “stay in his lane”. But Gabe still hovers near Arj as he becomes an assistant (for a one-week trial period) to a wealthy “tech bro” Jeff (Seth Rogan). But when Arj uses a “work charge card” for a surprisingly expensive date with a cute union organizer at a “big box” hardware store, Elena (Keke Palmer), Jeff fires him (despite Arj telling his account that he’ll pay it back). Arj is at his lowest point when is car (also his bedroom) is towed at a Denny’s lot. Then Gabe appears to him and offers him a chance to switch places with Jeff, thinking this will teach him that money isn’t everything. But Arj loves it (Jeff is his poor, hapless aide). Gabe appears to Jeff, and confesses the life “swap”. Things get more convoluted when Martha demote Gabe (no wings, no magic, just human). Can he and Jeff survive on the mean streets long enough to get Arj to go back to his old existence, which will get Gabe his old job back (along with those “heavenly perks”)?

The marketing big selling point is Reeves as Gabriel, though many may think of him as an action movie icon (forever Mr. Wick to some). Here he reminds us of his considerable comedic “chops” as he scores near constant laughs as the dim adult-cherub whose line delivery almost echoes the much adored iconic Ted Logan. But Reeves adds so much appreciated pathos to Gabe as we see his childlike wonder, and eventually annoyance, over the ways of “reg’lar folk” (loves them chicken “nuggies”). Also hitting the “pathos button” hard is Azari has the constantly “dumped-on” Arj who is a good man dealt a very “bad hand” by life. He still retains a sweetness beyond the snark, especially in his interactions with Elena (the talented Ms. Palmer builds on her similarly-themed “under the radar” comic romp from earlier in the year, ONE OF THEM DAYS). Sure, Arj is ecstatic over the “turn of events”, though Ansari conveys Arj’s guilt over a life unearned (but not ready to leave). The very busy Mr. Rogen (with two terrific streaming comedies, “The Studio” and “Platonic”) is strong as the somewhat spoiled app-investor who finds out how his impulsive decisions can really impact other, when he becomes one of them. His arrogance is soon squashed as he confronts the challenges of the “now”. Though we only see her briefly, Oh adds the proper gravitas (and is the perfect comic “straight” to Reeves) as the somber Martha, while Matt Rogers is effective as Arj’s new “big bucks” buddy Peter.


In his big screen directing debut (after the still shelved BEING MORTAL). Ansari directs with a light touch, slipping the jokes “in” quietly and avoiding lots of frenetic bombast. There is some slapstick as Arj almost echoes the often hapless Everyman played in the silents by Keaton and Lloyd. The LA locations are used well, from the ultra swank home of Jeff high above the city, to the street-level squalor that he now roams with the “de-winged” Gabe. The opening act is so strong that it makes the rest of the story a bit sluggish. This may be due to the structure of Asnari’s script (with elements of CITY OF ANGELS, THE FAMILY MAN, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, and the aforementioned TP) which jarringly shifts focus after the switch. We’ve been following Arj so closely that it’s difficult to suddenly being with Jeff and Gabe nearly all through the last hour. This makes its length feel much greater than just under 100 minutes. And while a lot of the plot is a zany romp, it takes a rather preachy detour, making the case for corporate empathy (which will properly be ignored by the 1%), even shifting to Elena’s push for a union at her hardware store. It’s a shame that the final result falls short on the inspired premise and casting (particularly for Reeves). Now, that would certainly be some prime cinematic GOOD FORTUNE.

2.5 Out of 4

GOOD FORTUNE is now playing in theaters everywhere

BLACK PHONE 2 – Review

Hey, Halloween’s just a couple of weeks away, Hollywood studios! So where’s the new spooky, scary flicks? Well, we’ll have to wait another week or so for the new version of Mary Shelley’s classic, so how about a sequel to one of the surprise horror hits from four years ago? And it’s from the classic “monster-maker”, Universal by way of the “ghouls” that dwell in the Blumhouse. Concerned about the number in its title? Perhaps knowing that they got “the band back together”, namely the cast along with the directors and co-writer, should erase your worries. What’s that ringing noise? Do you dare to pick up the receiver and answer the call of BLACK PHONE 2?


It all actually starts with a flashback set in the late 1950s. A teenager trudges through the snow to a desolate telephone booth, somewhere in a frigid forest clearing. After a very odd, even cryptic conversation, the story springs forward to 1982 Colorado. Just outside the high school, a young man is viciously pummeled by Finn Blake (Mason Thames). Luckily, his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) pulls him off the lad. Despite being the young hero who ended the murderous reign of “the Grabber”, Finn is still challenged by bullies. But that’s not their only problem. Though papa Terence (Jeremy Davies) is finally sober, Finn is now the substance abuser, numbing his damaged psyche with bags of weed. Yet somehow he’s alert enough to stop Gwen from her dangerous sleepwalking excursions. Yes, she’s having visions again, this time of three boys murdered in the cold white woods. Could this be the spirit of their nemesis? Gwen’s dreams lead the duo to look into getting jobs at the Christian church “winter camp” called Alpine Lake. Luckily Gwen’s “wannabe BF” Ernesto (Miguel Mora) agrees to drive them there during a blizzard. At the camp’s front gate, they’re met by the horse “wrangler” Mustang (Arianna Rivas) and her father, the supervisor Armando (Demian Bichir). He tells them that other new workers called ahead and cancelled due to the fierce storm. But the trio can stay in the cabins until the roads are cleared. Gwen’s nightmares start up as things get even more weird for Finn. He answers the “out-of-order” payphone and speaks to the Grabber (Ethan Hawke) before seeing the horned, masked demon himself. Soon, Gwen’s visions give her a portal into the fiend’s deadly origins at the camp. Can the Blakes guide the campers in their mission to stop the Grabber and send him back to Hell?

Though he’s prominently featured in the marketing, the participation of Mr.Hawke raised some questions. Since the Grabber is usually masked up, or seen in various stages of gnarly wounded decay, Hawke is really delivering more of a vocal performance. It doesn’t help that the glimpses of him as the magician/balloon twister at the wheel of that old black van are that of a different actor (but then they’re part of Gwen’s visions). Mind you, Hawke delivers a threatening growl, but I recalled the rumors about the 1940s Mummy movies “starring” Lon Chaney, Jr. As for the other “originals”, the very busy Thames (this is the middle of his three 2025 flicks) makes a steadfast horror “hero” as the young man who is paying the mental “price” for his victory over evil. The memories (and grass) have dulled his eyes, but a return match seems to “jump start” his fighting spirit. That, and in protecting his adored lil’ sis’ played with equal parts sass and snark, with a touch of trembling vulnerability, by McGraw. She somehow can make most of her clunkier put-downs (this from a 15 year-old) work. Davies is also strong as a man struggling to rectify his past behavior and reconnect with the kids that will soon drift away from the nest. Mora also provides a good connection to the first flick, while scoring some chuckles as he pines for Gwen. The most compelling new character may be the grizzled Armando, played with a gravitas and protective charm by the always watchable Bichir ((love when he scolds Finn over his “goodie bag”).

Returning to the director’s chair is Scott Derrickson who co-wrote the new script with C. Robert Cargill, based on Joe Hill’s 2004 short story. I will give them kudos for not returning to that dingy basement (it does make a cameo) for a new rash of abductions and escape attempts. Though the first entries had supernatural elements, this one truly goes “all in” allowing for lots of creative effects, some CGI and many practical make-ups (even a bit of puppetry, I’m guessing). But once the Blakes get to their new setting, the story becomes fairly repetitive as Gwen drifts off to sleep in order to be menaced by the Grabber before Finn arrives just in time. And many set pieces are also derivative, as though we’re watching a late 80s Freddy Krueger knock-off set near the Overlook from THE SHINING (the red-coiled space heaters do give the cabin interiors a Hellish glow). The need for new scares and gross-out clutter up the big finale showdown as the “camper’s quest’ finally limps to a frozen finish. The fans have the original will probably enjoy seeing the “OG” cast, but for few new fans will want to jump in that icy glass booth for BLACK PHONE 2.

1.5 Out of 4

BLACK PHONE 2 is now playing in theaters everywhere

A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE – Review

A House of Dynamite. (Featured L-R) Tracy Letts as General Anthony Brady and Gbenga Akinnagbe as Major General Steven Kyle in A House of Dynamite. Cr. Eros Hoagland/Netflix © 2025.

To many of us, nuclear weapons seem like something relegated to the Cold War past, but in Kathryn Bigelow’s chilling psychological thriller A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE, we are reminded that threat is still very much with us.

An ICBM of unknown origin is detected by military sensors, and is headed towards the continental United States. The assumption is that it has a nuclear warhead but there are many unanswered questions. Who launched it? Was it launched by mistake? Is it the start of a barrage or a single missile? Most importantly, what do we do?

Military sensors detected the single missile after its launch, so determining it’s origin is difficult. The missile is coming from somewhere in Asia, but the exact source is hard to pinpoint, as the missile was not detected until it was far up in the atmosphere. The source could be North Korea or China, even Russia but all is unclear. Questions must be answered: Who launched it? Was it accidental? Will there be more? And can this lone missile be stopped?

The military has plenty of plans for responding to attacks but not knowing who launched it and whether it was deliberate plays a enormous role in how to respond. A HOUSE DYNAMITE follows the response of the U.S. on differing levels to this mysterious threat headed our way. There are only a few minutes until the ICBM reaches the U.S., and those minutes tick down quickly.

Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow is a past master at taut action and suspense, a skill showcased in her films ZERO DARK THIRTY and THE HURT LOCKER. Besides the ticking clock, she loops the action back so that we see events and decision-making from three points of view, ascending the chain of command, and frames this shocking situation with the human element and their personal emotional reactions as well as their professional ones. The film sports an outstanding cast, including Idris Elba, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Rebecca Ferguson and Gabriel Basso, all who deliver the goods in this nail-biting psychological – political thriller.

The events that unfold are terrifying, and even more so because of all the uncertainty and unanswered questions. Looping the events back, to see from different viewpoints, makes things even more tense.

Bigelow tells this story in three over-lapping viewpoints, starting with the rank-and-file who first detect it, the boots-on-the-ground charged with carrying orders to destroy it, as well as the lower-level White House staff, White House reporters covering it, and technical experts charged with providing information to the decision-makers. The next two versions move us up the chain of decision-making, overlapping what we saw happening but now from a new viewpoint, advancing events a few steps as well, and with the last one including the President. Presenting the same unfolding events from different viewpoints builds both suspense and fear, as we see some of the same confusion, or sometimes more, as we move up the level of responsibility, reaching into the highest levels.

The scenario is not far-fetched as one might think, but it takes by surprise the characters in this dramatic thriller as much as it does us in the audience. The mystery of who would launch this nuclear missile now headed towards the U.S. is a major puzzle, one that limits what can be done to counteract or respond. The launch could be accidental or deliberate, part of a larger coming attack or just a single missile on its own. The questions sow confusion that magnifies the paralyzing disbelief, disbelief that consumes everyone involved, top to bottom.

The film’s title refers what one character says about the world, that it is a house built of dynamite – explosive material – just awaiting a blow to set it off. It is a good metaphor for the pile of nuclear weapons – “dynamite” – built during the Cold War, but built during that time but never disarmed or disposed of after the Soviet Union fell apart, and now largely forgotten about. A danger forgotten but still very deadly.

That forgetting comes back to bite the United States in this fictional tale but the danger it reminds us about is very real. Disbelief is a big factor complicating this situation, as well as confusion about what to do. Too many unanswered questions, about who and why, cloud the search for solutions, and the lack of knowledge and direct experience is even more chilling.

The film is terrifying as well as engrossing. Bigelow crafts the story written by Noah Oppenheim with a sure hand and builds both tension and human emotion as it unfolds in it triple form, a process aided by its terrific cast. The cast humanize this story, as things twist and go down the dark alleys, and they struggle to cope with an emergency they never expected to face, as if the past has come back to haunt them, which it kind of has.

In the first iteration, Rebecca Ferguson plays Captain Olivia Walker, who is in charge of the technical military team who discovered the threat and are tracking the progress of the mysterious missile. Gabriel Basso has a major role that runs through the film as a Deputy National Security Advisor, pressed into service as an expert on nuclear policy and political dynamics when his boss is unavailable. Much of the time we see Basso on video screen in the first version, as he hurries through the street to reach the White House.

The further in we go, the more we learn of the individuals facing this crisis, and their personal fears. Jared Harris, as Secretary of Defense Reid Baker, and Tracy Letts, as General Anthony Brady, are stand-outs. Harris’ and Letts’ characters play smaller parts in the first telling of events but more significant ones in the second and third iterations.

The overlapping, looping-back technique, gives us different takes on events, adds information others did not know, and gives both insights and a particularly human perspective. Information is revealed as we move up the chain of command, as well as upping the fear. The three-version approach is far more chilling than one might expect, for what is known and for what is unknown, about the unfolding situation and the human aspects.

Writer Noah Oppenheim’s script delves deep into the unexpected situation, as well as the lack of experience or knowledge that nearly everyone has about nuclear war. Different personalities react with varying levels of emotion or coolness, with the military characters the coolest heads but also the ones with the strictly military point of view.

The film is also an eye-opener for the audience, and it opens with a reminder of the too-common mistaken idea that many people have of nuclear weapons have somehow vanished, deactivated after the Cold War, a process that actually started but was never finished.

This is a powerful film, gripping as a fictional thriller, but so close to the possible that the terror rises to a fever level. The sterling A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE may be Kathryn Bigelow’s most significant film, as well as her most terrifying. Hopefully, it will also spark some thought, and alarm, in all of us about the unseen cliff on which we are unconsciously teetering.

A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE opens in theaters on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.

RATING: 4 out of 4 stars

Join The Hunt As PREDATOR: BADLANDS Tickets Are On Sale Now – Opens November 7

Advance tickets for “Predator: Badlands,” 20th Century Studios’ newest intense entry in the Predator Universe, are now available for purchase at Fandango or wherever tickets are sold. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg (“Prey,” “10 Cloverfield Lane”), the franchise-expanding action-adventure spectacle marks the first “Predator” film to debut in theaters since 2018 and demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible. 

Link to purchase tickets to this event movie!

https://www.fandango.com/predator-badlands-2025-240461/movie-overview

Set in the future on a deadly remote planet, “Predator: Badlands” follows a young Predator outcast (played by newcomer Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) who finds an unlikely ally in Thia (Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Elle Fanning) as he embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

Produced by John Davis, Dan Trachtenberg, Marc Toberoff, Ben Rosenblatt and Brent O’Connor, “Predator: Badlands” opens exclusively in movie theaters on November 7 in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, RealD (3D), Cinemark XD, 4DX, ScreenX and premium screens everywhere. 

See The New Trailer, Poster And NYCC Video For Edgar Wright’s THE RUNNING MAN – Score From Composer Steven Price

Paramount Pictures has released a thrilling new trailer for director Edgar Wright’s THE RUNNING MAN.

Streamed live from New York Comic Con, the NYCC panel for The Running Man featured Glen Powell, Lee Pace, and Edgar Wright in a conversation about the making of the film, along with an early look at this fall’s adrenaline-fueled action thriller, arriving only in theaters this November 14.

In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.

Based on the novel by Stephen King, the score is from Oscar-winning composer Steven Price (GRAVITY, BABY DRIVER, THE WORLD’S END and the upcoming COYOTE VS ACME).

Wright shared this photo of himself and long time collaborator Price on Instagram.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 10: (L-R) Edgar Wright, Glen Powell and Lee Pace attend “The Running Man” New York Comic Con Presentation at the Javits Center on October 10, 2025, in New York, New York. (Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of GOOD FORTUNE

He’s an angel. Technically. Keanu Reeves is Gabriel in #GoodFortune – in theatres October 17. Also starring Seth Rogan, Aziz Ansari, KeKe Palmer & Sandra Oh.

https://www.goodfortune.movie

The St. Louis screening is 7pm on Tuesday, October 14th AT B&B West Olive … 6pm Suggested Arrival

Passes are available while supplies last.

ENTER HERE FOR PASSES: http://www.lionsgatescreenings.com/ZZBfC54636

Rated R.

TRON: ARES – Review

Did you think there’s no room at the multiplex for SF/fantasy tent poles during the “ultra-serious” end of the year awards season? Well, the “mouse house” thinks moviegoers still have a taste for at least a couple of big franchise flicks. We’re only two months away from a third trek to Pandora in AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH, but they’re releasing another follow-up, which now cements another trilogy, though this series started long before James Cameron’s blockbusters. Can it possibly be 43 years since that initial entry (which was a modest hit during that great “geek” movie Summer of 1982)? And it’s now been fifteen years since the middle flick (or the first “sequel”). Disney thinks it’s time to boot up the ole’ “mainframe” and take another plunge into the digital dimension with TRON: ARES.


The opening moments transport us into the original with an “archival” video interview with Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), the founder of the tech “dominator” ENCOM. From there, we plunge through “cyber-history” as various TV news people get us “up to speed”. Sam took over from his pop, Kevin, and the company changed hands again as the Kim sisters took ENCOM into the modern age. But the upstart Dillinger Systems is “nipping at their heels” as Ed Dillinger’s grandson Julian (Evan Peters) ruthlessly “steers the ship”. The “talking heads” then segue to a glowing data-filled metropolis where a digital knight in black and red armor named Ares (Jared Leto) destroys all the warriors that challenge him. Soon, he’s joined by his “second-in-command” Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith) as they gather their squad. Cut to the “real world” as Julian makes a big presentation to a group of potential “buyers” at his company’s HQ. Two massive mobile cannons become large-scale digital printers as they build a solid living Ares and his “battle vehicles”. After a demonstration of Ares’ abilities, Julian touts him as the perfect soldier. As the ‘clients” leave, his mother Elisabeth (Gillian Anderson) reminds him that these “products” will only function outside the mainframe for 29 minutes before they disintegrate into dust. Julian insists he’ll find a way to fix that. Meanwhile, Eve Kim (Greta Lee) has already found it. In a remote “off the grid” mountain in Alaska, she has located her late sister Tess’ “tent/research lab”. After countless hours combing through the outdated software and notebooks, Eve retrieves Kevin Flynn’s “Permanence Code,” which will give all digital creations stability indefinitely. But through Ares and his troops, Julian hacks into the ENCOM database and learns of Eve’s discovery. When she returns to the West Coast, he sends Ares and Athena after her. But as the duo dissolves, Eve is zapped into their cyber-home world. Can Eve, with the aid of a more enlightened Ares, keep the code away from Julian? And can she somehow return to this dimension?


Leto commands the often hyperbolic storyline as a modern cyber-punk Pinocchio with a dash of the friendlier Terminator and a splash of Star Trek’s Data. Yes, he’s a fearsome fighter, but a “glitch” in his system causes him to question his creator. So, is he sentient or has he acquired a touch of humanity, even empathy? In our world, Leto’s Ares is a wide-eyed newcomer who relishes every rush of discovery, while in the mainframe, he’s the ultimate digital bodyguard. And who wouldn’t want to protect the ethereal Lee as Eve? She radiates an intelligence muted with a consuming grief as she still misses her “lil’ sis” while fiercely clinging to Flynn’s legacy. And yes, we get to see Bridges as the “master” of his cyber-kingdom. Bridges plays him as an ultra-cool guru exuding gravitas just like classic movie “wizard” like Gandalf and Obi-Wan Kenobi. He brings some much needed warmth to the often cold tech. And bringing the villainy is Peters as the snarling tech bro Julian (if he had a ‘stash he’d be twirling it). Sure, he’s over the top, but the sense of fun Peters is having is most infectious. Ditto for the ferocious and very intimidating (and somewhat sultry) Turner-Smith, whose Athena is almost a spurned lover to Ares as he embraces that outer world. She defies you to look away during her intense pursuit. It’s always a pleasure to see Anderson in a SF project, though she’s relegated to wringing her hands over Julian’s antics as she tries to be the “good angel” on his shoulder (which he ignores). And there’s some sporadic comic relief by Hasan Minhaj as head of ENCOM PR (and cheerleader) and Arturo Castro as Eve’s over-excited and needy aide, Seth.


Well, there’s no questioning the beauty and dazzling visuals that bring this update to neon-soaked life. Director Joachim Ronning keeps the camera moving in a million or so different directions to immerse us in this fantasy light show (that makes great use of the music from Nine Inch Nails). It’s a shame that a bit more time couldn’t have been used to bring greater depth to the plot and the principals. It’s a given that Ares will turn on his creator (it’s hammered home by home video footage of teenage Eve holding Shelly’s Frankenstein novel). And Ronning makes excellent use of the IMAX format (the ads tout it as being shot in it), but the big finale showdown on the city streets feels like a rehash of giant monster/robot battles (though seeing a police car sheared in two by the “light cycles” and their “razor trail” is pretty cool). Lots of creativity went into all the nifty gadgets, but the human element and connection feel like an afterthought. Ah, but those fans of the 1982 and 2010 flicks will get their arcade-style thrills, but casual viewers may wonder why another dive into the concept after seeing TRON: ARES.


2 Out of 4

TRON: ARES is now playing in theaters everywhere

ROOFMAN – Review

Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in Paramount Pictures’ “ROOFMAN.”

This weekend sees the release of a most unusual true-crime story. Yes, it’s got the standard details of a lawbreaker’s plans and motives (yup, filthy loot), but it’s more than that ole DRAGNET cliché of “Just the facts”. No, it takes lots of twists and turns, even making a detour into comedy (often slapstick) and romance (thanks to the sprightly pairing of the two leads). But don’t let its title mislead you, because the fella’ here known as the ROOFMAN is certainly not a spandex-clad “superguy”, though he’s not a super villain either. Mostly…

The film opens with the title guy doing his “thing”. Former US Army Reservist Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum) scopes out a busy suburban McDonald’s as it closes for the night. After the workers depart, he heads to the roof and bashes a big hole so that he can drop in. From there, it’s a waiting game until the morning crew arrives. Jeff springs out wearing all black (including a ski mask) and brandishes his rifle. After the manager gives him the cash from the safe, Jeff instructs them to grab their coats and head to the walk-in cooler. But the manager doesn’t have one, so Jeff gives him his black jacket (he’s also dubbed the “gentleman robber”), then dashes away (and calls 911 to get his victims rescued from the cold). From there, the story backtracks to Jeff struggling to make ends meet for his wife, pre-teen daughter, and twin toddler sons. Taking inspiration from his Army pal Steve’s (LaKeith Stanfield) illicit schemes (phony IDs and passports), Jeff begins his retail and restaurant robbery spree. But the law catches up to him. Due to the whole “locking folks in freezers” MO, Jeff is convicted of armed kidnapping and given a hefty sentence. He quickly learns that his spouse has cut out contact with him (Jeff is quite a “girl daddy”). Using his observation skills from the service, he slips out of prison, and contacts his pal Steve, who tells him that he’s too “hot” and to contact him in a month about setting Jeff up with a new identity. What to do over those thirty days? A nearby Toys ‘R’ Us shop may be the answer. Near closing time, Jeff hides via the bathroom ceiling tile. He emerges after the store is closed, disables the security video system, and uses the space behind the bicycle display as his daytime hideaway. He also sets up video baby monitors throughout the store. One day, Jeff is aware of a sweet single mother on the staff. He sees Leigh (Kirsten Dunst) plead with her prickly boss Mitch (Peter Dinkledge) to let her take some discarded, unsellable items for her church’s toy drive. Mitch refuses, so Jeff figures out a way to exit and re-enter the store during the day. He shows up at the church to drop off his bag of goodies, but a member insists that he join the service. He spots Leigh in the choir, and at the post-service spaghetti lunch, Jeff (calling himself John) strikes up a conversation. A romance quickly ensues. But can he dodge her questions and the police? And what will happen when Steve returns? Will Jeff flee or pursue a new life with Leigh?

Once again, Tatum proves that he’s much more than his superb dancing skills as he ramps up the charm (and “rizz”) as the “man on the lam”. Actually, his Jeff/John just entrances almost everyone he meets, and even some of those crime victims, as he deftly sidesteps inquiries and contemplates his next move. But Tatum also shows us this man’s inner conflict and heartbreak over losing contact with his kids. Fortunately, he enjoys a surrogate fam via his relationship with Leigh, given a bouncy sweetness by the still endearing Ms. Dunst. It’s nice to see her step away from her recent somber, dramatic roles, although Dunst can certainly bring the tears in the emotional third act. A big entertaining asset is the great Dinkledge, who makes Mitch a very funny “retail dictator” as he glowers at his “slacking underlings”. Stanfield brings a dangerous, tough energy to the no-nonsense Steve. It’s a shame that the bubble Juno Temple (so great in “Ted Lasso”) doesn’t have more to do as his ditzy beautician GF. On the other side of the law is the inspired pairing of Ben Mendelsohn and Uzo Aduba as the affable Pastor John (at Leigh’s church) and his nurturing wife Eileen (going against the notion of Hollywood deriding the ministry). And stand-up comic Jimmy O. Yang delivers some laughs as a frazzled used car salesman.

Like Dunst, this is much lighter fare for director Derek Cianfrance, perhaps best known for THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES and BLUE VALENTINE. He displays a real flair for breezy comic set pieces, especially when Jeff becomes the nighttime ruler of “toyland” as he wastes the pre-dawn hours tossing teddy bears and scarfing peanut M&Ms (better than all the jars of baby food). Ditto for the initial dating of him and Leigh. But it eases into a few clichés, especially with her two daughters. The pre-teen is sweet and adorable, while the sixteen-year-old is the usual surly, snarky “demon spawn” overused in so many shows. I suppose this is there for conflict so that Jeff has to “work” to win them all over. This precludes a lull in the pacing, as the movie “spins its wheels” as Jeff gets a new set of wheels. Really, the film could have used a good fifteen or twenty-minute trim on the ole’ editing bay (well, probably all computers now). This leads up to the very sobering and sad finale, in which Jeff reverts to his criminal ways. The film doesn’t give him a “pass” since he’s really a good guy with Leigh and her kids. He “fesses up” that he’s a bad guy even after the filmmakers work diligently to make him the hangdog hero that we “root for”. No, he’s a criminal who takes the hard-earned money of others while waving a weapon. And if not for the high-caliber cast, this might have been another made-for-cable-TV bit of fluff. However, fans of Mr. Tatum and Ms. Dunst may enjoy and be moved by the true-life modern fable of the ROOFMAN. Oh, and be sure and stay for the end credits, which include lots of footage of the real folks.

2.5 Out of 4

ROOFMAN is now playing in theaters everywhere

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of BLACK PHONE 2

THIS FALL, DISCOVER THE SECRET BEHIND THE MASK.  UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND BLUMHOUSE PRESENT… ETHAN HAWKE IN BLACK PHONE 2. 

ONLY IN THEATERS OCTOBER 17TH.

https://www.blackphonemovie.com/home

The St. Louis screening is 7pm on Tuesday, October 14th at Galleria 6 Cinema. 6pm Suggested Arrival.

Passes are available while supplies last.

ENTER HERE FOR PASSES: http://gofobo.com/FfShc11471

Rated R.

Black Phone 2

Four years ago, 13-year-old Finn killed his abductor and escaped, becoming the sole survivor of The Grabber. But true evil transcends death … and the phone is ringing again.

Four-time Academy Award® nominee Ethan Hawke returns to the most sinister role of his career as The Grabber seeks vengeance on Finn (Mason Thames) from beyond the grave by menacing Finn’s younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw).

As Finn, now 17, struggles with life after his captivity, the headstrong 15-year-old Gwen begins receiving calls in her dreams from the black phone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp known as Alpine Lake.

Determined to solve the mystery and end the torment for both her and her brother, Gwen persuades Finn to visit the camp during a winter storm. There, she uncovers a shattering intersection between The Grabber and her own family’s history. Together, she and Finn must confront a killer who has grown more powerful in death and more significant to them than either could imagine.

From returning visionary writer-director Scott Derrickson, Black Phone 2 is written again by Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill, based on characters created by Joe Hill. The film is produced by Jason Blum, Derrickson and Cargill. The executive producers are Adam Hendricks and Ryan Turek.

The cast includes Oscar® nominee Demián Bichir (The Nun, A Better Life) as the supervisor of the camp, Arianna Rivas (A Working Man) as his niece, Miguel Mora (The Black Phone) as the brother of one of The Grabber’s victims, and Jeremy Davies, returning as Finn and Gwen’s father, Terrence. Other new cast members include Maev Beaty (Beau is Afraid) and Graham Abbey (Under the Banner of Heaven).

Universal Pictures and Blumhouse’s horror phenomenon The Black Phone, released in 2022, received widespread critical acclaim and earned more than $160 million.

(from left) Mustang (Arianna Rivas), Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) and Finn (Mason Thames) in Black Phone 2, directed by Scott Derrickson.

THE VILLAGERS – Review

A scene from THE VILLAGERS. Courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment

I’ve enjoyed a slew of Ma Dong-seok’s contributions to Korean action flicks. The rotund, open-faced actor usually plays sidekicks and minor parties – often adding some comic relief. Most of his 14 awards and nominations, to date, have been for supporting actor gigs. But in THE VILLAGERS, he’s the action star.

His character, Yeok Gi-cheol, is a former MMA champion who had aged into coaching. His integrity gets him banished when he confronts the sport’s honchos about their corruption. Fortunately – or so it first seems – an admirer gets him a job in the village giving rise to the film’s name, teaching phys ed and serving as assistant dean at a high school.

The latter title merely sticks him with the thankless task of collecting overdue tuition from the students and their families. Because he looks like an overweight, middle-aged simpleton, he gets less respect than Rodney Dangerfield. The main drama comes from the ignored efforts of a student, Yoo-jin (Kim Sae-ron) to get the school and cops to investigate the disappearance of her best friend. Despite being only 15, the missing girl had been working at a night club that catered to very adult tastes, raising many possible crime-free explanations about her fate. Yoo-jin insists that her pal was not the sort of unhappy teen who runs away that the authorities want to presume. Deaf ears on lazy cops’ heads abound.

Since all her efforts have been rebuffed by every adult in the picture, Yoo-jin is skeptical about Gi-cheol’s attempts to help her. It becomes apparent to us long before them that there’s something big going on, with cops, politicos and school honchos in on whatever it is. His default setting is that of being baffled by how little anyone in any position of responsibility cares what happened to her – especially the cops’ reluctance to even open a file for investigation.

This sort of little guy(s) vs. systemic corruption is a common theme in films from all around the world. Bollywood cranks out tons of these with high-octane, one-man-army vigor. Usually, the action quotient is higher than in this one, which plays out more like a slowly unfolding procedural. Gi-cheol could and should be delivering more beat-downs than he does, spreading his frustrations to the viewers.

The conspiracy is a spider web that takes a long time to penetrate. But the two stars keep it interesting, even as daylight starts peeking through the fog of criminal enterprise and cover-up later than viewers might prefer. Even so, the climax makes the journey worthwhile.

There’s a sad note in all of this. Kim Sae-ron was a charming, talented actress with a dozen awards and nominations on her resume, including one of my favorite Korean imports, THE MAN FROM NOWHERE. But she committed suicide a few years after this film’s release when she was only 24. A real loss for all.

THE VILLAGERS, in Korean with English subtitles, is available streaming in digital format from WellGo USA starting Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars