mason thames – We Are Movie Geeks

REGRETTING YOU – Review

Let’s see what happens when Hollywood “hits the books” for this new flick. We saw the adaptation of a work from the same author last year with IT ENDS WITH US (AKA the movie that spawned countless real-life legal “sequels”). So does this story from Colleen Hoover tread familiar territory? Well, it is a romance that has some pretty heavy dramatic elements, a rarity at the cinemas these days as the “rom-com” is more prevalent than the “rom-dram” (a phrase coined by a cast member promoting it on TV). And while the last Hoover work dealt with domestic abuse, this one has a big role for the “Grim Reaper”. So does he take his scythe to the young and not-that-young lovers coupling in REGRETTING YOU?

The first scene in the story is a seventeen-year flashback. Two high school aged couples (senior year) are on their way to a big beach blow-out. While stopping for snacks, Morgan (Allison Williams) tells Jonah (Dave Franco) that she’s pregnant by her beau Chris (Scott Eastwood). Jonah’s crushed as he’s had a secret crush on her, despite dating Morgan’s kid sister Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald). Flash forward to the present, as the now married Morgan and Chris host a birthday party at their home. Joining them are the also now married Jenny and Jonah, who have a little baby boy, Elijah. Missing from the festivities is now seventeen-year-old daughter Clara (Mckenna Grace), whose lateness is caused when she gives her classmate Miller (Mason Thames) a lift to the house he shares with his cranky but lovable ‘Gramps’ Hank (Clancy Brown). She finally arrives for the party and immediately begins discussing Miller with her adored Aunt Jenny (Miller’s already got a steady, so Jenny warns Clara about being “that girl”). All’s well until Morgan gets a call days later. Hubby Chris has been in a major auto accident. Heading into the hospital, she’s surprised to see Jonah already there. It turns out that Jenny was also in an accident. Then the double stunner: Chris and Jenny were in the same car and both perished. Clara is devastated and begins to rebel by sneaking out to meet the now girlfriend-free Miller. Morgan “shuts down” due to the death and betrayal bombshell. But she’s got to help Jonah with baby Elijah. Then he blurts out that the child has Chris’s smile. Do they tell Clara that her papa and Aunt Jenny were cheating, and, bigger yet, she has a half-brother? And will Morgan and Jonah finally act on their long-suppressed mutual attraction?

Okay, let’s start with the older (a bit) of the two romantic couples. After the two M3GAN flicks, Williams is in full maternal mode as the emotionally pummelled Morgan. We can see her wavering somewhat in her “laying down the law” rants to her Clara, hinting at her deep devotion to her child, which may undercut the big throw-downs. Williams real strength is in the halting exchanges with Jonah as she walks the delicate journey from widowhood. Franco takes on a more dramatic turn after being a comic MVP for the last decade or so. His furrowed brow under the big black framed eyeglasses (to age him a tad more) conveys his near collapse at the loss of his spouse and his need to step up as a single parent. As for those “twitter-pated” teens, Grace very gracefully tackles the role of a blossoming young adult about to dive into swoony passion. The youngest Ghostbuster balances Clara’s despair over her loss with simmering anger toward mom, which may jeopardize her new relationship with Miller, played by the very busy Thames (last week in BLACK PHONE 2 after being the live-action Hiccup this Summer). He’s easy going, affable, and strong-willed, particularly when he realizes that he may be a “pawn” in the Clara/Morgan “war”. Both of them are on the fast track to greater film stardom. Fitzgerald (so fantastic in STRANGE DARLING) and Eastwood put their considerable screen charisma to work as the doomed duo, Jenny and Chris. Happily some needed levity is provided by the always compelling Brown as ‘Gramps’ and the bubbly Sam Morelos as Clara’s BFF Lexi, who is “fixed- up” with the endearing nerdy Efren (Ethan Constanilla).

Trying to keep these convoluted plot threads untangled is director John Boone, best known for THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, though I’d say his THE NEW MUTANTS is a pretty good “B” superhero flick. He keeps the histrionics to a minium while all the story “plates” keep spinning, but there’s just so much he can do with the often turgid, soap-style structure. The old phrase “potboiler” comes to mind, though I often thought I was trapped in a basic cable TV-movie featuring a more polished ensemble (“star-wattage” can only brighten things a touch). Of the themes, the blossoming young love “plot line” works best, while the elders must flay about dealing with death and infidelity. One scene in which Morgan vents her anger at a car is most grating. The locales and fashions are lovely, though they were backdrops for blatant product placement (there’s always a “logo-fronted” soda can while Miller works for a multiplex where Nicole Kidman usually wanders about). At least it’s not as tone-deaf and thuddingly off-kilter as Hoover’s last big screen flick. There may be an audience for movies made from “beach-reads”, but rising stars like Grace and Thames deserve a much-better showcase for their talents than the regrettable REGRETTING YOU.

1.5 Out of 4

REGRETTING YOU is now playing in theaters everywhere

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of REGRETTING YOU

Based on the bestselling book, REGRETTING YOU introduces audiences to Morgan Grant (Allison Williams) and her daughter Clara (Mckenna Grace) as they explore what’s left behind after a devastating accident reveals a shocking betrayal and forces them to confront family secrets, redefine love, and rediscover each other. REGRETTING YOU is a story of growth, resilience, and self-discovery in the aftermath of tragedy, also starring Dave Franco and Mason Thames with Scott Eastwood and Willa Fitzgerald, in theatres this October 24.

https://www.regrettingyoumovie.com

The St. Louis screening is at 7PM on Tues, October 21^st AT Marcus Ronnie’s Cine . (6pm Suggested Arrival) PG-13.

ENTER HERE FOR PASSES: http://gofobo.com/CbgaE80187

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

McKenna Grace as “Clara” and Mason Thames as “Miller” in Regretting You from Paramount Pictures.

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

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 14^th at Galleria 6 Cinema. 6pm Suggested Arrival.

Passes are available while supplies last.

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

Rated R.

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 Grabber In 3D Towers Over Sunset And La Cienga For BLACK PHONE 2

Opening in theaters on October 17 is the highly anticpated BLACK PHONE 2.

When THE BLACK PHONE arrived in 2022, it struck like lightning: a horror film both intimate and terrifying, rooted in the raw vulnerability of childhood. Adapted from Joe Hill’s short story, the film drew on writer-producer-director Scott Derrickson’s memories of growing up in Colorado, grounding its supernatural terror in unsettling realism. Audiences embraced it not only for its scares but for its honesty. The film earned more than $160 million worldwide, introduced the Grabber (Ethan Hawke) as a chilling new figure in the genre’s canon and established The Black Phone as one of the decade’s most distinctive original horror films.

The influences are rooted in Derrickson’s own history yet also nod to the genre’s lineage. “I am less interested in drawing from other people’s work than in expanding on what elements from my own work seem unique to me,” Derrickson says. “In this case, it was the use of Super 8 footage in very specific ways, drawing on my own memories at Colorado high school winter camps in the early ‘80s and channeling some of the bigger feelings I had when I was a teenager at that time. But I do think all the horror films I saw in the ‘80s still had a kind of invasive, inevitable influence. All the horror camp films – Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street being the biggest most obvious ones – and of course, some key imagery from the much more obscure 1983 film Curtains. If you know that film, the homage is clear and unabashed.”

WAMG caught a glimpse of the menacing Grabber in Hollywood this week, plus check out the new featurette ‘Mason Thames on 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.

Get tickets now .

The film’s director of photography is PÄR M. EKBERG FSF (Slingshot, Lords of Chaos). The production designer is Emmy Award nominee PATTI PODESTA (The Black Phone, Memento) and the editor is LOUISE FORD ACE (Nosferatu, The Northman). The film’s costume designer is Emmy Award winner AMY ANDREWS HARRELL (The Black Phone, The Good Lord Bird), the hair department head is NATHAN RIVAL (Trap, Ready or Not) and the makeup department head is Emmy Award winner COLIN PENMAN (The Apprentice, Star Trek: Discovery). The music is by ATTICUS DERRICKSON (V/H/S/85, Shadowprowler). The casting is by TERRI TAYLOR CSA (Five Nights at Freddy’s, Drop), SARAH DOMEIER LINDO CSA (Five Nights at Freddy’s, Drop) and ALLY CONOVER CSA (Drop, Speak No Evil).

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (2025) – Review

Some may find it hard to believe, but most critics try to go into a film with no “pre-conceived” notions and expectations. Well, that noble goal is often tested. That was my feeling as I prepared to see yet another “live-action” adaptation of a beloved classic animated feature film. Yes, “another” as this is the third such project to be released this year. Ah, but this does set itself apart from the other 2025 films. The previous two, from March and May, were both from the “Mouse House”, as Disney returned to their “OG” animated icon SNOW WHITE and followed it with a more recent, but adored, property, LILO & STITCH. The latter is still packing the multiplex, while the other…just started streaming on Disney+. Now, this weekend’s release isn’t from them, it’s from a big rival of nearly thirty years, Dreamworks Animation, their very first “re-imagining”. Additionally, it’s helmed by one of the co-directors of the original film, who has brought back one of the voice actors. So do these “upstarts” concoct a “magic movie formula” when they take us back to the world of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON? Let’s saddle up those scaly “beasties” once more…

In the opening moments. we’re taken back to that land of “long ago”, the island of Berk. Explaining their current “infestation” is the teenage son of the Viking warrior ruler, weapons apprentice Hiccup (Mason Thames). It’s nighttime and they’re under siege by a fierce flying squad of fire-breathing dragons who carry off the livestock. The adults, led by Hiccup’s burly papa Stoick (Gerard Butler), try to stop the swarm with little success. Hiccup is eager to join, but is held back by Stoick’s best pal, the “single-limbed”, having lost an arm and a leg, Gobber (Nick Frost). But Hiccup sneaks out with a device he has invented, a spring-loaded “bolas-launcher”, which he fires at what he thinks is the most savage and deadly dragon, the rarely-seen “Night Fury”. He’s not sure, but it appears something went down in the forest just over the hill. But Stoick will hear none of it as he whisks him back to their home. The next day, Hiccup ventures into the woods and finds the dragon, tied up in the bolas. Unable to strike a fatal blow with his knife, Hiccup frees him, dubbing him “Toothless”. However, he can’t fly away as part of his tail has broken off. Meanwhile, Gobber convinces Stoick to allow Hiccup to be part of his “dragon-fighting” classes. After much pleading, Hiccup agrees and joins a group of trainees., comprised of cocky, brash Snotlout (Gabrielle Howeell), excited “dragon expert/savant” Fishlegs (Julian Dennisen), bickering twins Ruffnut (Bronwyn James) and Tuffnut (Harry Trevaldwyn) and Hiccup’s “secert crush” the gifted fighter Astrid (Nico Parker), who wants to rule Berk someday. Hiccup flounders at class as he continues to visit Toothless, somehow forming a bond, and eventually fashioning a new “tail-piece” that allows the dragon to fly once more…with Hiccup as his rider/pilot. But can he keep his forbidden “friendship” a secret from his class and especially his father? Could this be the start of a new “era” or ignite a bigger war as Hiccup discovers the real agenda of the dragons?

I don’t wish to disparage the original voice cast, but these young, fairly unknown actors really help bring new energy to the familiar property, allowing it to soar to new heights. First, there are the two young, eventually, romantic leads. Thames, so good in BLACK PHONE, gives Hiccup an extra layer of vulnerability while still being a sweet klutz. With his superb body language and facial expressions, he conveys the hero’s journey of the lad, who somehow finds his humanity by helping his sworn enemy. Parker, who was in the disastrous DUMBO remake, strikes the right balance between tough and tender, as the determined and ambitious “no-nonsense” warrior princess (sans crown). She puts up a hard barrier to Hiccup, but Parker, through her gradually relaxed manner, slowly dissolves away. Perhaps the biggest surprise here is the spirited, bombastic work by the story’s “OG”, Butler, who has really grown into the role of bellowing and often clueless papa Stoick. He brings an electric charge to every scene, reminding us that his considerable gifts have been squandered on far too many mediocre action scripts. He’s great with Thames and hilarious with the very funny Frost as the mentor/coach, whose big heart almost makes up for the missing limbs. Also achingly amusing are the terrific young actors who are his “pupils”. Howell is a swaggering, obnoxious hoot, while Dennison is an endearing charmer as the sweet, zaftig motor-mouth vault of dragon trivia. And anyone with siblings can relate to the constant rivalry and insults (tinged with a tiny bit of affection) of the twins, played with furious zest by James and Trevaldwyn.

Guiding this exceptional cast is the co-director of the original film, Dean Delbois, in his live-action narrative feature debut (he made the doc feature TEN in 2022), and he does a superb job of revisiting his earlier triumph. As many lovers of that will attest, he doesn’t veer far from the script adaptation of Cressida Cowell’s beloved book that he co-wrote with co-director Chris Sanders and Will Davies, which some may find fault with, although fans of the other two live-action redos from 2025 have thrown fits over omitted and added characters and subplots. However this coming of age tale is so strong, that it’s not needed since enough time has passed (15 years) to make this fresh for the children who saw the orignal in theatres (some of you may recall that in those prehistoric “pre-home video” days, Disney would send his animated classics out of the vault and back on to big screens at seven-year-intervals). Well, Deblois did add an excellent subplot about Snotlout’s strained relationship with his blasé pop Spitelout, played with a disinterested scowl by Peter Serafinowicz. And yes, the dragons are still CGI creations, though they have more detailed textures, especially Toothless, and have a more realistic tone resembling the recent Godzilla reboots rather than the bulging eyes and rubbery limbs similar to Mad Magazine’s series of “Horrifying Cliches” drawn by the great Paul Coker, Jr. Another big plus is the use of several practical sets (with some CGI “tweaks”, no doubt) in the village along with the imaginative costuming (imagine the fur and horn budget). Happily, John Powell also returns with thrilling variations on his familiar themes. Yes, it’s like picking up a treasured childhood tome off of the bookshelf that’s given a fresh spin by the talented cast of young actors paired with an invigorated vet. Oh, if all the remakes and “re-workings” were as entrancing and endearing as HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON…

3.5 Out of 4

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (2025) is now playing in theatres everywhere

MONSTER SUMMER – Review

Yes, even though we’re a few weeks into Fall the box office is still ruled by kid-friendly flicks about CGI-animated robots (top two on the charts last weekend). And this new release hopes to follow, though it’s actually a “kid-flick” about a group of teens starring a pack of young thespians (and a couple of older vets too). Plus they’re embarking on an adventure just perfect for spooky October (and no they don’t have a big cowardly pooch). Now the Little Rascals (or Our gang) trekked through many haunted abodes, but that theme didn’t really invade features until the 1980s with THE GOONIES and those underdogs in THE MONSTER SQUAD (a cult fave). In the last couple of years, the Ghostbusters have included several youngsters, but there are no “proto-packs” around for the minors trying to survive a MONSTER SUMMER.

After a bone-chilling prologue, the title card sends us to a pleasant Summer day in 1997 on a bucolic island just off Martha’s Vineyard. Noah (Mason Thames) spends much of his school vacay time in the treehouse just in the back of the boarding house run by his widowed mother (Nora Zehetner). He submits his story to the local newspaper editor (Kevin James) who rejects his criminal conspiracy articles because they scare away the tourists. But he can take his mind off his dashed reporting dreams on the baseball diamond with his teammates and pals, Sammy (Abby James Witherspoon), Ben (Noah Cottrell), and home run hitter Eugene (Julian Lerner). After their latest victory, they decided to sneak into the barn of the local cranky recluse (who may have offed his family), Gene Carruthers (Mel Gibson). But that night things take a creepy turn when Eugene takes a moonlight swim with Noah’s crush Elle. After spotting someone in a hooded robe on the dock, he’s pulled down into the depths where a bright white light surrounds him. That next morning Eugene is acting like a zombie. Then Noah meets his mom’s new border, a gray-haired eccentric elder named Miss Halverson (Lorraine Bracco), who bikes around the village dressed in a black robe and slouch hat. Hmmmm. Luckily he makes a connection with Gene after several more strange events. Could Noah and his pals, and all the island kids, be the target of a witch-like monster? What a story that’ll make, if he can survive…

So despite the presence of an Oscar-winning actor, the main focus, with the most screen time, is the energetic Thames (so good in THE BLACK PHONE) as “junior Kolchak” (google it) Noah. He’s a good kid with big dreams though his zeal for the truth (and a great scoop) often overrides his common sense (hence the frequent “B & E”). Still Thames gives Noah a real vulnerability, especially when a plan backfires and affects his beloved mother. And he’s a pretty effective sidekick to the grizzled, world-weary Gene played by Gibson as a beaten-down version of his LETHAL WEAPON Riggs (minus loads of the “crazy”). Sure, this is a “step up” from his constant stream of “straight to Redbox” action potboilers, but it’s tough to see him regulated to being a teenager’s “muscle”. He’s much better utilized than the still engaging Bracco who mostly slinks around the crime scenes with a suspicious glare. The rest of the “kid crew” are also a great “backup” and “sounding board” for Noah, in addition to being the “voice of reason’ and sanity. The biggest mystery of the movie may be the odd Southern drawl and big Panama-style hats sported by James as “newshound” from Nantucket. huh?

In his sophomore feature film directing effort, actor Daniel Henrie has put a lot of passion into this “teen mystery”, though his affection for the aforementioned “kid gang classics” often zooms past sweet homage toward cinematic larceny. The main target may be Spielberg himself (talk about going for the “big gun”), as the references and unsubtle winks begin to pile up. With the setting near Martha’s Vineyard, we know that some nods to JAWS will happen (as much of the 75 thriller was shot there), but it’s jarring when the opening beach “campfire’ sequence is lifting nearly shot by shot. Of course, the skeevy editor is the Amity Island mayor who doesn’t want to risk the loss of cash from the “Summer guests”. Plus the main theatre on the island is running HOOK (perhaps nonstop for six years). And an easy laugh is achieved by the casting of an adult actor from an adored 90s “kid comedy”. Plus the setting of 1997 feels a bit off as tech was creeping in more than the story allows (no cell phones and a clacky manual typewriter). then there’s the air of making Gibson more “family-friendly” after DADDY’S HOME 2 (this won’t be the needed “career rehab”). Perhaps the script needed a few more passes as a botched reveal scene wouldn’t play in any straight-to-homevid Scooby-Doo feature. Still, it adheres to its PG-13 rating with some slight scares and a peril-packed finale that is stretched a bit thin. Taking the kiddos to this as a respite from shopping at Spirit Halloween may feel like a good plan, though the memory of this MONSTER SUMMER will vanish well before the big spooky holiday.

1.5 Out of 4

MONSTER SUMMER opens in theatres everywhere beginning on October 4, 2024

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

Director Scott Derrickson returns to his terror roots and partners again with the foremost brand in the genre, Blumhouse, with a new horror thriller THE BLACK PHONE. Stars Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, James Ransone and Ethan Hawke. In Theaters June 24.

Enter to win passes for you and a guest to attend the Advance Screening.

DATE AND TIME:
June 21, 2022 at 7:00pm at Wehrenberg Ronnies 20 Cine

The screening will be filled on a first come first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early. Seats will not be guaranteed. Rated R.

Enter here: http://gofobo.com/hmHLV78461

https://www.theblackphonemovie.com/

Finney Shaw, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.

Starring four-time Oscar® nominee Ethan Hawke in the most terrifying role of his career and introducing Mason Thames in his first ever film role, The Black Phone is produced,

directed, and co-written by Scott Derrickson, the writer-director of Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Marvel’s Doctor Strange.

The film’s screenplay is by Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill (Doctor Strange, Sinister franchise), based on the award-winning short story by Joe Hill from his New York Times bestseller 20th Century Ghosts. The film is produced by Derrickson & Cargill’s Crooked Highway and presented by Universal and Blumhouse. Jason Blum, Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill are producers on the film, which is executive produced by Ryan Turek and Christopher H. Warner.

(from left) The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) and Finney Shaw (Mason Thames) in The Black Phone, directed by Scott Derrickson. Photo Credit: Fred Norris/Universal Pictures copyright: © 2022 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS. All Rights Reserved.

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