Director: Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Riley Keough & Peter Sarsgaard 
Rated: R
Runtime: 1 hour & 30 minutes 

“The Guilty,” which premiered on Netflix on Oct. 1, is an easy way to spend 90 minutes of a late night or a mid-afternoon on the weekend. It’s probably not something you’re going to want to get in the car, drive to the local cinema, and pay $12-plus dollars for, but it’s certainly worth the watch – and truly that’s the great thing about being able to see a new film on a streaming service every now and then.
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Director Antoine Fuqua, who’s no stranger to films about bad cops with his most famous film being 2001’s “Training Day” which won Denzel Washington his Best Actor Oscar, is at the head of the film and it’s written by Nic Pizzolatto, no stranger to the theme himself as the creator of HBO’s crime series “True Detective.”

“The Guilty” is an American remake of the 2018 Danish film of the same name, and from what I’ve heard and read if you’ve seen that version there may be no real reason to watch the Americanized one, but how many Americans really catch that many Danish flicks? The film is a simple premise, LAPD officer Joe Baylor, played by Academy Award-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal, is working the night shift at a 911 call center while awaiting a court hearing about a shooting that occurred on the job eight months prior. His whole world has fallen apart. In addition to potentially losing his job, he’s separated from his wife and doesn’t get to see his daughter much. It doesn’t help matters that he gets a lot of annoying calls at his current gigs from folks like drug over-dosers and johns robbed by prostitutes, whom he obviously seems to feel better than.

Baylor receives a call from a woman, Emily Lighton (voiced by Riley Keough, who is never seen), using coded language to let him know she’s been abducted and is traveling on the highway when she acts like she’s speaking to her young daughter on the phone and gets Baylor to ask her yes or no questions to help find her. The rest of the movie from this point on is Baylor doing whatever it takes from his 911 call center desk to help find this woman.

The camera is focused on Gyllenhaal’s character for nearly the entire 90-minute runtime, primarily his face as he’s listening to the calls from Emily, the California Highway Patrol Dispatcher (voiced by Da’Vine Joy Randolph), the voice of his friend Sgt. Bill Miller at his old precinct (voiced by Ethan Hawke) and his partner Rick (voiced by Eli Goree).

It’s basically just Gyllenhaal, a thrilling script and the cast of voice actors moving this thing along and there isn’t one minute during the film where I found myself looking at the clock, reaching for my phone or wanting it to end. That’s truly a remarkable credit to Gyllenhaal’s performance and Pizzolatto’s script.

One thing I will say about Gyllenhaal’s character, Pizzolatto’s script and Fuqua’s film is there’s never a second of the film where I find myself liking Baylor, even though he’s going to great lengths to save this woman, and I feel like that’s the right thing for this film. He’s a jerk. So, when you find out he killed a man on the job and likely did so just because he could you don’t feel yourself feeling sorry for his end result or how his life as turned out. This is important given the current climate toward policing in this country. I’m not sure how many viewers want to see a bad cop get away with something just because he’s also done something good.

Another thing I can say impressed me about “The Guilty” is there is a turn, or surprise, about an hour into the film that I just didn’t see coming. I’m not sure this really changes the film overall, but anytime a film can make you think, “huh, I didn’t expect that” it’s interesting to note.

Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Eduardo Minett & Natalia Traven
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 1 hour & 44 minutes 

“Cry Macho,” which premiered in theaters and on HBO Max on Friday, Sept. 17, is Clint Eastwood’s 40th feature film as a director, most of which have starred himself in either the lead or a major supporting role.
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At 91-years old Eastwood is still putting out at least one film a year, which is truly amazing. Rarely, if ever, in the history of film have we seen a director this prolific in his late career output and it’s certainly never happened in which he’s also the lead in many of those films.

“Cry Macho,” based on the 1975 American novel of the same name by N. Richard Nash (who was also a screenwriter most known for penning director Otto Preminger’s 1959 adaptation of the Gershwin opera “Porgy and Bess”), has been attempted to be adapted into film for nearly as long as it’s been around, but finally came to fruition with Eastwood at the helm.

The film, set in 1980, sees grizzled old Texan Mike Milo (Eastwood), a retired former rodeo star and horse trainer hired by his ex-boss Howard Polk (Dwight Yoakam) to go down to Mexico and rescue his 13-year old son Rafo (Eduardo Minett) from his estranged wife and her boyfriend, whom he believes to be abusing Rafo. Later we find out there’s a bit more to why Polk wants Rafo in the United States with him that kind of puts a damper on the film’s ending, but it doesn’t do a whole lot to sway Mike from doing this job.

What results in “Cry Macho” is ultimately a nice buddy flick between Mike and Rafo. Mike represents the “American Dream” to Rafo, who admires the cowboy lifestyle, even if Mike is a gringo. The chemistry between Eastwood and Minett, in his American film debut, is good enough for the film, which truly relies on it. This is mostly the story of this old man and this Mexican teen, with a bit of a love story added on involving Mike and a widowed café keeper Marta, played by Natalia Traven.

I enjoyed “Cry Macho” and I believe if you’re looking for a simple film for an easy evening viewing it’s well-worth your time, especially if you’re into cowboy movies (even though it’s not an outright traditional Western).

I had one major issue with the film and it’s Eastwood the actor as chosen by Eastwood the director. Eastwood’s performance in “Cry Macho” is good. It’s just not very believable, as he’s a 91-year old man doing things a 91-year old man shouldn’t be doing, except for a scene or two where he saunters around so slowly you can’t help but wonder if much of the film’s one hour and 44 minute runtime is just going to be him shuffling around.

I understand Eastwood not wanting to give up the reigns as an actor and he’s done enough in the industry to truly be able to do whatever he wants to do, but this movie would’ve been better off with a younger actor in the lead. Now, I don’t necessarily mean we need to see Ryan Gosling slip down to Mexico and save Rafo – no, I get that you need someone older and grizzled in this role. But Eastwood in a role where he punches somebody in the face and in one particularly cringy scene is being seduced by an actress who’s 52 years his junior is just laughable. I think the movie would’ve been a bit better off if Eastwood had put someone like maybe Kevin Costner, who’s 66-years old, but a bit more believable to be doing such things in the role.

Director: Kay Cannon 
Starring: Camila Cabello, Idina Menzel & Billy Porter
Rated: PG
Runtime: 1 hour & 53 minutes 

Once upon a time, a beautiful girl fell in love with a handsome prince, and they lived happily ever after. This is the story that has been told to all of us in fairy tales for years. A girl achieves all her dreams simply by finding love with a man who gives her all she needs. An example of this kind of fairytale is “Cinderella.” On September 3rd, Amazon Prime released their version of the classic starring pop star Camila Cabello in the titular role. Over the years, there have been so many versions that when learning of yet another one being released, it begs the question: is this necessary?” To see the same story over and over again could be “bippity boppity boo-ring” but this new installment in the ‘Cinderella’ franchise adds some different aspects that make it worthy of being seen.

The first aspect this film adds is female empowerment. In Amazon Prime’s “Cinderella,” Ella (Cabello) dreams of opening her own shop, Dresses By Ella. She lives in a very patriarchal society where the idea of a woman in business is laughable to its citizens. To see Cinderella have dreams of her own and be actively pursuing these dreams is very progressive. Her focus is on selling dresses. If love comes her way, then it does but she does not want to sacrifice her dreams for a romance. This idea makes this film something I am glad my daughters got to see. Cinderella is still practically a servant to her stepmother, Vivian (played by the wickedly talented Idina Menzel) and her two stepsisters, Malvolia and Narissa. The film follows all the normal beats you would expect from “Cinderella,” but there is another layer that supports this female power notion. The Prince has a sister, Gwen, that is very interested in running the country. To see two women going after their dreams in a fairy tale is very comforting and shows a progression in fairytale storytelling that is heading in the right direction.
 
Another aspect this film adds is the movie musical element. There are some original songs (“Million To One,” being the best) but the film has lots of pop and rock songs that give the film almost a “Glee” aspect. From being a fan of the “Glee” TV series, every week, I would get excited to see what songs they were going to cover that week to tell their stories. After the first couple of pop songs, I got curious as to what was coming next. The highlights for me were the Prince singing “Somebody To Love,” the Wicked Stepmother singing “Material Girl,” and the Prince and Cinderella singing Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.” Another thing this film has in common with “Glee” is that in focusing on the songs that were going to be performed, it took away from some depth in the storytelling. Most of the characters almost appeared to be one note and were not as complex as they could have been, which took away from the film.

The three standouts in the film were Camila Cabello, Idina Menzel and Billy Porter as the Fabulous Godmother. Cabello does an exceptional job as Cinderella by truly diving into the character and making us feel her passion. It makes us root for her. Menzel is equally as fantastic as the stepmother, Vivian. Menzel could not have done better with what she was given. I just wish she would have been given a little more. That leaves Porter as the Fabulous Godmother ... and let me tell you, he is quite fabulous. The character that left me wanting more was the Godmother. I wish we could have seen more but I know this role has always been a very supporting one. Casting Porter as the Fabulous Godmother is another aspect that makes this film exciting because Porter knocks it out of the park.

While the progressive storytelling and musical aspect has been added to the “Cinderella” story, the film does not focus enough on character development for viewers to fully embrace each character. It makes the film good but not great. While this may not be the best version of “Cinderella,” it will be a mostly entertaining two hours for you and the family.

Worth – Netflix – September 3
There’s going to be a lot of 9/11 programming in the early part of the month with the 20th anniversary of one of the saddest days in American history coming up and most of that programming is going to be documentary. However, if you’re looking for a movie based on truth surrounding 9/11 and its aftermath director Sara Colangelo’s “Worth” premieres Friday, Sept. 3 on Netflix. “Worth,” stars Michael Keaton as lawyer Kenneth Feinberg who is tasked with putting a dollar value on victims of the terrorist attack and the emotional toll that takes on him. 

News of the World – HBO Max – September 4
“News of the World,” a Western starring Tom Hanks (who I’ve always wanted to see in a Western) and directed by Paul Greengrass, premiered last Christmas and was on my “must-watch” list, but I was avoided movie theaters at the time and didn’t want to shell out $20 or more on video on demand. So, like I’m sure many of you will, I’ll be seeing it now as it premieres on HBO Max on Saturday, Sept. 4. Hanks stars as an aging Civil War vet tasked with taking a young girl taken in by the Kiowa tribe to her last remaining family. 

The Premise – Hulu – September 16
“The Premise,” premiering on Hulu on Thursday, Sept. 16, comes from creator B.J. Novak (most known for his work on “The Office”) and is an anthology comedy-drama series featuring a different story starring different actors in each episode and will take on some of the biggest issues of our modern times. The episodes will feature such talented performances as Tracee Ellis Ross, Kaitlyn Dever, Lola Kirke, Jon Bernthal, Lucas Hedges, Ben Platt, Beau Bridges, the late Ed Asner and more. 

Cry Macho – HBO Max – September 17
Let’s get this out of the way first – there are aspects of “Cry Macho,” the latest film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, that are absurd. The fact that Eastwood at 91, even if that’s likely not his character’s age, would be hired by anybody to track down and rescue anybody is asinine. However, Eastwood makes good films (mostly) and since it’ll be up on HBO Max for 31 days, while also premiering simultaneously in theaters, I might as well give it a go. Also, the fact that Dwight Yoakam is in a supporting role is an added perk for me. 

​The Starling – Netflix – September 24
“The Starling,” directed by Theodore Melfi (director of “St. Vincent” and “Hidden Figures”) and starring Melissa McCarthy and Chris O’Dowd, looks like a truly touching work that’ll likely be sure to bring tears to your eyes. McCarthy and O’Dowd play a married couple who are struck with a life tragedy and go about it in different ways – McCarthy’s Lilly tries to trudge forward in life, while O’Dowd’s Jack basically checks out of reality. The film co-stars Kevin Kline as an ex-psychiatrist turned veterinarian, with a dark past, who befriends Lilly along the way.  

by Tyler Glover
All my life, I have wished upon a star. I have wanted to ride a magic carpet and swim with mermaids. Furthermore, I have dreamed of riding elephants with big ears, eating a dinner brought to me by a serenading candelabra, and flying thanks to a little bit of pixie dust. Disney has always encouraged me to dream big. It should come as no surprise then that Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Fla., lives up to its name. It truly is the most magical place on Earth.

After you arrive and board the ferry, you begin to feel the cool breeze on a hot Florida day. You sit down on a bench by an opening to see the beautiful blue lake. Music begins to play over the intercom. It is “A Whole New World” from “Aladdin.” The horn blows signaling it is time for departure. The ferry slowly begins to take off. Shortly, a very tall, ash grey castle with shiny gold trimming starts to come into view. You truly are going into a whole new world full of magic. When you see the beautiful Cinderella Castle come into view, you immediately feel a sense of peace. It is like going home. This home being your childhood where Disney dared you to dream.

I have been to Magic Kingdom five times in my lifetime. It was first a band trip, my honeymoon, and then three times with my family. I have gotten to experience every ride and been to almost every shop and now, I am here to tell you what the top 10 things are at Magic Kingdom. 

10. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is one of those rides that as soon as it comes into view, you are amazed at how beautiful it is. You are truly transported into the frontier. It looks just like a mountain that would be in a Wild, Wild West film. This ride is a rollercoaster that is all around a mountain. You are on top of the mountain, you are going through the mountain, and you even begin the ride inside the mountain. The ride goes so fast that it is hard for you to even know where you are. It is a top-notch roller coaster but not the best roller coaster Magic Kingdom has to offer. If this awesome ride is not even the best, imagine how great the roller coasters at Magic Kingdom are!

9. Barnstormer
“Barnstormer” is a rollercoaster that puts the legendary Goofy front and center. “The Great Goofini” has been operating airplanes and it doesn’t seem like it has been very successful. When you are standing in line, you see holes through signs that make it seem Goofy has been thrown from one of these airplanes. On this ride, you are riding on a “stunt plane” all around the barnyard. This ride is one of the few roller coasters that even kids of a younger age can experience. It obviously depends on the child but my youngest really enjoyed this. It was really her only shot at riding a rollercoaster at her age so if this is your circumstance, this ride is 100 percent perfect for you to make sure you storm.

8. Magic Carpets of Aladdin
“Aladdin” holds a special place in my heart. It is the first film that I went to see in movie theaters. Aside from the amazing experience of the film, I also got to experience the big screen for the first time. While the “Magic Carpets of Aladdin” ride is one that goes around in a circle like any kids’ ride at a carnival, this one is top notch. You get to ride on a magic carpet that you can navigate how high you go up. You can pull the lever all the way to the top if you want or even go up and down to truly feel the experience of riding a magic carpet. As you ride, different “Aladdin” songs play every time truly transporting you into Agrabah and elevating the experience. Riding Aladdin’s magic carpet, moving up and down, while listening and of course singing to “A Whole New World,” ranks up there with one of the most magical times of my life.

7. Mad Tea Party
There is no doubt that when you are in Wonderland, you are in a surreal, different, crazy and somewhat mad world. One of the things Alice does while she is in Wonderland is have a tea party with the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse. This, of course, makes the idea of a Mad Tea Party perfect for Magic Kingdom. This ride is a typical sit down ride where the guests can turn a wheel and spin in circles as much as they want as the ride goes. However, this time, you are sitting in a teacup. As the ride goes, you look around and see tons of teacups all going around in a circle making this experience feel crazy, mad, and wonderful to be a part of the magic of Wonderland.

6. Under The Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
If you are looking for a moment to escape the hot summer sun, “Under The Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid” is a great option. In this indoor and air-conditioned ride, you get to experience the story of “The Little Mermaid” as you sit in a clamshell. The coolest part about this ride is when you are turned backwards and all around you, it looks like you are going underwater to be with the mermaids. As you enter each section, you get to experience not only the story but the Academy Award winning music from Alan Menken: “Part Of Your World,” “Under The Sea,” “Kiss The Girl” and “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” Disney uses animatronics that represent the characters bringing the experience alive right before your eyes. When you exit this ride, you are not only cooled off but happy to see once again that dreams can come true and happily ever afters do exist.
 
5. Peter Pan’s Flight
“Peter Pan’s Flight” is also an indoor and air-conditioned ride that tells the story with the use of animatronics. On this ride, you board a ship that will guide you through the story of the Disney film, “Peter Pan.” The ride begins in the Darling kids’ room and then you begin to fly. You are flying into the sky, past Big Ben, over Neverland, into Neverland where you see the mermaids, Captain Hook’s ship, the Lost Boys, and the Indian tribe. It is like a tour of the land that also tells the story at the same time. While “The Little Mermaid” makes you feel under the sea, “Peter Pan” makes us feel that we can fly, we can fly, we can fly!
 
4. Philarmagic
Philarmagic was truly an awesome experience. This is the kind of ride that just seeing the sign does not really tell you what it is, but you will not regret checking it out. Philarmagic is a 3D concert experience where you put on your “opera glasses” and sit back to enjoy the fun. Donald Duck is here to put on a concert, but mayhem ensues when he puts on Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat. We are transported into the worlds of “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King” and “Peter Pan.” Of course, it would not be a 3D experience without objects feeling like they are right there for you to touch. There are not many things that are as exhilarating than having dishes singing “Be Our Guest” to you dancing what appears to be literally right before your eyes. Philarmagic is magic at its best.

3. Be Our Guest Restaurant
“Beauty and the Beast” is one of my favorite Disney films of all time. Upon hearing that there was a restaurant named Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom, I knew this was something I HAD to experience. I feel this way for every “Beauty and the Beast” fan out there. This is not an experience to be missed! Outside of the restaurant, you see the beautiful architecture of the Beast’s castle. As you walk in, you are transported into the beautiful ballroom that Beauty and the Beast dance in. You can also be seated to eat in the West Wing where the beautiful, enchanted rose is located, shining brightly for all to see no matter where you are seated. The Beast even comes out and makes appearances welcoming you to his castle. The food is very upscale and first rate but there is something for everyone. I had Filet Mignon and it was delicious. However, the thing I was the most interested in trying was of course, the Grey Stuff. Let me tell you: it is delicious!

2. Seven Dwarves Mine Train
The Seven Dwarves Mine Train would be my favorite roller coaster at Magic Kingdom if it wasn’t for my number one choice. It was hard to pick between these two. Seven Dwarves Mine Train at first glance may appear to be very similar to the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad but it has a story to tell on top of it. At the beginning of the ride, you begin slowly but start picking up speed. You feel that the pace of the ride is about to begin picking up but then you are pleasantly surprised to be in the mine with the dwarves. You are looking around at beautiful glistening diamonds and they are singing the “Dig, dig, dig” song. However, the bell rings and it is time to go home. So, they begin singing “Heigh Ho” and let me tell you. “Heigh ho, home from work is where you are going and at a speed that you feel they were just told about the Evil Queen getting to Snow White. From there, it is just pure joy and thrills. This is a can’t-miss attraction at Magic Kingdom!

1. Space Mountain
“Space Mountain” is the coolest ride in Magic Kingdom. If you are someone who loves thrills and rollercoasters, this is the ride for you. “Space Mountain” is an indoor roller coaster that transports you into space. When the ride begins, you are launched up into the stars. Everywhere you look, it is nothing but darkness and stars. It takes a moment to let you view the beauty before taking off spinning you all around the track (a track you cannot see). You cannot tell which direction you will be going next. It could be left, right, up, or down. The only direction it doesn’t take you is upside down. Even though the ride accelerates very quickly, the ride does not end abruptly. You really feel like you are in space, and this just adds to another magical day at Magic Kingdom. At Magic Kingdom, Disney transports you to all kinds of different worlds but space, by far, feels like the coolest place to go.

Director: Trent O'Donnell 
Starring: Jake Johnson, D'Arcy Carden & Susan Sarandon
Rated: Not Rated (But Would Be 'R')
Runtime: 1 hour & 28 minutes 

Most people probably know Jake Johnson from his role as the hilarious Nick Miller on the Fox sitcom “New Girl” from 2011-2018, but he’s become quite the indie film actor over the last decade. However, it’s been a bit since his best indie work in 2012’s “Safety Not Guaranteed” and 2013’s “Drinking Buddies.”
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Now he’s back to his indie ways in “Ride the Eagle,” a film he co-wrote with director Trent O’Donnell, in which he plays Leif, a struggling musician who finds out his estranged mother Honey (played by Susan Sarandon) has died and has bequeathed him her lovely mountainous cabin with one major catch – he must complete a list left by her via videotape.

It’s a quaint film, mostly following Leif through his quest to get through this list – that he begins reluctantly because he honestly has nothing better to do. If Johnson didn’t know this character so well via co-writing the film and if he weren’t so likable at playing aimless adults in their late 30s it might not be so interesting, but as a fan of Johnson I was willing to follow him along on this journey to develop a relationship with his deceased mom.

Where “Ride the Eagle,” which gets its title from a truly horrid piece of art painted by Leif’s late mother, is at its best is when the mom instructs Leif to make things right with “the one that got away” and Leif calls up an ex he hasn’t spoken to in about a decade named Audrey (played by D’Arcy Carden). Johnson and Carden have so much chemistry that there are times I found myself thinking maybe Johnson and O’Donnell should’ve stripped everything else away and re-wrote the film as a rom-com between the two. The banter between Johnson and Carden, done completely via phone calls and texts as they’re never in the same room together (which is truly amazing due to the chemistry), is the highlight of the film.

There’s a bit of mysterious thrown into “Ride the Eagle,” as well, when Leif arrives at his late mother’s cabin and gets a threatening call from a man assuming he’s Honey’s lover. It’s drawn out a bit until a face-to-face confrontation between Leif and the man, Carl (played by Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons), in which the two realize it’s all a misunderstanding. Carl is a role type Simmons has played often, in fact it’s very similar to his performance in last year’s indie darling “Palm Springs.”

At an hour and 28 minutes, “Ride the Eagle” doesn’t overstay its welcome and truly only works because Johnson is such an affable performer.

“Ride the Eagle” is currently available to rent on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and other streaming apps for $6.99. 

Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Reid Miller & Connie Britton 
Rated: R
Runtime: 1 hour & 34 minutes 

“Joe Bell” is a roller coaster of emotions, with deep highs and lows knowing that it’s based on a true story. The drama stars Mark Walberg as Joe Bell, a working class father who treks across the United States from his home in La Grande, Ore., to New York City sharing the story of his son and promoting anti-bullying for LGBTQ youth. 
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Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, the film packs in as much heartache and mild redemption in its hour and 34-minute run time. 

The story is a mix of flashbacks of the relationship between Joe Bell and his gay teenage son Jadin Bell (masterfully portrayed by Reid Miller). It’s a tale likely familiar to too many LGBTQ youth in America in that his father doesn’t disown his son but tries his best to ignore the fact that he’s gay. One of several heartbreaking scenes happens when Bell yells at his son to practice his cheerleading routine with his friend in the backyard because he can’t hear the TV inside the house with all the cheers and shouting. It’s a profound moment in that Jadin feels the shame and embarrassment his father feels for him. 

Bell is already walking across America when the film opens, his son Jadin by his side. And the two share special father-son moments, but the audience learns (if they didn’t already know going into the movie) that these moments are all in Bell’s mind. 

In the film and in real life, 15-year-old Jadin Bell hanged himself Jan. 19, 2013, from a play set at a local elementary school. His death is revealed about midway into the movie when Joe Bell goes to a gay bar and drag queen show on one of his stops across the country. The suicide, not seen, occurs later in the film. 

The true tragedy of the film is watching this happy teenager, who tells his brother he’s “stronger than he looks,” get repeatedly bullied and attacked, eventually finding suicide as his only way out. Miller’s performance and his desperation at the end of Bell’s life is raw, honest and an important portrayal for anyone who has an LGBTQ child or who doesn’t understand what kind of impact bullying can have on a teenager. 

Lost and grieving, Bell leaves his wife Lola (played by talented Connie Britton) and younger son Joseph Bell (Maxwell Jenkins) at home to walk to New York City, a place his son always wanted to go. By the film’s end, it turns out to be somewhat of a redemption story for Joe Bell. But it takes a long time to get there. Bell’s personality did not suddenly change just because his son died and his journey starts out as a way to work past his own guilt without having to change. A key moment in a diner shows two men spouting anti-gay slurs. The figment of Jadin tells his father to go talk to them, but the most he can muster is sharing his name and a business card about his mission. He’s not ready to confront the hatred, and Jadin lets him know it. 

It’s an interesting choice by the filmmakers to really never show much of his talks at these different towns and organizations he stops at. They also do not show the bullies again after Jadin’s death, other than Lola telling Bell that a note was left on Jadin’s grave apologizing, which pushes Bell into a fit of rage. 

Wahlberg’s portrayal of Bell is one many men could likely relate to. Yes, the film is titled for him and most of it is centered on his own guilt. But more than that, the story is about the importance of change and if even one parent with an LGBTQ youth or any viewer sees this and readjusts their attitude from adversary to advocate, it’s a story worth telling. 

Director: Juame Collet-Serra 
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt & Jack Whitehall 
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 2 hours & 7 minutes

Who knew a movie based off a ride at Disney World could be so much fun?
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Just hearing a movie is based off an amusement park ride makes me skeptical from the start but watching the promos for Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” had me intrigued enough to want to watch it thinking it could be something of a modern day “The African Queen.”

Well, Dwayne Johnson certainly isn’t Humphrey Bogart, but “Jungle Cruise” is a lot of fun and isn’t that ultimately what we want from a Disney adventure film?

The film begins in the mid-1500s when Don Aguirre (played by Edgar Ramirez) leads a group of Spanish conquistadors to the Amazon of South America in search of a mythical tree which blooms flowers that can cure illness and heal injuries among other things.

We’re quickly brought forward to 1916 London where Dr. Lily Houghton (played by Emily Blunt) is having her research of this mythical tree being presented by her brother MacGregor (played by Jack Whitehall) to an elite society because he’s male and she’s not, but they basically laugh him out of the room. This leads her to stealing an important artifact she believes will help her find the mythical tree from under the nose of a German Prince (played by Jesse Plemons), who wants it to help his country win World War I and rule the world.

Lily and MacGregor end up in Brazil where the meet Frank (played by Johnson), the steamboat captain of a jungle cruise ship on the Amazon River that has some similarities personality wise to Bogart’s Charlie Allnut from John Huston’s classic 1951 film “The African Queen,” but with the physique of a professional wrestler.  

I must admit this is the first movie I’ve ever seen featuring Johnson (other than a quick cameo in the comedy “The Other Ones,” because most of his films seem like mindless action flicks or comedies), but I was rather pleased with his performance – though it doesn’t ask a whole lot of him but to crack some corny jokes and be a masculine figure. The character building in “Jungle Cruise” isn’t really what this film is about. It’s the adventure that matters and the flick, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, does a fine job at keeping your attention for its two hour run-time.

There’s a nice little twist to “Jungle Cruise” a bit past halfway through that I won’t spoil for viewers, but I did not see coming. I don’t know that the twist truly adds a whole lot to the plot or the overall enjoyment of the film, but props for having me not see it coming.

The chemistry between Johnson and Blunt is nice in a buddy film kind of way, but, of course, the film adds a romantic element to it – kind of late in the film, though you pretty much always expect it, especially from Disney. This element wasn’t necessary, but again doesn’t really hurt anything.

It’s a fun film to watch with your family and I truly don’t think Disney does a whole lot of that these days that isn’t in the animation variety, so it’s a welcome addition. You can see “Jungle Cruise” in theaters or through Disney+’s premiere access via $29.99. 

Director: M. Night Shyamalan 
Starring: Vicky Krieps, Gael Garcia Bernal & Thomasin McKenzie 
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 1 hour & 48 minutes

“Old” is both very much an M. Night Shyamalan film in that it telegraphs the film's themes and intentions clearly and almost immediately with it's plain and unaffected dialogue while at the same time possessing something of an unidentifiable spirit that's never been detected in one of his pictures before. There are hints of the same tonality and graveness the filmmaker employed in films like “Unbreakable” and “The Village,” while also sporting just enough of a zany edge to draw comparisons to “The Happening.” 
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The core family, led by Vicky Krieps and Gael Garcia Bernal, establish early on they too are of two opposite sides of the same coin as Bernal's Guy assesses risk for a living and constantly considers the possibilities of a what *could* happen Krieps' Prisca works in a museum placing her world firmly in the past at all times. Their two children, Maddox and Trent (as played by varying actors at different stages of their life, but largely by Thomasin McKenzie and Alex Wolff), obviously serving as the rim or edge of that coin that holds them together. While on a sweepstakes of a vacation they are whisked off to a private beach with a select few other guests which is where all the weirdness begins to occur.

With themes as overt as time, its passage, the cycle of life, the changing of the seasons, and so on it's not difficult to grasp what Shyamalan might be trying to say, but to believe that is all “Old” has up its sleeve would be to belittle it. This is where the core concept shows its strength as the basic premise - a group of people, each from different walks of life who all share an unknown bond, are abandoned in a remote location where they begin to age rapidly - is attention-grabbing enough; providing all the writer/director needs to convey those ideas. It is in the details of what unfolds though, where Shyamalan can go with this core concept, that exemplifies how good he is at putting his own spin on things while simultaneously illustrating how much potential he leaves unfulfilled. One could point to single shots littered throughout the film as examples of his cleverness that make it easy to appreciate the style and essence of the film and while the third act doesn't necessarily sport an earth-shattering twist it lands in such a way that is strangely satisfying not for its sense of surprise but for its attempt at breaking down the artifice that is good and evil. 

While “Old” gives audiences a number of reasons to believe Shyamalan is back in the best way (truth is, he never really went away), it also offers plenty of proof that there are some things the director will never be able to shake ... chief among them being his inability to forego that open sensibility he gives to his characters and their dialogue for real, grounded personalities that might imbue us to them so that we might consider them as living, breathing human beings who we care about and care what happens to them under these crazy circumstances.

Beckett (Netflix) – Friday, August 13
John David Washington has become quite the movie star over the last few years. His latest “Beckett,” premiering on Netflix on Friday, Aug. 13, is the story of an American tourist involved in a car accident in Greece who becomes the target of a manhunt when his girlfriend goes missing. As he rushes to get to the American embassy in Athens he falls further and further into a dangerous conspiracy in this thriller directed by Ferdinando Cito Filomarino. 

Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu) – Wednesday, August 18
Nicole Kidman has become the queen of the television limited series having starred in HBO’s “Big Little Lies” and “The Undoing” and now switching over to Hulu for “Nine Perfect Strangers,” premiering on Wednesday, Aug. 18. “Nine Perfect Strangers” has a stellar cast that also features Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon and Bobby Cannavale among others and features nine people all with mass amounts of stress in their lives who are chosen for a wellness resort that isn’t exactly what it seems. 

Annette (Amazon Prime) – Friday, August 20
French director Leos Carax is known for making movies that can be explained as “batshit.” “Annette,” starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard, seems no different. But Driver in something “batshit” is extremely interesting to me. The film, which is the director’s English-language debut, opened up the Cannes Film Festival last month to a lot of buzz and is about a stand-up comedian (Driver) and his opera singer wife (Cotillard) and how their lives are changed by their first child. It premieres on Friday, Aug. 20 on Amazon Prime Video. 

The Courier (Amazon Prime) – Friday, August 27
Late August seems like a good time for prestige dramas dropping on Amazon Prime Video with “The Courier,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, coming one week after “Annette.” “The Courier,” directed by Dominic Cooke, is based on the true story of British businessman Greville Wynne who was recruited by the British MI6 to sneak messages to a secret agent inside the Soviet Union. It looks like stories we’ve seen before, but also looks like an entertaining two hours.  

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) – Tuesday, August 31
I’ve been looking forward to this TV comedy for a while, as it was announced more than a year-and-a-half ago and delayed by COVID-19. I’ll watch anything with Steve Martin and Martin Short together. In “Only Murders in the Building” Martin, Short and Selena Gomez all shared an obsession for true crime and then find themselves in the middle of a crime in their apartment building. I’m sure it’ll be a laugh riot.