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McCoy on Movies: Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret

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Childhood adolescence shines in cinematic adaptation of Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret

“Just think – in 50 years from now, parents are going to be worried about their kids twerking!” Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Forston, far left) hangs with her new friends Janie Loomis (Amari Price), Nancy Wheeler (Elle Graham) and Gretchen Potter (Katherine Mallen Kupferer) in a scene from director Kelly Fremon Craig’s take on the classic – and controversial – children’s book ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET. Credit: Dana Hawley / Lionsgate © All Rights Reserved.
DIRECTORS: Kelly Fremon Craig

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Bennie Safdie, Kathy Bates, Aidan Wojtak-Hissong, Elle Graham, Amari Alexis Price, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Kate MacCluggage, Echo Kellum and Isol Young

WEB SITE: https://www.itsmemargaret.movie/

THE BACK STORY: Based on the Judy Blume book of the same name that is likely once again a candidate for a ban, ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET stars Abby Ryder Forston as Margaret Simon. Living in New York City, 11 year-old Margaret finds her life suddenly turned upside down when her mother Barbara (Rachel McAdams) and father Herb (Benny Safdie) tell her they are moving to New Jersey following his promotion. The news isn’t exactly welcomed by Margaret nor Herb’s mother, Sylvia (Kathy Bates). (Margaret has no idea how her mother’s very devout Christian parents feel about the movie, however, since she hasn’t spoken to them in over a decade since Barbara decided to marry Herb, who is Jewish.)
Arriving in her new town, Margaret begins to make some new friends, all of whom have their own distinct personalities, so whether she’s hanging with the seemingly way too mature for her age Nancy Wheeler (Elle Graham), the more level-headed Gretchen Potter (Katherine Mallen Kupferer) or Janie Loomis (Amari Alexis Price), a.k.a. the black friend, Margaret quickly learn junior high school in a new environment is going to bring a ton of new experiences.
Along with those new experiences are the ones that hit home on a more personal level, such as maturity, waiting on herself and her friends to … to put it mildly, “become women” physically and finding out what religion she ultimately wants to be when she is older. And thanks to a classroom assignment by her new teacher Mr. Benedict (Echo Kellum), she’s going to likely find an answer to that question sooner than later.
It’s definitely going to be quite the year for young Margaret, her friends and family … Especially if she never gets any answers from the all-powerful being she’s constantly asking questions of …

 

THE REVIEW: Coming of age tales are classic source material for movies – and for good reason: Everyone who is an adult was once a child and that former time period is so critical to shaping the latter that it’s something to which everyone can relate. The 1970s may serve as the setting, but ARE YOU THERE, GOD? … proves itself to be a timeless tale from childhood into adolescence that should help bridge gaps between generations.
A film like this does not work without its young stars being (1) interesting and (2) compelling to make the story feel like both to its audience. Forston does a spectacular job at Margaret, conveying every insecurity, anxiety and ultimately, revelation in a fashion that is exciting, confusing and memorable as childhood itself. This isn’t a role defined by its complexity; it’s a role that is complex because of it’s seeming simplicity – yet to pull it off successfully, Forston must strike a balance between episodes of maturity and innocence as well as precociousness and brattiness.
While Fortson pulls them all off, it is worth mentioning how well she not only plays against her older, adult counterparts but also alongside her youthful castmates. Watching the interplay among them brings all the complexities of that super-awkward time in life front and center … Which makes the moments when they come to their own realizations or force the adults in their lives to do so all the better.
That, in fact, is one of the most telling things about what makes ARE YOU THERE, GOD? … So entertaining. A friend of mine attended the premiere with me; at one point, I could tell she was having a visceral reaction to a major plot point. Asking her why after the film was over, she said it’s because it made her, a 40 year-old woman, feel vulnerable. When the actions of children on screen can take you right back to a similar moment in your youth, you know the film is connecting with its target audience. (As was the case with my friend, there are several moments in the film that one may find intense not for what it depicts but for their ability to make the audience recall similar embarrassing moments in their own life.) That’s not to suggest the film is only for mothers and daughters, however. Men would stand to learn a lot on how to converse with the women in their life – or at the very least, help rightfully remove the stigmas associated with certain aspects of womanhood.
ARE YOU THERE, GOD? … seeks to de-mystify some of the most (or seemingly at the time young women experience them) mysterious times of youth and instead show them as a natural part of life. In today’s climate, however, that likely will make it the subject of fodder for pundits and traditionalists to debate what audiences it is and is not well-suited for. (My friend did say she felt the film was ‘too real’ at a certain point, so take that for what you will …)
Those issues notwithstanding, ARE YOU THERE, GOD? … may find its main character seeking the guidance of a higher power, but it definitely should help entertain – and educate – its audience to be a little more mature.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: The Super Mario Bros. Movie

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Video game movie adaptations level-up with stellar and fun The Super Mario Bros. Movie

“Sega Ge-ne-who?” Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt), Princess Peach (voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy) and Toad (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key) in a scene from Nintendo and Illumination’s THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. © 2023 Nintendo and Universal Studios.
DIRECTORS: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Keegan-Michael Key, Jack Black, Charlie Day, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Kevin Michael Richardson and Sebastian Maniscalco 

WEB SITE: https://www.thesupermariobros.movie/

THE BACK STORY: Inspired by the longstanding series of best-selling video games, THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE finds Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and his younger brother Luigi (voiced by Charlie Day) trying to get their small plumbing business off the ground. Their old boss Spike (voiced by Sebastian Maniscalco), however, keeps giving them guff about it and the rest of their family doesn’t seem to be as supportive as they would hope for, either.
Then, in a magical series of events, Mario and Luigi slip – quite literally – down into a pipe only to discover they are no longer in Brooklyn anymore. While Mario has entered the Mushroom Kingdom ruled by the benevolent Princess Peach, Luigi has found himself in a much darker world where the monstrous Bowser (voiced by Jack Black). Making matters worse is the fact that Bowser wants to marry Princess Peach, who wants nothing to do with him … So when he discovers that Luigi is the brother of the man that may foil his plans for world domination, Bowser is determined to take out the competition.
With the Mushroom Kingdom doomed without a hero, his brother in need of rescuing and a desire to prove himself, Mario – along with a help from a few friends that should be familiar to longstanding gamers – is ready to level up.

 

THE REVIEW: THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE is good. In fact, it’s far better than you would likely expect it to ever be and capable of being in the first place. Why? Because thanks to a clever script, voice cast that nails their respective roles and visuals that pay tribute to the games that inspired them and bring them to living digital life, MARIO BROS. delivers a film that is enjoyable across generations without needing a cheat code to entertain.
Taking elements from the Super Mario games as well as Donkey Kong Country, Super Smash Bros., Luigi’s Mansion, Mario Kart and Diddy Kong Racing,  MARIO BROS. cleverly blends various games together to create an enjoyable, engaging story that’s fun for adults and children alike. Those who grew up running through pipes, dodging fireballs and seeking power-ups will appreciate the way they are woven into the fabric of the Mario Bros.’ world, as they will certain homages to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and other prominent titles of that system’s era.
Similarly, younger fans will enjoy the adorable nature of Toad and his fellow toadstools, the classic villain who wants to be loved as perfectly played by Jack Black and Mario’s relatable nature as a small guy that comes up big when it counts. While fans of Charles Martinet may be sad the original voice of Mario isn’t featured more prominently in the film (yes, he’s in there), there’s no need to fear. Say what you want about Pratt, but he does an extremely commendable job giving life to everyone’s favorite digital plumber with Charlie Day doing the same for his green hatted brother.
In a role it seems like he was born to voice, Seth Rogen makes Donkey Kong a very fun ape to be around; Fred Armisen likewise does a nice job voicing the Larry David-like Cranky Kong with veteran cartoon voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson giving a perfect voice to the Emperor Palpatine-like sidekick to Bowser.
Throw in some well-constructed humor – Black really does play Bowser perfectly – action sequences that are perfect tributes to the games that inspired them without feeling forced and a perfect run time (the film is barely over 90 minutes with credits and it’s nearly perfect. Will that inspire a sequel? Probably – and if/when it does, it will have a lot to live up to for certain.
Fortunately, Nintendo’s and Illumination’s partnership shows that when someone puts care into a video game film adaptation, it won’t leave audiences looking to pull the plug and restart their cinematic console.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: AIR: Courting a Legend

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“Man, I’m telling you – one day we will sign and then end our business relationship with a rapper from Chicago and both moves will be great for business!” Howard White (Chris Tucker, pictured) discusses the basketball shoe game with Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) in a scene from AIR: Courting a Legend. Credit: Ana Carballosa © Amazon Content Services LLC.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE: 
DIRECTOR: Ben Affleck

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Chris Tucker, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Matthew Maher, Viola Davis with Marlon Wayans and Matthew Maher

 

 

THE BACK STORY: Long before Nike was the worldwide leader in all things athletic apparel, the Beaverton, Ore. based company was known for running shoes … And not much else. For in the basketball shoe market, Adidas was king with Converse running a close second. In 1984, the era of Reaganomics, revolutionary technology, sitcoms and the explosion of pop music icons, third place meant being last to the point that if something didn’t change, Nike CEO Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) was faced with the prospect of shutting down his company’s basketball division altogether.
Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), however, believed there was one athlete that could change the company’s fate if they could just get him to sign with the company. Who was that man? None other than the man who would eventually go on to be known as “His Airness” – and in the eyes of meany, the greatest competitive athlete of all time, Michael Jeffrey Jordan (played by Damian Delano Young).
Problem is, everybody knows that Jordan is not going to sign with Nike. His intentions are to sign with German-based Adidas despite the loss of its founder and namesake Adolf Dassler. And not only does Jordan’s agent David Falk (Chris Messina) know it, so does Nike Basketball exec Howard White (Chris Tucker), Head of Basketball Marketing Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman), Jordan’s former USA Basketball coach George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) and Jordan’s mother, Deloris (Viola Davis).
But since he’s a gambling man and believes that Jordan is the future of not only Nike, but basketball itself, Vaccaro isn’t ready to take “no” for an answer, what is about to transpire is going to change the sneaker industry forever … As long as he can find a way to get Jordan to sign on the dotted line …
THE REVIEW: Ask any dedicated sneakerhead what is the most important sneaker of all-time is and the odds are beyond good that it will be one with the famous “Jumpman” logo. For as AIR illustrates in great, gripping detail, one man can in fact change the world – and the efforts Vaccaro and company went through to get him is as an American story as sneakers are an industry.
With an all-star ensemble cast, you’d expect each actor in AIR to, much like a basketball team itself, play their positions well en route to trying to achieve their championship aspirations. AIR‘s squad does so on an all-star level from start to finish, each role meaning something no matter how big or small it may be.
Whereas Damon’s Vaccaro is the point guard keeping everything moving and functioning, Tucker comes in with flash and scores in bunches when he uses his charisma and quick wit. As shark-like agent David Falk, Messina’s interactions with Damon’s character likewise play out like intense one-on-one scrimmages.
Affleck’s portrayal of Knight captures all of the Nike head man’s famous (alleged) quirks expertly with Bateman coming in to play the veteran teammate that tries to keep things calm but knows he can’t stop Damon’s character from doing what he’s going to do, so he’s willing to sacrifice to do what’s best for all involved. Add in Davis’ strong performance as Jordan’s mother and the cast is a delight to watch.
Kudos must also be given, however, to the painstaking detail with which Affleck crafts AIR. Every 80s homage – from the fashion and music to the technology involved (remember when having a car phone was a big deal?) serves to enhance the film’s aesthetic as much as its storytelling. In re-creating that world so well, it really showcases the 80s entrepreneurial spirit that was so crucial to Nike’s growth so well in addition to setting up all the dominos that would fall following its historic deal.
In short, those looking for a great film with equal parts of comedy and drama, inspiration and inspired storytelling, AIR is worth lacing up your sneakers for and heading to the theater this spring.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

 

How To Get Your House A Starring Role In A Movie

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As for how long the filming process takes, Grigsby says it depends entirely on the shoot.

“If they’re filming for three weeks, there’s generally  three days of prep and a wrap of three days after. You could be out of the house for an entire month if you’re willing to do that,” she said.  Most shoots in the Miami Valley last two to four days. Financial compensation for locations depends on the kind of house, the kind of scene and the size of the film. The key is to negotiate a rate that makes both parties happy, she said.  It’s not unusual to have a production pay to put you up in a hotel while they use your house.

While some people may be wary of handing over their property to film crews, Grigsby says the industry standard is to return the house exactly as it is found. Professional film companies will draw up a formal contract and provide insurance to cover any damage that could happen in the house, he said. Crews work professionally in the space and often cardboard-up walls and cover floors, she added. “By the end of it, your house should be back to normal in every way,” Grigsby explains.

Registering your house

Registering your property is done through an online registry run by FilmDayton and is free. The first step is creating a digital photo tour of your property, featuring as many wide shots as you can. If you can show multiple rooms in one shot, that’s great because then you can show action in different areas when you’re filming. Special features like pools, stairways, or interesting architectural details should be highlighted.  Here’s an example of what a listing looks like:

FilmDayton is hosting an information session this Monday night at their space on the 2nd floor of the Dayton Mall from 6-7pm.  Grigsby will talk about how the process works and what it means to list in their database. This event will provide property owners the opportunity to have their house, farm, cabin, trailer listed in our FilmDayton location database.  You are welcome to bring digital photo’s of your property and they’ll help you fill out the property information forms required to be in the database.   No contact info is shared with the public.
If there is any interest in your house, the commission will contact you directly to share production contacts with you.

 

It’s Opening Weekend at the Drive-In

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The Dixie Twin Drive-In Theater is a classic example of Americana that offers current day value with a touch of nostalgia. Located in Dayton, Ohio, “The Dixie” has 2 huge Screens, each with its own State-of-the-Art Digital Projector. We feature “First-Run” movies and play 2 movies per screen, per night, for an unmatched outdoor movie theater experience.

Starting this weekend, the outdoor movie season begins Friday & Saturday nights and expands to 6 nights per week (Closed Mondays) from Memorial Weekend through Mid-August. Toward summer’s end, they’ll go back to a Friday & Saturday schedule until the season ends around end of October.

📽 🍿 Movies start at dark and there’s a full Concession Stand of popcorn, pizza, burgers, chicken fingers, hot dogs, nacho’s, soft pretzels, ice cream, candy, slushies, fountain & bottled drinks, gatorade, hot cocoa, coffee and  even custom Dixie Merch! A short intermission in-between the first and second movie, allows for bathroom breaks and last chance purchases of concessions . Bathrooms are located on the north side of our Concession Stand.

 

Playing this weekend: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4: 8 PM – 10:50 PM | R on both screens

Gates open an hour before the first movie starts. Movies start at dark. Open Rain or Shine.

🎥 Screen 1: (Furthest from Ticket Booth)  107.3 FM
🎥 Screen 2: (Closest to Ticket Booth)  105.3 FM

You can sit in front of or behind your car to prevent taking up more parking spaces. They ask that you do not sit on top of your car. Forgot your lawn chair? You can purchase one at the concession stand!  Sometimes car speakers aren’t loud enough to hear the movies, bring a portable radio if you plan on sitting outside of your car during the movie.

 

Ticket Prices:

🎟 Adults (13 & up): $10

🎟 Children (Ages: 12 – 5): $5

🎟 Children (Ages: 4 & under): Free

Military Discount: $1 (Must show valid ID)

Movies play rain or shine! However, if the weather is bad enough that it’s preventing them from playing the movies, they will issue rain checks to all cars to come back on another night

The grounds of the Dixie Twin are also home to a Sunday morning outdoor shopping experience! Visit The Paris Flea Market Sundays, 6:00am to 12:00 noon (seriously, people are shopping at 6 am with flashlights), starting April through October.

Dixie Twin Drive-In

6201 N Dixie Dr, Dayton, OH 45414
937-890-5513

Paddling Film Festival at The NEON

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The Paddling Film Festival is returning to the historic NEON theatre in Downtown Dayton, Ohio on March 23. Thanks to a partnership with Massie Creek Paddlers, Mudlick Tap House and Bonbright Distributors we are stoked co-host 2.5 hours of the best paddling films of the year.
The films offer something for every interest and skill level of paddling enthusiast; from armchair adventurer, hair on fire whitewater paddler, kayak angler to long distance traveler and conservationist. We have no doubt you will leave the NEON ready to protect our waterways and grab a paddle the first chance you get!
Be sure to join our pre-party at Mudlick Tap House for happiness hour, contests and a group hike led by Surf Dayton to the film festival. Bonbright Distributors will make sure you don’t go thirsty!
Get your tickets online at www.neonmovies.com

Indigo Life Has Pilot Streaming on Amazon

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The pilot for Otherside was written six years ago and the pilot was filmed locally by Indigo Life Media in 2o21 during covid.  The concept: A curious group of individuals explore the paranormal world – some believers, others not so sure. A mix of comedy and suspense. Hosted by comedian, Dionte Allen and paranormal investigator, Tim Debusk.

Indigo co-founder Andrew White explains that  they loved the show and ran it on their own platform for a while, but realized in order to complete an entire season of the show, they need to raise funds and investors. The entire season would be produced crew of just 4 and has plenty of haunted spaces they’d like to explore.


So they’ve worked a deal with AmazonPrime to air the  2 episode pilot series and you can currently watch it for just $2.99/episode.

Episode One:

Gus & Eleanor built this home in the 1940’s and were loved by many in the neighborhood. Gus was even known as the mayor of Patterson Park in Dayton, Ohio. Gus died at 100 years old. Current homeowners Aaron & Nathan have documented evidence of activity so the crew meets up with them to further investigate.
Episode Two:

The historical Victoria Theatre in Dayton, Ohio is the scene for this paranormal investigation. Thousands have graced the stage with their energy since 1866, persevering through two fires and a flood. See what the crew discovers when the lights go out.
So check it out, support local film production and explore some haunted spots in Dayton.

McCoy on Movies: Creed III

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Michael B. Jordan’s directorial debut has flash but lacks true punch to be a true title contender

“This is my Wakan, er, ring!” Titular character Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) raises his fists in a scene from Jordan’s directorial debut CREED III. Credit: Eli Ade © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. All rights reserved.
 WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
DIRECTOR: Michael B. Jordan

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Majors, Tessa Thompson, Mila Kent, Wood Harris, Thaddeus J. Mixon, Spence Moore II, Florian Munteanu and Phylicia Rashad

 

THE BACK STORY: The third installment in the Rocky spin-off franchise, Creed III finds titular character Adonis “Donnie” Creed enjoying the good life. He’s retired, his wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) has become a gold record earning music producer and their daughter Amira (Mila Kent), save for one would-be bully at school, is seemingly happy.
But it wasn’t always this way.
You see, back in his troubled youth (portrayed by Thaddeus J. Mixon), Adonis had issues at a group home where he was living with his best friend Damian “Diamond Dame” Anderson (Jonathan Majors, played as a youth by Spence Moore II). Dame was an aspiring Golden Gloves champion … And then came the fateful night where everything changed. Fast-forward 18 years later and Dame, thanks in part to a decision made that aforementioned night and one later made by Adonis’ mother (Phylicia Rashad), isn’t remembered at all.
He will be, however – which is why he’s ready to show Adonis that while he may be the champ, there’s no nemesis like an old friend …

 

THE REVIEW:
As Jordan’s directorial debut, the positives about Creed III are that the film looks good visually, there are some  … interesting sequences (one in particular) and the action sequences are fine by the previous films’ standards.
Then there’s the actual movie itself as a story … And that’s when things seem to feel a bit punch-drunk.
Look, Rocky and Creed films are never going to be great with certain logic points, but there is one plot point that – if you think about it – derails the storyline and plot points for the latter half of the film. (The logic the characters exercise or, more often, don’t, makes turning your brain off necessary to get through it.) Likewise, there hasn’t been good defense by a boxer in a Rocky movie since, well, ever and the referees make the ones in the WWE (or, depending on your favorite football team, a certain spots league) look competent by comparison.
Those complaints aside, the main problem with Creed III is that despite some opportunities to maybe explore some topics that could have made the film feel unique or even poignant – the idea of black rage, misguided youth, the impact of parents on children among them. Unfortunately, Creed III instead comes across as another so-so Rocky movie (think Rocky V). This wouldn’t be the case, of course, if the characters’ had better logic. Seriously, the decisions the characters make often seem ludicrous at best with reasoning that feels just as silly as the choices themselves. That makes it hard to buy into much of the film itself, which, given the nature of the average Rocky/Creed film, is essential.
Let me put it another way. As a four decade (and counting) fan of “sports entertainment,” a.k.a. professional wrestling, the key to the enjoyment is (1) appreciating the athleticism of the performers that (2) makes it able for you to suspend your disbelief that the outcomes aren’t pre-determined. These are live action movies unfolding before your eyes. With Creed III, the film never reaches a point where you are able to do the latter. Sure, Jordan, Majors and co. are in phenomenal shape and look the part, but the film lacks an element that makes you go “all in” and buy completely into the story. On a positive note, Mila Kent is precocious as Amira and does a great job throughout the film all the way to setting up her own movie one day(?).
With Creed III, Michael B. Jordan shows he knows what a movie should look like, how a first, second and third act are supposed to work and how to add visual style to the final product. Unfortunately, the story is so … familiar and logically flawed that it’s just hard to want to go the distance with it. Again, there are points raised that could have developed into something more than the standard boxing fare. The film looks good stylistically, Jordan shows he has potential to deliver a good product … But the film just lacks the punch – pun intended – to deliver the knockout blow you would hope it would.
Creed III comes in with all the hype of a title contender … But in the end, the franchise’s championship days – however short they may have been – are behind it.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: Cocaine Bear

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Elizabeth Banks’ horror/dark comedy delivers exactly what it promises to uproarious, unadulterated fun

“This is what happens when you party in the woods in the 1980s!” The titular character lets loose with a little bit of snowfall in a scene from Elizabeth Banks’ inspired by true events dark comedy/horror COCAINE BEAR. Credit: © 2023 Universal Pictures. All rights reserved.
 WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Banks

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Christian Convery, Alden Ehrenreich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Kristofer Hivju, Hannah Hoekstra, Leo Hanna, J.B. Moore, Aaron Holliday, Ayoola Smart, Kahyun Kim, Margo Martindale and the late Ray Liotta

 
THE BACK STORY: Inspired by true events – but definitely taking them to previously unforeseen highs (pun intended) – Cocaine Bear takes place in 1985 in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Why? Because that’s where a drug dealer (and millions of dollars of pure, uncut cocaine) crash landed. That’s a problem for Daveed (O’Shea Jackson, Jr.) and Syd (Ray Liotta), a pair of southern drug dealers who cannot afford to upset their Latin American connections by letting all those drugs go missing. That prompts Syd to order Daveed to find Eddie (Alden Ehrenreich) – a.k.a. Daveed’s trying to-go-straight partner and Syd’s son – to leave St. Louis and head towards Chattachoochee.
Syd, Eddie and Daveed won’t be alone in their hunt, however, for the forest happens to be roaming with colorful characters on this particular day. There’s Olaf (Kristopher Hivju) and Elsa (Hannah Hoekstra), an engaged couple hiking their way through the forest, animal specialist Peter (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Liz (Margo Martindale) the park ranger who fancies him and the teenage gang of the ponytail (Leo Hanna), the guy in the vest (J.B. Moore) and their leader (Aaron Holiday).
Also in the woods are thirteen year-old duo Dee Dee (Brooklyn Prince) and Henry (Christian Convery), who are about to learn that skipping school was the worst decision they could have made that day. Why? Not just because Dee Dee’s mom Sari (Keri Russell) is going to be very upset with them, but because a black bear has just found massive amounts of cocaine.
If you can’t imagine what’s going to happen next, you should probably look at the title of this movie again and get prepared for a journey unlike anything else you may see in 2023 … Or ever again.

THE REVIEW: In an era full of sequels, re-treads, dystopian futures and superheroes, Cocaine Bear carves out a niche for itself by delivering EXACTLY what its title promises: A 500-pound apex predator coked out of its mind running crazy in the middle of a forest causing hilarious – and at times, gory – chaos.

The bear is obviously the star attraction; what makes director Elizabeth Banks’ film entertaining and not an erratic mess, however, is the work of all the humans around it. The story is easy to follow, the actors deliver solid performances by playing things straight and Banks’ pacing keeps things snapping along so that nothing drags except the victims once the star sinks her claws in them. The laughs happen naturally, the shock moments are effective and not gory for the sake of being gory and the characters are likable enough and more developed than one would expect going in to the film.
Make no mistake, however: Cocaine Bear isn’t trying to be an Academy Award-winning film by any stretch of the imagination. However, it takes a wild concept and makes it an entertaining one from start to finish. Prince and Convery are great young stars to carry the film, Russell is completely believable and Martindale is a hoot as the park ranger. (If only Whitlock, Jr. had found a to work in his trademark catchphrase from The Wire, everything would be complete.)
While the world doesn’t need a sequel, it definitely can have a great time partying down with Cocaine Bear – just make sure the only snorting you’re doing is from laughing and everything should work out just fine.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

 

 

Indie Filmmaker Johnny Catalano’s Film Festival Tonight

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Indie filmmaker Johnny Catalano

The inaugural Catalano Film Festival founded by indie filmmaker Johnny Catalano starts at 4pm today at The Plaza Theatre in downtown Miamisburg.  It will feature 8 films from some of Ohio’s best filmmakers.

With genre’s including drama, thriller, dark comedy, and experimental; films from J.W Cox, Evan Maines, Ahmad Ghanim, Jackson C. Clark, Casey McCallister, Max Kaplan, Vaslav J. Rice and Darrin J. Friedman will be shown. The festival is scheduled for 6 hours, beginning at 4 p.m. A Q & A with the filmmakers will occur at 6:35 p.m. providing a rare opportunity to meet the people behind the movie that was just seen. The evening will conclude with an awards ceremony.

Catalano, who attended Bowling Green State University to study film production, shares that this festival is more than just showing movies. Its a night whose sole purpose is to celebrate and venerate the great auteur filmmakers living and working in the state of Ohio.

The schedule for the festival:

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Doors Open/Opening Remarks

4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Film Screenings

With intermission included.

6:35 PM – 8:00 PM

Q&A Panels with filmmakers

8:00 PM – 9:15 PM

Award Ceremony

9:15 PM – 10:00 PM

Final Remarks/Networking

Get tickets here

Tickets prices begin at $10, and an Inaugural Commemorative Ticket sells for $20.

What’s on Screen at The Neon

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We had a very solid weekend at THE NEON with nice, steady business for all screenings. Thanks to everyone who came out to support our 2 big Academy Award contenders – LIVING and WOMEN TALKING – as well as CAROLE KING: HOME AGAIN. It felt great to have so many people enjoying films with us. Both films are going to stick around for another week, and you still have a chance to see CAROLE KING this evening if you missed it on Sunday.

“Open Caption Mondays” continue to be well-received. On Monday, Feb. 6, WOMEN TALKING and LIVING will be presented with Open Captions. As a reminder, seating is no longer assigned on Mondays-Thursdays for traditional engagements.

Need a refresher regarding our current engagements? Click the images below to watch each film’s trailer.

LIVING:
WOMEN TALKING:
UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS:ONE MORE SCREENING TONIGHT! Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 – CAROLE KING: HOME AGAIN – LIVE IN CENTRAL PARK. Tickets $12.50 each – available now!

“CAROLE KING: HOME AGAIN – LIVE IN CENTRAL PARK, which presents musical icon Carole King’s triumphant May 26, 1973 homecoming concert on The Great Lawn of New York City’s Central Park before an estimated audience of 100,000. The complete multi-camera 16mm footage filmed and recorded by Lou Adler in 1973 has never before been released.” Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer!
TICKETS ARE REALLY MOVING NOW! MIDWEST PREMIERE of WRONG REASONSwith visiting director (and Middletown, Ohio native) Josh Roush. “When an ambiguously intentioned masked man kidnaps a drug addicted punk singer, it triggers a police investigation as well as a media circus.” This film was exec-produced by and stars Kevin Smith. It will screen Saturday, February 4 at Noon, and ticket are $12.50 each – available now! Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
“On February 9, 2023, at 6:00 pm, The Miami Valley School will present PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR: BEYOND THE MASK. The filmmaker, Frederick Lewis, a professor at Ohio University, will be on hand to introduce the film and lead a post-screening discussion. The screening, which is presented through The Miami Valley School’s Speaker Series, is free and open to the public. Interested guests may register online at this LINK. BEYOND THE MASK is a feature-length documentary on the life and legacy of the first African American poet/writer to gain international fame. Born to former slaves in Dayton, Ohio, Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906) is best remembered for his poem “We Wear The Mask” and for lines from “Sympathy” that became the title of Maya Angelou’s famous autobiography I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS. More than eight years in the making, BEYOND THE MASK received major funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities with additional support from Ohio Humanities.” (taken from press notes)
Among so many surprises with this year’s Academy Award nominations was the inclusion of Andrea Riseborough for “Best Actress” in a film called TO LESLIE. We think this film is worth seeing on the big screen…not only because of Riseborough’s incredible performance, but because it also stars Dayton’s own Allison Janney. TO LESLIE will screen 2 times in February – Sunday, Feb. 12 at 4:00 and Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7:30. Tickets are on sale now! Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
ONLY A COUPLE TICKETS REMAIN! “While there is nothing wrong with the de rigueur heart-shaped box of chocolates or calling in that dedicated love song to Delilah on your way home from work, THE NEON is giving you a chance to change it up this Valentine’s Day with a date night showing of the 25th Anniversary of YOU’VE GOT MAIL. In addition to the movie, the cocktail and desserts will be a nod to NYC’s Café Lalo, an iconic landmark restaurant made popular by the movie in the 90s. Tickets are available now until sold out. $25 includes a movie ticket, an adult beverage (wine, beer, or house cocktail), a small popcorn, and dessert from the former owner of St. Anne the Tart (and current board member at THE NEON), Megan Smith. YOU’VE GOT MAIL has two local ties as well! Dave Chappelle played Kevin Jackson, best friend to Tom Hanks’s character, Joe Fox. Additionally, Mary Beth Kuhn of Germantown was an art director on the film.” (Megan Smith) Tickets are available at our box office or via our official site!
“Homelessness is a Humanitarian Crisis in the United States. Join us for a screening of LEAD ME HOME – Feb. 15 at 4pm. More than 500,000 people experience homelessness every night in America. LEAD ME HOME is a short documentary (40 minutes) that tells these real-life stories giving audiences a rare, in-depth look at the scale, scope and diversity of what it means to be unsheltered and unhoused while calling into question uninformed attitudes and outmoded polices. After watching the film, the audience will hear from members of our community facing housing insecurity and have an opportunity to learn more about what we can do as a community around housing justice. In lieu of an entrance fee, we are collecting donations of socks and toiletries for the unhoused in our community. Donations will be given to St. Vincent Shelter. This screening is part of a week-long focus on housing in our community beginning with the opening of the National Building Association’s Eviction Exhibit on February 13, 2023 at the Dayton Metro Library.” (Sponsored by Kathy Rowell, Professor of Sociology at Sinclair in Support of St. Vincent Shelter System in Dayton.) To reserve your spot, please visit this eventbrite LINK.
“Did you know there are more than 32,000 mothers in America, many from conservative, Christian backgrounds, who fully accept their LGBTQ+ children? They call themselves “mama bears” because while their love is warm and fuzzy, they fight ferociously to make the world kinder and safer for all LGBTQ+ people.” This special, one-time screening of MAMA BEARS, with visiting director Daresha Kyi (who graduated from The Miami Valley School), will take place on Saturday, March 11 at Noon…and tickets are Free due the generosity of The Hope Collective – the church that utilizes our auditoriums for worship on Sunday mornings. (Doors will open on March 11 at 11:15 – tickets will be first-come, first-serve that day.)
National Theatre Live’s presentation of THE CRUCIBLE is heading to our big screen this March.The classic Arthur Miller play is “a five-star scorcher” writes THE SUNDAY TIMES, and TIME OUT writes “It doesn’t get much more spectacular.” “A witch hunt is beginning. Raised to be seen but not heard, a group of young women in Salem suddenly find their words have an almighty power. As a climate of fear, vendetta, and accusation spreads through the community, no one is safe from the trial. Lyndsey Turner (HAMLET) directs this contemporary new staging, designed by Tony Award-winner Es Devlin (THE LEHMAN TRILOGY).” (ByExperience) Tickets are $12.50 each and available now. Wed, March 15, 2023 at 7:00 and Sun, March 19 at 4:00
We were delighted to partner with The Human Race Theatre Company during their 2019/2020 Season – “Women of Influence: Their Power, Passion & Pitfalls.” PNC came on board to sponsor our spectacular line-up of films that spoke to each play in The Human Race’s season – and then the world closed down after our third screening. We are now pleased to announce that we finally have a new date for BE NATURAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHE – Wednesday, March 29 at 7pm. If you purchased a pass for this series, it will still be honored for this screening. Otherwise, tickets will be $10 each – available starting this Friday. Click the image below to watch the film’s trailer.
   

SHOWTIMES for Wednesday, Feb. 1 – Thursday, Feb. 9:

LIVING (PG-13): 1 Hr 42 Min

Wednesday & Thursday (Feb 1 & 2): 2:50, 5:10, 7:30

Fri, Sat, Sun (Feb 3-5): 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30

Monday-Thursday (Feb 6-9): 2:50, 5:10, 7:30

WOMEN TALKING (PG-13) 1 Hr 44 Min

Wednesday (Feb 1): 3:00, 5:15

Thursday (Feb 2): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40

Friday (Feb 3): 12:40, 3:00, 5:20, 7:40

Saturday (Feb 4): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40

Sunday (Feb 5): 12:40, 3:00, 5:20, 7:40

Monday-Wednesday (Feb 6-8): 3:00, 5:20, 7:40

Thursday (Feb 9): 3:00

CAROLE KING: HOME AGAIN (NR) 1 Hr 20 Min

Wednesday (Feb 1): 7:30

WRONG REASONS (NR) 1 Hr 40 Min

Saturday: 12:00

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR: BEYOND THE MASK (NR) 2 Hrs

Thursday: 6:00

COMING SOON:

(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)

TBD: TURN EVERY PAGE

Feb 12 & 16 – TO LESLIE (2 screenings only!)

Feb ? – EO

Feb. ? – ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Feb 17 – OSCAR SHORTS

Feb 24 – EMILY

TV Show Filmed in Springfield Airs Tonight

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This past May and June The Greater Dayton Film Commission (FilmDayton) worked with an LA production company that was shooting a tv pilot around Springfield.  As it often happens, the commission is working blind, not fully aware of what the production will be and with a non-disclosure act, that does not allow them to talk about the project until the production is ready to share the information publicly.  They use the filmmakers vision and their contacts  to help them secure  the appropriate spots.  One of the locations they secured for them was CO-Hatch.

Tonight, (Dec 14th) ABC, Disney and John Legend’s Get Lifted Film Company will debut the pilot filmed this past June. Here’s how they describe the show:

“For the last 13 years, chorus director David Brown has brought together complete strangers and healed communities by asking them to simply join a chorus. In this inspirational one-hour special, EGOT winner John Legend is calling upon David to bring his magic to his hometown of Springfield, Ohio. Will David be able to transform a fractured community into a powerhouse chorus in just one week? Audiences will see the magic of what happens when you invite complete strangers to sing together in this all-new special.”

While we’re excited to see “Finding Harmony” FilmDayton is even more excited to share the economic impact a shoot like this brings to the region.  They spent $58, 276 on hotel rooms for their crew of 55, rented $16, 381 of vehicles, contracted over $18,000 in catering and rented about $30,000 in local equipment.

Watch the pilot of the show on ABC’s Facebook page.

FilmDayton’s mission is to promote the art, craft and business of film in the region.  You can support FilmDayton by becoming a member.  Follow them on Facebook, where they often list cast and crew calls.  List your property as a possible film location in their database.

Family Holiday Film Series Returns to The Neon

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In what has become an annual December tradition, The Neon Movies will host the FAMILY HOLIDAY FILM SERIES

Admission for these films is FREE for children 12 and under and only $2 for guests over 12. Tickets will become available at 10:15am each Saturday, and there will be 1 ticket per person (aka – all patrons must be present in order to claim/purchase tickets).
Here’s this year’s line-up:

December 3 at 11am – HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE

Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That’s because he’s being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he’s really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.

December 10 at 11am – ELF

On Christmas Eve, a baby at an orphanage crawls into Santa Claus’ sack and is unknowingly taken back to the North Pole. After the infant is discovered at the workshop, the elves name him Buddy after his diaper’s brand label and Papa Elf adopts him. Buddy is accepted by the elf community and grows up thinking that he is an elf, but soon learns he is really a human. Papa Elf explains that Buddy was born to Walter Hobbs and Susan Wells, and that Susan put him up for adoption prior to her death. Walter now works as a children’s book publisher at the Empire State Building in New York City and is unaware of Buddy’s existence. Santa reveals that Walter is on the Naughty List due to his selfishness, but suggests Buddy could help redeem him with some Christmas spirit.

December 17 at 11am – WHITE CHRISTMAS

On Christmas Eve in Europe in 1944, at the height of World War II, former Broadway star Captain Bob Wallace and aspiring performer Private Phil Davis entertain the 151st division with a soldier’s show. The men have just received word their beloved Major General Thomas F. Waverly has been relieved of his command. Waverly arrives and delivers an emotional farewell. The men send him off with a rousing chorus of “The Old Man”. After Waverly departs, enemy bombers attack the area and everyone takes cover. Phil pulls Bob away from a collapsing wall and is wounded by debris. Bob asks how he can pay back Phil for saving his life, and Phil suggests they become a duo act. Bob is not fond of the idea but feels obliged to agree.

All seating  is general admission with no assigned or reserved seats.

The Neon

Neon Movies on Fifth Street

130 East Fifth Street
Dayton, OH 45402

Office Phone: (937) 222-8452
For Showtimes: (937) 222-7469(SHOW)

Dayton Dinner Theater announces 2022-2023 Schedule

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Get excited, The Dayton Dinner Theater is back with its much-awaited interactive movie party season for 2022 – 2023! It’s a great way to spend time with family and friends when the days are short and nights are long. Make the most of it by sipping the sublime themed drinks with your loved ones, while flaunting your movie-themed attire. What more do you need when you can have classic movies, gourmet food, and specially concocted drinks to enjoy with your friends, family, or that special someone?

What to expect from a Dayton Dinner Theater event? First off, make sure you indulge in the creatively themed food provided by Brock Masterson catering. While you indulge in the delicacies, you can feast your ears to live music and soundtrack presentations featuring acts by the likes of The University of Dayton Jazz Ensemble and acclaimed musician and producer Denny Wilson.

A big improvement from year’s past is the themed cocktail selections.The Brightside’s new Bar Manager, Suzy Switzer, has come up with a whole range of delicious offerings.

That’s not all. As it’s an interactive movie party, organizers will feature famous interactive quote and fun participation activities, pop-up fun facts, and our not-so-famous, but equally entertaining, theme-spotting drinking game. Enjoy some lip-smacking-themed desserts while you’re at it! To add the cherry on the cake, there are special surprises for the top costume contest participants.

Now let’s talk about the prices. “Inflation may have gone up, but our tickets have stayed the same price :)”. Book your tickets at just $35 but with so many added entertaining activities. Visit www.daytondinnertheater.com for more information. To make sure that we can serve you with all our scrumptious food, tickets must be booked in advance.

The annual movie series commences on Wednesday, November 30 with an all-time holiday favorite movie Elf at The Brightside Music & Event Venue from 6-9pm.

This year’s list is dominated by comedy and clever and witty classics. See the full schedule below.

Dayton Dinner Theater Season Schedule:

Wednesday, Nov 30, 2022 – Dayton Dinner Theater premiere featuring Elf movie party and live music

Wednesday, Dec 7, 2022 – Dayton Dinner Theater featuring the 80’s classic Christmas Vacation & live music

Sunday, Dec 11, 2022 – Dayton Dinner Theater featuring A Christmas Story and live music

Sunday, Jan 15, 2023 – Dayton Dinner Theater premiere featuring Raiders of the Lost Ark

Sunday, Jan 29, 2023 – Dayton Dinner Theater premiere featuring The Princess Bride & live jazz

Sunday, Feb 12, 2023 – Dayton Dinner Theater featuring Grease & live music

Sunday, Feb 26, 2023 – Dayton Dinner Theater featuring Dazed and Confused

Sunday, March 12, 2023 – Dayton Dinner Theater featuring The Big Lebowski

*All events take place at The Brightside Music & Event Venue located at 905 E 3rd St, Dayton.

For more information, visit: www.daytondinnertheater.com

McCoy on Movies: TILL

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Academy Award contender is unflinching, unapologetic in its depiction of a definitive American tragedy, turning point

“This is one of the few smiles that anyone watching this film will see given the gripping, emotional impact of this film.” Mamie Till Mobley (Danielle Deadwyler, left) prepares to send her son Emmitt (Jalyn Hall, right) on his ill-fated trip to visit family in Mississippi in a scene from TILL, directed by Chinonye Chukwu, released by Orion Pictures. Credit: © 2022 ORION RELEASING LLC. All rights reserved.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:

DIRECTOR: Chinonye Chukwu

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Danielle Deadwyler, Jalyn Hall, Sean Patrick Thomas, John Douglas Thompson, Kevin Carroll, Tosin Cole, Whoopi Goldberg, Roger Guenveur Smith, Frankie Faison and Haley Bennett

 

THE BACK STORY: Based on one of the most infamous incidents of lynching in American if not world history, TILL stars Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till Mobley. Living happily in Chicago, she has her own apartment, a good job and a loving son in Emmitt (Jalyn Hall), a happy-go-lucky as can be 14 year-old excited to soon visit his cousins in Mississippi. 
 

Arriving down south, Emmitt is not accustomed to the dangers of being black in 1955. That all changes, however, when he inadvertently whistles at Carolyn Bryant (Haley Bennett), a store owner who doesn’t take kindly to his “You look like a movie star” compliment. Want to know who else didn’t take it as a compliment? The white lynch mob that brutalized Emmitt to the point a closed casket funeral was recommended after his body was found in the Tallahatchie River.

Mamie, however, wanted the world to see what hate did to her only child. And oh would the world ever see …

THE REVIEW: Emmitt Till. Martin Luther King, Jr. Medgar Evers. Tamir Rice. Phillip Pernell. Yusef Hawkins. Eric Garner. The Tulsa, Okla. massacre of “Black Wall Street.” Amadou Diallo. Michael Brown. Philando Castile. Trayvon Martin. Ahmaud Arbery. And despite what Kanye West and others like him think, George Floyd. And these are just the names I can name off the top of my head in my 40+ years on earth. All assassinated, lynched and/or killed in – and this is as loosely as the word can be used – “controversial” circumstances. All black men.
Like me.
According to the NAACP, nearly 5,000 lynchings occurred in the United States between 1882-1968. And those are just the known instances. In TILL, the audience receives brutal reminders for the latter 80 minutes of the film of the savagery, brutality, frustration, exhaustion, pain and injustice that continue – albeit less overtly and fortunately nowhere near as frequently – to this day. Unfortunately, the film’s unflinching portrayals of one of the most societally impactful events in modern American history, through no fault of its own, inadvertently result in a problem the film cannot fix. For in showcasing all the aforementioned savagery, brutality, frustration, exhaustion, pain and injustice, the film inherently runs into problems: (1) The risk of feeling like 2 hours of cinematic torture for African Americans and (2) making white audiences at the very least leaving feeling guilty and, at the very worst, invoking all the common privileged responses (“That was decades ago,” “We don’t have lynchings today,” “Movies like this just make things worse,” etc.”) one might expect.
When reviewing films, I try to leave myself out of analysis as much as possible. With TILL, I can’t deny just how inherently connected my world is to his some 67 years after his murder. My parents were children at the same time Emmitt Till was alive. Like Till’s mother, my mother worries every time I travel to a different city where she isn’t there to protect me. Like Till’s would-be adoptive father, my own dad worries whenever I jog in a neighborhood where the main demographics don’t match mine. (And we won’t even get into dating in a post O.J. Simpson world.) And like Emmitt, I am my parents’ only child and they both know they can’t protect me from the world at large, despite how much they try.
TILL is one of those type of films where you wish the people that need to see it the most (self-destructive African-Americans falling into the trappings of a system where they are behind the proverbial 8-ball in far too many circumstances; whites who deny what I just wrote to justify their position or deny a societal advantage). Instead, the audiences most likely to see are older blacks who for whom the Civil Rights movement is not part of a potentially-banned textbook, but their own history and liberal whites who want to actually understand and avoid repeating history. Then again, watching the film and realizing – as it details after the final haunting frame – that the Emmitt Till Antilynching Act DID NOT BECOME LAW UNTIL THIS MARCH may have the reverse effect of the inspiration it seeks to provide.
With apologies to the film’s cast and crew, TILL is a beautifully directed, emotionally gripping film that I cannot and will not ever be able to watch again. Deadwyler will be a deserving Academy Award nominee for her performance and Chukwu should receive Best Director consideration as well.
However, given America’s history of being built on the the backs of and benefitting from black pain, I just don’t have it in me to sit through another screening of TILL. For after years of important yet heartbreaking experiences watching (and not watching) so many films of its ilk, I don’t have any more grief I can afford to expend for the sake of my mental health.
In a world where stories like this, this and this are still happening today, I just can’t. TILL is an excellent movie I can’t watch because the instances of life imitating art imitating life are simply too much to bear. Throw in the fact Till’s murderers got away with it and then ADMITTED THEY DID IT LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER HIS DEATH and Carolyn Bryant will likely NEVER have to face the music for her role in Till’s death and I just can’t take it. At the screening I was at, there was nary a dry eye in the house (for the most part). I, however, felt myself beginning to tear up and then stopped. I just don’t have any more black grief I can expend.
Then again, maybe I should apologize to the memory of Ms. Till. After all, my mother and father still have their son and I am living in a world poor Emmitt’s death (I pray) has been made better as a result of his tragedy.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
 

 

 

 

McCoy on Movies: HALLOWEEN ENDS

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Horror franchise delivers most definitive chapter yet to finally bring closure to the story of Laurie Strode and Michael Myers

“This is not the yoga class I signed up for!” Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) battles her longstanding nemesis Michael Myers a.k.a. “The Shape” (James Jude Courtney) in a scene from co-writer/producer/director David Gordon Green’s final(?) installment in his trilogy, HALLOWEEN ENDS. Credit: Ryan Green/Universal Pictures © 2022 Universal Pictures

 

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
 

 

DIRECTOR: David Gordon Green

KEY CAST MEMBERS: Jamie Lee Curtis, James Jude Courtney, Rohan Campbell, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Kyle Richards, Michael Barbieri, Marteen, Destiny Mone, Joey Harris, Keraun Harris and Nick Castle

 

THE BACK STORY: Over the course of 40+ years, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) has been obsessed with one man: Michael Myers (a.k.a. “The Shape,” portrayed by both James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle), who has been killing people left and right in their (thankfully fictional) Haddonfield, Ill since the 70s.
Editor’s note: Halloween started in the late 70s and it’s now the early 2020s … But he’s only been killing people for 40+ years … The math does pan out.
Now, Michael hasn’t been seen since escaping from a mental facility and going on a murder spree where he LITERALLY WHOOPS AN ENTIRE TOWN’S COLLECTIVE *** as seen in Halloween Ends. But while Michael’s rampage became the biggest story in Haddonfield since his original one, the shattered town seemingly has needed a new boogeyman to take his place to direct their hate.

Enter Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell).

Babysitting Halloween night in 2019 for a local rich couple, an accident occurs that forever changes his life. Now, in Michael’s absence and Laurie’s lack of activity – she is writing a book and trying to move on with her life – Corey’s unfortunately become the town pariah, except to everyone but one person: Allyson (Andi Matichak), Laurie’s granddaughter that she has taken in following the murder of her parents by – you guessed it – Michael.

But as Allyson and Corey get closer, Laurie starts to notice a darkness in the latter that makes her fearful of what’s to come. But since Michael hasn’t been seen in an olympics and Halloween is approaching, she might want to be a little more concerned about a man who has gone through more kitchen knives than a season of Top Chef …

 

THE REVIEW: If you’ve ever seen me do stand-up in the month of October, there’s a chance you’ve seen me eviscerate just how silly the previous installments of the modern Halloween trilogy is. From the over-the-top characters, bad foreshadowing dialogue and ridiculous yet gory kills and plots, the first two installments were for die-hard fans only.
Now, with Halloween Ends, we get an unexpected story-rich tale that is still loaded with over-the-top characters, gory/zany kills … And what may be the most definitive chapter of the series … to date.
Look, when you walk into a Halloween movie, it’s best to turn off the logical part of your brain. Halloween Kills, however, does a little to acknowledge how some of the past films have been a bit wild (to say the least), really trying to build up the idea of what makes someone evil (there are two types of evil as Laurie narrates for the audience). Likewise, the character development is unusually strong for a Halloween movie, which is weird since at least 9 out of 10 people that will be watching are coming to watch Michael fight Laurie (or vice-versa) and see who wins and/or survives (if either does).
But all those things aside, make no mistake: While Halloween Ends is the easily the best of the modern trilogy, it’s best-served for the die hards that love Halloween (either the movie or this film series), the Michael Myers character (there’s no real re-inventing the wheel there), Jamie Lee Curtis or just have to find closure after seeing the first two movies. Will all of them like it? Will all of them hate it? The answer remains to be seen – but there is definitely an ending.
Otherwise, the best thing about Halloween Ends is that it ends – and it is a definitive ending as you can have for a horror movie and a franchise that should by all accounts be over once its namesake holiday passes.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):