Erik M.

When A Stranger Calls is a reboot of a movie based upon an actual murder concerning a frightened babysitter named Jill who is being harassed over the phone by a methodical but crazed killer during a terrible storm. This quickly escalates to home invasion. In this remake, cell phone tropes of signal problems are to blame, missing persons mount, and "Check the children" becomes very threatening as there are no answers. Eerie, slow-burning and sad thriller.

Erik M.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is the final film of the 3-part story about a magical ring and the great lengths that a team of men, Elves, a Dwarf and some Hobbits are willing to go to save their world from the evil of Sauron and his massive army. Good story, SFX, Music and more make it all come together in one of the best ways! See all three, original or extended-you won't be disappointed.

Erik M.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is the second part of a 3-movie series wherein the Fellowship and their friends and allies again face tremendous odds as they fight to save their world from the forces of evil. Along the way they find Gollum/Smeagol, Faramir and the riders of Rohan and others. It all culminates into an epic, massive battle at Helm's Deep. Another fine film.

Erik M.

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the movie based upon the book that sets the stage for the rest of the Trilogy by Peter Jackson. Hobbits, men, a dwarf and an elf embark on a great journey to destroy the One Ring, defeat the evil Sauron, Saruman, the orcs and other terrors. It's an extraordinary adventure in the original or extended versions.

Erik M.

Dark Skies is a Sci-fi horror movie about an average family that is tormented by a rash of alien visitations that threatens them. They then try telling friends, getting security equipment and more as the alien tropes overcrowd the viewer's logic. Keri Russell, J.k. Simmons and the rest of the cast try to save this otherwise boring movie from drowning in its pretentiousness. It gets two stars for trying.

Erik M.

9 is the Sci-fi/Adventure story about a group of small Stitchpunk/ragdolls that are awakened and face danger in a post-apocalyptic nightmare world where a mechanical Brain creates various monsters. 9 is the last ragdoll to be made, and with the others he must save "life." A good, very strange movie with good characters, plot, SFX and a compelling, frightening future.

Erik M.

Prometheus is the 2012 movie that brings up more questions than answers about the origins of life and worse as another space crew tracks a rogue signal to a strange planet and encounters nasty, vicious creatures bent on destroying all that they come across. It's familiar, mind-bending and just OK. Watch Alien/Aliens instead.

Erik M.

Dune (2000) is a Made-for-TV series based upon the book rather than the earlier movie. The premise is in the Messianic Super-being, Paul "Muad'Dib" Atreides who claims the organic drug Spice Melange and causes a revolution and destroys his foes, loves Chani, and create a new order to the galaxy. Many things are better in this film, making more than worth a look.

Erik M.

Margot Robbie stars in Barbie 2023, a fantasy film about the internationally famous doll, her friends, and her world who, thanks to changing times, has to enter our REAL world to face both place's problems while Ken loses himself in possibilities. Existential crises, politics and more intrude and dismantle Barbie's self-worth, threatening them, people and Barbieland alike. A young mother and her daughter are caught in the middle and must re-evaluate what it means to play, dream and aspire now. Just a great movie that may stir some interesting, long conversations.

Erik M.

This 2015 film about the Fantastic Four came out before the MCU began. Four young people grow up and join forces to fight former their teammate, Dr. Doom, and the strange world that he claimed as his own after an experiment goes awry. Tedious, painful to watch and a bit hard to fully follow, F4 is a massive dud from beginning to end. Miss this.

Erik M.

Carrie 2013 is a much rougher road to drive as Chloe Grace Moretz is Carrie, at once a more sympathetic, independent and headstrong young woman of the Internet generation who knows about boys, music and all the rest that this movie's fanatical mom (Julianne Moore) is against. How, then, does she not know that her period is happening?! Anyway, Like in the earlier movie, Carrie is a budding and volatile telekinetic as well as a sheltered, abused and neglected teen whose invited to the School Prom with very disastrous results! She slays practically everyone, some in very gruesome ways! Violent, angry movie.

Erik M.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is an enchanted, funny and riveting Fantasy Adventure about the titular character fighting Death, Big Jack Horner wielding magic items and Goldi and the three Bears for a fallen Star in the Dark Forest, that keeps on changing according to life views. Poor Puss has to resist his age, fears and various obstacles to gain his heart's desire. Fun!! Watch this with your friends!

Erik M.

65 is a Sci-Fi/Action adventure about a man named Mills who leaves his wife and ailing daughter to take a group over to another planet. His craft is hit by a meteorite and plummets to Earth in the far past just before our planet is hit with the asteroid that kills the dinosaurs. He finds Koa, the only other member of he crew to survive, who doesn't speak his language. Together they face all manner of prehistoric danger while searching for an escape before the end. An OK movie overall hampered by Lost in Space vibes, various Jurassic Parks and a general lack of originality. Koa cries, Mills yells a lot, and various creatures terrorize or cause terror in this Meh movie. 3 stars.

Erik M.

In this great classic from long ago, Lonestar and Barf save Princess Vespa from the clutches of Dark Helmet and President Spaceballs in this outrageous Sci-Fi Comedy by Mel Brooks. May the Schwartz be with you.

Erik M.

Planet of the Apes 2001 is an action/adventure/drama/Sci-Fi film by Tim Burton that takes the 70s stories sort of up to present day; the apes are evolved enough to speak and ride horses, humans are cowed and a bit more primitive, a scientist comes to "save" them, etc. BUT some expectations are subverted. A better-than-average take on the whole monkey business, great SFX and armor for its time, and even a bit of a love story (gasp!). There "should" have been a sequel to the film, but then again, maybe not. OK for its time.

Erik M.

Blue Beetle 2023 is an action/adventure/Sci-Fi movie about a young man named Jaime Reyes who becomes a symbiote for an alien tech armor scarab named Khaji-Da that can make virtually any weapon, fly and more! The grasping and powerful Kord family want to weaponize it, and nearly succeed-except for the intervention of the positive Reyes family. Some funny, strange, violent and even some ethnic slurs are there, but the core of the movie-despite its shortcomings-is family and heart. Give it a try.

Erik M.

This is not a reboot so much as a bit of a re-imagining of Clive Barker's nightmarish tale about sadistic demons, seekers of pain and pleasure, and a drug user's attempt at redemption in 2022's Hellraiser. More closer than the prior casting, the Hell Priest "Pinhead" is more feminine, the new Cenobites more than a bit scary and the plot a bit more awful. Is it enough to scare up the viewers?! Maybe. Watch it and be afraid.

Erik M.

Doom Patrol is an Action/Comedy/Sci-fi drama about a odd group of people who are experimented upon by a enigmatic leader called "Chief" in a wheelchair with disastrous results: Crazy Jane (multiple powers and personalities), Elasti-Woman (stretches), Negative Man (negative-energy host), Robotman (robot with human brain), along with Cyborg (a superhuman with cybernetic parts and an arm cannon), a shape-shifter named Madame Rouge and a little girl who looks like a Chimpanzee who can bring imaginary things to life. This rag-tag group saves the world multiple times while finding out more about themselves and the qualities of teamwork! Sometimes weird and very funny, Doom Patrol goes from bawdy to wacky and then serious within moments. See this offbeat and quirky show before it disappears.

Erik M.

Inkheart is a OK-to-meh 2007 Fantasy Adventure about a man who has the power to "read" characters and situations to life from stories. He's trying to free his family and others from the grips of his enemy Capricorn and his awful minions who rob, torment and kill the other story figures for monetary gain. Convoluted plot, slow and so many clichés rob this film of much joy and heart. With Brendan Fraser, Helen Mirren, Paul Bettany and Andy Serkis.

Erik M.

The Nun II is a continuation of that horror franchise, The Conjuring, where evil entity Vakak seeks out the eyes of St. Lucy at the expense of several priests, nuns and even boarding school girls! With the help of a teacher and one of the girls, the good nun and an acolyte thwart the demon and its minion in this somewhat scary and very predictable film.

Erik M.