Erik M.

Deadpool 2 takes a well-aimed stab at the funny bone and delivers some great action as the wisecracking Merc meets up with the likes of the time-traveling cyborg soldier Cable, the uncannily lucky Domino, the nearly unstoppable Juggernaut, a happy ninja in Yukio, noble Colossus and never-happy-to-see-Deadpool Negasonic Teenage Warhead. Watch for cameos, nods to prior X-Men related movies, and plenty of breaking the fourth wall typical of Deadpool's endless banter along with mayhem in abundance. Can Deadpool stop Cable from killing a young pyrotechnic mutant who's hellbent on revenge? While not a perfect film-pretty much wasting characters like Black Tom, Yukio and Shatterstar-it's easily a guilty pleasure for those who like Ryan Reynolds portrayal of Deadpool.

Erik M.

14 years later, the Incredibles sequel brings back the amazing super-heroic family in an action-packed adventure that picks up right where the first film ended. "Supers" are still banned, and it seems up to Elastigirl to help restore their right to fight crime openly and regain the public's trust with the help of a pair of media-savvy wealthy siblings. Things quickly get complicated when a hypnotic high-tech villain called Screenslaver uses mind control to endanger the public and enslave super-beings to destructive ends, including the heroes. Can the good guys save the day before trust in heroes is lost forever?! What role will Jack-Jack's newly manifesting multiple powers play? Who's behind this dastardly plan to end superheroes and why? Watch the movie and see familiar faces and some new characters battle their way through to the answers using an array of abilities and working together! Once more, there's action but there's also a lot of heart in this fast-paced movie and Brad Bird's holding off on developing the movie seems to be a good call as the story is well written, the action intense, the CGI artwork stunning, and the whole thing lovingly crafted to be a memorable homage to the superhero genre. Welcome back, Incredibles! You were missed, but your return is spectacular.

Erik M.

The Queen is a look into the challenging time surrounding the death of Princess Diana and the attempt to address the public during their extraordinary grief-PM Tony Blair favored a modern, very public approach that showed appreciation to the Princess and her contributions, while the Royal family felt that a more private, "dignified" and classic approach was warranted, especially as she had divorced Prince Charles. Queen Elizabeth II, played with subtle sadness and great restraint by Dame Helen Mirren, draws you in more than the rest as she struggles to maintain her composure and trike a balance to her own mourning while coping with feelings of betrayal by Diana and manipulation by newly elected and young Tony Blair. Archival footage and pretty solid acting by all elevate this recent history drama. If you remember Princess Di or otherwise still feel for what happened at that time, this film is worth a look.

Erik M.

Saoirse Ronan stars in this slow-paced Science Fiction Romance film as a Human named Melanie who is sharing her body with an alien life form named Wanderer who, along with others of its kind, are part of an invasion of Earth where they experience our existence. The two join forces to save those they love while evading the conquering "Souls"/"Seekers" as well as trying to find allies among the few free humans left. Poor Saorise attempts to carry the show, but even her sweet charm just isn't enough to buoy the thin script and wooden acting surrounding her.

Erik M.

Life takes the idea of Space being dangerous right into the International Space Station where 6 astronauts' joy at discovering a Martian life-form turns to terror as the slimy beast quickly hunts, grows and kills them one by one. Being set in zero gravity and having the creature evolving to better consume the crew give the film novelty, but the premise is still very familiar to anyone who's ever seen any "alien running amok killing people" movies. If you're looking for a grim and fast-paced science fiction horror feature film to curl up with awhile, you may enjoy having this one's tentacles ensnare you.

Erik M.

Hereditary is a supernatural horror film about a very dysfunctional family with a disturbed daughter and some awful family secrets. With nods to films like Carrie, Rosemary's Baby, and 1970s classic Italian horror, the tension ramps up as possessions, decapitations and demon worship all combine towards a gruesome and macabre finale. While this movie may not be up to everyone's taste, it's a wild and weird ride that's not easy to forget once the credits roll.

Erik M.

It's giant monsters vs giant robots again in this city-crushing sequel to the Guillermo Del Toro hit, this time following the next generation of pilots as they try to defend earth from the ruthless and destructive invaders as well as deal with threats from within. Action-packed but sometimes predictable, this is a movie for fans of the original film, Godzilla, Transformers and even Voltron, past or present. Can the son of a hero and his younger cadet protege help save the day-as well as the manned Jaeger program? Can their shared tragedies be overcome? Can there be a part 3 in the works? Watch and see.

Erik M.

The Hot Chick stars Rob Schneider and Rachel McAddams as a mean teen girl and a silly thief who switch bodies thanks to a pair of magically cursed earrings from antiquity in this wacky comedy. Physical comedy, gender jokes, poking fun at teen tropes, suburban families and just about anything else that can be harmlessly spoofed are in typical Rob Schneider/Adam Sandler style. Anna Faris and the rest of the cast help carry the story as protagonist Jessica (played by McAddams) tries desperately to undo the spell before it utterly ruins her teen life. This is definitely for fans of Sandler, Schneider and Faris fans-broad, giddy and with a little message about acceptance and appearances that barely slows down the frantic comedy's pace. Not a masterpiece, but fun.

Erik M.

The Green Inferno is Eli Roth's grisly love letter to Italian Cannibal films of the 70s - Mid 80s where a group of well-meaning young activists are duped into attempting to stop developers from removing indigenous cannibalistic natives from a resource location in the Amazon. They seemingly succeed, only for their plane to crash and for the survivors to suffer horribly at the hands of those same natives who may see them as enemies, food/breeding stock all at once. Gross and disturbing, The Green Inferno raises questions about what lengths developers take to secure resources, how helping others might have nightmarish consequences for the helpers and those they mean to "save", and traditions vs. Utter brutality, among others. For Hostel fans and those who enjoy seeing suffering and splattery effects, this one's for you.

Erik M.

Total Recall never leaves Earth in this 2012 re-imagining-the plot ditches the Mars story-line for one where most of the Earth has been devastated and only two viable territories remain: The United Federation of Britain (Western Europe) and the Colony (Australia). The character of Douglas Quaid/Hauser gets caught in the middle of espionage and a revolution as one man wants to conquer the world with an army of tough robots and another wants to free the Colony from its servitude. Colin Farrell shoots, brawls and falls many, many times in this Action Adventure/Science Fiction smash-'em-up that is strangely without the humor, creativity or cleverness of its predecessor. You'll see shades and nods to other Science-Fiction films galore but little of the fun. Stick with the original.

Erik M.

Gregory Hines stars in this science fiction thriller about a counter-terrorism expert pitted against an android that has been loaded with her creator's personality-including her issues-and a small nuclear bomb. The infiltration unit goes haywire (as they must), goes on a killing spree and endangers innocents along the way until the good guys can stop it. Late 80s/Early 90s fashions, poor CGI, bad makeup effects, visible old technology, past attitudes and clumsy action sequences date the low-budget film a bit. Gregory Hines as a Anti-Terrorist Special Forces guy is also a bit of a stretch-maybe Denzel Washington could have done better with the character. This movie was not a father in the caps of either Hines or Dutch actress and co-star Renée Soutendijk in a dual role as the deadly Android and its creator.

Erik M.

Flightplan stars Jodie Foster as a grieving widow and airplane engineer who boards a massive plane in Berlin along with her young daughter to take her deceased husband back to the U.S.A. What follows is a parental nightmare as, not only does her daughter disappear, but strangely no-one seems to have noticed the child and evidence suggests that she either doesn't exist or died. The mother's desperate search and infuriation at the mounting accusations that she might be insane lead to her being detained by an Air Marshall while alienating her from the flight crew and passengers. The plot gets even more convoluted and improbable, involving conspiracy, a ransom, hijacking and things best left for a Die Hard film. While Jodi Foster plays a thoroughly distressed but determined mother well, the rest of the characters seem half-realised and mostly just serve as plot devices. As the film nears the conclusion and the pieces of the dramatic puzzle fall into place, plot holes and utterly silly factual errors glare brighter than the runway lights on the Tarmac. OK for a Thriller/Mystery but a better written story with some attention to detail could have elevated this story to greater heights instead of leaving it circling on the runway.

Erik M.

Victoria and Abdul is a "mostly" true account of one of the most unlikely of enduring friendships between a reigning monarch and a poor Indian clerk who became her confidant, spiritual advisor and helped her understand the people of India that she was sovereign over-whom she never met-much to the chagrin of her advisors, her son the crown prince and the Buckingham staff. Lavish sets, good acting, and chemistry between the main stars elevate the film, which relies upon believably portraying an older, sickly, cantankerous monarch sharing fascination and respect with a tall, young Indian of low birth but high intelligence that both would risk everything they hold dear to maintain their remarkable relationship. Sometimes funny, sometimes moving, Victoria and Abdul was captivating and perhaps provides a glimpse into the very private life and love of a controversial world figure.

Erik M.

The Aviator is a gripping look into the tumultuous life of Millionaire Industrialist Howard Hughes, a man who was driven to push cinema, aviation design, piloting and just about anything he involved himself in, despite battling his own inner demons and various mental health conditions and overcoming grave injuries during a test flight. Leonardo DiCaprio channels the maverick madman as he wooed Hollywood leading ladies, thumbed his nose at his competition and government in collusion with them, and tried to live life on his terms as much as he could under the throes of his conditions. Cate Blanchette, Kate Beckingsale, Iam Holm, Alan Alda, Alec Baldwin and others all ably help to support what is among DiCaprio's best performances! If you ever wanted to learn more about Hughes and his contributions and torments, this is a must see.

Erik M.

Love Actually is a Christmas-themed romantic comedy with an ensemble cast that includes such actors as Colin Firth, Kiera Knightly, Emma Thompson, Bill Nigh, Martin Freeman and Rowan Atkinson involved in 10 stories showing different aspects of love playing out at the same time and almost all interrelated. Popular music and some Christmas tunes help move the tales along while the various couples form, friendships are reaffirmed, families try to mend, and mostly happy endings are arrived at by all! Sometimes trying a bit too hard and with little surprises, Love Actually is a crowd-pleaser that's meant to just warm the heart and be a sweet, fluffy diversion awhile. Not for cynics.

Erik M.

Alive is a airplane disaster and survival drama set in Andes and based upon the true and harrowing experiences of the Uruguay Rugby team and others involved in the tragic crash. Much of the story is about the efforts of those stranded who lived through the initial event to remain living despite the extreme cold, dangerous terrain (including avalanche), lack of proper shelter, food, diversions, etc. for months until rescue. During that time and in desperation, some of the survivors resorted to cannibalizing the dead among them. The film tries to show that the choices made were in context to the dire situation and tried not to sensationalize or make light of the act, but asks the audience to question how far they might be willing to go to live through what the characters did.

Erik M.

Darkest Hour is a film based upon Winston Churchill's time as Prime Minister from his tumultuous election to the U.K. entering into war against Germany during World War II. Gary Oldman becomes a very convincing Churchill, perhaps more animated and passionate than the man he portrays. With his supportive wife and secretary behind him and gaining support of the King, Churchill faces down his political rivals and the menace of the Nazi threat with defiance. Well acted, filmed and produced, fans of British history dramas may enjoy this look into one of their more colorful and recognizable politicians.

Erik M.

Steven Spielberg's War Horse tells the story of an intelligent and spirited horse and the incredible bond that it shared with its first owner and their harrowing experiences before, during and after WW1. Remarkable acting by the human and animal cast, an impactful portrayal of the war and a touching about how the horse seems to inspire the best out of many who encounter him make this film well worth viewing.

Erik M.

Coyote Ugly is a pretty simple little movie set in the bar of the same name about an aspiring song writer/performer nicknamed Jersey who tries to follow her big dream and ends up becoming a popular bar entertainer while finding an Australian boyfriend, temporarily vexing her cautious father, and discovering things about herself along the way. Lightweight and frothy, this film relies on familiar pop music and pretty women dancing atop a bar to distract the viewer from an otherwise watered down drink.

Erik M.

Nicholas Cage and Elizabeth Shue star in this portrait of two broken souls that find each other and try desperately to find love and happiness, if only fleeting solace, in each other's company amid the neon, Casinos, and seedy hotels of Sin City. One is a man who's lost everything to his uncontrolled drinking and is putting himself headlong into one last, suicidal binge while the other is a lonely prostitute who, by chance encounter, finds herself wanting to reach him, and possibly change both their destinies too late. Serious, sad and tragic, the character's plights and struggles are moving and fascinating, with the stars both convincingly portraying failed lives spiraling downward. Not a happy movie, but a good drama.

Erik M.