FRIDAY FAMILY FILM NIGHT

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing BILLY ELLIOTT (2000), from writer Lee Hall, the film is directed by Stephen Daldry.  Despite the negative views and prejudices of those around him, the youngest son, Billy (Jamie Bell), of a working class English family finds himself irresistibly drawn to the practice of ballet.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 50 m, is rated R and we watched on...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing CIVIL WAR (2024), from the writer/director Alex Garland. A hardened news photographer named Lee (Kristen Dunst) and two fellow news men (Wagner Moura and Stephen McKinley Henderson) are joined by a young woman named Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) who hopes to follow in Lee's footsteps and become a war photojournalist, as they brave a deadly journey across a wa...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing BRING IT ON (2000), from writer Jessica Bendinger, the film is directed by Peyton Reed.   In this light-hearted high-school comedy, Torrance Shipman (Kristen Dunst) achieves her dream of becoming the Captain of her high school's championship-winning cheerleading squad. But her hopes of leading them to another championship are threatened whe...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing AFTERSUN (2022), from the directorial debut of Charlotte Wells, with a screenplay by Charlotte Wells. As an adult, Sophie (Celia Rowlson-Hall), attempts to piece together and better understand her father, Calum (Paul Mescal) by revisiting old home videos and delving into childhood memories of the last vacation she as an eleven year old (wonderfully portray...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing OLD DADS (2023), from writers Bill Burr and Ben Tishler, the film is directed by Bill Burr.   The story follows three close friends - Jack (Burr), Connor (Bobby Cannavale) and Mike (Bokeem Woodbine) - who have become/are becoming dads later in life and takes a comedic look at a family man and his friends navigating the social structure of a wor...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing WHITE HEAT (1949), from director Raoul Walsh and a screenplay by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts, and comes from Virginia Kellogg's story.  In order to bring the psychopathic gangster Cody Jarret (James Cagney) to justice, an undercover cop Vic Pardo/Hank Fallon (Edmond O'Brien) must earn the madman's trust and infiltrate his gang before their next d...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959), from writers Billy Wilder and I.A. L. Diamond, based on a story from Robert Thoeren and Michael Logan, the film is directed by Billy Wilder.  After witnessing a mob hit, two struggling musicians - Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) - have no choice but to hide out with a traveling musical act but there's one...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER (2014), from directors Anthony and Joe Russo and a screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely and based off Marvel characters created by Joe Simon and artist Jack Kirby.  The "Winter Soldier" storyline by Steve Epting, Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark is also credited. Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing MADAME WEB (2024), from writers Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless and Claire Parker, based on characters created by Denny O'Neil, the film is directed by S.J. Clarkson. After a near death experience, Ben Parker's coworker, Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson) discovers she has the ability to see the future; a power which will help her protect the...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing DUNE: PART TWO (2024), from Frank Herbert's 1965 novel.  This film has a screenplay by  Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts and is directed by  Denis Villeneuve.  In the second part of this adaptation of Herbert's Dune, Paul Atredis (Timothée Chalamet) struggles with the possibility that to defeat the Harkonnen, he may need to become something far mor...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing WONKA (2023), from writers Simon Farnaby and Paul King, based on characters created by Roald Dahl, the film is directed by Paul King. In this musical origin story, young Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) must outwit an evil chocolate consortium headed up by Slugworth (Paterson Joseph) and accompanied by Prodnose (Matt Lucas) and Fickelgruber (Mat...

In which the Mister and I check out MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (1993), which is currently available on Tubi, Freevee, MGM+, but you can also buy/rent on Prime Video.  Kenneth Branagh, directs/writes and stars in this witty and vibrant film adaptation of Shakespeare's beloved comedy/drama/romance of the same name.  This version brings Shakespeare's comedic battle of wills between Beatrice (Emma...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing ANYONE BUT YOU (2023), from writers Ilana Wolpert and Will Gluck, the film is directed by Will Gluck.  In this loosely based adaptation of Shakespeare's comedy "Much Ado About Nothing," Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) must overcome their mutual animosity and pretend to be a loving couple while attending a destination we...

In which Kid 1 and I check out MILLER'S GIRL (2024), which is currently available on Netflix.  The film is written and directed by Jade Halley Bartlett. After taking an interest in one of his students, Cairo Sweet (Jenna Ortega), a high school English teacher, Jonathan Miller (Martin Freeman, who also shares an executive producer credit for this film) finds himself at the center of a scandal t...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing THE IDEA OF YOU (2024), from writers Michael Showalter and Jennifer Westfeldt, the film is directed by Michael Showalter. In the film, the world loses their collective shit over the idea of Anne Hathaway's withered flesh comingling with that of a sexy young musician. just kidding... After an accidental meeting at Coachella, a single 40 year...

In which the Mister and I check out THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING (2022), which is currently available on MGM+, but you can also buy/rent on Prime Video.  The film is directed by the legendary George Miller, with a screenplay by George Miller and Augusta Gore from A.S. Byatt's short story "The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye".  An ancient djinn (Idris Elba) recounts tales of his...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing WISH (2023), from writers Jennifer Lee, Allison Moore and Chris Buck, the film is directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn.  Asha (Ariana DeBose) discovers a dark secret about her perfect homeland and its beloved King Magnifico (Chris Pine) who has the power to make wishes come true. The film clocks in at 1 h and 35 m and is rated PG and i...

In which the Mister and I check out PAST LIVES (2023), which is currently available on Paramount+, through your local library and the Hoopla app but you can also buy/rent on Prime Video.  From writer/director Celine Song, the film follows two childhood friends on the cusp of a budding romance when suddenly the young girl's family makes the decision to leave South Korea and ultimately squashing...

In which the Monsters join me in reviewing LOVE AT FIRST KISS (2023), from writers Cristóbal Garrido and Adolfo Valor, the film is directed by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa. Javier (Álvaro Cervantes) navigates the ups and down of dating with the help of a peculiar talent; whenever he kisses a woman for the first time he can see the future of their relationship. The film clocks in at 1 h and 36 m and is rate...

In which the Mister and I check out VERTIGO (1958), which we watched on DVD but you can find to buy/rent on Prime Video.  With a screenplay by Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor, the film is directed by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock and comes from the novel "D'Entre Les Morts" by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac. Jimmy Stewart stars as John "Scottie" Ferguson, a retired po...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995), from writer Christopher McQuarrie, the film is directed by Bryan Singer. Five criminals, brought together by chance, soon discover their meeting was not mere coincidence but actually the first step in the master plan of an infamous crime lord. The film clocks in at 1 h and 50 m and is rated PG-13 and is streaming curr...

In which the Mister and I check out THE MARVELS (2023), which is streaming on Disney+.  With a screenplay by Nia DaCosta, Megan McDonnell and Elissa Karasik, the film is directed by Nia DaCosta.   After an accident entangles Captain Marvel's powers with those of new heroes Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambeau, the three women must team up to save the universe from a vengeful enemy.  This film clocks...

In which the Monsters join me in reviewing DAMSEL (2024), from writer Dan Mazeau, the film is directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. Millie Bobby Brown stars in this fantasy film about a young Princess Elodie who upon marriage to Prince Henry (Nick Robinson) soon finds herself thrown into a life or death struggle against an ancient dragon (Shohreh Aghdashloo). Ray Winstone, Angela Bassett, Robin Wri...

In which the Mister and I check out THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939), which is streaming on Max and to buy/rent on Prime Video.  With a screenplay by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf, the film has directing credits attributed to Victor Fleming and King Vidor and comes from L. Frank Baum's book.  In this iconic MGM musical, young Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) finds herself transported...

In which the Monsters join me in reviewing MEAN GIRLS (2024), from writers Tina Fey and Rosalind Wiseman, the film is directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. In a movie that's based on a musical that's based on a far better movie a home-schooled girl finds herself thrust into the dog eat dog world of public high school where she must navigate the perils of staying true to herself o...