FRIDAY FAMILY FILM NIGHT

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing THE CREATOR (2023), which you can find for streaming on Hulu.  Directed by Gareth Edwards, from a script by Gareth Edwards and Chris Weitz, the film follows Joshua (John David Washington), a secret agent who's been asked to infiltrate a group in New Asia in order to find The Creator.  His mission is compromised and he tries to salvage thing...

In which the Mister and I check out REMEMBER THE NIGHT (1939), which we caught on TCM but is currently streaming on Plex.  From writer Preston Sturges, the film is directed by Mitchell Leisen.  The film follows as Lee Leander (Barbara Stanwyck) gets caught for shoplifting right before the Christmas Holidays.  In a rush to leave and get his holiday travel going, attorney John Sargent (Fred MacMurra...

In which Kid 2 joins me in reviewing EXmas (2023), a Freevee original movie directed by Jonah Feingold, from a screenplay by Dan Steele.  This is the story of Graham (Robbie Amell) who decides he'll surprise his family for Christmas after initially saying he wouldn't be coming home for the holidays.  Much to his dismay, on arrival he realizes his family has invited his ex-fiancee, Ali (Lei...

In which the Mister and I check out THE MUPPETS CHRISTMAS CAROL (1992), which we caught on Disney+ and Hulu but you can buy/rent on Amazon Prime Video.  From writer Charles Dickens, the film is directed by Brian Henson, with screenplay credit to Jerry Juhl.  This is the classic Dickens story of how Ebenezer lost his Christmas spirit but then recovers it after being visited by his old business part...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1951) which you can find on Plex but also to buy/rent on Prime Video. Directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, from the screenplay by Noel Langley and comes from Charles Dickens classic tale of the same name.  This is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim), who's lost his humanity but is then visited by the ghost of his old...

In which the Mister and I check out KRAMPUS (2015), which we caught on the TCM app but you can catch on Peacock, TBS, TNT and to buy/rent on Amazon Prime Video.  From writers Todd Casey, Michael Dougherty and Zach Shields, the film is directed by Michael Dougherty. When the bickering of a young boy's family causes him to lose faith in Christmas he unwittingly brings forth an ancient spirit tha...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing ARTHUR CHRISTMAS (2011) which you can find on Max,. Prime Video, TBS and TNT but also to buy/rent on Prime Video. Directed by Sarah Smith and Barry Cook, from the screenplay by Peter Baynham and Sarah Smith and is brought to viewers by production companies Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation and Aardman Animations.  The unthinkable happe...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS (2004) which you can find on AMC+ or on Prime Video. Directed by Joe Roth, from John Grisham's novel and screenplay by Chris Columbus' the film follows Luther and Nora Krank (Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis), who decide to skip Christmas when their only daughter decides to join the Peace Corp and not spend the h...

In which the Mister and I check out THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER (1954), which we caught on the TCM app but you can catch on Max and to buy/rent on Amazon Prime Video.  From director William Keighley and from George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's stage play, the screenplay credit for the film goes to Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein.  The film follows Sheridan Whiteside (a MAGNIFICENT Monty Woolley),...

In which the Mister and I check out MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION (1954), from director Douglas Sirk and from Lloyd C. Douglas' novel of the same name.  There was a 1935 film which shared screenplay credits to Sarah Y. Mason, Victor Heerman and Finley Peter Dunne.  This 1954 version also has a screenplay credit to Robert Blees and an adaptation credit to Wells Root.  In this version, Bob Merrick (Rock...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933) which we caught on the TCM app or currently to buy/rent on Prime.  Directed by James Whale, from H.G. Wells' novel, a screenplay by R.C. Sherriff and uncredited screenplay credits to Preston Sturges and Philip Wylie.  The story revolves around Dr. Griffin (a deliciously demented Claude Rains in his first speaking ro...

In which the Mister and I check out LA PÍCARA SOÑADORA (1956), an Argentinean production from director, Ernesto Arancibia; from a script by Abel Santa Cruz and which starred Mirtha Legrand, Alfredo Alcón, Amalia Sánchez Ariño and Ricardo Galache.  The story revolves around Silvia (Legrand, who as of this date is still with us), a young woman who works in the toy section of the famed Gándaras depar...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing RICH IN LOVE (2020) which we caught on Netflix.  Directed by Bruno Garotti, Jessica Blue and Anita Barbosa from a script by  Bruno Garotti and Sylvio Gonçalves; the film follows Teto (Danilo Mesquita), a very spoiled rich kid who's had a charmed life and everything handed to him without much effort.  That all changes when he meets Paula (Gi...

In which the Mister and I check out YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER (2021) which you can stream on Hulu.  From writer/director Kate Dolan, the film follows Char (Hazel Doupe), a young woman who's living with her Grandmother (Ingrid Craigie) and Mother (Carolyn Bracken).  Her mother suffers from depression and after a tense scene in the car, Char storms away but then later discovers the empty car.  The p...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing THE HOST (2006) which we caught on the Showtime app.  Directed by Bong Joon Ho, from a script by Bong Joon Ho, Won-jun Ha and Chul-hyun Baek; the story follows a family on a race against time, trying to save their daughter/niece from a strange monster that's been lurking right under the Han River's surface.  Commentary on government, ho...

In which the Mister and I check out ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA (2023) which you can stream on Disney+.  From director Peyton Reed, and writing credits to Jeff Loveness, Stan Lee and Larry Lieber.  This third film in the Ant-Man storyline follows Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and his extended family getting dragged into and separated in the Quantum Realm, which holds many secrets for Janet (Michell...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing LIGHTYEAR (2023) which is available to stream on Disney+.  Directed by Angus MacLane, from a script by Angus MacLane, Matthew Aldrich and Jason Headley; the story follows space ranger, Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans), who spends decades trying to fix a mistake while everyone around him learns to adapt and accepts their new normal.  After many fail...

In which the Mister, Uncle Jay and I check out GAMER (2009) from writers/directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.  Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall) is an egregiously rich and powerful gaming creator whose games deal in exploitation - whether as a user or as a surrogate immersed in a shooter world where the stakes are high.  A mediocre script that missed an opportunity to really deep dive into some i...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing FIVE NIGHT AT FREDDY'S (2023) which is available in theaters and is streaming on Peacock.  Directed by Emma Tammi, from a script by Emma Tammi, Seth Cuddeback and Scott Cawthon; the story follows Mike (Josh Hutcherson) a young man with a tragic history who's been forced to grow up quickly and is is raising his younger sister, Abby (Pipe...

In which the Mister and I check out HALLOWEEN (1978) from director John Carpenter.  With a script from Debra Hill and John Carpenter, the film starts on Halloween night, 1963, and we see the Myers House from the viewpoint of Michael Myers.  Fifteen years later we return to the small town of Haddonfield where Halloween is once upon its inhabitants and Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis in her first movie rol...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing SCREAM (1996) which is available to stream on Max.  Directed by the legendary Wes Craven, from a script by Kevin Williamson, the story is set in the small town of Woodsboro and follows the young teenagers that are slowly but viciously meeting their demise at the hands of a psychotic slasher who's using horror movies as the basis of a game t...

In which the Mister and I check out EVENT HORIZON (1997), which is streaming on Showtime/Showtime Anytime.  From director Paul W.S. Anderson, with a script from Philip Eisner, the film is set in the not so distant future and the crew of the Lewis & Clark are tasked into investigating the sudden mysterious reappearance of the starship Event Horizon, which had been missing for several years.  Le...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing MONSTER FAMILY (2017) which is available on Hulu.  Directed by Holger Tappe, from a script by David Safier and Catharina Junk, the film is based on the book by David Safier.  This animated film follows the Wishbone family as they are cursed into becoming monsters, leading to a fart-filled adventure that sees them fend off a lonely Dracula who s...

In which the Mister and I check out FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980), which is still streaming on Max.  From director Sean S. Cunningham, with a script from Victor Miller and Ron Kurz, the film is set in present day NJ at a summer camp called Crystal Lake where 35 years earlier a young boy drowned and then a young couple was savagely murdered.  Now a killer has come back to do away with all the camp counsel...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing TOTALLY KILLER (2023) which is available on Prime Video.  Directed by Nahnatchka Khan, from a script by David Matalon, Sasha Perl-Raver and Jen D'Angelo; the film tells the story of Jamie (Kiernan Shipka), a teenage girl who accidentally goes back in time to 1987 and meets her mean girl mom and tries to change events that forever changed he...