FRIDAY FAMILY FILM NIGHT

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing BLUE JAY (2016), currently available on Netflix.  Directed by Alex Lehmann and written by Mark Duplass, we follow the story of how Amanda (Sarah Paulson) and Jim (Mark Duplass) reconnect after more than 2 decades and go down memory lane together in sometimes goofy and sometimes excruciatingly heartbreaking ways.  Paulson and Duplass are heartbreakingly bea...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing YOUNG HEARTS (2020) which is currently available on HBO Max or just now Max.  Directed by Sarah Sherman and Zachary Ray Sherman, from a script by Sarah Sherman, the film follows Harper (Anjini Taneja Azhar) who suddenly falls into a relationship with her older brother's best friend, Tilly (Quinn Liebling) which then sparks all sorts of reac...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing UNCUT GEMS (2019), currently available on Showtime.  Directed by The Safdie Brothers (Benny and Josh) with a script by Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie and Benny Safdie; the story follows Howard Ratner (an absolutely luminescent Adam Sandler), a diamond district businessman who is extremely flawed and unlikable who is also drowning in debt but for some reason...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing MURDER MYSTERY 2 (2023) which is currently available on Netflix.  Directed by Jeremy Garelick and written by James Vanderbilt, we revisit Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) and Nick (Adam Sandler) who came back from their first adventure to open up their own detective agency.  Unfortunately things aren't going so great and they get a call from their...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing SAINT MAUD (2019), currently available on Prime. As we close out Women's History Month, we wanted to highlight women directors and this film is written and directed by Rose Glass.  The story follows Maud (Morfydd Clark), a young nurse who's gone through trauma and has now delved deep into religious fervor.  She works as a hospice nurse and is sent...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing MARIE ANTOINETTE (2006) which is currently available on Paramount+, Epix/MGM+ and the Roku Channel. As we close out Women's History Month, we look at writer/director, Sofia Coppola's film, which was inspired by the book, MARIE ANTOINETTE: THE JOURNEY by Antonia Fraser.  In this retelling, the story takes artistic liberties and focuses o...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing MEN (2022), currently available on Showtime and to buy/rent on Prime. Written and directed by Alex Garland, the story follows Harper (Jessie Buckley), a widow who is off for a short holiday in the countryside to regroup and recover from her husband's death/suicide.  She meets Geoffrey (Rory Kinnear) who is her landlord and then goes off to explore. The...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing 9 to 5 (1980) which is currently available on HBO Max or to buy/rent on Prime. With a screenplay by Patricia Resnick and Colin Higgins, from a story by Patricia Resnick, the film is directed by Colin Higgins. In this story, three secretaries: Violet (Lily Tomlin), Doralee (Dolly Parton) and Judy (Jane Fonda) have had enough of their lying, lazy...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944), currently available to buy/rent on Prime. The film is based on the novel from James M. Cain, screenplay by Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler and is directed by Billy Wilder. The story follows Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), an L.A. insurance salesman who meets Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) during a house call to see about an...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH (2022) which is still in theaters but also currently available on Peacock or to buy/rent on Prime. With a screenplay by Paul Fisher and Tommy Swerdlow (additional screenplay material from Etan Cohen), from a story by Tommy Swerdlow and Tom Wheeler; the film is directed by Joel Crawford with a co-director credit to J...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing THE WOMAN KING (2022), currently still in theaters but also streaming on Netflix and to buy/rent on other platforms.  The film is loosely based on true events and comes from a story by Dana Stevens and Maria Bello, from Dana Stevens' screenplay and is directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood.  The story revolves around the Agojie women warriors of Dahomey in...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON (2021) which is currently available on Showtime.  With a screenplay by Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer Camp and directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, the film follows the story of Dean (Dean Fleischer Camp) who happens upon Marcel (Jenny Slate) and his Grandma Connie (Isabella Rossellini) in the AirBnB he's st...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing TOP GUN: MAVERICK (2022), currently playing on MGM+, Paramount+ and still in theaters.  The long awaited sequel to 1986's TOP GUN, this film is written by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; from a story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks and based on characters created by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.  Directed by Joseph Kosins...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing EDGE OR TOMORROW (2014) which is currently available on HBO Max.  With a screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth and directed by Doug Liman, the film follows Cage (Tom Cruise) who gets roped into combat and through a chain of events, is reliving the day over and over each time he dies.  A solid...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing AMBULANCE (2022), currently playing on Prime Video.  Based on the film, "Ambulancen" written by Laurits Munch-Petersen and Lars Andreas Pedersen, this version is directed by Michael Bay, from a script by Chris Fedak.  The film follows Will (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who goes to his brother, Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal) for a loan because his wife is in...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing STRANGE WORLD (2022) which is currently available on Disney+.  With a screenplay by Qui Nguyen and directed by Don Hall (co-directed by Qui Nguyen) the film tells the story of the Clades - Jaeger (Dennis Quaid), Searcher (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ethan (Jaboukie Young-White).  Following his father, Jaeger, on an expedition, Searcher retur...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing BREAKING (2022), currently playing on Showtime and to buy/rent on Prime.  Inspired by the story, "THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO KILL HIM' : THE DEATH OF LANCE CORPORAL BRIAN EASLEY by Aaron Gell, the film is directed by Abi Damaris Corbin with a script from Abi Damaris Corbin and Kwame Kwei-Armah.  John Boyega gives a magnificent, heartbreaking performance...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ANDRÉ (2017) which is currently available on Hulu/Plex/Prime and Tubi.  Following the life of André Leon Tally, who passed in 2022, the film is a scattered recollection of the man and parts of his life as a fashion journalist, stylist, creative director, and editor-at-large of Vogue magazine.  The film is...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing ROAD HOUSE (1989), currently playing on AMC+, Netflix and to buy/rent on other platforms.  From a story by R. Lance Hill, a screenplay by Hilary Henkin and directed by Rowdy Herrington, the film follows Dalton (Patrick Swayze), a "cooler" who is contracted to bring order to the raucous and unruly Double Deuce, a club/bar in Jasper, Missouri that is pl...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (2012) which is currently available on HBO Max and Starz but also to buy/rent on other platforms.  From the novel of the same name by Matthew Quick, the film is written and directed by David O. Russell.  The story follows Pat Jr (Bradley Cooper) who is recovering from an incident and a brief stint at a psychiat...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing THE INVITATION (2022), currently playing on Netflix.  Written by Blair Butler and directed by Jessica M. Thompson, the film follows Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel), a young woman who's recently lost her mother to cancer and who is grieving and feeling lost and rudderless without family.  By some coincidence, she takes a test to find out more a...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing M3GAN (202) which is currently available to buy/rent and still in the theaters.  With a screenplay by Akela Cooper from a story by Akela Cooper and James Wan, the film is directed by Gerard Johnstone.  The story follows Cady (Violet McGraw) who is left orphaned after both her parents are killed in a car accident.  After...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing NIGHTCRAWLER (2014), currently playing on HBO Max.  Written and directed by Dan Gilroy,  the film follows Louis Bloom (an absolutely sublime Jake Gyllenhaal), an enterprising young man who starts the story selling scrap metal but then finds his way into the life of the nightcrawlers.  From here, his drive, ambition and laser focus...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing VIOLENT NIGHT (2022) which is currently available on Peacock and to buy/rent.  With a screenplay by Pat Casey and Josh Miller, the film is directed by Tommy Wirkola.  The story follows Santa (an absolutely exquisite David Harbour) as he gets ready for his big night of the year.  While making deliveries he's swept up in the perils...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing THE MENU (2022), currently playing on HBO Max but available on Prime and Hulu with a premium subscription.  Written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy,  the film is directed by Mark Mylod and follows 12 diners to an exclusive dining experience at the Hawthorne, where Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) and his team curate an exquisite dinner experien...