FRIDAY FAMILY FILM NIGHT

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing THE HANDMAIDEN (2016), currently streaming on Amazon Prime.  Inspired by Sarah Waters novel, "Fingersmith", with a script by Seo-kyeong Jeong and Park Chan-Wook and directed by Park Chan Wook, the film tells the story of a double, possible triple cross where a scheme leads to a betrayal...or does it?  The film is unnecessarily long and a poorly t...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing THE HALF OF IT (2020), currently streaming on Netflix.  Written and directed by Alice Wu, the film tells the story of a love triangle between high school senior, Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis), who has has a cynical view on love and humanity in general but has a crush on one of the popular girls, Aster (Alexxis Lemire).  Jovial and likable Pa...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing BIG FISH (2003), currently streaming on HBO Max.  Directed by Tim Burton, based on a novel by Daniel Wallace and screenwriting credits to John August, the film tells the story of Will Bloom (Billy Crudup), who on the cusp of becoming a father, learns that his father (Albert Finney) is near death. Returning home, he seeks to discover the tr...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing LUCA (2021), currently streaming on Disney+.  Directed by Enrico Casarosa, based on a story from Enrico Casarosa and Simon Stephenson, with screenwriting credits to Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones, Pixar Studio's coming of age tale follows the story of a young sea monster named Luca who, with his friend and fellow sea monster Alberto, travels...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing IN THE HEIGHTS (2021), currently streaming on HBO Max.  Directed by Jon M. Chu, based on the play from Lin-Manuel Miranda, with screenwriting credits to Quiara Alegría Hudes, the story follows Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), a young man from the Dominican Republic who came to America in his parents pursuit of a better life in America.  We're...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing BABYTEETH (2019), currently streaming on Hulu.  Directed by Shannon Murphy, based on the play and script by Rita Kalnejais, the story follows Milla (Eliza Scanlen), a 16-year-old girl who's first love, Moses (Toby Wallace) is every parent's worst nightmare scenario made flesh.  But along the way, Moses grows up and we get a glimpse into the journ...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing THE KING (2019), currently streaming on Netflix.  Directed by David Michôd, with a script by David Michôd  and Joel Edgerton; the story follows Hal (Timothée Chalamet) who begrudgingly accepts the throne after his father King Henry V (Ben Mendelsohn) dies.  The young king is thrust into one of the most powerful positions of power at the time...

In which the Monsters and Mister join me in reviewing THE BLIND SIDE (2009) currently streaming on HBO Max.  Written and directed by John Lee Hancock, from the novel The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis, the film follows the story of Michael Oher (Quniton Aaron), who in his young life has faced heartbreaks and obstacles yet still soldiers on in a world who completely disregard...

In which the Monsters and Mister join me in reviewing CRUELLA (2021) currently streaming on Disney+.  Directed by Craig Gillespie, with a script by Dana Fox and Tony McNamara, from characters based on the novel by Dodie Smith; the story is an original story about the genesis of Estella who goes on to become Cruella de Vil.  The story has shades of ALL ABOUT EVE, with impressive costumes,...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing ARMY OF THE DEAD (2021) currently streaming on Netflix.  Directed and from an original story by Zach Snyder, the story follows Scott Ward ( Dave Bautista), enticed to into a heist in Zombie filled Los Vegas.  There are parts family drama, action and comedic moments but not enough to save this film.  Our advice - skip it.  The film is ra...

In which the Monsters and Mister joins me in reviewing RUMBLE IN THE BRONX (1995) currently streaming on HBO Max.  Directed by Stanley Tong, with a script by Edward Tang and Fibe Ma, the story follows Keung (Jackie Chan), a young man who's come from Hong Kong for his Uncle Bill's wedding.  Keung gets caught up in the dramatics of a local gang and is targeted by them but ultimately rises...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing TENET (2020) currently streaming on HBO Max.  Directed and written by Christopher Nolan, the story follows the Protagonist (John David Washington), a former CIA Agent who is now a free agent of shorts for a shadowy organization only known as Tenet.  The script is convoluted and muddled - we think you should skip this one.  The film is rated...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing ROBOT & FRANK (2012) currently streaming on Amazon Prime, as well as other platforms. From a script by Christopher Ford and directed by Jake Schreier, the story follows Frank (heartbreakingly beautifully played by Frank Langella), an older gentleman who is stuck in a time long past and who is set in his ways.  His son (James Marsden),...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing ANOTHER ROUND (2020) currently streaming on Hulu.  Directed by Thomas Vinterberg, from a script by the director and Tobias Lindholm; this recent winner of the Best International Picture Oscar, is the story of four friends who work at a high school and how a social experiment they all embark on together affects their lives and the lives of those around...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing NOMADLAND (2020) currently streaming on Hulu. Written and directed by Chloé Zhao, from a book by Jessica Bruder, this recent winner of Best Picture, Director, Actress and adapted Screenplay, NOMADLAND is a year in the life of Fern (Frances McDormand), a woman who, after the death of her husband and the dissolution of her hometown, decides to embrace a noma...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing SHAZAM! (2019) currently streaming on the TBS app. From a script by Henry Gayden, from the character created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck, this film, directed by David Sandberg, follows the story of Billy Baston (Asher Angel) a teenage boy searching for his long lost mother. After helping his newest foster-brother Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) wit...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES (2021) currently streaming on Netflix. Written and directed by Michael Rianda and Jeff Rowe, the film follows Katie Mitchell (Abbi Jacobson) who is eager to leave home and start college life and her Dad (Danny McBride) decides to pack up the whole family (Maya Rudolph as Linda and Michael Rianda as Aaron) and road...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing THE MAN FROM NOWHERE (2010) currently streaming on Tubi/Crackle/FuboTV/Amazon Prime/Viki and Philo but also available for rent on other platforms. Written and directed by Jeong-beom Lee, the story follows a quiet pawnshop operator (Won Bin) who befriends his young neighbor (Sae-ron Kim) and how a mistake her mother makes gets mother and daughter mixed up w...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL (2017) currently streaming on Amazon Prime, SlingTV, Vudu and Tubi but also available for rent on other platforms. Based off a Manga by Hiroaki Samura with a script by Tetsuya Oishi, this 100th film by director, Takashi Miike, follows Manji (Takuya Kimura), a samurai cursed with immortalityand trying to find redemption in helping a yo...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing MORTAL KOMBAT (2021) currently on HBO Max.  Based on the video game series created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, with screenplay credits to Greg Russo and Dave Callaham with Simon McQuoid helming directing duties, the film tells the story of a roup of champions, chosen to defend Earth from the evils of Outworld.  The film is rated R and...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing THE LIGHTHOUSE (2019) currently streaming on Amazon Prime but also available on other platforms. Directed by Robert Eggers, from a script by Robert and Max Eggers, the film follows two men (Willem Defoe and Robert Pattinson in tour-de-force perfomrances) as they arrive for a 4 week stint at a New England lighthouse in the late 1800s.  Hallucinations,...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW (2004) currently on Pluto TV and Amazon Prime as well as for rent on various other platforms. Directed and written by Kerry Conran, the story follows Sky Captain (Jude Law) and Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) as they go on an adventure and try to solve the mystery of who is kidnapping these famous scientist...

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing COHERENCE (2013) currently streaming on Hulu but also available on other platforms. Written and directed by James Ward Byrkit, from a story by James Ward Byrkit and Alex Manugian, the film follows a night in the lives of a group of friends who are gathering for dinner on the night that a comet is passing overhead. This is a low budget sci-fi thriller that...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (2018) currently streaming on Disney+. Directed by Peyton Reed, this is the follow up to 2015's ANT-MAN, this story follows Scott (Paul Rudd) coming to the end of his two year house arrest sentence and trying to do the right thing, Scott finds himself entangled again with Hope and Hank Pym, much to his dismay because gettin...

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing GODZILLA VS KONG (2021) out now in theaters but also streaming on HBO Max for a limited time.  Directed by Adam Wingard, with a screenplay by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein, with additional story credits to Terry Russo, Michael Dougherty and Zach Shields; this film is part of the Monsterverse and sees King Kong and Godzilla beating each o...