Category Archives: Doc’s Movie Reviews

Anaconda

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Back in 1997, a horror film about a giant snake appeared. Anaconda, starring Ice Cube, J-Lo, and Jon Voight, was a terrible movie, but it survived the years and became an iconic cult classic film. In 2025, we now got a meta-sequel to the film starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd which debuted this weekend.

According to IMDB, “Four childhood friends are going through a midlife crisis so they decide to remake their favorite horror movie from the 1990s in the Amazon Forest When a real giant anaconda shows up, they get more than what they bargain for and their comically chaotic movie making turns into a life-or-death situation. The movie that they’re dying to remake? It might just kill them, literally.“

I heard some negative things about the new film before I went into it, which made me nervous because I had thought the trailers looked good and I was excited to see it. The negative comments made me feel much more tentative about the movie.

I can understand why some people might not have been a fan of this, but I enjoyed it a lot. I found this funny, the characters likable and entertaining, and the meta qualities of the film worked so well.

I thought there was a lot of clever writing involved in this movie. The humor is solid. There were a couple of jokes that I usually do not like, but, for me, even those worked well.

No spoiler here, but there was a great cameo in the film too.

There are some negatives to the film too though. I do think it started fairly slowly and the film really took off when the characters get on their boat. I do think that I wish the trailer hadn’t spoiled some of the best laughs in the film because I think it would have been so much better.

I am happy that I liked this movie more than what some were saying. I found it funny and engaging. I do enjoy a film with as many meta jokes and Anaconda falls right into that.

3.8 stars

Sentimental Value

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One of the leading candidates for multiple Academy Award nominations, the Norwegian film, Sentimental Value popped up on Fandango at Home this past week. I rented the film and watched it this Christmas afternoon.

Directed by Joachim Trier, Sentimental Value is a serious drama that starred Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning.

According to the plot synopsis on Fandango, “Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), an estranged father and once-celebrated director eager to reclaim his former glory, reconnects with his daughters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas). When Gustav offers Nora the lead role in his new film, she refuses and learns he has given the part to a Hollywood star (Elle Fanning).”

The movie is very slow and I had some difficulty in the first hour or so of staying engaged with the film. I had to keep reading the subtitles for much of the film, but I did have some challenge. The performances were solid in the beginning of the movie, but the slow burn was tough to watch.

However, as the story picked up between Gustav and his two daughters, my own engagement picked up as well. No doubt that Skarsgård and Reinsve were special in the film. Elle Fanning gave a very powerful performance as well. As we discovered more about the dysfunctional relationship between them, the more it came off the screen.

The ending was very strong and made me happy that I had continued to watch the film, when I did consider stopping it around the first half hour or so.

3.5 stars

Marty Supreme

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Happy Christmas Eve to everyone. With the year coming to a close soon, there are a few more in theater movies to watch. The first of the few remaining theater films today was Timothée Chalamet’s new film, Marty Supreme.

I was really surprised with this movie. It was not what I was expecting. Apparently, this is slightly based on a real person, but in a fictional story with fictional things happening. The main character of this movie, Marty Mauser, is based on Marty Reisman, an American table tennis player, and it is directed by Josh Safdie.

What surprised me about this movie was how unlikable the character of Marty Mauser was. He was such a jerk to everyone. Selfish. Rotten. Mean-spirited. Obnoxious. Marty is a con man who will do some rotten things to try an accomplish what he wanted to do. During the first half of the film, I was thinking about how Marty was so rotten, yet how I found myself rooting for him. That, surprisingly, did not stay as I was rooting for the other guy in the final act.

Timothée Chalamet was excellent in the role of Marty. He disappeared into the role and I never was thinking about him as the actor that he was. It was a great performance and will probably earn him an Academy Award nomination.

It is a risk having a protagonist as unlikable as Marty Mauser because you take the chance of alienating the audience. However, there is such great writing involved and Marty is such a complex character that you can understand why he is doing the terrible things that he is doing.

The film is a little long, and there was a spot where I thought the movie might be ending (and I feel as if maybe it should have). I can’t go into details without spoiling it.

I expected Marty Supreme to be a good time, feel good story. It is not that. It is challenging and dark. It is a great film.

4.4 stars

The Secrets We Bury

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The Secrets We Bury is a documentary streaming on HBO Max recently dealing with the disappearance of George Carroll.

According to IMDB, “In the early 1960s, George Carroll walked out on his family, leaving his wife, Dorothy, and their four children behind. Decades later, the Carroll siblings are still left haunted by what happened to their father. Seeking much-needed closure for himself and his family, ‘The Secrets We Bury’ follows Mike Carroll as he unravels the mystery of his father’s disappearance and uncovers a story much darker and more complex than his family could have imagined. Told through extensive sit-down interviews with the Carroll siblings and layered with intimate archival footage of the Carroll family spanning decades of their lives, the documentary offers a sensitive look into one family’s journey to find closure. Part mystery and part family drama, ‘The Secrets We Bury’ raises important questions about whose stories we choose to believe, and why.”

This was a slow burn of a documentary that had a wild story involving abuse, disappearances, psychics and murder.

There are beats in this doc that are difficult to believe, making one think that there is a part of this story that is not being told to us accurately. In particular, the psychic who, apparently, was able to direct Mike where to look for his father.

The documentary spent a bunch of time in this story telling us how Mike’s mother could not have been involved with this cover up, how that she believed the story that she told them, about George abandoning them. I think this is the biggest error of the doc. There is no way that I don’t believe that she had, at the very least, the knowledge of what had happened to George, if not participated in it. They did a lot to try and make it seem like she was an innocent, even going as far as to showing us a reading by the psychic where the mother supposedly said as much. Nope. I don’t buy that at all.

This was a intriguing case that will never truly be solved. It was a mysterious and thrilling story.

3.75 stars

Hedda

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The movie Hedda was available on Amazon Prime for a while now. It has been on my queue and I have been waiting to watch it. Today, I was able to fit it into the schedule.

According to IMDB, “In a provocative, modern re-imagining of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play, Heather (Tessa Thompson) finds herself torn between the lingering ache of a past love and the quiet suffocation of her present life. Over the course of one charged night, long-repressed desires and hidden tensions erupt-pulling her and everyone around her into a spiral of manipulation, passion, and betrayal.“

I have to say that I had a hard time focusing on this movie. It did not grab my attention in the first part of the film.

When I was interested in the film, it was when either Tess Thompson or Nina Hoss were on the screen. Both actors were tremendous with their characters.

There were some powerful scenes in the film, but I just never could get into it. I wish that I was able to focus on the film more. Maybe if I had seen this in a theater, I would have been able to focus in on it better than I did at home.

Because I couldn’t, it is hard to recommend the movie. Two great performances though.

2.8 stars

It Was Just An Accident

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It Was Just An Accident was an international film which was a co-production between Iran, France, and Luxembourg. I had heard positives about the film on FYC and I had a chance to rent it off Fandango at Home.

According to IMDB, “An unassuming mechanic is reminded of his time in an Iranian prison when he encounters a man he suspects to be his sadistic jailhouse captor. Panicked, he rounds up a few of his fellow ex-prisoners to confirm the man’s identity.”

Powerful storytelling as we follow this group of people who had had their lives touched by this tormenter from an Iranian prison. Each person had to reassess their own choices and moral line as they attempt to confirm that this man is who they believe him to be.

There are enough doubts tossed around by the script that you as viewer are never quite sure which way the story will go. Is this the cruel torturer or is it a man who had a similar injury? The tormentor had a prosthetic leg and was dubbed the nickname “Peg Leg.” The man had the same prosthetic, but since the victims were always blindfolded, they could not specifically identify him, and the man had a seemingly cohesive story to cover the possible truth. I will admit that I was never 100% sure during the movie is he was Peg Leg or not.

Without spoilers, I loved the ending of the film. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I really found it to be refreshing.

The performances from the actors were top line. Vahid Mobasseri played Vahid, the mechanic who first discovered the possible Peg Leg, played by Ebrahim Azizi. Mariam Afshari was Shiva, a photographer who Vahid tried to get confirmation from. Other cast members included Majid Panahi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohammad Ali Elyasmehr, Delnaz Najafi and Georges Hashemzadeh.

I really enjoyed this international film. It was extremely well written with some exceptional performances.

4.4 stars

The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants

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This is a movie where the trailer helped get me into the theater. I will say that I don’t mind SpongeBob SquarePants, but I have never watched much of his stuff before. However, I thought the trailer for the movie was entertaining and funny, and, since it worked into the schedule well, I decided to give the new Paramount film a chance.

I enjoyed it quite a bit.

I must say that, although I do believe I saw it in the trailer, I did not remember that Mark Hamill was in the cast, doing the voice of the Flying Dutchman. That was a awesome surprise, and Hamill was sensational in the role.

According to IMDB, “SpongeBob journeys to the ocean’s depths to face the Flying Dutchman’s ghost, encountering challenges and uncovering marine mysteries.“

The voice actors, most of which were from the series, including Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence and Mr. Lawrence, do a phenomenal job. It was clear that they are experts at their roles by this point, and they bring a lot to the script.

The animation was fun. It had a lot of variety throughout the movie, keeping it flowing from one weird scene to another.

]The script is extremely funny, though there may have been a few jokes that were overused as the film progressed. Running jokes can work, but they can also become a touch old. There were examples of both in this mostly hilarious script.

This was an entertaining animated movie that I laughed at multiple times. I am not a huge fan of this show, but I enjoyed this movie the whole time.

3.75 stars

Avatar: Fire and Ash

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The third film in the remarkably successful franchise of Avatar was released this weekend with the film Avatar: Fire and Ash. I have had an up and down reaction to the franchise over the years. When I first saw the original Avatar, I was not a fan. Before the second one came out, I rewatched the original film and liked it better. When I saw the next film, I enjoyed it more. I was not sure what all that meant when it came to Avatar: Fire and Ash.

According to IMDB, “Jake and Neytiri’s family grapples with grief after Neteyam’s death, encountering a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe, the Ash People, who are led by the fiery Varang, as the conflict on Pandora escalates and a new moral focus emerges.“

Avatar: Fire and Ash, once again, is amazing to look at. I saw the film in 3D and it was spectacular looking, especially with the setting and background. I will say that there were some moments where some of the characters looked weird to me. It was not consistent, but there were enough times where it jump out at me. Otherwise, the technical aspects of the movie are marvels.

I have to say, I was bored with most of the first two acts of this movie. It is painfully long and I do not think that it needed to be as long as it was. It felt as if it could have been trimmed down, at least, a half hour. Having said that, the third act was much more compelling and full of action. I will say that, during some of the scenes in the third act, this movie fell victim to something that always bugged me about Transformers movies, which was it was difficult at times to tell who was who in the big battle.

I also feel that lot of this story is a basic retread of the other films, especially the second film. There were a bunch of things that seemed to be the same beats we already have seen.

I am sure that Avatar: Fire and Ash will make a ton of money at the box office this weekend and during the holiday season, I am not sure that it will reach the same levels as the first two did. I could be wrong, but this feels like an inferior version of those films. While it is spectacular to look at, there is not something new and amazing in the special effects. It is amazing, yes, but I do not think we can say this is considerably better than other films in the area of effects.

2.8 stars

Bone Lake

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Okay. I am not sure what I can say about this one.

According to IMDB, “A couple’s vacation at a secluded estate is upended when they’re forced to share the mansion with a mysterious couple. A dream getaway spirals into a nightmarish maze of sex, lies, and manipulation, triggering a battle for survival.”

This movie started out with a scene of two naked people running through the woods. It was just a terrible season and ended in a ridiculous way and I thought to myself, “What did I get myself into.” Then, it switched from the scene and it was a story being told by a boyfriend Diego (Marco Pigossi) to his girlfriend Sage (Maddie Hasson). It was meant to show that Diego was not a very good writer, even though he had recently quit his teaching job to write a novel. So I forgave that terrible scene because it was meant to show characterization of Diego.

The premise itself was common and things were really slow and dull in the first act and a half or so. Some dumb things were happening as it seemed that it was typical type of movie like this.

A little over a half way through the film, the story suddenly went totally batshit crazy. Then, I didn’t know what was happening and, honestly, the film had my attention more than it had before.

Is it a plausible movie? No, it is not. The stuff that goes down is ridiculous. It is also very different than the beginning of the film. It does do some interesting theorizing on couples, but when the chainsaws come out… well, there is only so much time for theorizing.

I am not sure how to feel about this. I was entertained at times while at other times I found myself feeling stupider having watched it. It felt like it was meant to be a satire at times, but I do not think that was the intent. I am torn on Bone Lake.

2.9 stars

Dead of Winter

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I have always thought that Emma Thompson was immensely talented as an actor. I have an even greater respect for her after watching her as an action hero in Dead of Winter.

Thompson played Barb, who had just lost her husband of many years. She was on the way to an out-of-the-way lake in Minnesota with his ashes when she comes across a snowstorm. Stopping at a cabin for directions, she came across a suspicious couple. Barb does not think anything of it, and she continues to the lake. However, while there, she sees a young adult girl with her hands tied and being held at gunpoint.

Going back to the cabin to investigate, Barb finds the girl, Leah, tied up in the basement of the cabin.

Emma Thompson was like a combination of Marge from Fargo and Dorothy from Fargo TV show. The movie does take time to give us background on Barb and her husband. They met at the lake where he wanted his ashes scattered. Barb was a hero, ready to put her life on the line for this stranger.

The film did a great job of creating a tension while watching. It was never over the top and it kept the audience wondering how Barb was going to get out of the trouble.

Without spoilers, I loved the end of the film. It was unexpected and quite dramatic.

While this may not be the greatest movie I have seen, it was enjoyable watch. Emma Thompson is a brilliant actor and she worked in an action movie way better than I ever expected.

3.5 stars

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

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I have been anxiously awaiting the latest Knives Out film from Rian Johnson to drop on Netflix/ I knew the film had been released in EXTREMELY limited release, no where near me, and the streamer was my only opportunity to see it. I wish I could have seen this in the theater on the big screen. I was a fan of Knives Out and Glass Onion, the first two films of the series, but Wake Up Dead Man was different.

It was a masterpiece.

There will be no spoilers, of course, in this review, so I am not sure how much I can reveal. I will simply say that the story was brilliant, and kept me guessing the whole way. Even when it appeared to be obvious about what happened, the full reveal was not yet detailed.

Daniel Craig returned as the glorious Benoit Blanc, in a story of murder and mystery in a small church in New York state. In what seemed to be an unsolvable case, Benoit Blanc walked through the crime scenes and the motives with Father Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor), whose dark past made him every bit the suspect as anyone else.

The cast is exceptional. Led by stunning performances by Josh O’Connor and Daniel Craig, the remainder of the cast were spectacular. Josh Brolin and Glenn Close were both amazing in this film, showing off how powerful they are as actors. The film included Jeremy Renner, Andrew Scott, Mila Kunis, Kerry Washington, Daryl McCormack, Cailee Spaeny, Thomas Hayden Church, Annie Hamilton and Jeffrey Wright.

Rian Johnson’s script was special. I loved the way the story played out and developed the characters and plot. There is so much depth here that it absolutely fills up the screen. The dialogue, as with most Rian Johnson projects, is sharp and witty, and, despite the dark undertones of the tale, had plenty of moments of levity that worked perfectly.

Josh Brolin has had quite a year. This role, along with his roles in Weapons and The Running Man, gives quite the spectrum of his talents as an actor.

The movie is long, but it does not feel such. It is such an engaging mystery with amazing performances and writing that it flies by. I did not think this would surpass the first Knives Out film for me, but it has done so. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is worth every second you spend on Netflix.

5 stars

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

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A24 has had some powerful movies over the years. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You ids one of those movies that was difficult to watch, but featured some amazing drama and performances.

Rose Byrne is remarkable in the film. Her performance as Linda was so visceral, so on the edge that it made me uncomfortable watching, in the good way.

According to IMDB, “With her life crashing down around her, Linda attempts to navigate her child’s mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist.“

Conan O’Brien had a supporting performance as another therapist that was so unexpected. He did not seem like the Conan O’Brien that we were familiar with. He did an exceptional job with this role.

Linda’s husband was constantly calling and harassing her, but, in the end, when he showed up as Christian Slater, everything fell apart for Linda.

Watching Linda being overwhelmed by everything in her life was some of the most painful stuff that I have seen on the screen in quite some time. With constant bad choices, Linda’s downward spiral was shocking at times. It was a powerful example of mental illness and how it can truly submerge who you are.

We never see the daughter on camera until the very end of the film. The husband was also just a voice for most of the film. Both of these choices added to the isolation feel for Linda and the weight of everything bearing down on her.

This was a very potent movie, but it is not one of those that I want to see again. The performances were top notch, but you do not come out of the experience feeling positive.

3.8 stars

Blue Moon

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December usually brings a series of potential Oscar contenders out, whether it be in the theaters or on streaming. I had heard about a performance by Ethan Hawke in a film called Blue Moon, where he played Lorenz Hart, a popular lyricist who worked with Richard Rodgers. It was available for rental on Fandango At Home so I gave it a shot.

The film is set in one location, Sardi’s restaurant on the night of the Broadway opening of Oklahoma!, a musical written by Hart’s longtime writing partner Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Hart was jealous, regretful and melancholy over the new musical, and spoke to the others

Hawke was astonishing in the performance because he had such a monumental amount of dialogue. This entire movie was built around the words being said by Lorenz Hart and the others in the restaurant. The monologues were extremely noticeable and stood out as some of the best writing of the year.

I absolutely can see this being nominated for an Academy Award for Best original Screenplay. The words of the film was as much of the star of this film as any of the actors.

There were a few notable actors in the cast along with Ethan Hawke. That included Margaret Qualley, Andrew Scott, Bobby Cannavale, Simon Delaney and Jonah Lee.

Robert Linklater directed Blue Moon, providing the pathway for the actors to deliver the lines of the script. It was an impressive accomplishment. The film had a Broadway play feel to it, as there were very few sets involved.

3.9 stars

Old Guard 2

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I really enjoyed the first Old Guard movie. It was based on a cool comic book series that I also loved. I was excited about a sequel coming on Netflix. I am afraid that there was a reason that Old Guard 2, which debuted on the streamer at the beginning of July, was a film that I did not watch until December.

This was terrible. Such a gigantic step back from the exciting and original Old Guard film that it felt like a totally different franchise. I hadn’t even known this had come out until I was researching superhero movies for this year.

According to IMDB, “Andy and her team of immortal warriors continue their mission to protect humanity. This time, they have to face off against a formidable new foe who threatens the very fabric of the Old Guard, while also dealing with the return of an immortal who was thought to be long lost.”

The movie was slow, dull, and featured a group of actors just going through the motions. There was some interesting action at times, but most of them just blended together and became background noise.

The plot is weak. I am not sure what matters here. The film does not have much heart, especially when compared to the first one. It felt like it was nothing more than a place card for the next movie in the franchise, which would shock me if it ever got made.

1 star

Jay Kelly

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This movie popped up on Netflix recently and I added it my queue. I was able to watch it this morning.

I have never been a huge George Clooney fan, but I can’t say that his presence has ever kept me from watching a movie. I can say that about his co-star Adam Sandler, who has a bunch of movies that I never watched because he was the lead. I went into this with the knowledge that Sandler has had some Oscar buzz about him so I hoped this would be more like Uncut Gems and less like Billy Madison.

According to IMDB, “Famous movie actor Jay Kelly embarks on a journey of self-discovery, confronting his past and present with his devoted manager Ron.”

I really liked this movie. I thought George Clooney did a sensational job of playing this iconic action movie star who was going through an existential crisis, and I was very impressed with the work of Adam Sandler in this film. He still was able to provide some of the best comedic lines without sacrificing character or intelligence.

Director Noah Baumbach provided a sharp satirical look at Hollywood and how the life of a movie star can be a lonely one. A couple of times, Jay Kelly’s daughter said that he was “never alone” but the film does a great job of showing how he absolutely could be, even while surrounded by his entourage. It showed, as well, the lack of understanding Jay Kelly had on his daughter’s lives.

There were some solid supporting appearances in Jay Kelly. Laura Dern, Stacy Keach, Jim Broadbent, Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Riley Keough, and Grace Edwards.

It does feel a touch long, but I don’t know what I would remove. There are scenes that focus in on Adam Sandler and his life and background that really develops his character that I would not remove at all.

Clooney really does make this role feel like it is something that he has lived through. I believed every thought and feeling jay had during the course of the movie. The film had some neat sequences where something was shot in a way that was original. For example, there was a scene with Jay and his daughter where they were on the phone, but the film shot it as if they were walking beside one another.

Jay Kelly was a engaging movie with some really well developed characters. I was very impressed by the film overall.

4 stars