Movies – Zachary Mule

DON’T SAY IT

(WHAT EXIT FILMS/DON’T SAY IT MOVIE, LLC/FILMPOOL FILMS (96 minutes; Unrated); 2024)

Some movies whisk you away with grand gestures and fairy-tale romances. DON’T SAY IT does the opposite – it sits you down at a wobbly diner booth, pours you a cup of coffee, and reminds you that love is just as beautiful in the small, imperfect moments of everyday life.

DON’T SAY IT (RICH GROSSO, JOE PACHECO, PJ MARINO, VICTORIA KELLEHER) (publicity still)

Directed by Stephen Ward, this 2024 romantic dramedy isn’t about dazzling meet-cutes or sweeping declarations. Instead, it follows Pat Leone (Rich Grosso) and Lara Doyle (Victoria Kelleher) – two middle-aged, battle-worn souls trying to navigate life after disappointment. Pat, once a dreamer with ambitions of running his own restaurant, now slings sandwiches at his brother’s deli. Lara, a sharp-witted waitress, has long since traded romance for routine. They meet, they hesitate, they laugh, and – ever so cautiously – they begin to hope.

Love, Served with Extra Cheese.

DON’T SAY IT (RICH GROSSO, VICTORIA KELLEHER) (publicity still)

What makes DON’T SAY IT special is its affection for the messy, unpolished side of romance. Pat woos Lara not with flowers or poetry, but with his signature Italian chicken dish, a secret recipe that somehow tastes better when shared. Their dates aren’t candlelit affairs – they’re impromptu karaoke nights where off-key renditions of ‘80s love songs become the soundtrack of something real. And that’s where the magic lies. This film doesn’t chase perfection; it embraces the awkward, endearing, and deeply human ways people find each other.

DON’T SAY IT (RICH GROSSO) (publicity still)

The supporting cast adds richness without ever stealing the spotlight. Joe Pacheco plays Pat’s no-nonsense brother, embodying the kind of tough love that comes with decades of shared history. Tony Denison as Doctor Michael Bernardi offers sage advice with just enough mischief to keep things interesting. These aren’t just side characters – they feel like people you know, voices from the past nudging Pat and Lara toward happiness.

DON’T SAY IT (VICTORIA KELLEHER) (publicity still)

Music plays a quiet but essential role in DON’T SAY IT. The karaoke scenes aren’t just for laughs; they’re symbolic of the film’s entire message – sometimes, you have to make a fool of yourself to find joy again. And when Lara finally joins in, singing just a little too loudly, you can’t help but root for them both. This film is more than a love story. It’s a reminder that life doesn’t end at 40, 50, or beyond – that dreams can be resurrected, that laughter and love can still surprise you, and that sometimes, the best thing you can do is take the microphone and sing off-key.

DON’T SAY IT (RICH GOSSO, VICTORIA KELLEHER) (publicity still)

If you’re looking for something loud and flashy, this isn’t your movie. But if you want a film that feels like an old friend, warms you from the inside out, and leaves you believing in second chances, then grab a plate of Italian chicken and press play.

SUNRAY: FALLEN SOLDIER

(VERTIGO RELEASING/SUNRISE FILMS/FILM SEEKERS/SUNRAY PRODUCTIONS (116 minutes; Unrated); 2025)

Welcome back to another rousing movie review!

SUNRAY: FALLEN SOLDIER (TIP CULLEN) (promotional still)

Today we will be looking at a British film, SUNRAY: FALLEN SOLDIER, written by James Clarke and Sam Seely and directed by James Clark and Daniel Shepard. Both Clark and Seely are retired British Royal Marines and draw upon their experiences in Afghanistan to lay the groundwork for this thrilling action drama.

SUNRAY: FALLEN SOLDIER (ADAM HARLEY) (promotional still)

Our protagonist, Andy (Irish actor Tip Cullen), has dedicated his life to the military. Upon returning home he attempts to assimilate to civilian life. His marriage has tanked but he still maintains a relationship with his ex-wife and daughter. His days consist of punching a clock as an assistant manager at a small hardware store and visits to his therapist to work through the fog of war. Through a series of unfortunate events, Andy’s beautiful daughter Rachal (Saskia Rose) overdoses on a bad batch of heroin, – not that there is ever a good batch, but you get my drift. The heroin in question is supplied by her boyfriend, Cassius (Daniel Davids), compliments of his super wealthy drug dealing father, Lucian (Kevin Golding.)

SUNRAY: FALLEN SOLDIER (DANIEL DAVIDS) (promotional still)

The movie starts well enough, with Andy and his fellow Royal Marines Smudge, Sledge, Harper, Whiskey 5, and Tango (played by Tom Leigh, Luke Solomon, Steven Blades, Will Bowden, and Nicholas Clark, respectively) dispatching baddies with extreme prejudice while disrupting a major drug deal and searching for those responsible for Rachel’s death. After the opening scene, I expected to watch the stereotypical rage-fueled vengeance movie and truth be, told it did not disappoint. The plot line was fairly predictable with empathetic feelings for our antihero Andy, and his struggles with PTSD. A similar device was used in the classic movie RAMBO. But this movie also brings to light the struggles that many veterans must cope with after returning home from combat, coupled with the lack of mental health services to help them deal with the terror and violence they witnessed.

SUNRAY: FALLEN SOLDIER (TOM LEIGH) (promotional still)

The movie gives you lots of action but also allows you time to catch your breath for a few moments. And those moments are poignant, as Andy reminisces on his failed marriage and his dead daughter and visits his therapist to work through his PTSD. His sessions with the therapist reminded me a lot of Tony Sopranos visits with Doctor Melfi in the HBO series, THE SOPRANOS. (If you haven’t had the pleasure of watching THE SOPRANOS, what are you waiting for? It’s a pretty good series. I mean, what’s not to like? Organized crime violence and a mob boss who is seeing a therapist. You may be disappointed with the ending, but them’s the breaks). Basically SUNRAY… is RAMBO meets THE SOPRANOS with a dash of M Night Shyamalan thrown in.

This flick is a bit more than your stereotypical revenge-fueled movie. The ending is completely unexpected. With my first viewing, I was a bit confused and unimpressed, as I didn’t pick up on the subtle clues the writers and directors leave the viewer. On a scale of one-to-ten, my first viewing of SUNRAY: FALLEN SOLDIER was a four. It was entertaining with plenty of action and the common action movie tropes: War heroes coming together to help their captain avenge his daughter’s death, explosions, gunfights, car chases, ambushes and, of course, redemption.

Upon a second watch I realized there were clues… very subtle clues. And did I mention a surprise ending? If only they could have captivated me on my first viewing. It’s unfortunate that I had to watch the movie a second time to pick up on some of the subtleties. Some of those subtleties seemed like gaps in the plot or just poorly written scenes; they were not – they were actually clues! Keep that in mind when you view this movie. If I tell you more, I will ruin it for you. Stick with it. If you’re observant, you won’t have to watch it a second time. I give this movie a solid 6½ out of 10. It would have been a little higher had I not felt I needed to watch the movie a second time to realize it was not plot gaps and clunky scenes.

SUNRAY: FALLEN SOLDIER is available now on YouTube TV.

HEY, MA! WATCH THIS Movies Streaming Video | Moose | February 12, 2025 | Action Movie British Royal Marines Daniel Davids Daniel Shepard Extreme Violence James Clark Kevin Golding Luke Solomon Movie Movie Trailer Nicholas Clark Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome PTSD Awareness Revenge Sam Seely Steven Blades SUNRAY: FALLEN SOLDIER Tip Cullen Tom Leigh Unrated Will Bowden YouTube Channel

THE DAMNED

(VERTICAL ENTERTAINMENT/LEY LINE ENTERTAINMENT/FIS EIREANN/SCREEN IRELAND/PROTAGONIST PICTURES (89 minutes; Rated R);2024)

“We should not be here,” says Miss Eva (Odessa Young) as the men respectfully call her, in a brief voice-over to start this very grim, unsettling tale of members of a remote Icelandic fishing village struggling with the elements in a hellish late 19th-century seascape. She ain’t a-kidding; only a group of hardy, tougher-than-nails Nordic types could endure the relentless cold and darkness, the isolation and the variable fishing results of being here in this environment. “It was a place of opportunity if you could enjoy the cold,” we’re calmly told, but skepticism would be the healthy response to that upon seeing the dark gloomy skies, the bundled-up participants and the need to drink heavily and crack manly jokes that the bearded dudes here routinely engage in. As eerily beautiful as the cinematography (by Eli Arenoson) is, there’s an atmosphere of doom and ill portent soon after you are immersed in this striking North Sea setting, which the dramatically somber music (wonderfully scored by Stephen McKeon, who serves this tale remarkably well with his sonic choices) enhances at every turn. The only other female member of this crew, Helga (Siobhan Finneran), tells a spooky story by firelight early on, broken up by laughter at the end… but the camera lingers on Eva’s face effectively as she listens to the dark atmospheric tale. You get the sense that things could go on in this manner on almost a daily basis, with an obvious intimacy and mutual dependency anchoring the lives of these villagers.

But things are about to get MUCH worse. In the distance, we see another group of fisherfolks struggling mightily with their own craft, obviously in distress. The humane thing to do would be to go help them, right? But the serious danger in this situation puts Eva and company in agreement that “helping those men would put YOUR lives at risk.” When they think things have calmed a bit, they all row out in their barely suitable rowboat to see if they can salvage some supplies. It’s an absolutely striking scene, reminiscent of scenes from Robert Eggers’ THE NORTHMAN, and as visually and emotionally dark a scene as you could imagine, creepy as hell. Speaking of which, all actual hell breaks loose when some of those desperate villagers, clinging to some large rocks, start trying to reach Eva’s crew and fight for a spot on their still-functioning boat. It’s a chaotic, terrifying and surprising violent scene that will have you questioning the complex morality of the situation and how YOU might behave in this scenario. It’s simply a no-win situation, and the filming by director Thordur Palsson is stunning here – unforgettable, in fact. Again, the many closeups of Odessa Young’s traumatized expressions and barely controlled fear, are memorable. But Helga and company think an evil force of some kind has been unleashed, and who could disagree? Especially after the body count mounts, and a disgusting scene sort of reminiscent of an iconic scene in ALIEN, is the last straw for some of our “heroes.” “The long winters here play tricks on your mind,” a worried Daniel (Joe Cole) says to Eva as he teaches her how to hold and shoot a rifle, in a scene that hints of a possible romantic vibe. That’s followed by a highly energetic scene, very cinematic and reminiscent of the drunken dancing and singing by Merry and Pippin in a memorable LORD OF THE RINGS sequence, when our villagers are in the mood to celebrate a particularly good catch. But that’s the last such moment of positivity anyone will enjoy. Shadowy entities, hallucinations, a shocking suicide and Eva’s understandable declaration that “we have to get RID of this thing,” dominate the film’s final third. If you like seeing characters trying to find HOPE in a reality of hopelessness, this tale should keep you mostly riveted.

THE DAMNED is a lean 90 minutes or so long, and all the characters are absolutely believable, looking and sounding like tormented Icelanders although some dialogue is a bit hard to follow. The setting pulls you right in, and while there are a few horrifying moments, it’s not in any way an “over-the-top” horror movie. It’s more an atmospheric character study of tormented people stuck in a desperate situation, with Odessa Young anchoring the tale in a genuinely credible performance. The ending is not gonna be to everyone’s taste, and clearly was NOT if you go by the “user reviews” on the IMDB page. And this kind of “slow burn” piece of cinema will be too dark or even boring for some. But I found THE DAMNED to be rather hypnotic, immersive, darkly beautiful and rather original in its overall script, direction and focus on exactly where it was going. Admittedly, I tend to be a fan of “grim wary tales,” as you might call this, and I watched it with full attention throughout, struck by how well all the haunting components worked together to keep you hooked like the doomed fish our villagers devote their livelihoods to catching.

HEY, MA! WATCH THIS Movies | Kevin Renick | January 12, 2025 | Desolation Eli Arenoson Horror Iceland Joe Cole Movie Nordic Horror Norse Mythology North Sea Odessa Young Psychological Thriller Rated R Shipwreck Siobhan Finneran Stephen McKeon The Damned Theatrical Release Thordur Palsson

GEORGE A ROMERO’S RESIDENT EVIL (TRAILER)

(DARK STAR PICTURES/UNCORK’D ENTERTAINMENT/KEY 13 FILMS/POINT FIVE FILMS/CYFUNO VENTURES (2 minutes; Unrated); 2025)

In 1998, Constantin Film approached legendary director George A Romero to bring the gory, zombie-infested video game RESIDENT EVIL to the big screen. Despite the best efforts of everyone involved, the proposed adaptation never materialized. The story behind the project and what happened has gained mythical status in 25-plus years since its inception. Now, director Brandon Salisbury’s new documentary, GEORGE A ROMERO’S RESIDENT EVIL reveals the hidden history of one of the greatest “what could have been” stories in cinematic horror. The documentary is currently available on digital and On Demand. We hope to have a full review soon, but until then, check out the trailer below.

HEY, MA! WATCH THIS Movies Streaming Video | Darren Tracy | January 9, 2025 | Brandon Salisbury Digital On Demand Documentary GEORGE A ROMERO'S RESIDENT EVIL George Romero Horror Movies Movie Trailer RESIDENT EVIL Streaming Video Video Game Adaptation Zombies

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

(SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES/WALT DISNEY STUDIOS/TSG ENTERTAINMENT/VERITAS ENTERTAINMENT/WHITE WATER/RANGE MEDIA PARTNERS/THE PICTURE COMPANY/TURNPIKE FILMS(141 minutes; Rated R); 2024)

Biopics are always fraught with possible problems, among them an army of fans and pundits waiting to pounce on every historical inaccuracy and to analyze the actors playing the key figures, judging whether or not they did an authentic enough job portraying those figures… an especially opinionated exercise when it comes to MUSICAL biopics. Sometimes there is general agreement that the film did a good job (recent biopics on Ray Charles, Elton John and Queen, for example). And sometimes a film in this category flames out so quickly, hardly anyone even bothers to see it (anyone remember that Bowie film a couple of years ago that couldn’t even get the rights to use most of Bowie’s music?). James Mangold, the director of the superb new Bob Dylan biopic A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, is clearly aware of the burden placed on him to credibly tell the story of a true musical icon… he’s braved these waters before with his Johnny Cash film, WALK THE LINE, which mostly won audiences and critics over, despite some liberties taken here and there with facts. Mangold had his two main stars in that film do their own singing, a challenging task for Joaquin Phoenix, who played the man in black, and Reese Witherspoon, who delivered an Oscar-winning performance as June Carter. But Mangold did an impressive job selecting the parts of that story he wanted audiences to see, and using the enduring collaboration and initially iffy romance between Cash and Carter as his cinematic throughline, an artistic decision that worked quite well.

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (MONICA BARBARO, TIMOTHEE CHALAMET) (screenshot)

All of this is to say that Mangold had an even loftier task bringing the story of the legendary Bob Dylan to life; Dylan is one of the most important and influential singer/songwriters of all time, and every music fan in the world over a certain age knows SOMETHING about the performer and has impressions (and favorite periods) developed over more than a half century of pop culture evolution. How could you make a worthy film about a musician who meant so much to so many, and still does? Well, two key decisions pointed the way: one was to focus entirely on Dylan’s first five years, when he made the biggest splash as the Greenwich Village “folkie” inconoclast who changed the rules and forced a debate about Folk music versus Rock and Roll to come to the surface, most notably at the infamous Newport Folk Festival. The second decision was to find the right actor to play Mister Zimmerman (Timothee Chalamet, simply superb) and have a good part of the script deal with two key women in Dylan’s first phase: Joan Baez (played here by Monica Barbaro) and Sylvie Russo (a character based on the real-life Suze Rotolo, an artist and activist Dylan was romantically involved with for a while and is pictured with him on the cover of his debut, THE FREEWHEELIN’ BOB DYLAN). Elle Fanning plays that role in the film with charm and often heartbreaking vulnerability. Anyway, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN does an effective job alternating scenes of Dylan singing his powerhouse and emotive songs and building an awestruck following in the process, with scenes showing his interactions with the already established Joan Baez (who inevitably falls for him after seeing his charisma and obvious talent) and the slightly more angsty young artist who shares his bed. It’s hard to just concisely sum up how well this movie delivers on these things. Chalamet is an absolute marvel, able to capture enough of Dylan’s early originality and relentless drive to convince you that you’re really in the presence of this legendary (and often prickly) performer, who simply will NOT reveal all his secrets or willingly be told what to do. I was frankly in AWE much of the time of Chalamet’s singing and successful portrayal of the inscrutable personality quirks that history has shown Dylan to always have had. You get whole songs sometimes and partial performances at other times, but it ALWAYS sounds authentic, with a handful of moments truly standing out musically, among them “Song for Woody” (a tune Dylan wrote for Woody Guthrie, who is seen ailing in a hospital bed early on when the young Bob visits and encounters Woody and fellow folk icon Pete Seeger (Edward Norton), “Girl From the North Country,” “Blowin’ In the Wind,” “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” and at least the first portion of “Highway 61 Revisted,” which is killer and I wish the film HAD given us the full song. I was personally absolutely riveted by every single scene showing Dylan interacting with Joan Baez, as I have some knowledge of that part of the story, and Baez was an early favorite of my late brother. Baez tires of Dylan’s abrasiveness and self-centered manner, flatly stating in one scene, “You’re kind of an asshole, Bob.” It’s absolutely not in the cards for these two very serious musicians to truly gel romantically, but they can’t avoid or ignore each other during this period. When they duet on an absolutely stunning live performance of Dylan’s song “It Ain’t Me Babe” at Newport, the way it is filmed and the subtext of the lyrics results in one of the most singular and memorable musical performances ever put on film. Seriously, I got chills from this scene, and the way Barbaro looks at Chalamet’s Dylan with a combination of respect for his immense talent and knowing sadness that he is ultimately sort of “unreachable,” is cinema magic. I loved Barbaro’s performance, and I loved the script, truthfully. There are so MANY moments that felt right to me as both a musician myself and a longtime observer of pop culture and the ever-changing music industry. You get plenty of scenes dealing with the industry’s attempt to capitalize on Dylan’s talent, by the way, and to reign in his sometimes unruly ways, culminating in the widely known controversy when Dylan “went electric” at the Newport Festival. It’s all engrossing stuff. And I can’t leave out Edward Norton’s solid performance as Pete Seeger… he’s our guide to the role that folk music was playing in the culture in the early ‘60s, an admirer (and mentor at times) of the stunning young talent who quickly starts changing the musical landscape Seeger has been a part of for so long, and the wise veteran who knows how songs can unite people in uncertain times (made clear by scenes showing the nuclear confrontation between the US and Soviet Union and growing civil unrest, something the Sylvie character addresses), but is concerned that Dylan may DIVIDE, rather than unite the audience.

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (CHARLIE TAHAN, TIMOTHEE CHALAMET, ELI BROWN ) (screenshot)

That actually DID happen for a short time, but it’s quite clear that Dylan was simply ahead of the curve, and was too important and effective a songwriting voice to be held back by ANYONE… whether established peers like Baez and Seeger, his manager Albert Grossman (Dan Fogler) and other industry types invested in him, or an audience sometimes not willing to initially go along with the “new sounds” and aesthetic that Dylan was determined to explore. The film ends with Dylan heading off down the road on his trusty motorcycle, and we all know that the musician was soon to have a serious accident that would lay him up for a significant period and result in significant changes in his music. But I absolutely found myself feeling that A COMPLETE UNKNOWN had made almost all the right decisions: WHEN to begin the story (there is nothing about Dylan’s childhood, for example, something I’ve read a bit of grumbling about), when to end it, and how his music – and personality – significantly affected both those around him and those in his audience. You’re plunked down, as a viewer, into the middle of a vibrant Greenwich Village scene, and you’re given enough of a legendary artist’s music, impact and mysteriously insular nature, to gain fresh insight into how Dylan changed things, as well as to feel like you’ve time traveled a bit. I was consistently riveted by A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, and truly emotionally stirred by most of its scenes. Yes, it’s a terrific musical biopic. But even more, it’s a significant piece of cinema and possibly the best film James Mangold has directed (kudos also to his co-screenwriter Jay Cocks). Offhand, I can’t think of a better and more significant cinematic tale of how a musician came to change the world and remained mysterious and unpredictable throughout. Look for some Oscar nominations and plenty of revived interest in this Dylan fellow… I hear he is still around and doing things that people still argue about to this day.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI HEY, MA! WATCH THIS Movies | Kevin Renick | January 8, 2025 | A COMPLETE UNKNOWN Albert Grossman Biopic Blues Rock Bob Dylan Classic Rock Dan Fogler Edward Norton Elle Fanning Folk Music Greenwich Village James Mangold Jay Cocks Joan Baez Monica Barbaro Movie Music Newport Folk Festival Pete Seeger Rated R Rock and Roll Theatrical Release Timothee Chalamet Woody Guthrie

TRAILER PARK BOYS PRESENT STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF KITTIES: THE BUBBLES AND THE SHITROCKERS STORY

(BLUE FOX ENTERTAINMENT/BATS FILM-GRAND BATS LIMITED/SWEARNET PICTURES (112 minutes; Rated R); 2024)

Here’s the premise of Trailer Park Boys (henceforth referred to as TPB) in a nutshell: Julian (John Paul Tremblay), Ricky (Rob Wells) and Bubbles (Mike Smith) are dim witted petty criminals who drink, smoke weed, and are constantly scheming their next big score. TPB are surrounded by an equally odd cast of characters, including Jim Lahey, the drunken trailer park manager (one of my favorite characters in the show, played by the late John Dunsworth), and his bumbling romantic partner and always shirtless, Randy. And who could forget the Moron twins, Cory and Trevor… if you know, you know.

TRAILER PARK BOYS PRESENT STANDING ON THE SHOULDER OF KITTIES: THE BUBBLES AND THE SHITROCKERS STORY (MIKE SMITH, ROB WELLS, JOHN PAUL TREMBLAY) (uncredited publicity photo)

The TV show quickly garnered a large cult following, with guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Jimmy Kimmel, Alex Lifeson, Doug Benson, Sebastian Bach and Tom Arnold. TPB even hits the road occasionally with a touring stage show (two shows are available on Netflix: LIVE IN FUCKIN’ DUBLIN and DRUNK, HIGH AND UNEMPLOYED: LIVE FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS). And did I mention movies? Three, to be exact: TPB – THE MOVIE, COUNTDOWN TO LIQUOR DAY and DON’T LEGALIZE IT.We can now add one more with the release of TPB PRESENT STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF KITTIES: THE BUBBLES AND THE SHITROCKERS STORY. The latest installment of the wildly popular series, SOTSOK: TBATSS was written by Smith, directed by Charlie Lightening and filmed in the traditional TPB “mockumentary” style.

TRAILER PARK BOYS PRESENT STANDING ON THE SHOULDER OF KITTIES: THE BUBBLES AND THE SHITROCKERS STORY (MIKE SMITH) (screenshot)

STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF KITTIES will not disappoint true fans. The film’s crude, sophomoric, swear-y humor will play to its fan base. I genuinely liked the movie, however, Julian and Ricky play a much smaller role in this project and some of the gags and tropes have become stale. The bumbling Bubbles and shirtless Randy could not sustain the film with their shtick sometimes falling flat. Don’t get me wrong… I love Bubbles and Randy; they are huge part of the TPB canon. However, they can not carry an entire (nearly two-hour) movie. In my opinion – and it is only my opinion – I believe the TPB are the sum of “all” of its parts. The four main characters have, for years, been together in the TV show and feature films. The four together make the comedy magic work. It’s akin the Three Stooges minus Moe with Curly taking a back seat, leaving Larry and Shemp to carry the torch.

TRAILER PARK BOYS PRESENT STANDING ON THE SHOULDER OF KITTIES: THE BUBBLES AND THE SHITROCKERS STORY (PATRICK ROACH, MIKE SMITH) (photo credit: COREY J ISENOR)

All in all, I liked THE BUBBLES AND THE SHITROCKERS STORY. However, like so many movie franchises you can only go to the well so many times before it’s empty. For example: Austin Powers. INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY was hilarious; THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME was pretty good; GOLDMEMBER was… okay (and I’m being kind by saying it’s okay). The narrow plot left the creators nowhere to go. And, when you include too many common tropes, coupled with diminished roles of major characters and recycled set ups and jokes, the end result is sub-par movie. I would have liked the movie so much more if Julie and Ricky playing a larger role. But, alas, the movie title is TPB PRESENT STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF KITTIES: THE BUBBLES AND THE SHITROCKERS STORY. The Devil, as they say, is in the details.

TRAILER PARK BOYS PRESENT STANDING ON THE SHOULDER OF KITTIES: THE BUBBLES AND THE SHITROCKERS STORY (BILLY BOB THORNTON, MIKE SMITH, RON WOOD) (photo credit: DAN REID)

On a positive note, STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF KITTIES is packed with cameos from Rock and Roll royalty: Ronnie Wood (The Rolling Stones), Eric Burdon (Front man for the Animals and War), Rick Nielsen(Cheap Trick) and, last but not least, Duff McKagan (Guns ‘n’ Roses). The final scene takes place in the iconic, legendary Apple Studios in London. The film also features Billy Bob Thorton playing himself and his legit band, the Boxmasters, who, by the way, has an extremely entertaining live show. But… that is a different topic for a different article.

For those of you who may be hearing about TPB for the first time, I would like to extend a word of caution: TPB are extremely vulgar, childish, and dumb. I would advise you start with the television show; its available to stream on Netflix. If you are an adult with a 14 year old sense of humor (editor’s note: aren’t we all?), you will probably love – or at least, like the show. If you are not into extreme vulgarity, childish humor, people committing audaciously stupid crimes, or you are easily offended, you may wanna skip the TPB.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI HEY, MA! WATCH THIS Movies Streaming Video | Moose | January 8, 2025 | Billy Bob Thornton Comedy John Paul Tremblay Mike Smith Mockumentary Movie Trailer Netflix Patrick Roach Rataed R Rob Wells Ron Wood STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF KITTIES: THE BUBBLES AND THE SHITROCKERS STORY; The Shitrockers Streaming Video Television Series The Boxmasters Theatrical Release Trailer Park Boys;

THE BEAST INSIDE

(SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY FILMS/UNCORK’D ENTERTAINMENT (85 minutes; Unrated); 2024)

THE BEAST INSIDE (also known as THE POSSESSION OF ANNE), directed by Jim Towns, is a chilling exploration of isolation, faith, and the human spirit’s resilience in the face of unrelenting evil. The film follows Anne (producer and Towns’ co-writer Sadie Katz), a woman whose life spirals into a nightmare when she becomes possessed by a demonic entity. As her behavior grows increasingly erratic, those around her, including her boyfriend, Daniel (Anthony Preston), dismiss her pleas for help, leaving Anne to confront the malevolent force alone. Anne’s isolation is compounded by her failed attempts to seek help from traditional and alternative sources. Her visit to Jasmine (Denise Milfort), a Reiki healer, adds an intriguing layer to the narrative, introducing a clash between spiritual healing practices and the undeniable darkness consuming her. Jasmine’s inability to combat the demon highlights Anne’s dire situation and sets the stage for the film’s gripping climax.

THE BEAST INSIDE (SADIE KATZ) (screenshot)

Father Geoffrey (Vernon Wells), a weary priest, becomes a pivotal character as Anne seeks his help. His initial skepticism reflects a broader theme of disbelief that runs through the film, adding a psychological dimension to the horror. Geoffrey’s journey from doubt to belief mirrors Anne’s own struggle, creating a nuanced dynamic that enriches the story. The horror in THE BEAST INSIDE is both psychological and visceral. The film masterfully builds tension through its atmospheric cinematography, which uses shadows, dim lighting, and tight framing to create a sense of claustrophobia and unease. The house where much of the film takes place becomes a foreboding presence, its dark hallways and creaking floors amplifying Anne’s terror. The possession scenes are a standout, blending physical contortions with intense emotional distress. Anne’s self-exorcism is the film’s most harrowing sequence, a raw and brutal confrontation between human and demon. The scene is both physically and emotionally taxing, showcasing Sadie Katz’s powerful performance as she navigates the fine line between fear and determination.

THE BEAST INSIDE (VERNON WELLS) (screenshot)

Horror fans will be pleased with THE BEAST INSIDE’s commitment to delivering genuine scares and a compelling narrative. The film doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares; instead, it builds a slow-burning tension that culminates in a terrifying climax. The use of practical effects enhances the realism of the horror, making the supernatural elements feel immediate and threatening. Moreover, the film pays homage to classic possession horror while injecting fresh twists that keep the story engaging. The exploration of belief, faith, and personal strength adds depth to the horror, making it more than just a tale of demonic possession. It’s a story about a woman fighting to reclaim her agency in a world that refuses to believe her struggle.

In conclusion, THE BEAST INSIDE is a haunting and well-crafted horror film that offers both scares and substance. With its strong performances, atmospheric direction, and intense climax, it’s a must-watch for horror enthusiasts. Jim Towns has crafted a film that lingers in the mind long after the credits roll, making this movie a standout in the genre.

HEY, MA! WATCH THIS Movies | Kasey Lehmkuhl | January 7, 2025 | Anthony Preston Demon Possession Denise Milfort Digital On Demand Exorcism Horror Jim Towns Sadie Katz THE BEAST INSIDE THE POSSESSION OF ANNE Unrated Vernon Wells

STREET TRASH

(SCREAMBOX ORIGINAL; NOT THE FUNERAL HOME; CINEVERSE; BLOODY DISGUSTING; VINEGAR SYNDROME; ENIGMA ACE FILMS; PROTAGONIST STUDIOS; STAGE FIVE FILMS(85 minutes; Unrated); 2024)

STREET TRASH, directed by Ryan Kruger (FRIED BARRY), reimagines the 1987 cult classic as a dystopian horror set in a futuristic Cape Town. The story centers on a group of homeless misfits who discover a sinister plan by corrupt Mayor Mostert (Warrick Grier) to eliminate the city’s homeless population using a toxic chemical called “Viper.”

STREET TRASH ( SHURAIGH MEYER, LLOYD MARTINEZ NEWKIRK, JOE VAZ, SEAN CAMERON MICHAEL, DONNA CORMACK-THOMSON, GARY GREEN) (publicity photo)

The film follows Ronald (Sean Cameron Michael), a hardened thief struggling with addiction; Alex (Donna Cormack-Thomson), a resilient street teen; and 2-Bit (Gary Green), whose constant companion is a crude, talking puppet named Sockle. Together, they rise against the oppressive forces threatening their survival. Visually, STREET TRASH delivers a unique blend of neon-soaked aesthetics and grotesque practical effects. Its over-the-top body horror, including melting bodies and gruesome deaths, is both shocking and creatively executed. The chaotic action and wild set pieces add to its midnight-movie charm.

The film’s tone swings between dark satire and outrageous humor, making it an unpredictable ride. While the crude jokes and relentless gore won’t appeal to everyone, fans of splatter horror and cult cinema will likely enjoy its anarchic energy and unapologetic weirdness. Overall, STREET TRASH is a bold, grotesque, and polarizing experience. If you’re into bizarre, gore-filled horror-comedies that push boundaries, this movie delivers a wild, unforgettable ride. STREET TRASH is streaming now on Screambox.

HEY, MA! WATCH THIS Movies Streaming Video | Kasey Lehmkuhl | December 16, 2024 | Body Horror Comedy Donna Cormack-Thomson Gary Green Horror Movies Movie Trailer Remake Ryan Kruger Screambox Sean Cameron Michael Streaming Video STREET TRASH Unrated Warrick Grier

THE MAGIC REINDEER: SAVING SANTA’S SLEIGH

(KALEIDOSCOPE HOME ENTERTAINMENT/ANIMA VITAE/CINEMAKER/ULYSSES FILMS/MOETION FILMS (85 minutes; Rated G); 2024)

THE MAGIC REINDEER: SAVING SANTA’S SLEIGH is a festive, feel-good adventure that adds fresh energy to holiday storytelling. Niko, voiced charmingly by Pauli Halonen, is a young reindeer bursting with ambition and warmth. Halonen’s voice performance brings an endearing sincerity to Niko, who dreams of joining Santa’s elite Flying Forces like his father. Yet, the holiday season isn’t without surprises: When the spirited Stella arrives, Niko faces unexpected competition that pushes him to new limits.

THE MAGIC REINDEER: SAVING SANTA’S SLEIGH (screenshot)

What makes this film stand out is the depth of its wintery world and the vivid sense of holiday magic it conjures. The filmmakers have crafted a setting that’s both enchanting and rugged—a snow-covered North teeming with icy landscapes, cozy cabins, and hidden challenges. Every scene feels like a winter wonderland, adding a magical atmosphere that young audiences will find captivating.

The real twist, however, comes when Santa’s sleigh is stolen – a high-stakes moment that catapults Niko and his friends into a daring, fast-paced journey. The film balances humor and suspense expertly; scenes where Niko and his friends dodge ice caves and snowstorms are exciting, yet there’s a heartwarming undercurrent of friendship and teamwork.

THE MAGIC REINDEER: SAVING SANTA’S SLEIGH also delves into some heartfelt messages that resonate beyond holiday cheer. Through Niko’s journey, kids and adults alike are reminded of the value of resilience and how, sometimes, the biggest dreams require us to face unexpected challenges. The dynamic between Niko and Stella is particularly refreshing, showing a friendly rivalry that ultimately leads to mutual respect and collaboration.

With vibrant animation, a fun soundtrack, and themes that go beyond typical holiday fare, THE MAGIC REINDEER: SAVING SANTA’S SLEIGHh delivers a memorable adventure wrapped in holiday warmth. It’s a Christmas classic in the making, perfect for families looking for a tale that’s equal parts exciting and heartwarming.

HEY, MA! WATCH THIS Movies | Kasey Lehmkuhl | November 18, 2024 | Adventurous Children's Movie Christmas Computer Animation Family Movie Heartwarming Holiday Movie Movies Rated G THE MAGIC REINDEER THE MAGIC REINDEER: SAVING SANTA'S SLEIGH

DWIGHT FRYE’S LAST LAUGH

(GREGORY WILLIAM MANK, JAMES T COUGHLIN, DWIGHT D FRYE; 320 pages; LUMINARY PRESS/MIDNIGHT MARQUEE PRESS; 1997)

I grew up watching (and loving) the Universal Monsters movies; a very vivid memory was seeing ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEETS FRANKENSTEIN (sort of a 1948 Monsters-adjacent free-for-all with Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Junior and Glenn Strange co-starring with Bud and Lou) on a Saturday afternoon. It wasn’t such a big leap to THE WOLFMAN, THE MUMMY, THE INVISIBLE MAN and the dynamic duo that launched Universal’s monster franchise, DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN. Then, of course, there were the numerous sequels. Many of those films featured a manic young man named Dwight Frye; I was fascinated by Dwight’s characters and he became an instant favorite. Why? Was it the four-note laugh that his DRACULA character, Renfield, used to chill the marrow? Was it the fact that my favorite band, Alice Cooper, featured a six-and-a-half minute tune on their third album, LOVE IT TO DEATH, called “Ballad of Dwight Fry?” (Fry, by the way, was Dwight Frye’s real name… the “e” was added by Dwight early in his acting career to give it a more continental, distinguished flair.) Whatever the reason, Dwight Frye became “The Man” for me, at least as far as horror movies were concerned. I didn’t know anything about the man himself and found that there wasn’t really a lot of information out there about him (this was the pre-internet, “dinosaurs-still-roamed-the-Earth” late 1960s and early 1970s). The fascination waned, as it is wont to do, and I moved on to other things. Oh, I still watched DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN and the rest any chance I got and Dwight’s Renfield and Fritz were still fun to watch. It wasn’t until the late 1990s that I heard about a book co-written by Dwight’s son, Dwight David, that my interest was once again piqued. And so, I started haunting (pun fully intended) various book stores and other venues for a copy… with no luck! It wasn’t until very recently that – after watching DRACULA for, maybe, the millionth time that I renewed my quest to acquire DWIGHT FRYE’S LAST LAUGH. Things have become so much easier now, with search engines like Google and a website called ThriftBooks to find those hard to find items. So, now, thanks to that very same ThriftBooks, I have my very own copy of DWIGHT FRYE’S LAST LAUGH. Was it worth the wait, the time and trouble to hunt down? Absolutely!

DWIGHT FRYE’S LAST LAUGH (DRACULA, 1931: Helen Chandler, Bela Lugosi, Dwight Frye) (UNIVERSAL STUDIOS promotional photo)

To call the book exhaustive is sorta like saying that there’s some water in the Pacific Ocean. The second book review I ever wrote was a critique of Fred Kaplan’s THE SINGULAR MARK TWAIN, a 655 page biography with an additional 70 pages of notes and explanations of the main body of work. I was not a fan! The same cannot be said of DWIGHT FRYE’S LAST LAUGH; it is filled with minutia, but it’s presented in such a way that you really don’t mind. The biography portion of the book ends with Chapter 10 (even though Frye dies in Chapter 8). Those eight chapters are chock full of minutia regarding Dwight’s early life, his stage career – from stock productions in Denver, Spokane, Seattle and Pittsfield, among other towns and cities with theaters (the most common form of entertainment in the 1910s and ‘20s, just about every small city or medium-sized town had one) to his successes on Broadway – where he met Laura (using the stage name Laurette) Bullivant, whom he would marry. Chapter Five, titled “Dreams To Nightmares: The Horror Classics of 1931,” begins the chronicle of Frye’s career in the relatively new film industry and his eventual downfall. As Renfield in DRACULA and Fritz in FRANKENSTEIN, his over-the-top, rather psychotic performances led to Dwight being typecast as lunatics, with hunchbacks and wild eyes. Soon, he found himself relegated to bit parts (often uncredited) in a variety of B movies of varying quality. No matter how small the role, Dwight threw himself into the character as if his part was the most important. FRANKENSTEIN director James Whale was so taken with his portrayal of the sadistic, hunchbacked dwarf, Fritz, that in later years, he reached out to Frye, offering him roles in nearly every movie he worked on throughout the actor’s lean years in the ‘30s and ‘40s up to Dwight’s death in 1943; For THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, Whale famously combined three separate roles into one for his to-to ghoul; the actor delivered a tour-de-force performance as Karl, another in a string of hunchback dwarfs.

DWIGHT FRYE’S LAST LAUGH (THE MALTESE FALCON, 1931: Dudley Digges, Ricardo Cortez, Dwight Frye) (WARNER BROTHERS STUDIOS promotional photo)

Between DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN, Dwight portrayed Wilmer Cook in the first film version of THE MALTESE FALCON, a grittier, pre-Code offering that wasn’t as pretty as the 1941 version with Humphrey Bogart; when Warner Brothers tried to re-release the flick in 1935, the request was denied by the office of the Motion Picture Production Code for “lewd content.” It may have been Dwight’s last big role in which he wasn’t typecast as some sort of twisted, maniacal, deviant toady for whatever the Monster-du-jour was for a particular film (the vampire, Count Dracula, or the man-who-would-be -God, Henry Frankenstein). DWIGHT FRYE’S LAST LAUGH mentions numerous occasions where the studio would severely edit or completely cut the actor’s performances. As he struggled to provide for his family, he took on any role offered, no matter how small (or how ludicrous). Dwight Frye was the consummate actor, but first and foremost, he was the consummate family man.

DWIGHT FRYE’S LAST LAUGH (THE VAMPIRE BAT, 1933: Dwight Frye, Maude Eburne) (MAJESTIC STUDIOS promotional photo)

By the fall of 1943, Dwight Frye had been working an overnight shift at Douglas Aircraft (it was his way of contributing to the war effort, as he was too old to serve) for a year or more, looking for movie roles during the day. He had heard about a new movie being produced by 20th Century-Fox called WILSON, a biography of President Woodrow Wilson. With the help of a friend at the studio, he tested for and was given a fairly important, meaty role in the film, Secretary of War Newton D Baker. To celebrate the part, Dwight took Laura and their son, Dwight David, to a double feature. After the movie, the family caught a bus; before the bus even pulled away from the curb, the actor had collapsed in the aisle. He died about an hour later, at 11:15, of coronary thrombosis.

DWIGHT FRYE’S LAST LAUGH (THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, 1935: Dwight Frye, Valerie Hobson) (UNIVERSAL STUDIOS promotional photo)

Chapter 9, titled “Milestones,” highlights turning points (mostly deaths) in the lives of the people in the life of Dwight Iliff Frye, everyone from Tod Browning to Bela Lugosi, Lionel Atwill and James Whale to Boris Karloff. “Immortality” called in Chapter 10, as the authors recount the efforts of – not only Dwight’s son, Buddy (his father’s nickname for Dwight David) – but leading members of fandom like Warren Publishing’s James Warren and Forrest J Ackerman, publisher and editor, respectively, of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND (as well as the comic magazines CREEPY, EERIE and VAMPIRELLA), who invited Dwight David, Sara Karloff (Boris’ daughter), Ron Chaney (grandson of Lon Chaney Junior) and Bela Lugosi Junior as guests of honor to the 1993 Famous Monsters Convention. The chapter ends with the death of Dwight David Frye on March 27, 2003. Until that time, he worked tirelessly to keep the memory of his father alive to new generations of fans.

DWIGHT FRYE’S LAST LAUGH (Laura Bullivant Frye, Dwight David Frye, Dwight Frye) (family photo, 1933)

The actual biography of Dwight Frye – including a lot of great pictures and a couple of pages of notes – ends on page 202. The remainder of the book’s 320 pages features four appendices listing all of Dwight’s acting credits (“Filmography,” 60 pages with production information, cast and notes regarding Frye’s work; “Early Theatre Work: Stock, Vaudeville, Repetory,” 20 pages with much of the same information as Appendix A; “Broadway Plays,” 20 pages of his work there; “Regional Theatre,” 8 pages, including his last role, reprising Renfield in a stage production of DRACULA) and more photos. A bibliography and biographies of the authors make up the last few pages.

LITERARY LICENSE... REVOKED! Movies Non-Fiction Book Reviews | Darren Tracy | November 13, 2024 | Actor Bela Lugosi Biography Boris Karloff Classic Movie Dracula Dwight David Frye Dwight Frye DWIGHT FRYE'S LAST LAUGH Frankenstein Gangster Movie Horror Movies James Whale Laura Bullivant Frye Lionel Atwill Monster Movie THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN THE MALTESE FALCON Tod Browning Universal Monsters Universal Studios

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