Backstage Pass

“Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant” is based on the true story of US Army Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Dar Salim) in 2018 during the Afghanistan War. After being ambushed, Ahmed risks his life to save Kinley, who is wounded and unable to walk, by transporting him…

  The latest movie about Peter Pan is now playing in theaters everywhere. “Peter Pan and Wendy” is based on the original story of the “Peter Pan” book by Sir James Matthew Barrie, written in 1904, and the 1953 animated Disney movie “Peter Pan.” The film stars Jude Law as…

“Judy Blume Forever” I screened the excellent documentary during the Sundance Film Festival in January 2023, and loved the film. Most know author Judy Blume books as her name is synonymous with the joy and agony of being an 11- or 12-year-old. Directors Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok present a…

Ben Affleck’s “Air” is a complete delight from start to dramatic history-making finish—in fact, it’s the best movie I’ve seen yet in 2023! It’s the story of super-star basketball player Michael Jordan and the beginnings of his iconic Nike shoe, with a setting of 1984. Following Affleck’s film career since…

Keanu Reeves lifts the “John Wick” series to new heights! Most of the world has somewhat of an idea that Reeves is an unkillable assassin. Having viewed all of the John Wick movies since 2014, I’m happy to say the newest installment is my favorite so far. Wick continues his…

The sci-fi teen drama, with action, adventure, and humor, is set in modern-day Philadelphia two years after Thaddeus Sivana’s defeat in “Shazam!” The two daughters (Hespera and Kalpso) of Titan Atlas (Hellen Mirren and Lucy Lui) broke into the Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece, and stole the Wizard’s staff. The…

My selection’s during the Toronto International Film Festival September 2022 started off with the comedic writer-director Paul Weitz’s film, “Moving On,” starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Malcolm Macdonald, and Richard Roundtree. The story centers on a man (Howard), played by Macdonald, giving a eulogy at his wife’s funeral; a college…

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be orphaned and discover that you may have a sibling? That’s the premise of “The Magician’s Elephant.” The film is based on the popular young adult fantasy novel of the same name by Katie DiCamillo. The fantasy setting is an…

“Outer Banks” is an American teen drama streaming on Netflix, created by twin brothers Josh and Jonas Pate and told through their childhood experiences. The brothers grew up on Kiawah and Johns Island in South Carolina and around Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina. They felt the class divide was real…

The award-winning TV series “The Bear” is rated (TV-MA), which means for (mature) audiences, it’s streaming on Hulu. Jeremy Allen White (“Shameless” 2011-2021) is ‘the Bear’ he’s a young top Michelin star chef who returns home to Chicago to help in his deceased brother’s Italian beef sandwich shop. The restaurant…