Review by KC Carlson I pretty much knew what I was getting into when I began watching this movie. I own most of the Beach Boys’ (and Brian Wilson’s solo) albums in multiple versions/formats. I have also read at least a dozen books and watched several documentaries about BB/Wilson history — so I already had a pretty good idea what it was going to be about. So my reasons for watching were a) how exactly were they going to attempt […]

I was given a copy of Finding Neighbors, which comes out on DVD next week, to talk about because its protagonist is a middle-aged blocked graphic novelist. Sam (Michael O’Keefe, Caddyshack, Homeland) had early success, with his award-winning work turned into a movie, but now finds it difficult to write anything. His wife (Catherine Dent, The Shield) is sympathetic but has her own job and activities. Sam finds himself distracted by a new young neighbor (Julie Mond) who for some […]

I was deeply curious about The Age of Adaline, with its premise of a near-immortal woman who stops aging in the 1930s. Like a lot of people, for me, the idea of more time is appealing. The nature of scheduling to the overbooked is a tricky thing, and coincidentally, I didn’t see the film previously because I couldn’t find the time to make it to a theater while it was playing. I’m glad I didn’t, since it’s a piece I […]

People Places Things is the latest white-guy-mid-life-crisis indy movie I’ve stumbled across, but aspects of the setting will be of great interest to my readers. Written and directed by James C. Strouse, the film stars Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) as a graphic novelist teaching a comic course at the School for Visual Arts in New York City. On his twin daughters’ fifth birthdays, he discovers his wife (Stephanie Allynne) cheating on him. They divorce, and a year later, […]

I recently rewatched Finishing School, which stars Frances Dee. While reading up on her online, I came across mention of the pre-Code Blood Money. Given this reference in her IMDB bio, Her biographer, Andrew Wentnik, said that, “When a friend recently admonished her for playing a prostitute in Blood Money (1933), she denied it, saying, ‘I played a masochistic nymphomaniacal kleptomaniac, not a prostitute.’” I had to seek out the movie, previously thought lost for 40 years. Spoiler: It’s not […]

Scooby-Doo and KISS: Rock and Roll Mystery teams up two cartoony favorites. Reportedly, the makers aimed for “crazy-wacky”, and I feel like they made it. The KISS World amusement park, which proclaims them “hottest band in the land”, is haunted by the Crimson Witch. She’s attacking riders of the attractions and trying to shut down the park. She’s come from another dimension to take the Detroit Rock and summon the Destroyer. She also dresses like a refugee from a heavy-metal […]

Pixels is exactly what it promises: a movie where video games have come to life, and Adam Sandler and friends, former arcade champions, are the only ones who can save the Earth. In other words, it’s dumb summer fun, something to goggle at while sitting in a dark, air-conditioned theater. I’ve put the trailer at the bottom of this post, but I think it gives away too many of the cool effects and plot points, such as they are. (The […]

I was really intrigued by the premise of While We’re Young, about a childless couple (Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts) in their 40s who start hanging out with a couple (Amanda Seyfried, Adam Driver) in their 20s. I could emphasize with the situation, where the couples your own age are most excited about their kids, so if you want to do other things, you wind up with younger people who haven’t “settled down” yet, those who have more time and interests. […]