Chuck Koplinski

De Armas in over her head in Ballerina If there was ever a scene-stealing moment, it occurred when Ana de Armas made a brief appearance in the 2021 James Bond adventure, No Time to Die. As Paloma, she claims to be a fresh-faced spy with only minimal training. This proves to be a modest assertion […]

Unflinching Back pushes viewer to the limit The Philippou Brothers’ Bring Her Back is likely to be a divisive film, primarily because it’s so well-made. Like their impressive 2022 debut, Talk to Me, it pulls no punches where its violent content is concerned, yet what makes it resonate is its emotional pull. A bracing examination of […]

Final Mission Impossible stays aloft thanks to cast Throughout Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, Ethan Hunt is reminded that the result of every decision he has made has led him to the dire situation he finds himself in. Sitting through the eighth installment of the franchise, one can’t help but draw the same correlation regarding […]

Ego runs riot in Tomorrow The very definition of a vanity project, Trey Edward Shults’ Hurry Up Tomorrow is a pretentious, misguided-from-the-word-go dive into the psyche of its star Abel Tesfaye, A.K.A. The Weeknd. This extended therapy session is ego messaging of the highest order, a narcissistic, woe-is-me examination of the trials and tribulations that […]

Nonnas a tasty tribute to tradition You’d be well served to have a pot of spaghetti, a pan of lasagna or a tray of cannoli close at hand while watching Stephen Chbosky’s Nonnas, a tribute to Italian food, family and tradition. Likely, what you have won’t be nearly as tasty as what you see on […]

Thunderbolts* strikes home Threats in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have come in all shapes and sizes but none have lacked in grandeur. There have been rogue gods, out of control robots, characters able to alter time and reality, mad sorcerers and eternal beings that wield unimaginable power. The threat in Jake Schreier’s Thunderbolts* is seemingly much […]

Accountant 2 unsure of its purpose or point I’d be hard-pressed to think of a more schizophrenic Hollywood movie than The Accountant 2. This unnecessary sequel to the 2016 Ben Affleck actioner can’t make up its mind what it wants to be. Sloppily directed by Gavin O’Connor, the script by Bill Dubuque is a whiplash-inducing exercise […]

Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film is the theme of the 2025 Turner Classic Movies Film Festival.  To be held from April 24-27, 2025, at various venues along Hollywood Boulevard, this annual gathering of film buffs and aficionados features an eclectic roster of 80 films, from anime to westerns.  As always, guests will abound at […]

Subtle Wallis a song of healing I’m sure we’ve all indulged ourselves in the fantasy of what we’d do if we won the lottery. It’s a relatively harmless bit of daydreaming, something to get us through the day. Dream homes are imagined, and satisfaction is felt due to the thought of benevolent acts we’d commit, […]

The Amateur: A spy in nerd’s clothing For the most part, James Hawes’ The Amateur eschews action set pieces, taking a more cerebral approach in this globe-trotting adventure that sees a tech analyst best the James Bond-types again and again. Combining the fish-out-of-water trope with a standard revenge thriller, the result is a film that […]

Due to its inherent nature, there’s always a bit of a remove between the viewer and what they see on the screen. Since the invention of cinema, filmmakers have been attempting to bridge the gap between fiction and reality, trying to make the movie-going experience as immersive as possible. Gimmicks such as 3-D and Sensurround, […]

Friend a testament to the power of pets I don’t have to tell those who have dogs as pets how wonderful their canine companions are. Studies have shown having one increases the owner’s life expectancy and helps relieve stress, while their presence is like having a live-in therapist. If you own one and your response to […]