COMING SOON

The writer, Colleen Hoover has enjoyed some great success with having her best-selling novels transformed into motion pictures. The first, "It Ends with Us", which starred Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, became a huge commercial success in 2023, grossing over three hundred and fifty million dollars worldwide. Her other books, "Regretting You" and "Reminders of Him" were also made into films and while neither managed to reach the same massive box-office heights, both were still able to attract a sizable audience.

Now Hoover's latest book-to-screen adaptation is "Verity" with this drama driven with some major star power. Bestselling author, Verity Crawford (played by Oscar-winner, Anne Hathaway) has become incapacitated and her husband (Josh Hartnett) has hired Lowen, (Dakota Johnson), a struggling writer, to help complete his wife's popular book series. While living in the Crawford's home to work, Lowen discovers a hidden manuscript that contains some disturbing information about the author.

Based on the teaser trailer, "Verity", directed by Michael Showalter, appears to be filled with suspense and psychological tension, diving into shifting boundaries between truth and fiction. And this will be the fifth movie featuring the very busy Hathaway released this year following the indie drama, "Mother Mary", the long-awaited sequel, "The Devil Wears Prada 2", Christopher Nolan's historical epic, "The Odyssey" and the sci-fi thriller, "The End of Oak Street".

"Verity" is due in US theaters on October 2, 2026

SERENITY (2019)

Written & Directed by Steven Knight


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. January 27, 2019 5:45 PM



With two Oscar-winning leads, a solid supporting cast and a filmmaker who has written a script that earned him an Academy Award nomination all on board, you would think that the feature, "Serenity" should be at least entertaining. But Steven Knight, who wrote "Dirty Pretty Things", "Eastern Promises" and "Locke", has attempted to put a modern twist on a classic noir thriller and the result is dull, confusing and completely absurd.

Matthew McConaughey plays Baker Dill, a rugged fishing tour boat captain who sails on his ship named “Serenity” out of Plymouth Island off the Florida coast. Baker is not on steady ground financially and struggling to keep his business afloat. He is also struggling to forget his troubled past involving his former wife and young son but finds some comfort by consuming a large amount of booze. With his trusty first mate, Duke (Djimon Hounsou) by his side, Baker has become obsessed with capturing a large tuna to help solve his money troubles and while he has come close, the fish remains elusive.

Just when Baker thinks his situation couldn't get any worse, it does with the arrival of his ex-wife, Karen played by Anne Hathaway in full blonde, femme fatale mode. She has tracked him down with a small favor in mind; aware that her former husband is in a tight financial bind, Karen offers him millions of dollars to kill her current husband. Loud, boorish and very wealthy, Frank (Jason Clarke) is also physically and emotionally abusive to her and Baker's teenage son, Patrick.

Unable to just leave him for reasons that are not fully explained or questioned, Karen is desperate but Baker turns her offer down. However, Karen is very determined and uses her mind and body to convince him it's a good idea for everyone involved. Baker eventually agrees to do the plan which involves taking Frank out on the boat in a drugged-out state and for him to have a tragic fishing accident where he's dragged out in to the sea.

And then there is a strange man (Jeremy Strong) who has been anxiously following Baker and finally catches up to him on a rainy night. The man simply wants him to test a fish detector but he also inadvertently brings to Baker's attention that what he's been experiencing (and what we have been seeing) is not at all what it may appear to be.

I won't even try to explain what unfolds in the third act because, to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure that I can. Mr. Knight's attempt to deconstruct the film noir genre could have been interesting and enjoyable yet with "Serenity" he failed to apply basic logic and consistency to his story. The crazy twists and turns of the plot do not connect by the time we reach the conclusion of the film, leaving a hole big enough for a naked McConaughey to easily swim right through (which his exposed body is featured prominently on land and underwater here and may be enough incentive for some to actually see this mess).

With a dark, heavy-handed script which the actors are required to perform with complete seriousness, the film is in desperate need for a few moments of lightness. The only one who comes closest to enjoying themselves is Mr. McConaughey who still manages to deliver a touch of his easy-going, laid-back style to the brooding boat captain. The gifted Ms Hathaway may be able to do many things but she's not exactly persuasive as a vamp. Lacking a sultry confidence that people like Barbara Stanwyck or Kathleen Turner could provide with little effort, the actress appears uneasy and lost most of her time on screen. And once again, poor Diane Lane is wasted in a thankless role. She plays Constance, a horny neighbor that Baker occasionally provides stud service for when he needs some extra cash. Ms Lane should have actually switched parts with Ms Hathaway. She's actually closer in age to Mr. McConaughey and would have been a far more convincing seductress.

"Serenity" may feature committed performances and a great-looking production but it's all wasted on a film that is unsettled on what exactly it's trying to be. There are moments when we are in the middle of a tense, sexy thriller before shifting to a dysfunctional family drama and finally spinning in to a surreal puzzle. Yet ultimately none of it works together, leaving "Serenity" drifting lost at sea.

OCEAN'S EIGHT (2018)

Written by Gary Ross and Olivia Milch


Directed by Gary Ross


Where & When: AMC Sunset 5, West Hollywood, CA. June 8, 2018  5:15 PM



"Ocean's 8" is a glossy, all-star adventure that showcases female empowerment and inventive teamwork through high-tech crime. Gary Ross replaces Steven Soderbergh, the director of the "Ocean's" trilogy, and delivers a stylishly entertaining romp that sticks to the tradition of savvy criminals being the heroes yet it's now a crew made up entirely of women. While the gender-flip concept is modern and enlightened, the execution is safe and predictable.

After convincing a parole board that she’s a completely changed woman since spending the last five years in prison, Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) is released from guarded confinement.  However, with grifting running deeply through her bloodline, she wastes no time scamming several high-end department stores and the Plaza Hotel in New York as soon as her heels hit the pavement. Although skeptical of his actual passing, Debbie still pays her respects to her estranged brother, Danny (played in the trilogy by George Clooney) by visiting his grave before setting her sights on tracking down her old partner-in-crime.

When Debbie finds Lou (Cate Blanchett), a no-nonsense, butch femme, she lays out the elaborate heist she‘s been plotting during her time behind bars. The idea centers around stealing a diamond necklace worth over one hundred million dollars and doing this during the annual gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While she initially balks at getting involved in this crazy scheme, Lou is eventually persuaded to participate. And in order to pull this heist off, they will require some professional help and begin to assemble a crew.

The first on board is Rose Weil (Helena Bonham Carter), an unhip, financially-strapped Irish fashion designer whose job will be to trick their unwitting accomplice, Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway), one of the hottest celebrities of the day, in allowing her to design her dress for the gala. Then Rose has to get the vain and frivolous actress to persuade the Met to allow her wear this vintage Cartier necklace to the event.

Next is Debbie's old friend, Amita (Mindy Kaling), an unmarried jewelry designer who gets involved to order to escape from her overbearing mother. Tammy (Sarah Paulson), a former racketeer turned suburban wife and mother, takes little convincing to get her out of the house to join them. And a street con-artist, Constance (Awkwafina) along with a brilliant computer hacker named "Nine-Ball" (played by pop superstar, Rihanna) rounds out the crew.

With all the players now in place, it is time to put the plan in motion. But Lou discovers that Debbie is planning another job within this already complicated job. A definite "no-no" in her book. It involves Debbie's art dealer, former boyfriend (Richard Armitage) who is responsible for her landing in jail. Debbie assures her that the plan will easily settle the score from her past while allowing them all to set-up for a very comfortable future.

 "Ocean’s 8" is one of those densely plotted capers (with a serviceable script by Ross and Olivia Milch) that requires every single step of this intricate con to go off without a hitch otherwise the whole plan will crumble apart. And of course it all does go relatively smoothly, no matter how far-fetched or improbable the situation. That leaves the film with no real suspense or surprises and the audience simply waiting for the routine, inevitable conclusion.

But the story is hardly the reason to watch "Ocean's 8". It's all about the delicious treat of seeing all these amazing actresses together in one film and the thrilling camaraderie of these female characters which is rarely shown these days on the big screen. Bullock, Blanchett and the gang seem to be having a grand time and enjoy each other's company while looking absolutely flawless.

The ultimate message of "Ocean's 8" is that men and women are truly created equal. This breezy comedy displays that the ladies are just as capable of lying, cheating and stealing with delightful skill and charm just like the fellas.

COLOSSAL (2017)

Written & Directed by Nacho Vigalondo


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. April 9, 2017 11:15 AM



Romantic comedies have regularly followed a basic guideline; boy meets girl (insert cute way of meeting). Boy and girl fall in love. Boy (or occasionally girl to add a little variety) is not ready for the relationship or some other complication which drives the couple apart. The complicated situation is resolved and the couple reunite to live happily ever after. The end.

With "Colossal", filmmaker Nacho Vigalondo, for the most part, has successfully upended our rom-com expectations by unexpectedly incorporating sci-fi conventions and pitch-black comedy. He also has Anne Hathaway, who has a long history as the romantic interest in many comedies, as the unusual focus of our story, playing a messy and drunken young woman who would not be any one's vision of a perfect partner. The movie has much more on it's mind than your average feel-good comedy, offering moments that are edgy, fanciful and a little bit disturbing.

Gloria (Hathaway) is a New York City chick with some problems. While unemployed for months, she hasn't made much effort in finding a new job. Gloria spends most of her free time staying out all night partying hard with her friends. Sick of her neglect and reckless behavior, Gloria's fed-up British boyfriend, Tim (Dan Stevens) packs her bags and kicks her out of his apartment.

With few options and no where else to go, Gloria heads upstate back to her old family home to crash until she comes up with a plan. She runs into Oscar (Jason Sudekis), an old school friend and they reconnect. He now runs his late father's bar and hangs out after hours drinking with his buddies, Garth (Tim Blake Nelson) and Joel (Austin Stowell) all night. This is clearly Gloria's perfect idea of how to spend an evening.

As we learn more about Gloria and Oscar, our impression of them begins to shift. Finally realizing her blackout drunk behavior and bad choices are interfering with her life, a good-spirited, better-functioning Gloria emerges as she attempts to clean-up her act while Oscar, a sweet, nice guy who gives her a job at his bar and furniture for her empty house, begins to display a darker, malicious edge once Gloria doesn't properly reciprocate his feelings for her.

Meanwhile on the other side of the world in Seoul, Korea, a gigantic monster suddenly appears terrorizing and causing destructive havoc in the city. How this seemingly unrelated incident is connected to Gloria is what makes the film hilariously subversive and wonderfully ingenious.

After discovering her part (although, to be fair, accidental) in the death and destruction in Seoul through this monster, Gloria is understandably upset. But the arrival of a giant Transformer-type robot there further complicates the situation when the identity behind it is someone that she knows and is about to make her life even more miserable.

The early film work of the Spanish director involved low-budget horror and science-fiction with "Colossal" being his first major-scale, English-language feature. Mr. Vigalondo certainly has experience appealing to fan boys but has challenged himself by adding a little heart, emotion and even a feminist angle to this surreal, sci-fi adventure.

While the mixing of genres and tones may confuse some, the wild and daring performance of Ms Hathaway will set them straight. Despite the distraction of her ill-advised 2011 Oscar hosting gig, her underwhelming acceptance speech for her Best Supporting Actress win for "Les Misérables" and the subsequent troll group, "the Hathahaters" that sprang from all that, the actress reminds us here of her great talent, managing to make her character funny and appealing in spite of some of her less appealing traits. Mr. Sudekis also surprises, as he's usually seen on screen as a buddy or the perfect catch, by slowly revealing that the seemingly considerate Oscar is not at all what he appears to be.

Wonderfully absurd and unexpectedly moving, "Colossal" never goes anywhere near where you think it will go and that's what makes it one of the most striking and original films of the year.

THE INTERN (2015)

Written & Directed by Nancy Meyers



Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA, September 26, 2015  5:45PM



"The Intern" is the latest sleek and tastefully designed romantic comedy by writer/director Nancy Meyers. Starting with "Private Benjamin", the fish-out-of-water Goldie Hawn hit comedy she co-wrote with Charles Shyer, her former husband back in 1980 to her directorial debut with the remake of "The Parent Trap" (which helped put the teenage Lindsay Lohan on the map), Meyers has used her gifts and hard-earned clout to make warm, engaging but overly glossy films that places strong female characters front and center. With "Baby Boom", "Something's Gotta Give", "What Women Want" and "It's Complicated", the director gave Oscar-winners, Diane Keaton, Helen Hunt and Meryl Streep the opportunity to play smart, funny and complicated mature women that don't turn up nearly often enough on the big screen.

"The Intern" sticks to this tradition with Anne Hathaway as a thirty-something, e-commerce business woman trying to juggle work and family. But the sixty-five year old Meyers is now interested in exploring how baby boomers fit in today's society and that comes in the form of Robert DeNiro playing a seventy-year old retired executive who decides to return to the work force. Because of the wide generation gap between them, neither believes they would have much in common but learn that age ain't nothing but a number.

Jules Ostin (Hathaway) has founded The Fit, an Internet fashion shopping site. The company is successful and growing fast which leaves her little time for her stay-at-home husband (Anders Holm) and their adorable young daughter (JoJo Kushner). Cameron (Andrew Rannells), head of operations, strongly recommends finding a seasoned CEO to help run the rapidly expanding company. Reluctantly she agrees to meet with potential candidates with the hope of being able to spend more time at home.

He also decides to hire a few seniors as interns for the company. Ben Whitaker (DeNiro), a recent widower has grown tired of spending his golden years trying to stay busy. He wants to get back to work and applies to be an intern at The Fit. Overqualified but happy to have a job, Ben is assigned to assist Jules.

Unable to recall agreeing to this plan, Jules is not comfortable around older people, as they remind her of the uncomfortable relationship with her mother (unseen but voiced by Mary Kay Place). She keeps her distance from Ben, finding him a bit too observant, which he is and quietly finds ways to make himself useful around the office.

Ben had been warned about Jules being a fire-breathing, dragon-lady, leaving us with the hope of seeing Ms Hathaway using what she had been a victim to in "The Devil Wears Prada". Alas, there is no Miranda Priestly type to be found. Jules lacks any edgy tension, remaining impossibly sweet most of the time despite the intense pressures of running her business while trying to be a good wife and mother. The actress doesn't have much to build on so her performance, while alluring and emotional, remains bland. It's nice to see the usually gruff DeNiro lay on the charm as the wise, good-natured retiree but we can feel him struggling to maintain this unnatural persona throughout.

Nancy Meyers' comedies are known for their visual delights with a long established focus on the world of the upwardly mobile, fabulously chic and flawlessly attractive crowd. This may sound strange but I think the cinematic counterpart to Ms Meyers in many ways is Woody Allen. Despite the many obvious differences, the most notable similarity is how each continuously enjoys creating these elegant worlds where we're supposed to be concerned about the great suffering and challenges of the well-to-do, struggling with the difficulties of their privileged lives. And people of color tend not to fit in their vision.

Now, I enjoyed "The Intern" (and to a lesser degree, Mr. Allen's recent "Irrational Man") and there's nothing necessarily wrong with holding on to this narrow worldview but film after film, it grows tedious, making it much harder to take their films seriously.

If Mr. Allen had made "The Intern", the director would have been compelled to create an unlikely romance between Jules and Ben. Ms Meyers appeared to be heading in that direction with a moment when the two, clad only in their pajamas, share a bed in a hotel room the evening before a meeting with a potential CEO in San Francisco. But the only action that occurs between them is Ben lending an ear and offering words of comfort and advice to a conflicted Jules. I'm sure that was her little joke on us where our long-held expectations in most rom-coms is to find our leads irresistibly attracted to one another. Thankfully, Ms Meyers is far more practical and finds a more age-appropriate romantic partner for Ben in the form of Rene Russo playing a masseuse that works for the company.

With "The Intern", Ms Meyers shares her thoughts and opinions on generational relationships, the current state of human interactions and what's lacking in the contemporary male with dazzling style and acute humor. You may find some of these ideas old-fashioned, elitist and overly melodramatic. But it does offer a lighthearted yet contemplative point of view which is quite refreshing in this day and age.

LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS (2010)

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Written by Charles Randolph and Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz


Directed by Edward Zwick


Where & When: Los Feliz 3, Los Angeles, CA. December 4, 2010  9:45PM


"Love & Other Drugs" is the latest entry of the romantic dramedy that attempts to alter the well-worn path that these films tend to go down. This time we have the unlikely romance of two young people who are both very messed-up  but their biggest problem is that both are either afraid (her) or incapable (him) of being able to say, "I love you".

The year is 1996 and Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jamie, a smooth-talking  player who makes a sport of bedding as many different women as possible and then discarding them like the used tissue that he used to clean himself afterwards. He just lost his job at an electronic store, after screwing his boss's girlfriend, so he decides to become a pharmaceutical sales rep.

Jamie goes to work for Pfizer and with his partner, Bruce (Oliver Platt) set about trying to get doctors to prescribe the drug, Zoloft to their patients instead of Prozac. They aren't having much luck but Jamie is determined so he decides to become creative. He knows that if he can get Dr. Knight (Hank Azaria) to make the switch, all of the other doctors will follow, so Jamie pays the doctor to allow him to shadow him so he can convince him to try his drug.

Jamie is in the room while Dr. Knight is seeing a patient and he meets Maggie (Anne Hathaway), an attractive young woman who is in the early stages of Parkinson's Disease. She is concerned about a mark on her breast and since she is told Jamie is an intern, she shows the doctor the lump. It turns out to be nothing more than a spider bite.

While Jamie is leaving the office, he is whacked on the head by a pissed-off Maggie who has just discovered that he nothing more than a sales representative. Jamie apologizes before having the nerve to ask her out. She declines his offer but Jamie is determined, so he manages to gets her phone number and talks her into meeting with him.

During their date, Jamie is trying his best to charm Maggie right out of her pants but despite knowing that's all he wants, she decides to forget about the small talk and just have sex with him, since that is all that they both want anyway.

Jamie now finds her even more appealing but Maggie will only continue to see him as long as it doesn't become serious which, for now, is perfectly fine with him. One evening, when Jamie is having some difficulty "rising to the occasion", Maggie tell him about this new drug that has just come out to help men with this problem called Viagra. Jamie realizes he knows exactly how to sell this drug. He goes to his partner to look in to selling it and after he does, Jamie becomes very rich and successful.

Soon, Jamie realizes that he wants more than just sex in a relationship and tells Maggie that he loves her, which is the first time he has ever done that in his life. Maggie is resistant to the idea but soon gives in because she also knows that she has feelings for him. Their relationship is put to a challenge when Maggie's disease starts to progress. Jamie begins working hard by researching Parkinson's and traveling across the country to talk with specialists to try and help Maggie. After they attend a conference on Parkinson's, Maggie and Jake both realize that their future together may be very difficult and are they really ready to handle what could lie ahead?

You see plenty of skin and actual sexuality in this film, which really shouldn't be so unusual for a romantic comedy but most tend to only just talk about sex and cut away before the clothing comes off. Mr. Zwick has used this approach before with his first feature film, "About Last Night. . ."  back in 1986 which is a much stronger film, in part because it's source material was based on a play by the accomplished David Mamet but also it featured characters who you clearly understood where they were coming from and you wanted them to work out the problems in their relationship. The two lovebirds in "Love" never come across like the perfect match and have so many obstacles working against them that it just seems that they never had plausible chance for any success. I just kept thinking that they probably would be better off just moving on and maybe try and be friends. While there are plenty of entertaining moments, the biggest problem is that the light comedy and the dark drama just are not successfully blending together well enough to make it feel like a cohesive film.

The film is helped by a strong supporting cast that include Josh Gad who plays Josh, Jamie's wealthier but just as messed-up younger brother, Judy Greer as a helpful receptionist and a way too brief appearance by George Segal and the late Jill Clayburgh as Jamie's parents.

Ms Hathaway slips easily into the type of role that Julia Roberts would be playing at the beginning of her career, in fact there are times in the film when she physically looks like Ms Roberts plus they both share the same engaging demeanor and sexy charm but she brings her own special appeal to the part. Mr. Gyllenhaal delivers another great performance and is perfect as character who starts off as nothing more than a womanizing jerk but he manages to discover, with the help of a woman who sees right through his nonsense, that he is capable of giving more of himself than he ever thought possible.

While "Love and Other Drugs" is far from a completely satisfying romantic comedy, it is still a nice diversion and much better than most of these comedies that have been dumped in theaters the past few years.