XD Now Playing
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Cast: Kate Winslet, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldaña
Director: James Cameron
192 min


Now Playing
Wicked: For Good
Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Peter Dinklage
David
Brandon Engman, Phil Wickham, Asim Chaudhry
• 115 min
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants
Clancy Brown, Mark Hamill, Tom Kenny
96 min
Now You See Me: Now You Don't
Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco
Five Nights at Freddy's 2
Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio
• 104 min
Zootopia 2
Jason Bateman, Quinta Brunson, Fortune Feimster
107 min
The Housemaid
Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar
Ella McCay
Jamie Lee Curtis, Rebecca Hall, Ayo Edebiri
Coming Soon
Song Sung Blue
Kate Hudson, Hugh Jackman, Michael Imperioli
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
N/A
Wuthering Heights
Hong Chau, Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi
EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert
Elvis Presley
Othello
Movie Guru's Current Movie Briefs
Since I write many of these briefs the day before the movies are released, what we have here are mostly ruminations on movies I have not yet seen. You will have to decide for yourself if these briefs have any value. I believe the less you know about a movie, the better chance you might enjoy it to the upside. Too many reviewers seem to go out of their ways to ruin for you with way too much information your upcoming movie experience. In fact my D graded Master’s Thesis proposed that reviews should be embargoed until after the opening weekends allowing moviegoers to see the movies fresh and without plot summaries taken right out of the press kits.
- The Housemaid
It is a thriller on the horror side. At least it looks that way to me. I have seen Sydney Sweeney in about five different movies in the last year. Even though her choices have been less than steller, her energy astounds me. She reminds me of the Twilight actress who was not ready for prime time but has become a true actress and filmmaker. I wish the same for Sydney.
- Spongebob the Movie – The Search for Squarepants
Spongebob has never let me down. I watched the preview and didn’t pay attention but laughed anyway. Spongebob is the Mickey Mouse of my kids’ generation.
- David
This is a faith based animation of the story of David defeating Goliath and becoming King of Israel. It is a wonderful Bible story and should make an excellent family outing for those who are interested.
- Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
Super fans of Freddy’s will love it. Viewers who gave the first one a chance probably won’t be back for more. But there are big bucks in sequels (e.g. Avatar 3: Fire and Ash for anyone or more likely for everyone).
- Merrily We Roll Along
If you have not noticed filmed Broadway shows filling empty screens along with Japanese anime and Indian films in three dialects and anniversary movies anywhere from 10 to 50 year oldies but goodies, then you have no interest in this latest Broadway revival. It is a revival of a failed Stephen Sondheim 1980’s musical starring Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe).
- Jujutsu Kaisen
Japanese anime.. Another popular film for fans of anime.
- Rental Affair
Brendan Fraser off his Academy Award performance as a very fat man is now in this pleasant looking interesting and watchable independent film. Recently small human relationship movies, good or bad, have trouble finding their audience. Best of luck to this one. I think it deserves to be a winner.
- Wicked For Good
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific is a classic American musical. The song Bali Hai is as good as it gets. If you are a musical aficionado and have not seen South Pacific, you are in for a treat. I have no opinion about Wicked and Wicked: For Good. In order to create a successful Broadway musical today, it is as much about the special effects as the actual music. I cannot criticize the Wicked duo when they are so beloved by fans of all types and ages. So be it, Enjoy the movies and ignore critics altogether.
- Running Man
Glenn Powell recreates the Arnold Schwarzenegger role in this adaptation of Richard Bachman’s (aka Stephen King’s) pulp novel from years ago. I am picky about running times. I really enjoyed the first Running Man timed in at a comfortable 101 minutes. Will this indulgent 133 minute version add to the joy or deaden the simplicity of the original?
- Now You See Me Now You Don’t
The third in the series of a team of magicians who play Robin Hood during big time heists. If you haven’t see the first two check them out on streaming if you can. It isn’t necessary but would be a test of how badly you want to see this latest.
- Nuremberg
Rami Malek is the psychiatrist who delves into the mind of evil played by Russell Crowe. Either you are for or against Nazi theater. I believe it is terribly difficult to recreate the reality of the Holocaust, but every effort is worth a look. Stanley Kramer’s 1961 Judgement at Nuremberg, a successful all star depiction of the Nuremberg trials,is definitely a film you should watch.
- Predator:Badlands
The preview surprised me with its PG-13 rating. Hard to believe. So what to expect from its previews? Much more Predator backstory, and possibly more humanity if you can call it that. I waill see it, but I will not be taking the grandkids even with its PG-13 rating.
- Anemone
What is an anemone? Actually I sort of know but wonder why it would be the title of this movie. Are they trying to bury it before anyone gets the chance to see it/ Consummate artist Daniel Day Lewis returns to acting after eight years in retirement. Of course we who know his iconic performances beginning with My Left Foot will be first in line. But a quick warning. The film is written and directed by his son, a good enough reason for the Dad to return to the screen but maybe not a sign that this will be a movie deserving of great praise.
- One Battle After Another
Leonardo DiCaprio with Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn, directed by auteur Paul Thomas Anderson (look him up). Recently released Caught Stealing was a failed auteur madcap action film. One Battle After Another looks great for those us who want to see a successful auteur madcap action film. This could be the one.
- Superman
Written By Michael Harris
It feels like DC films have constantly been testing the waters lately. Due to the company’s many box office flops in recent years, DC decided that it would be in their best interests to reboot the franchise under James Gunn and Peter Safran. Superman plays it safe and uses what they know will work. With high stakes, honorable characters, and incredible graphics, the viewer is compelled to be invested in the story and its characters. However, the would-be dramatic scenes are undercut by the feeling that they were specifically made for the trailers, the main characters are seemingly one-dimensional even among moral dilemmas, and many subplots feel like they were cut. Still, Superman (2025) has a sort of originality that impresses me, even though its characters have been reused for decades. Overall, Superman is definitely a worthwhile watch for new and old fans alike as DC starts its new chapter. - F1
Written by Michael Harris
F1 does not recreate the wheel but refines it. It takes the successful pieces of other franchises and joins them together in order to appeal to a wide audience. The protagonist, Sunny Hayes (Brad Pitt), fills a John Wick archetype, where his growth to become the best at what he does is not shown, but left to imagination in the form of a legacy. Because the film was by the director of Top Gun Maverick, it was given the technical tools to make it appear accurate to real life Formula 1 racing. However, the movie still feels unrealistic due to its downplaying of the dangers of racing and a predictable story. Filled with unnecessary subplots and a long two and a half hour run time, F1 loses most of its emotional impact, but is still an overall good action movie that is worth watching. - Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
Tom Cruise is a brute. In his Mission Impossible movies his stunt work really is impossible. The movies themselves have deteriorated over time, but the action is young Jackie Chan but with millions of dollars in preparation and invention backing up every death defying moment. This “final” impossible and the one before ir are more than I can handle though I am sure I will leave the theater in awe of an old man astounding us all.
- The Surfer
Another Nick Cage movie comes out of nowhere. And I am glad. Cage continues to step up to the plate and hit homers in movie after movie surrounded by young filmmakers all putting forth maximum efforts creating low budget genre hybrids. I could tell you a little bit about this movie but, as always, the less you know the better.



