Slinger (Joshua Close), an American soldier, returns to his hometown from the Afghanistan War and struggles with PTSD while confronting the issue of gun violence in American Solitaire.  Writer/director Aaron Davidman has made a provocative, honest and genuinely heartfelt character study of a man who's trying to heal from emotional and psychological wounds that are more complex than physical wounds because they're invisible. So, in a way, American Solitaire is a war film, but one that doesn't involve physical combat. Instead, the combat occurs within Slinger's mind. He comes across as a decent human being who's trying his best to overcome his emotional pain through introspection, a very important tool. After the war, he clearly has a new perspective on the use of guns in America. It's quite moving to watch him change and come to epiphanies throughout the film while haunted by his traumatic memories. Bravo to Davidman for designing a window into Slinger's heart, mind and soul through the sensitive screenplay and to Joshua Close for opening that window through his emotionally convincing performance that finds the emotional truth of his role. The screenplay avoids preachiness, melodrama and schmaltz, and it doesn't ask the audience to judge Slinger, but rather to experience him and to empathize with him. They're with him on his emotional journey from start to finish and want him to ultimately find inner peace, although, admittedly that feat isn't easy to achieve. 

      American Solitaire is, fundamentally, a powerful protest for peace, happiness and compassion, and  protest against war, hatred and violence. It's also a wake up call that there should be more resources for war veterans to help them cope with their short term and long term PTSD.  At a running time of 1 hour and 35 minutes,  American Solitaire opens at Cinema Village via Complexity Pictures. It would be a great double feature with Sheepdog.

 

      8-year-old Sasha (Eylul Guven) moves with her mother (Iringó Réti), father (Ádám Tompa), younger brothers, Henry (Liam Serg) and Felix (Preston Drabble), and her troubled older brother, Jeremy (Edik Beddoes), who exhibits disturbing behavior, to Vancouver Island in Blue Heron. Writer/director Sophy Romvari has made an understated, engrossing, poetic and meditative portrait of a dysfunctional family. She keeps exposition at a bare minimum and even includes scenes that veer into surreal and psychological horror territory. There's often a sense that Jeremy will do something bad at any moment like Kevin in We Need to Talk About Kevin or the child in The Bad Seed, so Romvari plays around with the audience's expectations. Blue Heron isn't as intense as We Need to Talk About Kevin, but it's nonetheless just as provocative and emotionally engrossing.

       When the film flashes forward to Sasha as an adult (now played by Amy Zimmer) who's working as a filmmaker looking back at her childhood, that's when it becomes even more profound, complex and even somewhat elliptical. Don't expect any over-explaining because Romvari isn't the kind of filmmaker who spoon-feeds the audience through voice-over narration or exposition-heavy dialogue. She keeps a lot open to interpretation through the frequent use of blue colors as symbolism, and the exquisite, thoughful cinematography, i.e. a shot of the family inside their home while camera remains outside with a tree obscuring the audience's line of sight. By also refusing to holding the audience's hand through the film and moving it at a leisurely pace, she displays her trust in the audience's imagination, intelligence, patience and emotions. Patient audience members will be rewarded with a haunting experience that's transcendent beyond words and ultimately more than the sum of its parts. At a running time of 1 hour and 31 minutes, Blue Heron opens at IFC Center via Janus Films. 

Number of times I checked my watch: 2




 

      George Fahmy (Fares Fares), an Egyptian actor, gets pressured to star in a government propaganda film, a biopic about Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in Eagles of the Republic. Dr. Mansour (Amr Waked), the President's senior aide, oversees the production. Meanwhile, George dates a younger actress, Donya (Lyna Khoudri). Writer/director Tarik Saleh has made a meandering, unfocused and lackluster political thriller with a sprinkle of satire.  Unfortunately, its satirical elements lack bite while its attempts at comedy, such as tongue-in-cheek humor, are rarely effective. The plot takes too long to get to the meat of the story, so despite an interesting premise, its execution leaves a lot to be desired and remains a squandered opportunity to be intriguing, provocative and wildly entertaining. On top of that, Saleh does a subpar job of incorporating exposition.

      The last thirty minutes have the most suspense, but by then it's too little, too late because the weak screenplay doesn't provide the audience with enough emotional depth to care about what happens to George. The film just goes through the motions which means that you can hear the screenplay turning from start to finish and that too few scenes feel true to life. Fares Fares gives a charismatic performance that's undermined and diminished by the shallow screenplay. Moreover, Eagles of the Republic suffers from uneven pacing and stretches its plot too thinly, so you can feel the weight of its lengthy running time.  At 2 hour and 9 minutes,  Eagles of the Republic opens at Quad Cinema via Cohen Media Group. In a double feature with the Israeli satire Yes, it would be the inferior B-movie.

Number of times I checked my watch: 3

      Bethany (Charli XCX) arrives in Warsaw with her boyfriend, Rob (Will Madden), for a vacation where he plans to propose to her Erupcja. The eruption of a volcano not far away causes their flight back home to be delayed, so they're stuck in Warsaw for a few more days. Bethany spends more time with Nel (Lena Góra), her friend and potential lover from her teen years, who owns a flower shop, while ignoring Rob's texts. Writer/director Pete Ohs and his co-writers, Charli XCX, Jeremy O. Harris, Lena Góra and Will Madden, have made a breezy, undercooked and sugar-coated romantic drama that's like a dumbed-down version of an Eric Rohmer film. Despite so many screenwriters, the screenplay barely finds the time to breathe life into any of the roles and to address its topics of fidelity, happiness, sexuality and friendship unflinchingly. Bethany seems very toxic given the way she ghosts Rob while she spends the night with Nel. She's too emotionally immature to confront him that she's obviously no longer in love with him. Nel happens to be seeing someone at the time that Bethany sleeps with her, so she's selfishly destroying two different relationships simultaneously.

     What was Bethany's relationship like with Rob before they visited Warsaw? How introspective is Bethany? What has she learned by the end of the film? How has she changed? It doesn't seem like she regrets hurting Rob nor does she show any signs of true remorse, so if they separate, he dodged a bullet. He is much more kind and considerate than Bethany. Case in point: he transfers a reservation that he had with Bethany at an expensive restaurant to Nel and her ex-girlfriend which just so happens to be the same restaurant where they had their first date---a first date at an expensive restaurant, though? Really? That doesn't seem plausible or logical given that Nel isn't very wealthy. Beyond the screenplays many shortcomings, there's an annoying narrator who's intrusive, distracting and lazily spoon-feeds the audience as though the filmmakers can't trust their intelligence enough. Moreover, does the audience really need to be reminded over and over that volcanoes erupt every time Bethany and Nel meet? It's a metaphor that not only gets repeated, but also over-explained. The third act takes a sharp nosedive as it skips over too many key moments while the narrator tries to add some closure, but leaves the audience feeling empty and yearning for more unflinching emotional depth---or yearning to watch a far more engrossing and cerebral Eric Rohmer film. At a running time of 1 hour and 11 minutes, Erupcja opens at Angelika Film Center via 1-2 Special.

Number of times I checked my watch: 3

      Everyone is Lying to You for Money is a slickly edited, engaging and enraging, but oversimplified and unbalanced documentary exposé about the dangers of cryptocurrency. Director Ben McKenzie interviews people who have been scammed by investing in cryptocurrency as well as key figures in the crypto world like Sam Bankman-Fried, the CEO of FTX who's been convicted of fraud. McKenzie deftly hooks the audience through humor while making the topic less dry for them and easy-to-follow for anyone who's completely in the dark about crypto. If you're a fan of Michael Moore-style documentaries which entertain the audience, but also preach to the choir without being fair and balanced, you'll enjoy Everyone is Lying to You for Money---- a title that's quite alarmist and scary. There are more than 2 sides to a coin; there's the sides, the ridges and so forth.

      McKenzie show a lot of evidence f the negative sides and risks of cryptocurrency, e.g. the fact that crypto isn't insured by FDIC which means that anyone who's a victim of theft or scams can't get their money back. If you've already come to the conclusion that crypto is bad or if you're on the fence, this documentary will convince you or validate your negative feelings about crypto. However, if you believe in crypto or are an optimist who's a big risk taker or have had mostly positive experiences with crypto, then this doc won't be as convincing because it's not a thorough, nuanced or fair and balanced analysis. At a running time of 1 hour and 30 minutes, Everyone is Lying to You for Money opens at IFC Center via The Forge.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1

      Callie (Lexi Perkel), a lonely, shy and awkward fourth grader, moves to a new town with her mother, Angela (Christine Ko) and father, David (Quincy Dunn-Baker), in Mabel. She loves botany and even named one of her plants Mabel. Little do her parents know at first that she's secretly missing her assigned classes to attend a sixth grade science class where Mrs. G (Judy Greer), a substitute teacher, happens to teach botany. Meanwhile, Callie gradually befriends her next door neighbor, Agnes (Lena Josephine Marano), who's not as enthusiastic about botany as she is. Writer/director Nicholas Ma and co-writer Joy Goodwin have made a gently moving, exquisitely shot and poetic coming-of-age story. It also doesn't go where expected because there's more to Mrs. G than meets the eye. She's not a great teacher and has unresolved issues of her own that make her socially awkward like Callie and even somewhat toxic, but she does provide her with an outlet to channel her passion for botany. She even admits to Callie that she finds plants to be more interesting and than human beings. So, it wouldn't be fair to say that she's a good role model for her. Callie's mother tries her best to be a good parent, but she doesn't always know how to deal with Callie, and doesn't take her love of botany seriously at first. She wants what's best for her, after all, and wants her to be more social.

      Callie, like a plant, grows a little throughout the film, so by the end, she has learned valuable lessons about friendship, community and opening herself to others. That growth, though, comes from within and not with the help of Mrs. G. To watch her change, grow and learn feels genuinely heartwarming. Moreover, the breathtaking shots of nature with many close-ups add both style and substance. The final shot is both tender, sweet and genuinely uplifting without being cheesy. Mabel manages to be a warm, family-friendly and inspirational emotional journey well worth taking. At a running time of 1 hour and 24 minutes, Mabel opens at Cinema Village via Tribeca Films.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1

      19-year-old Rico (Juan Collado) lives in the Bronx with his mother, Andrea (Yohanna Florentino) and younger sister, Sally (Nathaly Navarro), while struggling to make ends meet selling homemade cocktails on the beach in Mad Bills to Pay: (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo). His 16-year-old girlfriend, Destiny (Destiny Checho), gets pregnant and moves in with his family. Writer/director Joel Alfonso Vargasi a tender, moving and well-acted come-of-age drama with shades of Ken Loach's socio-realist films. As Hitchcock once wisely observed, some movies are a slice-of-cake while others are a slice-of-life. Vargasi opts for a slice-of-life that remains grounded in authenticity as he centers on flawed characters who might not be very likable, but they're still relatable. The sensitive screenplay avoids stiltedness, melodrama, pretentiousness, schmaltz and unnecessary subplots. Rico has a lot of stress because he's the man of the house without his father around, and he now has to financially support his girlfriend and child which is no easy task. He has to wake up very early and catch a bus to make it to a fast food joint by the ocean where he works as a busser. Will he be a good father? Will he be a good husband? He's trying his best given his little resources and the absence of his father in his life. So, he has a lot of growing up to do. Vargasi has a knack for capturing mundane moments like Rico and Andrea going to a pizzeria and making them feel profound and engrossing. In other words, he finds Spectacle within the film's many Truths.

      Fortunately, Rico's relationship with Andrea feels authentic as does his relationship with his mother and sister. There aren't any contrived scenes to be found here nor any scenes that veer too much into dark territory. Yes, the film is mostly unflinching, but not in a way that's emotionally devastating or that becomes a form of "poverty porn." How has Rico truly changed by the end? Will he make the same mistakes he has made in the past? Vagasi doesn't tie everything neatly with a bow at the end, so the answers to those questions are open-ended, but there's some hope for him on the horizon. It all depends whether you're an optimist, a pessimist or a cynical optimist. The raw, natural performances by Juan Collado, Destiny Checho, Yohanna Florentino and Nathaly Navarro help to ground the film further in authenticity and humanism, a truly special effect. At a running time of 1 hour and 41 minutes, Mad Bills to Pay: (or Destiny, dile que no soy malo) opens at Film Forum via Oscilloscope Laboratories.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1

      In Mārama, Mary (Ariāna Osborne), whose Māori name is Mārama, arrives at Hawsker Manor after receiving a letter from a mysterious man, Thomas Boyd, who claims to know more about her parents. Instead, Nathaniel (Toby Stephens), a wealthy man, greets her and convinces her to become the governess of his 8-year-old daughter, Anne (Evelyn Towersey). Strange events occur which might have to do with Nathaniel's hidden motives and her the fate of Mary/Mārama's ancestors. Writer/director Taratoa Stappard has made an eerie, atmospheric, gripping and emotionally engrossing slice of gothic horror with stylish production values. Set in Victorian England 1859, the plot follows Mary as she discovers more and more dark secrets while at Hawsker Manor. Fortunately, Mārama doesn't rely on gore or shock value to entertain the audience. Instead, it relies on interesting characters and a compelling story that maintains suspense from the moment that Mārama arrives at the manor and meets Nathaniel. There are some scenes that feel creepy with psychological horror elements albeit nothing that's over-the-top or too intense. Everything from the set designs to the cinematography to the lighting and the costume designs provide a lot of visual style that also becomes part of the film's substance and makes it feel more cinematic.

      Writer/director Taratoa Stappard has a great command of tone, pacing as well as exposition. The audience only knows as much as Mary/Mārama does and see everything from her perspective, so it's easy to connect with her on an emotional level for the entire film. The emotional beats land, especially during the poignant third act that won't be spoiled here. That said, there's no comic relief or any other form of levity to be found here, but that's a minor, forgivable flaw---and, to be fair, adding comic relief would be quite challenging without leading to tonal unevenness. If you love gothic horror films with both style and substance like Crimson Peak and The Others, you'll also love Mārama. At a running time of 1 hour and 29 minutes, it opens at IFC Center via Dark Sky Films and Watermelon Pictures.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1




 

      In Mile End Kicks, Grace (Barbie Ferreira), a music critic, moves to Montreal to write a book about Alanis Morissette's album "Jagged Little Pill." She falls for Chevy (Stanley Simons) and Archie (Devon Bostick), two members of an indie band, Bone Patrol, simultaneously. Jay Baruchel plays her editor whom she has slept with. Writer/director Chandler Levack has made a captivating and funny romantic comedy that's also an honest and heartfelt coming-of-age drama with a radiant performance by Barbie Ferreira. The screenplay remains character-driven and treats Grace, Chevy and Archie like complex human beings. There are no villains here. No one gets stabbed, shoots someone or ends up having cancer or turns into a vampire or a zombie. Levack effectively finds the Spectacle within the film's many Truths.   Grace seems like a hot mess initially and somewhat emotionally immature. She sees Archie while also dating Chevy at the same time. She even admits to sleeping with her editor. Clearly, she lacks the concept of boundaries and healthy relationships, but she's not hopeless nor does she intend to hurt anyone.

      There are even some surprisingly tender moments where Grace displays her decency and compassion, e.g in a sex scene with Chevy. The sensitive screenplay doesn't judge her, but rather shows empathy toward her and asks the audience to watch her change, grow and try her best to learn from her mistakes and to figure out what she wants. Not everyone knows what they want right away. Some people feel lost, confused and haven't quite found their footing in life yet. Often getting lost is a great way to find yourself. Will she choose Chevy, Archie, someone else or no one? The answer to that question won't be spoiled here, but it's worth mentioning that it feels equally heartwarming and inspiration to watch her follow her feet to the beat of her heart while also, in a way, find romance with herself----as Whitney Houston once wisely observed in one of her iconic songs, "Learning to love yourself, it is the greatest love of all." At a running time of 1 hour and 52 minutes, Mile End Kicks opens in select theaters nationwide via Sumerian Pictures.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1




 

      Sam (Elizabeth Atkinson), a young Māori girl with cancer, befriends two other kids, Bronco (Terrence Daniel) and Mallory (Reuben Francis), while climbing the sacred Mount Taranaki in New Zealand in hope that it will cure her cancer in The Mountain. Writer/director Rachel House and co-writer Tom Furniss have made a heartwarming, funny and wholesome adventure with breathtaking scenery. It's a sweet film that manages to avoid becoming cloying. The plot focuses on the three young kids bonding together as they head toward the mountain. Meanwhile, their worried parents search for them and soon learn through a text message that they're okay. Not a lot happens in terms of action or suspense, but that's okay because what matters is the friendship that develops between the kids. The sensitive screenplay along with the terrific performances by the child actors help to provide Sam, Bronco and Mallory each with their own unique personalities and struggles which make them more human and relatable. Fortunately, The Mountain isn't the kind of film that panders to younger audiences. It's exhilarating, moving and even somewhat inspirational for the whole family without any scenes that are too intense, dark or disturbing for kids. At a running time of 1 hour and 29 minutes, The Mountain opens at AMC Kips Bay via Hope Runs High Distribution.

Number of times I checked my watch: 2

      Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk), becomes the temporary sheriff in the small town of Normal, Minnesota after his predecessor mysteriously dies in Normal. Soon enough, he survives a bank robbery and discovers that the townspeople and its corrupt law enforcement are hiding a dark secret. Director Ben Wheatley and his screenwriters, Derek Kolstad and Bob Odenkirk, have made an action-packed, asinine and uninspired B-movie that fails to deliver enough laughs, thrills, zaniness or suspense to become a mindlessly entertaining guilty pleasure. The prologue sets up the film's Tarantino-esque tone that doesn't hold back on its stylized violence before introducing the audience to Ulysses as he's about to start his first day at his new job. The plot runs out of steam, ideas and internal logic very early on, so after 30 minutes, the film becomes exhausting and a chore to sit through. Most disappointingly, the dark comedy beats don't land, and the dialogue suffers from lack of witty banter or anything that would generate laughs for that matter.

      Unfortunately, the action sequences far from imaginative, refreshing or exciting and the choreography isn't exceptional, so Normal doesn't even hold a candle to the breathtaking action found in superior action thrillers like John Wick or even Nobody which also stars Bob Odenkirk. Even the supporting cast members like Lena Headey and Henry Winkler don't get a chance to shine here. If you can imagine an inferior, unfunny and lazy cross between Fargo and John Wick, it would look something like Normal. At a running time of 1 hour and 30 minutes, Normal opens in select theaters nationwide via Magnolia Pictures.

Number of times I checked my watch: 2




 

      In Panda Plan 2: The Magical Tribe, Jackie (Jackie Chan) and his pet panda Hu Hu end up in the jungle where a tribe whose leader (Ma Li) mistakes Huhu for a deity and Jackie as the messenger. It's up to Jackie and Hu Hu to save the tribe from an imminent disaster by scaling a mountain. Director Keyang Pan and screenwriter Keyang Pan have made a silly, tedious and dull action adventure that's low on thrills, excitement and imagination. Little kids might be mildly amused at most, but adults have nothing to be engaged by, even when it comes to the action scenes which are lackluster. It doesn't help that the CGI looks subpar and that the comedic attempts fall flat. Much like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Panda Plan 2: The Magical Tribe is an unnecessary, soulless and forgettable sequel that offers no entertainment value or anything other kind of value that would make it even remotely worth watching. At a running time of 1 hour and 40 minutes, which feels more like 3 hours, Panda Plan 2: The Magical Tribe opens in select theaters nationwide via Well Go USA.

Number of times I checked my watch: 5




 

      In Wasteman, hope for imminent parole wanes when Taylor (David Jonsson) gets a new cellmate,  Dee (Tom Blyth), who's a volatile trouble maker and a bad influence. Director Cal McMau and his screenwriters, Hunter Andrews and Eoin Doran, have made a gritty, unflinching and grim prison drama. The film's major strengths are that it's lean and focused while maintaining suspense and remaining genuinely heartfelt with a protagonist who's flawed, but well worth caring about. The screenplay keeps exposition at a bare minimum while centering on Taylor's predicament once Dee arrives. WHat was Taylor's life like before he was sent to prison? There are no flashbacks, so don't expect much backstory. He has already been in prison for 10 years and has a chance for parole very soon, so if he gets into a fight, he'll lose his chance for freedom. 

        David Jonsson and Tom Blyth both give solid, emotionally honest performances that ground the film in authenticity and humanism, a truly special effect.  Nearly every scene feels true-to-life. What happens during the third act won't be spoiled here, but it's worth mentioning that there are a few surprises and that the film isn't afraid to get quite dark and intense. At a running time of 1 hour and 30 minutes, Wasteman opens at Quad Cinema via Vertigo Releasing and Sunrise Films. It would be a great double feature with other gritty prison dramas like A Prophet and Starred Up.

Number of times I checked my watch: 1