Ricki and the Flash

THE GIST: Ricki (real name Linda) left her husband and three young children behind in order to chase her dream of becoming a famous rock star, which didn't pan out. One day, she gets a call from her ex-husband, asking her to come back and help him deal with their daughter, who just got left by her husband. She reluctantly goes, but no one is really eager to welcome her.

Ricki and the Flash is the kind of movie that makes you go, No, this can't be good; but it's not bad at all.

Naturally, having Meryl Streep play this woman pulled in different directions doesn't hurt, but the script is well written as well, and the end product is entertaining.

Kevin Kline, Sebastian Stan, Ben Platt, Rick Springfield, Audra McDonald, and Mamie Gummer (Meryl Streep's real-life daughter) round up a great cast.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A charming and at times funny dramedy that hits quite a few good notes.

Grade: 7

Crimson Peak

THE GIST: A young American heiress and aspiring writer misses her long lost mother, who has visited her as a ghost and warned her to beware of Crimson Peak. A chance encounter with a dashing British gentleman ends up with the two of them falling in love. Eventually married, they move back to England to his decrepit mansion that sits atop a red clay mine, known by the name of Crimson Peak. Once there, the ghostly apparitions increase, accompanied by other odd occurrences, and a very controlling sister-in-law.

I couldn't wait to watch Crimson Peak because it was directed by Guillermo del Toro, one of my favorite directors, but I was a little disappointed.

The premise seems intriguing and with a cast that includes Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam, and Jim Beaver the acting part isn't the issue.

Nor is the technical side, with gorgeous costumes, wonderful sets, and good visual effects.

Perhaps then it's the script, but I really can't harp on it because I'm not sure which part should be faulted.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A fairly entertaining mystery (there's no gore really) that shouldn't disappoint, for a light entertainment night. Could have been better.

Grade: 6

It Follows

THE GIST: A casual sex encounter reveals itself to be the conduit through which a curse is passed from one person to another. The last person to get the curse is then slowly but inexorably followed by IT, a murderous entity that only they can see and can take the appearance of anyone. To get rid of the curse, you have to have sex with someone else, but if they get killed by IT, the curse reverses back to you.

It Follows has a very basic premise, one clearly meant as a hook for bored teenagers on summer break, but a well structured script ensures a successful horror film.

Maika Monroe is quite good in the part of the terrorized girl who's taken advantage of and has to find a way to survive. Olivia Luccardi, Keir Gilchrist, Jake Weary, Daniel Zovatto, and Lili Sepe also star.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A good horror movie is pretty hard to find, so I'm all too happy to recommend this one. It's fun and scary in equal parts.

Grade: 8

Before and After

THE GIST: The lives of the Ryan family are turned upside down when their teenage son is accused of murdering his girlfriend. Though well-respected in the community until now, the small village quickly turns against the family members, putting their livelihoods in doubt.

Before and After is the kind of movie that makes you think, What would I be willing to do to protect and help the ones I love most?

Some of the decisions made by some characters are very consequential and heavy loaded. What would you do in their situation?

Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson star, with Edward Furlong, Alfred Molina, and John Heard. All do a very good job.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A good drama that will leave you pondering its events long after the credits roll.

Grade: 7

Drew

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Horns

THE GIST: Ig and Merrin are deeply in love, but when she is found murdered, everyone thinks Ig did it and he has no way of proving his innocence. One morning, he inexplicably wakes up with a couple horns growing out of his forehead. Annoyance aside, the horns seem to induce anyone he meets to reveal their deepest, darkest sins and desires. He decides to use this newfound power to find his love's real killer.

You look at the poster for Horns or you read what it's about and you might think this movie is so out there, it's got to be a pile of crap.

Well, I'm happy to report that that assessment couldn't be further from the truth. Sure, Horns isn't a great movie, but it's not a bad one either; anything but. I found the story to be well told, intriguing, and certainly compelling.

Daniel Radcliffe does a good job in the lead role, flanked by Max Minghella, Joe Anderson, Juno Temple, James Remar, Kathleen Quinlan, and David Morse.

THE BOTTOM LINE: I would think of this movie as a curiosity to check out, almost as if it just beckons you to do so.

Grade: 7

Independence Day: Resurgence

THE GIST: Twenty years after an alien race attacked the Earth, the planet is more united and better prepared to face threats from outer space than ever before. Some troubling signs of a possible return of our attackers prove correct. Will humanity prevail again?

I still remember very fondly Independence Day, a brawny, visual effects laden spectacle that nonetheless was fun to watch and felt refreshing.

It is therefore deeply disappointing to see that the same director that brought us that movie followed it up with Independence Day: Resurgence, a bloated, risible, ridiculous sequel that displays none of the charms that defined its predecessor.

A cast that includes Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Sela Ward, William Fichtner, Judd Hirsch, Brent Spiner, Vivica A. Fox, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and the gorgeous Liam Hemsworth is utterly wasted.

THE BOTTOM LINE: If you're in the mood for a sci-fi movie, do yourself a favor and watch the original. This sequel is just dreadful.

Grade: 2

The Way He Looks (Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho)

THE GIST: Leonardo is a blind teenager with an overprotective mother and a very close friend in Giovana, who pines for a more independent life. When a new student, Gabriel, shows up in his classroom, his whole life turns upside down.

The Way He Looks is a lovely coming-of-age tale that gently tells of the blossoming love between two very scared teenage boys who barely understand what is happening to them, afraid of what they feel and of what the people around them might think.

Ghilherme Lobo and Fabio Audi turn in two very good performances.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Another small gem from the indie world. This movie should definitely be on your must-watch list.

Grade: 9

Ironweed

THE GIST: Francis and Helen are two tramps among the many that populate the city of Albany, New York, in the late 1930s. He pines for his dead infant son and is anguished by the ghosts of his past. She reminisces about a singing career that never materialized. In the dreariness of their daily lives, they share a connection.

Ironweed opens a window for us on the lives of the people we might pass by on a sidewalk during our busy lives without even seeing them, or trying hard not to.

It shines a light on how people with very ordinary or even comfortable lives can suddenly find themselves homeless and with no prospects.

It's an interesting exposé aided by excellent turns by Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson, two of the most lauded actors of their generation.

THE BOTTOM LINE: The movie is certainly worth watching, but it's a bit slow at times, which is sort of required given the topic. If you like either of the actors, I'd give it a try.

Grade: 6

Facing Up

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Notes on a Scandal

THE GIST: Barbara is a cynical and bitter teacher close to retirement who nobody really likes or befriends. When younger Sheba joins the school, her exuberance and friendliness bring Barbara to dislike her, but eventually they become close. When Barbara finds out about a secret affair Sheba is having, she agrees to keep quiet but demands it to end. Then, when Sheba declines to keep Barbara company in a moment of need, feeling slighted, Barbara reveals Sheba's secret, setting in motion major changes to both their lives with far reaching consequences.

Notes on a Scandal is one of those movies that I consider little gems because they rely on a solidly written screenplay fleshed out by two of the most accomplished actresses the medium has ever known: Dame Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett.

Bill Nighy, Juno Temple, and Andrew Simpson also star.

THE BOTTOM LINE: The movie builds slowly, putting piece above piece, until the whole starts unraveling. It is a pure cinematic pleasure to watch these two incredible thespians mine their craft for all their worth.

Grade: 9

Happy Endings

THE GIST: Multiple tales about love, family, friends, and friendships, all intersecting and coming together or apart, highlighting the unpredictability of life itself.

Director Don Roos helmed The Opposite of Sex, which I absolutely loved, and was one of the brains behind Web Therapy, a TV show I found hysterical, so my expectations for Happy Endings were quite high.

I'm happy to report that (though I might be in the minority), this is a funny, warm, wild ride of a comedy that will have you root for its many characters over and over.

A superb cast that includes Lisa Kudrow, Steve Coogan, Jesse Bradford, Bobby Cannavale, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jason Ritter, Tom Arnold, David Sutcliffe, Sarah Clarke, and Laura Dern are a delight to watch give life to these flawed and rich characters.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Don't listen to the naysayers out there and check this comedy out! It's lovely!

Grade: 9

The River Wild

THE GIST: Gail is an expert rafter and guide. Going through a rough patch at home, she decides to go on a trip down a river she knows well with her husband, son, and dog. On the river, they meet a couple of guys who seem very friendly, until they pull a gun on them. They are robbers on the run from the police, with little experience navigating such treacherous waters, and force Gail to be their guide by threatening her family.

The River Wild is not an exceptional movie but it's still quite entertaining, and features some excellent white-water rafting action scenes.

Naturally, having Meryl Streep, David Strathairn, Kevin Bacon, John C. Reilly, and a very young Joseph Mazzello doesn't hurt.

THE BOTTOM LINE: This was a must-watch for me because of Ms. Streep, but it's certainly a good movie that's fun to watch.

Grade: 6.5

The Dark Tower

THE GIST: Jake Chambers is a young kid with psychic abilities through which he has visions of the Dark Tower, a nexus between universes located in Mid-World. The Tower is defended by Roland, the last Gunslinger, from The Man in Black, a powerful sorcerer who wants to destroy the Dark Tower in order to unleash his hellish monsters in both universes.

Adapted from a Stephen King's novel, The Dark Tower features cool worlds and visual effects and good performances by Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba.

I remember reading the book a long time ago and not loving it. King is one of my favorite authors but this story didn't impress me.

I actually enjoyed this adaptation more than the book, so I count that as a plus.

The producers likely hoped for this to become a series, adapting more of the available material for the big screen, but the tepid reception likely doomed those chances.

THE BOTTOM LINE: I found this movie well acted, decently written, and overall enjoyable. Why not give it a try?

Grade: 7

2020 Emmy Awards - The Nominees

Whatever form the ceremony will take, the awards will be handed out on September 20, 2020 at 8 PM on ABC.

Here are all the nominees:

Outstanding Drama Series

Better Call Saul
Killing Eve
Ozark
Stranger Things
Succession
The Crown
The Handmaid's Tale
The Mandalorian

Outstanding Comedy Series

Curb Your Enthusiasm
Dead to Me
Insecure
Schitt's Creek
The Good Place
The Kominsky Method
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
What We Do in the Shadows

Outstanding Limited Series

Little Fires Everywhere
Mrs. America
Unbelievable
Unorthodox
Watchmen

Outstanding Television Movie

American Son
Bad Education
Dolly Parton's Heartstrings
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Billy Porter, Pose
Brian Cox, Succession
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Jeremy Strong, Succession
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Steve Carell, The Morning Show

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show
Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
Laura Linney, Ozark
Olivia Colman, The Crown
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Zendaya, Euphoria

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Don Cheadle, Black Monday
Eugene Levy, Schitt's Creek
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
Ramy Youssef, Ramy
Ted Danson, The Good Place

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Catherine O'Hara, Schitt's Creek
Christina Applegate, Dead to Me
Issa Rae, Insecure
Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Hugh Jackman, Bad Education
Jeremy Irons, Watchmen
Jeremy Pope, Hollywood
Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True
Paul Mescal, Normal People

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America
Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere
Octavia Spencer, Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
Regina King, Watchmen
Shira Haas, Unorthodox

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid's Tale
Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul
Jeffrey Wright, Westworld
Kieran Culkin, Succession
Mark Duplass, The Morning Show
Matthew Macfadyen, Succession
Nicholas Braun, Succession

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve
Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown
Julia Garner, Ozark
Laura Dern, Big Little Lies
Meryl Streep, Big Little Lies
Samira Wiley, The Handmaid's Tale
Sarah Snook, Succession
Thandie Newton, Westworld

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method
Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Dan Levy, Schitt's Creek
Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live
Mahershala Ali, Ramy
Sterling K. Brown, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
William Jackson Harper, The Good Place

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Annie Murphy, Schitt's Creek
Betty Gilpin, GLOW
Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live
D'Arcy Carden, The Good Place
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Yvonne Orji, Insecure

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Dylan McDermott, Hollywood
Jim Parsons, Hollywood
Jovan Adepo, Watchmen
Louis Gossett Jr., Watchmen
Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Watchmen

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Holland Taylor, Hollywood
Jean Smart, Watchmen
Margo Martindale, Mrs. America
Toni Collette, Unbelievable
Tracey Ullman, Mrs. America
Uzo Aduba, Mrs. America

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

Andrew Scott, Black Mirror
Giancarlo Esposito, The Mandalorian
James Cromwell, Succession
Jason Bateman, The Outsider
Martin Short, The Morning Show
Ron Cephas Jones, This Is Us

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

Alexis Bledel, The Handmaid's Tale
Cherry Jones, Succession
Cicely Tyson, How to Get Away with Murder
Harriet Walter, Succession
Laverne Cox, Orange Is the New Black
Phylicia Rashad, This Is Us

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

Adam Driver, Saturday Night Live
Brad Pitt, Saturday Night Live
Dev Patel, Modern Love
Eddie Murphy, Saturday Night Live
Fred Willard, Modern Family
Luke Kirby, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

Angela Bassett, A Black Lady Sketch Show
Bette Midler, The Politician
Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live
Maya Rudolph, The Good Place
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Saturday Night Live
Wanda Sykes, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Daily Show
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program

Making It, Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman
Nailed It!, Nicole Byer
Queer Eye, Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness
RuPaul's Drag Race, RuPaul
Shark Tank, Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Daymond John, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O'Leary
Top Chef, Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

A Black Lady Sketch Show
Drunk History
Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Structured Reality Program

A Very Brady Renovation
Antiques Roadshow
Love Is Blind
Queer Eye
Shark Tank

Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program

Amy Schumer Learns to Cook
Cheer
Drag Race: Untucked!
Kevin Hart: Don't F**k This Up
We're Here

Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series

American Masters
Hillary
McMillions
The Last Dance
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness

Outstanding Competition Program

Nailed It!
RuPaul's Drag Race
The Masked Singer
The Voice
Top Chef

Outstanding Variety Special (Live)

2020 Golden Globe Awards
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: 'All in the Family' and 'Good Times'
Super Bowl LIV
The 73rd Annual Tony Awards
The Oscars

Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)

22nd Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor celebrating: Dave Chappelle
Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones
Hannah Gadsby: Douglas
Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill
John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch
Tiffany Haddish: Black Mitzvah

Wooden House

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Beach Rats

THE GIST: Frankie is a teenage guy with a bleak and dreary home life and a clique of friends who are usually up to no good. They experiment with drugs and usually just waste their days away. Frankie is also struggling with his own sexuality, as he juggles an interesting new girl with the older men he looks up online to hook up with.

Beach Rats is a pretty raw movie that deals with society's views of male sexuality and expectations in very realistic terms.

The cast is very good, led by Harris Dickinson, who is establishing himself as a pretty reliable talent in the industry.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Some scenes or themes might be a bit upsetting for some people, but this is a very good movie, especially for an LGBT+ audience.

Grade: 8

Atomic Blonde

THE GIST: Towards the end of the Cold War, highly-skilled MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton is dispatched to East Berlin to retrieve a microfilm containing a list with the names of every British undercover spy currently active in the city. She meets with station chief David Percival, but she's not sure whom she can trust.

Oscar winner Charlize Theron is the rare star who's not only eminently talented but also smashingly beautiful. She has been able to very successfully dabble in comedies, dramas, and action movies, as evidenced by Atomic Blonde, where she plays an undercover spy who must leverage her entire skill set to survive and complete the mission.

That includes charming her way out of tight situations, flirting with and seducing potential targets, and kicking ass or flat out killing her opponents when they get in the way, and Ms. Theron is great in any scene.

Also starring, James McAvoy, Eddie Marsan, John Goodman, Toby Jones, and Sofia Boutella.

THE BOTTOM LINE: If you're into action movies or films about secret spies, definitely check this out. Theron is fantastic. Hopefully she'll get to play this part again in the future.

Grade: 8

Dunkirk

THE GIST: During the 1940 World War II Battle of France, 400,000 British and French troops were trapped and surrounded on the beaches of Dunkirk by German forces' relentless advance. The Germans kept dropping bombs on the British Navy ships attempting rescue missions, so the British government decided, in desperation, to requisition every civilian vessel available to aid in the rescue.

Dunkirk is not your ordinary war movie that showcases a particular battle. Here the focus is the rescue of these hundreds of thousands of soldiers, who represented the backbone of the British army. If the Germans had succeeded in wiping them out, they would have likely won WWII.

Dunkirk is also a Christopher Nolan movie, and as such one can expect a showcase of dazzlingly realistic visual effects and twisted plots that lead up to a grand reveal.

Here, the bravura is in filming three separate stories that develop over different timescales (a week, a day, and an hour) and weaving them together to flawlessly tell one unified tale. The feat's success is reflected in the final product's grade.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A masterful cinematic adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first frames to the very end. Very powerful, especially considering this is all based on factual accounts.

Grade: 9

The Bay

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Avengers: Endgame

THE GIST: Five years have passed since Thanos succeeded in randomly destroying half of all life in the universe. One day, Ant-Man is returned by a fluke from the quantum field in which he had been lost all along, resurrecting the remaining Avengers' hopes with the potential of time travel. Will they be able to reverse Thanos' actions?

Avengers: Endgame is the follow up and conclusion of Avengers: Infinity War and it matches its predecessor's emotional wallop and excellent structural setup.

Marvel Studios have now produced 23 movies in three phases that have only improved with time in terms of production values and whose storylines amazingly and perfectly intertwine with one another to create a full, cohesive whole.

The end of phase three means that there are likely going to be casting changes in the future, which is to be expected (for instance, Captain America is a super-soldier with incredible strength and stamina who heals faster and ages more slowly than an ordinary man; how would you explain Chris Evans's natural aging process?).

(SPOILER ALERT) Most likely, the death of Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark doesn't mean we won't see this character ever again, as the inability to use of one of Marvel's main superheroes (and the one who started it all) would be unfathomable. Someone else will have to be cast as Tony Stark, which might generate a whole new timeline and a whole new cycle. I guess we'll see what the geniuses at Marvel conjure up.

THE BOTTOM LINE: I'm sure you're not thinking of watching this movie without at least having watched the first part, but if you've enjoyed that one you'll love this one too. Make sure to have some tissues handy ... several times ...

Grade: 10

Insidious: Chapter 3

THE GIST: When teenage Quinn is haunted and viciously attacked by a demonic presence, her father pleads with medium Elise Rainier for help. Elise is reluctant and scared to wander in the realm of the dead, for a presence haunts her as well there. Eventually, the two women will have to fight evil together.

With two successful movies back-to-back, why stop? So we got Insidious: Chapter 3 and I'm happy to report that it's a well made third chapter.

The producers smartly found a way of creating a new story about breakout character Elise by reaching into the past and making a prequel.

Lin Shaye is back in the role she so perfectly inhabits, this time joined by Dermot Mulroney and Stefanie Scott. Steve Coulter, Leigh Whannell, and Angus Sampson are also back.

THE BOTTOM LINE: This being a prequel, you could watch it first, but either way make sure to catch up with the other two episodes as well.

Grade: 7

Insidious: Chapter 2

THE GIST: Dalton has survived his trip to The Further but his father Josh is now suspected of murdering Elise, the medium who facilitated Dalton's return. The family moves in with their mother-in-law, but the terrifying occurrences continue, forcing them to reach out to Elise's old team once again.

After the success of Insidious a sequel was all but assured, but it was made tricky by the killing in the finale of its standout character, Elise, masterfully played by Lin Shaye.

Insidious: Chapter 2 closely follows the playbook of its predecessor, and while that makes it less original, it pretty much ensures its success.

Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, and Barbara Hershey are all back, and this time Steve Coulter joins the cast.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A thoroughly enjoyable horror movie, but if you haven't watched the first chapter, make sure you start there.

Grade: 7

Insidious

THE GIST: After an accidental fall, young Dalton goes into a coma, followed by weird happenings and apparitions, which lead his parents to reach out to Elise Rainier, a medium. Her investigation reveals that Dalton's spirit is lost in a dimension she refers to as "The Further." Meanwhile, malevolent entities are trying to reclaim his physical body, so his soul must be retrieved soon.

Insidious is a well made horror/mystery movie that clearly benefits by the presence of accomplished actors like Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, and above all Lin Shaye, who is a real revelation.

There are countless movies about possessions of houses or souls, so you might think, What's the big deal about this one, but Insidious is well written and its scares are well placed and paced.

THE BOTTOM LINE: If you like scary movies that aren't totally dumb, then definitely check this one out. I totally fell in love with the character of Elise.

Grade: 7.5

Black Panther

THE GIST: After the assassination of his father, T'Challa assumes the throne of Wakanda and the role of Black Panther. Wakanda is more scientifically and technologically advanced than any other nation on Earth, but it has chosen to keep this a secret, presenting itself to the world as an impoverished third world country. T'Challa must now figure out how to lead his nation in a fast changing world that has already been attacked from outer space. His worldview is also challenged by Killmonger, who claims the throne for himself.

So many superhero movies have come before, but Black Panther feels like a breath of fresh air. One of the few superheroes who is a minority, the film showcases a cast that's almost completely Black.

Furthermore, even though the lead is male, females feature prominently in the Wakandan society and women play some of the most important roles.

Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan go head to head supported by Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, Winston Duke, Martin Freeman, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis, and Sterling K. Brown.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A cool story, a well-written screenplay, great direction and acting, superb visual and sound effects, and a wholly imagined and utterly breathtaking cityscape make for a great cinematic experience.

Grade: 8.5

The Hubble Deep Field Photo

This video explains very well why the 1995 picture the Hubble telescope took is so important:

Hubble's Wonders

This is what it would look like to fly through Hubble's Ultra Deep Field image, one of the most famous astronomy pictures ever taken:

Explanation:

What would it look like to fly through the distant universe? To find out, a team of astronomers estimated the relative distances to over 5,000 galaxies in one of the most distant fields of galaxies ever imaged: the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF). 

Because it takes light a long time to cross the universe, most galaxies visible in the featured video are seen when the universe was only a fraction of its current age, were still forming, and have unusual shapes when compared to modern galaxies. No mature looking spiral galaxies such as our Milky Way or the Andromeda galaxy yet exist. 

Toward the end of the video the virtual observer flies past the farthest galaxies in the HUDF field, recorded to have a redshift past 8. This early class of low luminosity galaxies likely contained energetic stars emitting light that transformed much of the remaining normal matter in the universe from a cold gas to a hot ionized plasma.

In Memoriam

Olivia de Havilland (July 1, 1916 - July 25, 2020)

One of the last stars of the old Hollywood firmament passed away yesterday at 104 in Paris, France.

De Havilland had 61 acting credits to her name (IMDb) and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning twice for Best Lead Actress for The Heiress and To Each His Own.

Naturally, her most famous performance was as Melanie Hamilton in 1939's Gone with the Wind.

St. Vincent

THE GIST: Maggie moves to a new home with her son Oliver during her divorce proceedings. She's not too thrilled about her new neighbor Vincent, an older Vietnam veteran who drinks, gambles, seems angry at the world, only cares about enjoying himself, and is a regular client of a pregnant stripper, but she still engages him to watch her son while she's at work. Slowly, a close friendship develops between Oliver and Vincent, who teaches the young kid how to survive in the world.

St. Vincent is a cute little movie with a big heart at its center.

Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, and Bill Murray are wonderful, and it's great to see Jaeden Martell so young and already so talented.

Chris O'Dowd, Terrence Howard, Nate Corddry, Ann Dowd, Scott Adsit, and Reg E. Cathey also star.

THE BOTTOM LINE: If you're looking for a fun night, check this out. Some of the themes might not be suited for the youngest ones, but otherwise it's a nice family movie.

Grade: 7

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me

THE GIST: The murder of a waitress in a small town in Washington state is investigated by two FBI agents, until one of them mysteriously disappears. A year later, in the neighboring town of Twin Peaks, teenager Laura Palmer lives her life on the edge by having two boyfriends and dabbling in drugs. Her relationship with her strict father is also complicated by his potential mental issues. One day, she is found murdered.

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me is a TV movie that was produced after the big success of the TV show Twin Peaks. Its purpose was to answer some of the more pressing questions the show presented, clarify some of the confusion that's the hallmark of creator David Lynch, and provide a fuller picture of the events related to Laura Palmer's untimely demise.

I really enjoyed the TV show but never got around to see this movie. Then, after last year's Twin Peaks - The Return I decided to watch it and I'm glad I did because this movie did help clarify some of the confusion I had, which is par for the course whenever Lynch is concerned.

The great cast includes Sheryl Lee, Ray Wise, Mädchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook, Miguel Ferrer, Heather Graham, Chris Isaak, James Marshall, Harry Dean Stanton, Kiefer Sutherland, the inimitable Kyle MacLachlan, and even a couple cameos by David Bowie and David Lynch himself.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Definitely a must-see for any fan of the series, both new and old. It could actually be a good introduction to the Peaks universe for anyone thinking about giving it a go, especially since, in the timeline, this comes before anything else.

Grade: 8

Alien: Covenant

THE GIST: On its way to a distant planet for settlement and colonization with over 2,000 souls in stasis onboard, the spaceship Covenant is struck by a neutrino burst. Walter, the ship's android in charge of monitoring operations, awakens the crew to perform the necessary repairs, during which a transmission from a nearby planet is picked up. The decision to investigate will have far reaching consequences.

Alien: Covenant is the latest entry in the Alien franchise and overall pretty successful. The story functions as a sequel to Prometheus , and it presents an interesting and effective way of moving the story forward.

Both movies were directed by Ridley Scott, the brilliant creator of the original Alien, one of my favorite sci-fi and horror movies of all time.

Michael Fassbender plays two androids in this movie and just imagine the treat of watching such a great actor (and handsome fella) playing against himself!

Also in the cast Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, Carmen Ejogo, and Jussie Smollett.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A worthy entry in the Alien series, I enjoyed it and found it pretty clever.

Grade: 7.5

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

THE GIST: The Galactic Empire has started building the Death Star, a super weapon capable of destroying entire worlds. A scientist reluctantly working on the weapon's plans secretly builds a fail-safe that would cause a fatal chain reaction. His daughter, Jyn, is interrogated by the Rebellion about her father's work. She eventually joins their cause and tries to get her father's plans in order to give the Rebellion a leg up.

After purchasing Lucasfilm, Disney announced they would produce a trilogy of sequels to the original films as well as standalone episodes that could be origin stories of well-known characters or simply related to the Star Wars universe at large.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the first such standalone film and belongs to the latter category. It is actually a smartly developed and well written backstory that fleshes out one of the most intriguing events of Star Wars lore, the destruction of the Death Star.

Felicity Jones does a very good job playing Jyn, leading a great cast that includes Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Ben Mendelsohn, Forest Whitaker, Riz Ahmed, Mads Mikkelsen, and Jimmy Smits.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A deserving entry in the Star Wars canon that blazes the trail for Disney to branch out and produce more movies that are only tangentially related to the original trilogy (and the prequels). More fun for us!

Grade: 8

Bench and Statue

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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

THE GIST: It's the mid-twenties in New York City and the local magical community is on edge because of the nefarious actions of wanted dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. Newt Scamander, a British wizard expert in magical creatures, arrives for a brief layover, but when several of the creatures he secretly carries in his suitcase escape, he attracts the attention of local Auror Percival Graves.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is based on J.K. Rowling's homonymous book and she also wrote the screenplay.

Occurring a full seventy years before the events in the Harry Potter series, Beasts can hardly be considered a prequel, even though there are certainly references to elements found in the Potter-world.

Eddie Redmayne stars as Newt, flanked by Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, and Alison Sudol. Like it happened with the Potter movies, plenty of famous actors want to be part of these movies as well, so we have Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Ezra Miller, Dan Hedaya, Jon Voight, Ron Perlman, Zoë Kravitz, and Johnny Depp.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Even though Beasts might not achieve the heights of fan adoration engendered by the Potter books and films, I found this movie very enjoyable.

Grade: 7

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

THE GIST: Harry Potter and his trusted friends Ron and Hermione continue their search for Voldemort's Horcruxes in order to destroy them and thereby make him mortal. When the search brings them to Hogwarts, Lord Voldemort and his followers are ready for battle. Will our heroes prevail?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is the final installment in the very successful Potter franchise. The script neatly ties up all loose ends and answers all the questions the audience still had.

Kelly Macdonald, Ciarán Hinds, Miriam Margolyes, and Gemma Jones join the final casting call.

THE BOTTOM LINE: As happens with all long-running franchises, the last installment is always bittersweet. It's nice to see our hero triumph over his evil opponent, but it's sad to have to say goodbye. A lovely series of movies.

Grade: 8

One Among Many

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

THE GIST: Lord Voldemort's power keeps growing as he now controls both the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry Potter is hunted by Death Eaters so, together with best friends Ron and Hermione, decides to complete Dumbledore's quest of retrieving and destroying the remaining Horcruxes, which are the key to Voldemort's immortality.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is the initial adaptation of the final book in the Potter series. Our heroes have grown into young adults now, and understand the risks they have to undertake to prevail in the battle of good vs. evil.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson have by this point become accomplished actors and wholly inhabit their roles.

Bill Nighy, Michelle Fairley, Domhnall Gleeson, Miranda Richardson, and Rhys Ifans join the brilliant and sprawling cast.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Naturally, if you've been watching till now, this is a must-see. A very good opening for the final goodbyes.

Grade: 8

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

THE GIST: Harry Potter's trials against Voldemort and his cohorts have taken a toll on him. Reluctantly back at Hogwarts, he joins Dumbledore in researching Voldemort's past for weaknesses and ways to eliminate his threat for good. Meanwhile, Harry finds a potions book with annotations on the margins that give him additional insights into more powerful and even dark and dangerous potions.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the adaptation of the second to last book in the series. The stories are getting darker and more dangerous as the stakes rise to almost unthinkable levels, with the final goodbye to a beloved character.

It is obvious that J.K. Rowling started writing the books for younger children but kept in mind that they were growing themselves and were therefore more than capable of handling darker and sadder fare as they went along than when they started reading the series.

Jim Broadbent, Evanna Lynch, and Frank Dillane are some of the new actors joining the series.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Engaging as always, this episode almost feels like a bridge between all that came before and the upcoming ending of the Potter saga. Very good.

Grade: 7.5

Chappaquiddic

THE GIST: Senator Ted Kennedy is the last surviving son of the Kennedy dynasty, and the pressure is enormous on him to run for President of the United States. In the summer of 1969, a fateful late night car accident results in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, a young campaign strategist. Kennedy was driving the vehicle and his actions after the accident will alter his life's trajectory forever.

Chappaquiddic is an interesting historical drama that tries to lay out the events that led to one of the biggest scandals in American politics and followed the Senator from Massachusetts until his death.

I wasn't aware of this tragedy, so I'm glad I learned about it. It certainly doesn't paint the Senator in a positive light, deservedly. I'm also glad he lost the nomination when he did eventually run for President, since his version of the events from that night obviously had gaping holes and he pretty much got off because of his last name and the privileges that still come with it.

In the current awakening of American society to white privilege and issues of race, it's even more startling to see what favorable treatment this white man got, which would have been quite different had his skin been of a darker shade.

The excellent cast led by Jason Clarke includes Kate Mara, Ed Helms, Bruce Dern, Jim Gaffigan, Clancy Brown, and Taylor Nichols.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A good drama and an interesting story, told against the backdrop of the first man landing on the Moon. Very informative.

Grade: 7

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

THE GIST: Harry Potter and Professor Dumbledore keep warning about Lord Voldemort's return, frustrating the Ministry of Magic, which doesn't fully believe them and prefers to keep everyone calm. Harry is then introduced to the Order of the Phoenix, a secret organization founded by Dumbledore to oppose Voldemort. Meanwhile, the Ministry appoints one of their officials as a new teacher at Hogwarts, to keep an eye on things, and she wastes no time introducing stricter and stricter rules that prevent the students from learning any real defensive magic. That's when Harry and friends decide to teach themselves.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth film in the franchise and our heroes are looking and acting more and more grown up. The central theme is, Who do you turn to when those in power ignore warnings and don't prepare for the worst? What do you do when they might have been infiltrated by the enemy?

Imelda Staunton and Helena Bonham Carter are the two biggest names added to the sprawling cast this time, and what great parts do they get to play!

THE BOTTOM LINE: Another well paced and entertaining entry for the Potter series, with only two books left to adapt for the big screen.

Grade: 7.5

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

THE GIST: Harry Potter and his friends are enjoying the Quidditch World Cup, when Lord Voldemort's followers, the Death Eaters, attack and wreak havoc. The brazen display forebodes the dark side's gathering strength and the imminent resurgence of Voldemort himself. Back at Hogwarts, preparations are made for hosting the prestigious Triwizard Tournament, in which Harry is surprisingly selected to participate despite not being eligible for it because too young and inexperienced. Is it part of a nefarious plot?

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth entry in the Potter franchise and my favorite so far. The stakes are getting higher and so are the dangers faced by Harry & Co.

The Tournament is also a very cool succession of challenges, and the arrival on the scene of Voldemort, of course, takes the cake.

More famous names join the casting call this time, like Timothy Spall, David Tennant, Robert Pattinson, Brendan Gleeson, and of course Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort, and it's always great to see well known actors wanting to be part of this wonderful universe.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Four movies in, it's clear why these books and movies have so many fans worldwide: the Potter story is engaging and charming and inventive. Let it capture you too!

Grade: 8

At World's End

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

THE GIST: Harry is about to start his third year at Hogwarts when news breaks of the escape from Azkaban Prison of Sirius Black, a dark wizard and supporter of Lord Voldemort. It is assumed that Black's goal is to find and kill Potter, since he's all that stands in the way of Voldemort's comeback. Hogwarts engages the services of Azkaban's guardians, the Dementors, to patrol the perimeter, but Harry seems to attract their attention and fears them, as they might be a conduit for Voldemort.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third entry in the franchise and for me the weakest. I know that many fans consider this the best movie in the series, but I felt like there was just too much going on and the plot felt convoluted.

The casting additions of Emma Thompson, Julie Christie, David Thewlis, and Gary Oldman, among others, are welcome additions as the successful Potter brand keeps attracting top-notch talent.

This is also the episode where Michael Gambon takes on the role of Professor Dumbledore, after the unfortunate passing of Richard Harris. I honestly find both of them perfect for the role.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Maybe one day I'll watch this movie again, just to see if my opinion changes, and maybe I was just expecting too much because of the hype around it, but for me this is the weakest chapter in the whole series.

Grade: 6

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

THE GIST: On summer break, Harry is visited by a house-elf named Dobby, who warns him not to return to Hogwarts, for terrible things are going to happen. Harry ignores the advice, but when he's back at the school of magic he witnesses attacks on students and messages scrawled on walls in blood. Rumors swirl that he's the one responsible for opening the Chamber of Secrets, causing all this evil, so it'll be up to Harry and his two trusted friends to find the real culprit and save the school and its students.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second installment in the Potter franchise and builds on the lore from its predecessor, even edging it by a bit.

A well written script and excellent casting choices, with additions like Kenneth Branagh, Jason Isaacs, and Toby Jones among them, ensure a decidedly fun follow-up.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Our trio of magical friends is back to entertain us with an episode filled with threats and scares and plenty of good times.

Grade: 7.5