Category: Uncategorized

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of October 6, 2025

Kiss of the Spider Woman
Rated R for language, some violence, and sexual content
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
In Theaters
From Chicago director Bill Condon, and based on the Tony-award winning Broadway show from Kander and Ebb, comes this story about two cell mates in an Argentinian prison who develop a close relationship during the politically-charged “Dirty War” period in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Diego Luna plays a political prisoner named Valentin, who is on the verge of losing hope when he is joined by gay window dresser named Molina, played by newcomer Tonatiuh, who has been charged with “corrupting a minor.” The relationship has a rocky start, but Molina slowly breaks the ice by telling Valentin about his favorite movie star, played by Jennifer Lopez, whose frivolous movie reenactments begin to fascinate and entertain Valentin. This has always been one of my favorite Broadway musicals, which had me super excited about a big screen adaptation. The songs are beautiful, the drama is riveting, the story is relevant to today’s political climate, and its darkness is nicely lightened up by its spirit. As he did in Chicago, Condon chose to put the songs in a context where the actors aren’t simply breaking out into a tune, but rather everything is in its proper place. Here, that means the songs are held to mostly the scenes of the movie being described, with both Molina and Valentin taking over as characters in the story. This is fine, and it works in the moment, but so many fantastic songs had to be cut because of this since they chose to not have the actual prisoners sing. This leads to the film taking a completely different direction than the staged performance, turning more into a gay romance than a fantasy and political examination within a prison drama. In this context, Lopez is absolutely perfect in the role and could receive some award recognition over the next coming months. Unfortunately, while their acting is really strong, neither Luna nor Tonatiuh have the voices needed for their roles, which at times becomes distracting. While I can appreciate the changes, I think the end result isn’t nearly as strong as it could have been had they went in a direction closer to the source material. So, my recommendation comes with a warning. Know what you are getting into here. This is not a film for all audiences and will even find some walking out or squirming uncomfortable in their seats. It is way more “Brokeback Mountain” and way less “Chicago.” This will probably limit its box office potential, but its authenticity, unique subject and style could propel its awards chances. B

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of September 22, 2025

One Battle After Another
Rated R for pervasive language, drug use, sexual content and violence
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
In Theaters
Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood) brings us this riveting action film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a left-wing revolutionary who, along with his team, see some success raising havoc in their younger days. But when the law comes after them hard, he goes into hiding, along with his newborn daughter from his estranged girlfriend in the group, hoping to never be found again. But sixteen years later, he finds the law hot on his trail again, led by the man that put an end to his group in the first place (Sean Penn). If we know one thing about Paul Thomas Anderson, it’s that his mind thinks differently, and his plots tend to be very complex, and many times with a perverse sense of humor. Those features are on full display here. From the opening moments of the film, where the domestic terrorist group is raiding an ICE facility, he starts to set up an intricate storyline that you won’t see coming, but that will have you glued to your seat while you try to figure it out. And when I say glued, I really mean it here. There are moments of such tension that you feel like you are attached to your seat as if you were wrapped in cellophane, unable to move until that tension is finally released. But then there is the comedy, largely delivered by DiCaprio and his daughter’s Sensei, played by Benicio del Toro, who create one uncomfortable laugh after another as they attempt to escape the wrath of a man who is hot on their trail. The talented cast doesn’t end there though. There are so many interesting characters, each with their own little stories, that give this film a world of color, like a chaotic Christmas tree. And along with his long-time collaborator Jonny Greenwood (of Radiohead) providing the music, the movie’s nuttiness is a feast for the senses as you try to figure out where the adventure is taking you. It will be interesting to see how the film resonates with audiences, as the subject matter is maybe too relevant to the moment. Even as I am writing this, there was an attack at an ICE facility in Dallas that we are just learning about. All of this could play in to how this film will be received in its theatrical release. But regardless of its timeliness (or accidental lack thereof), the film is truly excellent, and should be a favorite when it comes to potential awards over the next several months. A

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of September 8, 2025

The Long Walk
Rated R for pervasive language, grisly images, sexual references, strong bloody violence and suicide
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
In Theaters
For three decades, filmmakers have been trying to bring Stephen King’s 1979 novel to the big screen. From George Romero to Frank Darabont and other talented directors, the rights were acquired and then later expired. Enter Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence (he directed all but the first) who was finally able to pull off what so many before him couldn’t. The story takes place in a dystopian America after a war has left most of the country in a state of economic depression controlled by an authoritarian regime (much like in The Hunger Games). Once a year, 50 young men vie to compete in a walk where the winner takes home glory and riches and is granted one wish. Everyone else dies. There is no finish line in this walk to the death, and if you fall below 3 miles per hour, you get three warnings before a soldier punches your ticket. It’s a brutal ordeal as you can imagine, filled with gripping drama, incredible dialog, a fantastic young group of actors, and gut-wrenching violence. Leading the cast are Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza) and David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus) who start out strangers only to become best of friends as they struggle through their journey. But the rest of the fairly unknown cast proves equally as impressive, giving the audience the sense that they are witnessing a movie like The Outsiders or Goonies, where pretty much every cast member has the potential to be our next generation of A-listers. And the adults aren’t bad either with Mark Hamill as The Major and Judy Greer in her heartbreaking role of the mother who can’t do anything to help her son with his path which has less than ideal chances of survival. The timing of this film couldn’t be more relevant as our current political climate is more oppressive and ominous than hopeful and it’s easy to see a dark future if we don’t course correct. Overall, I was duly impressed with this adaptation and am so pleased that they knocked it out of the park. A

The Baltimorons
Rated R for language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
In Theaters
This film festival favorite stars Michael Stassner as a former stand-up comedian who is trying to make something out of his life after a failed suicide attempt and a severe struggle with alcohol. When he chips a tooth while going to a Christmas party, he finds a much older female dentist (Liz Larsen) willing to see him on a holiday, and through a crazy path of twists and obstacles, manages to begin a relationship with her. Written and directed by Jay Duplass, this is a great little indie romantic comedy that takes you on a surprise journey that you don’t see coming and one which you are okay with just riding along to check out where it goes. The relatively unknown cast gives us believable and strong performances, and the night turns out to be rather enjoyable as we watch two lost souls find themselves and each other, in one unconventional turn after another. B

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of September 1, 2025

The Conjuring: Last Rites
Rated R for terror, and bloody/violent content
Rotten Tomatoes Score: None at the time of writing
In Theaters
In this fourth and final chapter of the Ed and Lorraine Warren saga, Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) are happily retired, giving a lecture here and there, but convinced that they are done forever with investigating paranormal activity. But when they discover a link between a family being terrorized in Pittsburgh and their daughter, they find themselves compelled to jump back into the fray to face a demon that would officially end up being their final fight. For over a decade, this franchise and its spinoffs have had some hits and misses, but for the most part, the actual series featuring the Warrens have managed to be some of the scariest movies I can recall. Based on real cases the Warrens investigated through the years, the stories are that much more frightening due to their authenticity. While the third film didn’t really cut it for me, director Michael Chaves was given a second chance at bat here, and it really pays off. So many horror films nowadays rely on jump scares to get their audience worked up, but this one is filled with slow, chill-inducing frights that last nearly the entire length of the film. There’s relatively little gore, but there is a lot to be afraid of here. Much of this could have been solved if the characters would just learn to turn on a light switch, but where would be the fun in that? One of the things that is most creepy is the fantastic lighting where you can almost see the figure looking back at you, but it’s just dark enough that they are mostly hidden. I find their use of this trick to be masterful here and I laughed many times during the tension relief caused by a light finally destroying the darkness. I’ve been fascinated with the Warrens’ work for years, and am convinced that what they did was real and not a gimmick to build a career. Since the first film came out in 2013, Wilson and Farmiga have given us carefully thought-out characters, handled with respect in regards to their real-life inspirations. And while I’m sure the films are highly embellished versions of the actual events, I’m very satisfied with what they’ve done here, and I really enjoyed having the living crap scared out of me again. A-

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of August 25, 2025

Caught Stealing
Rated R for strong violent content, brief drug use, some sexuality/nudity and pervasive language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81% at time of writing
In theaters
From writer/director Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler, Requiem for a Dream), comes this crime dramedy about a young bartender (Austin Butler) in New York City who once had a shot of becoming an MLB star until a car wreck ruined his knee. One day as is coming home, his neighbor (Matt Smith) asks him to watch his cat while he heads to London to look after his dad who just had a stroke. In the litter box, he finds a hidden key that apparently a lot of people want their hands on. All is good until first a team of Russians come to look for the neighbor and instead almost beat our hero to death. To make matters more complicated, a team of Jewish assassins (Lieb Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio) come looking for the key also. The two worst movie weekends of the year, traditionally, are Labor Day weekend and Super Bowl weekend. If you see a film opening on one of those days, it is likely a stinker and not worth your time. But this is also a self-fulfilling prophecy as every once in a while, a film surprises you. While this is not a great film, it is way better than a Labor Day film. Fresh off directing literally the biggest movie of all time (Postcard from Earth at the Sphere in Las Vegas), Aronofsky keeps changing his style and tone from project to project. This one has a Guy Ritchie/Coen Brothers feel that should make audiences happy if that’s what they are expecting. It’s at times really funny, sometimes scary, all with a heavy dose of action and disturbing violence. The cast, for the most part, is solid, especially Butler, Smith, Schreiber and D’Onofrio. I did find Regina King rather distracting and out of place, but for the most part, the characters were fun and frightening at the same time. I did find some of the writing to be a little lazy and confusing, especially the major plot hole of the key being found in a rubber poop in the litter box. There was a good chance that if he didn’t find it, he might have accidentally thrown it in the trash with the scoop. But I digress. Overall, it’s an entertaining crime thriller with a great cast and some memorable moments. B

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of August 18, 2025

Nobody 2
Rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%
In Theaters
Bon Odenkirk is back as Hutch Mansell, your average looking, mild-mannered husband and father who just happens to be a highly successful close-quarters assassin. But he’s tired and wants a vacation. So he and the family pack up and head to the small tourist town of Plummerville, which holds happy memories for him since it was the only place his father ever took him on vacation as a child. Once there, he comes to the quick realization that the town is a hotbed of criminal activity, and while seeking out a little revenge for some disrespect shown at a local arcade, he accidentally finds himself the target of a major crime boss (Sharon Stone). While not a huge franchise for Universal, these low budget action films have managed to create quite a following. Just the thought of Bob Odenkirk cast as John Wick (that’s how I imagine them selling the project) is hilarious, and the idea seems even better once you see it on a screen. With a new director at the helm (Timo Tjahjanto), the action is bigger and faster than what we saw in the first, which is really saying something. The film is less than 90 minutes, but it is packed full of ridiculous violence which ends in a showdown that should leave fans mostly satisfied. I was a little distracted by Sharon Stone here, partially because I couldn’t figure out who she was, and partially because she is way too over-the-top. I didn’t care for her character and I found the way she played it very annoying. Luckily she’s a relatively minor part of a short film. Also, don’t expect much story-wise. This film, as with the other, is about a man with extreme, but odd, fighting skills who takes out his frustrations on bad people who probably deserve what they get. Everything from the setup to the takedown is silly and hardly relevant to the action taking place. But the action is fun and a good release for those wanting a mindless break in a dark theater. B-

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of August 11, 2025

Weapons
Rated R for strong bloody violence and grisly images, language throughout, some sexual content and drug use
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
In Theaters
Hot off his 2022 studio debut Barbarian, writer/director Zach Cregger has another potential horror hit on his hands here with his new mystery/thriller Weapons. The story follows a room full of kids in elementary school who one day just didn’t show up to class. And the town and its police have no clue what has happened to them. One night, all at the same time, the children ran out the door and simply disappeared into the darkness. But not everyone disappeared. The teacher (Ozark’s Julia Garner) and one student (Cary Christopher) show up, apparently not having a clue what is going on. Of course, the parents of the missing kids blame the teacher, which begins to ruin her life, but her own curiosity of the mystery keeps her living there trying to put together the pieces. And while many parents have accepted their fate, one angry dad (Josh Brolin) is not willing to accept the detective work of the police and begins to sort out the clues himself. Weapons is being sold as one of the scariest films of the year, but personally, I found it way more interesting than horrifying. I really loved how the film is packaged into several different parts, all according to a particular character’s point of view. This allows the audience to try to piece together the mystery until there is no mystery left. And while the film isn’t particularly scary, it is super creepy at times, with some decent jump scares to keep you engaged and swallowing down your popcorn. The performances here are excellent, with a really good cast of actors to pull them off. Much of this is due to a terrific script by Cregger which uses a Tarantino approach to pull off what could have been mishandled by any other linear method of writing. By the end we get a harrowing two hours at the movies that will leave most audiences uniquely satisfied. B+

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of July 28, 2025

Together
Rated R for language, graphic nudity, brief drug content, sexual content, violent/disturbing content
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%
In Theaters
From the twisted mind of brand-new filmmaker Michael Shanks comes this horror film starring real-life spouses Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, a stressed couple who move from their fairly comfy life in the big city to a new environment in the country in order for her to take a job as a school teacher. Even though there is a lot of tension between them, and growing more every day, they attempt to put their troubles aside to make it work. One day as they are on a hike near their new home, they fall into a hole in the ground where they are stuck for the night. When they finally escape, they discover a new, scary attraction towards each other, like something is trying to make their bodies actually join together. Normally I wouldn’t think a movie like this could be such a hit, but it has truly turned some heads, and audiences and critics alike have become quite taken with it. It helps that Dave and Allison have incredible chemistry, as would be expected for a young married couple like this. But it is also fearless in its attempts to gross the audience out while creating a macabre sense of humor at the same time. While it falls firmly into the horror genre, it is quite funny and even romantic at times. At other times, it does push boundaries and I had to turn my head more than once. But I still found it to be enjoyable, even amongst all of the violence and disgusting drama. A special kudos goes to the makeup and special effects teams for their artistic and seriously disgusting creations. While I didn’t lose my dinner while watching at the Alamo Drafthouse, there were many moments when I wondered how I could possibly keep the food down while taking in such horrific sights. B

Happy Gilmore 2
Rated PG-13 for some thematic material, partial nudity, crude/sexual material, and strong language
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 62%
Streaming on Netflix
It has been almost thirty years since the original Happy Gilmore propelled Adam Sandler into notoriety, and now Netflix is showing us what happens to Happy all these years later. After accidentally killing his wife (Julie Brown) in a tragic golf accident, he goes on an epic drinking spree while trying to take care of his multitude of rowdy children. But when he runs out of money and his daughter needs tuition to attend a prestigious ballet school, he enters the golf world again to earn the necessary income to make that happen. But the golf world has evolved as a tech bro has created a new style of gameplay called Maxi Golf that threatens the traditional world of golf, much like Happy did decades ago. Most of us who grew up with Happy understand that it is a stupid yet lovable movie that you can enjoy tremendously, as long as you don’t take it seriously, and maybe down a few cocktails while taking it in. And this second one is just more of the same – and that ain’t bad. It is extremely funny at times, and insultingly dumb at others, but the dumb never gets you down if you’re willing to put up with it. I’m not sure why this couldn’t have been a theatrical release first, as it doesn’t feel like a straight to streaming affair. But it’s also not a perfect idiotic comedy either. While they successfully go over the top many times, they do a lot of really bad flashbacks to make sure we remember old Happy moments to give relevance to the cameo of the minute. While those script elements are a bit irritating, what does truly work are some of the bigger casting surprises like Bad Bunny, John Daly and Travis Kelce, who all turn in some unexpected great performances. Overall, I really enjoyed the new Happy and was glad to share in another golf adventure with him. B+

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of July 21, 2025

The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Rated PG-13 for some language, action/violence
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
In Theaters
In this fourth attempt to bring a big-budget Fantastic Four to theaters, Marvel itself is giving it a go, within the MCU, with a new cast and fresh vision. This time out we get Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm. The four are essentially a big family who went up into space and came down with superpowers. Choosing wisely not to do this as an origin story, this part of the narrative is quickly glossed over, giving the audience enough information to get into the meat of the new film while also giving the newbies enough information to move forward without questions. The first act finds our super family in a strange new earth (at least for us), which looks like a future designed by Mad Men. And in this world, they are the saviors, taking on low-level bad guys and strange aliens that occasionally attack the public. But then The Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), a metallic alien who flies around on a surfboard, pops up to announce that Galactus would soon come to Earth to devour it and end all of mankind. Galactus, a classic comic villain, is a giant space being who consumes planets and Earth is his new menu item. Finding themselves incredibly underwhelming against his power, they must use their brains to find a way to stop him, rather than their special abilities. There is a lot to like with this new Fantastic Four, especially when compared to the horrific attempts made before this. First and foremost is the new look. It’s weird and ultra-campy, but it really works, both on screen and in all of the advertising for the picture. Even the score by Oscar-winner Michael Giacchino (Up) enhances the look and feel of the film. It’s a creative bright spot that at least gives the film something to really like and hold on to when the story gets dull, which it most certainly does for huge chunks of time. While the classic Galactus battle works here, the movie is quite boring leading up to it. Part of this is due to an unreasonable amount of exposition and explanation, but this could have been easily avoidable if they had just made the characters more fun. The world around them is thrilling, but the four of them have no life. They all just look nervous to be there, and I don’t think I cracked a smile once. You would think that with a director like Matt Shakman, who directed over 40 episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, that there would be a huge sense of humor pervading the project. But you’d be wrong. The characters all play it straight and the film really suffers from this. So don’t get too excited that the reviews are looking better than the previous three attempts. A high Rotten Tomatoes score doesn’t mean that the film is spectacular. It sometimes means that a majority of critics found it to be at least okay, which reflects my thoughts here. B-

Popcorn Perspectives with Danny Minton

Week of July 7, 2025

Superman
Rated PG-13 for language, action and violence
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
In Theaters
The original (or at least I’m calling it original) Superman, starring Christopher Reeve, was my first super hero movie as a child, and to this day, one of my favorite films. Since that 1978 classic, there have been tons of sequels and reboots, but none of them have really captured what we love about Superman. In this new reimagining of arguably the most famous super hero of all, writer/director James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) has brought us a truly unique vision of Kal-El’s story with this thrilling new adventure. The film very wisely chooses not to go into another origin story, and instead begins as Superman (David Corenswet) is in the middle of a fight he is badly losing. We find out that for centuries, metahumans have been visiting our planet, and that Superman is one of these metahumans who has been on our planet for 30 years, making himself known to the world, and trying to do some good. But he’s also stirring up political trouble by stopping a war that would have changed the geopolitical scales while also killing lots of innocent civilians. So back to him losing a fight. As he is lying near his fortress of solitude in Antarctica, so badly beaten that he can’t even stand, we meet Krypto, his new dog who quickly becomes one of the most important (and lovable) characters in our movie. Krypto helps Superman get to safety and healing, and then the movie gets right back into the action. It’s a whacky beginning that immediately sets the tone for what we are about to experience. The story moves forward with Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) attempting to get inside Superman’s head regarding the ramifications of his actions, while Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) makes every attempt to kill him, so that he can move on to his more diabolical plans. Since James Gunn became a household name (for many) with Guardians of the Galaxy, we have been given some very outlandish, yet incredible and unforgettable storytelling for movies that would normally be missing these elements he regularly infuses into his craft. Just as with his work on his Marvel projects (and 2021’s Suicide Squad which was probably his DC working interview), he has created here a beautifully quirky picture, full of wonderful surprises and fantastically weird spectacles, all with a strong dose of humor. This all sounds like distraction from story, but it’s not. The characters, and overall universe, prove to be larger than life, giving Superman an uber-creative backdrop to hang his cape on. While there are some irritations, like people who don’t move when the world is crashing down on them (this has always been a problem), you merely go along with Gunn’s vision, gladly taking in what he is dishing out. I expected to be wowed by Gunn’s imagination creatively, but I did not expect how overtly political the film would be in regards to foreign wars, how we treat immigrants and animosity towards crazy, dangerous billionaires. There will be some angry dissenters, but my prediction will be that these are largely universal beliefs that will satisfy most audiences. Politics aside, this Superman is different than anything you have seen before, and I can’t wait to see where Gunn takes the DC universe as he sets out to chart a new course. A