Author Archives: Keith Garlington

First Glance: “Fountain of Youth”

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Apple Studios have dropped the second trailer for their big budget streaming blockbuster “Fountain of Youth”. The film is an upcoming action adventure heist movie that has a strong resemblance to Nicolas Cage’s “National Treasure” films. It’s directed by Guy Ritchie and written by James Vanderbilt. But its most attractive feature is its cast. John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson, Carmen Ejogo, and Stanley Tucci round out a fascinating ensemble.

Kransinski and Portman play estranged siblings, Luke and Charlotte Purdue. Through a series of wild events Charlotte is convinced to join her brother on an action-packed journey to find the mythological Fountain of Youth. The movie looks to be a globe-trotting adventure to iconic locations around the world. The latest trailer gives us a better gauge of the movie’s scope as well as a good dose of the humor. Hopefully it has enough to differentiate itself from the classic adventure movies that clearly inspired it. I’ll certainly be there for it.

“Fountain of Youth” premieres May 23rd on Apple TV+. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

REVIEW: “The Accountant 2” (2025)

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Ben Affleck surprised many with his under the radar yet thoroughly entertaining 2016 action thriller “The Accountant”. He played the character of Christian Wolff, an autistic accountant who works the books and covers the tracks for some of the most dangerous criminals in the world. The movie did pretty well at the box office but never had much lasting buzz. Maybe that’s why it was a surprise to hear that a sequel was in the works.

“The Accountant 2” sees Affleck reteaming with director Gavin O’Connor and screenwriter Bill Dubuque to make a sequel that taps into much of what made the first film surprisingly compelling. At the same time they noticeably go in some new directions, mixing buddy comedy elements into a darker story about kidnapping and human trafficking. The tonal gymnastics don’t always work, leading to the movie’s overall uneven feel. At the same time, the humor adds to the fun and helps “The Accountant 2” to stand out from its predecessor.

Image Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

After Director Raymond King ( a briefly returning J.K. Simmons) is killed by unknown assassins, Treasury Agent Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) follows King’s dying wishes and contacts Christian Wolff to help solve the murder. In the process, the two uncover a web of violence and crime that involves a missing family, a rogue assassin (Daniella Pineda), human traffickers, and drug cartels. In over his head, Christian calls on his estranged brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal) for help.

Here’s the thing, Christian and Braxton haven’t seen each other in eight years. So convincing his brother to help requires a little personal effort which is not among Christian’s strengths. And considering Braxton is a contract killer, once he does inevitably agree to help, his aggressive methods immediately clash with Marybeth’s.

From there the movie travels in two different directions. One involves the two brothers mending their relationship through frequent banter, a good ol’ honky-tonk bar fight, and killing a bunch of really bad people. The other involves uncoiling the mystery with Christian using his particular set of skills and his secret team young savants to expose King’s killers and finish the work his late friend had set out to do.

Image Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

The most noticeable change in “The Accountant 2” is Bernthal’s expanded role. He gets a lot more to do and does a good job developing his character beyond his tough rugged exterior. He and Affleck have a strong onscreen rapport both dramatically and comedically. And that camaraderie kicks into another gear during the film’s bullet-riddled finale. Together they bring an energy that may not always gel with the rest of the movie, but that manages to entertain on its own.

“The Accountant 2” deserves credit for doing more than just copying its predecessor. O’Connor and Dubuque put in the work to expand their characters and grow their relationships. At the same time not all of the swings connect as solidly as intended. At times the humor can be jarring and even out of tune, making the main story take a backseat. But there’s still plenty to enjoy in “The Accountant 2” – the second installment in an unlikely franchise that isn’t afraid to tinker with its own formula.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

RETRO REVIEW: “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” (2005)

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It’s hard to believe, but it has been twenty years since the release of “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”. To celebrate Lucasfilm and Disney are re-releasing the movie in theaters across the country and the projected turnout has been amazing. It’s well deserved as “Episode III” is not only the best film from the prequel trilogy, but it’s one of the very best Star Wars movies made.

When it comes to the prequels, Star Wars mastermind George Lucas certainly saved his best for last. “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” is a fabulous final chapter in the prequel trilogy and a movie that stands firm on its own individual merits. Rewatching it again, I was again reminded of how much I’ve loved it, not only during its initial release, but during every subsequent viewing.

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“Episode III” begins three years into the Clone Wars with an eye-popping opening rescue attempt sequence in the atmosphere above Coruscant. Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) has been captured by General Grievous, the commander of the Separatist droid army. Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) eventually succeed in rescuing the Chancellor but fail to capture Grievous. It’s an exhilarating start to the film, full of action, stunning visuals, and some meaningful story nuggets. It also adds some welcomed levity before the inevitable darker turn.

Lucas moves things along at a faster pace than in the previous two films mainly because he has a lot of ground to cover. Obi-Wan sets out to track down Grievous with hopes that his capture would end the war. Palpatine continues his quest for power through the manipulation of politics and the war. But the Chancellor’s biggest target is Anakin who he secretly works to sway to the dark side. Meanwhile Anakin and Padme (Natalie Portman) continue to hide their marriage which proves tougher after Padme reveals she is pregnant.

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The sheer number of dangling story threads is pretty daunting, but Lucas ties them up nicely and his management of both narrative and tone is superb. He keeps a sharp focus and doesn’t wander off into needless side-stories. The movie stays centered on Anakin and those closest to him – Padme and Obi-Wan on one side; Palpatine on the other. Of course we know Anakin becomes Darth Vader and Lucas chronicles His turn in a powerful and often heart-breaking way.

That doesn’t mean other key characters and plot points are overlooked. Yoda (again perfectly voiced by the great Frank Oz) gets some big moments as does Samuel L. Jackson’s Mace Windu. Lucas answers questions concerning the Jedi Order, the Trade Federation, and of course a few bigger ones that directly connect to “Episode IV”. As a long time fan of the original three Star Wars pictures, it’s pretty amazing to watch these two trilogies connect in such a satisfying way.

Several things take a step up from the previous film, most importantly the performances from Christensen and Portman. Christensen makes the bigger leap which is impressive considering he’s given much trickier material to work with. The range of emotions and the level of character transformation was challenging but he does a nice job. Sure, you’ll wince at a couple of line deliveries, but as a whole its a solid performance. Same with Portman who just feels more comfortable with her character. McGregor is outstanding as is the conniving McDiarmid.

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Even visually “Episode III” seems more focused. We get none of those shallow sequences that are little more than CGI showcases. Here everything serves the story, the characters, the environments, and the atmosphere. And of course you have the musical genius of John Williams who has over 50 Academy Award nominations to his credit. Over the decades his music has played crucial roles in Star Wars storytelling and “Episode III” features some of his best work, especially during the film’s darker second half.

As you can probably tell I still love “Revenge of the Sith” and that enthusiasm was only strengthened with this 20th Anniversary rewatch. It remains a fantastic conclusion to the prequels and a satisfying segue to the classic original films. It all wipes away most concerns for the previous episodes, especially when watching them in succession and as one 415-minute whole. Best yet, they maintain a firm place in Star Wars canon and opened the door to a host of exciting content that’s still playing out today.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

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REVIEW: “Until Dawn” (2025)

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I’ve never played the video game “Until Dawn”, a popular survival horror title that released on PlayStation in 2015. “Until Dawn” was an interactive experience that stood apart for its healthy amount of exploration and butterfly effect gameplay system. The game was received well by critics and would become a surprise sleeper hit for Sony Computer Entertainment.

While it’s well documented that video games haven’t had the best track record when it comes to translating to the big screen, director David F. Sandberg gives it another shot with “Until Dawn”. Co-written by Gary Dauberman and Blair Butler, the story follows Clover (Ella Rubin), a troubled young woman still struggling after the death of her mother and the mysterious disappearance of her sister Melanie (Maia Mitchell) one year earlier.

Image Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Accompanied by her friends Max (Michael Cimino), Nina (Odessa A’zion), Megan (Ji-young Yoo), and Abe (Belmont Cameli), Clover goes on a road trip to the remote Glore Valley where her sister was last seen. Their hopes are to find clues to Melanie’s whereabouts by retracing her last known steps. They start by stopping at a country mercantile where the owner (played by the always interesting Peter Stormare) informs Clover that many folks have gone missing in the area, especially further up the road. So of course that’s where the five friends go, setting the stage for the horror that follows.

They drive deeper into the valley through a heavy downpour until they arrive at an isolated welcome center where things are noticeably off. For starters, heavy rain forms a circle around the manor and not a drop falls within it. Things only get weirder after the group goes inside to wait out the storm. Abe discovers a bulletin board covered in missing person flyers; Nina finds a guest book where visitors’ names are written multiple times in a row; Megan starts hearing warnings from unknown spirits.

But Sandberg doesn’t waste much time setting up the story. Instead he gets right to the carnage as a masked Vorhees-esque psychopath shows up and picks off the five one savage kill at a time. But to their surprise, all five come back to life only to die again in a different yet equally gruesome way. And that’s the story’s gimmick which unfortunately grows stale a little too quick. The group is caught in an endless time loop where they encounter a new horror with each reset. And each reset takes more of a toll on each of them.

Image Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

Clover, Max, Nina, Abe, and Megan eventually figure out their dilemma and must survive until dawn if they’re going to escape. They learn it all with little mystery and even less intrigue. Instead the movie focuses more on the next wave of carnage which admittedly can be pretty entertaining. The use of mostly practical effects make the deaths especially fun. And you can’t help but to enjoy watching the filmmakers go down the horror movie checklist (masked psychos, a haunted house, supernatural possession, creepy dolls, clowns, etc. – they’re all here). We even get a sprinkling of genuinely funny dialogue although I’m not sure its always intentional.

But “Until Dawn” is hampered by a few too many weak spots that keep it from gelling into the killer horror experience it teases. The world’s rules don’t always make sense and things get especially muddled in the final act. But its biggest issue may be with the paper-thin characters. We have the troubled protagonist, her insecure ex, a lunkheaded psych major, a spirit dabbler, and a relationship hopper. Outside of those brief descriptors, none of the characters are fleshed out enough for us to care about them. Ultimately that makes watching their evisceration a little less interesting. “Until Dawn” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Havoc” (2025)

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With his superhero run as Venom (hopefully) done, it looks like Tom Hardy is leaning back into the tough, hard-nosed roles that made him a star. We got a good reminder of him at his best in last year’s underrated and underappreciated “The Bikeriders”. And he completely lets loose in his latest feature “Havoc”, a gritty underworld action thriller that sees Hardy teaming with writer-director Gareth Evans.

Evans first grabbed attention in 2011 with his Indonesian action thriller “The Raid”. He followed it with “The Raid 2″ in 2014 and the unsettling gothic folk horror feature “Apostle” in 2018. His latest pulls some technical inspiration from each of his previous films, but overall it has a noticeably different flavor. It’s a little bit of John Wick mixed with a little bit of John Woo. But Evans puts his own furiously violent stamp on the action which is what gives “Havoc” its style and energy.

Image Courtesy of Netflix

“Havoc” opens with an electric car chase sequence as the cops pursue a speeding 18-wheeler through the downtown of an unnamed American city. I won’t spoil how the pursuit ends, but it sets in motion the events that will unfold over the film’s mostly propulsive 100 minutes. As Evans’ story unfolds, her serves us a veritable buffet of bullets, blood, and bodies that is only matched by heaping helpings of corruption, betrayal, mistaken identities, and underworld retribution.

Hardy plays Walker Mackey, a hardened homicide cop haunted by the shady dealings from his past. One evening he and his strait-laced new partner Ellie (Jessie Mei Li) are called to investigate a horrific crime scene. Three heavily armed masked men busted in on a drug deal and massacred a room full of Triad members including Tsui (Jeremy Ang Jones), the son of a powerful mob boss and crime family matriarch (Yeo Yann Yann).

While looking for clues, Walker discovers a video showing two young people fleeing the scene, Charlie (Justin Cornwell) and his girlfriend Mia (Quelin Sepulveda). Walker immediately recognizes Charlie as the estranged son of mayoral candidate Lawrence Beaumont (played by Forest Whitaker). But are he and Mia eye-witnesses or suspects? Walker informs Beaumont about his son and we quickly learn the two have a complex relationship. Beaumont implores Walker to find Charlie in return for wiping away any debts between them.

From there the story kicks into overdrive as Walker races to find Charlie and Mia as they look for a way to escape the city. Meanwhile the Triad is hunting the young couple who they believe are responsible for the massacre. And the real killers are after them too, hoping to erase any potential witnesses. Once all of these parties and their motivations are established, the story leans almost exclusively on the action. Don’t expect much character development, any thematic depth, or unexpected plot twists.

Image Courtesy of Netflix

But here’s the thing – the action is more than able to carry the movie through to its finish. Evans doesn’t shortchange his audience, creating extended action sequences and infusing them with equal amounts of chaos and brutality. Admittedly they aren’t for the squeamish as the blood sprays just as much as bullets. But they are brilliantly choreographed and shot in a way that helps “Havoc” easily earn its name.

As for Tom Hardy, he’s the perfect fit for this tough and merciless world, bringing his rugged edge and signature swagger to the kind of character he was chiseled to play. Whitaker is always a welcomed presence as is Timothy Olyphant who gets a juicy role as a crooked police detective. They all add flavor to a wickedly entertaining, high-octane action showcase that keeps us riveted by delivering exactly what it promises. “Havoc” premieres April 25th on Netflix.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

New On Home Video: Three Classic Clint Eastwood Favorites on 4K Ultra HD

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Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment is bringing three fan favorite films from screen legend Clint Eastwood to 4K Ultra HD for the very first time. New editions of “Dirty Harry”, “The Outlaw Josey Wales”, and “Pale Rider” will soon be available to own, each in spectacular 4K with High Dynamic Range and loaded with special features. These are great additions and must-haves for any Eastwood fan.

These new 4K Ultra HD editions of “Dirty Harry”, “The Outlaw Josey Wales”, and “Pale Rider” come with digital copies and will be available to purchase on April 29th. See below for a full synopsis of the films as well as release info including a list of special features.

“Dirty Harry” (1971)

About the Film:

Year: 1971

Runtime: 102 Minutes

Director: Don Siegel

Screenwriters: Harry Julian Fink, R.M. Fink, and Dean Riesner

Cast: Clint Eastwood, Harry Guardino, Reni Santoni, Andy Robinson, John Larch, John Vernon, John Mitchum, Mae Mercer, Lyn Edington, Ruth Kobart, Woodrow Parfrey, Josef Sommer

Rating: R

Academy Award winner Clint Eastwood stars as no-holds-barred San Francisco cop Dirty Harry Callahan in this action thriller that began an action franchise. When detective Harry Callahan is assigned to pay extortion money to a serial murderer, the payoff goes wrong. Now with the life of a 14-year-old girl at stake, Callahan refuses to allow anything–including the law–to keep him from stopping the killer.

The film is directed by Don Siegel. The screenplay is by Harry Julian Fink, R.M. Fink, and Dean Riesner from a story by Harry Julian Fink and R.M. Fink.  The film is produced by Don Siegel.  Dirty Harry stars Clint Eastwood, Andy Robinson, Harry Guardino, Reni Santoni, and John Vernon.

“Dirty Harry” was selected in 2008 by Empire as one of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time. The film was ranked No. 41 on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years … 100 Thrills, a list of America’s most heart-pounding movies, and Harry Callahan was selected as the 17th greatest movie hero on 100 Years … 100 Heroes & Villains. The movie’s famous quote “You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?” was ranked 51st on 100 Years … 100 Movie Quotes.

Special Features:

“Dirty Harry” 4K UHD contains the following new and previously released special features:  

  • Commentary by Richard Schickel
  • Generations and Dirty Harry – NEW
  • Lensing Justice: The Cinematography of Dirty Harry – NEW
  • American Masters Career Retrospective: Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows
  • Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso
  • Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy – Fighting for Justice
  • Interview Gallery
    • Patricia Clarkson
    • Joel Cox
    • Clint Eastwood
    • Hal Holbrook
    • Evan Kim
    • John Milius
    • Ted Post
    • Andy Robinson
    • Arnold Schwarzenegger
    • Robert Urich
  • Dirty Harry’s Way
  • Dirty Harry: The Original

“The Outlaw Josey Wales” (1976)

About the Film:

Year: 1976

Runtime: 135 Minutes

Director: Clint Eastwood

Screenwriters: Phil Kaufman, Sonia Chernus

Cast: Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney, John Vernon, Paula Trueman, Sam Bottoms, Geraldine Keams, Woodrow Parfrey, Joyce Jameson, Sheb Wooley, Royal Dano

Rating: PG

Academy Award winner Clint Eastwood stars in and directs this fast-paced Western about the fight for vengeance by a Missouri farmer whose family is murdered in the last days of the United States’ Civil War.

The film is directed by Clint Eastwood. The screenplay is by Phil Kaufman and Sonia Chernus and is based on the novel “Gone to Texas” by Forrest Carter. The film is produced by Robert Daly.  “The Outlaw Josie Wales” stars Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney, and John Vernon.

“The Outlaw Josey Wales” was nominated for the Academy Award for Original Music Score. In 1996, it was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Special Features:

“The Outlaw Josie Wales” 4K UHD contains the following new and previously released special features:  

  • Commentary by Richard Schickel
  • An Outlaw and an Antihero – NEW
  • The Cinematography of and Outlaw: Crafting Josie Wales – NEW
  • Clint Eastwood’s West
  • Eastwood in Action
  • Hell Hath No Fury: The Making of The Outlaw Josie Wales
  • Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy – Reinventing the West

“Pale Rider” (1985)

About the Film:

Year: 1985

Runtime: 116 Minutes

Director: Clint Eastwood

Screenwriters: Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack

Cast: Clint Eastwood, Michael Moriarty, Carrie Snodgress, Christopher Penn, Richard Dysart, Sydney Penny, Richard Kiel, Doug McGrath, John Russell, Chuck Lafont, Billy Drago, Jeffrey Weissman, Charles Hallahan

Rating: R

With 1985’s “Pale Rider”, Clint Eastwood returned to the western genre with a vengeance as the movie became the highest grossing western of that decade. Eastwood, who also directed the hit film, plays a nameless stranger who rides into a small California gold rush town (and becomes known as the “Preacher”) where he finds himself in the middle of a feud between a mining syndicate and a group of independent prospectors.

The film is produced and directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Michael Butler and Dennis Shryack.  The film stars Clint Eastwood, Michael Moriarty, Carrie Snodgress, Christopher Penn, Richard Dysart, Sydney Penny, Richard Kiel, Doug McGrath, and John Russell.

Special Features:

Pale Rider 4K UHD contains the following new and previously released special features:  

  • The Diary of Sydney Penny: Lessons from the Set – NEW
  • Painting the Preacher: Bruce Surtees and Pale Rider – NEW
  • Clint Eastwood: A Cinematic Legacy – Reinventing Westerns
  • Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story
  • The Eastwood Factor