RETRO REVIEW: “The Town That Dreaded Sundown” (1976)

May 5, 2025 by Keith Garlington

Loosely based on the real-life Texarkana Moonlight Murders, “The Town That Dreaded Sundown” is a Southern horror thriller helmed by director Charles B. Pierce (“The Legend of Boggy Creek”). It takes its inspiration from a series of unsolved murders and attempted murders over a ten-week period in 1946. The killings garnered nationwide attention and made headlines across the country.

“The Town That Dreaded Sundown” was written for the screen by Earl E. Smith and briefly narrated by Vern Stierman. Set in and around the city of Texarkana, which straddles the Texas and Arkansas border, the story takes place eight months after the end of World War II. Most of the war-weary soldiers have returned to the town of 40,000 and are trying to get back into something resembling an everyday routine.

But the town is shaken to its core on the evening of March 3, 1946. While parking on a rural lovers lane, a young couple is attacked by a brawny man in a white hood with eye holes cut out. Both manage to survive but not before they’re savagely beaten within an inch of their lives. The investigation is led by Deputy Norman Ramsey (Andrew Prine playing a character inspired by Bowie County Sheriff Bill Presley). But the cops end up with no clues, no suspects, and no arrests.

Despite that, things eventually get back to normal in Texarkana. But on a rainy Saturday night, a mere 21 days after the first attack, the police make a gruesome discovery. A young man is found dead in the ditch near a rural road. His murdered girlfriend is found a short distance away, her body tied to a tree. Immediately a wave of fear sweeps across the town. Terrified citizens start buying guns and adding new locks to their doors.

As the killings become national news, the desperate police call in Captain J.D. Morales (Ben Johnson) of the Texas Rangers, a character based on real-life lead investigator M.T. “Lone Wolf” Gonzaullas. He immediately takes charge of the investigation, calling in twelve of his own men and setting rules for the local cops and area press. Meanwhile the killer, now dubbed “The Phantom”, continues his murder spree which puts more pressure on Morales to bring an end to the terror.

While the movie sounds like a prototypical slasher, it doesn’t always play like one and that’s a strength. At times it operates with a near documentary style. Other times, as the killings get more horrific, the movie more closely resembles a gritty crime thriller. Where it stumbles is in the strangely out of tune attempts at comedy. They’re all found in patrolman A.C. “Spark Plug” Benson (played by Pierce) who is assigned to be the designated driver for Morales. His absurd scenes clash mightily with the story and belong from an entirely different movie.

Despite those tonal jolts and the occasional moments of shaky acting, “The Town That Dreaded Sundown” is effective in creating the very dread found in its title. It’s spin on the true events keep us engaged and the finish has an unsettling edge that leaves us wondering. The film certainly shows its age, but it’s also atmospheric and at times genuinely chilling. And that’s enough to overcome a handful of poor comedic choices that should have been left on the cutting room floor.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Thunderbolts*” (2025)

May 2, 2025 by Keith Garlington

Debuting in 1997, the Thunderbolts were created for Marvel Comics by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley. The idea was a cool one – a team of antiheroes/supervillains taking on missions in their search for something resembling redemption. To no surprise they’ve seen several iterations over the years. Creatives Warren Ellis and Mike Deadato Jr. delivered my favorite which came in the wake of “Civil War” and saw none other than Norman Osborn take the reins.

Now the Thunderbolts have found their way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe through a movie that feels much more in tune with the current MCU product than the comic book source material. Directed by Jake Schreier, “Thunderbolts*” features a handful of MCU leftovers who lack the drawing power to headline their own show or movie. Aside from Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes, all are post-Endgame second and third stringers who range from moderately interesting to mostly forgettable.

In many ways “Thunderbolts*” is yet another superhero team-up movie with many of the same tricks and tropes we’re accustomed to. But Schreier, along with screenwriters Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo, attempt to add some originality by taking the story into some darker directions. Aside from the obligatory action and another uneven MCU villain (more on him in a second), “Thunderbolts*” could easily be considered a two-hour superhero therapy session where a group of damaged misfits semi-wrestle with issues such as trauma, loss, depression, and loneliness.

But sadly the movie’s silliness too often clashes with the seriousness. We get a lot of petty arguing and forgettable banter meant to add layers of humor to the story. At the same time, the filmmakers want to say something serious, relying on fairly obvious metaphors and emotionally wrought flashbacks to present its heavier themes. Unfortunately neither are all that effective, mostly because the characters and their relationships fail to resonate as they’re meant to.

At this juncture in the MCU’s ever-changing timeline, embattled CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) finds herself facing impeachment for ordering a series of unsanctioned operations. In an effort to clean up any incriminating evidence, de Fontaine individually dispatches her top covert operatives to a secret mountaintop bunker. Each are given their own mission and are left in the dark about the others.

Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) surprise each other at the bunker and begin fighting it out. Taskmaster is quickly killed with little effort and even less fanfare, further emphasizing how badly Marvel Studios botched this great character. But with the help of Bob (Lewis Pullman), a mysterious man who suddenly appears in the bunker with them, the group realizes they are the evidence de Fontaine means to clean up.

The five are forced to work together in order to escape as de Fontaine and her forces converge on the bunker. Of course the experience quickly and inorganically develops them into a team, especially after they’re joined by Bucky, who is now serving as a freshman congressman, and Red Guardian (David Harbour), Yelena’s estranged father who’s mainly around for comic relief. Meanwhile de Fontaine sets her sights on the troubled Bob who we learn is extremely powerful even if he doesn’t fully realize it.

That’s the main story in a nutshell – a ragtag team going after de Fontaine with Bob caught in the middle. Again, the movie attempts to deal with weightier issues involving mental health, putting the bulk of its focus on the two characters it loves the most. But it never digs deep enough to say much. As for the characters, Pugh is clearly positioned as the lead but at times looks bored and struggles to mine personality out of Yelena. The rest of the team barely register on their own, even Stan’s grumpy Bucky who’s easily the most established of the bunch.

“Thunderbolts*” tries hard but it can’t pull the MCU out of the rut it has been stuck in for some time. It’s a very familiar movie that works hard to be unfamiliar. But the list of nagging issues gets pretty long. The team’s camaraderie often feels more fabricated than natural. Characters get shortchanged. Certain plot developments crumble. And the action tops out at lukewarm. Even its big ending is as shamelessly unremarkable as the asterisk in the film’s title. It left me longing for the MCU’s better days, when heroes were super, action was thrilling, and phases could be remembered without a Wikipedia visit.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

First Glance: “Weapons”

May 1, 2025 by Keith Garlington

While I wasn’t high on 2022’s surprisingly popular “Barbarian”, its writer and director Zach Cregger showed off real skill and a ton of promise. Warner Bros. Pictures has now released the trailer for Cregger’s anticipated follow-up, “Weapons”. His sophomore film is a horror mystery with a strong cast and a compelling premise. The first trailer does a terrific job setting the table for what is one of the more intriguing films of the year.

“Weapons” has a fascinating setup. One night, at exactly 2:17 AM, an entire class of children suddenly get out of their beds, leave their homes, and wander out into the night. They are never seen again. The community immediately suspects their teacher setting her on an investigation to clear her name. Cregger has described his movie as “bigger”, “weirder”, and “twistier” than “Barbarian”. Hopefully its more cohesive as well. It certainly has a good cast with Josh Brolin, Julia Gardner, Alden Ehrenreich, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan starring.

“Weapons” releases in theaters on August 8th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

First Glance: “The Smashing Machine”

April 30, 2025 by Keith Garlington

The unlikely duo of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and A24 team up in “The Smashing Machine”, a biographical sports drama from writer-director Benny Safdie. The film tells the true story of former American wrestler turned mixed martial artist Mark Kerr. It sees Johnson undergoing a significant on-screen transformation to play the troubled two-time UFC heavyweight champ. The movie’s much anticipated first trailer really gives us a sense of what Safdie is going for.

“The Smashing Machine” not only follows Kerr’s MMA success but also his personal struggles. In addition to the physical wear and tear on his body, he also battled substance abuse which took its own toll. His issues would effect his relationships, especially with his then wife Dawn Staples (played by the always exceptional Emily Blunt). I really like the look of this both visually and dramatically. It’s good to see Johnson challenging himself and Blunt enhances everything she’s in.

“The Smashing Machine” comes to theaters on October 3rd. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

First Glance: “Fountain of Youth”

April 29, 2025 by Keith Garlington

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)

April 28, 2025 by Keith Garlington

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.

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.