Author Archives: Keith Garlington

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

Five Big Announcements From Star Wars Celebration 2025

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Over the weekend Star Wars fans from across the globe converged on the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba City, Japan for the latest Star Wars Celebration convention. This year’s three-day event marked the 16th Celebration and (as usual) featured a number of big announcements, surprise appearances, and star-studded panels. To no surprise Star Wars fans were given plenty to look forward to. Here are the five biggest surprises, confirmations, and takeaways from Star Wars Celebration 2025.

Rumors had been swirling for a long time regarding a Star Wars movie from director Shawn Levy. But as Star Wars fans know all too well, rumors and even some early announcements doesn’t mean a movie is a sure-thing. Levy put that concern to rest by not only appearing at Celebration 2025, but by also bringing along his film’s star, Ryan Gosling. The two unveiled his movie’s title, “Star Wars: Starfighter”. Levy revealed that his story takes place after “Episode 9” and the Battle of Exegol making it the first Star Wars production set after the sequel trilogy. He also shared that “Starfighter” is officially in preproduction and will release Memorial Day 2027.

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While we all know that the next Star Wars movie to hit theaters will be “The Mandalorian and Grogu”, creative heads Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni revealed several cool tidbits as they prepare to make the jump from episodic streaming to the big screen. During their panel, Favreau and Filoni were joined by the series and film’s star, Pedro Pascal as well as a brand new member of the Star Wars universe, Sigourney Weaver! Rumors were out about her addition and now it’s confirmed that she’ll play a former Rebel pilot who serves the New Republic. An exclusive trailer was released for those in attendance and leaked (thankfully) for those of us online. This looks to be one grand Star Wars adventure.

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During the 20th Anniversary of Lucasfilm Animation panel, Dave Filoni dropped what is arguably the most exciting news of Star Wars Celebration 2025. Darth Maul will be returning in his own animated series titled “Maul – Shadow Lord”. The series will fill in some of the gaps between the character’s escape in the final episode of “The Clone Wars” series and his later appearance in “Star Wars Rebels”. Even better, the great Sam Witwer returns to voice the titular character as he builds his crime syndicate and takes on the underworld factions that oppose him. A trailer was shown to those in attendance but has yet to release for the rest of us. Hopefully soon. The series is currently in production and will debut on Disney+ in 2026.

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The first series of “Ahsoka” was a complex swirl of nostalgic joy and admitted frustration. The show had plenty of high points, none better than its terrific star, Rosario Dawson. The series did leave a lot of doors open leading to the expectation for another season. Dave Filoni confirmed it at Celebration 2025. “Ahsoka: Season Two” will be bigger in scale and scope. It is set to begin filming this week and releases on Disney+ in 2026. Among the many other bits of news was the big reveal that Hayden Christensen would return as Anakin Skywalker. Also Lars Mikkelsen will be back as the film’s antagonist, Grand Admiral Thrawn. We are even getting Admiral Ackbar! In more somber news, an emotional Filoni announced that Rory McCann would be taking over the role of Baylan Skoll following the sad passing of Ray Stevenson.

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We are literally one day away from the much anticipated premiere of “Andor: Season Two”. To gets fans even more hyped for the 12-episode second season, creator Tony Gilroy along with cast members Diego Luna, Genevieve O’Reilly, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, and Alan Tudyk appeared to let fans know what we can expect. Luna was especially enthusiastic, revealing that “Season Two” will change the way we look at 2016’s “Rogue One”. Gilroy stated the second season would play out over four years with each three-episode drop covering one year. While the series was described as “wider, larger, and more ambitious“, Gilroy said the character’s would still be at the center as the story moves towards its intense conclusion.

REVIEW: “Sinners” (2025)

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Kudos to Warner Bros. Pictures. They have hit all the right notes in promoting their latest big release, “Sinners”. Now for many of us, the reteaming of writer-director Ryan Coogler and actor Michael B. Jordan was the only selling point we needed. But the studio made their latest collaboration even more enticing with a pair of killer trailers and a series of brilliant posters. Best of all, “Sinners” absolutely delivers, often in ways I never expected.

What makes “Sinners” even more appetizing (especially for genre fans like me) is the crazy way it mixes the arthouse with the grindhouse. It’s a richly imagined movie dripping with cultural flavor and possessing a keen sense of time and place. It’s also a movie with a lot on its mind, using fairly obvious metaphors to make some equally obvious points. At the same time, “Sinners” turns into a blood-bathed vampire movie reminiscent of Robert Rodriguez’s “From Dusk till Dawn”.

Many will be surprised by how much time Coogler puts into building up his story and his characters. Well over half of the movie focuses on introducing characters, defining relationships, and immersing us in the vibrant period setting. By far this is when the movie is at its strongest. It’s a much different story for the inevitable payoff. The final siege is fittingly bloody and chaotic. But it’s also rushed – at times frantically edited and lacking logic in spots.

Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Set in Jim Crow-era 1932, the story takes place over the course of an eventful 24 hours in the rural town of Clarksville, Mississippi. Jordan mesmerizes with his dual lead performances. He plays Smoke and Stack, identical twin brothers who return to their hometown after some time in Chicago where they hustled, ran prostitution rings, and killed for mob boss Al Capone. With a pocket full of cash, Smoke and Stack buy an old mill from a shady businessman believed by some to have ties with the Ku Klux Klan. The brothers plan on turning the mill into a blues-centered juke joint, custom-made for the local black community.

The twins waste no time getting ready for their big opening night, hiring several local friends to chip in. They get food and a sign from a Chinese couple who owns a local grocery store, Grace and Bo Chow (played by Li Jun Li and Yao). Smoke convinces his estranged wife Annie (Wunmi Mosaku) to cook. They hire the brawny Cornbread (Omar Benson Miller) to man the door. Aged blues musician Delta Slim agrees to handle the music. And they bring along their young cousin Sammie (Miles Caton), a talented guitar player who dreams of becoming a blues singer despite the wishes of his preacher father.

As the joint opens and the raucous party gets underway, a few more key characters enter the mix. Namely the sultry Pearline (Jayme Lawson), a married woman who Sammie is instantly attracted to, and Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), a white woman who has a special relationship with Stack. Coogler infuses the club scenes with a raw yet infectious energy, oscillating between harmonious to hedonistic. The music soon becomes the centerpiece and it remains a key piece of the story throughout.

Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

But the night takes a turn with the appearance of Remmick (Jack O’Connell), a smooth-talking Irish immigrant who says he was drawn to their shindig by Sammie’s hypnotic singing. In reality, Remmick is hiding a vicious secret. He and his two companions are actually vampires and he desperately wants inside to join the party. But if you’re remotely familiar with vampire movies, you know the rules. A bloodsucker can’t enter unless they’re invited. And that sets up a cultural/supernatural standoff that really ramps up the tension.

From the very start, it’s hard not to be absorbed in the period Coogler recreates. The locations, production design, costumes – it all feeds the movie’s striking authenticity. It’s all captured through Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s alluring lensing and surrounded by the scintillating music from Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson. And everything is enhanced by the performances from a truly superb ensemble. It all begins and ends with Jordan who brings distinct intensity and personality to both Smoke and Stack.

But it’s Coogler’s uninhibited style and craftsmanship that makes “Sinners” a soulful, sumptuous, sexy, and sinister experience all its own. His story is rich and layered while his characters are fully formed and often complex with most living up to the film’s title. Yet while Coogler’s statements on America’s history are clear and insightful, some of his other points remain hazier and less impactful. Still, “Sinners” shows why Ryan Coogler is such an important filmmaker. And it once again shows the kind of magic he can muster whenever he connects with Michael B. Jordan.”Sinners” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 4 STARS