As someone fascinated with the rise and fall of the America Mafia, the new film “The Alto Knights” immediately grabbed my attention. This biographical crime drama is directed by Academy Award winner Barry Levinson (“The Natural”, “Rain Man”) and written by Nicholas Pileggi (“Goodfellas”). And to top it all off it features Robert De Niro in a dual role playing mob bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. While that was all I needed to be excited, seeing the first trailer has me even more hyped.

Set in the 1950s, “The Alto Knights” follows the complex relationship between Italian-American mob bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. It centers on their close friendship as well as the eventual tension that leads to an unsuccessful assassination attempt and a dramatic reshaping of the American Mafia. This is fascinating and fertile material and Warner Bros. look to have all the right people in place to explore it.

“The Alto Knights” releases in theaters on March 21st. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Following its wildly intriguing teaser released several weeks ago, the first full trailer for “Companion” just dropped and it adds even more reasons to be interested. Written and directed by Drew Hancock, “Companion” is yet another A.I./robot thriller that joins the numerous others put out over the last several years. But the trailer leaves the impression that this one may have a unique flavor all its own.

Part sci-fi thriller and part breakup comedy, “Companion” sees Sophie Thatcher playing Iris, the android girlfriend to Jack Quaid’s Josh. Problems start when Josh decides to jail-break his companion like an iPhone. Iris suddenly starts malfunctioning and things quickly turn violent. There’s a lot to like about the trailer including the wild premise and some gnarly kills. But there’s also some curious character bits which are a little questionable.

“Companion” hits theaters January 31st. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Based on the short story of the same name by George R. R. Martin, “In the Lost Lands” is an upcoming action-fantasy epic from director Paul W. S. Anderson. The film stars Anderson’s real-life wife Milla Jovovich who he previously worked with on the Resident Evil film series and more recently “Monster Hunter”. The film also stars Dave Bautista who can be good if given the right material. The first trailer dropped today and it’s hard to get a good feel for what to expect.

From the trailer the film’s fantastical story is a little hard to put together. It sees Jovovich playing a powerful witch named Gray Alys who’s on a mission to the violent post-apocalyptic wilderness known as the Lost Lands. Ahead of her journey she hires a guide named Boyce (Bautista) who is familiar with the dangers that lie ahead. The two immediately encounter a variety of threats, some natural and some not so much. The film looks to incorporate a heavy does of dark fantasy action and it looks to have an equally dark story. Hopefully that story has enough meat on its bones to stay interesting.

“In the Lost Lands” opens in theaters February 28th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Recently I shared my Top 10 films of 2024 (you can check them out HERE). Today is a far less joyous occasion. As I’ve often done in the past, today I’m sharing my choices for the five worst movies I saw this past year. It’s sad to say but there were quite a lot to choose from. But who takes these things seriously anyway? So without further ado, here are my picks. Enjoy….I guess.

Dishonorable Mentions: “Babygirl”, “Dirty Angels”, “Red One”, “Lonely Planet”, “The Killer’s Game”, “Tarot”, “Kinds of Kindness”, “The Crow”, “The Union”, “A Family Affair”, “The Exorcism”, “Something in the Water”, “Sunrise”, “Mean Girls”, “The Apprentice”

#5 – “Space Cadet”

The premise of “Space Cadet” isn’t very encouraging. Then you actually watch the movie and realize it’s worse than expected. “Space Cadet” is absurd in all the wrong ways. You do feel for Emma Roberts who does everything she can to make us laugh or at least care about what we’re seeing. Sadly, her efforts are in vain as the material is just too bad for her or anyone else to overcome.

#4 – “Anora”

I know, I know. People love this thing which may lead some to accuse me of being a contrarian. But nothing could be further from the truth. I left the theater with the same opinion I have now – “Anora” is a messy and shallow grind. It’s a numbingly exhausting 140 minutes spent with annoying characters with practically no meaningful depth.  And good luck finding an emotional core amid the endless yelling, constant arguing, and (at times) brain-melting dialogue.

#3 – “Madame Web”

It certainly wasn’t a great year for superhero movies. Sony’s SpiderVerse had an especially tough time led by the train-wreck that was “Madame Web”. I feel bad for Dakota Johnson who I’m sure received a nice paycheck but who didn’t exactly get a career boost with this one. The movie was risky from the start. But I can’t imagine many expected such catastrophic results. Bland story, bland protagonists, a bland villain, and bland action. That’s not a winning formula.

#2 – “The Strangers: Chapter 1”

I really responded to 2008’s home invasion horror film “The Strangers”. Sadly “The Strangers: Chapter One” captures none of what made the original successful. It’s essentially a stripped-down version of the original film that has us spending most of the running time waiting for something to happen. There’s barely enough material here to fill a 30-minute pilot episode much less a feature length movie. And when something FINALLY does happen, it isn’t worth the wait.

#1 – “Mea Culpa”

Tyler Perry’s self-branded feature “Mea Culpa” clearly wants to be a legal, psychological, and erotic thriller all wrapped into one. The problem is the film isn’t remotely thrilling in any imaginable way. Instead, this astonishingly bad, completely hollow, and downright trashy straight-to-streaming debacle only gets by on its handful of unintentional laughs. There’s certainly talent in the cast, but sadly they’re trapped in a no-win situation. And so is the audience.

Today I’m wrapping up my look back at the best performances of 2024 with what I believe is the strongest category of the bunch – Lead Actor. It’s a group filled with exciting contenders making it tough to narrow them down to only five. But that’s how these silly lists work so let’s get to it. Here are my five favorite Lead Actor performances along with some worthy honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions: Cillian Murphy (“Small Things Like These”), Victor Clavijo (“The Wait”), Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave”), Jonas Dassler (“Bonhoeffer”), David Dastmalchian (“Late Night with the Devil”), Colman Domingo (“Sing Sing”), Jesse Eisenberg (“A Real Pain”), John David Washington (“The Piano Lesson”), Nicholas Hoult (“Juror #2”), Austin Butler (“The Bikeriders”), James McAvoy (“Speak No Evil”), Kevin Costner (“Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1”), Michael Keaton (“Goodrich”)

#5 – Hugh Grant (“Heretic”)

I’m loving this current phase in Hugh Grant’s already superb movie career. His latest performance in the horror thriller “Heretic” only emphasizes why. “Heretic” is unquestionably the talkiest horror movie of the year but that plays right to Grant’s strength. He’s disarmingly funny, devilishly charming, and utterly terrifying once the movie calls for it. This is easily one of the most entertaining performances of the year.

#4 – Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”)

In “The Brutalist”, Adrien Brody continues his trend of consistently delivering top-tier performances regardless of the genre he’s working in. Here he plays an accomplished architect and Holocaust survivor who emigrates to the United States. Brody pours himself into the role with the same intensity as he did in “The Pianist”. While this film isn’t as good, Brody’s performance is worthy of the same attention.

#3 – Jean Dujardin (“On the Wandering Paths”)

Many people on this side of the pond were introduced to Jean Dujardin through his Oscar-winning performance in 2011’s “The Artist”. But the actor has made many notable films before and after that highly acclaimed feature. Take this year’s “On the Wandering Paths”. Dujardin has always had charisma to spare, but it’s the humanity that shines brightest in his best work. We certainly get that in this rich and soulful performance.

#2 – Jude Law (“The Order”)

I’ve long appreciated Jude Law. His latest series of projects have only made my appreciation grow. None have been better than “The Order” where Law gives one of the best performances of his 35-year career. Sporting a thick mustache and a world-weary veneer, Law is completely convincing as a dedicated but flawed FBI agent on the trail of a rural white supremacist group. “The Order” is one of 2024’s best surprises, and Jude Law is a crucial part of the film’s success.

#1 – Timothée Chalamet (“A Complete Unknown”)

To be honest, I had no real expectations when it came to Timothée Chalamet playing Bob Dylan. But much as he did in this year’s “Dune: Part Two”, the young actor bowled me over. In addition to his impressive committed acting, Chalamet sings and plays his own songs which only enhances his overall work. It’s easily one of the most challenging roles of the year, and Chalamet’s seamless fusion of music and drama puts this on the top of my list.

And that wraps up another celebration the best performances of the year. Thanks for following along. I’d love to hear what would have made your list in the comments section below.

With the supporting performances in the books today we began the task of looking back at the very best lead performances from 2024. As usual we’ll start with lead actress, a category chock-full of worthy considerations. There were several very deserving leading ladies making this a challenging category to narrow down. But such is the nature of these silly lists so let’s get to it.

Honorable Mentions: Kate Winslet (“Lee”), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”), Saoirse Ronan (“The Outrun”), Kirsten Dunst (“Civil War”), Jodie Comer (“The Bikeriders”), Lily-Rose Depp (“Nosferatu”), Adria Arjona (“Hit Man”), Angelina Jolie (“Maria”), Cate Blanchett (“Rumours”), Daisy Edgar Jones (“Twisters”), Lupita Nyong’o (“A Quiet Place: Day One”), Maika Monroe (“Longlegs”), Pamela Anderson (“The Last Showgirl”), Vicky Krieps (“The Dead Don’t Hurt”)

#5 – Soheila Golestani (“The Seed of the Sacred Fig”)

There’s A LOT going on in Mohammad Rasoulof’s captivating political thriller “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” and lead actress Soheila Golestani is the linchpin that holds it all together. She plays a wife and mother torn between her loyalty to her husband and the well-being of their two daughters. Golestani navigates the simmering political and domestic drama with remarkable control which is essential to what Rasoulof is going for.

#4 – Nathalie Emmanuel (“Megalopolis”)

You won’t find much awards talk about Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis”, but I’m not ashamed to say I loved it. One of its strengths lies in the performance of Nathalie Emmanuel which is a significant piece of the film’s audacious story. Emmanuel’s character offers us a distinct perspective on the many themes Coppola is exploring and she brings some much-needed heart amid the corporate and creative chaos. Emmanuel is our emotional anchor and deserves recognition for what she’s able to pull off.

#3 – June Squibb (“Thelma”)

Now here’s a more lighthearted yet equally deserving pick. June Squibb brings heart, humor, and incredible personality to “Thelma”, one of the most enjoyable comedies of the year. Squibb has an effortless charm that once again shows itself in her latest film. But she’s also strikingly authentic which makes a movie like this even more endearing. Don’t miss her in “Thelma”. She’s an absolute delight.

#2 – Christiana Dell’Anna (“Cabrini”)

It seems so long ago, but one of the year’s best performances came in March in director Alejandro Monteverde’s biographical drama “Cabrini”. A fiercely committed Cristiana Dell’Anna offers a subdued yet powerful portrayal of Catholic missionary Francesca Cabrini who tirelessly worked on behalf of immigrant children in 1889 New York City. It’s a stirring and deeply empathetic performance that has stuck with me since first seeing it.

#1 – Fernanda Torres (“I’m Still Here”)

Among the easiest choices for this list is Fernanda Torres. She is the emotional force behind “I’m Still Here”, the Brazilian political thriller that tells the true story of Eunice Paiva, a wife and mother navigating through a harrowing political whirlwind. Torres is fearless but also remarkably restrained which fuels some of the movie’s most heart-wrenching scenes. This was an eye-opening turn for me, and how Torres isn’t topping every Best Actress list is beyond me.

And that does it for the Lead Actress category. See something I miss? Let me know in the comments. There’s only one category left – Lead Actor. Look for it tomorrow.