Yesterday saw Sony Pictures dropping the first trailer for their upcoming Korean War film “Devotion”. Based on the book “Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice” by Adam Makos, the movie shares the real-life story of Navy pilots Jesse Brown and Tom Hudner. Led by stars Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell, “Devotion” looks to examine race, friendship, heroism, and sacrifice during what many still call “The Forgotten War”.

Majors plays Jesse Brown, a Hattiesburg, Mississippi native who became the first African-American pilot to complete the U.S. Navy’s basic flight training program. Tom Hudner was a pilot and eventual Medal of Honor winner. Both went and served in the Korean War and the movie chronicles the events that left their names forever linked together. I won’t give away the details, but this is a true story that deserves to be told. I really like the combination of Majors and Powell. And the CGI air combat holds up, this could turn out really good.

“Devotion” lands in theaters this November. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

The new biographical drama “Till” tells the real-life story of educator turned activist Mamie Till Mobley. The film comes from director Chinonye Chukwu whose last feature was 2019’s terrific “Clemency”. The first trailer recently dropped ahead of its upcoming premiere at the 2022 New York Film Festival, and it gives us a good sense of Chukwa’s approach to this sincere and utterly heart-shattering true story.

Danielle Deadwyler plays Mamie Till Mobley, the mother of 14-year-old Emmett Till (played by Jalyn Hall). Emmitt was abducted, tortured, and brutally murdered on August 28, 1955 while visiting his cousins in Mississippi. His killers were put on trial but quickly acquitted by an all-white jury. After his body was returned to Mamie in Chicago, she insisted that his casket be left open so the world could see what they had done to her son. Afterwards she became a diligent activist in the Civil Rights movement. That’s a lot of ground to cover, but it’s a story that deserves to be told. And from what we see in the trailer, Chukwu looks to be a good choice to tell it.

“Till” lands in theaters October 7th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Sylvester Stallone re-enters the superhero genre in his upcoming film “Samaritan”. We’ve seen him in the Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and as a scene-stealing talking shark in DC’s “The Suicide Squad”. But this is a totally different take on the genre. Directed by Julius Avery (“Overlord”), the film is based on a Mythos Comics graphic novel that was written by Bragi Schut (who also happens to be the screenwriter for the film). The new trailer gives us a taste of what Avery, Schut, and Sly (who also produces) are up to.

The story of “Samaritan” goes something like this: a young boy named Sam (Javon Walton) discovers that an aged garbage man (Stallone) is actually Samaritan, a famed superhero who disappeared twenty-five years earlier. Everyone believed him to be dead. But Sam’s discovery and their eventual friendship forces the super-powered Samaritan to come out of retirement. Admittedly, its a fun trailer to watch if for no other reason than to see Stallone. Realistically, it’s kinda hard to tell what to expect. It could be a fun-filled surprise or a forgettable snooze. I’ll definitely be checking it out to see.

“Samaritan” premieres August 26th on Amazon Prime streaming. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Andrew Dominik’s much talked about Marilyn Monroe biopic(ish) “Blonde” is set to premiere at this year’s Venice Film Festival. With it only weeks away, Netflix has given us our deepest look yet with a brand new trailer. Prior to this our information has mostly consisted of some images, a teaser, and Dominik’s rather haughty defense of his film’s NC-17 rating. This new trailer looks terrific, but whether it steers clear of exploitation and indulgence remains to be seen.

Ana de Armas takes on the demanding role of Marilyn Monroe in a movie that’s said to be more of an “experience” than a full-on biography. Some have compared its approach to Monroe’s story to what “Spencer” did with Princess Diana. I’m not sure how I feel about that. But de Armas looks to be a compelling fit for the part and the cinematography looks to be exquisite. The biggest question centers around how well Dominik captures Monroe’s life. Will it feel authentic or exploitative? We’ll know soon.

“Blonde” premieres September 28th on Netflix. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

While Ti West’s ode to slasher films “X” started with promise, it ultimately succumbed to a slew of missteps that left it feeling like a trashy knock-off rather than something refreshing and new. Now it has a prequel titled “Pearl”, and after seeing its stylish first trailer, I can say this one looks to deliver everything I had hoped “X” would. And with it set to premiere in a few weeks at the Venice Film Festival, we won’t have long to wait.

“Pearl” (which was written during the production of “X” and shot right after the first film wrapped) sees a returning Mia Goth player the titular character Pearl, the psychotic killer who butchered a group of wannabe porn stars in “X”. This film sets out to tell her backstory and the glimpses we are given are as bonkers as they are bloody. I don’t want to get my hopes up too much, but I really like what I see here.

“Pearl” hits theaters September 16th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

* I had the pleasure of seeing Max-Walker Silverman’s “A Love Song” at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The film comes out in select theaters this Friday (July 29th). In a nutshell, I couldn’t recommend the film enough. And with its release upcoming, I wanted to repost my review for this beautiful and touching drama.

I’ve always had a deep admiration for Wes Studi and what he brings to his movies. Whether it was his role as the brutal yet complex Magua in Michael Mann’s “The Last of the Mohicans”, his often underappreciated portrayal of Geronimo in Walter Hill’s “Geronimo: An American Legend”, or playing a police detective alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in “Heat”. There’s an unmistakable sincerity and gravitas Studi brings to every film he’s a part of.

So what better way to start my 2022 Sundance Film Festival than by screening a new drama that sees the 74-year-old Studi given a nice meaty role. The film is “A Love Song”, written and directed by Max Walker-Silverman. As the title suggests, this isn’t the kind of movie Studi is most known for. But for fans of his work, it’ll come as no surprise to hear that he, much like the film itself, is a joy to watch.

But the real star of “A Love Song” is Dale Dickey, an outstanding character actress who may be best remembered for her scene-stealing work in 2010’s “Winter’s Bone”. This is a rare leading role for Dickey whose name you may not remember, but whose face is impossible to forget. It’s a remarkable face chiseled out of real life and with bone-deep honesty found in every look and every expression. She’s a perfect choice for Walker-Silverman’s film which sees him working on the same lyrical meditative wavelength as Kelly Reichardt and pre-“Eternals” Chloé Zhao. But Walker-Silverman brings enough of himself to “A Long Song” to give the film its own special identity.

In “A Love Song”, Dickey brings her signature quiet intensity but this time to a much different character. Here she plays a widow named Faye who hitches her small camper trailer to her Chevy S-10 and drives it to a remote Colorado campsite. She sets up next to a small lake with the Rocky Mountains sitting in the distance like a watercolor painting still wet on the canvas. This is where she’ll stay for the rest of the film’s lean 80-minute running time.

At first, it may be tempting to get caught up in Faye’s similarities to Frances McDormand’s Fern from last year’s Best Picture winner “Nomadland” or to Robin Wright’s Edee from Sundance 2021’s “Land”. But while all three woman unquestionably have things in common, Faye has several distinctions that separates her from the other two. Those distinctions also set this movie on a different course which I was delighted to see.

We don’t learn a lot about Faye or where she came from, but that actually serves the minimalist storytelling perfectly. We do find out she once flew planes for the forestry service. She’s also one heck of a mechanic. And she loves listening to music on her Longines Symphonette World Traveler AM/FM radio. “It always plays the perfect song,” she says in a tender scene later in the film, “even if in the moment you ain’t sure why.” Faye birdwatches (poorly) during the day. Then it’s Busch beer and crawfish for dinner as she watches the sun set over the mountains. After dark, she searches the starry sky for constellations. And that’s her routine.

As you watch Faye, it’s hard to miss her melancholy gaze; the sense of loneliness; the shallowly buried heartache. The source of her sadness is the death of her husband Tommy. He’s been gone for seven years, yet you can tell she’s still carrying the weight of grief. But unlike Fern, who finds contentment in unplugging and living on the road or Edee, who disconnects from society altogether, Faye is at the lake for a specific reason. She’s waiting for someone she hopes will come.

That someone is Lito, an old classmate and crush who Faye hasn’t seen in decades. Much like Faye, Lito has recently lost his spouse, Shirley. It’s not really a spoiler to say that Lito does come and the two wounded souls reconnect. Walker-Silverman’s script allows for all of the awkwardness, uncertainty, and even guilt to bleed through. And the restraint of two performances feels as natural as the painterly surroundings that adorn nearly every frame. Their conversations are simple but true, and it’s often what goes unsaid that resonates the most. And while nothing about their reunion is assured, Faye and Lito long so deeply for companionship that it’s worth a shot.

While the theme of loneliness reverberates throughout the movie, Walker-Silverman also makes it a point to show us the essential nature of human connection. Faye has reoccurring encounters with an assortment of quirky side characters. My favorite is a well-mannered young cowgirl and her four significantly older brothers (the little sister clearly runs the show). They would feel right at home in a Coen brothers comedy. There’s also the camp’s courteous postman and a couple camped out on the other side of the lake. Their appearances may seem inconvenient, but they always pop up when Faye seems at her lowest. And their presence takes her mind off of her sadness.

With “A Love Song” Max Walker-Silverman has given us a delicate, honest, and soulful study of loss, loneliness, and navigating grief. It’s a beautiful and touching exploration, handled with keen instincts, remarkable control, and a clear affection for the story being told. Not only does the film showcase an exciting emerging voice, it also gives starring roles to two exceptional veteran actors. And that’s something all too rare in movies these days.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS