In “The Holdovers” Paul Giamatti once again reminds us of how great he can be when given a good character and good material. He gives an awards-worthy performance in director Alexander Payne’s latest. This is Payne’s first feature film since 2017’s so-so “Downsizing”. Call it a return to form or whatever you want. I’ll just enthusiastically say that even with its few minor issues, “The Holdovers” is one of Payne’s best films to date.

The story, written by David Hemingson, is set in 1970 around the Christmas holiday. At the New England boarding school of Barton Academy Paul Hunham (Giamatti) is a classical antiquities teacher who is widely hated by his students and is an outcast among the faculty. He’s a sad and lonely sort although he keeps his misery hidden, at times even from himself.

With its two-week Christmas break looming, students and teachers begin packing to head home for the holidays. But every year there remains a small group of kids with nowhere to go. They’re called holdovers and this year Paul gets the duty of staying on campus and looking after them. It’s not that he minds. After all he has no place to go himself. Among this year’s batch of five boys is Angus Tulley (Dominic Sessa), a smart but frustrated student who is left at school after his selfish mother and her new husband decide to take their belated honeymoon over the holidays.

A rather convenient something happens that gives the four other boys a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card. That leaves Angus and Paul, two seemingly polar opposites whose disdain for each other quickly festers. But “The Holdovers” is a movie about looking beyond what you think you know about someone. It’s about the empathy that comes from seeing and understanding the real person underneath their hardened exterior. So Angus and Paul slowly begin letting down their guards, and as a result they begin learning more about each other and themselves.

A key reason their stubborn hearts begin to soften is a school cafeteria worker named Mary. She’s played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph whose Oscar-caliber performance is full of heart and pathos. Mary is no stranger to tragedy which is one reason she too stayed at school through the holiday break. She’s a wise but straight-shooting woman who offers eye-opening perspectives that (at different times) both Paul and Angus desperately need to hear.

Payne clearly loves this unusual trio and he puts plenty of attention towards growing each character. He takes his time unpacking their individual stories which Hemingson lays out in deep personal detail. Both writer and director do a great job defining these distinctly different yet beautifully complimentary personalities. There’s also plenty of lighthearted moments such as Mary introducing Paul to The Newlywed Game or Paul’s choice of Christmas gifts for his newfound ‘family’ of sorts.

“The Holdovers” is bound together by Payne’s keen direction, Hemingson’s compassionate script, and some stellar performances particularly from Giamatti and Randolph who should be on every voter’s shortlist (the way Giamatti spouts things like “you hormonal vulgarian” without cracking a smile is awards-worthy in itself). It’s a little longer than it needs to be due to a slow starting first half. But once it hits its emotional stride, the film really connects. And anyone with a beating heart is sure to be moved by this unexpected delight. “The Holdovers” is out now in select theaters.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

A hard-working but struggling hired hand has his hopes of taking over his employer’s farm dashed when his boss’s wayward son returns, staking a claim on his inheritance. That’s the gist of “Hands that Bind”, a minimalist slow-burning rural drama written, directed, and produced by Kyle Armstrong. It’s a movie with a quiet and low-key exterior but with a simmering bone-deep dark side that becomes more evident as its story unfolds.

Set in 1981 on the stark remote prairies of Alberta, Canada, “Hands that Bind” follows a dedicated farmhand named Andy Hollace (played with remarkable restraint by Paul Sparks). He works hard tending to things for his boss Mac (Nicholas Campbell). In addition to a paycheck, Mac lets Andy, his wife Susan (Susan Kent), and their two young kids live in an extra guesthouse on his property. It’s far from lavish living, but it enables Andy to provide for his family.

But things take a turn after Mac learns that his son Dirk (Landon Liboiron) is coming home after losing his job in the oil fields. He informs Andy that he can stay on for another month, but then he’ll have to let him go. Even worse, Dirk along with his wife and newborn, will be needing the guesthouse. So Andy and his family are forced to move into a beat up old trailer home until he can find somewhere else to go.

It’s a gut-punch for Andy who had his eyes set on one day taking over Mac’s place. But Dirk’s unceremonious reappearance and apparent claim to his birthright changes everything. It doesn’t help that he’s lazy, hot-tempered, and knows nothing when it comes to farming. Andy immediately takes a disliking to him and understandably so. The tension between them is obvious to us. But Andy keeps his growing animus hidden and at bay, at least until he can’t anymore.

While that’s the main story in a nutshell, Armstrong throws in several unexpected curveballs that steers “Hands that Bind” (and more specifically Andy himself) in some uneasy directions. First there is the handful of wicked dream sequences that grow more and more twisted as the story progresses. Then you have cows turning up dead, mutilated with pinpoint precision. And strange lights in the distance sky – aliens? That all may sound strangely out of place and even far-fetched. But Armstrong has more on his mind and is going for something much different than how it may sound.

Strong compelling leads are essential in character-driven dramas like this and Paul Sparks delivers. He gives a richly organic and understated performance that is perfectly in step with what his character needs. His Andy is tough to read. He’s grounded yet enigmatic – a mysterious blank canvas in many ways. One that slowly comes more into focus as things tighten around him. Kent brings much-needed heart and pathos while Liboiron is adequately detestable. We even get the great Bruce Dern as Mac’s sad crusty neighbor, Hank.

I can see the last 15 minutes being pretty divisive as Armstrong doesn’t offer much in terms of answers. Its ambiguous finish and loose ends will likely be seen as artfully challenging by some and frustratingly unfinished by others. But Armstrong isn’t interested in spelling things out. There’s so much more going on underneath the slow-cooking narrative and beyond the spellbinding cinematography (DP Mike McLaughlin should be on every Oscar shortlist). And it’s those unexpected creative strokes that ultimately give the movie its kick. “Hands that Bind” is out now in select theaters and on VOD.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Kenneth Branagh’s spin on Agatha Christie’s Belgian super-sleuth Hercule Poirot has grown into a full-fledged film series and I couldn’t be happier. Branagh has directed and starred in two previous Poirot whodunnits starting with 2017’s “Murder on the Orient Express” which was followed it with 2022’s “Death on the Nile”. Both were entertaining star-studded movies that played like delightfully fun relics of a bygone movie era.

Branagh’s third venture into Poirot’s world of mystery and murder is “A Haunting in Venice”, another tasty period feature yet one with a supernatural twist. It’s based on Christie’s 1969 novel “Hallowe’en Party” and once again brings together an intriguing ensemble that includes Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh, Kelly Reilly, Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jude Hill, Emma Laird, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Ali Khan.

Set in 1947, we first meet Hercule Poirot (once again played with steely charm and sophistication by Branagh) tucked away in Venice where he pretends to enjoy his retirement from detective work. One day he’s surprised by an old friend, Ariadne Oliver (Fey). She’s a successful American mystery novelist who’s in Venice to attend a séance being performed by a self-proclaimed medium named Joyce Reynolds (Yeoh). Ariadne is out to expose Reynolds as a fraud and maybe get a little inspiration for her new novel.

Ariadne convinces the skeptical and reclusive Poirot to loosen up, get out of the house, and accompany her to the séance. It’s being held at a creepy old palazzo owned by Rowena Drake (Reilly), a grieving mother who desperately wants to make contact with her recently deceased daughter Alicia. Joining them is an eclectic array of guests including Alicia’s former doctor Leslie Ferrier (Dornan) and his precocious young son Leopold (Hill), Rowena’s superstitious housekeeper Olga (Cottin), and Alicia’s pompous ex-fiancé Maxime (Allen) among others.

Returning screenwriter Michael Green does a good job opening up his characters. He gives each of them their own nicely defined personalities and histories. Most importantly, after one among them winds up dead, Green gives them all believable motives. And in a snap we have ourselves a good ol’ mystery and it’s up to Poirot to sort through the conflicting stories to find the murderer. But what’s with the creepy voices and shifting shadows? Could something supernatural be to blame?

The movie has fun toying with the horror genre, but it’s never what I would call scary. That said, Branagh does create a genuinely spooky atmosphere with the help of some nice production design, terrific cinematography from Haris Zambarloukos, and the sparse yet ever eerie score from Oscar winner Hildur Guðnadóttir. But the film also has a subtle sense of humor which comes out at some of the most unexpected times.

Yet at its core “A Haunting in Venice” remains a straight-up whodunnit and everything (the horror bits included) feeds into that ambition. Branagh once again proves to be the right fit for these films, both in front of and behind the camera. Will the film find an audience? That’s the big question, especially in this frustratingly fickle box office world we currently exist in. I hope it does. Branagh now sits 3 for 3 in his Poirot universe, and I for one hope there will be more of these films coming down the pipeline. “A Haunting in Venice” opens today exclusively in theaters.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Recently we’ve seen several solid biographical sports dramas come down the movie pipeline. The latest is “The Hill” from director Jeff Celentano. It stars Dennis Quaid who is certainly no stranger to said biographical sports dramas. Written by Angelo Pizzo and Scott Marshall Smith, the film seeks to tell the inspiring true story of Rickey Hill who refused to let his physical disability stop his pursuit of a baseball career.

“The Hill” is a heartfelt and well-intended feel-good feature that is more of a melodrama than a full-on sports story. Obviously baseball plays a key part. But it’s much more about a close-knit yet struggling family, particularly the relationship between a stern and overprotective father and his gifted and determined son. There’s plenty of good material there to work with. But the wildly uneven handling of it leaves the movie oscillating between sincerely touching and overly sentimental.

Since he was a child Rickey Hill (played by Jesse Berry and later by Colin Ford) had a knack for hitting a baseball. But a degenerative spinal disease put him in leg braces as a child making his dream to play in the Major Leagues seem unreachable. Rickey’s strict but well-meaning father James (Dennis Quaid), a small town Texas pastor, discourages him from pursuing baseball out of fear of serious injury. He’d rather Rickey follow in his footsteps and preach. But over time his hardline orthodoxy does more to push his son towards his dream than discourage him from it.

So “The Hill” follows two paths – Rickey’s and his father’s. To its credit, the movie takes its time developing the family dynamic and showing the hardships they faced in 1970 rural Texas. Rickey’s path is one of trials and challenges, but also of unwavering confidence and resilience. James’ path is one of spiritual conflict and stubbornness. But James is no villain. The film does a good job showing how his actions, though often misguided, are rooted in a genuine love for his son.

Several other characters do a good job filling out these two central stories. Gracie (first played by Mila Harris and later by Siena Bjornerud) is Rickey’s self-proclaimed girlfriend who proves to be his biggest encourager. Joelle Carter is really good playing James’ supportive yet frustrated wife Hellen. And it was great seeing Scott Glenn pop up later as the gruff big league scout Red Murff (Scott Glenn). But at the same time the movie is hampered by some really bad performances in smaller yet reoccurring roles. They can be a real distraction.

After a shaky first 30 minutes the movie eventually hits its stride only to be tripped up in a painfully mawkish final 20 minutes that sees Celentano attempt to yank every emotional string, hit every schmaltzy cue, and lean on every baseball movie cliche in the book. There are a couple of surprising cameos in the last 15 minutes including an appearance by the real Rickey Hill. But the movie wraps up on such a false note which ends up being too much for the film’s better moments to overcome. “The Hill” opens in theaters August 25th.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

I can honestly say that of all the possible team-ups for a new action buddy comedy, Jackie Chan and John Cena wasn’t a pairing that would have ever crossed my mind. Yet that’s what we get in “Hidden Strike”, a new Chinese-American produced film that recently debuted on Netflix. The movie is directed by former stuntman Scott Waugh who’s also helming “Expend4bles” (aka “Expendables 4”) set to come out later this year.

Unfortunately “Hidden Strike” doesn’t have enough to tide over anyone who might be looking forward to a new “Expendables” movie. It’s a stale and charmless misfire that’s funny in all the wrong ways. The CGI-heavy action is too preposterous to be even remotely thrilling, and the humor languishes thanks to the patently unfunny dialogue and the complete absence of comic chemistry between Chan and Cena (it’s telling when the end credits blooper reel is 10x funnier than anything in the actual movie).

Not that story matters much, but it goes something like this. After repeated attacks by mercenaries on a Chinese-owned oil refinery in Iraq, ex-special forces soldier Luo Feng (Chan) and his team are sent to evacuate and escort the civilian employees and their families from the refinery to a safe zone. To do so they’ll have to travel the hilariously direct Highway of Death. A character actually tells us it’s “the most dangerous road in the country”, as if its goofy name didn’t make that abundantly clear.

Meanwhile former US Marine turned bighearted meathead Chris Van Home (Cena) has found a home in a small Iraqi village where he plays a lot with young orphaned children just to show us he’s a swell guy. The village has been in desperate need of water since a nearby dam was built and in order to get it flowing they need $100k. So Chris reluctantly agrees to help his injudicious mercenary brother Henry (Amadeus Serafini) on a job to earn some quick cash for his village.

It turns out Henry is working for an old acquaintance of Chris’ named Owen Paddock (Pilou Asbæk) and the job is to attack the convoy of civilians Luo Feng is escorting and kidnap a highly valued scientist. Chris quickly comes to realize he’s being used for nefarious purposes. But of course it takes one face-off between the film’s two stars before they realize they have a common enemy. And their only chance of taking that enemy down is by working together. Yeah teamwork!

Aside from the swings and misses at humor and the incredibly bad lines of dialogue, the movie is hampered by several other blunders. For starters the performances are pretty dreadful, especially from Cena who isn’t the slightest bit convincing no matter what he’s doing on screen – fighting, joking, trying to show actual feeling. Nothing about the performance works. Then you have the story itself and its flimsy attempts at showing a human heartbeat. There is the half-baked tension between Luo Feng and his estranged daughter, Mei (Chunrui Ma). And then you have the scenes between Chris and Henry. None of them ring true.

I will say that even though the CGI is overused to the point of being almost cartoony, there is some artistry involved and Waugh, along with the digital effects team, create some eye-popping and undeniably fun shots and sequences. But the computer-generated bombast is hardly enough to cover the movie’s shallow script, bland performances, and the bone-dry chemistry between its two leads. “Hidden Strike” is now streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 1.5 STARS

It’s hard to say why, but it seems that Gal Gadot has become a favorite punching bag for those trapped within the echo chambers of certain social media circles. But for most people who aren’t confined in those bubbles, the star of DC’s still terrific “Wonder Woman” remains a big draw. And Netflix is counting on that with their latest release “Heart of Stone”, a late summer season blockbuster exclusive to their platform.

“Heart of Stone” is directed by Tom Harper working from a screenplay written by Greg Rucka and Allison Schroeder. This big-budgeted action spy thriller is highlighted by a compelling international cast, some eye-catching locations, and several big set pieces that are nothing short of impressive. Some of its machinations can be a tad formulaic and be ready to navigate patches of bad dialogue. But the film has more than its share of surprises, and I admit to being wowed by some truly spectacular action sequences.

The film opens high in the snow-capped mountains of Italy where a team of undercover MI6 agents attempt to snag a notorious European arms dealer who has been lured to a party at a posh ski resort. Their team consists of field agents Parker (Jamie Dornan) and Yang (Jing Lusi), their driver Bailey (Paul Ready), and newcomer Rachel Stone (Gadot), a hacker with little experience and only a few missions under her belt. She’s the one who routinely gets the “stay in the van” order.

What her MI6 teammates don’t know is that Rachel is actually a highly trained asset for an underground group known as The Charter. Believed by most to be a myth, they’re actually a secret peacekeeping organization of ex-intelligence operatives from around the world who answer only to themselves. They’re free from the shackles of national allegiances, government interests, or political pressures. They put out fires and do so with a highly sophisticated quantum computer known as The Heart. It enables them to see everything, hack anything, and foretell outcomes with frightening accuracy.

The mission in the mountains goes sideways after a mysterious young woman named Keya Dhawan (Alia Bhatt) reveals herself and thwarts the team’s plan. The Charter learn that Keya, and whoever she’s working with, want to get their hands on The Heart. Jack (Matthias Schweighöfer), Rachel’s eyes and ears with The Charter, tracks Keya to Lisbon, Portugal . They then leak the information to MI6 who sends Rachel’s team to bring her into custody.

It’s hardly a spoiler to say Rachel eventually has to come clean with her fellow agents and put her true super-spy skills to good use. Gadot physically commits and has some good team chemistry with Dornan, Lusi, and Ready. It’s solid lead work by the 38-year-old star although she does occasionally find herself handcuffed to some pretty corny one-liners that frankly no one could pull off. They’re easy to get past but impossible to miss.

As with any good spy thriller, the filmmakers treat us to a few unexpected twists and turns. The bigger ones land pretty well while others you can see coming from a mile away. That very same predictability is most noticeable in the final act where it ends up stripping the film of any suspense. Over time the storytelling caves to formula and its over-reliance on well-worn arcs and tropes keeps the movie from being as original as it could have been.

Still there’s a lot to enjoy in “Heart of Stone” if you can kick your feet up, recline back, and toss aside any baked-in preconceptions you may have (about Gadot, about Netflix, about any of the other stuff people were saying well before the movie even released). Its flaws are obvious. But so are its strengths. Among them are a solid cast and some lights-out action which plays like a healthy mix of “Mission: Impossible” and “Pathaan” (read about that film HERE). That’s more than enough for a fun evening with the family. “Heart of Stone” is now streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS