Director David Lean’s “Lawrence of Arabia” still stands as one of cinema’s most universally celebrated motion pictures. The breathtaking and beloved 1962 historical epic was the winner of seven Academy Awards including Best Picture. It also won Best Film at the BAFTAs and Best Motion Picture – Drama at the Golden Globes. But perhaps the ultimate testament to its greatness lies in the many acclaimed filmmakers it has influenced – Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Sam Peckinpah, Kathryn Bigelow, Oliver Stone, and James Cameron, just to name a few.

“Lawrence of Arabia” is an astonishing accomplishment, or as the late film critic Roger Ebert described it, “a bold, mad act of genius“. It’s a movie born out of ambition and imagination that dared to defy the conventional Hollywood formulas of its time. For example, it exchanged the traditional big screen war hero with a quirky, flawed protagonist. It fearlessly spends nearly four hours centering its grand spectacle with a deeply psychological character study. And it relies more on visual cinematic language than dense dialogue-driven exposition.

There are countless ways that “Lawrence of Arabia” could have went belly-up. Yet David Lean captains the production with confidence and even a necessary defiance. The screenplay by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson is based on the life of British officer and diplomat T.E. Lawrence, and their portrayal of him and key moments in his history stirred up several controversies. But Lean doesn’t treat this as a standard biography or a purely historical piece. It’s a cinematic experience first and foremost, although one brimming with rich themes of imperialism, reality vs myth, and the corrupting nature of power.

Prior to “Lawrence of Arabia”, actor Peter O’Toole was a relatively unknown actor. But after first picks Albert Finney and Marlon Brando turned down the role of T.E. Lawrence, O’Toole was hired for the part that would make him a star. With his uniquely sculpted face, crystal blue eyes, and golden blonde hair, the lanky Englishman looked the part of the eccentric misfit in the British Army who would become a ruthless military leader struggling to live up to the growing myth surrounding him.

As the First World War is being waged, the enigmatic Lieutenant Lawrence is stationed in Cairo where he spends his time outlining maps and doing match tricks. He’s summoned by General Edmund Allenby (Jack Hawkins) and Mr. Dryden (Claude Rains) of the Arab Bureau who assign him a mission in the Arabian desert. He’s to meet with Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness) who is leading a revolt against the Turks. With the help of Colonel Harry Brighton (Anthony Quayle), Lawrence is to observe and assess the Prince’s forces and report back to Cairo.

But Lawrence steps beyond his orders in ways that impresses Prince Faisal. He goes from mere observer to a crafty strategist, urging the Prince to sanction a surprise attack on the heavily guarded Turkish port of Aqaba. Faisal gives Lawrence just fifty of his men including his most trusted advisor, Sherif Ali ibn el Kharish (Omar Sharif). Rather than being deterred, Lawrence gathers the men and heads for Aqaba. But it’s no ordinary journey. It’s a dangerous trek that requires crossing the harsh and unforgiving Nefud Desert.

The crossing of the Nefud Desert is one of the film’s most gripping scenes, in large part due to Freddie Young’s spectacular sun-soaked cinematography. Young shot the film on Super Panavision 70mm which features an ultra-wide, high-resolution aspect ratio that vividly captured the vastness of the scorching desert. It’s just as astounding elsewhere as we’re treated to one grand vista after another. Or when literally hundreds of extras fill the wide frame to a jaw-dropping effect.

The sands take its toll, but it’s also where Lawrence earns the trust of his men. They not only follow him across the desert, but into the camp of rival tribe leader Auda Abu Tayi (Anthony Quinn), who Lawrence cunningly recruits to join them for the attack on Aqaba. Now with an army at his disposal, Lawrence can carry out his true goal of Arab independence, by unifying the many tribes into one powerful force against the Ottomans. But he learns unity among lifelong enemies and independence in a land coveted by powerful foreign interests may be nothing more than pipe dreams.

Lawrence’s successes turn him into a near mythic hero. But his attempts at living up to the myth cause him to slowly lose his moral compass. He begins a guerrilla war against the Turks which only feeds his growing god complex. Lawrence’s psychological evolution is masterfully explored and it forms the backbone of the story. Lean shows the intoxicating allure of notoriety and power. We also witness how violence hardens hearts and scars humanity. In Lawrence’s case, once reality sets in, he’s left broken and disillusioned. It makes for a riveting case study wrapped within one of the most visually stunning epics ever made.

In 1988, “Lawrence of Arabia” received an extensive restoration after film historians Robert A. Harris and Jim Painten discovered rusting film cans holding the original negative of Lean’s final cut sitting in the Columbia Pictures vault. The painstakingly reconstructed director’s cut featured over 30 minutes of restored footage that had been cut by distributors. Since then the film has received a digital restoration and is now available in full 4K resolution. So there’s no better time than now to finally see or revisit this true time-honored classic.

VERDICT – 5 STARS

“Everyone remembers where they were when the rains came.” Those early words introduce us to the high-concept premise of Netflix’s new apocalyptic science fiction thriller “The Last House”. Director Louis Leterrier, working from a script by screenwriter Matthew Robinson, takes a suspenseful setup, infuses it with survival elements, and even dabbles in classic creature feature territory. But it surprises most as a domestic drama, where family dynamics are challenged as the situations intensify.

Robinson wrote a big chunk of “The Last House” during the COVID-19 pandemic, and much of his story mirrors the emotional and psychological impact the lockdowns had on people across the globe. The same feelings of fear, isolation, and uncertainty that paralyzed many parts of society is baked into Robinson’s story. And it fits nicely within the dystopian sci-fi world he and Leterrier creates.

Wagner Moura plays Jason Delgado, an unemployed engineer and part-time fisherman who lives in Seattle with his wife Ann (Greta Lee) and their two children, 12-year-old Graham (Noah Alexander Sosnowski) and 8-Year-Old Ruth (Riley Chung). After a sudden and unexpected rainstorm drives them inside, the Delgado family makes an alarming discovery. They and everyone in their neighborhood find themselves sealed inside their homes by the mysteriously anomalous rainwater.

Jason tries everything – breaking windows, hammering through walls, even escaping through the attic. But every attempt is thwarted by the seemingly sentient rainwater which forms impenetrable barriers that he can’t break through. While they have electricity, water, and gas, they immediately lose phone and internet service. It’s the same with all their neighbors who the Delgados are able to communicate with via signs. Yet with plenty of food and water, Jason and Ann have the supplies needed for what they hope is a short confinement.

But that’s not the case. Quickly days turn into weeks, and soon months turn into years. Rather than giving up, the family adapts, turning their home into its own micro-ecosystem. As Ann finds a way to grow vegetables inside, Jason rigs several contraptions to catch animals outside. But things take a chilling turn when the family discovers terrifying creatures that only come out when it rains. Suddenly surviving gets a little tougher as they now must avoid drawing the attention of the monsters.

The family dynamic is a good one with Jason relishing his role as family protector. He keeps everyone alive, but as time goes by and reality sets in, his ‘survival is living’ mentality crumbles. On the flip side, despite being gripped by fear early on, Ann later grows better in tune with their circumstances and becomes the reality check Jason needs. Meanwhile the kids watch and absorb it all, losing key years from their childhood which takes a psychological toll.

Again, it’s hard to miss seeing the movie as a COVID allegory. Perhaps it’s a little on the nose, but Leterrier manages to capture the intense feelings of isolation and dread in a number of visceral ways. He also has a lot of fun with the sci-fi and survival components which take center stage in the film’s second half. And he really goes for broke once the final act arrives and the movie goes full creature feature. Some will inevitably push back on the choice. But as a genre fan, I loved the ambition.

To be honest, things do get a little corny in the final twenty minutes as the Delgado family goes full MacGyver. We’re also left with a ton of questions that never get answers. And the ending is a little too tidy considering everything that came before it. Still “The Last House” remains solid entertainment, especially for anyone with the right expectations and a hearty appetite for end-of-days thrillers and old-fashioned monster movies. It had me onboard from the start and kept me involved till the very end.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

I still have memories of the first movie screen I ever saw. They’re faint but definite, and very precious to me. Once upon a time my small South Arkansas hometown had a drive-in movie theater. And while I don’t remember the specific movies playing while I was there, I do remember sitting in the backseat of my family’s 1974 Chevelle Malibu Classic and being in awe of the images bouncing off the massive outdoor screen. That theater has been gone for decades now. But those memories remain, and I’m grateful for them.

That childhood memory, along with other experiences that would follow, are big reasons I responded so strongly to the new documentary “The Last Picture Shows”. Writer, director, and producer Rustin Thompson set out across the American West in search of small-town movie houses either still in operation or long gone. The film is Thompson documenting his findings. Along the way he injects some compelling history while voicing valid concerns about the future of cinema, and not just for the struggling movie houses that have steadily been fading from existence.

Thompson’s journey across the American West spanned ten states and covered 10,825 miles. As he made stops in such communities as Burns, Oregon, Goldfield, Nevada, Susanville, California, Cortez, Colorado, and Springer, New Mexico (just to name a few), he came upon the remains of countless movie houses that once buzzed with life. As his movie’s opening scroll succinctly puts it, “they’ve been abandoned, destroyed, replaced, or forgotten.”

But Thompson also discovered a handful of locally owned theaters still open for business. He has several insightful conversations with the owners who candidly share their struggles. They talk about the difficulty in turning profit, the costly transition from 35mm projection to digital, the crippling impact of the COVID mandates, the restrictive demands of the studios, the influx of streaming, and the challenge of competing with big multiplexes. They’re fascinating testimonies from people who have poured their hearts and souls into keeping these cultural landmarks alive.

Thompson’s film is more than a nostalgic stroll down memory lane. He does take time to chronicle the history of moviegoing, from the genesis of movie theaters, to the boom of the 1940s, the decline in the late 60s and early 70s, and the blockbuster resurgence. But it all builds towards a timely warning about where things are heading. He notes how we’re nurturing a collective disregard for the movie theater experience. As a result, there is a younger generation who hasn’t developed a love for moviegoing meaning they’ll have nothing to pass on to the next generation.

It’s said that in 1929 there were 22,000 theaters in the United States. Today there are fewer than 3,000. Those are sobering stats for those of us who deeply cherish the history and the experience of watching movies in a theater. Thompson impressively transports us back in time while also connecting us to the reality of today. And it’s all evocatively filmed in ways that will bring both a nostalgic smile to your face and a melancholic tear to your eye as you lament a bygone era and feel the growing uncertainty for the future.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

Scott Eastwood plays a soldier stranded behind enemy lines in “Lucky Strike”, the latest World War II action thriller that is inspired by incredible true events. Director Rod Davis Lurie, working from a script he wrote with Marc Frydman, pulls from numerous real-life accounts of American troops who found themselves alone deep in enemy territory during the costly and consequential Battle of the Bulge.

“Lucky Strike” (a title based on an interesting link to the long-running cigarette brand) tells a fairly straightforward yet consistently engaging story about a soldier, armed only with his wits and a new radio, who must survive a variety of encounters in order to reach a rally point. It’s not unlike similar stories that have been told. But Lurie keeps us glued to the screen by making every encounter meaningful and by raising the stakes higher and higher.

The setting is December, 1944 in eastern Belgium’s Ardennes Forest. Eastwood plays Captain John Castle, the leader of an army engineering battalion who specializes in mining roads and blowing up bridges to stop enemy advancements. He and his team receive orders to cross into Nazi territory and block a critical road in order to keep a ruthless SS Panzer Division from reaching their fuel depots. But in no time, the mission goes terribly wrong.

While wiring their explosives, the team is hit with a surprise attack. All of Castle’s men are killed, leaving only him and the Army’s prototype radio – a backpack-sized Motorola SCR-300 nicknamed Lassie, to navigate the Nazi-infested countryside and make it to an Allied safe zone some 30 kilometers away. As Castle follows Lassie’s lead across the rugged and frigid terrain, he is both caringly aided and violently opposed by the different people he meets along the way.

Again, Lurie and Frydman ensure that each of Castle’s encounters carry meaningful dramatic weight. Whether it’s a sympathetic farm family who offer him refuge or a heavily armed Nazi patrol who puts him in their crosshairs. As for Eastwood, he delivers a performance that impressively balances his character’s courage amid peril with his feelings of utter fear and desperation. He’s tasked with carrying most of the load for a sizable chunk of the movie and he’s up to the task.

Lurie skillfully stages the action in ways that often thrusts us into the middle of it. And the lensing from DP Lorenzo Senatore ensures the tension is palpable throughout. To its credit, “Lucky Strike” isn’t a prototypical war movie. Instead, it turns into a harrowing survival thriller that surprises at numerous points on its gritty and perilous journey. The film is bookended by a part of the story that doesn’t quite click into place as intended. But the meat of the movie delivers the kind of immersive experience that anyone can get into.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Lest anyone be confused, “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” isn’t a remake of the 1932 Universal Pictures classic. Nor is it a Brendan Fraser action-adventure. Nor is it connected to the 2017 Tom Cruise led bomb that ended Universal’s Dark Universe before it even got started good. No, the Lee Cronin tag in the title is meant to distant the film from all of those Mummy versions. And for good reason. Cronin’s spin on the decades-old concept is very much its own thing. And it certainly leaves a distinct impression.

Cronin’s unique vision is not for the squeamish or faint of heart. His film is an unabashedly grisly horror spectacle that often shoots for the kind of gross-out gore that will leave some audiences elated and others repulsed. It’s very much in the Evil Dead vein of horror yet with an eerie mystery element attached and a strong family component. But at its core is a genuinely unsettling chiller that burrows under your skin. Even crazier, it makes you squirm one minute and blurt out a laugh the next.

Cronin begins his story in Cairo, Egypt which is where we meet a television journalist named Charlie Cannon (Jack Reynor). He’s on assignment in Cairo with his pregnant wife Larissa (Laia Costa) and their two children, Sebastián and Katie. Their lives are turned upside-down after Katie is kidnapped by a creepy woman (Hayat Kamille) who vanishes into a blinding sandstorm. The terrified family immediately go to the local police but they’re unable to find any leads.

Eight years pass with the family now living in Albuquerque, New Mexico with Larissa’s mother, Carmen (Verónica Falcón). Charlie, Larissa, Sebastián (Shylo Molina) and their youngest daughter Maud (Billie Roy) struggle to remain hopeful that Katie is still alive. Meanwhile in Cairo, the guilt-driven Detective Dalia Zaki (May Calamawy) leads her own police investigation to track down the person responsible for Katie’s abduction.

But to the family’s surprise, they get a call from the United States embassy in Cairo with news that Katie has been found alive in a 3,000 year-old sarcophagus. Now played by a gutsy Natalie Grace, the 17-year-old Katie was discovered in a catatonic state, severally malnourished and with clear signs of severe trauma. After arriving in Cairo, Charlie and Larissa are both shocked and heartbroken at the sight of their daughter’s gnarled hands, jagged nails, dry cracking skin, and blank stare.

The doctor tells Katie’s parents that her vitals are good and she’s physically strong. But it may take the comforts of home to give her the kind of psychological help she needs. So Charlie and Larissa take her back to Albuquerque, hoping a sense of family normalcy may bring their daughter back. Instead it unleashes a sinister supernatural horror on their household which takes the movie down a dark, twisted, and fittingly chilling path.

Once Cronin has his table set, he ratchets down on his distinctly deranged vision. He shows no interest in playing it safe, nor does he cater to certain expectations. Instead he takes threads of inspiration and weaves together his own wicked tapestry that works as both squirm-inducing horror and rousing popcorn entertainment. You’ll wince and gasp as Cronin pushes the horror to an extreme. And at times you’ll laugh, as he has fun with those very same extremes.

Lee Cronin goes for the jugular with this wonderfully warped reimagining that is more than a simple retread of the various other Mummy films. It’s a movie that delights as it disgusts, which will be right up the alley of certain horror audiences. It’s not the most plausible story. But it’s hard to dwell on that when the movie is consciously pushing itself to such bonkers places. The fully committed cast, gnarly makeup and effects, and stellar camerawork and sound design puts an eerie exclamation point on this satisfying genre gem.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

2025 saw writer-director-producer-editor Mike Flanagan taking on one of Stephen King’s more strikingly unique and surprisingly moving stories. “The Life of Chuck” was a previously unpublished novella from King that was finally released in a 2020 collection titled “If It Bleeds”. It told a peculiar yet engaging story that ended up in a much different place than where it began. The film follows that same course.

Flanagan passionately takes on the daunting task of adapting King’s story which is split into three acts. Each act is set at a key juncture on the film’s timeline. The tricky part comes in telling the three acts in reverse chronological order. It’s an approach that sounds unnecessary and even a little gimmicky at first. But Flanagan follows King’s lead, finding emotional purpose in the structure while posing a number of thoughtful questions along the way.

Nick Offerman’s narration ushers us through this existential treatise, starting with Act Three which is titled, “Thanks, Chuck”. It introduces us to an earth that is on the brink of destruction. The domino effect begins with news of a devastating earthquake in Northern California. We later hear of floods, sinkholes, volcanic eruptions, strange animal deaths, and even suicides. Shortly after, the entire world is knocked offline as the internet crashes. Television stations go off the air, mobile phone networks go down, and entire cities lose electricity.

We see most of the unfolding cataclysm through the eyes of a middle school teacher named Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his ex wife Felicia (Karen Gillan). Rather than making a spectacle of the disasters, Flanagan concentrates on the personal impact on Marty, Felicia, and a handful of people in their lives. No one knows what to expect, but they all have one thing in common. As they collectively brace for what’s to come, they all wonder who the heck is Charles Krantz – the bespectacled man plastered across billboards who’s being thanked “for 39 great years”.

Act Two, titled “Buskers Forever”, transports us back in time nine months. It’s where we meet a mild-mannered accountant named Charles “Chuck” Krantz (Tom Hiddleston). He’s in town for a week-long banking conference but is sidetracked by the rhythms of a street drummer named Taylor (Taylor Gordon). Chuck breaks out in an impromptu dance and is joined by a heartbroken stranger named Janice (Annalise Basso) who was just dumped by her boyfriend of sixteen months.

This extended dance sequence is a dramatic shift from anything that came before it, and any connection to the previous act is vague in the moment. But its bursting with energy and pizzazz, all while showing an impressive new side of Flanagan. And by the time the end credits roll, the sequence’s heartfelt relationship with the movie’s central themes come more into focus.

Act One, titled “I Contain Multitudes” takes us even further back in Chuck’s life. He was only 7 years old when his parents were killed in a car crash. As a result, young Chuck (played at different points by Benjamin Pajak and Jacob Tremblay) was raised by his loving grandparents, Albie (Mark Hamill) and Sarah (Mia Sara). We get some wonderful moments between Chuck and his grandmother who Sara plays with such maternal tenderness. There’s also a touch of mystery, especially regarding the mysterious cupola that sits perched atop of their old Victorian home.

By the end of Act One, you may be left with feelings of confusion and frustration. But as “The Life of Chuck” moves from one point to the next, the story begins to take shape. Its questions turn more insightful and its themes grow richer. As for the non-linear approach to storytelling, it may not be essential, but it does keep us more involved while allowing Flanagan to examine characters through several different lenses. Interestingly, none of the cast gets a ton of screen time. But the film is full of terrific performances that bring emotional truth to this curious, otherworldly story. All that’s missing is a Rod Serling introduction.

VERDICT – 4 STARS