For some it might come as a surprise, but romantic comedies aren’t just limited to sexy, super attractive young couples. I mean just because people reach a certain age doesn’t mean their relationships lose their richness or are any less complicated. With that being true, there are all kinds of senior stories to tell and senior perspectives to explore. Some movies have tried to fill that hole and missed mightily. The new film “Maybe I do” is what you could call a mild success. It’s a movie that not only represents older couples, but that actually does something interesting within its well-traveled genre.

Led by his experiences from stage, television, and film, writer-director Michael Jacobs steers a star-studded cast in this multi-generational romantic comedy about love, marriage, and all the sticky stuff in between. The ensemble alone is a good draw (especially for anyone above or approaching 50). But there’s also some good humor baked into the film’s undeniably goofy premise. It’s that humor, and Jacobs’ ability to create characters who are slightly more than cartoonish caricatures, that makes the movie work.

Michelle (Emma Roberts) and Allen (Luke Bracey) seem to be a perfect match. But the young couple have come to a critical point in their relationship. They are very much in love, and they can’t imagine being with anyone else. The problem is Allen loves things just as they are, while Michelle is ready to take the next step. Allen is afraid of losing what they have. Michelle sees marriage as the ultimate sign of commitment and feels it’s what they had been working towards.

After Michelle gives Allen an ultimatum, they each go home to their parents in hopes of sorting things out. And this is where the silliness kicks in. Despite their long and serious relationship (to the point of talking marriage), their parents have never formally met, even though they live in the same city. I say formally because both sets of parents are actually having affairs with each other, completely unaware that their kids are an item. So when Michelle and Allen decide to bring their folks together over dinner to help with their big decision, the film turns into a comedy of errors.

While the setup is undeniably corny, “Maybe I Do” never turns into the overly sentimental mush that many rom-coms do. Much of it has to do with Jacobs’ script. But just as important are the performances. Diane Keaton plays Michelle’s bubbly but lonely mother Grace, while Richard Gere plays her father Howard who shows all the signs of a later-life crisis. Allen’s barracuda of a mother Monica is played by Susan Sarandon, while William H. Macy plays his father Sam, a gentleman and a romantic at heart.

The four screen veterans handle the material like aces, navigating some first act cringe to really bring their characters to life. There’s no shortage of good on-screen chemistry between them, and some of the comedic timing is spot-on (mostly from Macy whose can deliver dry humor as good as anybody). And Jacobs does a good job giving each parent their own personality and perspective. It leads to some unexpectedly fun and witty exchanges. Not to mention it’s just plain fun to see Keaton, Gere, Sarandon, and Macy sharing a screen.

“Maybe I Do” doesn’t fully avoid all the rom-com trappings, and you really have no choice but to go with its far-fetched (and often glaringly convenient) scenario. How much mileage you get out of the film may hinge on how willing you are to accept the silliness. Yet there are things to like, from its fun and form-fitting cast to its cynical then surprisingly affirming view of relationships, old and (relatively) new. Best of all, it’s the kind of movie that should appeal and connect with audiences of all ages. And that’s not something you can say about most of today’s romantic comedies. “Maybe I do” hits theaters January 27th.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

I went into the new tech thriller “Missing” without doing any research whatsoever. What little I knew came from one trailer and a TV spot. From that small sample, I immediately likened “Missing” to a spiritual successor to the 2018 film “Searching”. The similarities were impossible to miss. So I guess it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to learn this is indeed a standalone sequel to “Searching”. The more you know…

“Missing” marks the directorial debut for Nick Johnson and Will Merrick. It’s written by Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian, the duo behind “Searching”. Both films share a similar DNA. That is, their stories are told entirely through technology – phone calls, text messages, FaceTime, home movies, security cameras, web browsers, search engines, social media, etc. It’s quite the undertaking.

Remarkably, Johnson and Merrick (along with their superb editors, Austin Keeling and Arielle Zakowski) piece it all into a taut fast-paced virtual mystery that kept me glued to the screen. Woven into its genre movie fabric are themes of emptiness, regret, coping with loss, and mother/daughter relationships among other things. The movie doesn’t dig too deep into them, but the filmmakers give us enough to earn our emotional investment. That proves to be vital and a key reason why “Missing” isn’t just a “Searching” knockoff.

A really good Storm Reid plays June Allen, a rebellious 18-year-old who lives with her mother Grace (an equally good Nia Long). Life has been tough for June since losing her father to a brain tumor, and her grief has taken a toll on her relationship with her mom. As a result Grace and June have moved from San Antonio to Van Nuys, California in hopes of making a fresh start. Unfortunately, despite Grace’s best efforts, the tension between them has only gotten worse since going to the West Coast.

Lonely and needing some time away, Grace takes a trip to Columbia with her boyfriend Kevin (Ken Leung). But when June goes to LAX a few days later to pick them up, they never get off their plane. June immediately starts trying to reach her mom, but neither she or Kevin answer their phone. She finds even more disturbing news when she calls the hotel in Columbia and discovers all of their luggage is still there. June knows something’s wrong, but what do you when you’re 1500 miles away and in another country?

Desperate and worried, June seeks help. But her search for answers is quickly slowed in a mire of government red tape. So using her own technological know-how, she does some cyber-sleuthing in hopes of piecing together what has happened to her mother. As the mystery unfolds, June is assisted along the way by a handful of characters including her mom’s lawyer friend Heather (Amy Landecker), FBI Agent Elijah Park (Daniel Henney), and Javier (Joaquim de Almeida), a low-rent TaskRabbit investigator on the ground in Columbia.

There turns out to be a lot of moving parts, and they fit together pretty well. Meanwhile the story zips along at such a pace that we rarely have much time to sit and think, which is probably a good thing. And to keep things brewing, Chaganty and Ohanian throw several fun twists our way, especially early on. But the later twists push things a little too far. That’s when the story goes a bit bonkers and the tension moves from organic to more programmed.

At the same time, “Missing” has several small touches that land well. Take the tender moments where June watches an old video of her father (Reid sells them well). Or when the movie takes some funny jabs (and a few barbed ones) at today’s social media and internet culture. But the film’s biggest strength is found in its keen ability to keep its audience hooked on every virtual detail. Combined with the strong performances and creative premise, it makes for a kinetic ride that’s every bit as absorbing as it is silly. “Missing” opens in theaters today.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Call her Chucky for a new era. M3GAN (pronounced “Megan” and short for Model 3 Generative Android) is a lifelike doll that uses cutting edge artificial intelligence. Much like the creepy My Buddy doll from the “Child’s Play” movies, M3GAN has been developed and programmed to be a child’s best friend. But unlike My Buddy, M3GAN is not quite ready for mass production which becomes abundantly clear after a prototype goes homicidal.

And that’s pretty much the gist of “M3GAN”, the new horror film from producers Jason Blum and James Wan. It’s directed by Gerard Johnstone and written for the screen by Akela Cooper (“Malignant”). The story (conceived by Cooper and Wan) doesn’t pack much in terms of twists. It’s pretty straightforward which works both for it and against it. But few people going to see “M3GAN” will be worried about the intricacies of the story. They’re there to see a killer robot doll go berserk, and they’ll get their money’s worth…sort of.

Allison Williams plays Gemma, a roboticist at a high-tech toy company called Funki. She’s the inventor of the eponymous state-of-the-art doll which she has been working on with her two assistants (Jen Van Epps and Brian Jordan Alvarez) behind closed doors and without the okay from her high-strung boss, David (a hilariously over-the-top Ronny Chieng – an early Razzie frontrunner).

One day the workaholic Gemma gets hit with some tragic news. Her sister and brother-in-law have been killed in a horrific car accident, and she’s been given custody of their only daughter, Cady (Violet McGraw). The two have a hard time connecting at first as Gemma knows nothing about being a mother, and Cady tries to deal with the trauma of losing parents.

To help out, Gemma introduces Cady to her M3GAN prototype (played physically by Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis) and it doesn’t take long for the two to connect. As M3GAN learns and adapts to her new best friend, she not only becomes a security blanket for Cady, but she begins to fill some of the parental duties for Gemma. Cady’s growing attachment and Gemma’s dependence on M3GAN lead to some pretty obvious conflicts. But things really go south once M3GAN becomes self-aware and takes her role as Cady’s protector to a deadly extreme.

The film’s messages throughout couldn’t be more obvious, specifically in its examination of modern day parenting and our over-reliance on technology. Those are worthwhile subjects, and I wish the movie had dug deeper into them. But the filmmakers are far more interested in delivering straight-up genre entertainment which “M3GAN” (after a surprisingly languid start) finally begins to deliver. But even then it sputters in places, only really kicking into gear in the final 15 minutes.

Surprisingly “M3GAN” isn’t the slightest bit scary, nor is there an ounce of suspense. You won’t find any big twists or surprises, so you pretty much know where the story is going from the start. On the flip-side, there are a handful of good laughs (some intentional; others unintentional) that lighten things up a bit. I can’t help but think that “M3GAN” would have potentially made for a pretty good black comedy, but the movie (understandably) never commits itself to it.

While the story is fairly light and predictable and the characters all march to a pretty familiar beat, those aren’t what hold the movie back. The biggest frustration is with how watered down the film feels. I get going for a PG-13 rating in hopes of getting a bigger audience and earning more money. But “M3GAN” is surprisingly tame and the movie suffers as a result. The kills are barely shown and the bloodshed is at a minimum. With a premise this bonkers I really wanted them to go for it. Instead they chose to play it safe.

Yet despite those complaints, there is some fun to be had with “M3GAN”. It may not do anything all that fresh, and it’s hardly anything revolutionary. Still, if you’re a horror fan and you just want some light and easy entertainment, this probably has you covered. But me, in between the occasional giggle I found myself counting the missed opportunities and hoping they would really let loose. Sadly, they never did. “M3GAN” opens in theaters today (January 6th).

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

2022 has been quite the year for “eat the rich” satire. We’ve seen the wealthy and privileged skewered in straightforward takedowns such as Ruben Östlund’s terrific “Triangle of Sadness”. They’ve also been torched in playful genre romps like Rian Johnson’s “Glass Onion”. The latest to do it just might be my favorite. “The Menu” never hides what it sets out to do. Yet of this recent batch of movies, it might be the craftiest in its execution. It throws a little bit of everything in the pot and let’s it simmer. Altogether it makes for one wickedly satisfying meal.

Mark Mylod directs this mouthwatering black comedy horror-thriller that exists in a culinary world where language like “ruining palettes”, “flavor profiles”, and “mouthfeel” (???) roll off the tongues of foodies like common speech. The deliciously pulpy story (penned by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy) defies a simple description. It has so much on its mind and takes some pretty wild swings. But it would be a disservice to share them, because this truly is a movie where the least you know better.

The vast majority of the story takes place within the stylish contours of Hawthorne, a renowned restaurant for the rich and famous cozily located on its own private island. It’s where twelve customers per night can enjoy an over four-hour lavish dining experience for $1,250 a head. There they’ll partake in a meal painstakingly planned by Chef Julian Slowik (a devilishly fun Ralph Fiennes).

Over the course of the evening, guests will be able to watch Chef Slowik and his team of cooks meticulously prepare each high-concept dish in an open kitchen adjacent to their dining area. Once ready, Chef Slowik announces each course with a thunderous clap followed by a self-gratifying monologue about its inspiration. For him food is like a religion, and the restaurant is his temple. But on this particular evening he has something different in mind. He’s offering his specially selected group of diners an “exclusive experience”.

Among those holding reservations is a young couple, Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) and Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy). He’s an insufferable gastronome wannabe; she our representative – seeing things the way we see them; saying the things we’re thinking. You get the impression that Tyler probably maxed out his credit card to get their reservations. He’s no trust fund baby. He just wants people to think he is. And his facade of upper-class status and gastronomical savvy is paper-thin to the point where even Margot begins poking fun at him.

Tyler and Margot are joined by a collection of deeply flawed one-percenters. There’s the popular (and pompous) food critic Lillian Bloom (Janet McTeer) and her fawning editor Ted (Paul Adelstein), a semi-washed up movie star Damien Garcia (John Leguizamo) and his younger assistant/side dish Felicity (Amiee Carrero), three smug silver-spoon investors (Rob Yang, Arturo Castro, Mark St. Cyr), and a wealthy older couple (Reed Birney and Judith Light) who seem utterly miserable together.

After a short boat ride to the island, the group of hungry strangers are greeted by Hawthorne’s maî·tre d, Elsa (Hong Chau) who gives them a brief tour before escorting them to their tables. They’re then introduced to Chef Slowik who kicks off their night of upper-class indulgence. Or so they thought. With each new course things get a little weirder and progressively darker. But it’s just theater…stagecraft, right? Right? “It’s all part of the menu”, Chef Slowik repeatedly insists. But is it?

As things get crazier and more twisted, you can sense Mylod and company having a field day running Hawthorne’s fresh batch of guests through the wringer. As for us, it’s a blast trying to figure out where the film is going next. It’s just wacky enough to be unpredictable, and even when we get a feel for what Mylod is going for, there are enough surprise turns to keep us guessing. The film also keeps us laughing with these hilarious dashes of black comedy that seem to land at the most unexpected times. It’s a key ingredient that adds flavor to an already seasoned and savory feast.

The sterling ensemble cast is just a crucial. It starts with the fiendishly good Ralph Fiennes whose dry, solemn presence can either be bone-chilling or disarmingly funny. He shrewdly sells us a disturbingly complex character whose genius is only outdone by his smugness. Yet there’s a darker layer to Chef Slowik which Fiennes teases yet keeps snugly hidden until just the right time. It’s a remarkably measured performance and the one that keeps the film from tipping over into full-blown camp.

There’s just so much to love about “The Menu”: its sparkling cast, its gonzo premise, its gripping storytelling, and Mark Mylod’s pinpoint direction (and that’s just for starters). And even if it doesn’t perfectly stick its landing (something I’m still a bit unsure about), the film’s almost giddy, full-throttled takedown of culinary culture and the uber-wealthy is otherwise so well conceived and executed. I’m still thinking about it a week after seeing it, and I’m already hungry to see it again. “The Menu” is now showing in theaters.

Final Food Pun Count: 14

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

(CLICK HERE to read my full review in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

Petr Jákl writes and directs “Medieval”, a new historical action-drama billed as the most expensive Czech Republic film ever made. In it, Ben Foster plays Jan Žižka, a Hussite general and Czech national hero who is considered one of the greatest military leaders and tacticians of his day. “Medieval” tells Žižka’s story prior to his time as a renowned leader of a peasant revolt against a coalition of corrupt Catholic crusaders during the Bohemian Wars of the early 15th century.

“Medieval” sits us down in a historically and dramatically rich time period. It might help to at least have a passing knowledge of the period’s background, because outside of some very brief opening narration, the movie doesn’t do much past some surface level setup. Just knowing a little bit of the history adds a layer of context that helps the movie and more specifically the characters.

Jákl opens his film in 1402 with Europe already plunged into chaos. It’s a time of war, plague, and famine as powerful men with their lusts for sovereignty lead a land ruled by lawlessness and oppression. It’s believed that only the coronation of a new Holy Roman Emperor can restore the rule of law. But the Catholic Church is bitterly divided into two factions, each under the leadership of a rival pope. And both sides are determined to have their say on who is chosen as the next emperor.

It’s in this political and hierarchical powder keg that we meet Jan Žižka, who Foster plays as the proverbial stoic man of few words. Jan and his band of loyal mercenaries do an assortment of odd (and aggressively violent) jobs for well-paying dignitaries including the entirely fictional Lord Boresh (Michael Caine). But Jan soon finds himself caught in a chess match between two feuding monarchs, the Bohemian King Wenceslaus IV (Karl Roden) and his ambitious half-brother King Sigismund of Hungary (Matthew Goode).

Things heat up when Lord Boresh, a Wenceslaus loyalist, approaches Jan and his men about kidnapping Lady Katherine (Sophie Lowe). She’s the fiancé of a powerful and devious nobleman, Lord Rosenberg (Til Schweiger) who’s in cahoots with Sigismund. Against his better judgement, Jan agrees. But the act sets off a bloody chain of events with consequences he never anticipated. And while Sigismund’s brute-for-hire Torak (Roland Møller) savagely combs the countryside in search of Jan, he gives the naive Lady Katherine a first-hand look at her future husband’s cruelty.

Aside from its healthy buffet of political posturing, double-dealing, and betrayal, the movie offers a steady diet of medieval hack-and-slash violence. Much of the film’s hefty budget can been seen in the combat which is often fierce and quite brutal. And even more money is visible in the locations, costumes, and production design which vividly recreates this harsh and relentless period.

Yet while the movie looks great, feels authentic, and is punctuated by some intense well-shot action, it feels like there’s something missing. Even with its compelling setting and story arc, “Medieval” never quite kicks into a higher gear. It’s not bad by any stretch, it simply lacks distinction. It’s as if it’s missing that one ingredient that would set it apart from the countless other action period pieces of its kind. So you could say its glaringly generic title is fitting.

Part of the problem may be the film’s stone-faced protagonist. I get stoicism and how it’s meant to play in a story like this one. But it’s hard to mine any feeling out of Foster’s character. He’s haunted by dreams of a past trauma, and he’s troubled by the consequences his actions have on others. But it’s hard to find any other emotions in Foster’s performance. It really stands out in the later scenes with Jan and Katherine. We’re supposed to believe a relationship sparks, but there’s hardly any warmth between them. Still, amid the beards, blood, and grime is a solid blend of history and genre. Toss in some good underlying themes of faith, heroism, and sacrifice, and you have a movie that may be garden-variety, but its entertaining nonetheless. “Medieval” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

With practically no fanfare whatsoever, Netflix’s “The Man From Toronto” dropped on the streaming platform with a thud. And it’s pretty obvious why. This action-driven buddy-comedy from director Patrick Hughes (“The Hitman’s Bodyguard”) is so strictly beholden to countless other movies that came before it. It has its moments, but not enough of them to make up for the overwhelming feeling that we’ve seen all of this before.

“The Man From Toronto” puts together the mismatched couple of Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson in a movie that’s never as funny as it tries to be or as thrilling as it wants to be. It features Hart doing his usual little-man routine and Harrelson doing variations of several characters he has played in the past. As usual, Hart is skittish, shrill, and utterly reliant on a straight man for his act to work. Harrelson is a decent foil despite never being as menacing or funny as the movie needs. He looks like Christopher Lloyd‘s Judge Doom from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” – decked in black with a round brimmed hat and dark glasses.

Hart plays Teddy Jackson, a failed inventor (sort of) and wannabe fitness instructor. He’s a guy who always has big (and often dumb) ideas but never pays attention to the details. So it’s no surprise that they inevitably fail. Yet despite his constant blunders and languid career, Teddy still has the love and support of his incredibly tolerant wife Lori (a good but woefully underused Jasmine Matthews). For her birthday, Teddy whisks her away to the resort town of Onancock, Virginia. But wouldn’t you know it, his slapdash antics makes a mess of things.

Harrelson plays a ruthless interrogator/hitman simply known as “The Man From Toronto”. He’s part of a network of assassins, each named after the different cities around the world where they’re based. He gets his jobs from a mysterious voice on his phone called The Handler (Ellen Barkin). After successfully collecting a healthy payday in Utah, TMFT gets a call from The Handler who offers him a $2 million job. It’s a two-phase extraction that (wouldn’t you know it) begins in Onancock, Virginia.

After arriving in Onancock, Terry drops Lori off at a day spa and heads to their rental cabin to meet with the owner. But, he goofs up and ends up in the wrong cabin where he is mistaken for The Man From Toronto. Meanwhile, the actual TMFT watches from a distance. From there, the FBI gets involved and force Teddy to carry on his ruse while an exiled Venezuelan Colonel (Alejandro de Hoyos) and his equally sinister wife Daniela (Lela Loren) plot to assassinate Venezuela’s president. Oh, and there’s an exploding cake.

If that sounds like a jumbled up mess, it’s because it kinda is. Co-writers Robbie Fox and Chris Bremner toss in and spin together too many story angles, most of which are fairly conventional on their own. We also get several amusing yet overall inconsequential side-characters. For example, singer and telenovela star Jencarlos Canela plays a debonair FBI agent tasked with watching over Lori while Teddy is at work for the government. Pierson Fodé gets in a few good licks playing The Man From Miami. Even Kaley Cuoco shows up later with her signature zany energy. But her character isn’t given an inkling of a backstory and is handcuffed by some really bad writing.

Ultimately it all falls on Hart and Harrelson who make for an quirky pairing. As Teddy and TMFT rollick along in full buddy-movie mode, the two actors give it their all. They deliver the occasional comical moment and we get a couple of good action scenes (there’s one hilariously kinetic and proudly over-the-top fight sequence near the end that almost saves the movie). Interestingly, Jason Statham was originally tagged to play the titular character, and it would have been interesting to see what he would have brought to the film. But in his defense, Harrelson isn’t the issue here. It’s the movie’s beat-by-beat familiarity and lack of punch. I suppose it’s passable entertainment. Just don’t expect too much. “The Man From Toronto” is streaming now on Netflix.

VERDICT – 2 STARS