WEAPONS
Directed by Zach Cregger
Starring Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, and Aiden Ehrenreich
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At the outset, a young girl with a captivating voice narrates the events that unfold. “This is a true story, but the police won’t admit it,” she says. She then details how at exactly 2:17am one evening, 17 grade school classmates willingly opened the doors of their homes and ran through the streets simultaneously, all in the same strange formation, towards a destination unknown — never to be seen again.
“Weapons” then focuses on how the families of this small U.S. suburban town are completely distraught. Where did our children go? How come there are no leads? And what did their teacher know?
Justine Gandy (Julia Garner), their teacher, doesn’t know much more than anyone else. She likes her Russian vodka a little too much, has a casual dalliance with a local cop, and there are suggestions that her past conduct may be well intended, but can also be called suspicious. So suspicious she must be! “Witch” is what someone spray paints on her car.
There are no easy answers, and that’s part of the complete watchability of “Weapons”. Similar to his last low budget effort “Barbarian”, writer-director Zach Cregger casts out his line with the premise, then reels viewers in piece by piece with new information, clues, and perspectives.
He does this by parsing the story into chapters — a half dozen in all — with each one focusing on a different character in the town. They’re not beacons of society. Archer Graff (Josh Brolin, also one of the film’s producers), appears to be a builder of some sort, but is completely useless and obsessed since the disappearance of his son Matthew. Paul (Aiden Ehrenreich), a local cop, has his own alcohol issues and a loose moral code, which comes to the fore when he encounters a teen drug addict. Marcus (Benedict Wong), a large school principal, operates by the book, but doesn’t seem to be a good judge of character, which will be to his ultimate detriment. There’s also Alex (Cary Christopher), the only classmate left, who doesn’t socialize with anyone. What does he know? And why doesn’t he seem affected by all this?
While letting the plot unfold like a careful IV drip, Cregger often repeats scenes, but shows them from new perspectives so that viewers gain a better understanding of the potential greater picture. He also includes extended dream sequences for different characters which seem to reveal additional clues, but can also be construed as cheap cinematic thrills. They’re good though, and often accompanied by a seriously competent soundtrack that knows how to add a sense of foreboding and dread to the proceedings.
This is all before Alex’s Aunt Gladys shows up, played by a completely unrecognizable Amy Madigan. Gladys transforms and morphs her entire look with every ensuing scene. In fact, let’s just say she’s one of the creepiest characters in recent memory. You won’t forget her.
When it’s over, you likely won’t want to visit “Weapons” for a while. It’s a bit like a good magic trick, with characters that are a tad too one dimensional to really empathize with. Yet it also has shades of classics like “Children of the Damned” and Invasion of the Body Snatchers”, updated with a thoroughly modern and welcome sheen. The last 20 minutes ups the ante considerably, heading towards a finish that’s insanely frantic, loony, gory, and definitive — everything that makes a horror film terrific. “Weapons” won’t be the best film of 2025, but it will be on plenty of lists.
ONE NIGHT IN IDAHO
Directed by Liz Garbus and Matthew Galkin
Featuring the parents of Ethan Chapin and Madison Mogen
Amazon Prime
🍎🍎🍎🍎
What took place at 1122 King Road in the small college town of Moscow, Idaho on November 13, 2022 stunned the town, and, as more details emerged, the U.S. and later the world. There were questions on everyone’s lips: how and why could four college students be stabbed to death in their apartment? How did the two other unharmed occupants sleep right through the massacre? And why did they only report the incident the next day?
As we now know, Bryan Kohberger, a doctoral student in criminology with no previous criminal record, was later arrested in Pennyslvania. This summer he entered a guilty plea to all charges in order to avoid the death penalty and will spend the rest of his life behind bars without parole. One of the conditions of his plea was that he didn’t have to reveal the reason “why” he stabbed University of Idaho students Madison "Maddie" Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin to death in the middle of the night.
Though YouTube is filled with news reports, specials, and amateur detectives weighing in on the case, “One Night In Idaho” is the first “official” documentary about what took place, and features interviews with close friends, members of the Moscow police force, college officials, reporters, and the first public revelations by the parents of victims Ethan Chapin and Madison Mogen.
No surprise, but there are plenty of tears from many of the interviewees, and for a while one is left wondering if the four part series (one hour per episode) is going to be a grand shrine about how great the victims were. Gradually, directors Liz Garbus (director of “Becoming Cousteau”, among many others) and Matthew Galkin (a director of documentaries about Jack Kevorkian and the rock group The Pixies) build their story: about what Moscow is like, how the students got to know each other, what made them unique, and finally, the night in question.
There are heaps of revelations and a real level of frankness with regards to what took place. This includes how the bodies were discovered and why there was general confusion amongst both family, friends, and even the police about what took place. If the world was confused, this documentary shows that Moscow’s inner circle was just as bewildered — overwhelmed even. Several real life scenes show the perceived stonewalling during press conferences that the local police were providing. As it turns out, they were either in over their heads at the magnitude of the crime, or working stealthily behind the scenes on leads.
Each ensuing episode begins to play like a thriller, and the momentum builds with each part. While viewers are likely to respond to different aspects of the documentary, particularly fascinating was the opportunity to see a thorough re-enacted timeline of what likely took place on that fateful night. Equally riveting was the role that online “sleuths” played in trying to figure out the crime. This includes clear speculation that Kohberger might have been using the alias “Pappa Rodger” in a public Facebook group to openly discuss aspects of the case that weren’t known otherwise. It was also fascinating to see how police assembled clues about Kohberger’s whereabouts using the best that modern technology has to offer.
Amidst the revelations — and there are several — what keeps the documentary from being a true classic is that there are a few too many emotional moments that dissolve into nothing besides tears. More visual cutaways of Moscow would have also been useful. Overall, one gets the sense that this could have been a more power packed three-parter. Still, “One Night in Idaho” is strong viewing, and worthwhile for avid followers of the case and newcomers alike.
IN BRIEF
THE NAKED GUN
🍎🍎 1/2
For those who believed that Liam Neeson couldn’t possibly fill the late Leslie Nielsen’s shoes in a comic “Naked Gun” reboot, rest assured he does a good job and gets better as the film goes along. As for the gags, they’re of varying quality and come a mile a minute: plenty with coffee and a truly hilarious sequence involving infrared light. Pamela Anderson shows up too and is a good match: “I write true crime novels based on fictional stories I make up,” she says by way of introduction. Detective Frank Drebin is smitten. They’re a good pairing. But the crime drama and the film is so slight it seems over before it’s begun…and forgotten minutes after that.
INHERITANCE
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One of the notable aspects of “Inheritance” is that it’s supposedly lo-fi, as director Neil Burger shot the film on the run using an iPhone. Early New York City scenes show this, as we’re not sure if Maya (a mesmerizing Phoebe Dynevor) is a slacker or heroic. During her mother’s funeral, she encounters her estranged father (a surprisingly older Rhys Ifans) who entices her with a business proposition. It slowly, then quickly, emerges that her Dad may not be all her appears to be. Before we know it, we’re whisked across Cairo restaurants and pyramids, through the streets of Mumbai, and into Seoul cafes. Like Maya, we’re learning as we go, and though there are some dubious scenes (a passport check in India being just one), this is a small thriller that plays big until the last frame.
28 YEARS LATER
🍎🍎🍎 1/2
Amazing that the third part of a series first made 23 years ago can be so fresh and vital, but director Danny Boyle — using Apple iPhones and playing with sounds and film clips, knows what he is doing. “28 Years Later” is far more intimate, focussing on a family on a British island way up north. The mother is ill, and the manly father takes his 12 year old son on a zombie hunt on the mainland as a coming-of-age ritual. But that sets up possibilities in the boy’s mind about how to get his Mom medical help. What ensues is a tense journey with several powerful scenes that provide thrills, chills, and eventually, a sense of true spirituality. All well done, but if you like your zombie frights and predicaments en masse, either wait years for the next sequel or cue up “28 Weeks Later” again.
MCVEIGH
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Not much seems to happen in “McVeigh”. There are plenty of scenes with grey skies and Timothy McVeigh driving solo down a highway. But like the real life events that took place in Oklahoma City when 168 people were killed due to a single intentional explosion, this one builds into a powder keg. Alfie Allen is aloof and distant as a frustrated McVeigh, never letting us know what he’s thinking or planning, and you won’t be able to take your eyes off him. There are creepy scenes with Nazi groups and weapons buys, all of which are open for interpretation. By the end, as McVeigh is heading towards his final destination, director Mike Ott has us right where he wants us — horrified about what’s about to come next. Afterwards, you’ll think Allen should be appearing in more films.
FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES
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Just when you feel a film franchise couldn’t possibly squeeze out more death scenes comes this reboot of sorts, which gets emotional as a young female college student tries to break the cycle of death curse via her family. This is all prefaced by a rather magnificent, lengthy, cheesy (spot the CGI!), and fun opening sequence atop a Seattle-styled Skyview tower. What follows is a combination of the ho-hum and the thrillingly grotesque (especially an MRI scene which was recently followed by a similar real life case following the film’s release). By the end, directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein come around the bend with one last gross out finale. Was that the final destination? Not on your life.
TV
RUNNING POINT
Netflix
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STICK
Apple TV
🍎🍎🍎 1/2
It’s no secret that “Running Point” is loosely based on Jeannie Buss and the rest of the family who have owned the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team for decades. Heck, Buss even executive produced the series along with writer Mindy Kaling. But the minute Kate Hudson steps into the shoes of Isla Gordon, the female CEO of the Los Angeles Waves, such knowledge only enhances the storyline. Hudson is so likable, charismatic, sharp, funny, and empathetic, that one can only root for her as she seems to jump over every obstacle in her path.
And there are many. Her own family is filled with dysfunction, starting with her exiled drug addict brother (Justin Theroux), the former CEO of the team. There’s a combative older brother, a gay younger brother, and then there are the players, coaches, and various other owners, all of whom seem to have their own concerns and schemes.
But after eight episodes (a full season), Gordon, aka Hudson, miraculously and hilariously has deftly overcome the obstacles and sprinkled it all with pixie dust. This one could potentially play for years (and has already been renewed for season two).
If “Running Point” is more off the basketball court then on, “Stick” is definitely for golf lovers, with enough drama and pathos to keep the rest watching. Owen Wilson stars as Pryce Wilson, a former professional golfer who experienced hard times and now works as a golf club salesman. But when he discovers teen prodigy Santi Wheeler casually hitting balls on the fly, Wilson sees his future. If only he can convince Wheeler (a goofy Peter Dager). And his Mom (Mariana Trevino, who deserves an Emmy nomination).
Much of the first season takes place during and around link play, while several dramatic storylines emerge off it. Wilson is thoroughly likable with his traditional slumming it “oh wow” demeanor, yet it’s Marc Maron as his sidekick who offers an endless source of comic realism and balance to the proceedings. And Wheeler is potentially the future through which the series will cruise into season two. “Running Point” and “Stick” are both enjoyable sports series (and much needed), but the former — so far — seems to have slightly more panache and runway.
THE STUDIO
Apple TV
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Seth Rogen as the newly appointed head of a film studio? Well, you know he came up with this scenario in a pot-smoking haze. But then he researched the hell out of it and called up his considerable connections to boot. “The Studio” is a series about the movies made with considerable love. And even if each half hour episode has a distinct “Entourage” or “Curb Your Enthusiasm” template about it, this type of comic homage could play for years.
The timeline loosely takes place after Matt Remick (Rogen) is put in charge and he constantly feels the distinct pressure building between his lifelong love of movies and the different business of making money that he’s now responsible for. Though it’s uneven, roughly every other episode in this series is a bonafide classic (with enough inside references to satisfy true filmmakers) and the first season wraps up with a two-parter set in Vegas that is a hilarious gut buster. Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Bryan Cranston, Zoe Kravitz, Ice Cube and Greta Lee are just SOME of the actors and directors who have major roles in this series. And after one season, it seems “The Studio” is only limited by Rogen’s storylines, access to Hollywood, and interest in the series. Rolling!
BALLARD
Amazon Prime
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Over the years, Maggie Q has evolved from a Hong Kong actress into a believably tough character in any number of roles across TV and film. She was convincingly excellent in “Nikita” and “Designated Survivor”, but the jury is certainly out so far in “Ballard”.
A spinoff of writer Michael Connelly’s series “Bosch” sees Q as Detective Renee Ballard, the head of the Los Angeles Police Department’s cold case unit. The first scene dramatically features her shooting at a suspect with a shotgun, and missing from close range. And inside the office, a group of underpaid underlings and volunteers seem to bemoan their lot in life. “Can I see you in my office for a minute, privately,” Ballard says to one of them early on. Yes, it’s that kind of series, with production values that seem to match.
During another moment, Ballard looks grimly out at the Malibu coastline and the stretch of magnificent ocean beyond. There’s no indication of what’s going on in her head or what makes Ballard tick. It all seems grim in Ballard’s mind.
Maybe this is how it was written on the page, but Ballard needs more. Maggie Q needs more. We need more. Time and ratings will tell if “Ballard” offers it.
FROM THE VAULT
FOUL PLAY
(1978)
Directed by Colin Higgins
Starring Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase, Burgess Meredith, and Brian Dennehy
Quick: name a 1978 comedy-thriller that’s not too funny nor too thrilling which was nonetheless nominated for an Academy Award! If you said “Foul Play”, by golly, you would be right. Only, you’d be hard pressed to name the category.
Anyone who wants to see how film comedy has evolved over the last nearly 50 years would benefit from watching this movie, which plays like a generic TV series one moment, and a cop drama the next, with dashes of romance, car chases, conspiracies, and odes to Hitchcock thrown in for good measure. A major clue in this thriller is even a minor star as the camera pans in so we can all see it numerous times.
One of the funniest scenes takes place at the beginning, when Chevy Chase’s character clumsily fumbles over numerous bottles at a party when he spots Goldie Hawn across a garden. Hawn is a newly divorced librarian named Gloria Mundy, who, over the course of several surreal scenes, goes on a date with a guy who gets murdered while yelling “Beware the dwarf!” and later endures an attack by a tall albino man in a library. Frustrated and scared, she calls the police, and guess who shows up? Why it’s Chevy Chase, or Tony Carlson, as he’s known in the film, a young police detective. Inexplicably, for the rest of the movie Chase is fairly serious, though there is plenty of “Isn’t she crazy?” banter with his sidekick, who happens to be a disbelieving Brian Dennehy. Burgess Meredith gets in on the act too, as Mundy’s sympathetic and eccentric neighbor who later proves he has some unlikely punching power to boot.
Following a series of botched abductions and barely there connections, it’s ultimately revealed that there is apparently a plot to assassinate the visiting Pope in a matter of minutes, so Chase — with Hawn in tow — does his own version of Steve McQueen in “Bulitt” while frantically racing across San Francisco to get to the Opera House in time to stop it all. If it all sounds rather preposterous and lo-fi, that’s because the film was only made for a budget of US$5 million at the time (though it did become a minor box office hit, earning US$45 million).
Aside from the occasional Chase outburst, the film’s funniest scenes undeniably go to Dudley Moore, who was making his US film debut. During a a life-or-death moment, Mundy quickly makes a play for Moore’s character. Thinking he’s hit the motherlode, semi-inebriated bachelor unveils all kinds of comic perversions at his apartment, all to the tune of the BeeGees “Staying Alive”. Based on the film, Moore was cast in his subsequent breakthrough hit “10”, and later “Arthur”. Seeds of those characters can clearly be seen in this role.
In fact, “Foul Play” was a turning point for several cast members. Meredith was just two years out from “Rocky” and would star in the sequel the following year. Dennehy would appear in “10” the next year and had his breakout role in “First Blood” three years after that. Over the next several years, Chase became a bankable star with “Caddyshack”, “Fletch”, and the “Vacation” series. Within two years, Hawn would bust out of supporting roles and have her first major breakout hit with “Private Benjamin”. And Colin Higgins, who made his directorial debut with this film, would go on to helm the hit “9 to 5” in 1980 (though he would later die of AIDS in 1988).
So this small film, which is as silly and madcap as they come in retrospect, was pivotal for virtually all the major cast members involved. One wonders if Harrison Ford is still glad that he turned Chevy Chase’s role down (after all, at the time he was Higgins’ carpenter). Today “Foul Play” can be found in its entirety on YouTube. And that Academy Award nomination? Why that went to singer Barry Manilow, who performed “Ready To Take A Chance Again”, which can be heard during the opening credits.
Following an alliance between Japan’s Toho International and the Alamo Drafthouse, the newly opened Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Santa Clara, California is billing itself as the world’s first kaiju-themed movie theater — which means plenty of Godzilla screenings, exclusive merchandise, and a special birthday party for the King of the Monsters on November 3rd.
At over 62,000 square feet across two levels, the new theater is one of the biggest in the chain’s history. It offers 1,500 luxury seats that recline across 10 screens, with the three largest of them offering Barco 4K laser projection and Dolby Atmos audio. Patrons can also order entrees from a full in-house kitchen and/or order from Bar Odo, an ode to Godzilla’s island home, which carries themed cocktails and 24 local craft beers on tap. In addition to an initial month’s worth of screenings from the Toho back catalog, they also plan to screen a wide variety of South Asian films in the future.
RATINGS GUIDE
How Do You Like Them Apples?
(out of five)
🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎 = Golden Delicious
🍎🍎🍎🍎= Honeycrisp
🍎🍎🍎= Granny Smith
🍎🍎= Esopus Spitzenburg
🍎= Rotten To The Core
Great article
Watched Foul Play about five times after taping it in the early 80s. It was one of those films - like Seems Like Old Times - that were worth revisiting now and again and your review proves it! Great stuff. Going to rewatch again this week. Dudley Moore was already famous in the UK and his character, if I remember right, was just him doing his 'Derek and Clive' without Peter Cook. They were doing that around the same time and some of it was funny, but they peaked in Bedazzled in 1969 or 1970. Can't remember, but it's a brilliant film that has been on my top 10 list for decades.
Totally disagree with your 28 Years review... Knowing where the landmarks are in relation to each other takes some of the 'reality' out of the movie. I've driven across the causeway numerous times and it's nowhere near as long and the island looks nothing like that. It's also a day's walk from the Angel of the North. Anyway, the sequel is coming out soon, so don't need to wait years.