Surprisingly suspenseful and entertaining, BEIRUT is a smart thriller loaded with talent. Jon Hamm is a CIA operative in 1982 Beirut, stuck in the middle of an exploding and seemingly endless civil war. He and his wife have carved out a fairly normal life, a beautiful home and good friends. When a person close to them suddenly becomes a political liability with questionable ties, their world explodes and sudden violence brings tragedy. The film then jumps years ahead, with Mason (Hamm) being pulled back into a high level government operation in Beirut. Drunk, beaten down and uninterested, Mason is faced with a present day dilemna only he can fix to save the life of a friend. Rosamund Pike (Die Another Day) is excellent as Sandy, a straight shooting CIA agent with compassion for Mason, but unyielding focus on the mission. Mark Pelligrino (The Big Lebowski) is also good as Mason's friend in peril and Larry Pine (The Royal Tennenbaums) is slippery as hell as a key figure in the ever shifting Middle East landscape. Writer Tony Gilroy (Nightcrawler, Rogue One) is terrific, serving up a complicated story that's intelligent, fast moving and unpredictable. Gilroy seems to specialize in damaged characters. Like his Louis Bloom character in "Nightcrawler", so brilliantly acted by Jake Gyllenhall, Hamm's Mason Skiles is a dark figure without the basic self preservation most humans share. Watching where he takes Mason and how well Hamm captures the spiral downward is a hell of a show. Director Brad Anderson did a dozen episodes of "Fringe" one of my fave TV shows of the last decade. He knows how to stage conversations in dark alleys just as aptly as he presents large scale mayhem. He's one to watch. Beirut made very little noise in theatres, but it deserves plenty of eyes. If you like Spielberg's "Munich" or Hitchcock's "Topaz" you're going to love BEIRUT. It gets an A.

WOW. All I can say is that I'm very glad some of the older folks in my life will probably never see Behind The Candelabra, HBO's bold, frank, in your face peek at Liberace. I have vivid memories in the 1980's of them staunchly defending Liberace as being straight. Of course, they also thought Paul Lynde was hetero too, so that speaks for itself. Michael Douglas is crazy brave in his portrayal of the huge Las Vegas star, with virtually no ego on display in allowing himself to be filmed in the most unflattering, bald, frail ways. Matt Damon matches him as Liberace's (MUCH) younger lover, Scott Thorson, on whose book this is based. The movie captures the Las Vegas 60's and 70's perfectly, with a cavalcade of guest stars including an unrecognizable Debbie Reynolds as Liberace's mom, Dan Aykroyd as his long suffering manager and Scott Bakula as one of Scott's close friends. But I could never get past the fact that Liberace is portrayed (seemingly accurately) as a lifelong predator of underage boys, who he seduces with fame, liquor, drugs and the gaudiest display of gold and wealth on record. As Liberace begins to mold himself with plastic surgery and then asks Scott to match his look with surgery of his own, the movie becomes some mad psycho-sexual, bright lights version of Vertigo, but lacking any of that film's mystery. I lost track of how many times I thought Douglas and Damon must have fallen over laughing after filming some of their love scenes, which are very graphic. I can only imagine any older fans of Liberace also fell over after seeing those scenes, but I doubt they were laughing! Rob Lowe IS hilarious as Liberace's plastic surgeon, a man unable to move any part of his head in a very funny role. Very well directed (Steven Soderbergh), acted and cast, but isn't Liberace just a predator? If NBC Dateline had been in business in the 80's, I think Liberace would have been caught holding a glass of lemonade and a half eaten cookie as reporter Chris Hansen walked out with the camera crew. And part of me thinks he would have just flashed those pearly white teeth and sat down at the piano with a smile. This is a story without a happy ending and by the film's end you feel horrible for both main characters. Money can't buy you happiness, but it can apparently buy you a house made of gold, lots of jewelry, diamonds and a lots and lots of drugs. A sad, sad portrait of a very unhappy man. B-

One of Clint Eastwood's most offbeat films, 1971's THE BEGUILED broke plenty of rules in the early seventies and died at the box office. Time's been kind to this quiet, Gothic/civil war drama. Eastwood is Union soldier John McBurney, shot by the confederates and left for dead. Young schoolgirl Amy (Pamelyn Ferdin, who you'll recognize from every popular 70's TV show) runs back to the girl's school she attends and they take the soldier in to save his life. The school for girls is run by Martha with an iron hand in a giant Louisiana bayou mansion. Geraldine Page (Hondo, The Trip to Bountiful) is excellent as Martha, all repressed sexuality, longing and authority, tightly wrapped and ready to explode. As McBurney slowly begins to recover, the older girls fall into two camps. Some are horrified they are hiding an enemy soldier, the others find themselves drawn to the only man that's been in the house in recent memory. Elizabeth Hartman is the school's teacher Edwina, who finds herself falling in love with McBurney. Eastwood creates an interesting character, not quite a victim and certainly not a hero. Audiences of the day were not ready for Eastwood to be this flawed, but he and director Don Siegel make bold choices and commit 100%. The two would re-team later the same year to much greater box office success with "Dirty Harry", which would break ground of its own in creating another (more audience friendly) anti-hero in Harry Callahan. Siegel often told reporters this was his favorite film he ever made. THE BEGUILED is ahead of it's time and goes down a very dark path to its conclusion. With graphic violence, predatory sexuality and a strangely effective music score by Lalo Schifrin (Mission Impossible, Bullitt) this Civil War get drama is a quirky mix. It's an odd entry in Eastwood's legacy and one of the first signs of the challenging films and roles that Eastwood would choose in the nearly 50 years since. Pitched by Universal Studios to audiences as an Eastwood action film, it was a box office failure. There's very little action in this slow-burn character study, but plenty of conflict. The Beguiled gets a B. Remade by Sofia Coppola in 2017, starring Colin Farrell in the Eastwood role.

This quiet, warm little movie features great performances by Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer as his father, who decides to come out of the closet at 75 years old. Melanie Laurent proves her role in "Inglorious Basterds" was no fluke with a really sweet and genuine turn here. Plenty of flashbacks show how all of the relationships in our lives come together to make us who we are. A really touching, relaxing and enjoyable 90 minutes. A

Ten years after the terrific first film adventure of Chili Palmer, "Get Shorty", John Travolta returns in a terrific, hilarious sequel, BE COOL. In the decade since we last saw the former gangster enforcer become a Hollywood producer, Chili has grown tired of the movie business. When good friend & music producer Tommy Athens (James Woods) is the victim of a hit while Chili is in "the men's", Palmer is dragged into the music business. The entire cast in his new adventure is fantastic. Uma Thurman is Edie, Athens window and now the President of his failing label. Cedric the Entertainer is HILARIOUS as music producer Sin LaSalle, Preppy rich neighbor by day and gangsta by night. Andre Benjamin all but steals the movie as Sin's nephew Dabu, the most hapless right hand man in history. Everyone wants the music contract for up and coming star (and current waitress) Linda Moon, played with real stage presence and singing talent by Christina Milian. Harvey Keitel is another producer/mob member that has her contract, with the Russian Mob circling he and Chili at every turn. Danny DeVito pops up as a famous actor that still owes Chili and Dwayne Johnson (still THE ROCK at this stage) turns in a star making performance as bodyguard to Raji (Vince Vaughn). Johnson is laugh-out-loud funny as a gay Samoan wanna-be-actor whose audition consists of both sides of a cheerleader argument from "Bring It On". Vaughn has never been funnier. Adopting every bad black stereotype like some time traveler from an early seventies "Superfly" flick, Vaughn is out of control funny AND dangerous at the same time. Even Steven Tyler shows up as himself to give Chili and Edie some support in launching Ms. Moon. At the film's center, Travolta is all cool charm, generating plenty of laughs in one of his best roles. Packed with laughs from start to finish, BE COOL is a terrific sequel to a great original film and gets a pitch perfect A.

One of the best family films I've seen in a long time, Disney's 2017 live-action re imagining of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is terrific. Having seen the original many times in Jessi's younger years, I thought the music would hold up, but was surprised how perfectly created the sets and characters were executed. Emma Watson (Harry Potter films) is a great Belle, Kevin Kline fleshes out the character of her inventor Father and Luke Evans (The Girl On The Train) is a terrific Gaston. Once Belle ends up in the castle, an all star cast including Ian Mckellen, Emma Thompson and Ewan McGregor knock it out of the park as the characters we all know. Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) is a terrific beast, with special effects rendering a very fierce manimal. Disney spared no expense, throwing $160 million at the project and showing every dollar on screen. The effects, cast, sets, costumes, special effects and music are all first class. Whether you're reliving the earlier version with your family or discovering it for the first time with grand-kids (or just your inner kid), this is excellent film making. Josh Gad, who we saw in "The Book of Mormon" on Broadway, brings the same comic timing to his role as LeFou. All the controversy around the film around Disney somehow pushing a gay agenda with the film is unfounded. You're going to have to look very closely to find anything but a pleasant message of inclusion in this tale as old as time. With over a half a billion dollars at the box office, this was a crowdpleaser of the highest order. Look for it to rake in plenty of dough as fans buy it for repeat viewing at home. The photography is terrific, giving our 4K Sony a workout and providing plenty of jaw dropping visuals. Theatre fans will enjoy Audra McDonald's presence and voice as well. This is a terrific movie for the entire family and gets an appreciative A. If you're one of the few who haven't seen it by now, go ahead! Be....our......guest.....

Powerfully moving, quiet and fascinating, A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD is a testament to friendship & family. I always expect Tom Hanks to excel, but he's superb here as PBS Kids Show host Fred Rogers. When he's told that he'll be featured in Esquire magazine's Hero Edition, Rogers extends a kind welcome to reporter Lloyd Vogel. Vogel (Matthew Rhys) has built his career on scathing exposes on a wide swath of victims. He's insulted and palpably embarrassed to even be assigned to do a 400 word puff piece on Mister Rogers. As Vogel's wife Andrea (Susan Kelechi Watson of "This Is Us") tells him before he leaves for the interview, 'Don't ruin my childhood", but can Lloyd fight his instincts to ruin the man? Rogers extends every courtesy and Lloyd is baffled by Rogers kindness. He assumes that its too good to be authentic, that Rogers must be a dark person behind the facade. Watching Lloyd's fast-patter, assault instinct fade under the un-withering goodness of Rogers being is a tribute to Rhys and Hanks. It could have felt manipulative, but both men never let a moment feel less than authentic. Director Marielle Heller (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) presents the film in a challenging way, with Mister Rogers opening the film just as he did the daily kids show and presenting Lloyd's story as the lesson of the day. At first, I found myself resisting the structure, but its so funny and I guess "charming" is the only word, that you quickly get drawn into Lloyd's flights to Pittsburgh being portrayed with that tiny city model that opened every episode. There are fantasy sequences with Lloyd immersed inside the TV show, lessons of mortality and empathy that never feel heavy-handed. The boldest choice is deep into the film, when Hank's flawless Mister Rogers has a quiet moment with Lloyd in a diner. He asks Lloyd to take one full minute, to consider a specific question about his life. Less than 15 seconds into that minute, Hanks moves his gaze to stare directly into your eyes as the viewer. It's a silent and powerful plea for you to examine your life in the same way. Damned if I didn't spend the next half minute silently examining my own life to answer that powerful question. It pulls the film deeper and higher, setting up a strong final act. Chris Cooper (August Osage County) is perfect as Lloyd's estranged, alcohol father. He's one of our best actors and is given a wide palette of emotions to play here. He's terrific. Hanks has said in interviews that the hardest part of playing Rogers was to slow down his speech enough to accurately portray the man. Hanks nails it and richly deserved his Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Mister Rogers is a secondary figure in the film to Lloyd and the story of the way his life was changed by meeting the man. Filled with heart, empathy and kindness, its a terrific movie that leaves you feeling good, but never patronized to in its storytelling. Once you see it, make sure and also watch the documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor" for an in depth look on how Fred Rogers truly broke ground in children's television, tacking topics like the Vietnam Way, Divorce and Death for his pre-school viewers. It's also a startling piece on an amazing man. A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD gets an A. If you can survive Hanks stare into your eyes and not think about your own life, you better check your pulse.....

There is no doubt that art is subjective. I'll always remember being at the MOMA in New York City, standing in front of a huge 10' x 10' Jackson Pollock painting that was a white canvas with one drop of eggshell color paint that was dripped down the right side. As I stood there thinking "what a joke" a man and his family walked up and he told them in breathless, excited tones that this painting was his favorite one in the entire museum because of all the emotion it conveyed. It's the same feeling I have after watching BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, a Best Picture nominee, Cannes Winner, Sundance Winner....on and on. Seriously? 9 year old Quvenzhane Wallis is admittedly very good as Hushpuppy, a young girl living in the devastating squalor of "The Bathtub" outside the New Orleans levees. Her mother is dead and her father lives in a trailer next to hers, both seemingly part of the muddy hell they call home. When her father falls ill and reappears after days of leaving her alone in the swamp, he is irrational. Their "teacher" tells of a great storm coming that will level civilization and leave great prehistoric beasts roaming the land that will eat Children whole. Soon, the storm starts and their world is destroyed by the rising waters. Am I supposed to be stirred by the magical spirit and brilliant allegory to...what? Katrina? Civilization? Global Warming? I find nearly every adult's actions in the Bathtub borderline abusive. When medical staffs come to evacuate and help the children, the film treats them like invading Nazi's from which an escape must be planned. Like the Pollock painting, I think this is one of those films that strikes all the right notes of something that is so incoherent, so emotionally overwrought, so vivid in its depiction of the poor that surely it must be an important piece of art. Like the Jackson painting, I would just dub it as S I C. Self Important Claptrap that earns a D.

Drowned under endless waves of mildly funny physical and verbal comedy that relies far too much on lowbrow punch lines, BAYWATCH completely wastes a terrific cast. Dwayne Johnson has screen presence to spare and scores the most chuckles as lead lifeguard Mitch, the giant leader of the most aggressive beach squad on the planet. A very game, hilarious and ripped Zac Efron stars as dim-bulb Olympic swimmer Matt Brody. (Ryan Lochte anyone???) He fares second best as he matches wits and skills with Mitch in a David v Goliath size matchup. The first few minutes, you witness a great Dwayne "The Rock" action rescue and then giant letters saying BAYWATCH rise from the ocean as he turns to the camera. It's funny and self aware and I thought "Hey, they get that Baywatch was a really incredibly bad and stupid TV show so they are going to have fun with it!!" and then....hmm... Like a bad episode of the show, the team finds themselves immersed in a beach side drug ring, Mitch and his team think they're cops and the mild giggles go on and on. Priyanka Chopra (TV's "Quantico") is a beautiful and decent villain, getting off one of the best lines of the film when she tells the team that she would have gotten away with her plan "except for you meddling lifeguards and your bigger, stronger Hasselhoff". The rest of the cast blends into the sand in an endless parade of lame jokes seemingly written by fourth graders. I dont mind lewd comedy if its funny, I often embrace anything that crosses way over the line, but its got to be SMART lewd and this is a long way from well written. I felt bad for Johnson, he's got star power to spare and has fun calling Efron every name BUT Brody, but he's not given much to do. Maybe this huge box office bomb that didnt even earn back its budget will put the halt to Hollywood spending hundreds of millions of dollars adapting horrible TV shows for the big screen. Let's hope. BAYWATCH gets a soggy, lame C-.

Well what a surprise BATTLESHIP is! I have to admit I totally blew this one off when it hit theaters with the same "why would I want to see a board game made into a movie" attitude that most of America had at the time. Director Peter Berg made a great film in "The Kingdom" in 2007 that nobody went to see and Battleship suffered the same fate in the summer of 2012. It's a shame, because this is a slam-bang, summer action movie of the highest caliber. Alien beings of the Transformer variety invade Earth in response to us sending a signal into the heavens introducing ourselves and they do NOT come bearing gifts. Taylor Kitsch (acquitting himself nicely after that horrible mess John Carter) and Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) are Navy brothers, Liam Neeson is their Admiral and beautiful Brooklyn Decker is Taylor's girlfriend, who also happens to be the Admiral's daughter. All of that is secondary to the action scenes, which reflect all of the $200 million budget with some truly spectacular set pieces and action filled battles between our Navy and the invading Aliens. As a fan of SOME of the Transformers films, I thought this would be tired, but it's surprisingly well done and has just enough laughs and well done story lines involving some Pearl Harbor vets to bring everything together in the last 20 minutes. Over two hours, but fast moving, familiar yet fresh, Battleship has some real firepower. It was only during the end credits that I realized just how cleverly they worked in the coordinates you call out in the game and those nasty little pegs that sink battleships. Pretty clever! Battleship surprised me all the way to a solid B.

In 1965, impossibly wide Cinerama screens were filled corner to corner with stars and WW2 action in the box office hit BATTLE OF THE BULGE. Robert Shaw, hot off his film debut in OO7's "From Russia With Love" stars as German tank commander Colonel Hessler. The best the Germans have, he's put in charge of a major attack near Belgium that would have turned the tide of the war back to the Nazi forces. As Christmas 1944 nears, popular opinion is that the Germans have surrendered and troops are ready to head home. Luckily for us, we have Henry Fonda starring as Lt. Col. Kiley, who is convinced that a tank attack is coming. Much like the lone voices sounding the alarm pre-Pearl Harbor, he's largely ignored until its far too late and the Panzers are rolling into US camps. The film is massive in size and scope, with nearly three hours of military planning and action. The first third is mostly planning, but Director Ken Annakin (The Longest Day, Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines) serves up almost constant action in the final two hours. Dana Andrews, Robert Ryan, George Montgomery lead the cast, with Charles Bronson in one of his first breakout roles and Telly Savalas serving up some comic relief. While a lot of the full scale action is exciting and well shot, some of the model work is so bad it's stunning. I could have shot a couple of these sequences in my backyard with my iPhone and achieved more realism. But anytime the camera sweeps over snowy landscapes with full size tanks and explosions, its impressive. The film premiered at the Pacific Cinerama Dome Theatre in Hollywood on December 16 1965, the 21st anniversary of the battle. 54 years later, its an interesting tribute to the one million men and women that served in WWII. While it may be questionable as a faithful retelling of history (Eisenhower criticized it as historically inaccurate) there's no arguing its entertainment value. BATTLE OF THE BULGE gets a respectful B-.

1969's Battle of Britain is a star-studded, action filled and sadly confusing mess of a war picture. With very fond memories of seeing this with my Dad and brother Mark back in the day, I was surprised by how muddled the story is to follow. Certainly the British defense and defiant stand against the Nazis is a compelling part of history and a testament to the bravery of the few rising above a massive, non-stop onslaught. Director Guy Hamilton (Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever) knows action and he knows class and there is no shortage of either in the film, but after watching hundreds of planes crash into the ocean and battle with no concept of the objective of any dogfight or mission, it just becomes a blur. Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer, Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson and Susannah York give their all, but each role is so interchangeable that characters come and go with little regard for storyline. Producer Harry Saltzman wanted to top his James Bond franchise and spent millions of his own money to film real dogfights in the air using real, refurbished planes from the Battle of Britain. To that end, its spectacular, but just think how much more the audience would care about that dogfight if they could actually follow the action with some investment in the pilots and their mission. A HUGE, costly misfire that visually packs a punch, but goes on forever. Repetitive, silly music score also detracts from the flow. We'll give it a C.