"Another Simple Favor"

From 3/8/2025 SXSW festival screening:

"Revenge is a dish best served chilled with a twist."

Do yourself a favor.  If you haven't seen “A Simple Favor,” stream it.  If “A Simple Favor” is a wicked whodunnit dark comedy, “Another Simple Favor” is another flavor of bizarre, darker comedy that will guarantee a bonkers time.  Capri is its own character and the cinematography alone is worth the price of admission.  

Emily Nelson (Blake Lively; "The Shallows," "The Age of Adaline," "The Town") and Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick; "Into the Woods," "Up in the Air") are back as the best frenemy.  They entangle themselves in each other's life and messier relationships, upping the ante on sass, snark and suspicion.

Cashing in on the deadly fallout in “A Simple Favor,” mommy vlogger and influencer Stephanie is now a rather famous real crime book author, “The Faceless Blonde.”  In a signing event, she's surprised by an unexpected visitor's appearance, supposed-to-be imprisoned, former public relations executive, Emily.  

Emily got out of prison after the murder she committed only after five years.  She's bailed by her new, mysterious fiance, getting married in Capri, Italy, and she is inviting Stephanie to be her maid of honor.  Stephanie is voluntold and doesn't have much say in the matter, as Emily would sue her for using her likeness and real life story for her crime novel if she doesn't come along.  Besides, this would boost Stephanie's popularity with her followers from all over the world.  

Sounds suspicious?  It is. Stephanie is no dummy.  She knows Emily is up to no good.  But what?  Would Emily bring Stephanie to Capri to murder her as a revenge?  That would be too obvious, considering the trip and wedding are made public online.  What about trapping her in Capri so she can't return home and separating her from her son?  Or framing her for a bad deed?  Figuring out the motives and scenarios is part of the fun.  You'll be in for one bombshell after another with what transpires, twists and spirals.  

Stephanie gets a taste of luxury jetting off on a private jet and speeding off on a boat cruising the azure waters of scenic Italy.  She finally meets Emily's fiance, Dante Versano (Michele Morrone), a wealthy scion of a prominent conglomerate (read: mafia) family.  

Emily claims that they actually met and had a brief dalliance many moons ago when she was living in Italy.  When Emily went to prison and Stephanie wrote a sensational book about their sordid shared story, it raised Emily's profile internationally.  Dante purportedly tracked down and they rekindled their relationship.  The betrothed couple appears lovey-dovey, but when it comes to Emily, who knows how Dante comes to be under her spell.  

The glamorous guests are who's who to avoid.  Rival mafia, long lost family members and inimical in-law.  Stephanie's exasperated ex-husband, Sean (Henry Golding, "Crazy Rich Asians"), who coupled up with Stephanie in "A Simple Favor," is forced to tag along because of Emily's and his young son.  The panoramic vista along the craggy coastlines and posh clifftop villages is sweepingly spectacular. 

The decadent wedding location is every bride's dream.  Pre-nuptial meet-and-greet is draped with soft spring flowers and fresh wreaths and bright lemons from the vines.  Pastel petals rain on the wedded couple, gorgeously giving way to crimson roses adorning the opulent garden reception.  The air is rich with secrets and splendor.  

Lively is glamour-personified.  Stylish and extravagant ensembles with dainty chain of pearls, flowers and laces, oversized hat and gloves, floor-sweeping white veil lined with blood red edges, as if signaling what's to come.  Mysterious personal  relationships, deep dark family secrets, betrayal and entrapment, identity ideation and deception, double crossing and multiple murders.  

While all these may seem ominous, the characters drip with humorous dread, contempt and sarcasm, trading barbs with wry wit and poisonous edge, making it enjoyable to watch, even with the crude language, and as the story grows more outrageous and goes off the picturesque rail.  Even the crimes are committed in slightly comical ways.  The simply wrapped ending sets up another favor misadventure.  

A glossy noir, "Another Simple Favor" is wildly twisty and fabulously fun.  

"Another Simple Flavor" will be released on Amazon Prime Video on May 1, 2025.  

2025 SXSW Amazon Prime Video Italian Sojourn:

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"Drop"

From 3/10/2025 SXSW screening and red carpet premiere:

First date.  Fancy restaurant.  What could go wrong?  Beyond your craziest nightmare.  

Violet (Meghann Fahy), a single mom, therapist and domestic abuse survivor, is nervous prior to going on a first date with a photographer she meets online, Henry (Brendan Sklenar).  While Henry looks like a nice guy, this will be the first time in years she puts herself out there and leaves her five-year old son at home for the evening.  With a push from her sister to babysit and a killer outfit to wear, off she goes.  

The swanky restaurant is located on the top floor of a skyscraper, with glassy floor-to-ceiling cylinder views.  Violet makes small talk with an older gentleman waiting for his blind date and an encouraging bartender, trying to calm her nerves.  

When Henry arrives, the two seem to hit it off only very briefly, since Violet starts receiving provocative digi(tal) drops on her cell phone.  Those texts and pictures escalate from annoying to taunting and threatening, culminating in a live camera of a masked and armed man inside her house, holding her son and sister hostage.  And whoever behind these seems to be able to predict what Violet’s going to do, and hear and see every move she makes.  

Imagine sitting in front of a new love interest in person for the first time, trying to hide the panic, threats and horror since you’re told to not tell your date or anyone about what's going on, and unable to drop a  signal or call for help.  Not only that, Violet is now instructed to get something out of Henry’s work bag and destroy it, without him knowing it.  She’s eventually ordered to kill him, or her son dies.    

Violet is making up excuses – from being on her cell frequently, answering airdrops and texting, misplacing her belonging, excusing herself to the ladies’ room, wanting to switch tables, going to the bar to chat with the bartender, trying to get the pianist’s attention from across the room, using makeshift items to get herself out of the increasingly dire situation – while making awkward chats with Henry. The overly chirpy and talkative new server doesn’t help.  

Violet looks around the restaurant, observes the guests and their manners, starts the identity guessing game and even finds ways to talk to a few people.  Everyone is a suspect at this point.  A red herring occurs.  Violet tries every trick she could think of, until the first victim drops dead at the restaurant.  If there’s any doubt that this sick shenanigan is for real, this clinches it.  And if she doesn’t do what he says, more innocent people will be dropping like flies.  

From the onset and the outside, while Henry seems to be more than patient and understanding of Violet’s severely distracted appearance and excuses, seemingly due to first date jitters and an anxious son at home, he finally takes the cue to drop out of the evening and start leaving.  Being drop dead gorgeous could only carry a conversation so far.  Only problem?  Violet needs to keep Henry in his spot so that she could kill him, which of course, she absolutely does not want to do.  But what other choice does she have?  

Fortunately, Violet is able to prevent Henry from leaving by sharing a vulnerably authentic side of her and Henry opens up as well.  By now he could see that Violet is acting strange and senses something is not right.  Unfortunately, this means that Henry remains in the murderer's crosshair.  

With a flushed face, racing pulse and running out of excuses, terror-stricken Violet refuses to give up and is determined to outsmart the merciless murderer figure, while not clueing in and killing Henry, and saving her son and sister at the same time.  Time is running out.  Talk about mission impossible.  When the mysterious killer’s cover is uncovered and the abhorrent end game is blown apart, violent actions come to a deadlier head.  

The movie does a killer job in keeping the whodunnit mystery up and ratcheting up the nerve-racking tension.  The acting is convincing all around.  Fahy carries every frame with suppressed intense emotions and anyone looks like they could potentially be the assailant.  It's satisfying to see her having a mic drop moment when she comes face to face with her tormentor.  

“Drop” is a suspenseful hell hath no fury like a trapped woman whose son is in danger.  You’ll be in for a precarious ride and rooting for the heroine to withstand and win.  

"Drop" will drop into theaters on April 11, 2025.

SXSW red carpet movie premiere:

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2025 SXSW Festival

As a regular and longtime Comic-Con attendee (check out the fabulous blast from years’ past here) and someone who had never been to Texas (now 29th state visited!), I always wanted to visit SXSW, but the timing was never right.  

The stars were aligned this time.  With a complimentary, all-inclusive film & TV press badge, and coincidentally, a free flight voucher from Southwest Airlines, I boarded to Austin and had a grand time!  Austin is a cool city with an outdoorsy-barbeque-music vibe.  The early spring weather ranged from super warm to cool and cold and windy, not much different than San Diego.    

I was only available to be there for several days (less than half the nine days allotted) and a tiny fraction of the massive festival (intersection of film, television, music, business and technology) had to offer, but it satisfied my curiosity.  It’s nice to be able to get away into a new part of the country and also immerse myself in all-things film and television.  If you think Comic-Con is pricey, I got a major sticker shock when I realized my badge was worth at $1,395! 

As always, there were too many things to run concurrently and too little time to experience everything you'd want.  As a member of the press, I was also invited to a variety of VIP parties, live music and interactive business-related events, but I wasn’t able to make it.  That’s how it typically goes – you win some, you lose some.  

Unlike the flat grid of downtown San Diego, Austin’s downtown area is pretty sprawling and with some hilly parts, so rideshare was my go-to method in order to be able to hit events in time, although it still took time due to congested streets.  They did have free shuttles that go from the convention center to major hotels and theaters in the area during the festival, which was a great service for those who weren't rushing.  The lines were managed with people having primary and secondary access based on their respective badge, so it’s clearer than Comic-Con’s one giant lines for everything.   

The exhibition floor was nothing to write home about; it's small and more like a state or summer fair type of exhibits.  The rooms in the convention center had electronic placates (with what appeared to be real-time information about the session and capacity in the room) by the door that I don't see at Comic-Con.  

As far as pop culture celebration goes, it’s not comparable to Comic-Con since SXSW is so much more than film and television and nobody wore any costume.  Although there were a few buildings wrapped (with giant film or television banners) and few pop-up activations here and there.  Plenty of photo opportunities and fun to be had.  

Most prominent activations were Alien, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+ Lodge (similar to the one hosted at Comic-Con), The Accountant 2, Love is Blind, Museum of Future House (Dubai) and Whattaburger.  

Some of these events provided tasty treats and drinks (such as slider, lemon sorbet, desert chocolate, soda, lemonade, martini).  Goodies I got include patches, bracelet, charm, T-shirt, hoodie, cowboy hat, regular hat, books and totes.  Among photo shoots, catching clues and solving puzzles, the most fun I had was trying out line dancing! (coming from someone who doesn’t dance at all).  I skipped the paintball gun activity due to time. They were only running these pop-up events for as few as a couple of days to several days, not for the entire duration of the festival, so it was perfect timing I was there during the beginning of the festival.  

What SXSW does best compared to other, smaller film festivals is red carpet premieres.  Yes, Comic-Con (and even WonderCon) has star-studded panels (hello, Hall H and Ballroom 20!), but it’s a different kind of vibe there.  

We’re talking major cast and crew of feature films on the streets.  There’s something exclusive and glamorous about lining up to see the world’s premiere of a movie, with the stars walking out onto the literal red carpet outside of the theater, and standing on stage for Q&A after the movie.  The frenzied atmosphere on the streets with the throngs of cheering fans, press from around the world, and security surrounding the theater was electric.  

SXSW required the very limited, ticketed general audience going inside the theaters to only bring one transparent bag per person in order to move lines through security quickly, although I couldn’t tell if it was enforced. Press was allowed one regular bag and one camera bag, and assigned ‘working press’ tag for each.  

I didn’t look for information or plan to attend any of the red carpet premieres (like Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick for “Another Simple Favor”). My goals was a respite from the routines from work, a change of scenery, and to basically chill and enjoy what might come my way.  

I ended up at the right place and the right time for the premieres of “Holland” (Nicole Kidman, Matthew Macfadyen, Gael Garcia Bernal) and “Drop” (Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar, and co-stars).  I heard from a journalist next to me when and where Ben Affleck would appear (for “The Accountant 2”), but it was so late in the evening and I decided to ditch the effort to get there.  I was planning to get to “The Death of a Unicorn” premiere and had to miss it due to “The Accountant 2” activation running late.  

One-word impressions of the movies I did see: “Another Simple Favor” – wild, “The Accountant 2” – solid, “Drop” – intense, “Holland” – quirky, “It Ends” – creepy.  I did end up seeing “Death of a Unicorn” in a press screening back in San Diego this week – brutal (in a ‘eat the rich’ way).  Some of the screenings.were held in an ornate, historic theater with a stage.  “Another Simple Favor” and “Drop” reviews are forthcoming.  2025 is turning out to be a banner year for films and television!

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"Cleaner"

What would a former soldier-turned-window cleaner, trapped on a skyscraper cradle, do when witnessing murderous terrorists holding hundreds of people hostage inside the building?

That's the simple premise of "Cleaner," led by Daisy Ridley ("Murder on the Orient Express") and Clive Owen ("The American").  Ridley carries the picture "Die Hard" style, while Owen is obtusely wasted in his role.  

A band of environmental extremists is doing a hostile takeover of an energy company gala celebrating its success, while camouflaging its dark dealings and darker life-changing consequences.  The eco-terrorists are forcing out crime confessions of the frightened key players and broadcasting them out to the world.  There's infighting among who's in charge of the operations, and it's a ruthless numbers game when it comes to who's left alive or end up dead and how and the total body counts.  

Not only is Joey's life hanging in the balance - literally in the air - she has to find a way to alert the authorities with no means of communication, convince the authorities she's not one of the bad guys, get inside the building from the sides of the skyscraper, fight off said bad guys and survive, and save the explosive-strapped hostages.  

It's a straightforward story, although not without a kink or two and suspension of disbelief.  A confrontation between Joey and the terrorist group's rancorous leader would have more of an impact with a buildup story.  Soap, fire, gun and grenade are deployed, along with hide-and-seek, hand-to-hand combat.  

I received a screener link over a week ago and watched the movie through my small laptop screen with a relatively weak sound (even with the volume turned all the way up).  It would be a stronger viewing experience seeing it at the theater or even with a large television screen and strong sound.  

"Cleaner" is a generic action thriller executed well with edge-of-your seat and do or die moments.  

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2025: Year of Blockbusters

This year will be the year of blockbusters!  Check out the top 25 most anticipated movies in 2025 - filled with spies and superheroes, adventures and thrills, mystery and magic.  

List & synopsis: https://screenrant.com/most-anticipated-movies-2025/

Trailers compilation:

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"Paddington in Peru"

Breathtaking scenery (real-life, lush Machu Picchu)   Cute, sweet, poignant, delightful...  Fun family misadventures , Indiana Jones-like , filled with mystery and intrigue., tracing back to the origin of Paddington.  If you haven't seen Paddington  movies (2014 & 2017), highly recommended to stream.  Very British, one of the best series of all time!  Gentle and good-natured, endearingly hilarious.  The 2017 one is a riotous Mission Impossible heist  (starring nefarious Hugh Grant).

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"Companion"

A remote lakehouse getaway gone wrong.  

If you've only seen the first trailer of “Companion” a few months ago and not the second one that was released about a week ago, as well as reading the description of the movie, be forewarned that this review assumes you know the first major twist shown early on publicly in the latter. 

I did see the description and second trailer prior to seeing the movie, and it didn't take away my viewing experience, as there are multiple, unpredictable twists, but your mileage may vary.  Because this particular reveal is integral to the story, it's not possible to write a review without it.  Turn back now or forever hold your peace...

“Companion” begins with a supermarket meet-cute.  Girl (Sophie Thatcher, “Heretic”) meets boy (Jack Quaid) in a supermarket aisle.  Iris and Josh fall in love at first sight, and next thing we know, they're in a relationship and driving to a remote lakehouse for a getaway, at the invite of Josh's friend, Kat (Megan Sun).  

The luxury lakehouse belongs to Kat's wealthy boyfriend, Sergey (Rupert Friend).  Joining the quartet are their mutual friend, Eli (Harvey Guillen) and his longtime boyfriend, Patrick (Lukas Gage).  Kat knows where she stands, as a mistress to a magnate who may not be on the up and up.  

Iris has met Kat prior to the trip and could sense that Kat doesn't really like her, although she couldn't put her finger on it. Sergey also makes a few off comments, which adds to Iris' uneasiness, but she keeps her smile on to keep Josh happy.  Kat admits that she's a bit insecure around the porcelain-pretty Iris, even though Iris thinks of Kat highly.  

After a violent confrontation between Sergey and Iris, a blood-soaked Iris freaks out Josh, Kat, Eli and Patrick, and they have to decide what to do next.  This is when Iris realizes that something is terribly wrong.  Iris startlingly finds out that she is a robot, a humanoid owned by Josh to be his companion, functioning like a human girlfriend.  

Once a love link is established, Iris is programmed to be devoted to Josh's every need, want and desire.  Her memories about her life have been implanted.  Bewildered, Iris doesn't believe Josh at first, until Josh shows how he can control Iris through an app on his  phone.  Her eye color, voice, language, intelligence and aggression level.  

Thatcher brings humanity home here, displaying Iris' palpable and deep emotions that look and feel real.  Hurt, pain, anger, sadness, crushed.  Quaid shifts seamlessly from a dorky guy-next-door to misogynistic manipulator, who will cold-bloodedly stop at nothing and no one to keep his destructive secrets.  

Knowing that Iris has consciousness, you think you might be able to predict what happens next, as Iris tries to gain control to outmaneuver Josh's power over her.  You' d be wrong.  The surprises and shocks keep coming; from why they are really at the lakehouse to the discombobulated dynamics among the friends, which lead to a bloody spiral out of control. 

Now that we live in the age of artificial intelligence, it doesn't seem to be a distant science fiction to ponder what if androids gain self-awareness and existential identity, and evolve to the point that they independently gain a mind of their own and feel real emotions like human beings.  

Topsy-turvy chain of events unfold with an unhinged edge and dark comedic tone, which make the movie enjoyable to watch, despite the macabre nature.  The twists are well-constructed and unexpected.  

Think about mystery thrillers that shocked you. “Oldboy,” “The Gift,” “Ex-Machina,” “Don't Worry Darling," and last year's “Blink Twice” and “Strange Darling." Prepare to go on a wickedly wild ride with “Companion.”  

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FREE Movie Screening: "You're Cordially Invited" (San Diego, CA)

Regal Cinemas and Amazon Prime Studios are partnering to provide FREE movie screening nationwide on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.  The movie will start at 7 p.m.  

Claim your FREE movie tickets here: (first-come, first-served)

https://amazonscreenings.com/movie_landing/WW91cmVDb3JkaWFsbHlQcm9mbG91cg%3D%3D

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A woman who is planning her sister’s perfect wedding and the father of a young bride-to-be discover that they are double-booked for their destination wedding at a remote resort on an island off the Georgia coast.  When both parties decide to share the small venue, chaos ensues and disaster awaits.  Starring Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell.  

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FREE Movie Screening: "Unstoppable" (Nationwide)

Regal Cinemas and Amazon Prime Studios are partnering to provide FREE movie screening nationwide on Wednesday, January 8. 2025.  The movie will start at 7 p.m.  

Claim your FREE movie tickets here: (2 tickets per person; first-come, first-served)

https://amazonscreenings.com/blp/VU5TVHJlZ2Fs

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The inspiring true story of Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome) who was born with one leg but whose indomitable spirit and unbreakable resolve empowered him to defy the odds and pursue his dreams.  With the unwavering love and support of his devoted mother Judy (Jennifer Lopez) and the encouragement of his coaches, Anthony fights through adversity to earn a spot on the Arizona State Wrestling team.  But it will demand everything he has, physically and mentally, to achieve his ultimate quest to become an NCAA Champion.

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