Film and Music Reviews and Suggestions
TV Show or Movie: Movie
Where to Watch: Theaters
Genre: Comedy
Writer: Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, Akiva Schaffer
Director: Akiva Schaffer
Cast: Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Danny Huston, CCH Pounder, Kevin Durand.
Synopsis: Only one man has the particular set of skills – to lead Police Squad and save the world.
Review:
Trailer:
TV Show or Movie: Movie
Where to Watch: Theaters
Genre Horror
Writer Zach Cregger
Director Zach Cregger
Cast Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan, plus supporting roles
Synopsis When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
Review: I have been a big Zachary Cregger fan for a long time. It started with Whitest Kids U Know, then I followed him and the late great Trevor Moore to Miss March, a funny comedy with Craig Robbinson. I watched him in Wrecked, the TBS parody of Lost. And then I watched the breakout hit Barbarian and have been following his horror journey ever since.
I have been looking forward to Weapons for a few years now. It’s gone through some major delays, but it is finally here. And I know this sounds like a first world problem, but I was on vacation and I had to wait four days to see it. I know. And I avoided all spoilers.
The movie has a slower build up to a wild third act. Like Barbarian. The jump scares throughout are pretty terrifying.
The third act goes pretty nuts in this movie. It is not a predictable movie by any means. There is talk about a possible preque, which I would be onboard for.
Austin Abrams is one of my favorite newer actors and he crushes it in this movie. He stuck with Cregger throughout the whole production and is now starring in his next movie, Resident Evil!
Trailer:
TV Show or Movie: Movie
Where to Watch: Theaters
Genre: Horror
Writer: Michael Shanks
Directors: Michael Shanks
Cast: Allison Brie, James Franco
Premise: Years into their relationship, Tim and Millie find themselves at a crossroads as they move to the country. With tensions already flaring, an encounter with an unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love and their flesh.
Review: I really enjoyed this body horror movie. After the success of The Substance last year, it seems that so many body horror movies are getting green lit and distributed which I am all for.
This movie stars real life married couple Dave Franco and Allison Brie as a couple who move out to the country. They are on the brink of collapse and this new job opportunity for Brie’s character could be something that saves them.
After falling into a hole, weird things start happening to them.
The last ten minutes are pretty wild. I loved the contortionist work done in this movie. There is very obvious foreshadowing throughout the moving using a popular song from my childhood and I, somehow, didn’t pick up on it. But hey, that’s the point and how movies get away with that stuff.
This movie has a buildup that continuously gets stronger and more intense until all hell breaks loose.
I dug the ending. There are a few ways they could’ve gone and I liked this one.
Trailer:
TV Show or Movie: Movie
Where to Watch: Theaters
Genre: Horror
Writer: James DeMonaco, Adam Cantor
Directors: James DeMonaco
Cast: Pete Davidson, John Glover, Bruce Altman
Premise: Follows Max, who realizes that the residents and caretakers in the retirement home he started working at hide sinister secrets.
Review:
Trailer:
Tour: Summer Slammer
Venue: Roadrunner
Date: Thursday, July 16th
Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/bilmuri/2025/roadrunner-boston-ma-7345c2e1.html
Band Members:
Johnny Franck – Vocals, guitar
Gabi Rose – Saxophone, flute, vocals
Reese Maslen – Guitar, vocals
Xavier Ware – Drums
Opener: John Harvey, Driveways
Upcoming Tour Dates: https://www.bilmuri.com/
Merch:
Review: I got into BilMuri within the past year. I had heard the name in the scene, but just never heard him. Once I did, there was no going back.
I love innovative music. I love genre bending music. And he is those things. Emo, country, hardcore, it’s all of those and more.
American Motor Sports has got to be one of my favorite albums. It’s one of those albums where you can’t skip one track.
Bilmuri, well Johnny Franck and his band are absolute powerhouses. At another concert recently, I was talking about how much I love a band that has one guitarist, one bass, one drummer, a singer. Maybe the singer does a little guitar. Look at Blink-182, Alkaline Trio – they are just a band of three with no bells and whistles because they don’t need them. They even tour just the three of them.
Well, BilMuri live impressed the hell out of me. Johnny on vocals and occasional guitar, Gabi on saxophone, flute and background vocals, Reese Maslen on guitar and screaming vocals, and Xavier Ware rocking the hell out of the drums.
There are a few songs that really showcase the talent of each member of the band where they get a chance to shine.
Review:
Tour: Last Summer on Earth
Venue: Leader Bank Pavilion
Date: Friday, July 11th
Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/barenaked-ladies/2025/leader-bank-pavilion-boston-ma-235a007b.html
Opener: Fastball, Sugar Ray
Review: It isn’t quite summer without a Barenaked Ladies concert. Last summer, I saw them at Fenway without Hootie & the Blowfish. The summer before that, back at Leader Bank Pavillion with Del Amitri and Five For Fighting.
I took my girlfriend again to see them, as she enjoyed her first time two summers ago. I also took my mom and it was her first concert since we saw the Stones at Fenway 20 years ago!
We unfortunately missed Fastball, but got there in time for Sugar Ray. Mark McGrath is the man. Extremely humble, self deprecating, full of energy, and a great performer with way more energy than I have. They played all the hits including my favorite, “Answer the Phone.”
Barenaked Ladies played for over an hour and a half. They played every one of their hits, including “Brian Wilson.” They also did a little bit of “Love and Mercy” leading into their giant mashup at the end. This mashup, of course, coming after their mashup of female pop songs like “Pink Pony Club” and “Texas Hold’Em.”
This venue is great. Right in the Seaport. Literally right on the water. Almost all of the venue is covered. There are a lot of food and drink options. The venue posts the day of the show what food options they’ll have. Regina Pizza is always there.
Upcoming Tour Dates: https://www.barenakedladies.com/tour-2/
Pictures and Videos:
TV Show or Movie: Movie
Where to Watch: Theaters
Genre: Superhero, adventure, action
What It Reminds Me Of:
Writer: James Gunn, Jerry Sigel, Jerry Shushter
Directors: James Gunn
Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced.
Premise: Superman must reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent. As the embodiment of truth, justice and the human way he soon finds himself in a world that views these as old-fashioned.
Review: I saw an advanced screening of this movie on Tuesday thanks to Prime and Fandango. The theater was packed. People excited for the new direction of DC with James Gunn not only as President, but also co-writing and directing the first film.
The film is fantastic. It is funny, it is fun, it is filled with great cameos. I only really have two critiques: There are some cheesy parts and the way that midwestern people are conveyed is wild. I am not a midwesterner but the way that Clark’s parents are portrayed is crazy.
Any, Nathan Fillion is a great addition. I hope we get 10 Green Lantern movies and five seasons of a show starring him as this character that has not done well in the cinematic world before.
Nicholas Hoult plays a great billionaire piece of shit who will use all of his resources to get what he wants. The cast of The Daily Planet always has to be strong in the Super Man universe and it executed it well here.
Trailer:
TV Show or Movie: Movie
Where to Watch: Theaters
Genre: Action, adventure, comedy, children
What It Reminds Me Of:
Writer: Dean DeBlois
Directors: Dean DeBlois
Cast: Mason Thames, Nico Parker, Gabriel Howell
Julian Dennison, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn. Peter Serafinowicz, Nick Frost,
Gerard Butler.
Premise: As an ancient threat endangers both Vikings and dragons alike on the isle of Berk, the friendship between Hiccup, an inventive Viking, and Toothless, a Night Fury dragon, becomes the key to both species forging a new future together.
Review: This movie really had to get down the cinematography and the setting and it sure did. It’s a very beautiful movie with great set designs and characters. It sticks very much to the original, animated film. The flying scenes were very well done and reminded me of Avatar.
Toothless is adorable and really grows on you to the point where you want a pet dragon after leaving the theater. The story line and morals to the movie, along with the character developer, are all really great.
Nick Frost and Gerard Butler were perfect for their roles. Peter Serafinowicz seemed under utilized and I feel Julian Dennison was also underutilized as a comedic relief.
The movie is pretty intense. I haven’t seen the new Jurassic Park movie yet, but I imagine they are pretty close in intensively and action. Not that it’s a bad thing. It just might be a little scary for children.
I hope that we get more live-action How to Train Your Dragon films. I know the franchise isn’t going anywhere as there is now a massive park in Universal for it.
I wish the live-action version had Jónsi’s music in it, but that is only because I am a massive fan of Jón Þór Birgisson and his music fit the whole animated film so well.
Trailer:
TV Show or Movie: Movie
Where to Watch: Theaters
Genre: Post apocalyptic, horror, thriller
What It Reminds Me Of:
Writer: Alex Garland
Directors: Danny Boyle
Cast: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Ralph Fiennes.
Premise: A group of survivors of the rage virus live on a small island. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors.
Review: Film reviews are often split between critics and audience. If you go on Rotten Tomatoes right now you will see many movies are split. It could be 60% audience and 97% critics. Maybe 92% audience and 38% critics. Meghan 2.0 is currently at 57% and 82%. The new Karate Kid Legends is 59% and 91%. A Minecraft Movie is 48% and 85%. It’s typical for audience and reviewers to be split. But I feel that 28 Years Later really split the audience.
I saw it on opening night on a Thursday, but of course, people saw earlier advanced screenings. So I had already started to see mixed reviews.
Trailer:
Tour: Live & In-Concert USA Tour 2025
Venue: MGM Music Hall
Date: Sunday, June 15th
Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/caamp/2025/mgm-music-hall-at-fenway-boston-ma-334420c1.html
Opener: Whitney
Review:
It took me longer to get into this band then it should’ve. They are right up my alley. Like right up it.
I had heard the name, especially at two weddings over the past few years. Two years ago, I watched two good friends get married on the top of the mountain in Colorado and the bride walked down the aisle to one of their songs and their first dance was to another.
I then not only attended, but was the wedding officiant last year at another wedding where a song by Caamp was played as their first dance song.
I enter to win concert tickets all the time, thanks Do617 for these ones, and when I won tickets for Caamp at MGM in Boston I knew that I had to go.
I went into super prep mode, looking up their recent set lists and getting familiar with their songs.
I knew the fun covers they were doing on this tour, but needed to learn their own music.
The folk band sold out MGM Music Hall in Boston on both Saturday and Sunday. And Sunday was quite a night of energy and talent.
The band is fronted by one man, but every single person in the band sings, providing backup vocals and harmonies. Not only that, some members also trade off instruments or trade instruments with one another. There is a lot of talent to this band.
Upcoming Tour Dates: https://www.caamptheband.com/caamp-tour-dates
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