Fried Barry (2020)

Released May 7, 2021, in the US.

Filmed in South Africa.

The story: Barry is a junkie.

He wasn't always a junkie though. He is married and has a young son.

But none of that seems to matter anymore.

One evening, after getting a fix, Barry is abducted by aliens...

He is returned to Earth, looking like Barry but he is no longer Barry.

Alien Barry now goes around town, saying very little and going along mostly with everything and anything.

When back at home, his wife notices he is running a fever.

On the way to the hospital, Barry jumps out of the car and is once again alone, on the streets.

He gets beat up and is taken in by a young homeless girl who is being controlled by a chainsaw-yielding freak.

Barry takes care of the freak but instead of going back to his own planet where he longs to be, he then gets locked up for murder.

Stars Gary Green, Chanelle de Jager, Brett Williams, Joey Cramer, Bianka Hartenstein, Sean Cameron Michael, Steve Wall, Hakeem Kae Kazim, Tamer Burjaq, Jonathan Pienaar, Colin Moss, Brendan Sean Murray, Deon Lotz, Tuks Tad Lungu, Ryan Kruger, Marty Kintu, Graham Clarke, Leon Clingman

Directed by Ryan Kruger

Not Rated

SCIFI/MYSTERY

Open 24 Hours (2018)

Released on DVD, August 18th in the US.

Filmed in Serbia and Mississippi...

The story: Mary has recently been released from prison. 

Although her crime was quite disturbing, it doesn't even come close to the reason why she did what she did.

Now Mary is trying to get herself and life back in order, although she is suffering from some heavy paranoia and delusions.

She is also in constant fear that her ex, who she tried to kill, is coming back for her.

By the advice of her parole officer, Mary applies and gets a job at a 24-hour gas station/mini-mart.

Without a choice, she has to work the graveyard shift.

On her first night at work, Mary tries her best to keep her shit together.

But her ex, who as far as she knows is in prison, keeps appearing.

Stars Vanessa Grasse, Daniel OMeara, Glendon Hobgood, Brendan Fletcher, Tomi May, Cole Vigue, Selina Giles, Jovana Miletic, Connor Catchpole, Muirenn Brady 

Directed by (& story written) Padraig Reynolds

Rated R
MYSTERY/THRILLER/HORROR

A Brave Heart : The Lizzie Velasquez Story (2015)

Released September 25th in the US.

Filmed in Texas, Mexico, Utah, California, Washington, Spain, North Carolina, and England.

The story:  Elizabeth "Lizzie" Velasquez is a 25-year-old woman, living with an undiagnosed syndrome, which makes her unable to gain weight and causes her appearance to be distorted.

She is also visually impaired.

Growing up, Lizzie never actually realized she was different.

It was the other children that shed light on her differences.

Lizzie went through more surgeries than she can count but always continued to be a joy to her friends and family.

While Lizzie was attending high school and just living her teenage life, happy with friends and family, she came across something very disturbing.

A YouTube video of herself, titled 'The Ugliest Woman in the World'.

This of course devasted her but after some time and thought on the matter, Lizzie rose above that nonsense.

She went on to become a positive motivator for others and a serious advocate for those who have experienced bullying.

Directed by Sara Hirsh Bordo

Rated PG13

BIOGRAPHY/DOCUMENTARY/HISTORY

Antlers (2021)

Released October 29th in the US.

Filmed entirely in Canada.

The story: Frank is the single father of 12-year-old Lucas and 9-year-old Aiden.

Frank is also running a meth lab with a friend out of an abandoned mine.

While working one day, Frank leaves Aiden in the truck to wait for him.

After telling Aiden that he is getting ready to pack it up and go home, Aiden hears strange noises coming from the mine.

He goes inside.

Three weeks later, Lucas is living alone, dealing with his father and Aiden.

Frank has been turned into a flesh-eating monster and Aiden is quite sick himself.

According to Lucas, it is his responsibility to take care of them, no matter what it takes.

Stars Scott Haze, Sawyer Jones, Kerri Russell, Jesse Plemons, Jeremy T Johnson, Amy Madigan, Rory Cochrane, Graham Greene, Clint Owens, Dorian Kingi, Ken Kramer, Dendrie Taylor 

Directed by Scott Cooper

Rated R
HORROR/THRILLER/SCIFI

The Optimists AKA The Optimists of Nine Elms (1973)

Released October 18th in the US.

Filmed in England.

The story: Sam is an older man who is retired from his stage act.

He makes his money, spending his days doing small shows on the street, bringing his beloved dog Bella along to help.

One day Sam meets brother and sister Mark and Liz.

Sam tries to get rid of the pesky pair, but they want to be his friend, mostly due to Mark taking a liking to Bella.

Slowly, Sam allows the kids to help him along in his acts, becoming their friend or rather like their dear old grandfather. 

Stars Peter Sellers , Donna Mullane , John Chaffey , Katyana Kass , Hilary Crane , Keith Chegwin , David Daker , Marjorie Yates , Patricia Blake , Don Crown , Michael Graham Cox , Bruce Purchase

Directed by Anthony Simmons

Rated PG
DRAMA

The Djinn (2021)

Released May 14th in the US.

Filmed in California.

The story: Dylan is a mute young man living with his radio DJ father.

Dylan is constantly haunted by visions of his mother, who left them by committing suicide.

He is also frustrated by not being able to talk.

One evening, while Dylan is in their new home alone, he finds a strange book in his closet and begins reading.

Dylan ends up conjuring a Djinn, although he doesn't quite understand how it works or its consequence.

But he quickly schools himself in order to stay alive.

Stars Ezra Dewey, Rob Brownstein, Tevy Poe, John Erickson, Donald Pitts, Jilbert Daniel, Omaryus Luckett, Collin Joe, Isaiah Dell

Directed by (& story written) David Charbonier & Justin Powell

Rated R
HORROR/MYSTERY/THRILLER

Strangers : The Story of a Mother and Daughter (1979)

Made for CBS, airing May 13th in the US.

Filmed entirely in California.

The story: Lucy is an elderly woman, living alone since her husband died a while back.

She has an adult daughter named Abigail, who she has not seen in 20 years.

When Abigail shows up on Lucy's doorstep, Lucy isn't very happy at all.

Actually, she is quite bitter.

Lucy believes that when Abigail left 20 years ago, it was against her wishes, ruining her life as she knew it and she has not forgiven her for that.

Abigail wants her mothers' forgiveness.

She also wants to rebuild their relationship because Abigail has very little time left.

Stars Gena Rowlands, Bette Davis, Ford Rainey, Donald Moffat, Kate Riehl, Whit Bissell, Royal Dano, Krishan Timberlake, Renee McDonell, Sally Kemp, Don Fosse, Son Salo, John Zunino

Directed by Milton Katselas

Not Rated

DRAMA

The Medusa Touch (1978)

Released April 14th in the US.

Filmed in England.

The story: John Morlar is a famous writer.

When he is attacked about the head and almost killed in his flat one evening, Inspector Brunel is hot on the case.

Who would want to kill Mr. Morlar and furthermore, why?

One very unusual aspect of Mr. Morlar's current diagnosis is, although he is in a coma, his brain activity seems to be getting increasingly stronger by the day.

By reading Mr. Morlars's diary, Inspector Brunel gets the information that Mr. Morlar had been seeing a psychiatrist, Dr.Zonfeld.

He meets and begins questioning the doctor contiuously, to get some ideas about the victim.

The conclusion becomes this, Mr. Morlar believes that he is telepathic.

He also believes he is a bringer of doom and gloom, causing deaths of people close to him and catastrophes all around him. 

Mr. Morlar believes he cannot stop himself or his madness.

But apparently, someone thought that they could.

Stars Richard Burton, Lino Ventura, Harry Andrews, Michael Byrne, Robert Lang, Derek Jacobi, Lee Remick, Gordon Jackson, Alan Badel, Jeremy Brett, Michael Hordern, Marie Christine Barrault

Directed by Jack Gold

Rated PG
MYSTERY/THRILLER/SCIFI

House of Gucci (2021)

Released November 24th in the US.

Filmed entirely in Italy.

Based on truths.

The story: In 1978, Patrizia Reggiani met Maurizio Gucci at a party.

She was quickly smitten with the young naive man with the legendary name.

Maurizio was studying to become a lawyer while Patrizia worked for her father's transport company.

When Patrizia finally won Maurizio over, he explained that he wished to marry her to his father.

His father had different ideas for Maurizio and decided that because he was going to marry her, he would cut him off.

Maurizio found himself on the doorstep of Patrizia's parents' house, asking for a place to work and stay.

Soon Maurizio was working for Patrizia's father, the two then married and could not have been happier.

When Maurizio's uncle found out about this new bond between his favorite nephew and his new bride, he contacted the couple.

He expressed much interest in taking Maurizio under his wing, as his right-hand man with Gucci, which caused problems with his cousin. 

But no matter.

When Maurizio finally gave in and took his place with Gucci, things began changing.

By the advice of Patrizia, Maurice cut ties with his uncle, cousin, and then, without warning, Patrizia.

But Patrizia would not have that.

Stars Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jeremy Irons, Al Pacino, Jack Huston, Jared Leto, Vincent Riotta, Alexia Murray, Camille Cottin, Gaetano Bruno, Florence Andrews, Reeve Carney

Directed by Ridley Scott

Rated R
DRAMA/HISTORY

"Don't mistake shit for chocolate."

The Stand ; Stephen King's parts 1 - 4 (1994)

Made for ABC, airing May 8th in the US.

Filmed in Utah, Colorado, Nevada, New York, and Pennsylvania.

The story: When a man-made plague that acts like the flu breaks out across America, many people are killed.

Only a select amount of people are spared.

Most of the select people all have the same mission but it is a handful of people who are all having the same dream of a wise old lady or a scary dark man.

The people having the dream of the old lady are doing everything possible to stay alive and get things back to some sort of normal.

While the people who are dreaming of the dark man are being manipulated into doing his dirty deeds, helping him in taking over the world and killing off anyone who gets in his way.

In the end, it is the ultimate battle of good vs. evil.

Stars John Bloom, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Ed Harris, Kathy Bates, Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Laura San Giacomo, Jamey Sheridan, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Miguel Ferrer, Corin Nemec, Matt Frewer, Adam Storke, Ray Walston, Rob Lowe, Peter Van Nordin, Bridgit Ryan, Stephen King, Kellie Overbey, Bill Fagerbakke, Rick Aviles, Chuck Adamson, Shawnee Smith, Sam Anderson, Cynthia Garris, Billy L Sullivan, Warren Frost, Tom Holland, Mick Garris, Leo Geter, John Landis, Sam Raimi, (voice) Jeff Goldblum, Frank Gerrish, Phil Nardozzi, Karman Graham, Deborah Reed , Mike Lookinland

Directed by Mick Garris

Not Rated

FANTASY/MYSTERY/HORROR

The Inventor : Out for Blood in Silicon Valley (2019)

Made for HBO, airing March 18th in the US.

The story : In 2003 Stanford college student and company owner Elizabeth Holmes filed her first patent application for a  wearable drug delivery patch.

By 2004 , she had dropped out of school , where she studied chemical engineering , although at the time she had experience with the testing of SARS.

Elizabeth believed she was on to something , even if she wasnt getting the get-go she believed in.

The bright young aspiring inventor had a life-long fear of needles , so when she came up with the idea of all data being collected for blood testing by one finger prick , she was told it could not be done.

But that did not stop Elizabeth.

She carried on , finding backers who believed her idea could be produced.

Elizabeth then renamed her already not going anywhere company to Theranos.

She found funding by convincing believers that her idea was possible and not just a dream.

She employeed many who also believed in the work they were doing.

But before there were any actual positive results , there were more than enough failures for insiders to see. Theranos work continued to plummet and even Elizabeth herself would not admit to its all around complete failure.
Stars Dan Ariely , (voice) Alex Gibney , Phyllis Gardner , Elizabeth Holmes , Roger Parloff , Ken Auletta , Erika Cheung , Cheryl Gafner , Dave Phililippides , Douglas Matje , Ryan Wistort , Tony Nugent , Channing Robertson , Don Lucas , Tyler Shultz , Rochelle Gibbons , Ramesh Balwani

Directed by (& story written) Alex Gibney

Rated TV14

DOCUMENTARY/HISTORY