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We have a flood of new films out this week. Below is my take on everything that’s playing in theaters and on streaming. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734. The Alto Knights (Theaters) Starring: Robert De Niro, Debra Messing, and Cosmo Jarvis Synopsis : Sometimes despite having all the right ingredients a project fails to come together. That’s the case with The Alto Knights, a high-profile film that opened March 21. The film is written by Nicholas Pileggi, who scripted both Casino and Goodfellas, and features Robert De Niro is a dual lead role. It’s based on the true story of Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, who grew up together in New York and ended up involved in Organized Crime. Genovese killed a couple guys, which forced him to flee to Europe. That left control of the organization to Costello, who preferred to keep a lower profile. When Genovese returned, delayed by the outbreak of World War II, it was a different city. His o...
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We’re into April and that means Spring and some longer days and warmer temperatures. But there is still plenty of TV options, especially as we near the Emmy consideration window. What of these new shows is worth your time to check? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new scripted series. Wednesdays: The Studio, Streaming Wednesdays on Apple TV+ (Premiered March 26) About : This new show comes from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. It focuses on the head of a movie studio (Rogen) as he tries to navigate all the perils of making films. The series features Ike Barinholz, Catherine O’Hara, and Kathryn Hahn as regulars, among others. It also features a series of cameos from those in the industry, with the first two episodes featuring Martin Scorsese and Greta Lee, among others. The pilot runs 45 minutes, while most of the rest of the 10-episode season spans about a half an hour. I love the focus, writing, and content of the series. Rogen is great in th...
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Upcoming Releases, April 2025

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  We've made it to April, and we're getting a mix of some interesting releases this month. Let's take a look at all that's in store for us in April! Friday, April 4: * A Minecraft Movie (Theaters) : This film has a decent cast but looks like it might be better for younger audiences than adults. Video game adaptations have been a mixed bag, but I'm hoping for some fun. * Freaky Tales (Theaters) : This one is an anthology of sorts, with four inter-connected tales set in 1987. They are of some varying quality, but Tom Hanks is great in a cameo and I enjoyed Pedro Pascal and some of the sequences here. * The Friend (Theaters) : This has been a bit under-the-radar. Still, a film starring Bill Murray and Naomi Watts has to pique your interest a bit. Will it be good? Who's to say. Thursday, April 10: * G20 (Prime Video): This action film focuses on a terrorist take over of the G20 Summit. Viola Davis is the lead, playing a badass American President. I'm intrigued ...
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2005 Rewind, An Introduction

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We've made it to 2025, which means that films released in 2005 are now turning 20 years old. It's hard to believe how time flies, and it's even harder to believe some of the films on the list are now 20 years old.  In 2005 we saw a lot of interesting films, including the conclusion to the prequel trilogy from George Lucas. There were many classic an varied releases that have stood the test of time.. As I look back at the year, I'm highlighting some films that have always stood out to me. I was surprised by the list, but it's five films that I couldn't move on without talking about. For each of the films that I'll highlight from the year, I'll be including a quote from the film, an image, and a bit of the reason it makes the list. It's always fun to look at these cinematic time capsules to remember the films we've gotten and to remember favorites we might not have seen for a while. So, check back each Sunday through May 11 for a film from 2005. Th...
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The Director's Series: Akira Kurosawa, No. 4

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Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey. The Seven Samurai (1954) Starring: Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura Director: Akira Kurosawa About: Most director's have a signature film. That's the case with Kurosawa, and that most memorable signature film is The Seven Samurai . If you followed my list of favorite Westerns last year, you'd note that I had two versions of The Magnificent Seven on it. Those films are both just western adaptations of what Kurosawa did here. This film is an epic in scope and length, clocking in at nearly three and a half hours. It also has a strong cast, including two of his frequent collaborators in Mifume and Shimura, who are both in other films that will be on th...
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The Director's Series: Michael Bay, No. 4

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Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey. Transformers (2007) Starring : Shia LeBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, and John Turturro Director : Michael Bay About : We come to the start of the next round and look at my next selection from Bay. Bay isn't probably high on a lot of people's director lists. But I have always appreciated the popcorn style of his films. He's a great escape director for me. I was curious to see how it was going to go as he took on bringing a popular cartoon series to life. The result was this film, which I have come to really enjoy. Bay did five Transformers films in all, and they aren't all gems. But this first film is very creative, has some funny mome...
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Best Remaining Free Agents

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  NFL Free Agency has hit a lull. We're seeing fewer big deals, and that will continue as we approach the NFL Draft. But below I highlight five players still on the market I think are worth a look. Aaron Rodgers, QB About: Rodgers is the best of the QBs left on the market. He's been linked to the Steelers, and doubtless they could use him. Their two QBs from last season both signed. The Steelers also appear to be the only landing spot left to Rodgers, who isn't a target for the Vikings and saw the Giants sign Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson. J.K. Dobbins, RB About : Dobbins had a strong 2024 where he, for the most part, stayed on the field. It was a productive season with the Chargers. But now he's a free agent, and it seems unlikely he returns to the Chargers. Where will he land? That's the question. And what can he do when he does land? That remains to be seen. Amari Cooper, WR About : Cooper had a forgettable 2024. He didn't do much with the Buffalo Bills ...
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