Americana

2025 Lionsgate

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 47min

Crime ~ Drama ~ Thriller ~ Neo-Western

Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Paul Walter Hauser, Halsey, Eric Dane, Zahn McClarnon and Simon Rex.

Welcome To The New West

Cal Starr (Luke David Blumm) is a young boy in small-town South Dakota, deeply obsessed with Native American culture and convinced he’s the reincarnation of Sitting Bull. His older sister, Mandy (Halsey), is trapped in a toxic relationship with the abusive Dillon MacIntosh (Eric Dane). When Dillon steals a priceless Lakota ghost shirt and stashes it at home, Mandy sees an opportunity to escape her circumstances. After a violent confrontation, Mandy attacks Dillon with a hammer and attempts to flee with both Cal and the artifact, only to have Cal refuse, determined to fulfill what he sees as his spiritual destiny.

In the days leading up to this moment, down-on-his-luck veteran Lefty Ledbetter (Paul Walter Hauser) befriends shy waitress Penny Jo Poplin (Sydney Sweeney), who dreams of country music stardom. Their lives entwine when Penny finds a mysterious note about a high-stakes deal involving the valuable ghost shirt. The item is at the center of a tangled plot involving Dillon, his partner Fun Dave, and shady antiques dealer Roy Lee Dean (Simon Rex), who traffics in stolen Native artifacts. The shirt’s theft sets off a violent chain reaction as several parties, including Lefty and Penny, race to find it first, drawn inexorably into the Starr family’s dark world of criminality and cult-like control.

As Mandy brings the ghost shirt back to her family’s compound, ruled by her sadistic father Hiram, the scene explodes into chaos. Lefty is captured trying to rescue Penny, who becomes caught between factions. When a Native American radical group led by Ghost Eye (Zahn McClarnon) descends on the compound to reclaim their sacred artifact, a fierce standoff erupts into a western style shootout.

In Americana the Lakota ghost shirt is more than just a rare artifact, it is a living symbol of spiritual hope and cultural identity. Rooted in the Ghost Dance religion of the late 19th century, ghost shirts were believed to carry sacred protective powers, shielding the wearer from bullets and harm during violent confrontations. This belief stemmed from the desperate need among Native American tribes like the Lakota to find strength and protection amid brutal oppression and the threat of cultural extinction. The shirts themselves were traditionally decorated with powerful symbols drawn from nature and the cosmos, such as eagles, stars, and the sacred pipe, each holding deep spiritual meaning.

The film weaves this symbolism into the narrative, making the ghost shirt a powerful but contested icon. Its value extends beyond monetary worth to embody the enduring resilience, spiritual connection, and identity of the Lakota people. Throughout the story, the artifact’s journey serves as a metaphor for struggles over cultural survival and restitution, highlighting how such relics carry the hopes of entire communities and the scars of historical injustice. The tension over the ghost shirt represents both personal desperation and a wider fight to preserve indigenous heritage in a world often indifferent to it.

Americana explores the lives intersecting around this sacred object. Sydney Sweeney portrays Penny Jo Poplin with a mix of vulnerability and determination, capturing the essence of a shy waitress chasing big dreams amid chaos. Paul Walter Hauser’s turn as the lovelorn veteran Lefty brings a touch of awkward humanity and warmth to the gritty narrative. Halsey impresses as Mandy, a desperate woman running from a dark past, delivering a raw and compelling intensity. Eric Dane’s ruthless, menacing portrayal of Dillon MacIntosh adds the edge to the film’s tension. The supporting cast, including Zahn McClarnon and Simon Rex, bring vibrant layers to this modern Western ensemble, helping to ground the film’s complex interwoven stories in this gritty, modern Western Crime Thriller.

Sherlock Holmes

2009 Warner Bros. Pictures

Rated: PG-13

Length: 2 hr 8min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Mystery ~ Crime Thriller

Directed by: Guy Ritchie

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Kelly Reilly, and Eddie Marsan.

Nothing Escapes Him!

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and his partner Dr. John Watson (Jude Law) are drawn into a dark case when they prevent the ritualistic murder of a woman by Lord Henry Blackwood (Mark Strong), a nobleman with deadly secrets who claims to possess supernatural powers. Blackwood is arrested and sentenced to death, but before his execution, he ominously warns Holmes that three more deaths will follow. Meanwhile, Watson’s life is changing as he plans to marry Mary Morstan (Kelly Reilly), a governess, which begins to strain his partnership with Holmes.

After Blackwood’s execution, strange events begin to unfold, including the discovery of Blackwood’s broken tomb containing the body of Luke Reordan. Holmes investigates Reordan’s secret laboratory and uncovers experiments blending science with mysticism. Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), a cunning and independent thief known as the only woman to have outwitted Holmes before, re-enters his life seeking help to find Reordan and entangles Holmes in a complex conspiracy, all while hinting at deeper connections with Holmes’s enigmatic adversary, Professor Moriarty.

As Holmes digs deeper, he is introduced to the secretive Temple of the Four Orders, a powerful magical society with ties to Blackwood’s plan to overthrow the British government by releasing deadly cyanide gas into Parliament. Holmes, Watson, and Adler work together to thwart the plot, using Holmes’s brilliant deductive skills and combat prowess to navigate deadly traps and political intrigue. Watson struggles to balance his budding family life with continuing to support Holmes through the dangerous case.

The film concludes with a tense confrontation atop the unfinished Tower Bridge, where Holmes reveals that Blackwood’s supernatural feats were a mix of science and deception. Holmes saves Adler, who warns him of Moriarty’s greater threat, perfectly setting up a sequel. Kelly Reilly’s Mary brings a grounding emotional layer as Watson’s fiancée, representing his desire for normalcy, while Rachel McAdams’s Adler adds complexity as a fierce, independent ally entwined with Holmes’s life and work. This blend of mystery, action, and character dynamics defines this energetic, modern take on Sherlock Holmes.

Growing up, I was captivated by the Sherlock Holmes stories, losing myself in the clever mysteries and the sharp wit of the great detective. Seeing these tales brought to life on the big screen was a thrilling experience the first time I saw this movie and even more so every time I watch it. Robert Downey Jr. perfectly captures Holmes’s brilliance and quirky charm, while Jude Law’s Watson gives us a grounded, loyal counterpart that felt true to the originals. Watching their chemistry and the dynamic storytelling unfold reminded me why I fell in love with these characters in the first place, now infused with exciting action and cinematic flair.

For me, Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes bridges nostalgia and fresh excitement, letting me experience Holmes’s world in a whole new way. The film’s atmospheric settings, clever plot twists, and rich character moments turned my childhood readings into a vivid, immersive adventure. It’s a unique joy to revisit those timeless stories through such a modern lens, and it reinforced for me how enduring and captivating Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creations remain, decades after I first opened those classic books.

Sherlock Holmes is a classic movie that brilliantly honors the timeless works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It captures the spirit of his iconic detective through a perfect blend of period authenticity and modern cinematic energy, bringing Holmes’s sharp intellect and thrilling adventures vividly to life on the big screen. And now for the sequel Sherlock Holmes: Game Of Shadows, tonight’s movie for Streaming Movie Night and tomorrow’s Movie Review! SO if you haven’t seen Sherlock Holmes I highly Recommend it, and if you have, Watch it again!

Make some popcorn,

Grab a beverage,

and Stream This Movie!

Currently on NETFLIX.

Sherlock Holmes: Game Of Shadows

Deep Cover

2025 Amazon Prime Video

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 39min

Action ~ Comedy ~ Crime

Directed by: Tom Kingsley

Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed, Paddy Considine, Ian McShane and Sean Bean.

If you want to survive, improvise.

Hugh (Nick Mohammed) is a nerdy, very socially awkward IT Office worker. After a very unsuccessful and stressful day at work trying to fit in, he finds himself on the streets of London feeling dejected. He comes across a comedy club with a poster out front advertising a Comedy Improv Class:

“Find Your Voice ~ Build Confidence!”

IMPROV COMEDY CLASS

Newcomers welcome,

come on in and give it a go!

Hugh decides to do just that and enters the club where he sees Kat (Bryce Dallas Howard) teaching a class. She notices him and encourages him to join up with Marlon (Orlando Bloom) and go on stage and try out some improv. Marlon is an aspiring actor who isn’t having much luck staying gainfully employed and has just told his agent to take a hike. Detective Billings (Sean Bean) is sitting in the audience and afterwards approaches Kat and tells her that she and her class are exactly what the Police Department need for an undercover program they have initiated. He wants to employ Kat and two of her students to go undercover and infiltrate a local crime syndicate, improving their way through the whole process.

Kat sees an opportunity to pull herself out of her financial troubles and approaches Hugh and Marlon with the proposition. Marlon and Hugh both agree and the team set out on several missions guided by Detective Billings, each one more dangerous than the last. They quickly become adept at improving their way into each scenario and convincing criminals that they are ruthless criminals and drug dealers themselves. And each mission gets them deeper into trouble and deeper undercover with lots of action and tons of laughs.

The movie starts out with an intense car chase with the Crime syndicate the “Deep Cover” group go after and the police losing and getting one of their own shot and killed. The syndicate is completely out of control and the police need their help. As the trio get deeper and deeper under cover there are twists and turns you don’t see coming. In the very beginning as Hugh is trying to buddy-up with his co-workers and fails miserably to connect because he is so nerdy, I didn’t much like him and had my doubts about the movie. As we turn to Orlando Bloom and watch him overact so badly that it is painful, I really had my doubts. Oh, another Amazon Prime Dog, I thought!

But I hung in there and I did like Bryce and her character. I felt for her as she was struggling to be a successful comedian while all her friends were obviously well off and belittling her for still trying “The Comedy Thing”. I like Sean Bean, there is always something a little secretive about him, so I had the feeling there was more up his sleeve than what he was telling The Deep Cover crew. I am glad I hung in there, the trio quickly grew on me and I got sucked in there with them on their missions, rooting for them in the end. Orlando’s overacting turned into an asset as they got deeper into their missions. And Hugh’s ineptness socially turned on it’s heels and the next thing you know….Hugh is one hell of a Bad Ass convincing criminals how tough he is. Brilliant!

In the end I loved it! I loved everyone of the characters… Kat, Hugh and Marlon. They turned into a great team and it turned into a great movie filled with action, intrigue, comedy and laughter. It does not disappoint! I went from, “Oh no…another Prime Dog… to Wow, that was great!”

The only questions I have are:

Have You Seen It? (If you haven’t, you should watch it!)
WHEN’S THE SEQUEL COMING?

I think it’s worthy of a sequel, and worth a watch!

Play Dirty

2025 Amazon MGM Studios

Rated: R

Length: 2 hr 5min

Action ~ Crime ~ Drama ~ Thriller

Directed by: Shane Black

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, LaKeith Stanfield, Rosa Salazar, Keegan-Michael Key, Chukwudi Iwuji, Nat Wolff, Gretchen Mol, Thomas Jane, and Tony Shalhoub.

Even Robbers Get Robbed

THE BOOK:

The Hunter: A Parker Novel Paperback – September 1, 2008 by Richard Stark (Originally Published in 1962)

The Parker Novels are a collection of 24 novels written by Donald E. Westlake under the pen name Richard Stark between 1962 and 2008. The first book in the series, The Hunter was written in 1962 and was the inspiration for the 1967 movie Point Blank starring Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, Keenan Wynn and Carroll O’Connor.

FROM AMAZON:

Where it all begins: The first book in the action-packed classic crime series that’s the basis for the forthcoming film Play Dirty!

Richard Stark’s Parker novels are the hardest of hard-boiled, classic crime novels where the heists are huge, the body counts are high, and the bad guys usually win. The Parker novels have been a huge influence on countless writers and filmmakers, including Quentin Tarantino, Stephen King, George Pelecanos, Colson Whitehead, Lucy Sante, John Banville, and many more. Their stripped-down language and hard-as-nails amorality create an unforgettable world where the next score could be the big one, but your next mistake could also be your last. There’s nothing else like them.

The Hunter is where it all begin. It opens with Parker’s woman shooting him just above the belt and leaving him for dead. She and his partner torch the house, with Parker in it, and take the money he had helped them steal. It all went down just the way they’d planned, except for one thing: Parker didn’t die. From there, our ruthless antihero roars into New York City, seeking revenge on the woman who betrayed him and on the man who took his money, stealing and scamming his way to redemption.

THE MOVIE:

Professional thief Parker (Mark Wahlberg) and his partner Philly (Clifton Collins Jr.) orchestrate a daring heist at a racetrack, but the operation unravels due to a betrayal by their getaway driver, Zen (Rosa Salazar). When Philly is killed during the fallout, Parker vows revenge and begins tracking down those responsible. As he delves deeper, Parker discovers that Zen was once an elite operative in the professional death squad of South American dictator President De La Paz, whose corrupt regime oppresses her homeland and orchestrates high-stakes thefts to fund its tyranny. Zen is revealed to be connected intimately to De La Paz’s plans involving a priceless United Nations artifact known as the Lady of Arintero. Despite his thirst for vengeance, Parker initially works with Zen, using her knowledge and connections to navigate the dangerous criminal and political landscape as they plan their next heist.

As Parker assembles a ragtag crew—including the unpredictable Zen, Ed and Brenda Mackey (Peter Stormare and Brooklyn Decker), and fixer Stan Devers (David Spade)—the group embarks on a high-stakes double heist filled with shifting allegiances and escalating violence. Parker’s trust in Zen is uneasy and transactional; while he relies on her expertise and insights to outsmart the Outfit crime syndicate and the dictator’s forces, he constantly keeps his ultimate goal in mind, to avenge Philly’s death caused by Zen’s betrayal. Their complicated dynamic adds a charged tension to the team, as Parker balances using Zen’s skills while suppressing his growing desire for retribution.

The heist unfolds through elaborate cons, tense chases, and explosive confrontations, with Zen’s insider knowledge proving vital in countering De La Paz’s plans to steal and sell off the treasure, which would devastate her war-torn country. Parker’s strategy is to play along with Zen’s heist ambitions just long enough to secure the artifact and the money, while preparing to settle the old score with her personally. The film culminates in a dramatic showdown where Parker confronts Zen with the promise of either forgiveness or vengeance, underscoring the murky moral ground the characters inhabit and the complex mix of betrayal, loyalty, and survival that drives the story.

BOBBY’S TAKE:

I am a huge Mark Wahlberg fan and one of my favorites is Spenser Confidential. Play Dirty reminded me of Mark Wahlberg’s Spenser. There were also shades of Uncharted and The Italian Job as well. The beginning reminded me of an old James Bond movie where there was an action scene in the beginning and then it went to the opening credits in animation, having set up the story. It is one of those movies that splits the audience, there are those who love it and those who don’t:

Some people love Play Dirty because it’s a fun, action-packed ride filled with fast-paced heists, snappy dialogue, and wild twists. The movie delivers plenty of chaotic, stylized violence and memorable moments set in a gritty yet vibrant world. Mark Wahlberg’s Parker, along with LaKeith Stanfield’s Grofield and Rosa Salazar’s Zen, provide likable performances, and Shane Black’s trademark dark humor and energetic direction give it a nostalgic feel that appeals especially to fans of retro crime thrillers. The clever twists and the unpredictable story keeps you engaged and entertained, making it a satisfying choice if you are looking for a rebellious, no-holds-barred action-comedy.

On the flip side, some people hate it because the movie can feel overly complicated and confusing, with too many characters and double-crosses that don’t always make sense. The plot comes off as messy and drawn-out, making it hard to care about the characters or what happens to them. Mark Wahlberg’s performance is sometimes seen as too serious and flat, lacking charisma or emotional depth to truly connect with the audience. Critics also point out that the humor is inconsistent and few jokes land, which is a letdown in what’s supposed to be an action-comedy. Some find the storyline superficial and the movie lacking soul, feeling like it tries too hard but doesn’t quite deliver the excitement or engagement expected from the genre.

The character Parker from the book was intentionally all business, with no conscience and no remorse and little emotion. Shane Black is a fan of the Parker books and took his inspiration for this movie from all the novels but based it on the first novel’s story. He wanted to modernize Parker and round him out, give him some depth and emotion, make him more than just a hard core criminal with no soul. So I think that Shane and Mark succeeded in that. I thought it was good, witty, tons of action and double crossing. Here’s what I think, give it a go. Turn everything off and just get lost in the movie, don’t try to think about it too much, or dissect the plot. Just enjoy the ride!

I forgot to mention Mark Cuban, he has a cameo in the movie and is taken out by Mark Wahlberg. That is a good scene!

Turn off the lights and devices,

Make some popcorn,

grab a beverage,

and Stream This Movie

on Amazon Prime!

Spenser Confidential

Uncharted

Wind River

2017 The Weinstein Company

Rated : R

Length: 1 hr 47min

Crime ~ Drama ~ Mystery ~ Neo-Western ~ Thriller

Directed by: Taylor Sheridan

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal, and Graham Greene.

Nothing Is Harder To Track Than The Truth

Wind River is set in the frozen expanses of Wyoming’s Wind River Indian Reservation, where a local U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tracker named Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner) discovers the body of a young Native American woman in the snow. Cory instantly recognizes the girl as his best friend Martin Hanson’s (Gil Birmingham) daughter Natalie (Kelsey Asbille). She had run barefoot in the snow for quite a distance as there is nothing around for miles. The cold air finally froze her lungs and she collapsed where Cory found her. The scene sparks a federal investigation led by Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen), a rookie FBI agent flown in from Las Vegas, who was the closest available agent. Far from her comfort zone being originally from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida she is completely out of her element. Sensing Cory’s familiarity with the case and the terrain, she asks him to help her with her investigation. He agrees and the two start looking for the truth about what happened to Natalie.

Natalie had apparently been raped and they order the medical examiner to order a rape kit for testing. Signs of foul play and trauma quickly turn their attention to the young victim’s relationships. They search out her brother Chip who tells them, after a shootout with a drug addict in the drug filled mobile home, that Natalie had been hanging around a security guard named Matt Rayburn (Jon Bernthal) at a remote oil drilling camp. Outside the mobile home Cory notices a snowmobile trail leading up into the mountain. Cory and Jane head up on a snowmobile to investigate and discover the murdered, mutilated body of Natalie’s boyfriend. Cory and Jane recruit the local Tribe police led by Officer Ben Shoyo (Graham Greene) to accompany them out to the remote oil drilling camp to investigate. And it is there that things take a more sinister turn and we see flashbacks of what happened to Natalie and her boyfriend Matt.

Wind River was written and directed by Taylor Sheridan who also wrote Hell Or High Water and Sicario. All three are excellent movies and three of my favorites. Wind River was inspired by the thousands of stories of American Indian women raped, murdered or missing that he discovered in doing research for the story. Although it isn’t based on one specific story, it is the true story of all the missing women from the reservation. I have seen this movie a number of times and when I saw it was on Netflix last night, I had to watch it again. I love everything about this movie. Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen are fantastic in this as well as Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal, and Graham Greene. A couple of stand out scenes for me are outside the mobile home at the remote oil drilling camp where all hell breaks loose, Cory and Pete at the top of the mountain when he tells Pete that he is going to give him the same chances he gave Natalie, and when Cory goes to see Martin at the end and Martin is sitting out back with his “Death Face” on.

You could feel the heartfelt connection these two old friends have for each other, having each other’s backs in life. We all need friends like that. It is an adrenaline filled snowmobile ride chasing down the truth, filled with unexpected dangers and freezing temps, as Cory and Jane search for the truth, battle the elements, bad actors and the general culture of “looking the other way” on the reservation. As I said, I have seen this numerous times and still enjoy watching it. It is one of my favorites……hmmm, maybe I need a top ten favorite movie list. I’ll have to work on that. So, if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. It is a great movie, you should watch it.