Train Dreams

2025 Netflix

Rated: PG-13

Length: 1 hr 42min

Drama

Directed by: Clint Bentley

Starring: Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Clifton Collins Jr., Kerry Condon and William H. Macy.

The Extraordinary Story of an Ordinary Life

Train Dreams is a quiet, emotional drama that follows Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton), a logger and railroad worker trying to build a simple life in the rough forests of the American Northwest in the early 1900s. He spends his days doing dangerous manual labor for the growing railroad, then returns to a small cabin where he lives with his loving wife Gladys (Felicity Jones) and their young daughter, hoping to give them a stable future as the modern world starts to creep in.

Early in the film, Robert is involved in an ugly incident when a Chinese laborer is falsely accused of theft, an event that plants a sense of guilt and unease in him that never quite goes away. As he keeps taking on risky jobs in logging and construction, the film shows how the railroad, dynamite work led by explosives expert Arn Peeples (William H. Macy), and the spread of industry slowly change the land and the people who depend on it. Robert’s work constantly pulls him away from home, hinting that the world he wants to protect is always at risk.

A terrible wildfire eventually tears through the valley where his cabin stands, wiping out almost everything and leaving Robert unsure of what happened to Gladys and their child. In the aftermath, he wanders between logging camps and small towns, crossing paths with fellow worker Boomer (Clifton Collins Jr.) and a practical, observant forestry services worker named Claire Thompson (Kerry Condon), who is stationed in a lonely lookout tower watching for future fires. These encounters show him different ways people cope with loss, change, and the harshness of frontier life.

As years pass, Robert grows older and more isolated, still haunted by memories of his family, the Chinese laborer, and the relentless advance of trains and highways through the wilderness. The movie follows him through small but powerful moments, watching new bridges go up, seeing modern machines arrive, and trying to find peace in the natural world around his cabin, until his life becomes a kind of quiet reflection on love, regret, and survival in a country racing toward progress. Train Dreams keeps the story simple and grounded, focusing more on feelings and atmosphere than big plot twists, making it a gentle but moving character study.

Director Clint Bentley brings together powerful storytelling, breathtaking visuals, and deeply human performances that connect on an emotional level. Joel Edgerton delivers a career-best performance, making the character of Robert Grainier feel completely real and relatable, while supporting actors like Felicity Jones and William H. Macy also shine in their roles. The cinematography immerses you in the natural world of the American West, capturing sunsets, forests, and campfires with an almost poetic touch. The music, composed by Bryce Dessner, adds to the movie’s gentle atmosphere, enhancing the emotions without trying to force them.

What really sets Train Dreams apart is its ability to depict the everyday dignity of ordinary people and the ways our lives are shaped by encounters and changes, both big and small. It’s a film that’s both intimate and mythic, it captures a sense of time passing and memories building up, something most movies rarely pull off this elegantly.

Ultimately, Train Dreams stands out because it is deeply honest, visually striking, and lets you truly step into Robert’s shoes, making it not just one of the best movies on Netflix this year, but a memorable, quietly rewarding experience that stays with you long after the credits roll. As Bobby would say:

Highly Recommended!

Turn off the lights and devices,

Make some popcorn,

Grab a beverage,

and Stream This Movie

on NETFLIX!

New Movie Train Dreams Debuts on Netflix Friday November 21, 2025

Fifty Shades Of Grey Movies: Story & Timeline

The Fifty Shades trilogy of erotic romance novels was written by British author E. L. James, the pen name of Erika Mitchell. The trilogy includes Fifty Shades of Grey (2011), Fifty Shades Darker (2012), and Fifty Shades Freed (2012). The books trace the evolving relationship between college graduate Anastasia Steele and wealthy entrepreneur Christian Grey, exploring themes of BDSM alongside romance and emotional connection. E. L. James started writing the series as a response to the Twilight saga and initially published it as fan fiction before developing it into an original series. The books became a major global phenomenon, selling over 150 million copies worldwide and setting a record as the fastest selling paperback in the UK. Despite criticism over prose style and depiction of BDSM, the series topped bestseller lists and led to a successful film franchise. James described the trilogy as “my midlife crisis, writ large.” Besides the original trilogy, James also published companion novels retelling the story from Christian Grey’s perspective.

Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

College graduate Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) interviews wealthy billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) and is drawn into his intense, secretive world of S&M and dominance. As Christian introduces Ana to his particular brand of erotic desires, the two explore a complex and steamy relationship that challenges Ana’s boundaries and emotions while revealing Christian’s troubled past. Their evolving romance is as much about emotional connection as it is about physical exploration.

Fifty Shades Darker (2017)

Ana Steele (Dakota Johnson) and Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) attempt to build a relationship on trust and compromise after breaking up due to Christian’s controlling tendencies. Their renewed romance faces external threats including Christian’s mysterious past and a former submissive seeking revenge. Ana must navigate darker secrets and emotional turmoil while trying to keep their love alive against growing dangers.

Fifty Shades Freed (2018)

Ana (Dakota Johnson) and Christian (Jamie Dornan) are newlyweds but their bliss is threatened by secrets from Christian’s past and a hostile adversary targeting their lives. Facing both domestic challenges and external threats, their marriage is tested in ways that reveal deeper layers of love, forgiveness, and strength. The trilogy’s conclusion blends steamy romance with suspense and emotional resolution.

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Canary Black

2024 Amazon MGM Studios

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 41min

Action ~ Drama

Directed by: Pierre Morel

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Rupert Friend, Ray Stevenson, Saffron Burrows, and Jaz Hutchins.

“There’s a file….Canary Black…….you’re going to steal it from your agency. If you fail your husband dies.”

Kate Beckinsale stars as a top CIA operative, Avery Graves. Avery is blackmailed by terrorists into betraying her own country to save her kidnapped husband. Cut off from her team, she turns to her underworld contacts to help locate the coveted intelligence that the kidnappers want. As she is betrayed at every turn, Avery finds herself in a deadly race to deliver a ransom that could trigger a global crisis.

In the very first scene, Kate Beckinsale is wearing a blonde wig that reminds me of Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde. In fact they almost look identical. And the plot is almost the same, Spy operative is tasked with an impossible mission to extract the priceless file everybody is dying over. Avery graves then scales down the side of a very tall building and kills numerous armed bad men so can she can execute the target in his own swimming pool. All while still wearing the wig.

Then she shows up at home where her husband of three years is making her dinner because it is their anniversary. Some very cheesy gifts are exchanged and then they go out for dinner. Her Husband is played by Rupert Friend and he apparently has no idea she’s a CIA operative and lethal. Rupert is an English actor and I am not familiar with him, but my first thoughts in that first scene with him were:

Yo, where’d you get those glasses, I would ditch them.
She married you? Really?
What’s up with the thick Irish accent, it sucks, actually it’s annoying. And aren’t you playing an Englishman in this movie.

The dialogue and chemistry between them seemed forced, I didn’t really get the vibe that they had known each other and been married for three years. It was almost as if they were strangers forced into a scene.

There were some other scenes and dialogue throughout the movie that felt the same way to me, forced, wasn’t really feeling the vibe. It just felt a little off. Jaz Hutchins who plays Agent Mayfield was horrible. It was some really bad over the top acting. Reminded me of Gerard Butler in LAST SEEN ALIVE. Even the plot and characters just seemed off, forced. I mean Kate did good trying to pull it all together for everybody else but it seemed lacking.

Pierre Morel also directed Taken and Peppermint which I really like, Peppermint is one of my favorites actually. But this one missed the mark, something didn’t work out right. I like Kate Beckinsale but I think Jennifer Garner did a better job in Peppermint. I went in with high expectations and was looking forward to a new spy action thriller. I did enjoy it in spite of the flaws, but on the other side of watching I don’t feel like I could recommend it.

So, that’s just a wave of the hand as in so-so, it was just alright and I can’t recommend it.

Maintenance Required

2025 Amazon MGM Studios

Rated: PG-13

Length: 1 hr 42min

Comedy ~ Romance

Directed by: Lacey Uhlemeyer

Starring: Madelaine Petsch, Jacob Scipio, Madison Bailey, Katy O’Brian, Inanna Sarkis, Matteo Lane, Rob Rausch and Jim Gaffigan.

Sometimes Love Needs A Tune-Up

Charlie (Madelaine Petsch) runs a struggling all-female auto shop that she inherited from her father, fighting to keep the business alive in Oakland. She’s fiercely independent but somewhat closed off, finding companionship mostly online where she exchanges anonymous car forum messages with Bullnose, someone who shares her obsession for classic Ford Broncos. Charlie prefers the predictable comfort of engines to the messiness of relationships, choosing her father’s Bronco Marge over any potential romantic encounter.

Across the street, a slick new Miller Boys corporate garage suddenly opens and threatens Charlie’s livelihood. Its local owner, Beau (Jacob Scipio), is charismatic and kind, but he’s really the competition and unknown to Charlie, he’s also her online confidant, Bullnose. While Beau secretly grapples with guilt about his job undermining Charlie, he also finds himself falling for her, both online and in person, resulting in a series of meet-cute mishaps—a shop visit for a classic car, a shared nail salon moment, and eventually, romantic tension that neither can deny.

The truth comes out at a car show, where Charlie realizes her online friend and business rival are the same man. Hurt, Charlie distances herself, but ultimately misses Beau and decides to take a chance on love despite the rivalry. In classic rom-com fashion, her friends Izzy (Madison Bailey) and Kam (Katy O’Brian) cheer her on. The story closes as Charlie and Beau unite both romantically and professionally, suggesting that sometimes both cars and hearts need a little maintenance to keep running.

Maintenance Required starts off strong with a fresh and fun idea, Charlie (Madelaine Petsch) running her dad’s all-female auto shop while unknowingly falling for Beau (Jacob Scipio), her charming business rival and online mystery man. The film pays homage to and borrows from the two classic Rom-Com movies The Shop Around The Corner and You’ve Got Mail. The first half is full of heart and promise, with some great character moments and a feel-good underdog vibe. But as the story moves into the second half, it starts to drag a bit and lose focus. The characters’ choices sometimes feel forced, and the plot leans on predictable rom-com clichés.

While there’s good chemistry between the leads and some laughs, the movie doesn’t quite hit the emotional notes it aims for, leaving the ending feeling a little flat. Overall, it’s an okay watch if you like light romantic comedies but don’t expect anything groundbreaking. And if you are a vintage car enthusiast, you might lose your mind at Beau sticking an EV engine in a classic Ford Bronco! Blasphemy!

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: