Death on The Nile has an appealing premise and an A-list cast, but the plot lacks at times and it almost seemed like a repeat of another of director Kenneth Branagh’s recent films, Murder on the Orient Express (2017).

Branagh is not just the director
of Death on The Nile, he also stars as Detective Hercule Poirot, who is vacationing on a Nile River steamer when a young heiress is murdered. There are many possible culprits, and Poirot is tasked with putting the pieces together. Along on the cruise is Poirot’s friend Bouc, played by Tom Bateman, and Bouc’s mother, Euphemia Bouc, played by Annette Bening. Also along is Windlesham, played by Russell Brand, and husband and wife Simon Doyle and Gal Gadot, played by Armie Hammer and Gal Gadot.

I found the performances of Branagh, Hammer, and Gadot to be where the best chemistry is in Death on The Nile. But the film just seemed out of focus at times. It was also, again, a little too similar to Murder on the Orient Express. And despite the who-done-it theme, it was too predictable for my tastes. I did enjoy some of the outstanding cinematography and scenery, however. In my teen years I traveled to Egypt and I have many good memories of seeing the pyramids and other attractions along the Nile.

To be honest, Death on The Nile is not terrible, but it could have been so much better considering the cast. Branagh still has a brilliant mind for directing and acting, and his performance as Detective Poirot is solid. But given its problems, I’m giving Death on The Nile just two and a half stars.

For a few decades the Jackass franchise has delivered creative yet sometimes highly dangerous stunts. It did so with the TV series that went just a few years, until 2002, but the movies were where the true Jackass experiences grew. The newest and possibly last version, Jackass Forever, had me laughing like crazy. Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Ehren McGhehey, Rob Dyrdek, and Dave England have still got it. Jackass Forever is an experience that will give die-hard fans the time of their lives.

In Jackass Forever, it has been eleven years since the previous Jackass film and the crew decides to return for their final installment in the franchise. Fans may have thought the boys went too far with Jackass 3D (2010), but they take the craziness to new heights in some of the most daring and revolting stunts yet. Some scenes may be hard to bear, but I was dying with laughter. Expect the usual horseplay with dangerous animals, crazy inventions that go overboard with being unsafe, and just be ready to fasten your seat belts for this wild adventure many years in the making.

The film really has an ensemble cast, but if there is a “star”, it would be Johnny Knoxville, who has really hit his stride at 50 years old. I’m actually surprised some of them agreed to do this movie, especially Ehren, since he always gets the worst of the pranks.

Jackass Forever is what I would call a buddy movie. And by that I mean it’s a film best watched with friends who can laugh together, jump out of their seats at the startling moments, and wonder together just how bad things can get—bad in the best sense, of course. I had that experience with Jackass Forever. Everyone asking each other what could possibly happen next and gasping together at the outrageous stunts. It sometimes felt like we were in the crew together with Knoxville and the gang but, thankfully, we were safely in the audience.

Jackass fans simply can’t miss Jackass Forever. It’s the nostalgic final installment of a unique comedy genre. And fans need to see for themselves how out of hand the stunts can truly get. Believe me, it is going to be a wild ride. Three and a half stars for Jackass Forever.

Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 masterpiece, The Conversation, is still brilliant today, and it’s a classic example of Coppola’s enigmatic directing. Although the film was in development as early as 1966, Coppola was waiting for The Godfather to become a success (which it was, wildly so) before working on this film. The Conversationwent on to win the 1974 Palme d’or, the highest prize at The Cannes Film Festival, and it has received many other nominations and awards.

Despite the success of The Conversation, the frustrating twist is that lead actor Gene Hackman did not receive an Academy Award nomination. Hackman was a big reason that The Conversation was, and remains, a masterpiece, and it’s still shocking today that he did not get at least a nomination.

I experienced The Conversation in 35 MM projection at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago. Seeing it in an old school cinema palace like the Music Box really helped make it an unforgettable experience. I felt like I was back in the 1970s experiencing it as a new release. The organ player before the film made it truly nostalgic for cinema aficionados like myself.

To recap the plot, The Conversation takes place in San Francisco. Hackman is Harry Caul, an introverted surveillance expert who is in an assignment to record a couple, and his surveillance reveals that his client may be the source of danger to the couple. Harrison Ford plays Harry’s boss, Martin Stett, and Harry’s assistant, Stan, is played by John Cazale. The recordings become the source of much tension between the three of them, and the plot takes a turn when it becomes apparent that it the couple are not the target of the danger.

I love a lot of things about The Conversation, including the old recording devices with their tapes and bulky consoles. The sound quality, or lack thereof, becomes an issue at times and adds an air of tension to the film. Coppola of course makes the most of this tension, and his directing keeps us on our toes as to whose side we should be on. And again, Gene Hackman is superb. Four stars for the revisited experience with The Conversation.