Mitchell Altieri & Lee Cummings' STAR LIGHT proves a pretty strange 'n scary genre jumper

A rock star, her hunky/sweet fan, and his several good friends come together oddly and violently in the new slow-burn (for awhile), what's-going-on-here? survival thriller, STAR LIGHT.

As genre jumpers/genre mashers go, this one proves quite watchable, thanks to smart co-direction (on a tight but well-used budget), decent writing and nice performances all around.

The film's two directors (Mitchell Altieri, below, who also co-wrote) and Lee Cummings (shown at right) have clearly watched and learned from a whole mess of movies. Still, what they juggle and rearrange in Star Light is clever and different enough, TrustMovies surmises, to keep fans of survival thrillers, slasher movies, and extraterrestrial/ otherworldly motifs at least semi-on their toes.

We open at a rock concert of a famous and quite popular singer named Bebe, and then we're watching her through the eyes of that

heavy-duty, handsome young fan -- who, though he's smitten beyond belief, has no hope or expectations of ever meeting this woman. Funny how things work out.

How they work out is put together with enough skill and pizzazz by Altieri and his co-writers (Jamal M. Jennings and Adam Weis), then brought to fruition via the relatively swift and nicely focused direction and performances that combine to bring the fairly clichéd characters (with the exception of the rock star, her "handler," and her number-one fan) to brisk, if utilitarian, life -- so far as this tale's immediate needs are concerned.

Bebe, the star singer, is played by Scout Taylor-Compton (above, right), and that fan by Cameron Johnson (above, left). Mr. Johnson gets the juicier role, and he handles it with aplomb, while that very queasy-making handler, played by Bret Roberts (below), delivers the film's villainous role equally well.

The movie gets plenty gory (hence my inclusion of the slasher genre) but certainly not beyond the pale, and its consistent and near constant mashing of genres creates its own interesting and thankfully not over-explanatory little sub-genre.

So if  you're in the mood to try something a bit different, remember the name Star Light -- from 1091 and running 90 minutes -- when you're combing the streaming sites for the evening's (what the hell, afternoon's or morning's, too) entertainment. It becomes available this Tuesday, August 4 -- for purchase and/or rental.

Berlanti/Berger/Aptaker's LOVE, SIMON proves a groundbreaking mainstream surprise

As much of a breakthrough in its own way as was Brokeback Mountain in its, LOVE, SIMON -- the new teenage rom-com from screen-writers Elizabeth Berger and Issac Aptaker (based upon a novel by Becky Albertalli) and director Greg Berlanti (shown below) -- does something that TrustMovies did not expect to see happen in his own lifetime. That would be the full-out nationwide release by a major studio (20th Century Fox, deserving of kudos for bravery) of an absolutely mainstream, feel-good romantic comedy that, by its finale, sends the audience out the doors cheering and applauding.

So? What's new about that? Well, the titular Simon is gay, and yet everything that Julia Roberts ended up with in all her early rom-coms, along with just about any and every hero/heroine of every teen rom-com you can think of got in theirs, is gladly given to our Simon. Sure, there have been a number of small indie films that have addressed gay issues in rom-com, feel-good ways. But there has been nothing as remotely mainstream/big-budget/wide-release as this movie.

Further, there's no life-destroying angst that ends in sickness, suicide or murder here. No horrendous bullying from peers that lays waste to GLBT lives. Nope. Just the usual funny, feel-good, sure-they've-problems-but-they-can-still-work-it-all-out rom-com plot machinations. And when, at the joyous climax and the even-better denouement, everything is (as we used to say in the old days) SWAK, these moments are going to resonate with certain audiences like nothing they've yet been allowed to experience in a mainstream film.

What is even odder about Love, Simon is that -- groundbreaking as it is -- it is nothing approaching a great film. Instead, it's a perfectly serviceable example of a cute, smart, well-made rom-com. Nicely-acted (that's Nick Robinson, in the title role, above and below, left, with Katherine Langford, who plays his erstwhile best friend), written with a pretty good ear for both teen chatter and adult lingo, and directed with enough poise and energy to easily get us from first scene to last, the film's effects are likely to sneak up on you.

As the complications in our hero's life, as well as those of his several friends (and even one fellow who could be perceived as an enemy) pile up, we begin to understand and feel what it is like for these kids to try to negotiate high school -- even when it is shown as sweetly and in the generally positive way it is here.

Sure, there are a few missteps now and then: Early on, Simon's attempt to strike up a conversation with a hunky landscape worker falls flat (and more because it seems unbelievable than anything else), while the rendition of the school administrator (or maybe counselor) is simply too broadly imagined, despite the very game attempt from that fine actor, Tony Hale.

Overall, these are minor compared with how well the film captures its leading and supporting characters, each of whom is brought to fine and believable life by a raft of good young performers. In the roles of Simon's smart and loving family members (shown below, from left to right, next to Robinson) are Talitha Bateman as his younger sister, Jennifer Garner as his mom and Josh Duhamel as his dad, all of whom are just fine. Duhamel, in particular, gets a lovely scene with his son near movie's end.

While I consistently enjoyed Love, Simon, it was not until the finale that it hit me just how unusual and special the movie was. Here, in this public preview screening, along with what I can only assume was a fairly typical South Florida audience who were laughing, caring and finally applauding just like me, it suddenly seemed that -- movie-wise, at least -- some kind of parity had finally been achieved.

From 20th Century Fox and running 109 minutes, the film opens across the entire country next Friday, March 16. Click here to find the theaters closest to you.

End-of-year catch-up: Don't let Aaron Sorkin's fast-moving frolic, MOLLY'S GAME, get by you

One would expect any movie written by that wordsmith wonder, Aaron Sorkin, to revel in and rely on dialog that's fast and fun. As first-time director, he has also come through with pretty much flying colors, giving us a movie --  MOLLY'S GAME, based on the memoir by poker queen (and so much more) Molly Bloom -- in which his directorial abilities nearly match those of his writing.

Only in a scene late in the film between a difficult dad (Kevin Costner) and his daughter (the titular Molly, played by Jessica Chastain) do both writing and direction leave a bit to be desired, but by then, so terrific has been so much else in this meaty and riveting film, that I don't think you'll mind much.

Mr. Sorkin, shown at right, has taken Molly's true-life tale and from it created a fast-moving frolic about everything from sports and poker to Hollywood, celebrity, and the Jewish mafia and made it both understandable and great fun to view.

He has also assembled a top-of-the-line cast so interestingly chosen and often playing against type in rather amusing, amazing ways that his movie grabs you from angles other that mere story-line and plot surprise and manages to hold you fast throughout.

Chief among these actors is Idris Elba (above), who plays Molly's initially recalcitrant lawyer who eventually comes aboard big-time, and Michael Cera (below), who gives us what may be the ultimate take-down of the Hollywood movie star celebrity who can go from funny and charming as hell to as nasty and vindictive as you could want.

Also on board and doing wonderful work is Chris O'Dowd (below) as one of the saddest of the gamblers that surround our heroine.

Ditto Brian D'Arcy James, below, as another odd fellow who joins the pack and is so much less and then more than what he initially seems.

Don't worry if you don't fully understand how poker is played. (TrustMovies' grandmother taught him the game, and he still retains a good deal of that knowledge.) Sorkin sees to it that his viewers can understand and keep up with the shenanigans enough to follow and enjoy. His great gift for burying exposition into his dialog, disguising it enough so that we learn while we enjoy, is on full display here.

In the lead role of Molly, Ms Chastain (above, with Mr. Costner, and at bottom) once again proves why she is among -- maybe the reigning queen of -- those very few actresses who combine glamour and talent in such huge quantity that, while watching her, you can't imagine anyone else being any better in the role. (This actress proved just as adept in last year's Miss Sloane, as well.)

Even if you already know many of the details of this fascinating tale, I still suspect Sorkin's film will entertain you royally. There's a lovely scene near the finale involving Graham Greene (below) as a judge who, thank god, is smarter than most of the prosecutors who surround him and makes a point that audiences these days will probably second with a standing ovation.

So why hasn't a movie this good -- smart, mainstream and hugely entertaining -- received more critical acclaim and awards? My take is that Sorkin is considered by some as just too damn smart for his own good. Which, so far as most of Hollywood's talent level is concerned, seems like looking that proverbial gift horse in the mouth. Once again, intelligent audiences -- which are keeping this movie playing at theaters across the country well past its supposed expiration date -- often know better than critics (and certainly know better than those movie-land arbiters) what is actually good for them.

From STX Entertainment and running a long but consistently engrossing 140 minutes, Molly's Game is very probably still playing in a theater near you. Click here to find one.

Blu-ray/DVDebut: Peter Billingsley's smart, enjoyable TERM LIFE gives Vince Vaughn and Hailee Steinfeld a chance to shine

And shine they do, as a troubled, estranged father and daughter who reunite out of necessity, and then bond as he teaches her the tricks of his criminal trade. You may question the morality going on here, but you will have enough fun along the way that you'll probably be willing to let that pass and enjoy TERM LIFE on it own movie-movie terms. As directed by Peter Billingsley (below) and written by Andy Lieberman (from Nick Thornborrow's graphic novel), the film is fleet and often funny, without ever crossing over into "cute."

It's violent, too, but less so than many R-rated movies. Performances are fine down the line, with Vince Vaughn and Hailee Steinfeld (below) particularly effective as the father/daughter combo. Mr. Vaughn has had some ups and downs (more downs of late) in his career, but this film might have set him back on track, had it been given a legitimate theatrical release. But his smart, no-nonsense and very appealing performance should make fans realize anew why they've enjoyed him over the two decades since Swingers.

Speaking of, Jon Favreau makes an appearance here and does well as a sleazy cohort of Vaughn's, while no less than Terrence Howard (below) and Taraji P. Henson (further below) show up smartly in supporting roles.

Basically a heist-gone-south movie coupled to a chase film connected to a parenting tale, the movie's many jolts of humor and its consistently believable and often quite clever dialog carry it along and over very few rough patches.

The villains are played, and well, by Bill Paxton (below) as a really dirty police officer and Spain's Jordi Mollà, shown at bottom, who essays a Mexican drug lord, the death of whose son sets in motion much of the clever plotting.

Taking place in Atlanta, this is the second movie in as many weeks to show us a whole bunch of crazy, crappy Atlanta cops. (Triple 9 was the other one, which is a lot darker but also a good film.) OK, Hollywood: We get your point.

Considering the dreck that makes it into our theaters (often for weeks on end), Term Life (the title refers to the insurance policy the Vaughn character takes out on his own life in order to provide for his daughter) proves a lot more fun and lasts but a swift and engrossing 93 minutes.

From FocusWorld, the movie hit DVD and Blu-ray this past week -- for purchase and/or rental.

GODS OF EGYPT: The joyous spirit of Michael Powell's The Thief of Bagdad lives on!

What a cacophony of critical nonsense greeted the debut of the would-be blockbuster, GODS OF EGYPT, which you will be lucky to still find in theaters one week later. And what a shame the majority of today's critical establishment is so untutored in film history -- not to mention the joy that comes from watching a well-made and exciting kids' adventure film -- that they stupidly gave this very enjoyable visual knockout such a drubbing.

A number of our "cultural guardians" even claim that the movie is difficult to follow, which must say something pretty dismal about their own IQ. This is one of the easiest-to-follow films, not to mention the most delightful of roller-coaster rides, to hit screens in a long while. Directed by Alex Proyas (shown at right and no slouch in the "great visuals" department: The Crow; Dark City; I, Robot) and written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless (who also gave us the underrated Dracula Untold), the movie reminded me most of the rightly famous and now-classic 1940 film The Thief of Baghdad. Granted, it is nowhere near as special as that movie, but it does indeed adhere to many of the tropes, themes and fine style of the Michael Powell/Ludwig Berger/Tim Whelan film.

How can anyone who's seen both films not almost immediately recognize young Brenton Thwaites (above, center, right) as the film's delightful Sabu-like hero, Bek? The flying carpets and genie of the early film may have been replaced by today's special effects (the effects here really are quite special), but their use remains in the service of telling a fine story about the importance of love, quests, gods, mortals, life, death and, of course, doing the right thing. (That's the willowy and gorgeous Courtney Eaton -- center, left, above -- who plays Thwaites' love interest.)

In the gods department you'll find a whole raft of fine performers in both the good and the evil sections -- from Gerard Butler (above, left) and Elodie Yung (above, right) to Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (below, right)

to none other than Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush, who plays Ra, the Sun God who must spend his days fighting off a very naughty, cloud-with-teeth-like monster from who-knows-where. (Mr. Rush handles this with his usual exemplary aplomb.)

If the movie seems to take awhile to find its footing and get into gear, I am not sure if this is actually the fault of the film itself, as much as it is our own for being simply so unused to seeing a good, old-fashioned fantasy/adventure like this one.

The movie may be all-green-screen all the time, but so far as eye-popping backdrops go, it looks like a billion bucks. You won't have seen this much imagination, color, and creativity going into fantasy-movie production values in a long time.

Compare what you see here, in fact, to the high-tech-but-pretty-ordinary crap dished out by so many of those Marvel franchises -- Iron Man, Avengers, Spiderman -- or much worse, that ridiculous abs-and-attitude movie, 300, in which all the backdrops looks almost the same. (One of the more special of the effects has to do with how much larger the gods register on-screen than do the humans -- even if, occasionally, the scale does seem a bit "off.")

Acting is on-target throughout, and the writing is just fine: The dialog and screenplay move everything along at a very fast clip, even as those themes of love, loss and redemption are given their due. There is a sweetness to this movie that escapes most fantasy blockbusters these days, and it is to be treasured, I think.

The monsters? They're quite fab, as well: fun and scary and created with extra flair and oomph. The movie may not be a classic, but it is so much better-than-expected in every way that to miss it on the big screen seems a shame.

It was hoped by the film's distributor, Lionsgate, that this would turn into another HungerGames/Divergent franchise. I guess not. But maybe there will be an after-life on home video, once cult world-of-mouth takes hold.  Click here to find out where these Gods are playing near you.

DVDebut: Paul Weitz's shamefully pleasureable CIRQUE DU FREAK: The Vampire's Assistant

Misunderstood, under-seen and -- god knows -- under-appreciated, CIRQUE DU FREAK: The Vampire's Assistant turns out to be that rare, worthwhile mainstream variation on vampires for which TrustMovies has been waiting a blood moon or longer.  Witty as hell, fast-moving, funny and smart, the film has been brought to amazing life by Paul Weitz (below) as director & co-adapter (w/ Brian Helgeland) of the book series by Darren Shan.

I am flummoxed by the lack of response (critical -- 37% on Rotten Tomatoes -- and commercial: a dud at the box-office) to this delightful piece, which is being billed by RT as a "horror/suspense" movie!?  Get over it: Cirque du Freak (the movie version, at least: I haven't read the books) does not intend to offer horror and suspense.  Instead, it's a teenager's adventure tale that just happens to feature vampires and weird, freaky circus attractions.

It's first of all fun, with lots of gooey, faux-gory, silly/grizzly and quite colorful (see above) effects that are much more amusing and creative than frightening, and it rings a host of charming changes on the vampire theme.  It moves along like a house afire but is never difficult to keep up with because Weitz has the smarts to stop every now and then -- just briefly -- for a joke, a witticism, or a piece of wonderment.

The exposition is made into visual fun, rather than something lengthy and boring, and the movie is cast extremely well with all sorts of interesting actors -- from Salma Hayek (above) as the bearded lady and lover/confidante of the movie's real hero (Larten Crepsley, played by the wonderful John C. Reilly: who'd have thought this actor would handle a smart, sexy leading man role so very well?), Japan's Ken Watanabe as Mr. Tall; the adorable-as-ever Patrick Fugit (below, left) as the snake boy, and many more (including Willem Dafoe, Michael Cerveris (center, two photos above), Orlando Jones and even Ray Stevenson).

The teenagers are handled by Josh Hutcherson (shown below, left), Chris Massoglia (above, center, and below, right) and Jessica Carlson (above, right, who has a little surprise up her sleeve -- well, skirt, actually); each is just fine and ought to have pleased the particular audience for whom the movie has been designed.  Why did it not?  Perhaps teens must now be sated by copious blood and gore rather than the clever/creepy kind displayed here?  Has youth lost all sense of wonderment and fun?  Does it no longer require "adventure" -- which is what this movie offers above all?
If so, that's sad.

So crisply and divertingly has Mr. Weitz delivered his goods (economically, too) that the movie seems to have barely begun when -- boom! -- it has finished, paving the way for a sequel or two, for which I, for one, can barely wait.  Too bad the film's lack of success seems to have ruled this out. Perhaps better DVD sales will spawn a continuation.  We live in hope.

Cirque du Freak made its DVDebut this past week.  You can find it for sale or rent from your video source of choice.