Freddy's Cine It

Plot Summary: Charles (Tim Key), a quirky twice‑lottery‑winning loner, hires his favorite disbanded folk duo: Herb (Tom Basden) and Nell (Carey Mulligan), to play a private concert on his remote island. Old romantic wounds resurface as they reconnect. Director: James Griffiths Screenplay: Tom Basden & Tim Key Producers: Rupert Majendie, Tom Basden, Tim Key, Carey Mulligan Music: Adem Ilhan Cinematography: G. Magni Ágústsson Editor: Quin Williams Starring: Tim Key as Charles Heath Tom Basden as Herb McGwyer Carey Mulligan as Nell Mortimer Sian Clifford as Amanda Akemnji Ndifornyen as Michael   ***SPOILER ALERT*** The Blabbermouth and the Ballad It’s been a week since I watched The Ballad of Wallis Island, and now my 38-year-old brain is being put to the test. Let’s see what survived the fog. First off, I didn’t...

Plot Summary: Four ultra‑rich tech moguls retreat to a secluded mountain estate as a global AI‑triggered crisis unravels. Their poker weekend turns into a sickening display of arrogance, panic, and slapstick betrayal as they scramble to save face, fortune, and friends. Director & Writer: Jesse Armstrong Music: Nicholas Britell Cinematography: Marcel Zyskind Editor: Mark Davies, Bill Henry Starring: Steve Carell as Randall Garrett Jason Schwartzman as Hugo "Souper" Van Yalk Cory Michael Smith as Venis "Ven" Parish Ramy Youssef as Jeff Abredazi   ***SPOILER ALERT*** First Impressions: Tech Titans and Tedium Okay, another fresh pick! This time, an HBO movie with Steve Carell and Jason Schwartzman, and two other guys I honestly couldn’t name. After peeking at the trailer, I thought Mountainhead might be fun and interesting. The...

Plot Summary: Suburban dad Craig Waterman (Tim Robinson) becomes obsessed with new neighbor Austin Carmichael (Paul Rudd). A quirky bromance spirals into a cringe-filled, emotional unraveling as Craig struggles with boundaries and rejection. Director & Writer: Andrew DeYoung Producer(s): Raphael Margules, J.D. Lifshitz, Johnny Holland, Nick Weidenfeld Music: Keegan DeWitt Cinematography: Andy Rydzewski Editing: Sophie Corra Starring: Tim Robinson as Craig Waterman Paul Rudd as Austin Carmichael Kate Mara as Tami Waterman Jack Dylan Grazer as Steven Waterman Josh Segarra, Billy Bryk, Jason Veasey and others   ***SPOILER ALERT*** A Wild Ride into Unhinged Genius Alright, instant noodles, shrimp flavor, done. Now for the actual love letter to Friendship, that magnificent, fucked-up black comedy that quite literally brought Tim R...

Plot Summary: An improv comedy teacher (Bryce Dallas Howard) and two of her students (Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed) are recruited by a corrupt cop (Sean Bean) to go undercover. They infiltrate London's criminal world, using their acting skills to catch a gang, only to find themselves deeper in danger and needing to improvise their way out. Director: Tom Kingsley Screenplay: Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly, Ben Ashenden, Alexander Owen Producers: Colin Trevorrow, Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald Music: Daniel Pemberton Cinematography: Will Hanke Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard as Kat Boyles Orlando Bloom as Marlon Swift Nick Mohammed as Hugh Sean Bean as DS Graham Billings Paddy Considine as Fly Ian McShane as Metcalfe Sonoya Mizuno as Shosh Studio / Distributor: Metronome Film Company, Parkes+MacDonald Image Nation / Amazon Prime Video ...

Plot Summary: Joanna Eberhart moves to Stepford, where wives are eerily perfect. She soon discovers a dark secret behind their submissive behavior and fights to uncover the truth. Director: Frank Oz Producer: Scott Rudin Screenplay: Paul Rudnick Starring: Nicole Kidman as Joanna Eberhart Matthew Broderick as Walter Kresby Bette Midler as Bobbie Markowitz Glenn Close as Claire Wellington Christopher Walken as Mike Wellington Roger Bart as Roger Bannister   ***SPOILER ALERT*** The Stepford Faceplant We carry on our trip through Oz’s filmography, but this time, we crash headfirst into a flaming pile of cinematic garbage. This movie is really, really bad. So bad, it almost feels insulting, like the writers thought their audience was made up of complete dumbasses who wouldn’t notice the absolute nonsense they were trying to pass off as a ...

Plot Summary: Howard Brackett, a beloved English teacher in a small Midwestern town, finds his life turned upside down when a former student-turned-Hollywood star publicly "outs" him during an Academy Awards acceptance speech. With his wedding just days away, Howard must confront the unexpected revelation, leading to a comedic journey of self-discovery, societal expectations, and acceptance. Director: Frank Oz Producer: Scott Rudin Screenplay: Paul Rudnick Starring: Kevin Kline as Howard Brackett Joan Cusack as Emily Montgomery Tom Selleck as Peter Malloy Matt Dillon as Cameron Drake Debbie Reynolds as Berniece Brackett Wilford Brimley as Frank Brackett   ***SPOILER ALERT*** A Frank Oz Comedy Inspired by Real-Life Events We’re back exploring Frank Oz’s filmography, and today’s feature is In & Out, a 90s comedy with a uniqu...

Plot Summary: Chaos ensues at a family funeral when secrets, misunderstandings, and unexpected revelations come to light. What starts as a somber gathering quickly turns into a farcical series of events, including the accidental ingestion of hallucinogens, a blackmail attempt involving a shocking secret about the deceased, and escalating comedic disasters. This black comedy perfectly balances absurdity and emotion, offering plenty of laughs and heartfelt moments. Director: Frank Oz Producer: Sidney Kimmel Screenplay: Dean Craig Starring: Matthew Macfadyen as Daniel Rupert Graves as Robert Alan Tudyk as Simon Peter Dinklage as Peter Keeley Hawes as Jane Ewen Bremner as Justin   ***SPOILER ALERT*** A British Black Comedy Gem British Black Comedy—do I even need to say more? You already know it’s going to be good, especially with Frank O...

Plot Summary: Bobby Bowfinger, a struggling filmmaker, comes up with a wild plan to shoot his dream movie on a shoestring budget. When Hollywood megastar Kit Ramsey refuses to star in the film, Bowfinger decides to secretly shoot around him, using hidden cameras and an oblivious look-alike named Jiff. This hilarious satire explores the absurdities of Hollywood, ambition, and the lengths one will go to achieve their dreams. Director: Frank Oz Producer: Brian Grazer Screenplay: Steve Martin Starring: Steve Martin as Bobby Bowfinger Eddie Murphy as Kit Ramsey / Jiff Ramsey Heather Graham as Daisy Christine Baranski as Carol Terence Stamp as Terry Stricter Robert Downey Jr. as Jerry Renfro   ***SPOILER ALERT*** Another Frank Oz and Steve Martin Gem As expected, I'm back with another Frank Oz 90s comedy classic, this time starring Steve ...

Plot Summary: An ambitious architect, Newton Davis, designs and builds his dream home for his girlfriend, only to have her reject his marriage proposal. Heartbroken, he abandons the house, only for a quirky and manipulative waitress, Gwen, to move in and pose as his wife. What follows is a series of comedic and chaotic situations as the two pretend to be married, all while navigating their own personal dilemmas. Director: Frank Oz Producer: Brian Grazer Screenplay: Mark Stein Starring: Steve Martin as Newton Davis Goldie Hawn as Gwen Phillips Dana Delany as Becky Metcalf Julie Harris as Edna Davis Donald Moffat as George Davis   ***SPOILER ALERT*** Goldie Hawn Shines Bright Returning to the world of Frank Oz comedies, Housesitter pairs Steve Martin with the brilliant Goldie Hawn, and let me tell you, she absolutely steals the show. Goldie...

Plot Summary: Seymour Krelborn, a shy and meek florist assistant, discovers a mysterious plant he names Audrey II. The plant brings him fame and fortune, but it harbors a dark secret: it thrives on human blood. As Seymour struggles to keep Audrey II fed, he must face the increasingly dire consequences of his choices in this darkly comedic musical. Director: Frank Oz Producer: David Geffen Screenplay: Howard Ashman Starring: Rick Moranis as Seymour Krelborn Ellen Greene as Audrey Vincent Gardenia as Mr. Mushnik Steve Martin as Orin Scrivello, DDS Levi Stubbs as the voice of Audrey II   ***SPOILER ALERT*** Exploring another Cult Classic Continuing our journey through Frank Oz's filmography, we arrive at the cult horror musical Little Shop of Horrors completed 1 year before I was born. Once again, Oz impresses with unbelievably detailed puppe...