10A Friday, November 1, 2019 • www.spencerdailyreporter.com ENTERTAINMENT

GUEST MOVIE REVIEW Fall edition of ‘Films For The ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ is Cinematically Disadvantaged’ no triumphant comeback

Arts on Grand and Carey’s Electronics present the fall edition of “Films for the Cinematically Disadvan- taged.” For more than 20 years interested folks have been able to enjoy a wide variety of foreign language Reyes as Dani, the inno- no pleasure to report that ch-needed comedy when films thanks to this collaboration. The viewing takes BY LINDSEY BAHR cent being hunted. it’s not an enjoyable come- he makes his late-movie place upstairs at Carey’s on Mondays beginning at 7 Associated Press Simple, right? Not when back. Poor Hamilton — who entrance. Without giving p.m. A freewill offering is requested, and there is al- there are three screenwrit- looks as fierce as ever and too much away, the orig- ways plenty of popcorn and coffee or tea. Who will save the “Ter- ers and five people with “st- was rightfully excited to inal Terminator has been minator” franchise from it- ory by” credits involved. get a chance to bring Sar- leading a surprisingly nor- MONDAY, NOV. 4 self? Not “Deadpool” dire- Like many of the semi- ah Connor back not as an mal life for the past few de- Kon-Tiki — U.K., Norway, Denmark, Sweden 2012 With five loyal friends in tow, explorer Thor Heyerdal sails a fragile ctor Tim Miller, producer sequel, semi-reboot films ingenue but a woman in her cades and it’s a rare delight balsa wood raft along an ancient path some 4,300 miles across the James Cameron or even Li- populating the multiplex- 60s who has lived a life — in “Dark Fate.” Pacific. Along the way, they’re attacked by tidal waves, sharks and nda Hamilton, it turns out. es, “Terminator: Dark Fa- has been reduced to a lousy I wish I could say the ac- all the dangers the ocean can muster. Based on a true story. Yes, despite an A-list ros- te” is at least partially a re- one-note caricature imag- tion made up for the sto- MONDAY, NOV. 11 ter of talent, including peo- hash of the original, with ined by a group of men. ry deficiencies, but a lot The Wages of Fear — France 1953 ple behind the scenes who a Terminator (Gabriel Lu- She simply growls her aw- of it is so jumpy and con- An oil company enlists four destitute drifters — Mario (Yves theoretically should know na) emerging naked from ful one-liners like “I hunt fusing that it’s hard to even Montand), Luigi (Folco Lulli), Bimba (Peter Van Eyck) and Jo how to resurrect this brand thin air (and the future of Terminators and I drink till track on what is happen- (Charles Vanel) — for a dangerous mission transporting volatile explosives across Central America’s treacherous terrain. Packed and move it forward, ”Ter- course) to kill an unsus- I black out. Enough of a re- ing. There are some in- with nerve-racking tension that never lets up, director Henri- minator: Dark Fate ” is just pecting young woman. This sume for you?” spired moments, like an Georges Clouzot’s gritty masterpiece took home the Grand Prize at another bad “Terminator” time said young woman is Is this team of all-male extended sequence at the the 1953 Cannes Film Festival. Hoover Dam and the high- movie in a string of bad Dani Ramos, a nice-seem- screenwriters to blame? MONDAY, NOV. 18 “Terminator” movies (al- ing but dreadfully under- Perhaps. This film is a per- octane freeway chase that Yesterdaym — U.K. 2019 though better than “Geni- written auto factory work- fect representation of so- essentially opens the film. While he’s still looking for his big break, musician Jack Malik gets sys”). And yet like the cyb- er who lives in Mexico mething that thinks it is Still, the money and tal- hit by a bus during a global blackout. But when he wakes up to find ent involved should have he’s the lone person on Earth who knows of the Beatles and their org invention behind all of with her dad and brother being feminist simply be- songbook, Jack has a huge chance at stardom. this, they keep coming and and takes quite some time cause the camera is pointed produced something sig- are really hard to kill. to grasp the life-and-death at three women most of the nificantly better. And of This time it really seemed situation she’s in. time. But really, Dani is not course the end sets us up ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR promising with Cameron Thankfully she’s got a pr- much more than a plot de- for more potential “Termi- THIS WEEKEND back on board for the first otector in Grace, an aug- vice and Sarah is a reductive nator” films. Northwest West Iowa Area Singles will host a dance on Saturday time in almost 30 years. mented super soldier, also stereotype of an embittered After “Dark Fate” the que- at the Hap Kettlesen Center in Everly from 7:30-11 p.m. The band stion is no longer who can will be “The Buck Hollow band” and the theme is “There’s pride This film was going to erase from the future, who is p- woman. Even Grace, who in every American.” Singles and couple are welcome to join us for all the confusing timelines art human, part Terminator thanks to Davis rises above save “Terminator,” but who a fun evening of dancing. There will be “mixers” to meet other set by all the sequels that and has been sent to make the rotten script unscathed, will be bold enough to just dancers, and lots of snacks to enjoy. followed and just pick up sure Dani stays alive for rea- has coded “female” limi- let it die? THIS MONTH where “T2” left off. It was sons we won’t learn until tations — she’s powerful, • “Terminator: Dark Fate,” a Para- ARNOLDS PARK — The NADAS will be part of the fall/winter season also to be centered on a gr- much later. sure, but she has emotion- mount Pictures release, is rated R of scheduled Roof Garden entertainment in Arnolds Park. They will oup of women, including “The Terminator’s” origi- al and physical weakness- by the Motion Picture Association perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27. Hamilton, Mackenzie Da- nal damsel-turned-warrior es too. of America for “violence through- out, language and brief nudity.” ARNOLDS PARK — The Johnny Holm Band will be part of the fall/ vis as an augmented soldier Sarah Connor joins their Arnold Schwarzenegger Running time: 128 minutes. Two winter season of scheduled Roof Garden entertainment in Arnolds named Grace and Natalia ranks too and it gives me adds a dash of life and mu- stars out of four. Park. They will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30.

Dana’s Dozen: The best horror-hater flicks 8. “SWEET HEARTS DANCE” (1988) BY DANA LARSEN It’s Halloween in New England, and this com-dram NWIA Publishing introduces us to one small town couple in midlife cri- sis and another at the very beginning of a relationship. You can only see so much blood and guts, menacing Killer (oops, sorry) cast with Don Johnson, Susan Saran- music, hockey mask/evil clown horror movies. So if you don, Jeff Daniels ― and I am not making this up, Bernie want to skip the nightmares this year, here are some fun Sanders (yes THAT Bernie Sanders) doling out the trick options for this year including a few that may be new to or treat candy. A unique take on romance, well done, you. Not a Freddie or Jason in the bunch. filled with feels and not squeals.

12. “THE HOLLYWOOD KNIGHTS” (1980) 7. “MEAN GIRLS” (2004) On Halloween night 1965, the last members of once- If two hours with Lindsay Lohan wasn’t a scary enough 3. “EDWARD SCISSORHANDS” (1990) prestigious car club raise hell through Beverly Hills before proposition, delve into the plastic-fantastic world of jeal- A scientist (Vincent Price) builds an animated human, their leader ships off to Vietnam. Chaotic pranks galore ous high school chicks. But actually a pretty good watch Edward (Johnny Depp). The scientist dies before he can ― and a little drama ― in this period teen comedy that with an all-star cast and a great Halloween costume party finish assembling Edward, leaving the young man with marked the debut for Michelle Pfeiffer and Tony Danza. scene. Plus the line you’ll be using daily for weeks, “My a freakish appearance accentuated by the scissor blades Bonus ― tons of sweet hot rods. Goofy fun, zero murders. stomach felt like it was going to fall out my butt.” he has instead of hands. He may look scary, but he has a gentle heart. Oscar-nominated, a captivating dark ro- 11. “ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES” (1993) 6. “IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN CHARLIE BROWN” (1966) mance-fantasy. The classic TV show got new life on the big screen, as The Peanuts gang celebrates Halloween while Linus the creepy clan tries to rescue beloved Uncle Fester from waits for the Great Pumpkin. It’s not Halloween until this 2. “GHOSTBUSTERS” (1984) a gold-digging black widow. Anjelica Huston, Christo- has been watched, and maybe the little ones will learn Who you gonna call? Why the original, of course, not pher Lloyd, Joan Cusack, and of course, who but Chris- a bit about friendship and loyalty. Treat: look closely at the crappy remake. Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd and Sigour- tina Ricci as our diabolical darling, Wednesday. PG-13, what Lucy is reading while sitting in front of the TV. The ney Weaver star in this all-time great supernatural come- all laughs and no nightmares. antidote for horror overload. dy. Can our eccentric New York City parapsychology profs and Ghostbuster entrepreneurs stop the possession of a 10. “ARSENIC AND OLD LACE” (1944) 5. “CORPSE BRIDE” (2005) beautiful woman so Peter (Bill) can win her heart? Nice We can’t have a list without a classic, and Frank Cap- Tim Burton is the king of Halloween. If “The Night- easter egg when Slimer eats the closing credits. Plain fun ra’s dark comedy with Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane fits mare Before Christmas” wasn’t cool enough, this one fea- that still holds up, light on the fright. the bill. Based on the Broadway play, a confirmed bach- tures shy Victorian suitor Victor (Johnny Depp) acciden- elor gets engaged on Halloween, only to stumble upon a tally marrying a ― well ― deceased doll (Helena Bonham 1. “THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW” (1975) corpse and learn that his sweet maiden aunts are hom- Carter) and being faced with a difficult choice. Gothic, Make this campy, cult-classic musical your annual Hal- icidal maniacs. Trivia: Ronald Reagan was once up for dark and beautiful stop-action animation. No bloodshed, loween go-to. On a wild and rain-swept evening, an inno- the lead role. Gently macabre. but plenty entertaining. cent, newly-engaged couple have a breakdown in an iso- lated area and must pay a call to the bizarre residence 9. “BIG DADDY” (1999) 4. “WARM BODIES” (2013) of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Another comedy set at Halloween time, this featured Based on the novel, this unassuming but charming post- even Meatloaf make this great adult, non-conformist fun. Adam Sandler in one of his least sucky roles as an under- apocalyptic romantic comedy has a young zombie “R” achiever law school grad who adopts a little kid to try to falling in love with a living girl who makes his doomed Honorable Mentions: “E.T. The Extra Terrestrial,” “Ho- win back the girlfriend who dumped him. A little sexy, a heart beat again. There’s a little brain-munching here, cus Pocus,” “The Haunted Mansion,” “Zombieland,” “Bee- little cute, a little gross, and a great scene on how to han- but all in good fun. Plus John Malkovich. Under-appre- tlejuice,” “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” “Shaun dle a killjoy who isn’t giving out candy for trick-or-treat. ciated and unique, perfect Halloween watch. of the Dead,” “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween.”