‘Joe Bell’: The messages ring, but the narrative structure does not

“Joe Bell” (2021) – “I’ve decided to walk across America.” – Joe Bell (Mark Wahlberg) In director Reinaldo Marcus Green’s “Joe Bell”, Joe – a working-class family man – drops his responsibilities at home and embarks on a trek from La Grande, Ore. to New York City.  Jadin (Reid Miller), his eldest son, joins his dad, and this two-person reverse Lewis & Clark journey feels entirely apropos.  Joe delivers an anti-bullying message to anyone who will listen, in response to Jadin receiving repeated torments because of his sexual orientation, both…

‘Scoob!’: a brand-new Scooby-Doo adventure is available to stream

“Scoob!” – Scooby-Doo has been entertaining American children for 51 years (wait…51 years??) with several incarnations of his mystery-solving animated television show. Well, everyone’s favorite ghost-chasing canine is back with a 90-minute movie that you can stream right now.   “Scoob!” had its Twitter Kickoff Watch Party on Fri., May 15, but if you missed it, no worries.  The movie itself is available on platforms everywhere. Need a film to entertain the kids?  An adventure with Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Daphne, Velma, and Fred might be the right call, as Will Forte, Mark Wahlberg,…

Byrne, Wahlberg and ‘Instant Family’ earn a group hug

“Instant Family” – “I looked on child rearing, not only as a work of love and duty, but as a profession that was fully as interesting and challenging as any honorable profession in the world, and one that demanded the best that I could bring to it.” – Rose Kennedy “Everyone should have kids.  They are the greatest joy in the world.  But they are also terrorists.  You’ll realize this as soon as they are born, and they use sleep deprivation to break you.” – Ray Romano Writer/director Sean Anders…