‘Raymond & Ray’: This modest, everyday tale is memorable for the wrong reason

“Raymond & Ray” (2022) – “A dysfunctional family is any family with more than one person in it.” – Mary Karr, poet Ms. Karr is correct.  Every family – including mine – has its share of dysfunction.  It’s just a matter of degree.  Not even the British Royals can escape the reach of imperfect human nature.  In “Raymond & Ray”, director/writer Rodrigo Garcia explores a specific event of an ordinary clan in Middle America, but this particular domestic unit lugs – like a weight of 10,000 tons – more than…

Maybe don’t pack your bags. ‘Ticket to Paradise’ is a forgettable trip.

“Ticket to Paradise” (2022) – “We’ve waited so long.  We’ve waited so long.  I got two tickets to paradise.  Won’t you pack your bags, we’ll leave tonight.” – “Two Tickets to Paradise” (1978) by Eddie Money George Clooney and Julia Roberts. Movie audiences haven’t “waited so long” for a Clooney-Roberts collaboration.  These two megastars have connected on the big screen for years, dating back to 2001. For starters, “Ocean’s Eleven” (2001), “Ocean’s Twelve” (2004), and “Money Monster” (2016), and Julia starred in a provocative supporting role in “Confessions of a…

31 Scary Movies that are 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon: ‘Diabolique’

“Diabolique” (1955) – It’s not a mystery that Christina Delassalle (Vera Clouzot) isn’t happy. She enjoys her job as a teacher and owner of Delassalle Boarding School, but Christina is married to a boorish jerk, Michel (Paul Meurisse).  He openly cheats with another teacher, Nicole (Simone Signoret), and when Michel actually spends time with Christina, he usually browbeats her. Michel, the school’s principal and former tennis star, also practices his backhands on Nicole’s and Christina’s faces with frequency as well.  So, when Nicole talks about murdering him, Christina – a…