# anne gee byrd (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 2 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover anne gee byrd. Page: Feed: --- ## [Normal Review](https://popculturemaniacs.com/normal-review/) _2026-08-21 · Kieran Freemantle · Pop Culture Maniacs_ Normal is a dark action comedy that sees the star and writer of the Nobody movies reteam and got cult filmmaker Ben Wheatley to direct a small-scale bloody affair. Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk) is a police officer who acts as interim sheriff for towns across America. He finds himself in the small town of Normal, Minnesota, \[…\] The post Normal Review appeared first on Pop Culture Maniacs . ## [Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Level Five Transporter Accident Review](https://popculturemaniacs.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-level-five-transporter-accident-review/) _2026-08-20 · Jean Henegan · Pop Culture Maniacs_ The puppet episode. An episode I suspect many fans were waiting for, if only to see if lightning could strike twice and Strange New Worlds could turn in two really strong unique genre episodes (the first, of course, being the shockingly good musical episode back in season two). Alas, this round of pushing the boundaries \[…\] The post Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Level Five Transporter Accident… ## [Don't Say Good Luck: A poignant character drama](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/08/dont-say-good-luck-poignant-character.html) _2026-08-19 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Don't Say Good Luck (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for thematic material, fleeting profanity, teen drinking and mild sexual references Available via: Netflix By Derrick Bang Sunny Sandler’s delicately nuanced starring performance fuels this charming little character drama, although — in fairness — director Julia Hart draws finely shaded work from every member of this… ## [Ted Lasso – Richmond’s Got Talent Review](https://popculturemaniacs.com/ted-lasso-richmonds-got-talent/) _2026-08-19 · Jean Henegan · Pop Culture Maniacs_ First things first: I find it hard to believe that someone like Ted Lasso had never heard of Susan Boyle. Her success on Britain’s Got Talent was one of the biggest stories around both the UK and US when it happened and even someone who is as offline as Ted surely would have heard of \[…\] The post Ted Lasso – Richmond’s Got Talent Review appeared first on Pop Culture Maniacs . ## [The End of Oak Street Review](https://popculturemaniacs.com/the-end-of-oak-street-review/) _2026-08-17 · Kieran Freemantle · Pop Culture Maniacs_ The End of Oak Street is a genre film from the director of It Follows and the first theatrical film release by Bad Robot since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The Platt family live in a normal American suburb in 1982. However, there are underlying tensions because Greg (Ewan McGregor) is working as a \[…\] The post The End of Oak Street Review appeared first on Pop Culture Maniacs . ## [The Wrong Girls Review](https://popculturemaniacs.com/the-wrong-girls-review/) _2026-08-17 · Austin Noto-Moniz · Pop Culture Maniacs_ Almost every stoner comedy since 1998 has lived in the shadow of The Big Lebowski, reassessed as a masterpiece in the years since its disappointing initial run. So if you’re trying to add to the canon, why not borrow some of its key elements in a deliberate acknowledgement of its power? A few hapless friends thrust \[…\] The post The Wrong Girls Review appeared first on Pop Culture Maniacs . ## [Nimrods Review](https://popculturemaniacs.com/nimrods-review/) _2026-08-16 · Kieran Freemantle · Pop Culture Maniacs_ Green Day is arguably one of America’s most famous punk bands, which were huge in the 1990s and 2000s. They have moved into filmmaking by producing the coming-of-age road movie Nimrods. Tommy (Mason Thames) and Fred (Kylr Coffman) are best friends, big fans of Green Day, and two-thirds of the band Analog Dogs. They give \[…\] The post Nimrods Review appeared first on Pop Culture Maniacs . ## [Resisting PlayStation’s Greed](https://popculturemaniacs.com/resisting-playstations-greed/) _2026-08-15 · Kieran Freemantle · Pop Culture Maniacs_ Sony announced at the beginning of July 2026 that they are going to end physical media production in January 2028. After weeks of online outrage and silence from Sony, the CFO, Lin Tao, has said, “We’re going to cautiously move this forward,’ during a Q&A section on 31st July 2026. As someone who sings the \[…\] The post Resisting PlayStation’s Greed appeared first on Pop Culture Maniacs . ## [Tony Review](https://popculturemaniacs.com/tony-review/) _2026-08-14 · Kieran Freemantle · Pop Culture Maniacs_ Anthony Bourdain is one of America’s most famous and celebrated chefs. His life in 1975 and early career were the inspiration for the biopic Tony. Anthony “Tony” Bourdain (Dominic Sessa) is an arrogant and entitled student at Vassar College. He lies to his family that he got a writing fellowship, and he runs off to \[…\] The post Tony Review appeared first on Pop Culture Maniacs . ## [The End of Oak Street: A complete mess](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-end-of-oak-street-complete-mess.html) _2026-08-14 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The End of Oak Street (2026) • View trailer TURKEY: No stars (out of five); rated PG-13, despite considerable violence and gore Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 8.16.26 This film fails — jaw-droppingly — on every level. The premise is ridiculous, poorly rationalized, and fails to maintain internal consistency. The main characters are inadequately… ## [Sync Bookmarks Everywhere (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/CIzBsfBMw92l) _2026-08-14 · **Sponsored**_ Two-way sync keeps folders and toolbar intact across Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. ## [All in Good Time Review](https://popculturemaniacs.com/all-in-good-time-review/) _2026-08-13 · Kieran Freemantle · Pop Culture Maniacs_ Callum Edmunds, AKA MauLer, is the latest YouTuber critic/grifter attempting to show he can make a short film with a thriller set in one location. In a random barn in the English countryside are four hostages. Three of the hostages who plead for their lives are coldly shot by The Boss (Nicholas Rowe). However, the \[…\] The post All in Good Time Review appeared first on Pop Culture Maniacs . ## [Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – A Case of Chiaroscuro Review](https://popculturemaniacs.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-a-case-of-chiaroscuro-review/) _2026-08-13 · Jean Henegan · Pop Culture Maniacs_ I’ve watched a shockingly large number of noir-based TV shows in the last several months. It must be a current writing trend. And, as someone who finds noir to be generally fun, I’m certainly not complaining. That being said, aside from the fun use of black and white – especially Uhura mentioning that it’s hard \[…\] The post Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – A Case of Chiaroscuro Review appeared… ## [Ted Lasso – Curiouser and Curiouser! Review](https://popculturemaniacs.com/ted-lasso-curiouser-and-curiouser-review/) _2026-08-12 · Jean Henegan · Pop Culture Maniacs_ Two things are clear by the end of “Curiouser and Curiouser!” First, this new season of Ted Lasso is very much a retread of season one – for good and for ill. We have Ted returning to take over the reins of a team that is floundering in the second tier of English football, with \[…\] The post Ted Lasso – Curiouser and Curiouser! Review appeared first on Pop Culture Maniacs . ## [One Night Only: A delightfully sexy romp](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/08/one-night-only-delightfully-sexy-romp.html) _2026-08-07 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ One Night Only (2026) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); rated R, for frequent profanity, sexual candor and surprisingly little nudity Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang Although one first must accept this film’s ridiculously unlikely premise, what follows is an unexpectedly delightful romantic comedy, highlighted by Travis Braun’s continuously cheeky script and two stars who share… ## [Spider-Man: Brave New Day — Action and angst](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/08/spider-man-brave-new-day-action-and.html) _2026-08-03 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Spider-Man: Brave New Day (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for action violence and occasional profanity Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 8.9.26 After the chaotic multiverse complexity of 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home — a score card was needed, to keep track of all the superheroes, super villains and spider guys from… ## [The Dink: An uneven rally](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-dink-uneven-rally.html) _2026-07-31 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Dink (2026) • View trailer Three stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for occasional profanity and plenty of sexual vulgarity Available via: Apple TV+ By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 8.2.26 File this one under “Silly, but fun.” I’ve been waiting for filmmakers to embrace the rapidly expanding explosion of pickleball, and director Josh Greenbaum and scripter Sean Clements… ## [Pressure: Fascinating, behind-the-scenes D-Day saga](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/pressure-fascinating-behind-scenes-d.html) _2026-07-24 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Pressure (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for war violence, bloody images and brief profanity Available via: Peacock (free to subscribers) and other paid VOD options By Derrick Bang Director Anthony Maras’ fact-based drama opens on a grim scene that evokes 1998’s Saving Private Ryan . It’s late April 1944. An ashen-faced Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) slowly… ## [The Furious: Breathtaking martial arts ferocity](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-fury-breathtaking-martial-arts.html) _2026-07-24 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Furious (2025) • View trailer Four stars\* (out of five); rated R, for strong, bloody violence, gore and profanity Available via: Amazon Prime and other VOD options By Derrick Bang The dramatic paradigm shifts in martial arts movies can be traced to specific actors and directors. Bruce Lee kick-started the franchise (pun intended) with 1973’s Enter the Dragon , and Jackie Chan moved the needle… ## [The Odyssey: An epic masterpiece](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-odyssey-epic-masterpiece.html) _2026-07-17 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Odyssey (2026) • View trailer Five stars (out of five); rated R, for violence, gore, dramatic intensity and profanity Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 7.19.26 Not many screenwriters get to share a credit with Homer. And Christopher Nolan is one of very few directors up to the challenge of the ancient Greek poet’s classic work. Warriors three:… ## [Enola Holmes 3: Elementary, dear reader](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/enola-holmes-3-elementary-dear-reader.html) _2026-07-13 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Enola Holmes 3 (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for violence and dramatic intensity Available via: Netflix By Derrick Bang This series continues to delight on all levels. Director Philip Barantini, new to the franchise, blends its many diverse elements with stylish élan. He’s rewarded, in this third entry, with fine performances from everybody in the cast: most notably… ## [Non-custodial Crypto Payments & Escrow (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/MXduQtiUrVLK) _2026-07-13 · **Sponsored**_ Accept multi-chain crypto with trustless escrow, instant confirmations, and no KYC ## [Moana: It’s déjà vu all over again...](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/moana-its-deja-vu-all-over-again.html) _2026-07-10 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Moana (2026) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); rated PG, for action peril, scary images and rude humor Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 7.12.26 The window between Disney’s animated features and these semi-live-action remakes seems to be shortening, given that Moana 2 sailed into theaters just two years ago. This new film’s arrival feels… ## [Minions & Monsters: Almost overwhelming](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/minions-monsters-almost-overwhelming.html) _2026-07-03 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Minions & Monsters (2026) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); rated PG, for animated violent action and rude/macabre humor Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 7.5.26 Minions features always have felt less like a coherent film, and more like a randomly assorted collection of sight gags, but this one is particularly scattershot. (It’s no accident… ## [Supergirl: A wobbly flight](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/supergirl-wobbly-flight.html) _2026-06-30 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Supergirl (2024) • View trailer Three stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for strong action violence and occasional profanity Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang In and of itself, the notion that Kara-El (Milly Alcock) has become a self-destructive tear-away is appropriately poignant. Kara (Milly Alcock, left) repeatedly tries to protect Ruthye (Eve Ridley), by insisting that she remain… ## [Color Book: An exquisite character piece](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/color-book-exquisite-character-piece.html) _2026-06-26 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Color Book (2024) • View trailer 4.5 stars (out of five); rated R, for occasional profanity Available via: Netflix By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 6.28.26 Writer/director David Fortune’s sensitively assembled little film completely erases the divide between viewer and screen; from the very first frame, it feels more like eavesdropping on two actual people. Although this day… ## [I Am Frankelda: Dazzling, but uneven](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/i-am-frankelda-dazzling-but-uneven.html) _2026-06-26 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ I Am Frankelda (2025) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); rated PG, for dramatic intensity, scary images and fantasy violence Available via: Netflix By Derrick Bang The imagination, craft and world-building in this fantasy — Mexico’s very first stop-motion animated feature — are off the chart. I wish similar attention had been paid to the story. After allowing her conscious self to be… ## [Toy Story 5: Absolutely perfect](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/toy-story-5-absolutely-perfect.html) _2026-06-19 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Toy Story 5 (2026) • View trailer Five stars (out of five); rated PG, for mild rude humor Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 6.21.26 The Toy Story franchise has been a marvel since the first film’s 1995 debut. This fifth entry is the best thus far: a bold statement, considering the quality, imagination, voice talent, carefully sculpted characters,… ## [Disclosure Day: The truth is out there](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/disclosure-day-truth-is-out-there.html) _2026-06-12 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Disclosure Day (2026) • View trailer 4.5 stars (out of five); rated R, for action violence, gruesome images and some profanity Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 6.14.26 This is 1977’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind writ very large. Director Steven Spielberg’s original story — fleshed out by skilled genre screenwriter David Koepp — hits the… ## [Miss You, Love You: Captivating character study](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/miss-you-love-you-captivating-character.html) _2026-06-12 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Miss You, Love You (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated TV-MA, for profanity Available via: HBO By Derrick Bang Two-handers are a challenge on film, because they often feel like plays that wandered into the wrong medium, losing some of their live-on-stage intensity in the process. That isn’t an issue when one of the performers is Oscar winner Allison Janney. As time passes, Diane… ## [Power Ballad: Music to our ears](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/power-ballad-music-to-our-ears.html) _2026-06-05 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Power Ballad (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated R, for relentless profanity and some drug use Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 6.7.26 Irish writer/director John Carney clearly loves music as much as I admire his films. Starting with 2006’s charming Once — with its poignant, Academy Award-winning song “Falling Slowly” — and… ## [She Dances: Plenty of the right moves](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/she-dances-plenty-of-right-moves.html) _2026-06-05 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ She Dances (2025) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for fleeting profanity and some drug references Available via: Amazon Prime and other VOD options By Derrick Bang This is a Wince During The First Half And Pray For A Reasonably Happy Outcome movie. I don’t mean that in a bad way. Director/co-writer Rick Gomez’s feature debut is a frequently charming little character drama,… ## [One platform, from silicon to agent (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/hizJO3nBtPxa) _2026-06-05 · **Sponsored**_ Serverless inference plus Inference Router to optimize cost and latency at scale. ## [The Mandalorian and Grogu: Solid sci-fi action](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-mandalorian-and-grogu-solid-sci-fi.html) _2026-05-29 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for sci-fi action and violence Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 5.31.26 You simply cannot ask more of a Star Wars movie. The Mandalorian has been — by far — the most popular streaming series set in the Star Wars universe, and considerable credit goes to… ## [The Hobby: Tales from the Tabletop — Gamers get a well-deserved spotlight](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-hobby-tales-from-tabletop-gamers.html) _2026-05-22 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Hobby: Tales from the Tabletop (2025) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); not rated, but akin to PG-13, for occasionally frustrated profoanity Available via: Amazon Prime By Derrick Bang Full disclosure: I had more than a casual interest in Simon Ennis’ engaging documentary before seeing the first frame, because Constant Companion and I ran a game and puzzle store in our town, from 1978 to… ## [Jack Ryan: Ghost War — Insubstantial](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/jack-ryan-ghost-war-insubstantial.html) _2026-05-22 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Jack Ryan: Ghost War (2026) • View trailer 2.5 stars (out of five); rated R, for violence and profoanity Available via: Amazon Prime By Derrick Bang This seems to be the week for popular streaming shows to spawn feature-length films. I hope the Mandalorian and Grogu are treated with more respect. When a tightly planned operation goes horribly wrong, CIA Deputy Director Greer (Wendell Pierce,… ## [Remarkably Bright Creatures: A character-driven charmer](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/remarkably-bright-creatures-character.html) _2026-05-15 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Remarkably Bright Creatures (2026) • View trailer 4.5 stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for brief profanity, fleeting drug use and dramatic intensity Available via: Netflix By Derrick Bang Author Shelby Van Pelt must be pleased; book-to-film translations aren’t often treated with this much respect. Although Tova (Sally Field) finds it difficult to share her private anguish with anybody else, she… ## [Jaunt: A captivating little journey](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/jaunt-charming-little-journey.html) _2026-05-12 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Jaunt (2024) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); not rated, and akin to PG-13 for sensuality, brief nudity and profanity Available via: Amazon Prime and other VOD options By Derrick Bang Folks with a fondness for California’s scenic coastline will get a kick out of this film. Writer/director Alexi Papalexopoulos’ accomplished feature debut is a road trip in both the physical and spiritual… ## [The Sheep Detectives: Wooly bully!](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-sheep-detectives-wooly-bully.html) _2026-05-08 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Sheep Detectives (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG, and needlessly, for mild dramatic intensity Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 5.10.26 Director Kyle Balda’s quaint little charmer is certain to appeal to fans of Babe , Charlotte’s Web and other (sorta-kinda) live-action talking animal movies. This one blends that core… ## [The Devil Wears Prada 2: Still wickedly fun](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-devil-wears-prada-2-still-wickedly.html) _2026-05-05 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for sensuality Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang The delicious snark isn’t quite as evident, and a greater degree of sentimentality is present, but everything else about this long-awaited sequel is spot-on. When a panicked Andy (Anne Hathaway) confesses that she has nothing appropriate to wear for a…