Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds

Posted on May 22, 2025 at 8:11 pm

B +

Lowest Recommended Age:	Middle School
MPAA Rating:	Not rated
Profanity:	None
Alcohol/ Drugs:	Brief alcohol
Violence/ Scariness:	Real-life danger and references to sad deaths
Diversity Issues:	None
Date Released to Theaters:	May 23, 2025

The Thunderbirds of the Air Force are the elite display team pilots who give demonstrations around the country to inspire Americans with a show of extraordinary courage and skill. This documentary, like Glenn Powell’s “The Blue Angels” takes us inside the training that leads up to the annual tour of 62 shows across the country, with “flying acrobatics” and are “meant to look nearly impossible.” The signs on the doors they walk through to the airstrip say “Fly Like Champions” and “Blind Trust,” the first a goal, the second the foundational principle of the team, because they fly in such tight formation that the slightest error from one of them puts all of them at risk. As we see in the film, there have been a number of crashes and many Thunderbirds pilots have died.

The pilots serve for two years, and each year half are new. So we begin with the arrival of three pilots joining the team. They are there because of their outstanding skills, but they have to unlearn as well as learn. The experience of the Tom Cruise in “Top Gun” types trained for combat or those “Right Stuff” types trained for testing new equipment are not exactly transferable and some are completely opposite. Combat pilots have two goals, to hit the target and stay alive. Thunderbirds literally are told to “divorce yourself from your usual survival instincts” because the maneuvers they perform are designed to keep them “micro-seconds from a life-threatening situation.” We see the impact of G-force acrobatics that make a 200-pound pilot into a 2000-pounder, making it impossible for oxygen to reach the head, so they pass out.

And we see that these pilots find all of that “frickin’ awesome.” One points to the number 5 painted on the side of the plane. It is upside down, because that way it will appear right-side up during the demonstration.

We spend much of the time with the boss, number one, called Astro (like the Blue Angels and the Top Guns, they have call signs — my favorite was the flight surgeon, who goes by Angry). His dream from his earliest childhood was to be an astronaut, and his parents proudly show us his grade school drawings. But when the Thunderbirds were in need, after a 2018 crash, they needed someone to make some changes, and his unique skills as a graduate of both combat and test flight training made him the ideal candidate. His wife says that she checked the mortality numbers for the Thunderbirds; ten percent. But the commitment to “service over self” meant they both understood that was where he needed to be.

We see one pilot struggle with his position and the way the others support him. And we see that the unquestioned dedication to “service over self” is as important to them as their constant training and striving for perfection.

We also see the support they get from the maintenance crews, every bit as devoted to excellence as the pilots. Their first demonstration at the Daytona races, is not perfect. They are supposed to appear on “brave,” the last word of the National Anthem. They’re off by seconds, but to them it feels like months. Astro’s reaction: “We have something to work on.”

The better we understand what goes into the maneuvers, the more we appreciate the skills that make it possible for them to fly in such tight formations, wings almost touching, each relying on the others to stay stable.

The cinematography is stunning, with special thanks to Arial Coordinator (and stunt pilot) Kevin LaRossa II, also the genius behind the air footage of “Top Gun: Maverick,” “The Blue Angels,” “The Avengers,” any many more. The air maneuvers are dazzling. But it is the hearts, integrity, and courage of the Thunderbirds that are unforgettable.

Parents should know that this film includes references to airplane fatalities.

Family discussion: What made Astro decide to withdraw from the astronaut program? Do you agree with his decision? Go to one of the air shows and stay after to talk to the pilots.

If you like this, try: “The Blue Angels” and the “Top Gun” movies

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning

Posted on May 19, 2025 at 11:18 am

B +

Lowest Recommended Age:	Middle School
MPAA Rating:	Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence and action, bloody images, and brief language
Profanity:	Brief strong language
Alcohol/ Drugs:	None
Violence/ Scariness:	Extended peril and violence, guns, fire, fights, chases, explosions, stunts, some graphic and disturbing images
Diversity Issues:	Diverse characters
Date Released to Theaters:	May 23, 2025

Yes, Tom Cruise runs. Very fast. Even at one point when he is in London and could probably get there faster in a cab, though for some reason there are no cars anywhere as he races across Westminster Bridge. He also does that mask thing where the disguise is so good that no one can tell it is him until he dramatically lifts the prosthetics from his head. And he attends a black tie gala. This is all in the first 15 minutes or so.

Thus, we are able to get what we came for and get on with the new stuff, which also includes running and fight scenes, sometimes shirtless, blue wire/red wire bomb defusing decisions under extreme time pressure, Ethan Hunt telling everyone to just trust him, several people telling him that he is the only one who can save the world (“although you never followed orders, you never let us down”), recaps of the previous films with some reckoning and a bit of retconning, a very welcome return of a character from the first Cruise “Mission Impossible” in 1996, vastly over-qualified actors in near-cameos, and, of course, absolutely bananas but very exciting action scenes, one under water, one in the air. In other words, like Ethan Hunt himself, they understood the assignment.

You don’t need to remember much or even have seen part one because (a) they tell you what happened and (b) it doesn’t matter because all you need to know is that they need to get The Thing (and the things you need to disarm The Thing) or it will be very bad for the everyone on the planet.

The MacGuffin is an AI that is getting ready to destroy all of humanity, close to gaining control of every nuclear weapon in the world. This is of great concern to the US President (Angela Bassett) and to those who think they can take control of it and therefore of everything. The primary villain in this category is Gabriel (Esai Morales), but like The Ring in the LoTR films, the AI known as The Entity is so powerful that even honorable people can be seduced away from destroying it and into wanting it for themselves. It is a “truth-eating parasite processing our deepest personal secrets” that “knows precisely how to undermine our every strength and exploit our every weakness.” Time for only the purest of heart and the fastest of running men to save the day.

Like Harry Potter and the horcruxes or a character in a video game, stopping the Entity requires going to many places to obtain different items and perform various tasks. These mini-MacGuffins include the source code for the AI, which is in a sunken Russian submarine and the “pill” to shut it down, created by Ethan’s teammate Luther (Ving Rhames) and stolen by Gabriel, a variation on “Independence Day’s” virus uploaded to an alien operating system.

Thankfully, a lot of the communication between Ethan and his team is meaningful looks. The dialogue can get heavy-handed. There is not much of it, though, because everyone knows why we’re here, and it is not witty remarks. (One funny line relates to The Entity’s appeal to viral conspiracy types.)

There’s a big build-up to how dangerous and difficult the dive to the Russian submarine is and the high probability that it won’t work and Ethan will die, but hey, the name of the series isn’t “Mission Possible.” As with the last episode’s train scene, still to my mind the best action scene in the series, the submarine scene makes very good use of shifting weight and huge, heavy things that have to be ducked. After making it very clear that the only thing keeping Ethan alive at that depth and temperature is the super-high-tech diving suit, he has to shed it, so we see him swim around in his boxers.

The showstopper is an arial battle between two colorful biplanes, one red, one yellow. At this point, the film is cutting back and forth between four or five desperately high-pressure situations, but it is the planes that will forever show up in film school and highlight reels.

If you remember anything about the first film, it is most likely the hanging from the ceiling heist at the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. There was a humorous button on that scene of a confused CIA employee entering the room just as Ethan was exiting, leaving his knife behind. That employee was immediately transferred to the most remote location under the CIA’s jurisdiction as a consequence of the theft. He is computer genius William Donloe (Rolf Saxon), married to an Inuit woman named Tapessa (Lucy Tulugarjuk), and they are the two best new characters in this installment. “Severance’s” Tramell Tillman is a delight as a US submarine captain, but Hannah Waddingham, Janet McTeer, Carey Elwes, Nick Offerman, and Mark Gatiss are not given much to do (though Waddingham’s American accent is quite good, perhaps from listening to her co-stars in four years of “Ted Lasso”). Henry Czerny returns and is just right as the frustrated head of the CIA who thinks he knows better than Ethan. I think we know who’s right on that.

I usually say that in action films, everything depends on the villain. In “Mission Impossible” movies, everything depends on the stunts, the “Fast and Furious”-style found family of the team, and the unquenchable charisma of Tom Cruise. Fortunately, all are here. Happy summer and happy summer movies!

Parents should know that this film is non-stop action-style peril and violence with guns, chases, fights, and explosions. Characters are injured and killed. There is some strong language.

Family discussion: Movie villains often reflect contemporary controversies. What does this movie tell us about the possible outcome of our current decisions? Why did the President change her mind? What are Ethan’s regrets? People trust Ethan for different reasons. How many did we see?

If you like this, try: the other “Mission Impossible” movies

Summer Movies 2025!

Posted on May 14, 2025 at 10:35 am

It’s time for summer movies! That means reboots, sequels, lots of Pedro Pascal, land even a few surprises.

SERIES and REMAKES

“Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning” (May 23) Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt, with some surprises from his past and some mind-blowing stunts.

“Karate Kid: Legends” (May 30) Jackie Chan, Ben Wang, and Ralph Macchio are back to wax on, wax off, and kick.

“Ballerina” (June 6) From the world of John Wick, pulls a bit of a “Tokyo Drift” on us, taking place not after the most recent film but in between Wicks 4 and 5, so expect some Keanu in this spin-off with Ana de Armas as a ballerina/assassin, co-starring Gabriel Byrne and Anjelica Huston.

“How to Train Your Dragon” (June 13) The popular animated movie series/television series inspired by Cressida Cowell’s bestselling books reboots as live action. Gerard Butler reprises his role in the animated films.

“28 Years Later” (June 20) Almost three decades after the setting of the “28 Days Later” and “28 Weeks Later” films, it turns out those speedy zombies are still around. The healthy (for now) humans they are trying to attack include Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes.

“M3gan: 2.0” (June 27) The killer doll is back.

“Jurassic World: Rebirth” (July 2)

The killer dinosaurs are back.

“The Old Guard 2” (July 2)

The immortal mercenaries are back. Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthias Schoenaerts, Luca Marinelli, return; Uma Thurman, and Henry Fielding join the cast.

“Smurfs” (July 18) Rhianna produced and provides the voice in the latest story of the little blue people.

“Happy Gilmore 2” (July 25) Adam Sandler is back as the hockey player-turned golfer, now an established champion. Yes, Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) is back, too. Expect some cool cameos.

“The Naked Gun” (August 1) Liam Neeson(!) takes over for Leslie Nielsen in this reboot of the deliriously silly series about the fumbling police officer, directed by Lonely Island ‘s Akiva Schaffer.

“The Bad Guys 2” (August 1) That glimpse of the Bad Guys before “Dog-Man” this year made us even more eager for this long-awaited sequel. Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Awkwafina and Anthony Ramos return, this time joined by Bad Girls (voiced by Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova and Natasha Lyonne).

“Freakier Friday” (August 8) Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are back for another body switch, this time with the next generation. I hope “Pink Slip” is back with another banger.

“The Roses” (August 29) For those who don’t remember, Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas made a movie about a feuding couple called “The War of the Roses” in 1989. This reboot stars UK powerhouse stars Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. Andy Sandburg and Kate McKinnon play their friends

“The Toxic Avenger” (August 29) The 1984 film of the same name inspired three film sequels, a stage musical, a comic book series from Marvel Comics, a video game, and an animated television series. And now there is another version of the story about a downtrodden janitor who is exposed to a catastrophic toxic accident and becomes a crime-fighting superhero. The cast includes Peter Dinklage, Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Taylour Paige, Jacob Tremblay, and Jane Levy.

SUPERHEROES

“Superman” (July 11) David Corenswet plays the superhero from Krypton, Nicholas Hoult is his archenemy Lex Luthor, and “Mrs. Maisel” star Rachel Brosnahan is reporter/girlfriend Lois Lane. Plus: Krypto the super-dog!

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (July 25) Fingers crossed that they get it right this time. The casting is promising: The very busy Pedro Pascal as stretchy Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as invisible Sue Storm, Joseph Quinn as fiery Johnny Storm, and inside the scaly orange suit is “The Bear’s” Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm. Julia Garner is Silver Surfer. Note: it’s set in the 1960s, but in the teaser at the end of present-day “Thunderbolts*” they’re still going strong.

BOOKS TO MOVIES

“The Life of Chuck” (June 6) A Stephen King story about an ordinary man with a terminal illness who becomes suddenly famous as the world may be ending stars Tom Hiddleston, with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Hamill, and Karen Gillan.

“Highest to Lowest” (August 22) Ed McBain’s crime novel King’s Ransom is adapted for the screen by Spike Lee, with Denzel Washington as a wealthy music producer, Jeffrey Wright as his chauffeur and father of a kidnapped son. Music stars A$AP Rocky and Ice Spice are also in the cast. While you wait, check out an earlier film based on this book, Akira Kurosawa’s thriller “High and Low.”

“The Thursday Murder Club” (August 28) Take an international best-seller about retired crime solvers, add a dream cast (Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie) and the director of “Harry Potter” movies and “The Help.” I can’t wait.

NEW CHARACTERS, NEW STORIES

“Bad Shabbos” (May 23) Things go poorly when a man brings his girlfriend to meet his family.

“I Don’t Understand You” (June 6) In a darkly wicked comedy, Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells play a couple on vacation in Italy.

“The Phoenician Scheme” (May 30) The latest from Wes Anderson is sure to have exquisitely intricate settings, an all-star cast, and some weird twists and cryptic comments that fans will have a lot of fun trying to explain. The cast includes Benicio del Toro, Tom Hanks, Michael Cera, Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

“Deep Cover” (June 12) I love this idea — improv actors hired to go undercover. And I love the cast — Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed (“Ted Lasso”), Paddy Considine. The trailer is a hoot.

“Materialists” (June 13) Dakota Johnson plays a matchmaker to the rich and famous who has to decide between a man who is rich and famous (Pedro Pascal) and her not-rich, not-famous ex (Chris Evans). Hmmm, how’s that going to go?

“Elio” (June 20) The latest from Pixar and it looks like one of their best — a story about two kids who feel alone, one from planet Earth and one from outer space who happens to be the son of the alien who plans to attack us.

“Everything’s Going to be Great” (June 20) Allison Janney and Bryan Cranston are theater people. One of their sons is, too. The other one, not so much.

“Bride Hard” (June 20) Yes, it’s supposed to remind you of “Die Hard.” Rebel Wilson plays a bridesmaid who is also….a spy, the kind who does MMA-style fighting. The bride is played by her “Pitch Perfect” co-star Anna Camp.

“F1” (June 27) Brad Pitt and check-out-his-Met-Gala-look Damson Idris play drivers in a story set in the world of Formula One, directed by “Top Gun: Maverick’s” Joseph Kosinski.

“Sorry, Baby” (June 27) This festival favorite is an impressive debut written and directed by its star, Eva Victor and produced by “Moonlight’s” Barry Jenkins. Victor plays a graduate student who experiences a traumatic sexual assault. But the story is told with humor and resilience and with wonderful moments with the character’s best friend, played by Naomi Ackie, a sandwich shop owner, played by John Carroll Lynch, and with an actual baby.

“Eddington” (July 18) Always-provocative director Ari Aster takes on the sensitive subject of COVID-19, with stars Pedro Pascal, Joaquin Phoenix, Austin Butler, Emma Stone, Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell, and Micheal Ward.

“Oh, Hi” (July 25) This festival favorite as a first-rate cast of up-and-coming stars, including Molly Gordon (who co-wrote), Logan Lerman, and Geraldine Viswanathan, with the always-welcome Polly Draper and David Cross.

“My Mother’s Wedding” (August 8) Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, and Emily Beecham play the daughters who have some feelings about attending their mother’s third wedding. Mom is played by director Kristin Scott Thomas.

“Honey Don’t” (August 22) Ethan Coen of the Coen Brothers brings back Margaret Qualley for the second in the lesbian trilogy. It does not count as a series because these are all new characters. Qualley plays a detective investigating a murder that could involve a local preacher, played by Chris Evans.

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Anniversary of Newton Minow’s Vast Wasteland Speech That Transformed Television

Posted on May 9, 2025 at 1:33 pm

May 9, 1961, my dad, the 35-year-old Chairman of the FCC, Newton Minow, made three significant appearances. In Washington, he gave his famous “vast wasteland” speech to the National Association of Broadcasters, telling them that while “when television is good, nothing is better,” he expected them to do more to uphold their statutory obligation to serve “the public interest, convenience, and necessity.” Then he went back to the FCC office, where he met with Elizabeth Campbell to sign the original license for WETA, the first educational television station in the nation’s capital, now the producer of the Ken Burns documentaries and the nightly Newshour. And then he flew to Chicago to attend the father-daughter dinner for my Brownie troop.

I often thought about how those three events defined his character: inspiring those around him to do better, supporting the visions of people making enriching cultural content and reliable news sources widely available, and always putting his family first. Over the next decades this was reflected in his efforts as a founder and board chair of PBS, a director of CBS, helping to create the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), where he served as vice chair until this year, working to require the V-chip and closed captioning, helping to get the start-up funding for “Sesame Street,” and arguing for the rescission of the radio license of a station that broadcast virulently racist and anti-Semitic programming. His countless awards include more than a dozen honorary doctorates, a Peabody, and the highest honor for American civilians, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by President Barack Obama (who met Michelle when they were both working in my father’s law office). Our family’s favorite “honor” might be the sinking ship on “Gilligan’s Island,” named as an insult to my father for his criticism of television by producer Sherwood Schwartz. They later had a very cordial correspondence.

Last month, I wrote an article for The Atlantic about the time Dad said “no” to President Kennedy.

Mike Leonard’s documentary about my dad has some wonderful stories.

I talked to my dad about some of his formative experiences, including the words from Bobby Kennedy that inspired him to focus on telecommunications, what he will advise the new FCC Chair, and why he told President Kennedy the first telecommunications satellite was more important than putting a man on the moon.

He was the world’s best dad and grandpa. We are so lucky.

My Best Movie Mothers eBook is Free for Mother’s Day!

Posted on May 9, 2025 at 10:04 am

In honor of Mother’s Day, my book, 50 Must-See Movies: Mothers will be free from May 9-14, 2025.

No relationship is more primal, more fraught, more influential, more worried over, more nourishing when good and more devastating when bad that our connection to our mothers. The first eyes to look at us with love, the first arms to hold us, Mom is the one who first keeps us fed and warm, who applauds our first steps and kisses our scrapes and takes our temperature by kissing our forehead. She’s also the one who keeps people in endless years of psychoanalysis for failing to make her children feel loved and safe. Mom inspires a lot of movies in every possible category, from comedy to romance to drama to crime to animation to horror, from the lowest-budget indie to the biggest-budget prestige film. A lot of women have been nominated for Oscars for playing mothers and just about every actress over age 20 has appeared as a mother in at least one movie.

There are innumerable ways of mothering and all of them show up in the movies. There are cookie-baking, apron-wearing mothers who always know just the right comforting thing to say. There are stylish, sophisticated, wealthy mothers and mothers who do not have enough money to feed their children. There are mothers with PhDs and mothers who cannot read. There are mothers of every race and religion and many species on earth and in outer space (remember “Alien”).

There are terrifying mothers who abuse or abandon their children or coldly deploy them like weapons of mass destruction. There are mothers who give good advice and endless support and mothers who try to push their children to take the wrong jobs and marry the wrong people. There are super-strict mothers and super-lax mothers, mothers who want to know every detail of their children’s lives even when they are grown up and mothers who barely remember that they have any children at all even when they are young. There are mothers of children with special needs who fight fiercely to make sure they have the fullest and most independent lives they can. There are children who love and support their mothers and children who break their mothers’ hearts with their selfishness and cruelty.

And there are those very special souls who remind us that motherhood does not require a biological connection. Stepmothers and adoptive mothers are as vitally important on screen as they are in the lives of those lucky enough to be mothered by them.

“A boy’s best friend is his mother,” says a character whose mother is central to the story even though she never appears in the film. (Spoiler alert: the quote comes from Norman Bates in “Psycho.”) In “Stop or My Mom Will Shoot,” tough guy Sylvester Stallone plays a cop who mother comes along on his investigation whether he wants her to or not. In “Oedipus Wrecks,” one of three short films that make up the compilation “New York Stories,” Woody Allen plays a lawyer whose mother finds the ultimate way to embarrass him. And don’t get me started on Jason’s mother in the “Friday the 13^th” movies.

I have selected 50 of my favorite movie mothers, including classic films like “The Sound of Music” and “Little Women” along with forgotten or overlooked films like “Stella Dallas,” “Claudia and David,” and “Dear Frankie.” Actresses like Anne Revere and Spring Byington made careers out of wonderful performances as mothers and I have included some of their best. I have a special affection for those based on real-life mothers, especially those based on the mothers of the writers who told their stories, like Sally Field’s Oscar-winning performance in “Places in the Heart.” But it is clear that in some way each of the mothers in these movies is inspired by the unique joys and frustrations of the woman we love first.