Articles by Paul Hall

Ridesharing is an easy way to get around town when you can’t or don’t want to drive. I’ve used it on a number of trips, and I always find myself in the back seat of a new and interesting driver’s vehicle in a variety of cities. But I’ve also heard the stories — the stories of the rides that aren’t as basic as mine. And when you take a cop looking to catch a bad guy and put him in the car of a driver desperate for a good rating, you get the film Stuber. Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) is an […]

We have grown up alongside Sheriff Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and a variety of memorable toys. The Toy Story series has been like a metaphor for us in life, and our emotional attachment to these lovable characters has grown through the years. Nine years ago, we collectively wept as Toy Story 3 concluded, but now everyone is back in Toy Story 4, except, of course, Andy, who has moved on. But can this installment still ignite the feelings that we last had nine years ago? Woody lives with his new child, Bonnie, but as she […]

To watch superheroes come into their own onscreen is a totally fascinating process. And we get to watch Spider-Man do just that as he swings from buildings around the world in Spider-Man: Far From Home. What is the world going to do in a post-Avengers: Endgame world? Spider-Man, also known as Peter Parker (Tom Holland), has only one thing on his mind: a trip to Europe with his high school friends. He doesn’t know what comes next for himself or the world; he is intently focused on letting MJ (Zendaya) know how he feels about her. And, of course, Peter […]

Imagine there’s no Beatles — it’s NOT easy if you try. In the film Yesterday from director Danny Boyle, viewers get to experience a world without the classic music, until one man reintroduces the classic songs to the world. Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) is a struggling artist who is playing the smallest venues and trying to make ends meet while keeping his dream alive. But after a gig at a music festival that is less than successful, he tells his manager and longtime friend Ellie (Lily James) that he is done with trying to make it in music, then rides […]

In 1992, Walt Disney Pictures gave us the animated film Aladdin. That film took viewers on a magic carpet ride, soaring above its competition, and introduced us to a fabulous big blue genie with a spectacularly irreverent voice brought to life by the late Robin Williams. Fast-forward nearly 27 years later, and we get a live-action Aladdin for today’s generation. Aladdin (Mena Massoud) is a thief who steals to eat and simply survive. In the markets of Agrabah, he is referred to as a street rat and finds himself constantly chased through the streets. When he stumbles upon a young […]

New to On Demand and DVD: Men in Black International They are mysterious. They are secretive. They blend in with their surroundings. “They” are the Men in Black, and they never leave a trail of evidence that would lead people back to them — at least, not until now, in the film Men in Black: International. In this new effort, director F. Gary Gray introduces us to the story of Molly (Tessa Thompson), who, as a child, had her first alien encounter and witnessed mysterious men in black erasing her parents’ memories. But the agents didn’t wipe Molly’s brain, and […]

In the 2016 film The Secret Life of Pets, we started to get a glimpse of what our pets might be doing when we are not home. With the sequel to that film, The Secret Life of Pets 2, we get a look at what they are doing not only at home, but also on vacation and on their own as the franchise continues down the winding path of fun. Max (voiced by Patton Oswalt) has had life-changing events since the first film. His owner, Katie (voiced by Ellie Kemper), has married and had a baby. Now Duke (voiced by […]

Monsters. Those colossal creatures who roam the Earth and lay waste to anything that stands in their way. We’ve been fascinated by movie monsters since the early days of cinema. Stories around Godzilla, the larger-than-life monster who has taken on all comers, have been relayed for years. In Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla will see if he has met his match against a slew of our favorite foes. The crypto-zoological agency known as Monarch has been keeping a watchful eye on these legendary beasts and others like them in their outposts around the globe. But sinister forces are at […]

Dogs are referred to as “man’s best friend,” and with good reason. The animals are loyal beyond all comprehension and understand every aspect of their owners’ being, although no one can be sure why this is the case. A Dog’s Journey, the sequel to the 2017 release A Dog’s Purpose, tries to explain. Bailey (voiced by Josh Gad) was just a puppy when he met Ethan, who himself was a young boy. Through countless reincarnations in various dog breeds, shapes and colors, Bailey discovered that his purpose was to watch out for Ethan and ensure his happiness. Now, years after […]

The devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War have set the table for the Avengers to do whatever it takes to rectify things and bring the universe back from the brink of collapse. Can they do it with the current crop of Avengers, or is it too late for all of us? Avengers: Endgame is here to answer the question. It’s been five years since the events at the end of Infinity War, and those who remain are still searching for answers. Life has progressed. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) has a daughter, while others are having a much more difficult […]