Detective Knight: Redemption (2022):

The second of a three-parter focusing on a Bruce Willis action character, the Detective Knight of the title, this is yet another film with a relatively poor screenplay seemingly designed to cash in on the fading embers of Willis’ once-great career as he now suffers from aphasia which has forced him to retire from acting. In this story, Knight, following the action in the previous movie, “Detective Knight: Rogue,” finds himself jailed in New York City, his badge stripped from him, and his career in tatters. From out of nowhere, he is swept into a jailbreak which leads the escapees to the terrorist known as The Christmas Bomber with his followers known as The Real Santas of Christmas, who continue to wreak havoc on the city. It’s not entirely clear what it is that this terrorist group wants to achieve – maybe something about people not respecting Christmas, I am not sure, but it provides a reason for mayhem of various sorts to prevail. There are a lot of Canadian connections to this film, and I wish it was a better movie so that I could give a few “attaboys” to those who participated. Victoria-born actor/producer/writer Corey Large co-wrote the script and plays one of the guys in jail with Knight who are swept up in the breakout. Vancouver-born Lochlyn Munroe is a participating player in the movie, and the entire production was shot in Vancouver, so it’s a West Coast Fest … just not a very good one, unfortunately. Rated 14A.

The Honeymoon (2022):

I tire of stories, whether they be movies or TV shows, in which “the good guys,” meaning the main characters who seem to have their lives going well, have a sidekick, a family friend, an old school mate, whatever, who is just the biggest jerk on the planet, who creates all kinds of trouble for them, but who still retains a place in the friendship. I’m talking about Stuart Margolin’s character of Angel from “The Rockford Files,” and the dozens of similar characters portrayed in media over the years. This time it’s Ed … he’s the friend of Adam (Pico Alexander), who has just married Sara (Maria Bakalova who co-produced this movie). We know Ed is always trouble whenever he’s around Adam, but things become the worst of the worst when Ed shows up at Adam and Sara’s honeymoon. Before the young couple know what has actually happened, they find themselves, because of Ed’s activities, in debt to a drug lord with their lives on the line. It appears that only Ed has the key unlocking their troubles, but each time he shows up, it’s a recipe for disaster. Shot on location in Venice, Italy, this comedy has its moments, but mostly we just wonder how anyone could ever put up with Ed. Rated 14A.

Rock Dog 3: Battle of the Beat (2022):

In the first “Rock Dog” movie in 2016, we saw a scenario play out that had our doggie hero named Bodi (voice of Owen Wilson), a teenage Himalayan mastiff, encounter a radio that had fallen from the sky, acquainting him for the first time with the kind of music he wanted to play in a rock band. He was off into the world of touring bands along with music legend Angus Scattergood (voice of Eddie Izzard). In this new instalment Bodi (now voiced by Graham Hamilton), takes a side trip back to his home town of Snow Mountain. On the way he becomes acquainted with an all-girl band who, for some reason, has never heard of the legendary Angus Scattergood, who had been a judge on a musical reality show not unlike American Idol. Bodi jumps in to be the new coach and in the process wants to restore the good name of the legend. This one works for girls and boys from about age 8 to 13 or so … not much here for anyone else. Rated PG.

That '90s Show (2023) (TV Series):

Two decades have passed since a teenaged Eric Forman (Topher Grace), living with his family, and enjoying a life of 8 track tapes, the music of Led Zeppelin, and Farrah Fawcett posters, was the perception many had of what those days were like. To help make the transition to the '90s, a much more grown-up Topher Grace reprises his role of Erik in the first episode of this new series, not to be seen for the balance of the episodes of season one. The actors who played his parents, Red and Kitty Forman (Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp) are back for the full 10 segments of this new show however. Wilmer Valderrama who played Fez in the original series also makes an appearance in the initial episode. The venue is still the State of Wisconsin, and it's 1995. Leia Forman, daughter of Eric and Donna (Laura Prepon) pays a summer visit to her grandparents and is introduced to a whole new generation of friends, not-so-friendly teens, and some that will become friends for life in the town of Point Place. Rated 14A.

Slumberland (2022):

A good cast shows up for this adventure story that will appeal to children 8 or 10 and up. Based on the comic book series "Little Nemo in Slumberland '' by Winston McClay, we follow the adventures of a tweenage girl named Nemo and her eccentric companion Flip (Jason Mamoa) who come together after Nemo's father Peter (Kyle Chandler goes missing at sea. Set in the Pacific Northwest, but shot in Toronto, we follow Nemo as she is sent to live with relatives in the big city, a place foreign to her after the coastline life she had been living. While struggling in a new school with new people all around her, Nemo finds a secret map which hooks her up with Flip, and begins a challenging journey through lands of dreams and nightmares that she believes will help reunite her with her lost father. Rated PG.