‘FLIGHT RISK’ RATED R

With a lean running time of ninety minutes, “Flight Risk” manages to deliver mindless popcorn entertainment, at the hands of director Mel Gibson, that provides thrills in a uniquely claustrophobic atmosphere.

Another interesting feature to this thriller is the focus almost exclusively on three characters riding on a single-engine Cessna through the Alaskan skies over snow-capped mountains with nary any other visible landscape in sight until the climactic end.

The film opens briefly on the ground at a seedy motel room where Topher Grace’s mob accountant Winston is apprehended by U.S. Marshal Madolyn Harris (Michelle Dockery) and some cohorts. Fearing for his life, Winston is a reluctant witness for the upcoming trial of his mob boss.

Mark Wahlberg’s Daryl Booth is a bush pilot who has been hired to fly Madolyn and her prisoner to Anchorage to connect on a timely flight destined to New York in time for Winston’s testimony.

Shackled to the back seat of the Cessna, the garrulous, nervous Winston is a source of humor for his sarcastic wisecracks that soon begin to grate on the Marshal, while serving to lighten the mood in a turbulent ride, if that’s possible.

Not long into the flight, Daryl with his exaggerated Southern drawl turns out not to be the person he was supposed to be. That he’s not the good guy is obvious in the film’s trailer, so revealing this information is not a spoiler.

One question that everyone might consider is what is the deal with Daryl’s wig getting knocked off, revealing his balding pate that makes him look like a deranged Franciscan monk.

Aside from the trio of travelers on a possibly doomed flight and after tasing Daryl into submission, Madolyn connects by satellite phone with her superior (voiced by Leah Remini), which leads to another element of intrigue.

The other unseen player is the flirty Hassan (Monib Abhat), a pilot who’s engaged to help Madolyn land the plane once Daryl has been knocked unconscious even though the tension is palpable that he may rise once again as an immediate threat.

The confined space of a small plane created challenges for the storyline, but despite any of its flaws “Flight Risk” managed to keep the suspense afloat, mainly because Mark Wahlberg’s psychotic hitman was deliciously over-the-top with his maniacal turn.

As an actor with wide range, Wahlberg appears to have been directed to be just as outlandishly insane as possible, to the extreme point where to him having been the man of droll humor in films like “The Other Guys,” “Ted,” and Netflix’s “Spenser Confidential” seems improbable.

Coming most likely as a shock to very few, an overwhelming number of movie critics have savaged “Flight Risk” on Rotten Tomatoes for a variety of artistic reasons. They should know that films typically released in January are unlikely to garner any awards.

On the other hand, a giant step removed from film snobbery is the realization that “Flight Risk” is exactly what it obviously aspired to be, namely just fun that doesn’t tax the brain.

Quoted in the press notes, Mel Gibson explained that with the film’s claustrophobic setting, “We’ve played into everyone’s fear of flying, high altitudes, falling, and crashing.” Unless you are about to start flying lessons, this movie could be an entertaining outing.




‘GOING DUTCH’ ON FOX NETWORK

Denis Leary’s trademark angry rants are most fitting for his role in FOX’s “Going Dutch” of U.S. Army Colonel Patrick Quinn, who has run afoul of military brass and gets reassigned to a useless Army base in the Netherlands, hence the show’s title.

In the first episode, decorated combat veteran Colonel Quinn arrives at USAG Baumholder, Germany with his executive officer, Major Abraham Shah (Danny Pudi) in the belief he will be given command of the Army base.

General Davidson (Joe Morton), with good reason to hold a grudge, tells Quinn he’s being sent to command USAG Stroopsdorf, an insignificant service base that’s known for its laundry service, bowling and making cheese.

Arriving with Major Shah at the Dutch-based garrison, Colonel Quinn’s first encounter is with overweight, long-haired Corporal Elias Papadakis (Hal Cumpston), riding a bicycle, which prompts the Colonel to call him “a fat hippie on a bike.”

Sgt. Dana Conway (Luci Mosley) welcomes Quinn to the fromagerie and a tour of the other amenities, including a teen center on a base where there are no kids and which exists only because the budget allowed for a teen center.

The biggest surprise in store is when the Colonel meets the interim base commander, Capt. Maggie Quinn (Taylor Misiak), his estranged daughter, whose method of operation is the polar opposite of her father’s exacting style. That conflict between them is inevitable should be a source for humor.

With a military base full of misfits seemingly armed only with cue sticks and bowling pins, “Going Dutch” may yet find its footing as an entertaining off-beat comedy if the potential displayed in the early stage of the series is fully realized.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Rehearsals are underway for the Lake County Theatre Co.’s highly anticipated production, “Matilda the Musical,” coming to Lakeport in March.

With a dynamic cast of 30, including over 20 talented children, the energy in the rehearsal room is electric as the cast gears up for their big debut.

At the helm of this production are directors Tim Barnes and Jenna Rodgers. They are supported by a dedicated team, including Dave Sammel as assistant music director, and choreographers Laura Sammel, Sarah Dutra, Nicole Flora, Danielle Meader and Marah Bandit.

The entire crew works together to ensure that each rehearsal runs like clockwork. Behind the scenes, Laura Barnes dots the i’s and crosses the t’s as the show’s producer.

“We’re running a tight ship,” said Barnes. “But I like to think it’s a fun ship! The excitement and enthusiasm of the cast, especially the kids, is contagious. Although,” he laughs, “we do have some exceptionally energetic adults! The talent in this cast is amazing. We’re pushing them to bring their best to the stage every day, and we’re already seeing the show come together in some incredible ways.”

The rehearsals are a whirlwind of activity, with high-energy dances, comedic musical numbers, and moments of theatrical brilliance coming together as the cast prepares to bring Roald Dahl’s beloved story to life. The show’s mix of heartwarming moments wrapped in the perfect mix of light and dark humor are sure to captivate Lake County audiences.

“We’ve got a group of really hard-working kids who are putting in their all,” said Rodgers. “The level of talent and passion on display is inspiring. Most of these kiddos are performing in their very first major production and they are rising to the challenge. We can’t wait for everyone to see what we’re creating.”

“Matilda the Musical” hits the Soper Reese stage on March 7 and continues through March 16. Tickets are on sale now for only $17. At the door, ticket prices will increase to $22. Visit www.soperreese.com to purchase your tickets today!

For more information, visit www.lctc.us, contact Laura Barnes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-533-3406.

‘DOC’ ON FOX

There is no lack of medical dramas on network television and streaming services. ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” remains a long-running series, along with NBC’s “Chicago Med.” New to the scene is MAX’s “The Pitt,” starring Noah Wyle as a doctor.

This review focuses on FOX’s new series “Doc,” which fascinates from the point of view that it derives its premise from an Italian series based on the true-life story of Dr. Pierdante Piccioni.

For anyone knowing Italian, the title of the fictionalized version of Dr. Piccioni’s story of serious injury to the cerebral cortex is “Doc – Nelle tui Mani,” which translates as “Doc – In Your Hands.”

The Italian medic suffered a coma during an accident in 2013, and upon waking up from a lesion on his brain, his last memory is that of the day of his son’s birthday in 2001. He lost all memory of the previous twelve years of life.

Set in the year 2024, the first episode of “Doc” finds Molly Parker’s Dr. Amy Larsen, a hard-charging, brilliant Chief of Internal Medicine, engaging colleagues as well as patients in a brusque manner. She exudes no warmth and lacks a fuzzy bedside manner.

The series opens with a horrific car crash when Amy is driving home from a late night at the Westside Hospital where her unsparing workaholic attitude rubs most of the staff the wrong way. The accident leaves her with partial retrograde amnesia.

After the opening credit, the story shifts to 24 hours earlier, allowing us to witness Amy in action, bossing the medical staff around and treating a very pregnant woman suffering an undiagnosed life-threatening malady with the compassion of a dead fish.

Flashbacks will be frequent so that we know more about Amy’s past than she does, considering how she now has no memory of the past eight years, yet remembering that she was married and had an estranged daughter.

Amy is shocked to learn that she’s been divorced for four years from her beloved husband, Dr. Michael Hamda (Omar Metwally), who also works at the hospital. In fact, her entire family is not what she remembers, rocking her sensibilities to a distressed state of mind.

Fueling a greater sense of bewilderment is the strained relationship with her resentful teenage daughter Katie (Charlotte Fountain-Jardim) who can only be remembered as an innocent nine-year-old.

Even worse for her than the marital discord and estrangement, Amy is traumatized to learn the passing of her son, which turned her into a cold and callous person who grated on colleagues and patients alike.

She also can’t remember her secret romance with handsome Dr. Jake Heller (Jon-Michael Ecker), who is evidently younger. This creates an awkward situation for Jake who fondly remembers the intimacy they once had, including a sexually-charged passionate moment in a parked car at the hospital.

Amy’s remaining best friend at the hospital, neuropsychiatrist Dr. Gina Walker (Amirah Vann), has little guidance to provide for her new reality since matters of the brain are, even to the experts, still a big mystery.

Gina may be hopeful for recovery, but it’s uncertain if Amy will regain her memories. In Amy’s fragile state, Gina must choose carefully what information from the past eight years to reveal, lest too much too soon could prove more harmful than good.

Meanwhile, just before the accident, Amy was waiting for an autopsy report that might reveal that fellow doctor Richard Miller (Scott Wolf), may have been responsible for a medical decision gone horribly wrong that could be a career-ending move.

In an ironic twist, Richard is promoted as the interim Chief of Internal Medicine, a position he has coveted and would hate to forfeit should Amy’s memory return. One can wonder what tricks might Richard have up his sleeve in desperation to avoid further scrutiny.

Adding to the drama is Amy’s predicament with her previously contentious and harsh behavior that left her with more than a few enemies at the hospital, including Dr. Sonya Maitra (Anya Banerjee).

Pleasantly, Amy fondly remembers intern Dr. TJ Coleman (Patrick Walker), an orderly eight years ago who was inspired by her to pursue a promising future in a medical career.

Unaccustomed to being merely a patient, Amy starts to meddle in the affairs of other patients, giving advice that may run contrary to the primary attending physician’s diagnosis, but may show that she hasn’t lost her touch, as she desperately seeks to convince superiors of a desire to return to practice.

The Italian doctor rebuilt his life and began treating patients again. Will “Doc” take a path for Amy’s redemption and return to medicine? Where the storyline may possibly go warrants watching more episodes.

Medical dramas often feel overextended with a basic storyline. “Doc” moves on a different path outside the standard genre, by concentrating its attention largely on the struggle of one doctor to recover from serious injury and return to the practice of medicine.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — The Middletown Art Center has opened its latest exhibition, “Entanglement.”

This vibrant exhibition brings together a diverse group of twenty local artists in a compelling display that delves into personal, community and global experiences of entanglement.

From the physical and emotional to the scientific and surreal, the exhibition explores entanglement in all its forms — connections that bind, unravel, and redefine our understanding of the world and our relationships with one another.

As MAC’s 10-year anniversary approaches, this 56th exhibit highlights a decade of creativity and community.

Among the featured artists is Darren Jekel, showcasing his new large, movement-filled paintings “Circus of the Sun” and “Elen’s Circus,” both completed in the past few weeks.

Jekel’s gridded, painterly charcoal and oil paint engage both artist and viewer in a dialogue with Henri Matisse’s La Danse, the dancer/model Elen, and the interplay of color, shape, line, frameworks, and boundaries.

Entanglement offers a rare glimpse into Jekel's captivating work, revealing the evolution of his artistry and the themes driving his creative vision.

Most works are on view locally for the first time, with some returning works that are integral to the show and the thematic meaning. There are a breadth of approaches to the theme from artists both familiar and new to MAC.

Free to the public, “Entanglement” will be on view through early/mid April, Thursday through Monday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by appointment.

The Middletown Art Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging the public in art-making, art education, and art appreciation.

It provides a platform for diverse voices and perspectives, fostering an inclusive and accessible space for all.


The MAC is located at 21456 State Highway 175 at the junction of Highway 29 in Middletown.

To learn more about MAC’s programs, events, and ways to support their efforts to weave arts and culture into the fabric of life in Lake County, visit www.middletownartcenter.org, text or call 707-355-4465.

‘IN THE LAND OF SAINTS AND SINNERS’ Rated R on

Released in theaters last year and little noticed, “In the Land of Saints and Sinners” is a Liam Neeson film that fits into the canon of his late-career action pictures, albeit with a variance from such fare as “Taken” and “The Commuter.”

Set in the 1970s Northern Island during the times of The Troubles (conflict driven by nationalist and sectarian divisions), the violence of the time centered on bombings mostly in major urban areas.

Here, Liam Neeson’s Finbar Murphy is an aging hitman seeking the quiet life in a sleepy Irish coastal village when he’s pulled out of retirement for one last job for underworld boss Robert McQue (Colm Meaney).

Finbar may be an amoral hired killer but he’s developing a conscience, spurred somewhat by the conversation of his last victim forced to dig his own grave who suggests that the assassin should consider a different path in life.

The film opens with IRA firebrand Doireann McCann (Kerry Condon) and her cohorts planting a bomb in Belfast that results in the death of innocent children. The terrorist leader and her gang decide to go on the lam in the same little village that Finbar calls home.

The small town is picked because Doireann’s sister lives there in a trailer with her young daughter. The child ends up being abused by IRA member Curtis (Desmond Eastwood), and Finbar takes great offense to this maltreatment of the little girl.

As you can guess, Finbar won’t be reporting the offender to the authorities. His moral compass dictates what you can expect, if you’re aware of Neeson’s method of delivering vigilante justice.

Taking up gardening with the help of his neighbor, Finbar likes to spend time at the local pub and often meets up with friend Vincent O’Shea (Ciaran Hinds), a member of the local constabulary seemingly unaware of Finbar’s profession.

It turns out that Doireann is quite perturbed that harm comes for her cohort. She’s intensely fierce and determined to exact revenge, inevitably leading to a collision course with Finbar, who reverts to his past ways even without compensation.

While resorting to an expectedly climatic violent showdown at the local pub, “In the Land of Saints and Sinners” is more about human drama than action-packed thrills, and this leads to a fascinating story.

CRIME SHOWS ON A&E NETWORK

The A&E Network, like other cable channels, has its own share of crime series. The new year brings original series that delve into various facets of law enforcement, enhancing its lineup of crime and investigative programming.

Kicking off the slate is “Homicide Squad New Orleans,” which is produced in part by Dick Wolf’s company, whose prodigious amount of crime shows includes the “Law & Order” franchise and “Chicago P.D.”

To safeguard their streets, the New Orleans Police Department boasts a dedicated team of homicide detectives, many of whom are natives of the legendary city known for its “laissez les bon temps rouler” attitude.

“Homicide Squad New Orleans” chronicles the harrowing work of this committed group of men and women united against the odds to protect their city and home.

In each one-hour episode, the team will be faced with a new case and tasked with putting together the evidence to catch the perpetrator, find answers for the victims’ loved ones, and keep their community safe.

“Fugitive Hunters Mexico” brings viewers along as an elite Mexican task force pursues American fugitives hiding south of the border. Every year, hundreds of wanted Americans flee to Mexico to evade justice, thinking once they’ve crossed the border, they’re home free.

What these fugitives don’t realize is that there’s an elite Mexican police unit whose sole mission is to catch them. In this groundbreaking new series, viewers follow this undercover unit as they investigate, track, and capture outlaws.

With intel from American and Mexican authorities, this exclusive task force apprehends the runaways hiding out in Mexico to hand them over to law enforcement in the United States to face justice.

The summer season at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks is fertile grounds for a tourist invasion. The other nine months of the year are a peaceful home to just a few thousand residents.

“Ozark Law” follows two small police departments working to maintain order during the height of the tourist season, when millions flock to the area, seeking fun on the water and vibrant nightlife in the bars. This surge puts extra pressure on local law enforcement.

Narrated by actor Keith David, “Cold Case Files: Murder in the Bayou” features stories that the swamp threatened to swallow forever, but detectives managed to drag out into the light. No sin stays secret endlessly, no matter how deep in the muck it’s buried.

One episode, “The Devil in Hammond,” tells the story of a young mother found murdered in her car. Detectives in the small Louisiana town turn over every rock in search of her killer; her case languishes for more than 30 years before justice is finally served.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

‘CARRY-ON’ ON NETFLIX

With the holiday season now behind us, would debate over certain movies being called Christmas films result in a more dispassionate discussion? Argument has raged for some time about whether “Die Hard” is Yuletide entertainment.

Now we have Netflix’s “Carry-On,” similarly placed on Christmas Eve and involving redemption of the central character, to possibly raise, by comparison, the question about whether the Bruce Willis classic is holiday-centric entertainment.

The lead character in “Carry-On” is Taron Egerton’s Ethan Kopek, a TSA agent at Los Angeles International Airport, who reports for duty on one of the busiest days for holiday travelers.

Reporting for work, Ethan must figure the spirit of the season might be a good time to ask for a promotion from his churlish superior, Phil Sarkowski (Dean Norris), only to get shot down from consideration.

His best friend at work, fellow TSA agent Jason (Sinqua Walls), points out to Ethan that he started the same job two months after him and has already had two promotions to his zero. In Jason’s estimation, Ethan has been coasting on the job.

Ethan’s live-in girlfriend Nora (Sofia Carson), pregnant with their first child, also works at the airport in a managerial position with fictional Northwind Airlines.

With fatherhood on the way, Ethan needs to step up his game. His aspiration to be a police officer has failed due to not getting beyond the entrance exam to the academy. Meanwhile, he hasn’t shown much initiative to get on track for advancement in his current position.

Hoping to rectify his situation, Ethan pleads with his dubious boss for a more important assignment, such as working the security check-in to monitor bags as they pass through the X-ray machine instead of dwelling in the bowels of the terminal.

Getting his way to man the security station, his request to demonstrate fresh ambition will be something Ethan will soon regret when he gets targeted as second choice to look the other way when a certain piece of luggage gets scanned by a passenger wearing a red baseball cap.

Pulling the strings is a person only credited as the Traveler (Jason Bateman), who has done his homework on Ethan and his previous first choice to know their vulnerabilities related to their personal and professional lives.

For his part, Bateman is working against type; here he’s truly an intimidating villain rather than showing his usual deadpan comedic delivery most evident in a string of comedy films and the TV series “Arrested Development.”

Bateman’s Traveler, clad in dark clothes and black hat, exudes menace in his methodical approach to bullying Ethan to do his bidding. It all starts with an earpiece Ethan is instructed by text to wear and follow every command lest Nora be killed.

What the Traveler tells the TSA agent is that all he needs to do is exactly nothing. Let the bag pass inspection through the machine without raising a red flag. He makes it all sound so simple.

But it’s not that simple after all. The dilemma posed for Ethan in following through is that the love of his life will live, but hundreds more on an airplane will surely perish when the hidden device detonates mid-air.

Do you sacrifice the life of your partner if it means saving innocent lives? Under the watchful eye of the Traveler, how does Ethan resolve the dilemma when the anonymous criminal cohort (Theo Rossi) is an expert sniper who has Nora firmly within his sight?

Outside the airport, a subplot forms when Detective Elena Cole (Denielle Deadwyler) investigates a crime scene where there may be a link to what is transpiring with the terrorist plot unfolding at the airport.

Riding in a car with an FBI agent, the detective astutely figures out something wrong is afoot, and then the most spectacular action sequence occurs in the speeding sedan as Elena grapples with the driver while the careening vehicle smashes into various obstacles.

The subplot of a high-speed run on the freeway leads to the detective becoming part of an eventual denouement at the airport. We can sense that the plot will be averted, but getting there requires Ethan to outsmart the Traveler.

The challenge for Ethan is compounded by the knowledge that the Traveler is not bluffing for having already killed one of his TSA colleagues. Ethan has to become a hero, but how will he make it happen?

Director Jaume Collet-Serra has figured out how to deliver resolution while performing similar duties in the Liam Neeson films “The Commuter,” “Run All Night,” and “Non-Stop,” the latter involving a terror plot on a transatlantic flight.

This film does not ask much from its audience other than to enjoy the thrill ride of a throwback to an era when movies like “Die Hard” flourished. For that matter, “Carry-On” runs in the same genre as several of the director’s other films.

“Carry-On” is reliably entertaining despite its inherent predictability and the absence of plot logic when you start to think about what unfolds with a critical eye.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.