“Terminator: Dark Fate” is the sixth Terminator movie in the franchise and what was done very right with this latest installment was that James Cameron, threw out all that happened in the previous movies and started all over again with a new timeline. This was the only way to continue this great movie franchise that started in 1984 with the original “Terminator” film.

In the last Terminator movie, “Terminator Genisys”, released in 2015, the timeline was so complex and convoluted that the entire film made no sense. Eventually, with any story that involves time travel, an understandable and common sense story can get lost very quickly. This newest Terminator movie restarts the original idea created in the original “Terminator”, with a new Armageddon created by robots with the same reason for time travel. This time, to go back in time to end the life of a young Mexican woman who was helping humanity to defeat the machines, before she had a chance to save the human race.

With all of Terminator movies, the special effects are extremely good, but this one is one step better than the previous films because some of the action scenes are spectacular at a level that it is hard to believe that even with computer generation, the director was able to pull off some of the amazing action.

This latest installment, brings back Linda Hamilton, who last appeared in a Terminator movie in “Terminator Judgement Day”, that was released in 1991. Her appearance in this sequel is vital to the story line and most will be surprised at how she had aged, because she does look older than her 63 years.

The new protector of the young Mexican woman, Dani Ramos, played by Natalia Reyes, is actress Mackenzie Davis who is a enhanced human, not a robot that I thought was a very good additional idea for this story. Arnold Schwarzenegger is once again in another Terminator movie, having appeared in all of them expect for “Terminator Salvation”, released in 2009. This time around Arnold has not only aged, but over the years has developed very human characteristics, including even empathy for other human beings. Another great new idea is that the new Terminator has all the technology of the liquid metal version introduced in 1991, but this one can actually split into two terminators, with the second robot only skeletal.

The critics on Rotten Tomatoes are wrong again, giving Terminator: Dark Fate only a 70% rating. For the special effects alone, this movie should be given at least a 90% rating and I highly recommend this film.

The critics are saying that the new movie “Black and Blue” is a story we have seen before, about crooked cops, drug pushers and some very bad people who live in the some the worst areas of New Orleans. What the critics have missed is that when the production is very well done, like this one is, it doesn’t matter that we have seen some of this before.

The unusual aspect of this violent and realistic police drama is that the entire story centers around police cams that by law, are all placed in the center of the jersey’s of all police officers. Due to the many incidents involving police officers over the years, including too many illegal shootings, police h cameras provide evidence that can convict or exonerate someone in court.

This story involves a young female police officer, Alicia West, played very well by Naomie Harris who not only witnesses a murder, but also records the murder on her police cam. The rest of this film is about officer West trapped in a very dangerous part of New Orleans, fighting for her life and trying to bring the film evidence to a part of the New Orleans police department that is not corrupt. I am surprised by the low ratings on both Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB, because this film was well done and well acted, including actor Tyrese Gibson, who plays a local shop owner who gets caught up in helping Alicia West bringing the recorded video to justice.

I give Black and Blue a solid 75% rating and once again, the critics are wrong.

The movie “Western Stars” is a concert given by Bruce Springsteen and his wife Patty Scialfa in a barn somewhere in the American Northwest. This movie is not only for die hard Springsteen fans because even if you are not a fan of Springsteen, its impossible to not respect many years of dues that he has paid, and his talent as a singer and song writer. There are about 15 songs in this relatively short movie with each song preceded by some scenes in the countryside, narrated by Springsteen previewing each song. The cinematography showing the scenery of the American West is very well done. I thought all of the songs Springsteen sang during this movie were very good.

The Rotten Tomatoes ratings for Western Stars is a very high 90%, my rating is about 75% mainly for my respect and appreciation of Springsteen, who is now 70 years old, and his impressive career.