Mike Schulz talks with Dave Levora and Darren Pitra about the preview for Scream VI, featuring Jenny Ortega, Courtney Cox, Skeet Ulrich (incredibly enough, considering Scream I) and a change of scenery from Woodsborough, California (not many hiding places left for potential victims) for New York City (multi-story buildings, subways). “It [plays] to your memory, but in fun ways,” says Schulz. “I did not see that coming. . .  Consistently clever.” Having not yet reviewed Scream VI for the Reader, Schulz reports warm and fuzzy feelings about the ninth film in the Rocky franchise, Creed III (“They finally do something smart in [this Rocky iteration] in that they make the opponent incredibly empathetic, and it feels like a fair fight: I don’t want either of you dudes [Michael B Jordan/Creed or Jonathan Majors/Damian “Diamond Dame” Anderson] to win this fight”). Like Scream VI, Creed III finds a way to provide fan service while respecting the audience’s intelligence. Schulz wishes he could summon as much enthusiasm for Guy Ritchie’s Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, but it’s a “meh” experience, “just like a mid-Nineties entertainment”; Jason Statham’s starting to show his age, too. There’s much enthusiasm all around for 65: Bettendorf alums Scott Beck and Bryan Woods will be present March 11 for its appearance here. Incidentally, Schulz blames Sesame Street for instilling a lifelong fear of quicksand, which seems to be making a comeback as a silver-screen menace (and features in 65). As for the Oscars on Sunday, March 13, Schulz is hoping for fifteen of his predictions to come true — he’s got the bills, yo. . .

“Creed III” and “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre”