August 24, 2016 “Genius” (** out of four) was a disappointing biographical drama set in the 1920’s and 30’s in which writer Tom Wolfe (Jude Law) was befriended and taken under publication by famous editor Max Perkins (Colin Firth) which led to a tremendous amount of success but also gradual bitterness and deterioration before Wolfe’s death. Interesting story of one man’s maddening talent and determination has rich period detail and two great actors but fails to connect and take off. Law is good but Tom Wolfe’s character is so over-the-top and strange it’s hard to like him. Firth is terrific as always and keeps this afloat with his effortless charisma. Continue reading →
August 24, 2016 “The JL Ranch” (** out of four) was a meandering, pointless family drama set in Texas about the rivalry between a veteran rancher (James Caan) and a former sheriff (Jon Voight) which intensifies as family and business secrets begin to be revealed. What a shame to have the joining of two legendary actors and have them ambling through such a mediocre and predictable story. Both actors are easy to watch as always but this warmed-over Larry McMurtry tripe is easy to forget. Continue reading →
August 24, 2016 “Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates” (*1/2 out of four) was a shrill, annoying comedy that needed a better writer and director instead. Two hard-partying losers (Zac Efron and Adam Devine) need to find dates for their sister’s Hawaiian wedding but instead find two girls (Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza) who are more uncontrollable and wild than they are. Fast-paced comedy unfortunately lacks brains and laughs and becomes irritatingly noisy and stupid. Strictly for those who thought “The Hangover II and III” were robbed at Oscar time. Continue reading →
August 24, 2016 “Hell Or High Water” (**1/2 out of four) was a lukewarm crime melodrama about two brothers (Chris Pine and Ben Forster) who begin robbing banks across the Texas border with a bigoted and wearying sheriff (Jeff Bridges) on their trail. Interesting story about brotherhood and desperation feels like a homage to Sam Peckinpah but unfortunately never shifts into high-gear. Film has magnificent cinematography, a stirring music score, and a great role for Bridges but also a rather logy and uneven script. Only the final half-hour has any sustained tension and suspense. Continue reading →
August 24, 2016 “Imperium” (*** out of four) was an imperfect but commanding drama about an idealistic young F.B.I. agent (Daniel Radcliffe) who is assigned to go undercover to infiltrate a white supremacy movement and he must try to conceal his true identity as an agent, find out the next steps of the white supremacists, and try and stay alive. Radcliffe is sensational in a change-of-pace role for him and makes this story tense and compelling even as it strains credibility at times. Sam Trammell is also very strong as a Mr. Rogers-like family man with a double life as a hating supremacist. Continue reading →
August 24, 2016 “Beyond The Call Of Duty” (*1/2 out of four) was a chintzy, by-the-numbers action melodrama about five special ops soldiers who probably wouldn’t be picked for bunk duty but are somehow selected for a Recon Mission which turns deadly when they discover various experiments (yawn) with the undead that threaten worldwide destruction. Allegedly inspired by the video game “Call Of Duty” but should inspire viewers instead to watch “Full Metal Jacket”, “American Sniper”, or any episode of “The Walking Dead.” Continue reading →
August 24, 2016 “The American Side” (** out of four) was a wearying detective melodrama about a low-rent gumshoe (Greg Stuhr) who is called to investigate a suicide at Niagara Falls but stumbles onto a murder conspiracy involving a plot to build an invention built by famed scientist Nikola Tesla! Stuhr is solid and compelling in the lead but this story is stretched well beyond its interest and limits at nearly two hours. Throwback to the detective and gumshoe melodramas of the 1970’s feels like warmed-over reheatings of Coppola and Michael Mann. Continue reading →
August 24, 2016 “Ticket Out” (** out of four) was a muddled Redbox melodrama about a single parent (Alexandra Breckinridge) who assaults her children’s abusive father (Billy Burke) in self-defense but is forced to take it on the run and seek refuge with an underground adversary (Ray Liotta) who offers her help. Passable beginning soon subsides as plot twists become ridiculous and Liotta’s character motivations remain murky. Final showdown is especially dumb. Good performances all around but perhaps they should have found their own “ticket out” to a better screenplay. Continue reading →
August 24, 2016 “Sundown” (*1/2 out of four) was a tiresome teen comedy about two partying high-schoolers (Devon Werkheiser and Sean Marquette) who go on Spring Break to Mexico in search of girls and good times but become embroiled with an underworld gangster after one of them sleeps with a girl at a club (and don’t ask) she steals his family heirloom. Lame rip-off of “The Hangover” is as dumb as it is contrived and goes on forever at nearly two hours. A few fun party scenes liven things up once in a while but duds like this are enough to make you want to join A.A. Continue reading →
August 24, 2016 “The Model” (** out of four) was a torpid melodramatic noir set in France about a young fledgling fashion model (Maria Palm) trying to establish her career and begins a dangerous relationship with an erratic high-profile photographer (Ed Skrein). Handsomely mounted and shot but story and characters are cold and uninvolving and subsequently the movie is hard to get involved in or care about. Holds your interest for a while with explicit sex scenes but you soon realize it’s going nowhere slowly. Director Mads Matthiesen shows a flair for mood in his feature-length debut but could use a shot of adrenaline and caffeine. Continue reading →
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