September 7, 2016 “Skiptrace” (*** out of four) was a fast-paced buddy comedy about a Chinese detective (Jackie Chan) who teams up with an American misfit gambler (Johnny Knoxville) to take down a Chinese criminal who has targeted them both. Director Renny Harlin’s throwback to action buddy comedies of the 1980’s (“Lethal Weapon”, “Midnight Run”) is no classic but remains entertaining by throwing in everything but the kitchen sink and never stops moving. Both Knoxville and Chan seem to be having fun and make a good team. Originally this was supposed to be a fourth movie in the “Rush Hour” series but this is actually much better and more entertaining than that series. Continue reading →
September 7, 2016 “Kickboxer: Vengeance” (*** out of four) was a fun remake of the 1989 action potboiler that’s somehow held up as a classic about a MMA fighter (Alain Moussi) who travels to Thailand to avenge the death of his brother in the ring and trains with his brother’s former trainer (Jean Claude Van Damme from the original). Higher quality in terms of style and fillmmaking than you might expect and filled with plenty of martials arts fighting and hand-to-hand combat. Van Damme has one of his best roles in years as the young fighter’s mentor although the beautiful Gina Carrano is wasted as a villain who sets the story in motion. Continue reading →
September 3, 2016 “Deadman Apocalypse” (*1/2 out of four) was a low-rent apocalypse melodrama about a soldier named Jack Deadman (Edward Carlton) and his military team assigned to enter the underground tomb of Labyrinthia where they become entrapped for years and need to fight for survival. Not all that different from “Tank 432” which I reviewed yesterday but this is even chintzier and more derivative. It’s about time these post-apocalyptic horror movies when back to Hell and stayed there. Stirring music score by Sam Benjafield is one of film’s few assets. Continue reading →
September 3, 2016 “Decommissioned” (**1/2 out of four) was a fairly entertaining action thriller about a retired C.I.A. agent (Johnny Messner) whose family are kidnapped and threatened unless he assassinates the president, putting him in a crossfire of organized crime, the police, the Secret Service, and his former friends at the C.I.A. Nail-biting story moves fast and features the requisite amount of action but story gets more than a little ridiculous after a while. Given a charge from juicy roles from a top-notch supporting cast including James Remar as the main kidnapper, Vinnie Jones as a shady C.I.A. operative, and Michael Pare as a hard-nosed cop on the case. Continue reading →
September 3, 2016 “Dough” (*** out of four) was an amusing comedy about an old Jewish baker (Jonathan Pryce) struggling to keep his business afloat who then hires a young Muslim worker (Jerome Holder) who puts marijuana in his dough which unexpectedly sends sales sky high but leads to even more unexpected complications from the mob and a business mogul who wants to shut him down. Overly contrived story is made palatable by winning cast of charismatic actors, especially Pryce who has one of his best roles in years. Similar story was told in 2000’s “Chocolat” with Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. Continue reading →
September 3, 2016 “Tank 432” (** out of four) was an earnest but empty, by-the-numbers war melodrama about a group of mercenaries and two prisoners who take cover from battle inside an abandoned tank and struggle to maintain their sanity and stay alive. Good performances and some pretty scenery are undone by film’s drab visual presentation and the fact that many other war movies (“Saving Private Ryan”, “Full Metal Jacket” just to name a few) have covered this territory much more brutally and successfully. Continue reading →
September 3, 2016 “Blood Moon” (*1/2 out of four) was a drab horror thriller set in the 1800’s about a stagecoach of travellers, a gunslinger, and two outlaws arrive in a deserted mining town lit by the glow of a reddish full moon and find they are gradually stalked by a ravenous beast. Combination of “The Howling” and historical drama is a real snooze although the blood moon itself sure looks cool. Shaun Dooley, who looks like a young Michael Parks, stands out in the cast but he’s eclipsed by the sleepy pacing and surroundings. Continue reading →
September 3, 2016 “Summer Of Dreams” (**1/2 out of four) was a pleasant but bland story about a washed-up pop star (Debbie Gibson) who is forced to move back to her hometown and finds her passion for music and life renewed when she becomes a music teacher at a local high school. Best thing about the movie is Gibson who is sweet and engaging in a role that obviously parallels her own career in some ways; unfortunately the movie is too square and predictable. You may want to listen to Debbie’s greatest-hits instead. Continue reading →
September 3, 2016 “Maximum Ride” (*1/2 out of four) was a maximum time-waster about six children who are cross-bred genetically with avian DNA and take flight around the country to discover their origins and subsequently discover their destiny. Unfortunately, the story and script never takes flight and remains a pallid rehash of “The Maze Runner” and the “Divergent” series but without those movie’s spectacle and grandeur. Script is by James Patterson who based this on his novel but he must have had something else on his mind. Continue reading →
September 3, 2016 “Ben Hur” (** out of four) was a tedious fifth film adaptation of the legendary 1880 novel about prince Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) who is falsely accused of treason and banished from civilization. He is then trained by a warrior mentor (Morgan Freeman) and returns to seek revenge but finds redemption ahead. Visually impressive with spectacular sets and some good battle scenes and good performances but story stalls after a while and becomes tiresome and talky. Yet another historical epic that comes up hollow when compared next to “Gladiator”, “Braveheart”, and “Troy” which this was obviously inspired by. Continue reading →
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