February 19, 2017 “Britney Ever After” (*1/2 out of four) was a toxic Lifetime biography of Britney Spears (Natasha Bassett) showing her meteoric rise to worldwide stardom to her heavily publicized breakdown and subsequent comeback. Hard though it is to encompass Spears’ whole life into an hour-and-a-half, film features numerous unnecessary and unconvincing scenes which may or may not have happened and is jumbled in its structure. Bassett looks a little like Spears and does what she can with the feeble script and direction. Spears declined to participate in film’s production which explains the complete absence of any of her music and film doesn’t end as much as stop. After this and Aaliyah and Whitney’s movies, Lifetime may want to swear off music biographies before they “do it again.” Continue reading →
February 19, 2017 “American Fable” (*1/2 out of four) was a dreary story about an 11-year old (Peyton Kennedy) living in the rural MIdwest who discovers a man (Richard Schiff) is being held hostage in her family’s silo in order to save their struggling farm and she is then forced to decide whether to save the man’s life or protect her family and their farm. Potentially interesting story of childhood innocence, family ties, and moral dilemnas is undone by sluggish pacing and overlength. The type of story that needed a sure-handed director like Steven Spielberg or Ron Howard to bring it to life. Continue reading →
February 18, 2017 “XX (** out of four) was a lukewarm horror-movie anthology about four separate stories; in the first, a boy looks into a box and then refuses to eat and gets very ill. In the second, a dead body is discovered shortly before a birthday party causing everyone to panic. In the third, four friends on a trek in the desert uncover a painting that unearths an evil spirit. In the fourth, a concerned mother finds that her strange son has become the spawn of Satan. None of the stories are worth watching, although film is mercifully short at only 80 minutes. Movies like this make you appreciate “Creepshow” and “Tales From The Darkside” that much more. Continue reading →
February 18, 2017 “Check Point” (**1/2 out of four) was a richly told and engrossing small-town melodrama set in North Carolina about a local vagrant who discovers plans for an invasion of America but the local redneck sherriff (William Forsythe) dismisses his claims and has him locked up for loitering and it’s only after some increasingly strange occurrences that him, a former marine (Bill Goldberg), and others (Mindy Robinson, Kane Hodder, Fred Williamson) begin to gradually agree that something isn’t quite right. Not so much an action blowout as many might expect and not a total success but is a surprisingly well-told and well-acted story of Americana and how many in small-town U.S.A. might react (and overreact) to the threat of attack. Goldberg is rock-solid; Forsythe is good too in a role he can probably by now play in his sleep although his character’s explanation towards the end is laughable. Continue reading →
February 18, 2017 “In Dubious Battle” (** out of four) was a lugubrious adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic novel about a farmer (Nat Wolff) who becomes embroiled with a labor activist (James Franco who also directed) in the strikes against farm owners in the 1930’s. Franco’s loving tribute to union activists and American farm workers unfortunately never builds with momentum or story and ends up fizzling. Film is well-acted and handsomely shot but story and characters lack fire which would have made this really satisfying. Compare this to John Sayles’ 1987 masterwork “Matewan” which covered similar ground. Continue reading →
February 18, 2017 “A Dog’s Purpose” (*** out of four) was a bittersweet story about a dog who attempts to discover his meaning and purpose in life over the course of several lifetimes and owners (Dennis Quaid, Britt Robertson, Kwitt Ameyaw). The dogs are all adorable and are “great actors” and film has a heart-wrenching climax but film wavers uneasily between an innocent children’s film and a downbeat adult story about separation and loss. Many nice moments however and film is beautifully photographed enough to make it worthwhile for both adults and kids. Game effort by director Lasse Hallstrom, even if this falls short of some of his best work (“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?”, “Once Around.”) Continue reading →
February 18, 2017 “Bottom Of The World” (*1/2 out of four) was a terminally weird melodrama that belongs on the bottom of your list about a traveling couple (Douglas Smith and Jena Malone) whose road to happiness meets a few unexpected detours leading both of them to question their identity and sanity. You might question your own sanity if you make it to the end of this extremely bizarre mess. Similar at times to David Lynch’s “Wild At Heart” but sadly missing his masterly touch. Continue reading →
February 18, 2017 “Rules Don’t Apply” (** out of four) was a disappointing biographical Hollywood melodrama set in 1958 about Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty) and his relationship with an aspiring actress (Lily Collins) and her driver (Aiden Eirenreich) who fall in love. Director Beatty’s first film in nearly 20 years (and his first starring role since 2001) is frustratingly unfocused, since the movie isn’t so much about Howard Hughes and he is so much more interesting than the other characters who take over. Film is well-acted and handsomely shot but has very little story or substance. Beatty’s performance is much stronger than his directing. Matthew Broderick has a strong role as one of Hughes’ sidemen but his character too fades to the background after a while. Continue reading →
February 15, 2017 “The Lego Batman Movie” (*** out of four) was a fun animated entry in the “Batman” canon about the Dark Knight (voiced by Will Arnett) struggling to eliminate crime from Gotham City while struggling to raise a young boy named Robin who he adopted and trying to sort out his own psychological and identity conflicts from his youth. Story has its ups-and-downs but is so visually spectacular and at times unexpectedly sharp and funny that it’s entertaining for kids and for Batman fans. At any rate, it’s much more fun than last year’s “Batman vs. Superman.” Rosario Dawson provides the voice of Batgirl, Zach Galifianakis voices the Joker, and Conan O’Brien of all people is the voice of the Riddler. Continue reading →
February 15, 2017 “Parasites” (*** out of four) was a taut, effective sleeper about a group of college students whose car breaks down on the wrong side of town and are stalked and pursued to the death by a relentless group of homeless guys and must try to stay alive and escape. Lean and mean action thriller is skillfully directed by Chad Ferrin even though it owes more than a bit to 1993’s “Judgment Night.” Final twenty minutes don’t have the same intensity as the rest of the film but film’s climax may strike a nerve with its topicality. Superb music score by Michael Olivo. Continue reading →
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