March 14, 2017March 14, 2017 “King Kong: Skull Island” (*** out of four) was a fun reimagining of the classic story about a group of scientists and expedionists (Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson) who venture into the Pacific and find themselves in the domain of Kong and must fight for their lives to escape. Resembles more “Jurassic Park” than any of the previous “Kong” films but it’s no less entertaining, with superior visual effects, beautiful cinematography, and great soundtrack selections. Strong cast led by Sam who is ageless and repeats his classic line from “Jurassic Park”, and also gets kudos for reuniting both Jason Mitchell and Corey Hawkins from “Straight Outta Compton”. Continue reading →
March 14, 2017 “Wolves” (** out of four) was a sincere but unexceptional teenage melodrama about an 18-year old basketball star (Taylor John Smith) who seems to have it all- a pending scholarship to Cornell, being the captain of his team, and a beautiful and supportive girlfriend- but his life is gradually undone by his unstable father (Michael Shannon) and his alcoholism and gambling addiction. Good performances can only do so much with a well-worn and predictable story we’ve seen plenty of times before. Basketball game climax is emotional, though, and almost makes rest of the movie worth sitting through. Continue reading →
March 13, 2017March 13, 2017 “Bedeviled” (** out of four) was a weak horror thriller about five friends who are terrorized by an unseen murderous force after downloading a mysterious app to their phone which eventually takes over their phones, then their lives, and then their sanity. Potentially scary story about horror in the digital and social media age is too uneven and silly although it has a few good jolts every now and then. For a scarier and more twisted horror movie about social media, watch “Unfriended” instead. Continue reading →
March 12, 2017March 12, 2017 “Blood, Sand, and Gold” (** out of four) was an expendable action thriller about an archaeologist (Monica West) who discovers gold in the Sahara Desert. When it is stolen, she enlists rogue mercenary (Aaron Costa Ganis) on a global quest to steal it back. Attempt at a Bond-like espionage thriller is never terribly compelling or exciting, despite lots of international intrigue and underworld twists and turns. Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone can do this- and do it better- in their sleep. Continue reading →
March 12, 2017March 12, 2017 “Population Zero” (*** out of four) was an incisive mockumentary about the investigation into a series of murders at Yellowstone National Park and how the murderer who confessed was freed and dismissed due to a legalistic loophole within the courts. But film goes even deeper into the ruptures that occurred within the family’s small town and how the killer was motivated by the big-business affects of fracking. Engrossing story holds you attention from start to finish. How “real” it is can be debated and may effect your enjoyment but film is still fascinating and well-made. Continue reading →
March 11, 2017March 11, 2017 “Quarries” (** out of four) was a blah, by-the-numbers horror show about a group of women (Nicole Marie Johnson, Carrie Finklea, Leisha Hailey, Sara Mornell) who go on a trip into the wilderness and are besieged and terrorized by a group of mutant backwoods rednecks and have to band together and fight back in order to survive. Neither the best nor worst of its kind but you’ve seen it all before and done better, in “Wrong Turn” and “Mother’s Day” among others. You may want to watch those instead of sitting through this pointless retread. Continue reading →
March 11, 2017March 11, 2017 “Larceny” (*1/2 out of four) was a tiresome action thriller starring a grizzled Dolph Lundgren as a grizzled former D.E.A. agent hired by the C.I.A. to break into a top-secret Mexican prison and retrieve stolen information that can lead to worldwide political chaos. Fitting title for a movie that liberally steals from “Assault On Precinct 13”, “Lock Out”, and many other (better) movies to think of. Film’s villain is a senator who wants to build a wall separating the U.S. from Mexico and how’s that for topicality! Corbin Bernsen livens things up a little as one of Lundgren’s former partners in crime. Continue reading →
March 11, 2017 “The Night Watchmen” (*1/2 out of four) was a cheesy, lame horror comedy about three inept night watchmen (Ken Arnold, Dan Deluca, Kevin Jiggets) who are besieged by a horde of bloodthirsty vampires and have to defend their lives and their building to the death in a less-than-epic showdown. Climax where one of the security guards burns a pound of kush through the ventilator system and all the vampires start laughing is a real knee-slapper but it’s the only funny scene in the movie. What the hell is James Remar doing in this? Continue reading →
March 11, 2017March 11, 2017 “Highway To Havasu” (* out of four) was an excruciatingly unfunny teenage comedy romp about two buddies (Caleb Thomas and Andrew Fromer) who kidnap their broken-hearted friend (Ben Edlin) and take him on a less-than-enthralling road trip to Lake Havasu. Lame writing and direction and irritatingly stupid characters sink this all the way. In desperate need of a coherent script and characters who are even slightly likeable. This unwatchable dreck makes any of the “Porky’s” or “American Pie” sequels look like the Golden Age of comedy by comparison. Continue reading →
March 11, 2017March 11, 2017 “The Raking” (*1/2 out of four) was an amateurish horror show about a group of student friends (Bryan Brewer, Cree Kelly, Allie Rivera) who go on a cultural anthropology camping trip and are stalked and murdered by a hideous creature whose bad makeup and costume are shoddily ripped off from “Lord Of The Rings.” Opening scene is fairly scary but it’s all downhill from there, as film becomes by-the-numbers and boring. Pretty much for those who will rent anything from Redbox. Continue reading →
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