September 21, 2017 “Negative” (*** out of four) was a solid action thriller about a former British spy (Katia Winter) who has to take it on the run after a deal with a violent cartel goes wrong and she teams up with a photographer (Simon Quarterman) to stay alive and to uncover and expose the dangerous truth involving the underworld and the government. Yet another conspiracy action thriller clearly influenced by the “Bourne” movies but it moves fast and is carried along by the strong performances and interplay between its leads. Not a complete success and not without some minor lulls but overall well-made and entertaining. Continue reading →
September 19, 2017 “Blood Honey” (** out of four) was an ineffectual melodrama about a young woman (Shenae Grimes-Beech) who is affected by a childhood tragedy and returns to her family’s hunting lodge to be with her dying father (Gil Bellows) but finds herself immersed in a nightmare of survival involving her two cunning and manipulative brothers (Kenneth Mitchell and Don McKellar). Film is never as gripping or compelling as it should have been and is never terribly scary or moving. Beech’ solid performance holds your attention but film seems pointless by the end. Continue reading →
September 17, 2017 “The Wilde Wedding” (** out of four) was a disappointing comedy about a retired film star (Glenn Close) whose wedding to her fourth husband results in chaos when their respective families (Minnie Driver, Patrick Stewart, Peter Facinelli, and others) and her ex-husband (John Malkovich) all show up and open old wounds of bitterness and separation. Doesn’t take off despite that impressive cast; has its moments especially in the beginning but gradually becomes contrived and silly and plays like a sitcom pilot. Unsuccessful change-of-pace for director Damian Harris who directed the superior 1991 Goldie Hawn thriller “Deceived.” Continue reading →
September 16, 2017 “Justice” (** out of four) was a lackluster Western set in 1868 after the Civil War but a corrupt mayor (Stephen Lang) and a bloodthirsty gang of outlaws are intent on re-surging the war and turning an old abandoned mine into a military stronghold; a U.S. marshal (Jackson Rathbone) with a mysterious past rides into town and attempts to restore order. Handsomely photographed like most Westerns but story, characters, and dialogue are all so hollow and familiar. By this point, it’s the Western genre itself that needs to be re-surged because they’ve virtually all been the same since about 1868. Lang is first-rate again and once again shows he’s a dynamite character actor. Continue reading →
September 15, 2017 “Churchill” (*** out of four) was a compelling biographical drama of the famed British Prime Minister (Brian Cox) set during the 96 hours leading up to the D-Day invasion and how his opposition to the war led to him going against the main general (John Slattery) and others in England. Cox’ first-rate performance dominates and takes center stage in this film, even as the story covers limited ground and you wish it had a wider focus on other areas of his life. Ella Purnell and Miranda Richardson also stand out in key supporting roles. Continue reading →
September 15, 2017 “Campus Caller” (*1/2 out of four) was a wrong number melodrama about a former cop (Victoria Pratt) who goes investigating the disappearance of her daughter (Ireland Baldwin) at a university but finds a wall of academia bureaucracy and coverups that possibly leads back to (you don’t say) the state government. Recommended only for those who have never seen a conspiracy thriller before or are genuinely shocked of the revelation of the government being involved in evil affairs. Not all that different from Mel Gibson’s similarly awful 2010 “Edge Of Darkness.” Film’s only distinction is seeing Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin’s daughter Ireland in a prominent role but hopefully she gets calls for better movies soon. Continue reading →
September 15, 2017 “The Glass Castle” (*** out of four) was a quietly powerful adaptation of Jeannette Walls’ (Brie Larson) memoir about her upbringing in a dysfunctional family with nomadic parents (Naomi Watts and Woody Harrelson) through the South and Midwest and the film cross-cuts back and forth from her childhood to seeing her as an adult who struggles to move on in life. Film never soars and excels to full emotional power but is full of poignant moments and anchored by strong performances, especially Harrelson and Larson. Not a great film but a small winner all around. Stay with film through final credits as it shows you photographs and film footage of the real Jeannette Walls and her family. Continue reading →
September 13, 2017 “Deadly Detention” (* out of four) was a deadly dull horror thriller about five high-school brats (Sarah Davenport, Alex Frnka, Henry Zaga, Coy Stewart, and Jennifer Robyn Jacobs) who are serving detention when they find themselves being stalked by an unseen murderer with no way out because the school is on lockdown. Potentially fun cross between “Friday The 13th” and “The Breakfast Club” is undone by irritating characters and slapdash production. Final plot twist is particularly dumb. You keep waiting for John Bender to show up and laugh these clowns off the screen. Continue reading →
September 13, 2017 “Home Again” (*** out of four) was a winning romantic comedy starring Reese Witherspoon as a single mom in Los Angeles whose romantic and personal life take more than a few ups-and-downs when she allows three struggling filmmakers (Nat Wolff, Michael Sheen, and Pico Alexander) to move in with her and she falls in love with one of them and then her ex-husband suddenly returns home and wants to get back together. A return for Witherspoon to the lighthearted comedies she ruled in the early-to-mid-2000’s; imperfect but breezy and entertaining for fans of these kinds of movies. Witherspoon is first-rate and engaging as usual and Candice Bergen has a plum supporting role as her mom. Continue reading →
September 12, 2017 “Clowntergeist” (*1/2 out of four)- and how’s that for an original title- was a scareless, silly time-waster being released now to cash in on the success of “It” about a college student (Brittany Belland) with a crippling fear of clowns who has to learn to face her fears when a terrorizing clown (a far cry from Pennywise) is stalking and murdering others in her town. Competent acting is undone by pedestrian filmmaking and storytelling with few scares or thrills. Watch “Killer Klowns From Outer Space” instead. Continue reading →
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