January 7, 2018 “Molly’s Game” (***1/2 out of four) was a crackling true story of Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) who was an Olympic-level skier who became involved in running high-stakes poker games for actors and politicians and later became a target of an F.B.I. investigation and court case. Chastain is terrific in the best performance of her career and enhances a razor-sharp screenplay by both Bloom and Aaron Sorkin that encompasses big business, politics, addiction, and corruption. This also marks Sorkin’s smashing directing debut. Idris Elba is outstanding as usual also as Bloom’s tough but supportive lawyer and Kevin Costner has a strong supporting role as her idealistic dad. Continue reading →
January 7, 2018January 7, 2018 “Father Figures” (** out of four) was a sporadically funny comedy about two fraternal twins (Owen Wilson and Ed Helms) who learn that their mother (Glenn Close) was lying to them for years about their deceased father so they then take it upon themselves to hit the road and re-trace her history and discover who their real father is. Uneven script does have some laughs especially in the first half but story becomes overly contrived and dumb after a while, and begins to run out of steam in its second half. Some of the prospective fathers (Ving Rhames, Terry Bradshaw, and J.K. Simmons) have the best lines and Close is very funny as their mom. Continue reading →
January 7, 2018January 7, 2018 “Deadly Vows” (*1/2 out of four) was a thoroughly predictable and obvious in-name only “thriller” about a vindictive pastry chef (Brittany Underwood) who poisons men who don’t meet her perilously high expectations and complications arise when she becomes involved with a new guy (Cameron Jebo) and his sister (Charlene Amoia) becomes suspicious of her shady past. No surprises and thus no sparks and no thrills either; anyone who has seen a murder mystery before will be miles ahead of this story at every turn. A disappointment from director Fred Olen Ray who made the 1991 trash classic “Inner Sanctum”. Continue reading →
January 6, 2018 “Same Kind Of Different As Me” (**1/2 out of four) was a well-intentioned and well-acted but hokey story of an international art dealer (Greg Kinnear) who finds he must befriend a dangerous homeless man (Djiimon Honsou) in order to save his marriage to his wife (Renee Zellwegger) and save his business and- in essence- save his life. Story of friendship and personal redemption is dripping with good intentions but never quite convinces and as a result never hangs together. The three leads give strong performances and infuse this was as much drama and heart as possible but it never fully takes wing. Continue reading →
January 6, 2018January 6, 2018 “Day Of The Dead: Bloodline” (** out of four) was a reasonably made but routine remake of the 1985 George Romero horror show about a small group of survivalists and military personnel who dwell in an underground bunker; the scientists and various citizens want to find a cure for the the zombie outbreak but the military balks at being zombie brunch. More-of-the-same after years of Romero sequels and rip-offs, and after years of “The Walking Dead”, although this is faster and more efficient than the original. However, this does sorely lack Tom Savini’s first-rate makeup and effects which were a highlight of the original. Worthwhile for Romero completists but otherwise not worth munching on Continue reading →
January 4, 2018 “Web Cam Girls” (*1/2 out of four) was a sleazy story about a young girl (Sedonna Legge) whose cousin (Lorynn York) disappears after going on a sex web-cam website and she then takes it upon herself to go on this same website and go after the online predator who she thinks is responsible. Unpleasant and unbelievable movie exploits online voyeurism and consumerism without exploring it in any interesting way. If you can’t guess the killer, please get a new hobby. Continue reading →
January 4, 2018January 4, 2018 “Escape From Cannibal Farm” (** out of four) was a grisly horror melodrama set in the British countryside in which an estranged family (Kate Davies-Speak, David Lenik, Rowena Bentley) take a trip together and are forced to seek refuge in an abandoned farmhouse where they find a deranged farmer (Barrington De La Roche) and his nutty family are doing cannibalistic experiments. Too derivative and repetitive to succeed as a whole but director Charlie Steeds shows flashes of originality and daring (there is a nasty moment involving hot water at the end) in a story obviously inspired and influenced by “The Evil Dead” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. Definitely not for all tastes but better than most of its ilk. Continue reading →
January 4, 2018 “Wonder Wheel” (**1/2 out of four) was an engaging if unconvincing melodrama set in the 1950’s in Coney Island, Brooklyn in which a neglected housewife (Kate Winslet) has an affair with a young lifeguard (Justin Timberlake) but problems arise when the lifeguard soon falls in love with her stepdaughter (Juno Temple) and her loutish husband (James Belushi) begins to find out. Contrived and unbelievable story is made palatable by strong cast, with Winslet’s palpable anguish and anger making this more affecting in the second half. Not one of director Woody Allen’s best films but far from his worst either. Gorgeous cinematography from the great Vittorio Storaro makes this worthwhile. Continue reading →
January 4, 2018 “Lycan” (* out of four) was an abysmal horror story set in the Georgia backwoods in 1986 in which six none-too-bright college students tackle the legend of a werewolf named Emily Burt but soon come to severely regret this as they are mauled and gradually killed. No relation to any of the lycans in the “Underworld” series but this makes any of those movies look like masterworks by comparison; the final third in which this finally starts to get going turns into a ripoff of “The Evil Dead.” What a bloody mess! Continue reading →
January 3, 2018 “The Greatest Showman” (***1/2 out of four) was an exhilirating musical biography about P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman) who rose from nothing to create the Barnum and Bailey Circus which swept into a worldwide phenomenon that changed the face of show business and entertainment. Full of showstopping musical numbers (Rebecca Ferguson’s first singing scene on stage and the first meeting with Jackman and Zac Efron are a wow) and great production design and cinematography but at the heart of the film is Jackman’s performance who is outstanding as usual. Story is a little superficial and perhaps doesn’t tell you much about Barnum you may not know but never fails to entertain. One of the rare musicals that tries- and succeeds- at bringing back memories of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Continue reading →
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