August 31, 2018 “My Little Sister” (* out of four) was inept horror schlock about a group of friends (Astrid Di Bon, Holly Dillon, and others) who apparently never watched “Sleepaway Camp” or even “Friday The 13th” and venture on a camping trip in the middle of nowhere where (yawn) a group of backwoods rednecks get their yuks by killing them. Molasses-moving and stupid movie makes one nostalgic for when horror movies used to actually be fun. Continue reading →
August 30, 2018 “The Package” (0 stars out of four) was an appallingly stupid and unwatchable Netflix comedy about a group of friends (Daniel Doheny, Geraldine Viswanathan, Sadie Calvano, and Luke Spencer Roberts) who go on a Spring break camping trip which runs into problems when one of them loses their pecker (no that is not a misprint) and they have to race against time to keep it on ice so it can be saved. Viewers will likely be racing against time to get to the end of this mess. Rockbottom movie is full of annoying characters and dumb dialogue. No relation to the far superior 1988 movie of the same name with Gene Hackman and Tommy Lee Jones but you may be praying for any and all to show up. Continue reading →
August 29, 2018 “Lake Placid: Legacy” (* out of four) was a horrendous horror thriller about a group of explorers (Katherine Barrell, Tim Rozon, Sai Bennett, and others) who set out on an expedition to uncover a modern city which is unseen on maps and find themselves besieged by the giant crocodile who still has his appetite for destruction. Sixth in this endless series is allegedly a direct sequel to the original and ignores plot points from its others but it’s virtually identical to other entries and is a rip-off of the original “Anaconda” and is a real yawner. Incredibly- this was directed by political filmmaker Darrell Roodt who in better days directed “Cry, The Beloved Country” but his career now is in a state of tears. Continue reading →
August 29, 2018 “The Grand Son” (*1/2 out of four) was a mirthless thriller about a young manipulative schemer (Rhys Wakefield) who attempts to cover up the death of his grandmother (Leslie Anne Warren) once he realizes how this will throw his wealthy lifestyle into a tailspin but naturally things don’t go as planned. Visually sleek but dramatically empty and aloof and all characters are cold and unlikeable. Not all that different than Woody Allen’s “Match Point” but sorely lacking Allen’s grand touch. Continue reading →
August 29, 2018 “I Am Paul Walker” (*** out of four) was an interesting documentary showing him as a young actor to worldwide phenomenon in “The Fast And The Furious” series to dedicated father to his untimely death at 40 years old in an auto wreck. Features solid interviews with Tyrese Gibson, director Rob Cohen, and several of Walker’s family relatives. But the most moving interviews are with Walker himself who comes across as very genuine and engaging, just as he was on screen Continue reading →
August 28, 2018 “Breaking And Exiting” (**1/2 out of four) was an imperfect but endearing dark comedy about a burglar (Milo Gibson- son of Mel) who breaks into the house of a woman (Jordan Hinson) whose suicidal and to the bewilderment of them both- they begin to fall in love and help both change their way of life! Improbable and contrived story (to put it mildly) is made engaging by the two stars whose chemistry and camaraderie help you overlook story flaws and make this entertaining although it eventually wears out its welcome. Breezy directorial debut for Queens-born character actor Peter Facinelli. Continue reading →
August 28, 2018 “For The Love Of George” (*1/2 out of four) was a dismal romantic comedy about a jilted wife (Nadia Jordan) who flees her cheating husband and empty life in England for L.A. in search of George Clooney who she sees as her ultimate dream man. Contrived and dumb story makes you wish she had watched “Batman And Robin” and stayed home and changed her mind. Jordan’s perky performance is film’s one bright note. For the love of God, you wish someone would remember how to make a good romantic comedy once again. Continue reading →
August 28, 2018 “The Padre” (** out of four) was a disappointing border melodrama about the title character known as The Padre (Tim Roth), a con man masquerading as a priest who is on the run from a grizzled U.S. marshal (a more haggard-than-ever Nick Nolte) and a local lawman (Luis Guzman) who goes off on one last heist in Mexico with a precocious 16-year old (Valeria Henriquez) who blackmails him so she can accompany him. Never all that compelling or exciting and goes on too long. Interesting cast is left high-and-dry and Roth’s usual first-rate performance is wasted. You can only imagine what Sam Peckinpah may have done with material like this. Continue reading →
August 27, 2018 “Arizona” (*1/2 out of four) was a joyless, oppressively weird melodrama set for no particular reason during the 2008 real-estate crisis in which a struggling realtor (Rosemary DeWitt) witnesses a murder at the office by a deranged lunatic (Danny McBride) and her life soon goes off the rails as she soon realizes the fragility and insanity of life in suburbia. Promising opening soon goes nowhere in this dismal fiasco which can’t decide whether it’s a satiric black comedy or a violent thriller. Yet another Coen Bros/Tarantino/David Lynch wannabe that doesn’t come close. Seth Rogen bizarrely has a cameo at the beginning as DeWitt’s boss who is killed. Continue reading →
August 27, 2018 “I Am Vengeance” (** out of four) was a lumpy revenge potboiler about an ex-Special Forces soldier turned professional mercenary (Stu Bennett) who learns of the death of his best friend (Kevin Leslie) and his family and vows revenge, no matter how deadly the consequences. Moves in fits and starts and never garners significant momentum but is held together and made watchable by Bennett who seems to have studied and absorbed the charisma of fellow Brit action stars Jason Statham and Vinnie Jones Continue reading →
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