Month: September 2018

“The Bad Seed” (*1/2 out of four) was a numbingly predictable remake of the classic thriller about a devoted single father (Rob Lowe) and the nanny (Sarah Dugdale) who begin to suspect that his seemingly perfect daughter (McKenna Grace) may be a ruthless killer. What was terrifying and revelatory in 1956 seems tired and dated now, after “Orphan”, “The Good Son”, and umpteen other movies about possessed children. Lowe is good as usual. He directed this also in his directorial debut but he may want to give himself more original material next time.

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“White Boy Rick” (** out of four) was an overly familiar, predictable true story of Richard Wershe, Jr. (Richie Merritt) aka “White Boy Rick” who became an undercover informant for shady FBI agents (Jennifer Jason Leigh and Rory Cochrane) in the 1980’s and was subsequently arrested for drug trafficking and sentenced to life in prison. Story fails to grab as a whole in part because Merritt’s character (and performance) is so one-note and aloof and both “Blow” and “Snitch” (among others) covered this territory already with a lot more fervor. Redeemed in part by authentically gritty Detroit surroundings and usual strong performance by Matthew McConaughey as his feisty but loving dad.

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“Black Wake” (*1/2 out of four) was a disjointed mess about a scientist (Nana Goveau) and a hard-nosed cop (who else but Tom Sizemore) who investigate a series of strange deaths along the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean and begin to uncover a link between the crazed writings of a homeless man (Jonny Beauchamp) and that of an ancient force that may rise from the sea and bring end to mankind as we know it. Or something like that. Muddled story is hard to sort out and even harder to care about although Sizemore is good in his umpteenth role as a cop. Eric Roberts picks up a few bucks in a token supporting role as Goveau’s supervisor.

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“The Predator” (** out of four) was a mindless fourth entry in this now-wearisome series about an American sniper (Boyd Holbrook) who accidentally intercepts the return of the Predator and must join forces with an evolutionary biologist (Olivia Munn) and a group of misfit former soldiers (Thomas Jane, Trevante Rhodes, Keegan-Michael Key, and others) to thwart the predator and save mankind. Director Shane Black (who played Hawkins in the original) keeps this moving fast but the story is an overstuffed hodgepodge and script is weak. A definite improvement over the last entry (2010’s “Predators”) but this pales in comparison to the first two and bears the mark of a series past its prime.

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“Slice” (* out of four) was an abjectly unfunny horror comedy about a city pizza deliverer who is murdered on the job and various politicians and cops (Joe Keery, Chris Parnell, Katherine Cunningham, and others) search to find who may be responsible and they soon discover it may be a long-lost ghost or a disgraced werewolf (are you laughing yet?). Lame writing and direction sinks this all the way. Witless movie barely has enough material for a 10-minute SNL sketch and at nearly two hours may make you want to slice your throat.

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“Searching” (**1/2 out of four) was an interesting and intriguing online thriller done from the POV of computers about a father (John Cho) whose increasingly desperate search to find his missing 16-year old daughter (Michelle La) leads him to break into her laptop to piece together the multiple clues which he finds point in all different directions. Stately and becalmed thriller holds you without being fully riveting and never fully takes off. Unavoidably, the gimmick of watching the action through computers and smartphones grows tiresome after a while. Cho is first-rate in the lead and makes up for a lot.

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“Peppermint” (** out of four) was an uneven action revenge melodrama about an ordinary housewife (Jennifer Garner) turned bloodthirsty vigilante when her husband and daughter are murdered and the corrupt criminal justice system sets their cartel of murderers free. Garner is solid and adds some spice in her first action role in a while but Charles Bronson did this pulp-revenge better in “Death Wish” and so did Gerard Butler in “Law Abiding Citizen”. Director Pierre Morel adds his usual stylistic flourishes and has a few good scenes of mean revenge but film never gets going and gathers significant momentum.

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“The Krays: Dead Man Walking” (*** out of four) was a stylish action melodama set in 1966 London about the notorious Krays brothers (Marc Pickering and Nathanjohn Carter) who attempted a daring escape breaking nutjob murderer Frank “The Mad Axerman” Mitchell (Josh Myers) out of Dartmoor Prison but they didn’t count on the seismic rumblings and shifts in underworld power this would bring. Third telling of the Krays’ criminal underworld empire (and second in three years after Tom Hardy’s “Legend”) more than earns its retelling with first-rate acting which make it equal to, if not better than, the 1990 original. Pickering and Myers in particular sear the screen and Rita Simons is terrific as a woman hired to keep Mitchell company on his break from prison.

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“Josie” (** out of four) was a languid drama set in Florida about the relationship between a gruff former prison guard (Dylan McDermott), a town local (Jack Kilmer), and a sultry vixen (Sophie Turner) who is new to town but it turns out they have various relations from the past which will affect their futures. Plodding story seems to be building and holds you with its steamy atmosphere and acting but end result isn’t satisfying with a final plot twist that’s pretty obvious. Story is also more-than-a-little derivative of “Body Heat”, right down to the Florida locale. A first-rate showcase for Turner, if nothing else, who is terrific and makes this watching at least for a little while.

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