October 31, 2018 “Hunter Killer” (***1/2 out of four) was an explosive action thriller about an American submarine captain (Gerard Butler) who learns it may be apocalypse now and has to team with a rogue team of navy seals to rescue the Russian president (Alexander Diachenko) who has been kidnapped by a vicious general (Mikhail Gorevoy) who threatens worldwide destruction and detonation. Not only the best submarine movie in a long while but a nail-biting and taut action story and political melodrama in its own right that deserves comparisons to both “Crimson Tide” and “Das Boot” which it sometimes resembles. Butler is first-rate in the lead and so is Michael Nyqvist in one of his final roles and they’re surrounded by a first-rate supporting cast including Gary Oldman, Common, and Joely Richardson. Impressively (and excitingly) directed by Donovan Marsh in his large-scale action debut. Bullseye! Continue reading →
October 31, 2018 “Hunter Killer” (***1/2 out of four) was an explosive action thriller about an American submarine captain (Gerard Butler) who learns it may be apocalypse now and has to team with a rogue team of navy seals to rescue the Russian president (Alexander Diachenko) who has been kidnapped by a vicious general (Mikhail Gorevoy) who threatens worldwide destruction and detonation. Not only the best submarine movie in a long while but a nail-biting and taut action story and political melodrama in its own right that deserves comparisons to both “Crimson Tide” and “Das Boot” which it sometimes resembles. Butler is first-rate in the lead and so is Michael Nyqvist in one of his final roles and they’re surrounded by a first-rate supporting cast including Gary Oldman, Common, and Joely Richardson. Impressively (and excitingly) directed by Donovan Marsh in his large-scale action debut. Bullseye! Continue reading →
October 30, 2018 “Dangerous Matrimony” (*1/2 out of four) was an uninvolving melodrama about a newly married couple (Rob Mayes and Sabina Gadecki) whose exotic vacation retreat turns into a nightmare when the husband is kidnapped and held for ransom and his mysterious assistant (Emily O’Brien) has to step in and negotiate the terms and simultaneously attempt to sort out the clues and find out whose behind the kidnapping. Since none of the characters are likeable or interesting, it’s hard to care about whose doing what to whom and thus hard to care about the movie itself. Jordi Ruiz Maso’s shimmering cinematography is film’s sole asset. Continue reading →
October 29, 2018 “Don’t Go” (*** out of four) was an imperfect but compelling story about a teacher (Stephen Dorff) who is devastated by the death of his daughter in a terrible accident but becomes gradually convinced that he can bring her back through a series of recurring dreams that he is having but is this true? Or is he gradually losing his mind? His wife (Melissa George) becomes alternately alienated and intrigued by his behavior. Dorff’s powerful and understated performance anchors this uneven film which still manages to hold you in its eerie spell. Vividly and strikingly realized by director David Gleeson. Continue reading →
October 29, 2018 “At Your Own Risk” (*1/2 out of four) was a gloomy, boring melodrama which viewers should watch at their own risk; two lifelong friends (Alexandra Boylan and Helenna Santos) embark on an adventure to save their careers but soon find that they have to save themselves as they are confronted with terror and self-destructive insanity while in the valley. Even at only an hour and 15 minutes, this is a less-than-incredible journey which still feels too sketchy and too long. It would also help if we found the two women the least interesting. Directed by John K.D. Graham who did fine camerawork on “The Avengers” and “True Grit”. Continue reading →
October 28, 2018 “King Of Thieves” (**1/2 out of four) was a moderately entertaining comedy melodrama based on a true story about a group of elderly and retired crooks (Michael Caine, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Tom Courtenay, and Ray Winstone) who plan one last job in London’s jewelry district which snowballs into a nightmare of greed and murder as everyone finds their worst instincts rising to the surface. Caine and company’s effortless charisma and camaraderie and film’s gritty true-story events make this engaging but there’s a fundamental emptyness to the script and story that prevent this from fully detonating. Not all that different when you think about it than one of Caine’s last features “Going In Style.” Continue reading →
October 28, 2018 “Hide And Go Seek” (* out of four) was a horrendously inept horror show that will likely make viewers want to hide and you can’t imagine anyone wanting to seek out this dreck. A young man (Tate Berney) and his assorted friends must survive a night of hide-and-seek from his demented grandfather (Vernon Wells) who begins to relive war memories from Vietnam and begins to seek them out one at a time. Low-rent from beginning to end, without even the saving grace of humor or any gory kills or style. You’d be much better seeking horror thrills elsewhere. Continue reading →
October 27, 2018 “American Exorcist” (*1/2 out of four) was a congenitally derivative horror show about a paranormal investigator (Falon Joslyn) who becomes trapped in a haunted skyscraper on Christmas Eve and is confronted with supernatural and religious forces unlike any she has investigated before, which all may tie back to (what else?) a mysterious priest (Bill Moseley). Gonzo opening involving a shootout at an office grabs your attention but this has virtually nothing to do with the rest of the story which soon becomes predictable and boring. Moseley is good in an unusual role for him but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be waiting for Rob Zombie’s phone call for “The Devil’s Rejects 2.” Continue reading →
October 27, 2018 “White Orchid” (*1/2 out of four) was a colorless thriller about a hard-nosed investigator (Olivia Thirlby) who assumes the identity of a small-town murder victim in order to solve her gruesome death but this leads to unexpected complications and affairs she didn’t foresee. No relation to the Mickey Rourke cult classic “Wild Orchid” from 1989 but come to think of it, this rips off another thriller with Mickey Rourke “White Sands” from 1992. It’s hard to assume the identity of a dead person when the movie itself is dead to begin with. Jennifer Beals and John Carroll Lynch are wasted in supporting roles as cops. Continue reading →
October 27, 2018 “Air Strike” (*** out of four) was a powerful WWII melodrama about the real-life Japanese bombings of Chongqing which are elaborately re-created in which 5 Chinese soldiers fought their way through the attacks to protect an important military machine. Bruce Willis plays a U.S. military advisor to the Chinese soldiers and Adrien Brody has a small role as an American soldier. Flawed to be sure with some dramatics and characters that don’t pay off but still has plenty of effective moments and good action scenes that recreate the notion of war being Hell. Mel Gibson and Vilmos Zsigmond were consultants on the recreation of the battle scenes. Made in 2015 and was unreleased for several years but worthy of its release Continue reading →
dlepikcom 