October 13, 2018 “Look Away” (** out of four) was a bizarre psychodrama about an alienated high-schooler (India Eisley) whose life is turned upside down when she suddenly switches places with her sinister mirror image who she has been communicating with which perplexes her controlling parents (Jason Isaacs and Mira Sorvino). Interesting in parts and maintains its grip due to Eisley’s sensual and entrancing performance but story gets increasingly weird and aloof and eventually will make you look away at something else. Obviously inspired by mid-period Stanley Kubrick but you could just as easily watch “The Shining” again. Continue reading →
October 13, 2018 “Camp Hideaway Massacre” (0 stars out of four) was an utterly unwatchable horror show about a group of rednecks and bad actors (Lerch Buckler, Morgan Curry, Walter Curry, and others) who go camping in the woods and are massacred by a hillbilly nutjob with a preference for a machete and bad makeup. The kind of movie that looks like it was shot by someone’s cell-phone camera and makes “Friday The 13th” or “Sleepaway Camp” look like Noel Coward by comparison. Throwback to grindhouse cinema may make you throw up instead. Avoid this at all costs. Continue reading →
October 12, 2018 “The Witch Files” (*1/2 out of four) was a bewitchingly bad brew of high-school cliches about a group of teen outcasts (Paget Brewster, Holly Taylor, Valarie Mahaffey, and others) who form their own coven and start performing increasingly alarming spells for those who get in their way. Made only for those who have never seen “The Craft” but this film lacks both that film’s craft and cast and runs out of steam (and story) pretty quickly. Big special effects showdown is a big bore. Continue reading →
October 11, 2018 “Believe Me: The Abduction Of Lisa McVey” (**1/2 out of four) was an engrossing true story about a 17-year old (Katie Douglas) who plans on taking her own life due to physical and sexual abuse at home but is abducted by a ruthless nutjob (Rossif Sutherland). She eventually talks him into letting her go but found that no one would believe her story except for one detective (David James Elliott) who was eventually able to rally the force into finding her abductor who was a citywide serial killer. Initial kidnap and attack scenes are very tough to take, even if they are based on truth, but story picks up and becomes more tense and involving after she escapes and develops a relationship with the detective. Imperfect but still a well-acted and well-made story of one girl’s determination for survival. Douglas and Elliott are first-rate. Continue reading →
October 10, 2018 “Between Worlds” (*1/2 out of four) was a laughably weird melodrama which seemed like it was created by someone between mental breakdowns; Nicholas Cage plays a down-on-his luck trick driver who meets a spiritually gifted woman (Franka Potente) who enlists Joe’s help to find the lost soul of her comatose daughter (Penelope Mitchell). Unfortunately for all of them, the spirit of Cage’s dead wife proves too strong and possesses the young girl and determined to complete her unfinished business. Cage is good in one of his more ununsual roles but he’s defeated by all the pretentious and artificial hooey. And speaking of artificial- check out the fire that engulfs him at the end of this mess, if you make it that far. Continue reading →
October 9, 2018 “Killer Ending” (*1/2 out of four) was a slapdash, confusing murder mystery of whose ending can’t come soon enough about a best-selling writer (Emmanuelle Vaugier) whose daughter is abducted by a deranged fan who seems to be copycatting one of her recent books and her even more deranged assistant (Chelsea Hobbs) appears to be attempting to steal her identity. Hitchcock-like thriller plays like a movie he would have made in his late stages of his career, with too many characters and too many plot twists but not enough sense. Final showdown is pretty laughable, if you make it that far. Continue reading →
October 8, 2018 “Venom” (** out of four) was an OK adaptation of the Marvel comic character about an investigative journalist (Tom Hardy) who is sent to do a story on a greedy bioengineering corporation (headed by Riz Ahmed) and becomes infected with an alien parasite that turns him into the full-scale symbiote creature Venom. Competently made and filled with large-scale visual effects but never develops a sense of awe or wonder and never really gets off the ground. Hardy is better than the thin material he is given and Michelle Williams is strong as his girlfriend. Only Marvel completists or comic-book diehards should check this out. Continue reading →
October 8, 2018 “Await Further Instructions” (** out of four) was a tiresome psychodrama about a family (David Bradley, Holly Weston, Sam Gittins, and others) who awaken on Christmas Day to find a mysterious black substance surrounding their house and the news gives everyone the title instructions but their increasing paranoia and restlessness and uncertainty leads to them descending into madness and turning against one another. Interesting story of mass and personal hysteria but it eventually wears out and loses its edge. Good performances hold your attention for a little while but you should probably await a better movie instead. Continue reading →
October 8, 2018 “A Star Is Born” (** out of four) was a curiously unmoving remake of the classic story about an alcoholic rock star (Bradley Cooper who also directed) who discovers a talented singer (Lady Gaga). He initially nurtures and guides (and later marries) her but when her own stardom eclipses his, it sends him even further into self-destruction and tragedy. Director Cooper retells the story without adding anything new to it and his own frustratingly one-note characterization (and performance) give the film a sense of empty aloofness. Gaga is sensational, however, and makes this worth watching at least for a little while. Musical and concert scenes are highlights but they easily overpower the predictable dramatics. Many critics loved this film so you may want to judge for yourself. Continue reading →
October 7, 2018 “Extremity” (**1/2 out of four) was an intense but uneven psychodrama about a young woman (Dana Christina) with a troubled past who signs up for an extreme haunt called Perdition which she believes will exorcise and conquer her internal traumas but she doesn’t realize how terrifying this will be and what dark secrets will emerge from her psyche and from her past. Alternately lurid, disturbing, ugly, and riveting often in the same scene, this definitely lives up to its title. Definitely not for all tastes and not a total success but very stylishly directed by Anthony DiBlasi and a good showcase for Christina’s striking performance. Continue reading →
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