April 4, 2019 “Pet Graveyard” (*1/2 out of four) was a wretched horror thriller about a group of teens (Rita Siddiqui, Andrew Hollingworth, David Cotter, and others) who undergo an experiment which allows them to revisit the dead but naturally things go fatally wrong as their past mistakes and sins come back to haunt them. The kind of low-budget movie that is made and released to cash in on a much larger one (“Pet Sematary” in case anyone didn’t guess) but this actually rips off “Flatliners” and also “Witchboard” in equal measure so no one feels left out of the party. But you can’t bring dead themes and a dead movie back to life. Continue reading →
April 3, 2019 “Us” (*** out of four) was a strikingly told horror thriller about a family (Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss) who vacation at a serene woodside home and are terrorized by a mysterious group of doppelgangers which causes them to mentally and physically unravel as they struggle to fight for their lives. Director Jordan Peele borrows much of his story and images from “The Shining” (and also “The Strangers”) but features plenty of creepy moments and stylish scares right up through the end. Soundtrack is a key boost also (you may never listen to Luniz’ “I Got 5 On It” the same way again). Continue reading →
April 3, 2019 “Caller ID: Entity” (* out of four) was a horrendous sci/fi thriller centered around the messages and testimonials from victims (James Duval, Nathan Bexton, Denny Kirkwood) of mind-control technology who subsequently attempt to rise up and (yawn) overthrow their oppressive and controlling government. Yet another derivative piece of futuristic schlock based on ideas from other and much better movies (“Total Recall”, “Blade Runner”, “Resident Evil” just to name some). Would it kill filmmakers to make one movie where the future is a happy place? Hang up on this wrong number Continue reading →
April 1, 2019 “Dumbo” (**1/2 out of four) was a reasonably cute and engaging live-action remake of the Disney classic. The young elephant is born into the care of two girls (Nico Parker and Finely Hobbins) at a circus run by a scuzzy promoter (Danny DeVito) who gets bought out by a greedy and evil enterpreneur (Michael Keaton) but whose soaring ears help him to fly and help him to save the circus and fly towards freedom! Director Tim Burton indulges his usual offbeat visual flair and effects but story and characters never fully take flight so it’s never as enchanting as the DIsney original. DeVito seems to be more-or-less playing the same character he did in Burton’s “Big Fish” and Colin Farrell is strong as usual as the girl’s father. Continue reading →
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