May 18, 2019 “Tolkien” (*** out of four) was a solidly absorbing biographical drama of orphaned author J.R.R. Tolkien (Nicholas Hoult) focusing on his early years in which he was an outcast at school and had to find his own way towards friendship and love and how this alienation gave way to his artistic inspiration which led him to become a legendary writer. Not a great film but reverently told and made and with a captivating lead performance from Hoult. Entertaining just the same but hard-core Tolkien fans will find a lot more value here. Continue reading →
May 18, 2019 “My Killer Client” (** out of four) was a plastic revenge thriller about an aspiring stylist (Tammin Sursok) who becomes friends with her new client (Allison Paige) but soon grows suspicious of her and comes to realize she is the ex-girlfriend of her fiancee (Greg Perrow) and is out for revenge and is trying to kill both of them. Totally artificial and by-the-numbers revenge story is at least nicely shot and well performed. Still, these Lifetime revenge movies are starting to seem like they’re spit out of a computer. Continue reading →
May 18, 2019 “John Wick- Chapter 3: Parabellum” (** out of four) was a flashy but empty third entry in which the title character John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is once again on the run after killing someone from the International Assassins Guild and becomes marked for death by a sinister female underworld crime boss (Asia Kate Dillon). Director Chad Stahelski bathes this in the same extravagant style and ultraviolent action (there are some showstopping action scenes) of the first two but there’s nothing to hang them on, because story is thin and weak and film’s middle lags. As long as the eye-filling action is on screen, film is entertaining but when story and characters take over it slows to a halt. Preposterous ending leaves the door open for yet another sequel. Continue reading →
May 16, 2019 “Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (** out of four) was a serviceable animated action saga about Batman (voiced by Troy Baker), Batgirl (voiced by Rachel Bloom), and Robin (voiced by Ben Giroux) who all realize they must form an alliance with the Ninja Turtles to stop The Shredder (voiced by Andrew Kishino) who has become a deadly threat to Gotham City, especially after he teams with Ra’s Al Ghul and The Penguin (voiced by Cas Anvar and Tom Kenny). Overstuffed plot has too many characters and wears thin after a while but features enough action and colorful animation to keep series fans and kids entertained. Mildly OK for what it is. Continue reading →
May 15, 2019 “Greta” (***1/2 out of four) was a shattering psychodrama about a young waitress (Chloe-Grace Moretz) who befriends a lonely old widow (Isabella Huppert) whose purse she finds but soon finds that the old woman is disturbed and obsessed with her as she begins stalking her and emotionally and psychologically turning her life upside down. Striking, stylish film from director Neil Jordan which is one of his best films ever and one of the rare contemporary films to evoke comparisons to Hitchcock. Both Moretz and Huppert are sensational. Story starts to go astray in the final third but still never loses its vice-like grip. Bullseye! Continue reading →
May 14, 2019 “Long Shot” (** out of four) was a disappointing romantic comedy about a lifelong slacker (who else but Seth Rogen) who reunites with his first crush (Charlize Theron) who is now one of the most powerful women in the world and running for presidency and soon hires him as her speechwriter and they gradually rekindle their relationship and fall in love. Both Rogen and Theron are good and work well off one another but story takes an awfully long time to get going and goes on too long once it does. Some good ”80’s soundtrack gems are a definite plus. Not all that different from 1995’s “The American President” when you think about it. Continue reading →
May 13, 2019 “The Hustle” (**1/2 out of four) was an occasionally funny remake of “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” about two female con artists (Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson) who initially team up and then compete to swindle the affection and the money of a young millionaire (Alex Sharp) in the French Riviera. But who’s conning who? Not quite as clever or funny as the 1988 original but has enough laughs overall and is helped by the three enthusiastic leads. A few key scenes from the original are humorously updated to the present day involving social media and cell-phones. Continue reading →
May 13, 2019 “Lancaster Skies” (*1/2 out of four) was a lackluster historical war melodrama set in 1944 in which a stubborn pilot (Jeffrey Mundell) must overcome his past difficulties to lead a Lancaster bombing crew in the aerial war over Berlin. Tedious film has little action scenes and few historical insights regarding the war. For diehard WW film completists only. It’s movies like these that make you realize how much of a masterwork “Saving Private Ryan” was all those years ago. Continue reading →
May 13, 2019 “Brightburn” (**1/2 out of four) was a better-than-average horror thriller about a couple (Elizabeth Banks and David Denman) who take in a seemingly innocent young boy (Jackson A. Dunn) who they come to realize is possessed and unhinged and endangers their family and everyone around them. Genuinely frightening and unsettling at times, and enhanced by Dunn’s creepy performance as the child, but story starts to become repetitive after a while and final scenes are a bit over-the-top and arbitrary. Yet another film which never quite escapes the shadow of both “The Shining” and “The Omen” but still an overall good try. Continue reading →
May 13, 2019 “Dying For A Baby” (* out of four) was an ill-conceived thriller about two women (Christa B. Allen and Sarah Minnich) who get into a car accident. When one of them loses their pregnancy, she turns psychotic and swears revenge by going through all kinds of trials and tribulations to steal the other’s unborn child. Incredibly stupid and ridiculous movie is one more “Fatal Attraction” story but this one is even more mean-spirited and illogical than most. By this point, I’m “dying” for this genre to be done and over with. Continue reading →
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