June 22, 2019 “Wretch” (*1/2 out of four) was a wretched psychodrama about three friends (Megan Massie, Spencer Korcz, and Savannah Marie) who try to piece together memories of a drug-fueled night in the woods but soon realize there was a supernatural presence that threatens to kill all of them. Decent-enough opening soon leads nowhere, as film becomes repetitive, monotonous, and boring. More intelligent (and likeable) characters would surely have helped. Continue reading →
June 21, 2019 “Toy Story 4” (**1/2 out of four) was an unnecessary fourth entry in this wondrous series about the further adventures of Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen) and fellow toys as they are given to a new owner (voiced by Madeleine McGraw) and they embark on a road adventure. Full of the series’ usual eye-popping animation and the amiable characterizations and voices from previous entries but lacks the magic and heart that made the previous three such classics. Touching ending makes this worthwhile, especially for series fans, but this still marks the feel of going to the well once too often. Continue reading →
June 21, 2019 “Deep Murder” (0 stars out of four) was an abjectly painful “comedy” about a filmmaking crew (Christopher Macdonald, Jerry O’Connell, Jessica Parker-Kennedy, and others) making a soft-core porno film but a deranged killer makes his way onto the set and starts torturing the crew members (and the audience) slowly and painfully. Utterly moronic writing and direction and stupid characters make this a community service sentence to watch. This was written and directed by Comedy Central comedian Nick Corirossi. If this is the best material he can come up with, his feature-film career may be in deep shit. Continue reading →
June 21, 2019 “Winterskin” (* out of four) was a horrendous horror melodrama/black comedy about a man (David Lenik) who is shot in the snowy wilderness and seeks refuge in an isolated log cabin with a nutjob older woman (Rowena Bentley) and they both are subsequently stalked by a bloodthirsty and skinless creature who will do anything to get inside and satisfy its appetite. Opening 20 minutes actually isn’t bad; the rest is stupefyingly unwatchable. Terrible acting and unpleasant gore make this brutal, in every sense of the word. Continue reading →
June 21, 2019 “Escape Plan 3: The Extractors” (** out of four) was a middling third entry in this action series about security expert Ray Breslin (an aging and ever-wooden Sylvester Stallone) who is hired to kidnap the daughter (Malese Jow) of a Hong-Kong tech mogul but complications arise when Breslin’s girlfriend (Jaime King) is also captured. Not bad, with striking and stylish cinematography from Jacques Jouffret and some good hand-to-hand combat, but film never develops sufficient momentum. Stallone can play this role in his sleep by now and does in a few scenes. This one may as well have been easily called “Escape Of The Expendables.” Continue reading →
June 19, 2019 “Murder Mystery” (*** out of four) was a very funny comedy about a NYC detective (Adam Sandler) and his wife (Jennifer Aniston) who embark on a European vacation to try to re-ignite their marriage but end up getting framed for murder of an elderly billionaire (Terrence Stamp) and are chased and pursued by interpol while they have to simultaneously solve the murder and prove their innocence. Sandler and Aniston’s bullseye chemistry combined with James Vanderbilt’s sharp screenplay make this a lot of fun even though film veterans will see this owes a lot to “Clue” and “Romancing The Stone” among others. One of Sandler’s most entertaining movies in years. Continue reading →
June 18, 2019 “The Intruder” (** out of four) was a well-made but obvious thriller about a successful young couple (Michael Ealy and Meagan Good) who purchase a country estate from an older man (Dennis Quaid) who they soon realize is a serious sicko who refuses to let it go. Quaid is good in an unusual villain role but this is the type of movie you can literally predict within the first 10 minutes and numerous plot holes and contrivances abound. Ironically, this movie is an almost carbon copy of “Cold Creek Manor” (even the house looks the same) which Quaid himself starred in only in 2003! Continue reading →
June 18, 2019 “Submission” (** out of four) was a trite melodrama about a battle-scarred marine (Scott Pryor) who returns back home with various psychological and physical disabilities but decides to risk all by returning to the world of mixed martial-arts and he reignites a feud with a villainous former opponent. Not bad, with some interesting explorations of the multitude of complications that affect soldiers when they return home, but film covers territory covered in many prior films more effectively. One of those such films is “Best Of The Best” and to prove it- the star of that film (Eric Roberts) re-appears here as Pryor’s trainer. Continue reading →
June 17, 2019 “Loss Prevention” (**1/2 out of four) was a disposable but somewhat entertaining action comedy about a bar owner (Abisha Uhl) and his spunky daughter (Sebrina Scott) who works as his bartender who get caught up in an escalatingly dangerous game of corporate espionage when a trained killer comes into the bar one night for a drink. Not memorable or artful but moves fast and does hold your interest for its running time. The perfect definition of mindless entertainment. Continue reading →
June 17, 2019 “Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story” (**1/2 out of four) was an intermittently intriguing documentary from director Martin Scorsese on Bob Dylan’s 1975 “Rolling Thunder” tour in which he went out on the road with Joan Baez, Allan Ginsberg, Roger McGuinn, and others for a tour that was culturally significant in playing many lesser and smaller markets but lost money for all involved. For devoted fans of Dylan, this is a virtual feast, with lots of old concert footage and both old and contemporary interviews with him; for the rest of us, it’s interesting in parts but awfully self-indulgent and excessive, not to mention long at nearly two-and-a-half hours. And by the end, it’s hard to fully grasp just what made this tour so important anyhow and why it was so different from Dylan’s other tours. Sharon Stone, Sam Shepard, and Patti Smith are all featured in guest interviews. Continue reading →
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