August 19, 2019 “Poms” (** out of four) was a disappointing comedy about a group of elderly women (Diane Keaton, Pam Grier, Jacki Weaver, Celia Weston, Rhea Perlman, and others) who try to rejuvenate their lives and revitalize themselves by starting a cheerleading squad with predictable complications! Needlessly silly and contrived, with only the good-natured performances of its talented cast to carry it. Keaton’s effortless charisma carries this about as far as it can but others (particularly Grier and Perlman) are wasted. Cook your grandparents dinner and watch “Bring It On” with them instead. Continue reading →
August 19, 2019August 19, 2019 “Trial By Fire” (*** out of four) was an absorbing biographical drama of the controversial true story of Cameron Todd Willingham (Jack O’Connell) who proclaims his innocence while being convicted of killing his three children by setting them on fire. Years later- a sympathetic attorney (Laura Dern) takes up his case and tries to save him from the death penalty but finds no one listening even as she finds crucial evidence that supports his innocence. Two terrific performances from O’Connell and Dern help overlook some story flaws. Yet another powerful and thought-provoking story from director Edward Zwick. Continue reading →
August 18, 2019 “Crypto” (*1/2 out of four) was an obtuse melodrama about a young investment banker (Beau Knapp) who is suddenly demoted and has to return back to his hometown and begins investigating a tangled web of corruption and fraud that may lead back to his father (Kurt Russell) and his boss (Jill Hennessy) and may involve the Russian mafia. Sounds juicy and intriguing but is confusing and boring instead. Film has echoes of “Boiler Room” and “Margin Call” except those films were far better. Set in Albany, NY but obviously filmed elsewhere. Continue reading →
August 18, 2019 “Lying And Stealing” (*** out of four) was a slick, stylish melodrama about a career criminal (Theo James) who makes a living stealing art for a crime boss called The Greek (Fred Melamed) who meets a woman and reaches a crossroads in life and wants out and wants to start over but finds that this isn’t quite as easy as it sounds. Low-key but involving story takes its cue from James’ intense and cool performance. Obviously inspired by early-period Michael Mann and Jonathan Demme but well-made and good of its kind. Continue reading →
August 18, 2019 “The Angry Birds Movie 2” (*** out of four) was a cute sequel to the 2016 animated hit about Red, Chuck, and Bomb (voiced by Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, and Danny McBride) being forced to team up with Leonard (voiced by Bill Hader) and the rest of the pigs when an advanced weapon threatens them all and threatens all of Piggy Island. Fast-paced and full of snappy one-liners and colorful, eye-filling animation. Lots of fun, especially for fans of the original. Nicki Minaj, Maya Rudolph, and Leslie Jones all provide additional voices. Continue reading →
August 18, 2019 “47 Meters Down: Uncaged” (*** out of four) was a tense thriller about four teen girls (Sophie Nelisse, Corinne Fox, Brianne Tju, and Sistine Rose Stallone) who go on a scuba-diving expedition to a lost Mayan city and soon realize they’ve entered the bloody waters of a deadly group of sharks and try to escape before it’s too late. Yes, it’s one more killer shark movie but it delivers the goods with scares and goose-bumps and features exceptionally good-looking cinematography from Mark Silk. Film is the sequel to “47 Meters Down” but actually bears more similarities to “The Descent” and “The Cave.” Continue reading →
August 18, 2019 “Good Boys” (** out of four) was a pretty forgettable comedy about three sixth-graders (Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, Brady Noon) who ditch school and accidentally wind up in possession of some stolen drugs and are hunted by a group of teenage girls and try to make it back home for a long-awaited party. Likeable and spirited performances from the boys try to wring as much laughs as they can out of a paper-thin script and story. It’s simply not that hilarious hearing young kids say the “F” word all the time. Although the laughs are few, the scene in which Tremblay sings “I Want To Know What Love Is” almost makes this worth a look on a very draggy night. Continue reading →
August 17, 2019 “One Remains” (* out of four) was a lifeless horror movie about a group of documentary filmmakers (Ryan O’Quinn, Vanessa Leigh, and Katelyn Gault) who venture to a cabin in the woods but find themselves (yawn) besieged by a mysterious killer. Yet another found-footage horror movie in which you wish the footage had remained lost. By now- you would think filmmakers would be tired of making horror movies about cabins in the woods but let’s hope this is the last of the “remains.” Daniel Pace’s creepy music score is one of film’s few virtues. Continue reading →
August 17, 2019 “Fall Girls” (** out of four) was a contrived and dumb comedy about a group of corporate women (Tami Roman, Erica Hubbard, and others) on a business getaway trip who wake up after a night of partying to find their boss dead (Joely Fisher) and have to go through the motions of keeping her alive to discover what happened and who killed her. Enthusiastic cast helps and there are some scattered laughs but plot gets progressively sillier until it falls apart at the seams. Didn’t anybody learn their lesson from “Weekend At Bernie’s”? Continue reading →
August 17, 2019 “A Dark Place” (** out of four) was a monotonous melodrama about a young man (Luke Baines) struggling to find work after a past criminal mistake. When his nagging girlfriend (Jazzlyn Yoder) informs him she is pregnant, he is driven to desperation but this leads him on a downward spiral that threatens his sanity and the safety of everyone involved. Interesting at first but stalls after a while and remains lukewarm and film’s dramatic and emotional interest gradually drains away. Even Baines’ strong performance in the lead becomes tiresome after a while, much like the film itself. Continue reading →
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