March 7, 2020 “Bloodshot” (**1/2 out of four) was a sporadically effective sci/fi comic-book adaptation about a slain soldier (Vin Diesel) who is re-animated with computerized superpowers but still seeks vengeance on those who killed him and his wife and soon discovers a much-larger conspiracy involving the doctor (Guy Pearce) who brought him back to life. Blends various elements of “Total Recall”, “Robocop”, “Memento” (which also starred Pearce) and (yes) “Re-Animator” with uneven results. Features enough action and impressive visual effects to likely satisfy fans but too derivative to achieve maximum impact. Continue reading →
March 6, 2020 “A Killer In My Home” (*1/2 out of four) was a subpar suspense thriller about a businesswoman (Bree Williamson) whose husband suddenly dies and informs her that he had a whole other family she never knew of and they (Krista Bridges, Christian Laurin, and others) subsequently show up and ingratiate themselves but she doesn’t realize they are going to turn her life upside down. Both predictable and confusing with plot strands going in all different directions but it’s hard to keep track or care about any of it. A disappointment from director Farhad Mann who showed quirkiness and style as the director of ’80’s cultural icon Max Headroom. Continue reading →
March 5, 2020 “The Dare” (*1/2 out of four) was an ugly and unpleasant “Saw” rip-off about a man (Bart Edwards) who awakens in a basement with three other prisoners while their unhinged captor taunts them from afar and he has to retrace his steps as to how he got there and what he needs to do- mentally and physically- to escape. Very stylishly shot by Andrew Rodger but otherwise pretty tough going. Horror fans would fare best not to take this “dare” and look elsewhere. Continue reading →
March 4, 2020 “Scarecrow’s Revenge” (* out of four) was a laughably awful medieval thriller about a female Viking (Sarah Kohen) who soon discovers that a horrifying scarecrow has been murdering people and it is up to her to bring him down and restore law and order to her community. This actually rips off parts of M. Night Shymalan’s “The Village”! And can we please now get a moratorium on horror movies with scarecrows in their title? Cheesy production and terrible acting provide the only real scares here. Continue reading →
March 3, 2020 “Kill Mode” (**1/2 out of four) was a not-bad futuristic action thriller in which a greedy corporation controls the world and an ex freedom fighter (Dave Mantel) attempts to expose the secret that could bring them down and also destroy the fabric of futuristic law and robotic rule that controls society. Fast-paced but overly derivative thriller is certainly watchable although it never fully escapes the shadows of other better movies it’s inspired by (“Blade Runner”, “District 9”, “Robocop”, and obviously “The Terminator” to name several). By this point, it may be time to “kill” movies about the future and robotic machinery. Continue reading →
March 2, 2020 “The Invisible Man” (** out of four) was a hollow sci/fi-horror adaptation of H.G. Wells’ famous novel and the 1933 original about a woman (Elisabeth Moss) whose abusive husband takes his own life but she subsequently starts noticing strange occurrences in her life and begins to lose her sanity trying to convince all around her that she is being stalked by a ghost whom no one can see. Creepy and eerie at times but otherwise film treads on all-too-familiar territory and starts to become tiresome and predictable after a while. Some scares at beginning and film’s end make it watchable but that still doesn’t mean you shouldn’t just re-watch the original. Continue reading →
March 2, 2020 “Guns Akimbo” (*** out of four) was a hyperactive action thriller from the bigger-is-better school of filmmaking about a guy (Daniel Radcliffe) who realizes he has guns bolted onto both of his hands and he embarks through a city of violence and chaos to rescue his ex-girlfriend (Samara Weaving) from ruthless bad guys (led by Ned Dennehy) but is chased at all angles by mobsters, corrupt cops, and reality t.v. fans who he discovers are watching him live! Excess in all areas, in violence, music, and action but it never stops moving and proves to be a wildly entertaining ride. A real image-altering role for Radcliffe. Definitely not for all tastes but flashy and tongue-in-cheek. Continue reading →
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