September 30, 2020 “Welcome To Sudden Death” (*1/2 out of four) was a feeble action thriller about a ferocious former soldier (Michael Jai White) who takes his children (Nakai Takawira and Lyric Justice) to a basketball game when it is overtaken by terrorists (led by BJ Verot) who take his children hostage and threaten mass destruction. More of a remake, rather than a sequel to, the 1995 Jean Claude Van Damme thriller but it managers to be even dumber and jokier. One of the characters even dares to ask White “didn’t you ever see ‘Die Hard’ as if justification for ripping that movie off. Byetheway- there is no “sudden death” in basketball which shows film’s overall intelligence level. Jai White and his cool martial arts moves are film’s only asset. Continue reading →
September 29, 2020 “Stakeout” (** out of four) was a cold-hearted thriller about a struggling young private investigator (Jeremy Sumpter) who tries to help a young woman (Amber Sweet) to commit fraud in order to help his dying mother but finds out too-little/too-late that he’s been doublecrossed and has to try to sort out the mystery and clear his name on the seamier side of L.A. Promising beginning has some sharp dialogue and observations about life in detective work but it soon stalls about halfway through and never rises above the mire and film’s ending is unsatisfying and flat. Tom Berenger adds some style as Sumpter’s burned out father. Originally titled “Sargasso” and based on the real-life experiences of writer/director Adam Sigal who himself was a former P.I. Continue reading →
September 29, 2020 “Checkmate” (**1/2 out of four) was a twisty pulp action thriller about a renowned serial killer (James Quinn) who is hired by the chief of police (David Whalen) to kidnap his daughter (Sara Torres) when he decides to lead a charge against sex trafficking and corrupt cops (Arash Mokhtar and Matthew McCurdy) in his city but naturally all does not go as planned and they’re all scrambling to cover their tracks. Slickly made with taut action scenes and some surprisingly strong dialogue although it starts to fall apart in its final third when it becomes too seamy and too convoluted. Still, overall worth “checking” out and better-than-average for this genre. Continue reading →
September 28, 2020 “Canadian Strain” (** out of four) was a mild marijuana comedy about the legalization of marijuana in Canada and how one lifelong dealer (Jess Salgueiro) finds she is soon about to be run out of business by the Canadian government which puts her at odds with local politicians (Angela Besharah) and law enforcement (Benjamin Ayres). Occasionally amusing satire of the legalization of marijuana and its rippling effects on many industries but not as sharp or incisive as it could have- and should have- been. You keep watching for Cheech Marin or Dave Chappelle to show up and make a cameo but unfortunately that never happens. Continue reading →
September 26, 2020 “Rent-A-Pal” (***1/2 out of four) was a wrenching psychodrama set in 1990 about a lonely middle-ager (Brian Landis Folkins) who lives at home taking care of his dying mother (Kathleen Brady); he then joins a video-dating service and takes home the tape of the title video friend (Will Wheaton) but soon finds he is addicted to this and finds it has completely taken over his life, even when he finally meets a girl (Amy Rutledge) he is in love with. Intense, moving story is brilliantly realized in the vein of early David Lynch and David Cronenbergh; unfortunately it gets a little too cerebral and weird in its final third which may turn some off. Still, it’s a definite original and a very impressive directorial debut for writer/director Jon Stevenson and a strong showcase for the powerful acting of Folkins and Rutledge. Continue reading →
September 26, 2020 “Pistolera” (** out of four) was a typically sordid underground pulp melodrama about a young girl (Romina di Lella) whose family is murdered by a ruthless drug lord (Robert Davi); once she grows up, she swears vengeance and turns to some corrupt underworld figures (Danny Trejo and Damian Chapa) for help in taking him down and his empire. The film equivalent to a weak bottle of Mexican tequila, with all kinds of sadistic violence and plot twists you have seen all-too-many times before. Davi mostly replays his role from “License To Kill” and Trejo replays a role he can by now play in his sleep. Olvidalo! Continue reading →
September 25, 2020 “Driven To The Edge” (*1/2 out of four) was an utterly stupid suspense thriller about a young fashion designer (Taylor Spreitler) who shares a ride with a passenger (Danielle Burgess) in an Uber and soon realizes that she has taken a dark obsession with her and will do anything and everything to dominate her life and make sure they are never apart. Perhaps the final word in all “Fatal Attraction” wannabes about the fatal consequences of meeting someone in an Uber! Even by the low standards of these clunkers, this one is really dim and lame and soon drives itself off a cliff. Continue reading →
September 25, 2020 “Evil Takes Root” (** out of four) was a tired supernatural thriller about a paranormal investigator (Nicholas Gonzalez) who arrives in a nowhere Midwestern town to investigate the disappearance of his ex and hopefully atone for many of his own past mistakes but soon begins to realize that she fell victim to an ancient evil that returned home with her from the Phillipines and he subsequently realizes it may threaten to overtake the entire town. Director Chris W. Freeman employs some stylish touches that help this get off to a good start but film soon gets swallowed up in its own hokey absurdism. Continue reading →
September 24, 2020 “Beckman” (** out of four) was an ungainly B-movie actioner about an underground contract killer (David A.R. White) who finds God and turns his life around to become the reverend of an L.A. church but is called back into action when a villainous cult leader (William Baldwin) kidnaps his daughter and he springs back into bloody vengeance but this puts him at odds and question with his newfound faith. Heavy-handed mix of pulp action and religious sentiments at least has some good action scenes in its second half after a sluggish opening. Strong supporting cast including Jeff Fahey, Burt Young, and Brighton Sharbino are mostly wasted. Both Fahey and Baldwin both co-produced. Continue reading →
September 23, 2020 “The Bellwether” (0 out of four) was an excruciating horror drama about a book-store owner (Alex Reid) who is locked in a church and is interrogated and scrutinized by an unseen church servant (voiced by Sally Clawson) to try and force her to conform from her evil and sinister ways but she has a few tricks up her sleeve and decides to interrogate the church servant back and the church in general. Abjectly painful movie is an entire one-character story and is claustrophobic, cheap, and (worst of all) boring. If you make it through the first 15 minutes, you might make it through the entire movie. You might remember Reid from 2005’s “The Descent” but judging by this clunker, her career seems to be in fast descent. Continue reading →
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