October 4, 2020 “A Stranger Among The Living” (* out of four) was a simply dreadful melodrama about a young teacher (Christopher Wesley Moore) who finds himself haunted by the undead after he narrowly survives a school shooting and then begins to question his own mortality and sanity in life. Vanity production for Wesley Moore who acted, wrote, and directed and let’s just be kind and say he strikes out on all three. Film mashes so much unpleasantness in your face for nearly two hours that it becomes unbearable after a while. Continue reading →
October 3, 2020 “Seized” (** out of four) was a wan action thriller about a former special ops agent (Scott Adkins) whose son is kidnapped by a ruthless underworld thug (Mario Van Peebles a long way from “New Jack City”) who said he will execute him unless he eradicates three crime syndicates. Pretty glum and one-note and not even the action and martial arts scenes are particularly crisp or fresh. Both Adkins and Van Peebles try to enliven the proceedings but at this point they may want to “seize” themselves some better scripts. Continue reading →
October 3, 2020 “The Doorman” (** out of four) was a stodgy action thriller about a former military veteran (Ruby Rose) who befriends a family in NYC when a gang of thieves (led by Jean Reno) plot to steal their art and other valuables and hold them hostage and she has to return to action and save their possessions and their lives. Ho-hum “Die Hard” clone has a few good action scenes but is overall too lumpy and talky. Director Ryuhei Kitamura throws in some homages to “The Professional” with Reno in the cast but film fans should re-watch that movie instead of this clunker. Continue reading →
October 3, 2020 “Dead” (** out of four) was a hackneyed supernatural thriller about a hedonistic stoner (Thomas Mainsbury) who can see ghosts who teams up with a paranormal detective (Hayden J. Weal) to find a serial killer before he stalks them both and kills the rest of the town. Not bad, with some relatively stylish touches by Weal (who also directed), but overall pretty unimaginative and bland as it mixes together supernatural and paranormal elements from far too many other movies. And hey- do you think you could have come up with something of a better title? Continue reading →
October 3, 2020 “A Werewolf In England” (*1/2 out of four) was a tacky horror thriller about a Parrish counselor and criminal (Reece Connolly and Tim Cartwright) who take refuge at an English countryside inn but soon find that it is inhabited by ravenous werewolves who want to devour them and anyone else who get in their path. Cheaply made story covers all-too-familiar territory without much wit or invention although second half (finally) picks up and delivers some gore and goods. Re-watch “An American Werewolf In London” instead for the right way to make this kind of thriller. Continue reading →
October 2, 2020 “The Glorias” (**1/2 out of four) was a somewhat perceptive biography of feminist icon Gloria Steinem (played by three separate actresses- Ryan Kira Armstrong, Alicia Vikander, and Julianne Moore) showing her nomadic childhood to becoming a writer and then a worldwide activist and organizer for women’s rights and equality. Some parts of her life are well-captured but others remain superficial and perfunctory but film as a whole is overlong. Vikander’s first-rate performance is a major asset and she does a particularly impressive job of imitating Moore’s mannerisms and movements. Timothy Hutton also has his best role in years as her dedicated and well-meaning dad. Continue reading →
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