November 23, 2020 “Buddy Games” (*1/2 out of four) was a witless comedy about a group of moronic middle-aged friends (Josh Duhammel, Dax Shepard, Jensen Ackles, Kevin Dillon, and others) who reunite to play the title buddy games which are an assortment of mental and physical challenges that help them forget about their problems and focus on the importance of having fun even as they get older. Pretty lame and stupid attempt at “The Hangover” and “Grown Ups” comedy but lacks the heart and humor of both. Despite the solid comic cast, only Dillon gets any (mild) laughs. Inauspicious directing debut for Duhammel. Continue reading →
November 23, 2020 “Blindfire” (**1/2 out of four) was a relatively compelling melodrama about a cop (Brian Geraghty) who responds to a hostage call and kills a suspect (Chike Okonkwo) in self-defense; in the face of a citywide uproar and his job and safety in jeopardy, he begins to mentally and physically fall apart until he realizes he may have been set up and sets out to find the ones responsible and at the same time examine and accept his own accountability. Timely and engrossing storyline benefits from strong performances and gritty direction but starts to lose its way especially in its final third and film’s ending is pat and unconvincing. Still worthy of some recognition and worth checking out. Continue reading →
November 22, 2020 “A Deadly Place” (*1/2 out of four) was a deadly dull thriller about a woman (Cassandra Ebner) who returns to her remote home after her father’s death and is reunited with a few of his former friends (Douglas Chapman and Iain Belcher) who dredge up secrets about her and her father’s past that question her reality. Practically suspenseless story plods instead of builds and bogs down in its own tedium. Atmospheric lensing from Robert Riendeau is one of film’s few assets. Continue reading →
November 22, 2020 “Secrets At The Lake” (** out of four) was a pedestrian thriller about a group of teens (Nicky Whelan, Anna Hutchison, Alexandria DeBerry, and others) who make a pact involving a deadly car accident that has consequences they never imagined that haunt them and their families and thus jeopardize all their lives. Plenty of predictable and obvious plot turns and plot holes although it’s handsomely mounted by director Tim Cruz and cinematographer Nate Spicer and is watchable. Re-titled “Murder In The Suburbs” later by its distributor. Continue reading →
November 21, 2020 “Scarecrow County” (* out of four) was a grade-Z thriller about a small-town librarian (Tonjia Atomic) who discovers the lost diary of a dead teenager and finds long-buried secrets within the diary of a murderous scarecrow who is stalking the streets and she finds out she might be next! Strictly for those who actually still find scarecrows to be scary; for anyone else, it’s cheap, routine, and (after a while) boring. Hard to remember when movies like these actually used to be scary and fun. Continue reading →
November 21, 2020 “Asylum: Twisted Horror And Fantasy Tales” (* out of four) was a miserable mess about a struggling comedian (Raymond E. Lee) determined to make it through one last show in which the audience gradually devolves into a massacre as he engages in twisted fantasies about their murders and dethroning. Shoddy and stupid movie made by people who probably belong in an asylum; animated interludes literally come out of nowhere and don’t make any sense but they’re the most entertaining thing in the film. Avoid like COVID. Continue reading →
November 21, 2020 “The Lionness” (* out of four) was a sleazy, empty thriller about a group of frustrated strippers (Giuliana Gutierrez and Lacy Hartselle) who decide to throw caution to the wind and to erase their financial concerns by ripping off the mob. Yet another hack movie that looks like it was filmed with somebody’s cell phone. Even at about 45 minutes, this is really tough going. Watch “The Lion King” again instead. Continue reading →
November 21, 2020 “Out Of Time” (**1/2 out of four) was an earnest melodrama about a tight-knit family (Marcus Collins, Suzanne Collins, and Jamie Cousins) whose closeness are put to the test when one of them is dying of a terminal disease and the family subsequently has financial and personal problems that threaten to tear them apart. Not much plot per se but strong acting from all keeps you involved and engaged. Refreshingly short also at only about an hour-and-15 minutes. A mixed bag but not without its merits. Continue reading →
November 21, 2020 “Run” (*1/2 out of four) was a drably done melodrama about a homeschooled and disabled teenager (Sarah Paulson) who begins to suspect that her mysterious mother (Kiera Allen) is keeping a dark secret from her in keeping her away from the rest of the world and she gradually tries to fight back and to escape. Tiresome movie goes nowhere slowly as it goes over unpleasant terrain you have seen many times before. Both Paulson and Allen try their best but filmgoers would best “run” away from this trifle and look elsewhere. Continue reading →
November 21, 2020 “Embattled” (**1/2 out of four) was a middling melodrama about a seasoned and crude MMA fighter (Stephen Dorff) who is reunited with his son (Darren Mann) and finds he is his next opponent in the ring and both need to defeat one another to break the cycle of hate and abuse that has run in their family but find that there is a lot more at stake than that. Film has some scattered effective moments but never fully connects emotionally, perhaps because Dorff’s character is so unlikeable and tough to root for and Mann’s character is superficially drawn at best. MMA fight scenes are a definite plus and give this a definite jolt of charge and realism. 2011’s “Warrior” told a similar story with a lot more grit and passion. Continue reading →
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