February 4, 2022 “Bad Girls” (** out of four) was an amusing but disreputable ode to grindhouse cinema about three loose-cannon teenage girls (Morgan Shaley Renew, Shelby Lois Guinn, Sanethia Dresch) who rob a strip club and then go on a cross-country odyssey of sex, drugs, and booze while eluding the Feds (led by Mike Amason) who are determined to track them down and put an end to their reign of crime. Alternately trashy, stupid, exciting, funny, bloody and numbing- film makes for a wildly uneven ride but at least it never stops moving. Ultimately wears you out with its nonstop sleaze but at least it’s far better (and more entertaining) than 1994’s “Bad Girls” which it has no relation to. Continue reading →
February 4, 2022 “Slapface” (**1/2 out of four) was a thoughtful melodrama about a young boy (August Maturo) who is distraught by bullying at school and the recent death of his parents who seeks solace in a dangerous local monster (Lukas Hassel) who lives in the woods but this leads to dangerous consequences for him and those around him. Extremely well-made story is atmospheric and beautifully shot by Dominick Sivilli and is unusually reflective and thought-provoking about the psychological effects of bullying but just misses. Maturo’s sincere performance is a plus but this never quite connects emotionally. This was adapted from a 2017 short film of the same name. Continue reading →
February 3, 2022 “Safe Space” (**1/2 out of four) was a predictable but efficient suspense thriller about a mother (Nicole Ari Parker- who looks like a stoned Halle Berry) and her autistic son (Nik Sanchez) who hide in a safe room at their house when their home is invaded by intruders (Mackenzie Austin and Drea de Matteo) who are looking for evidence and they have to turn the tables on them and escape and survive. More-or-less a remake of the Jodie Foster/David Fincher cult classic “Panic Room” but having said that- it’s tensely directed and well acted and holds you in its grip. Matteo in particular is fierce and stylish as the female thug. Continue reading →
February 3, 2022 “The Reunion” (*1/2 out of four) was a schizophrenic comedy melodrama about a twenty-something out of work actor (Dave Rosenberg) with significant mental health issues on a spiritual quest in NYC when he runs into a childhood nemesis (Jim Norton) and is encouraged by his best-friend (Andrea Modica) to confront him and challenge him at their pending high-school reunion to achieve new fulfillment and enlightenment in life (or something like that). Rosenberg also wrote this bizarro movie which changes mood and tone with practically every scene. If you went to school with flakes like this, you wouldn’t want to attend a “reunion” either. Continue reading →
February 2, 2022 “COVID-19: The Invasion” (*1/2 out of four) was a junky action potboiler about a group of redneck militants (led by Kevin Nash) who set out to kill the local homeless population that are living in a deserted school in order to prevent the spread of a lethal strand of COVID; when the homeless people fight back and the COVID strand continues to spread, they realize they are in a fight for their lives. Yet another low-rent action thriller that exploits the COVID name and pandemic but it’s really more-of-the-same and resembles a video game more than a film. Continue reading →
February 1, 2022 “Damon’s Revenge” (0 stars out of four) was an absolutely dreadful horror potboiler about a group of friends (Chelsea Vale, Tom Dinnucci, and others) who spend a weekend at a friend’s house at a lake but them and the local sheriff (Tom Sizemore) soon encounter the return of the horrific masked killer (Michael Madsen) and also a copycat killer who is also on the loose. So incomprehensible you could almost watch this backwards and it would likely make just as much sense but film is so sleazy, unpleasant, and boring that’s by no means a recommendation. Somehow, Godsmack singer Sully Erna has a supporting role in this which figures because this film is Godawful. He should have taken a cue from his own song library and just “kept away” instead. Continue reading →
dlepikcom 