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Month: January 2023

January 3, 2023

“Jurassic Domination” (** out of four) was a not-bad horror potboiler about several miltary-made dinosaurs that have biologically created as fierce weaponry but when they break out of their surroundings the military (Jamie Bernadette, Jack Pearson, Eric Roberts, and many others) scrambles to try to keep them contained and cover their tracks. Yet another Asylum Production which is a low-rent ripoff of “Jurassic Wold”/”Jurassic Park” (in case you couldn’t already guess from its title) but some of the effects are vividly done and the film movies fairly fast. Prolific direct-to-DVD profiteer Roberts literally spends almost the entire movie on the phone!

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January 3, 2023

“M3gan” (** out of four) was a jumbled horror thriller about a brilliant robotics engineer (Allison Williams) who gains custody of her niece (Violet McGraw) and then builds the title lifelike doll for her to protect her and be her companion but naturally things go horribly wrong when the doll develops a mind of her own and becomes overprotective and savagely violent. Yet another movie about artificial intelligence that feels artificial and doesn’t have very much intelligence; film is a derivation of Spielberg/Kubrick’s “A.I.” and also “Annabelle” and “Child’s Play” and is only made for those who’ve never seen any of those previously. James Wan was one of film’s producers.

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January 3, 2023

“Secret Headquarters” (** out of four) was a juvenile action-fantasy about a young kid (Walker Scobell) who discovers with his friends that the headquarters of the world’s greatest superhero exists beneath his home and it belongs to none other than his father (Owen Wilson) and they must band together to defend their turf and save the world when a unscrupulous villain (Michael Pena) attacks and threatens mankind. Aimed squarely at young viewers with its plot of kids and their parents attempting to save the world but lacking in joy and any real “fun.” Wilson is more tolerable than usual but Pena is pretty one-note as the villain.

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“Fluxx” (** out of four) was an overdone and overly cerebral melodrama about an isolated actress (Shelley Henning) in her Hollywood Hills mansion who begins to emotionally unravel and reflects back on her past memories with a celebrated talk-show host (Tyrese Gibson killing time between “Fast And Furious” entries) and others in her life (Shiloh Fernandez, Tanner Beard, and others) as means to regain her grip on reality and sanity. Opens with a sensational and stylish opening credits and has some interesting themes but goes so far afield into excess and mundane unpleasantness and never gets back on track. Gibson is solid as usual but based on this effort his career seems to be in “flux.”
“Weekend Getaway” (*1/2 out of four) was a tired suspense psychodrama about three happily married couples (Ashley Dennis, April Melody Rox Doillard, Dee Hill, and others) who go to a cabin in the woods for a weekend and dangerous secrets are revealed that force them to question their relationships and stability. Pretty photography by Conrad Craven is eye-catching but otherwise this is pretty much of a bore. Hill, Dennis, and Dillard are all knockouts but this mostly feels like reheated Tyler Perry.
“Play Dead” (** out of four) was a flamboyant but overly flimsy horror psychodrama about a young woman (Paula Brasca) who awakens injured in a basement surrounded by corpses; in order to survive, she pretends to be dead while grotesque rituals are ongoing around her involving others (Damian Castillo, Catalina Motto, and others) in the house. Directed with some style and flair by director Carlos Goitia and cinematographer Luciano Montes de Oca but becomes undeniably monotonous and unpleasant after a while because of lack of variation and story. Obviously influenced to some extent by “Cabin Fever” and also “Hostel”.
“The Travellers” (**1/2 out of four) was an agreeably done comedy about a stage designer (Luke Bracey) who returns to his native Australia to say goodbye to his dying mother (Susan Porter) but this trip soon devolves into chaos as he encounters his difficult father (Bryan Brown) and past lovers (Celia Massingham and Alison McGirr) as he struggles to keep himself together and coordinate his life. Pleasant outing from writer/director Bruce Beresford (“Driving Miss Daisy”) with a well-served cast although it stops just short of hitting the mark. Brown adds some suavity and style as usual with his effortless (and ageless) charisma.
“Home Education” (* out of four) was a languid psychodrama set in the England countryside about a young girl (Lydia Page) who starts to question the beliefs of her domineering and overbearing mother (Julia Ormond) as she ventures out on her own for the first time and encounters the horrors of real life. Both inept and inert; film is incredibly stuffy and blah but has no real story to tell. A particularly egregious waste of Ormond who in better days starred in “First Knight” a film with actual tension and verve.

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