February 19, 2023 “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre” (** out of four) was a cumbersome action thriller about an elite special agent (Jason Statham who can play this role in his sleep by now) who is ordered to track down and stop a billionaire arms broker (Hugh Grant) and is forced to team up with a Hollywood movie star (Josh Hartnett) to stop his reign of terror and save the world. Lots of action and flash make this watchable on a draggy night but story is almost incoherent at times and tough to care about. By this point, you wouldn’t expect anything less from the likes of writer/director Guy Ritchie. This marks his fifth collaboration with Statham but they should have quit while they were ahead with “Snatch.” Continue reading →
February 18, 2023 “Blossom” (*1/2 out of four) was a wilted suspense melodrama about a social worker (Noree Victoria) who befriends a troubled runaway (Maddison Bullock) and allows her to move into her home (!) with her family but soon realizes that there is more to her than meets the eye as one of her violent cohorts (Max Carpenter) tracks her down and endangers everyone around her. Ridiculous script and story is buried even further by terrible acting. One-time “Sopranos” alum Al Sapienza produced and has a minor role as a doctor but this is unlikely to make his career “blossom” again anytime soon. Continue reading →
February 18, 2023 “Ant Man And The Wasp: Quantumania” (*** out of four) was a diverting third entry in the series about Ant Man (an ageless Paul Rudd) and Hope (Evangeline Lilly) and her parents (Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer) who stumble into the Quantum Realm and encounter various new creatures and have to battle with the villainous emperor Kang (Jonathan Majors) for control of the realm and thus the universe. Packed with the usual razzle-dazzle effects and action scenes that Marvel fans expect and has some showstopping and psychedelic visuals along the way. Story hits a few momentary lulls but always revs right back up soon enough to keeps you entertained. Douglas’ sarcasm and sense of humor are a welcome key ingredient and Bill Murray has a small cameo as Lord Krylar. Continue reading →
February 18, 2023 “A Date With Deception” (*1/2 out of four) was a synthetic suspense thriller about two friends (Hannah Jane McMurray and Kia Dorsey) who are investigating their friend’s disappearance and realize she may have been killed by a charming sociopath (Rib Hillis) and they need to try to break into his home and uncover the lost secrets before their friend dies and he kills again. Unconvincing and unbelievable pretty much all the way through and that goes double for its ridiculous finale. Hillis is awful as the suspect but Dorsey does what she can with an underwritten role. Continue reading →
February 18, 2023 “A Night Of The Undead” (*1/2 out of four) was an utterly disposable horror homage to George Romero’s classic “Night Of The Living Dead” set on the anniversary of that event in which a group of podcasters (Kenny Scott Guffey, Jake C. Young, and McKenzie Clay) return to the farmhouse of the original and soon find that some things dead just don’t stay that way. Amateurish pileup of zombie horror cliches done without much zest or conviction. Guffey and Young both directed. Continue reading →
February 18, 2023 “Frankie Meets Jack” (*1/2 out of four) was a cloying romantic comedy about the title characters (Joey Lawrence and Samantha Cope) who meet cute over their dogs and realize that shucks they have fallen in love with each other. Of interest solely because of the final film appearance of Anne Heche who the film is dedicated to but she’s wasted in a stupidly written role. The rest of the film is a mundane example of why people get tired of romantic comedies in the first place. For a better romantic comedy with perceptive writing and likeable characters, watch “Frankie And Johnny” instead. Continue reading →
February 17, 2023 “Among The Beasts” (** out of four) was an emotionally hollow action melodrama about a former marine (Tory Kittles) who teams up with a gangster’s daughter (Libe Barer) to attempt to find her kidnapped cousin but finds that he must overcome his own personal and psychological struggles to save her- and himself. Uneven story takes too long to get going and film’s characters are difficult to care about and get involved in. Works best in its final third when it finally starts picking up some grit and intensity but it’s too late by that point. Not all that different in story from Denzel Washington’s 2004 “Man On Fire.” Continue reading →
February 16, 2023 “Marlowe” (** out of four) was an overly laconic character melodrama set in the 1930’s about the title detective Phillip Marlowe (Liam Neeson) who is hired by a woman (Diane Kruger) to find her lost lover (Nico Arnaud) and this leads to various ties involving the woman’s mother (Jessica Lange) and also the local underworld and police (Danny Huston, Colm Meaney, and others). 11th screen adaptation of Marlowe is made with high-sheen and pedigree by director Neil Jordan and writer William Monahan but never really comes to life, partially because it’s character and settings are all-too-familiar by now. Neeson is solid as usual but this cannot measure the intensity and pasison of his last collaboration with director Jordan in “Michael Collins” or his last collaboration with Lange in “Rob Roy.” Continue reading →
February 16, 2023 “Good Wife’s Guide To Murder” (*1/2 out of four) was a bad thriller made by guys who could likely use a good guide to filmmaking about a successful vlogger (Nola Martin) who has the title vlog and website; when her husband (Steven John Dixon) is found dead, naturally she is the prime suspect and she has to utilize her skills to clear her name and attempt to find the real killer. Lots of red herrings and cliches abound and for whomever who stays with it, film’s ending is a real abrupt letdown. Remember when these types of movies actually used to be fun? Continue reading →
February 16, 2023 “The Stepmother 2” (*1/2 out of four) was a misbegotten sequel to the cult thriller that only came out last year about a young woman (Erica Mena) with disassociative identity disorder who embarks on a new mission in life to find the perfect family and live happily ever after and thinks she has found it with a new man (Marques Houston) but he soon finds out about her stormy and troubled past. Yet another unnecessary sequel that I don’t think many were exactly waiting on their Netflix lists for. Comparisons to “The Stepfather” are apt except that film (and its remake) were made with tension and chills. Mena is OK in the lead but changing her expression on her face once in a while wouldn’t kill her; Houston also co-wrote. Continue reading →
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