July 15, 2023 “Ghost Town” (*1/2 out of four) was a lackluster Western drama about a drifter (Owen Conway) who takes a job as a bartender in the wild wild West but a series of unexplained murders take place and he soon finds himself at the center of suspicion and has to fire back with everything he has and try to escape town. Maybe it’s time for Westerns to retire for a while because by now the saloon fights, whiskey drinking, and gun standoffs seem awfully by-the-numbers and tired. Give writer/director/star Conway points for his efforts but this unfortunately carries the “ghost” of far better past Westerns from Peckinpah and Eastwood and Leone. Continue reading →
July 14, 2023 “You’re Not Alone” (** out of four) was a tepid suspense potboiler about a security specialist (Michael Jai White) who is aboard a plane coming home when he sees his daughter (Precious Way) is being stalked via the home security system and he’s helpless to do anything at 40,000 feet in the air but tries desperately to contact her and control the situation. Nerve-wracking scenario has elements of “When A Stranger Calls” and also “Red Eye” but never achieves the real suspense and tension that would make it satisfying. Jai White is rock-solid as usual and carries film almost singlehandedly. Continue reading →
July 14, 2023 “Cabin Girl” (** out of four) was a middling suspense thriller about a young woman (Rosa Lane Sanfilippo) who is an online social media influencer and moves into an isolated cabin but soon starts experiencing a series of strange supernatural occurrences that alter her safety and sanity as she develops escalating paranoia that some of the various townspeople (Michael Rispoli and Lee Tergesen) are out to get her. Better-than-average movie does feature some minor scares and is kept afloat by Sanfilippo’s strong performance but never rises much above mediocrity. Feature directorial debut for producer/short film maker Jon D. Wagner. Continue reading →
July 13, 2023 “The Kept Mistress Killer” (** out of four) was a thinly conceived suspense melodrama about a woman (Alicia Leigh Willis) who interviews and is hired immediately by the company’s CEO (Matthew Pohlkamp) and they fall in love but she soon starts to suspect he may be a duplicitous killer after his ex-wife is found dead and a hard-nosed detective (Kim Grant) begins to investigate. Glossy but generic thriller pretty much goes through the motions and none of the twists or turns should be too surprising to many. Even most of the actors seem like they’re simply going through the motions here. Continue reading →
July 12, 2023 “Kinderfanger” (** out of four) was a strenuously uneven horror thriller about a teacher (Oliver Theory) who realizes that many of her students are disappearing and she realizes she will have to battle the various demons from her own past against a mystical child abductor (Dmitrious Bistrevsky) to solve the mystery of what’s really going on in her small town. First-half is sluggish and hokey but second half does gradually build some tension and mood and delivers a few scares. Promising directorial debut from noted cinematographer Bridger Nelson. Continue reading →
July 11, 2023 “Cascade” (** out of four) was an overly familiar suspense potboiler about a teenage girl (Sara Waisglass) who goes on a hike in the Canadian wilderness and finds a crashed drug plane and has to play cat-and-mouse with a ruthless gang (Josh Cruddas, John Tench, and others) who want her dead at all cost. Good-looking film is well-lensed by Diego Guijjaro on beautiful Canadian locations but covers well-worn and all-too-familiar territory. No relation to the television series of the same name. Continue reading →
July 11, 2023 “The Lesson” (** out of four) was a curiously unmoving melodrama about a young author (Daryl McCormack) who takes a position at the estate of a legendary writer (Richard E. Grant) and develops a relationship with his wife (Julie Delpy) all the while trying to hone his own observatory skills at writing. Earnest story is given credence by its strong pedigree and cast but it never connects much emotionally and is lacking in any vitality and passion. Director Alice Troughton directs with her typical leisurely and neo-classical style but she needs more “lessons” of her own on pacing and dramatics. Continue reading →
July 9, 2023 “Dead Man’s Hand” (*1/2 out of four) was a losing hand about a one-time gunslinger (Jack Kilmer) who has reformed with his wife and family and kills an outlaw (Forrest Wilder) in self-defense but this prompts outrage from the victim’s brother who is also the town’s corrupt mayor (Stephen Dorff) who swears bloody vengeance against him no matter the cost. Unusually ugly and dusty-looking Western with cheap and grainy cinematography that almost makes you want to clean the screen with windex but film is hardly worth the bother. Good cast are wasted on story that’s overflown with Western cliches. Continue reading →
July 9, 2023 “Sweet Revenge: A Hannah Swensen Mystery” (** out of four) was a half-hearted continuation of Hallmark’s “Murder She Baked” series about Hannah (Allison Sweeney) and Mike (Cameron Mathison) whose wedding plans and blissful relationship is severely interrupted by a murder at a local gym which raises everyone’s suspicions and security. Overly bland trifle never gathers much magic as a romantic comedy or a detective thriller and soon sputters. There are 28 novels in this series so you can be sure there will be more film adaptations to follow hopefully with more conviction and bite. Continue reading →
July 9, 2023 “Soundproof” (** out of four) was a muddled character melodrama about a fragmented family (Georgina Rich, Ellie Bindman, Gabe Robinson, and others) who take a road trip to redemption but find themselves further falling apart due to various struggles and inner turmoil. Good performances help keep you watching but film is let down by lack of real storyline and gradually becomes more jaded and aloof as it goes along. Co-directors Mark Hayman and Margaret Rogerson work in a style that reminds you of mid-period David Lynch (particularly “Wild At Heart”) but film is only interesting in fits and starts. Continue reading →
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