November 18, 2023 “It Be An Evil Moon” (*1/2 out of four) was a bewildering bore about a disgraced mad scientist (Ian Ray-White) who derives a hair-growth formula which is derived from pickled wolfsbane (that’s right); at first, it seems to be a miraculous breakthrough but he soon realizes this has multiple medical complications and consequences. By the end of this clunker, you may wish you had spent your money on some Rogaine or Minoxidil instead. A real head-scratcher, to put it mildly. Ben Etchells’ stirring music score is one of film’s few assets. Continue reading →
November 15, 2023 “They Wait In The Dark” (**1/2 out of four) was a better-than-average horror thriller about a young woman (Sarah McGuire) on the run with her young son (Patrick McGee) from an abusive relationship but both find they are haunted by the past which prevents them from having a good future together. Ultimately done in by standard horror genre cliches and pretensions but well-directed by Patrick Rea and infused with an aura of creepy dread that holds you till its obscure ending. Continue reading →
November 14, 2023 “Your Lucky Day” (*1/2 out of four) was an unlucky remake of the 2010 thriller about the dispute over a winning lottery ticket which turns into a deadly hostage situation and all of the witnesses (Angus Cloud, Elliot Knight, Jessica Garza, and others) are faced with the dilemma over how far they’re willing to go and how many they are willing to kill for a cut of the winning $156 million ticket. Potentially incendiary premise never connects and is sunk by unlikeable characters and slapdash writing. One of Cloud’s final films before his death this past July. Continue reading →
November 14, 2023 “The Cost” (** out of four) was a curiously flat and unmoving melodrama about two men (Jordan Fraser-Tumble and Damon Hunter) who abduct a felon (Kevin Dee) who was recently released from prison to enact justice after he was given too lenient a sentence and they attempt to make him realize their suffering for what he did but morally are they in the right or has he paid his sentence to society? Highly interesting and challenging moral dilemna of a story is never as arresting or compelling as it could have been. Three strong performances from the leads try to give this as much tension as possible. Continue reading →
November 14, 2023 “The Marvels” (**1/2 out of four) was a diverting but derivative entry in the Marvel comic-book universe about Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) who gets her powers intertwined with those of Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) forcing them to work together with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) with the fate of the universe hanging in the balance. 33rd film in the Marvel series shows the series starting to show its wear and age; has the requisite amount of action and visual effects for series fans but lacks the wow and intricacy of previous entries. As usual, there are some other cameos and story threads for hardcore comic and Marvel fans. Continue reading →
November 13, 2023 “Murder Runs In The Family” (*1/2 out of four) was a fizzled suspense thriller about “an art therapist” (Laura Lieben) whose adoptive mother and biological mother both die under mysterious circumstances and she begins to suspect the involvement of her sociopathic brother (Eric Wigston) and that there might be more to him underneath his brotherly demeanor. Yet another suspense thriller without much suspense and without hardly any thrills and is weakened even further by some ham-handed acting. Originally titled “Finding A Killer”; do yourself a favor and find a better movie. Continue reading →
November 13, 2023 “It’s A Wondeful Knife” (** out of four) was a meager horror thriller about a young woman (Jane Widdop) who saves her town from a psychotic killer but has numerous ensuing problems with anxiety and PTSD and upon the holidays finds herself in a parallel universe in which she realizes how life without her would have been much worse even as blod and gore starts piling up again. Promising beginning soon gives way as film becomes tiresome and silly especially the finale involving the town mayor (Justin Long). Clever title though. Continue reading →
November 12, 2023 “Foe” (** out of four) was a rambling melodrama about a couple (Saiorse Ronan and Paul Mescal) who live in quiet isolation from the rest of society on a secluded farm; when a stranger (Aaron Pierre) shows up with an indecent proposal, their isolated existence and lives are thrown into disarray and turmoil. Beautifully shot by Matyas Erdely on stunning locations in Australia but film moves in fits-and-starts and never becomes fully engaging. Based on Ian Reid’s novel of the same name. Continue reading →
November 12, 2023 “Corsicana” (*1/2 out of four) was a pretty awful neo-Western about a fearless deputy (Isaiah Washington) who reunites with his former partner turned fugitive (Jason Johnson) and they attempt to track down an outlaw (Lew Temple) and his vicious group of killers to the title oil-rich town in Texas. Yet another smorgasborg of Western cliches but this one is even more plodding and cheaply done than most and winds up a waste of time. Disappointing directorial debut for Washington who also co-wrote. Continue reading →
November 11, 2023 “Sins In The Family” (** out of four) was a plastic suspense thriller about a happily married couple (Moniqua Plante and Jay Hindle) who are dedicated and devoted to their daughter (Natalie Sharp); however when her school guidance counselor (Meghan Heffern) begins to develop an unusual interest in her, they begin to suspect there might be much more lurking underneath her helpful demeanor. By-the-numbers thriller should be called AKA “The Guidance Counselor From Hell” but that probably makes this sound more fun than it really is. Competently made and acted but commits numerous “sins” of its own of silliness and unoriginality. Continue reading →
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