March 22, 2026 “Firebreak” (** out of four) was a pretentious and hokey psychological drama about a troubled widow (Belen Cuesta) who travels to a family forest summer house when her daughter (Candela Martinez) disappears sending her and her family (Enric Auquer, Joaquin Furriel, Diana Gomez, and others) into a frantic frenzy while a raging fire threatens to engulf all of them. A few scattered effective moments get swallowed up by film’s overwhelming symbolism and excessive length; by the end it seems largely pointless. Watch Drew Barrymore’s “Firestarter” instead. Continue reading →
March 22, 2026 “The Well” (*1/2 out of four) was a dour melodrama set in yet another dystopian future in which there has been environmental collapse and a widespread battle over personal resources; a young woman (Joanne Boland) finds a wounded man (Jim Carey) and brings him home but when he finds that her family has access to unlimited water and other supplies, a personal and psychological battle to survive ensues. Half-hearted amalgam of half-baked ideas from dozens of other futuristic movies over the years and film even has the gall to rip-off “The Postman” (!) of all movies! Moody cinematography from Stuart James Cameron is one of film’s few assets. Continue reading →
March 22, 2026 “Vanished In An Instant” (** out of four) was an instantly forgettable suspense psychodrama about a mother (Vinessa Antoine) whose daughter (Arista Arhin) disappears from a gas station without a trace and she begins investigating and discovers a widespread coverup involving various townsfolk (Natalie Lisinska, Aaron Poole, and others) underneath their picture-perfect facade. Proficiently made and directed and featuring strong work from Antoine in the lead but film is a bit too reminiscent of “The Vanishing” (right down to its title and gas-station setting) and also “Edge Of Darkness”. OK for what it is. Continue reading →
March 15, 2026 “Shelter” (**1/2 out of four) was an agreeably done Jason Statham action melodrama about a recluse (Statham) living on a remote island in Scotland who rescues a young girl (Bodhi Rae Breathnach) from the sea but doesn’t realize that this puts him in a perilous crossfire involving various criminal underworld factions that threaten both of their lives. Delivers it’s proficient share of action and gunplay for action fans even though it recycles obvious elements of Statham’s own “The Transporter” and (while we’re on the subject) Michael Mann’s “Collateral” and also Luc Besson’s “The Professional.” Martin Ahlgren’s striking and moody cinematography is an undeniable highlight throughout. Continue reading →
March 14, 2026 “Scream 7” (*** out of four) was a well-done entry in this blockbuster series about Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) who is trying to start a new life in a new town with her family but finds that Ghostface has re-appeared yet again and this time is targeting her daughter (Isabel May) while old friends and acquaintances (Courtney Cox, Matthew Lillard, David Arquette) seem to be popping up out of the woodwork. More satirical irony courtesy of original “Scream” writer Kevin Williamson, a first-rate opening sequence, and the return of original star Neve Campbell make this one of the better entries in a long time. Starts to subside into the routine in the final third but still entertaining for series fans. Continue reading →
March 14, 2026 “Bodycam” (**1/2 out of four) was a minimalist but modestly effective suspense psychodrama about two hard-nosed cops (Jaime M. Callica and Sean Rogerson) who investigate a domestic disturbance and there is an accidental shooting and they try to cover it up but find that they are also being watched by a sinister and malevolent force that threatens to overtake them. Nerve-wracking and jaggedly tense at times but the nonstop handheld camera may start to wear you out and film unfortunately decays into supernantural horror hokum. Film is based on actual police footage from an incident in Hyde Park, NY. Continue reading →
March 14, 2026 “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” (** out of four) was a dreary follow-up about Spike (Alfie Williams) who is inducted into the gang of Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) on the mainland; elsewhere Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) makes a discovery that could alter the course of the world. For hardcore series fans only (I’m not) as film meanders through various ugliness and unpleasantness for nearly two hours. This was shot almost simultaneously with its predecessor “28 Years Later”; by the end of this, you may wish they ended the series 28 years ago! Continue reading →
March 14, 2026 “Crime 101” (** out of four) was a jumbled crime melodrama about the intersection of several different lives in crime-ridden Los Angeles; a world-weary jewel thief (Chris Helmsworth), a new woman (Monica Barbaro) he meets and falls in love with, a disillusioned middle-aged insurance agent (Halle Berry), a psychotic biker (Barry Keoghan), and a determined detective (Mark Ruffalo) on their hard-boiled trail. Good cast helps keep this watchable but it’s tepid at best and feels like re-heated Michael Mann material (“Heat” and “Thief” in particular). Jennifer Jason Leigh and Nick Nolte are wasted in minor supporting roles. Continue reading →
March 14, 2026 “Out Of Hand” (** out of four) was a wan suspense melodrama about a psychology professor and writer (Louise Linton) and her lover (Pierson Fode) who become the prime suspects in the murder of one of her students while her attorney (William Baldwin) and friend (William McNamara) try to intercede and sort everything out. Collection of lost 90’s stars (Baldwin, McNamara, etc.) hold your interest for a little while but it’s mostly a tame fizzle. Baldwin himself starred in 1996’s “Curdled” which told similar story and characters. Continue reading →
March 14, 2026 “The Bride” (*1/2 out of four) was a lackluster horror melodrama based on “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” set in 1930’s Chicago in which Frankenstein (Christian Bale under mounds of makeup) asks a helpful scientist (Annette Bening who has never looked more like Diane Keaton) to create a female companion (Jessie Buckley) which leads to a firestorm of romance, police action, and social radical change. Director Maggie Gyllenhaal dresses this up with macabre touches and flair but it’s glossy paint on a dry wall since the script and story are so utterly dull. After this and Guillermo del Toro’s brutal remake last year, perhaps it’s best to let Frankenstein rot in peace for a while. Continue reading →
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