March 17, 2023 “Blue Jean” (** out of four) was a diffuse melodrama set in 1988 in England in which the government under Margaret Thatcher passed a law stigmatizing those in the lesbian and gay community; one such teacher (Rosy McEwen) attempts to hide the fact that she is gay and is forced to live a double life until one of her student finds out and threatens to expose her. Provocative and audacious subject matter holds your attention initially but is too wan and remote to achieve the impact it needs. McEwen’s strong performance is a definite plus but that doesn’t mean you care about her character all that much. Continue reading →
March 17, 2023 “The Nomad” (**1/2 out of four) was a mildly engrossing melodrama about a hard-nosed reporter (Lauren Biazzo) covering a story about a serial killer (Dietrich Teschner) targeting priests; when she uncovers who the killer is and comes face-to-face with him, she has to face the dilemma of turning him into the police or having him kill her abusive father who has dominated and destroyed her whole life. Intriguing and moralistic storyline is tautly directed and well-acted but just misses. Film’s ending is pat and unsatisfying as film eventually loses its strong grip. Continue reading →
March 17, 2023 “Southern Gospel” (**1/2 out of four) was a flavorful but flawed melodrama about a rock star (Max Ehrich) whose life falls apart at the seams from drugs and has to start his life over and he retraces his steps and goes back to his initial childhood dream of becoming a preacher and he then sets out to preach the gospel of life and rock ‘n’ roll. Nicely made and directed with a lot of warmth and sincerity and religious fervor but central story isn’t all that compelling or powerful and film doesn’t fully connect. Directorial debut of Jeffrey A. Smith who was a songwriter himself for many years. Continue reading →
March 17, 2023 “Out Of Exile” (*1/2 of four) was a grindingly unpleasant pulp melodrama about a recently paroled thief (Adam Hampton) who falls right back into the criminal underworld upon his release and has to keep parole, the cops, and the Feds off balance as he tries one last score. Film attempts to be stark and gritty but you’ll be numbed by the sleaze and rampant ugliness after a while. One-time great character actor Peter Greene and Jake “The Snake” Roberts pop up in small roles but this is unlikely to save either one of their careers from “exile.” Continue reading →
March 16, 2023 “Righteous Thieves” (** out of four) was a thinly conceived action comedy about the head (Lisa Vidal) of a secret underground organization who assembles a crew (Cam Giganget, Jaina Lee Ortiz, and others) to steal back artwork that was stolen by the Nazis during WWII but they soon start to have a growing distrust of one another and uncover duplicity and deception as the mission continues. Director Anthony Nardolillo and his enthusiastic cast try to infuse as much fizz and bounce as they can but it’s like squeezing blood from a stone after a while since the story and script are so nondescript. Film was originally titled “Shelter” but owes more than a bit to the same story of 2014’s “The Monuments Men”. Continue reading →
March 16, 2023 “The Nightmare Nanny” (*1/2 out of four) was a hackneyed horror melodrama about a young couple (Ashley Scott and Kip Pardue) who hire a nanny (Mekenna Melvin) to care for their daughter but soon realize all-too-late that she is a serious sicko who is trying to invade and overturn their lives. Result is so obvious and so predictable and permeated with cliches that some viewers will be forgiven for thinking it’s a parody of suspense movies but unfortunately it’s not funny either. More than 30 years ago, “The Hand That Rocks The Cradle” told the same story with a lot more serpentine style and tension. Continue reading →
March 15, 2023 “Punch” (** out of four) was a jumbled melodrama about a young man (Jordan Oosterhof) who is preparing for his first professional boxing fight but begins to re-think his life and also his sexuality when he spars with a gay boxer (Conan Hayes) and this brings the involvement and disapproval of his father (Tim Roth). Audacious subject matter is blandly realized and as a result is more of a mild hit than a TKO. Roth adds some spice and style as always and Oosterhof is good in a challenging role. This won some awards at the New Zealand Film Festival and Palm Springs International Festival. Continue reading →
March 14, 2023 “Cocaine Bear” (** out of four) was a brainless horror comedy set in the 1980’s in Georgia when a large black bear unintentionally ingests a large batch of cocaine and goes on a murderous rampage while numerous locals (Keri Russell, O’shea Jackson Jr, Ray Liotta, and others) scramble to stay alive. Amusing only in parts and never as funny, scary, or ferocious as it could have been and should have been, especially since it’s based on a true story! An odd directorial effort from Elizabeth Banks who makes even odder choices of song selections (film plays Depeche Mode’s “I Just Can’t Get Enough” during an attack scene). Sadly, this was Liotta’s final film. Continue reading →
March 14, 2023 “Girl In The Closet” (** out of four) was a superficial melodrama based on a true story of a young girl (Brielle Oliver) whose mother dies and is sent to live with her malicious aunt (Tami Roman) who enslaves kids and their relatives in a closet that leads to her basement. Good performances (especially by Roman) do all they can to hold your interest in this earnest but unpleasant story. Remy Ma is solid in a key role but you can only hope that her agents and managers start cookin’ up some better roles for her sometime soon. Continue reading →
March 14, 2023 “Church Of Darkness” (*1/2 out of four) was a tacky melodrama about a Bible-quoting teen outcast (Wesley Restrepo) who is new to a redneck Florida town where he discovers a secret underground society called The Wheelmakers who intend on murdering the whole town and he finds his faith put to the test as he attempts to thwart them and keep his town and his religious honor intact. Part religious drama, part coming-of-age teen angst story, part pseudo-philosophical horror story and an all around mess. Film’s special-effects climax looks like it was made on someone’s old CD-ROM. Continue reading →
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