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 →
February 14, 2023 “The Girl Who Escaped” (*** out of four) was a stirring suspense melodrama based on the true story of Kara Robinson (Katie Douglas) who was abducted by a serial-killer and sex abuser (Kristian Bruun) until she made a daring escape from his lair which led to a nationwide manhunt to finally bring him into custody. Skillfully done story neatly intertwines character exploration with nail-biting suspense and also deftly incorporates themes of PTSD on kidnapping victims and also their families. Douglas is strong and absolutely believable in the lead and Bruun is exceptionally well-cast and creepy as her abductor. Continue reading →
February 14, 2023 “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” (** out of four) was a mild third entry in this series showing Mike (Channing Tatum) who has to return to the stage after going bankrupt but meets a wealthy socialite (Salma Hayek) who provides him with an irresistible international opportunity to fulfill his dream in performing in an extravagant musical. Smashing musical number finale ends this on a strong note but until then it’s pretty by-the-numbers and ordinary fare. Tatum obviously knows his role by now but even he seems to be mostly going through the motions. A definite improvement over the last entry but most viewers will be happy this is the “final” dance for Mike. Continue reading →
February 13, 2023 “She Comes From The Woods” (*1/2 out of four) was a rudderless horror movie set in 1987 that instead feels like a really bad movie from 1987; a group of camp counselors (Spencer List, Cara Buono, Clare Foley, and others) spend the last night of the summer partying but accidentally unleash (yawn) an ancient evil that leads to all Hell breaking loose. Tired anthology of horror cliches and routine scare gimmicks. Great character actor William Sadler has a minor supporting role but even he’s starred in virtually the same story and characters previously in “Bordello Of Blood”, “Demon Knight”, and “Disturbing Behavior.” Continue reading →
February 13, 2023 “The Huntress Of Auschwitz” (*1/2 out of four) was a grueling pulp revenge thriller about a young woman (Lowri Watts-Joyce) who travels to Europe to seek vengeance on an escaped Nazi guard (Jeffrey Charles Richards) responsible for the murder of her great-grandparents and thousands of others. Intriguing subject matter and themes of vengeance and the Holocaust are stopped cold by Watts-Joyce’s dreadful performance. Rula Lenska as one of her family relatives and (especially) Richards are much better but film flattens out once she finds him. Same story told much more powerfully and vividly in “Remember” and “Killing Season.” Continue reading →
February 12, 2023 “Signs Of Love” (*** out of four) was an affecting melodrama about a young man (Hopper Penn) from the streets who sees no way out of his dead-end life with selling drugs and engaging in crime until he meets and falls in love with a young deaf woman (Shannan Wilson) and this puts him at a crossroads in his life for the first time for himself and also his drug-addicted father (Wass Stevens) and his alcoholic and troubled sister (Dylan Penn). Flavorful and gritty story immerses you right into the character’s lives and desperation and holds you in its grip. Not a great film but well-told and well-acted especially by Hopper Penn who’s the son of Sean; this film resembles his father’s earlier work in “At Close Range” and also “White Boy Rick.” Continue reading →
February 12, 2023 “Prisoner Of Love” (*1/2 out of four) was a muffled melodrama about a lonely corrections officer (Nicholle Tom) who falls in love with a convicted murderer (Adam Mayfield) and helps him to escape from prison and they wind up on the run even as their feelings of love and distrust simultaneously make them closer and more weary of one another. Screenwriter Guy Nicolucci based this story on actual events but who cares? Both lead characters are unlikeable and unconvincing and film follows too much in the mold of similar lovers-on-the-run melodramas “Gun Crazy” and “Mad Love.” Film’s ending provides only emotional impact but viewers will likely feel like “prisoners” themselves by the time this is finally over. Continue reading →
dlepikcom 