April 23, 2022 “9 Bullets” (** out of four) was an emotionally flat melodrama about a troubled former drug addict (Lena Headey) who goes on the run with a young boy (Dean Scott Vasquez) when both of their lives are threatened by her unstable ex-boyfriend (Sam Worthington). Earnestly done film is given a boost by sincere performances but fires mostly blanks because it never gets going or takes off. Sharon Stone played a similar role in 1999’s bleak (and underrated) “Gloria.” Continue reading →
April 23, 2022 “The Cellar” (** out of four) was a stiff-jointed horror thriller about a woman (Elisha Cuthbert) whose daughter mysteriously vanishes in the cellar of her mansion and she soon uncovers that there is a whole lotta paranormal activity going on and that she has to leave before it is too late yet at the same time try to find and save her daughter. Lushly lensed and has good atmosphere but unfortunately story covers all-too-familiar territory (can they please stop making horror movies about haunted houses) and is ploddingly told. Director Brendan Muldowney has Cuthbert looking at television and watching “The Changeling” which covered the same material over 40 years ago! Continue reading →
April 23, 2022 “Titanic 666” (*1/2 out of four) was a paltry horror thriller about a crew (Keesha Sharp, Jamie Bamber, Lydia Hearst, and others) aboard the Titanic III who are besieged in the middle of the ocean by dark forces that rise to the surface and threaten everyone on board. Basically a Roger Corman version of “Titanic” but (to put it mildly) these thespians are not up to the level of Leo and Kate and director Nick Lyon is no James Cameron. Cheesy production and feeble writing might make viewers wish this voyage really did hit an iceberg! Continue reading →
April 23, 2022 “Brut Force” (*1/2 out of four) was a brutal suspense melodrama about a recently fired reporter (Patricia Velasquez) who returns to her native California town to investigate harassment and corruption at a local vineyard but uncovers a minefield of duplicity and deception that leads to danger at every turn. Velasquez’ terrible performance enacts real “brute force” on the audience but film was already weak and contrived. For a richer and more stirring look at almost the same subject, watch “The Milagro Beanfield War” instead. Continue reading →
April 19, 2022 “Gabriel’s Inferno: Part Two” (*1/2 out of four) was a sodden suspense melodrama about the title character Gabriel (Giulio Berruti) who learns the truth about Julia (Melanie Zannetti) but his realization comes too late as she has already left so he is left in a moral quandary about trying to save the relationship and also save himself. Second in the series of the books from author Sylvain Renard is no improvement over the original; a third one is on the way but something tells me the third time won’t be the charm. Strictly for hardcore fans of her novels and those who thought “50 Shades Of Grey” was robbed at Oscar time. This deserves to be thrown in its own “inferno.” Continue reading →
April 17, 2022 “Seal Of Desire” (*1/2 out of four) was a sordid psychological suspense thriller about a manipulative psychologist (Markiss McFadden) who specializes in couples-counseling as a means to break up marriages and seduce the wife he’s counseling; his game runs out when he meets a woman (Ravyn Rochelle) even more malicious and manipulative than he is. A vanity project for writer/director/co-producer/star McFadden who can’t get enough of showing himself without his shirt on and takes to rip off “50 Shades Of Grey” and also “Red Shoe Diaries”, just to name a few. It’s movies like this that give counselors (and filmmakers) a bad name. Continue reading →
April 17, 2022 “Infinite Storm” (*1/2 out of four) was a flimsy action adventure about a mountain climber (Naomi Watts) who gets caught in the midst of a dangerous blizzard and finds a stranded stranger (Billy Howle) and they both have to fight for survival and try to get down the mountain before nightfall. Watts is rock-solid as usual but is overcome by an avalanche of cliches and plot predictability. Storm effects and mountain scenery are passable given film’s shoestring budget but for an “infinitely” better version of almost the same story watch “Cliffhanger” or “K2” instead. Continue reading →
April 17, 2022 “Reed’s Point” (** out four) was a middling horror thriller about a woman (Madison Ekstrand) who is declared missing from a deadly crash; on the anniversary of the crash, her cousin (Sasha Anne) and her boyfriend (Evan Adams) go out searching for her convinced that she is still alive but they soon are besieged by an infamous New Jersey devil who threatens their lives and everyone around them. Pretty predictable and routine without any real surprises although it’s overall well-made and does have some inventive and gory kills. Martin Sheen’s younger brother Joe Estevez has a minor but key role as a searcher to track the monster down. Continue reading →
April 17, 2022 “Room 203” (** out of four) was a stylish but slight suspense melodrama about two female roommates (Francesca Xureb and Viktorya Vinyarska) who gradually become more-and-more convinced and terrified of evil entities located within their apartment and they have to escape without losing their sanity. Good-looking film has strong atmosphere and lush cinematography from Joel Froome but unfortunately story never develops much momentum and thus is never really involving. Xureb and Vinyarska are good and have strong chemistry. Continue reading →
April 17, 2022 “Choose Or Die” (*1/2 out of four) was an incoherent horror thriller about a young woman (Iola Evans) who discovers and revives a long-lost ’80’s horror survival game but this game starts to blur the lines of reality and mayhem and murder start occurring around her at alarming rates and she has to figure out is this real or all part of the game. Film is loaded with arbitrary and contrived plot points that are incomprehensible. Director Toby Meakins attempts to compensate by dressing this all up in style and with ’80’s rock classics but it’s all for nothing. Don’t “choose” to play this one. Continue reading →
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