May 4, 2024 “A Chef’s Deadly Revenge” (** out of four) was a synthetic suspense thriller about a chef (Kathryn Kohut) who starts over after an abusive relationship and opens a successful restaurant but is targeted by a vindictive and ruthless attacker and she has to turn the tables on them. Typical thriller without all that many surprises or shocks. For a movie about the restaurant/kitchen industry, it’s pretty flat and flavorless. Continue reading →
May 4, 2024 “There’s Something In The Water” (** out of four) was a tepid shark suspense thriller about a group of friends (Hiftu Quasem, Lauren Lyle, and others) who go on a wedding getaway but are besieged by a killer shark and they struggle to survive. Well-shot and competently made but is yet another by-the-numbers killer shark movie that no longer seems fresh. Nowhere near the worst of its genre but you’d best re-watch “Jaws” again. Continue reading →
April 29, 2024 “Humane” (*1/2 out of four) was a joyless horror thriller about a father (Peter Gallagher) who enlists in a new government euthanasia program when there is an environmental crisis that is forcing the world to shed massive population but a dinner with his family (Jay Baruchel, Emily Hampshire, and others) to discuss this goes awry and disrupts into chaos. Pretty dull thriller is much ado about nothing. The talented Gallagher is wasted in a minor role. Continue reading →
April 28, 2024 “Cash Out” (**1/2 out of four) was an efficiently done B-thriller about a professional thief (John Travolta) who decides to rob one last bank with his brother (Lukas Haas) but plans go awry and they are trapped inside while he has to confer with the hostage negotiator (Kristin Davis) who is his former lover. Routine story with obvious influences from “Dog Day Afternoon” and “Inside Man” but is enlivened by strong cast and some snappy dialogue that elevates it above the norm. A sequel is already wrapped and coming soon. Continue reading →
April 27, 2024 “Food, Inc. 2” (*** out of four) was an interesting sequel to the 2008 original from documentary filmmakers Robert Kenner and Melissa Robledo as they team up with authors Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser to examine or tainted food industry and the various big-business corporations who continue to push processed (and cancer-causing) foods. Pretty much on par with the original with a lot of incisive interviews and well-photographed and edited clips of food production that make you think twice about your diet and what you’re really eating. Continue reading →
April 27, 2024 “Blackout” (*1/2 out of four) was a dismal horror thriller about a man (Alex Hurt) who becomes convinced he is a werewolf and that he kills people whenever there is a full moon but he has a hard time convincing other townsfolk (Marshall Bell, Michael Buscemi, Barbara Crampton, and others) of this. Dour and sluggish movie never builds much tension or dramatic interest. Hurt- son of William- doesn’t have very much charisma in the lead. You’ll likely want to black this one out on your list and soon. Continue reading →
April 26, 2024 “Time Addicts” (*1/2 out of four) was a somnabulate suspense thriller about two drug addicts (Freya Tingley and Charles Grounds) who heist a bag of time-traveling meth in order to pay off their enormous debt to a violent drug dealer (Joshua Morton) but this leads to a plethora of other problems for all of them. Confusing and tedious story is uninvolving all the way through. It’s not a good thing when you’re watching a movie about time and time-travel and you’re constantly checking your watch. Continue reading →
April 26, 2024 “Hanky Panky” (0 stars out of four) was a worthless horror thriller about a man (Toby Bryan) who has “a napkin friend” and they team up to save the world from an everpresent evil and help others to learn to love again. Or some other moronic malarkey but you’ll have to watch this to figure that out. Based on a 2014 short film that this expanded but it’s bewildering and brutal, not to mention boring. Absolutely avoid at all costs. Continue reading →
April 18, 2024 “Model House” (*1/2 out of four) was a sorry suspense potboiler about a group of models (Scout Taylor-Compton, Kyra Santoro, and others) staying at a secluded house who are terrorized and stalked to the death by intruders who want to kill them all one-by-one. Unfortunately, these same intruders seemed to have watched “The Slumber Party Massacre” and “Sorority House Massacre” one too many times and seem to be following the same formula and pattern. Nothing new or original here and even the killers look bored. Continue reading →
April 18, 2024 “Killer Fortune Teller” (** out of four) was a bland suspense thriller about a tarot card reader (Sarah Murphree) who predicts a chance meeting with an ambitious and charming CEO (Jonathan Stoddard) and the two begin a relationship that takes numerous and predictable twists and turns. Smoothly directed and well-shot but so basic and by-the-numbers that it doesn’t carry any charge of surprise. Far from the worst of its genre but still pretty formulaic and forgettable. Continue reading →
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