Category: Uncategorized

“Status Pending” (* out of four) was an ultra-dumb comedy about a millenial (Ivana Palezevic) who hooks up with an oddball (Ben Zolno) she meets on Tinder and has to decide whether to settle down with him or keep looking and start a life with someone else. Unbearable two-character story in which neither character is likeable or the least bit funny. Co-star/writer/director Zolno bears most of the blame for this misfire; his talent status is still pending.

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“Spider In The Web” (*1/2 out of four) was a drably done thriller about a young government operative (Itay Tiran) who is sent on a mission to follow an older Israeli agent (Ben Kingsley) whose behavior has come into question and he has to decide whether to follow him or will this endanger his government and his country and thus his safety. Intriguing ideas lead absolutely nowhere, as film soon sputters to a halt and deadens midway through. Kingsley is solid as usual but he’s played this role before (and better) in so many other movies. Monica Bellucci is wasted in a throwaway supporting role.

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“Itsy Bitsy” (*1/2 out of four) was a pretty bland horror story about a family (Elizabeth Roberts, Arman Darbo, Chloe Perrin) who move into their father’s (Bruce Davison) secluded mansion to take care of him and are unaware there is a giant and deadly spider on the prowl but it takes them a long while to figure that out. Final third finally delivers some scares and style but it takes forever to get going and is utterly predictable. Based on old poem “Itsy Bitsy Spider” but seems more like a remake of “Arachnophobia” which was longer but quicker and scarier.

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“Don’t Let Go” (*** out of four) was a nerve-wracking thriller in which a cop’s (David Oyelowo) family is murdered but he soon begins getting phone calls from his deceased niece (Storm Reid)! Is he going crazy or is this real and can he help solve (and thus prevent) her murder? Breathless story plugs you right into the moment and keeps you on the edge-of-your-seat due to Oyelowo’s gripping performance even though the story has more than its share of holes. Mykelti Williamson is strong in a key supporting role and has probably his best role here since “Forrest Gump.”

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“Memory: The Origins Of Alien” (** out of four) was a none-too-revelatory documentary about the behind-the-scenes making of the 1979 classic “Alien” with interviews with filmmakers Tim Boxell, Axelle Carolyn, Nojan Aalam and clips from the film and ruminations on its success and relevance as a sci/fi masterpiece. Die-hard fans of the “Alien” series may find something more of substance here but it’s otherwise pretty basic and ordinary and you really may as well watch the film itself to get a sense of its shock and impact. Might have been more effective had it had any interviews with its main cast or director Ridley Scott but they’re all M.I.A. here.

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“Mean Girls” (*** out of four) was a colorful musical adaptation of the 2004 classic about a new girl in school (Erika Henningson) trying to find herself and gets taken in by a nasty clique called The Plastics (Taylor Louderman, Krystina Alabado, Kate Rockwell) who make their own rules. Not as “fetch” or as ruthlessly clever as the original film but agreeably performed and designed and entertaining. One complaint: why did they cast actors for Regina George and Karen Smith who look exactly alike? (Sometimes it was hard to tell them apart)

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“Bat Out Of Hell” (*** out of four) was an extravagant adaptation of Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman’s blockbuster 1977 album stretched out into a story of a rebel named Strat (Andrew Polec) who falls in love with a girl named Raven (Christina Bennington) while civilization and society around them are crumbling into chaos. Thin storyline won’t hold up to much scrutiny but visually dazzling and glitzy musical numbers literally take center stage and make this entertaining. This incorporates music from all three “Bat Out Of Hell” albums, not only the first. Fans of Steinman and his over-the-top approach will definitely like this; others needn’t bother. Kudos to production designer Ryan J. Bell and for including one of Meat Loaf’s most overlooked gems “Dead Ringer (For Love)”.

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“Youth In Oregon” (** out of four) was a disappointing melodramatic comedy about a man (Billy Crudup) who is tasked with driving his strong-willed father in law (Frank Langella) to be euthanized in Oregon and along the way attempts to help him rediscover his reason for living and his love of life. Good cast tries to pump all the humor and drama they can into this uneasy material but it’s too thin and contrived to work. Christina Applegate, Mary Kay Place, and Josh Lucas round out the under-utilized supporting cast.

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“2:22” (**1/2 out of four) was a better-than-average DVD thriller about an air-traffic controller (Michael Huisman) whose life gradually unfolds in an ominous pattern of events that repeats itself in the same manner ending at 2:22 P.M. Is he losing his mind or does this particular time carry some significance? Stylishly done thriller moves fast and is loaded with portent but becomes overreaching after a while and wears out. Intelligent screenplay by Todd Stein with Hitchcockian overtones may have worked better as a short story.

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“The Good Nanny” (** out of four) was a plodding and predictable thriller about a strong-willed nanny (Briana Evigan) who takes a job at a luxurious estate taking care of a beautiful young girl (Sophie Guest) but she soon comes to realize that things aren’t quite right with her parents (Peter Porte and Ellen Hollman) and she attempts to uncover the mystery of what’s really going on. Attractively shot and competently acted but offers little in the way of surprises or thrills and seems to be following a much-too-familiar format. Tatyana Ali has a key supporting role but you wonder whether all these direct-to-tv movies are “good” for her career or not.

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