June 29, 2019 “No Doubt” (** out of four) was a tiresome melodrama about two singles (Tara Kaye Burgh and Marquis Wood) who meet on an online website and gradually converse and open up to one another and decide to spend the night with each other. Some occasional clever dialogue and interplay between the two when talking about other films and pop-culture references is drowned out by film’s overall monotony and static presentation. Both leads do what they can to carry the film and keep it afloat with a thin script and story. This might have worked better as a play, rather than as a feature fllm. Continue reading →
June 28, 2019 “Jurassic Galaxy” (*1/2 out of four) was a low-rent action thriller set in the desolate future in which a group of space explorers (Jonathan Nation, Eric Paul Erickson, Doug Burch, and others) crashland on an unknown planet and soon discover that the planet is inhabited by monstrous dinosaurs and that they’re on the menu. Yet another cheesy rip-off of “Jurassic Park” (in case anyone couldn’t guess from its clever title) which stomps this into the ground nearly 30 years later. Special effects aren’t bad considering the threadbare production budget but the dinosaurs easily outshine any of the characters, performances, and plot here. Continue reading →
June 28, 2019 “Annabelle Comes Home” (** out of four) was a wan sequel in this horror series about the title killer doll who is now locked up in the artifacts room of the paranormal investigators (Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson) from previous entries but it subsequently awakens the room’s evil spirits which results in all Hell breaking loose for the couple’s daughter and friends. Neither no better nor worse than any of the previous “Annabelle” entries, with occasional scares in the final third and some flashes of style, but it’s really just more of the same by now. For anyone keeping count, this is the third in the “Annabelle” series and the seventh in “The Conjuring” series altogether. Continue reading →
June 27, 2019 “Disappearance” (** out of four) was a lumbering thriller about a wealthy author (Matthew Marsden) who disappears from his sailboat one night prompting a determined detective (Reggie Lee) to investigate and interrogate his wife, his girlfriend, and his captain (Jemma Dallender, Chloe Catherine Kim, and Brian Thompson) to sort out what really happened and find him before it is too late. Muddled attempt at a Hitchcock-like “Rashomon” story with flashbacks and story twists. Attractively shot and well-produced but fails to connect. This one should “disappear” from Redbox machines pretty quickly. Continue reading →
June 26, 2019 “Bittersweet Symphony” (** out of four) was a leaden melodrama about a young musician (Suki Waterhouse) who starts to gain some prominence after completing a soundtrack to a Hollywood film just as personal and family problems threaten to overtake her. Good performances are stymied by script and direction that are adrift and story never attains the emotional resonance or connection it wants. One-time 80’s star Jennifer Grey re-appears here as the girl’s mentor and gives a bright performance. Byetheway, this has no relation to The Verve smash of the same name. Continue reading →
June 26, 2019 “Marriage Killer” (*1/2 out of four) was a sour thriller about a happily married couple (Jeremy London and Barbie Castro) who meet a sexy stranger (Kristen Renton) who convinces them to attend a singles club and soon she leeches onto them and immerses herself in their family dynamics driving them apart and turning their lives upside down. Renton is good in the lead but script grows more ridiculous by the minute, especially in its final half-hour when it really goes off the rails. Yet another “Fatal Attraction” wannabe that’s a fatal waste of time and talent. Continue reading →
June 25, 2019 “Child’s Play” (* out of four) was an inferior-in-every-way remake of the 1988 classic horror story about a single mother (Aubrey Plaza) who gives her son (Gabriel Bateman) a birthday toy doll named Chucky who is a sinister and sadistic maniac who becomes let loose on the city. With all the emotional power and voodoo/serial killer backstory of the original removed (and even the murder scenes dumb and poorly staged)- what’s left is one more routine killer-doll story and another dreadful remake that can’t even hold a candle to the original. Mark Hamill voices Chucky this time around but his grating and whiny vocals make you yearn for original voice Brad Dourif. Continue reading →
June 24, 2019 “Anna” (*** out of four) was a stylish action thriller about the title character (Sasha Luss) who is recruited to become a deadly KGB agent and assassin and masquerades as a top fashion model in France but soon finds that it is hard to decipher the truth and who her friends really are. Director Luc Besson throws in international intrigue, exotic locales, and sleek action to make this very entertaining even though this all-too-obviously borrows from his breakthrough “La Femme Nikita”, his recent “Lucy”, and also the even more-recent “Atomic Blonde.” It may be time for him to move on from films about female assassins. Cillian Murphy and Helen Mirren stand out in terrific supporting roles. Continue reading →
June 23, 2019 “Acceptable Damage” (** out of four) was a bland melodrama about the personal and emotional war between a young mother (Fiona Whitelaw) who has a daughter with Asperger’s syndrome and the leader (Jack Brett Andersen) of a vicious street gang who targets them for retribution but this battle takes a psychological toll on all of them. Never very compelling or involving, despite intense subject matter and themes. Many critics raved over this film but I’m not one of them. Continue reading →
June 23, 2019 “Nightmare Cinema” (**1/2 out of four) was a better-than-average horror story done in the mold of “Creepshow” about five strangers who converge at a haunted movie theater owned by The Projectionist (Mickey Rourke) and they are subject to five separate tales showing their worst fears coming to life. Uneven and excessive at times but has enough flashes of style and macabre wit and tongue-in-cheek violence to make it more reputable than most of its company. Best segments are directed by Joe Dante and Mick Garris. Film actually uses the original theme from “Creepshow” in the beginning as an amusing homage. Continue reading →
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