Category: Uncategorized

“Trust No 1” (*** out of four) was a fairly engrossing action thriller about a determined cop (Douglas Rouillard) who investigates a series of brutal murders which the department thinks is the work of a serial killer but he starts snooping around and soon realizes it involves the federal government and paramilitary operations. Typical cop-and-conspiracy story is put over by Rouillard’s intense and charismatic performance and a well-sustained mood of lurking danger. A good directorial debut by Daron Niemerow and well-produced on a low budget.

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“Hellboy” (** out of four) was an unimaginative reboot of the graphic novel series showing Hellboy (David Harbour) once again caught between the world of the supernatural and the human and who becomes engaged in a battle with an ancient sorceress (Milla Jovovich) bent on world domination. Film opens entertainingly and the inevitable F/X blowout at the end is fun but film is talky and surprisingly dull in the middle and thus cannot top the two earlier versions and winds up one more unnecessary movie reboot. Harbour is good in the lead and ably duplicates Ron Perlman’s tongue-in-cheek style.

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“Happy Birthday Hannah” (* out of four) was a lame, amateurish horror story about a girl (Natalie Klein) who is tormented by guilt about letting her younger sister drown years earlier and on the eve of her sister’s birthday- she and her none-too-bright partner (Brandon Burkley) are tormented by sights and sounds of the girl around their house. Practically the definition of the term low-budget horror with photography that looks like it was filmed through someone’s used cell-phone and the film isn’t so much edited as patched! Even besides that, though, this clunker proves to be yet another rip-off of “Poltergeist” and (naturally) “Paranormal Activity”. Sometimes dead isn’t better

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“Bad Company” (** out of four) was a cheesy action melodrama about a group of troubled teens (Booboo Stewart, Giselle Bonilla, Kyle Massey, and others) at a remote boot camp which is besieged by terrorists and they realize they must fight back to prevent the terrorists from starting a nuclear war. Derivative story is about as unoriginal as its title and lifts story elements from both “Red Dawn” and “Toy Soldiers” but it remains watchable. Not quite bad but a good example of the need for making more creative stories and screenplays by now.

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“A Dark Place” (** out of four) was a meandering small-town character study about a slow-witted local sanitation worker (Andrew Scott) who begins to investigate the sudden disappearance of a local boy which puts him at odds with local law enforcement and townsfolk but he is still determined to mangle his way through and seek the truth, no matter what opposition he may face. The type of film that David Lynch could have made effortlessly and electrically in the ’80’s but sadly- there’s no blue velvet or twin peaks here. OK for what it is but not memorable

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“Creep Nation” (** out of four) was a stylish but empty melodrama about a man (Adam Seybold) determined to solve and avenge the death of his sister (Liv Collins) who was murdered while renting from a series of online creeps and this brings him into the descent of the underworld of the internet and organized crime. Well-directed and vibrantly shot and has its moments of flair but is weighed down by its own sordid and tawdry storyline and you’ll eventually become numbed by all the sleaze. Seybold is strong in the lead.

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“Shazam” (*** out of four) was an enchanting adaptation of the DC comic book story about a streetwise 14-year old (Asher Angel) who finds he is able to magically transform into a crime-fighting superhero named Shazam (Zachary Levi) which leads to all-out war with an evil physicist (Mark Strong) who wants the superhero powers for his own. No masterpiece but film more than entertains with some impressive visual effects and solid action set pieces and a few unexpectedly touching moments regarding abandonment and adolescence along the way. A definite treat for comic book fans and DC fanatics.

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“The Beach Bum” (* out of four) was a plotless mess about a carefree stoner (Matthew McConaughey) who ambles through life in Florida and sees no reason to change or take life seriously. Thus, there’s virtually no reason to take the movie seriously either. Yet another pointless mix of sex, drugs, and debauchery from director Harmony Korine who in better days wrote the classic “Kids”. McConaughey is pretty one-note but doesn’t have a whole lot to work with here and a top-drawer supporting cast including Jimmy Buffett, Snoop Dogg, and Martin Lawrence are completely wasted.

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“General Commander” (** out of four) was a middling action potboiler about a GRS operative (Steven Seagal) and his team of young recruits (Ron Smoorenburg, Sonia Couling, and others) who attempt to take down an international cartel but danger and deception lurks around all corners for them. By the standards of Seagal’s output over the last 20 years, this isn’t bad and features a sufficient amount of hand-to-hand combat and gunplay, but story is too murky and lumpy. Seagal mumbles and sleepwalks as usual and it might finally be time for him to retire his trademark wig. Vibrantly shot by Ross Clarkson.

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“Pet Sematary” (** out of four) was a needless remake of the Stephen King classic about a doctor (Jason Clarke) and his family (Amy Seimetz, Jete Laurence) who move to Maine and meet a strange neighbor (John Lithgow) who leads them to discover a mysterious burial ground which brings the dead back to life and naturally havoc ensues. Some creepy moments and scares to be sure (the scene of their daughter getting killed is an undeniable jolt) but a definite feeling of deja vu hangs over the proceedings. Film also lacks the moody atmosphere and shock value (and laughs) that made “Pet Sematary Two” the best of the lot.

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