November 4, 2018 “Party Crasher” (*1/2 out of four) was an amateurish horror show in which a fraternity house with assorted college losers and stoners (Ashton Moio, Jacob Artist, Jayson Blair, and others) throw a party but unbeknownst to them- a psychopath has mysteriously and elusively evaded their ranks. Bad acting and dumb writing make this a party well-worth not crashing. Some marginal stylish touches from director Brant Sarsen in the final third save this from being a complete loss. Continue reading →
November 3, 2018November 3, 2018 “The Marine 6: Closed Quarters” (** out of four) was a tired sequel about two former marines (Mike “The Miz” Mizanin and Shawn Michaels) who join forces to rescue a kidnapped girl (Louisa Connolly-Burnham) from a gang of international criminals who want a criminal trial thwarted or else they plan (what else?) worldwide destruction. Sixth entry in this series that began in 2005 merely exists as a showcase for Mizanin and Michaels as action heroes but those wanting to see their acting and action abilities would be better off watching re-runs of the WCW. To be nice, neither has the expansive thespianism or charisma of original “Marine” star John Cena and this one makes the original look like classic Arnold/Stallone by comparison Continue reading →
November 3, 2018 “The Hate U Give” (*** out of four) was a searing drama about a high-school student (Amandla Stenberg in an Oscar-caliber performance) who witnesses the death of her childhood friend by a police officer and features pressure from her family, from her community, and her own inner conflicted struggle to stand up and do what is right but she finds this is a very complicated decision. Multi-faceted multi-character drama tackles incendiary subject matter without taking any easy ways out and offers viewpoints from all sides. Stenberg is sensational in the lead role and is surrounded by strong supporting cast including Anthony Mackie as a violent neighborhood drug dealer, Common as her uncle who is a cop, and Russell Hornsby as her reformed ex-con father. Continue reading →
November 3, 2018 “The Nutcracker And The Four Realms” (**1/2 out of four) was a visually spellbinding but dramatically uneven retelling of E.T.A. Hoffman’s short story about a young girl (Mackenzie Foy) who follows a thread to a parallel world of gingerbread soldiers and an army of mice who she must escape from. A visual candy store of colorful cinematography and dazzling sets but story itself has its ups-and-downs and is confusingly told. Features enough sheer visual spectacle to make it worthwhile, despite its shortcomings, and “Nutcracker” completists will probably like this better. Cate Blanchett and Morgan Freeman add some style and energy in minor supporting roles. Continue reading →
November 1, 2018 “Marfa Girl 2” (* out of four) was a torturous sequel to the equally awful 2012 drama that focuses on an aimless 16-year old (Adam Mediano) who spends his days skateboarding, having sex, arguing with his girlfriend, and thinking about escaping the confines of small-town Texas life. Don’t look for any more plot than that or anything else either. Yet another unwatchable smorgasborg of sex, drugs, and debauchery from director Larry Clark but this makes his 1995 “Kids” look like “Titanic” by comparison. Continue reading →
November 1, 2018 “Hacker’s Game Redux” (** out of four) was a jumbled follow-up to the 2015 melodrama which I don’t think anyone was exactly waiting by their laptops for a sequel to; this time around, a young computer prodigy (Chris Schellenger) is hired to work for a company he previously hacked which are involved in multiple international business dealings. Subsequently, he meets and falls in love with a cyber-detective (Pom Klementieff) who is trying to arrest the same arms dealer with him the computer prodigy’s company is working for. Improvement over the original stalls after a while and loses its way. It’s hard to make a movie about computer hacking when the film material is so hackneyed. Twisted and stylish music score by Fabien Waltmann. Continue reading →
October 31, 2018 “Hunter Killer” (***1/2 out of four) was an explosive action thriller about an American submarine captain (Gerard Butler) who learns it may be apocalypse now and has to team with a rogue team of navy seals to rescue the Russian president (Alexander Diachenko) who has been kidnapped by a vicious general (Mikhail Gorevoy) who threatens worldwide destruction and detonation. Not only the best submarine movie in a long while but a nail-biting and taut action story and political melodrama in its own right that deserves comparisons to both “Crimson Tide” and “Das Boot” which it sometimes resembles. Butler is first-rate in the lead and so is Michael Nyqvist in one of his final roles and they’re surrounded by a first-rate supporting cast including Gary Oldman, Common, and Joely Richardson. Impressively (and excitingly) directed by Donovan Marsh in his large-scale action debut. Bullseye! Continue reading →
October 31, 2018 “Hunter Killer” (***1/2 out of four) was an explosive action thriller about an American submarine captain (Gerard Butler) who learns it may be apocalypse now and has to team with a rogue team of navy seals to rescue the Russian president (Alexander Diachenko) who has been kidnapped by a vicious general (Mikhail Gorevoy) who threatens worldwide destruction and detonation. Not only the best submarine movie in a long while but a nail-biting and taut action story and political melodrama in its own right that deserves comparisons to both “Crimson Tide” and “Das Boot” which it sometimes resembles. Butler is first-rate in the lead and so is Michael Nyqvist in one of his final roles and they’re surrounded by a first-rate supporting cast including Gary Oldman, Common, and Joely Richardson. Impressively (and excitingly) directed by Donovan Marsh in his large-scale action debut. Bullseye! Continue reading →
October 30, 2018 “Dangerous Matrimony” (*1/2 out of four) was an uninvolving melodrama about a newly married couple (Rob Mayes and Sabina Gadecki) whose exotic vacation retreat turns into a nightmare when the husband is kidnapped and held for ransom and his mysterious assistant (Emily O’Brien) has to step in and negotiate the terms and simultaneously attempt to sort out the clues and find out whose behind the kidnapping. Since none of the characters are likeable or interesting, it’s hard to care about whose doing what to whom and thus hard to care about the movie itself. Jordi Ruiz Maso’s shimmering cinematography is film’s sole asset. Continue reading →
October 29, 2018 “Don’t Go” (*** out of four) was an imperfect but compelling story about a teacher (Stephen Dorff) who is devastated by the death of his daughter in a terrible accident but becomes gradually convinced that he can bring her back through a series of recurring dreams that he is having but is this true? Or is he gradually losing his mind? His wife (Melissa George) becomes alternately alienated and intrigued by his behavior. Dorff’s powerful and understated performance anchors this uneven film which still manages to hold you in its eerie spell. Vividly and strikingly realized by director David Gleeson. Continue reading →
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