June 17, 2018 “I Feel Pretty” (*** out of four) was an entertaining feel-good comedy about a woman (Amy Schumer) struggling with insecurities about her weight and her looks who awakens from a fall with newfound confidence and enthusiasm which causes a massive boost in her social abilities and business networking but she soon realizes that her appearance has never changed which causes a rippling effect. Funny comedy has a perfect role for Schumer and is also an unexpectedly touching story of self-acceptance and self-esteem. Overlength at nearly two hours is its main weakness. Continue reading →
June 17, 2018 “Escape Plan 2: Hades” (**1/2 out of four) was a fast-moving if uninspired sequel starring a grizzled-looking Sylvester Stallone going through the motions as a security expert who must lead a team inside Hades- which is the most impenetrable prison ever built- when one of his key operatives (Huang Xiaoming) is kidnapped and incarcerated there. Too many murky subplots and secondary characters get in the way but film moves quick and features enough hand-to-hand combat combat and gunplay to make this an improvement on its predecessor and worthwhile for action fans. Schwarzenneger’s comic relief from the original is missed. Continue reading →
June 17, 2018 “Superfly” (**1/2 out of four) was an above-average remake of the 1972 blaxploitation classic about a young drug dealer (Trevor Jackson) trying to get out and leave the streets behind but finds himself caught between other warring factions (Jason Wright, Michael Kenneth Williams, Kaalan Walker) and corrupt police. Lots of violence and stylized action but it all gets a little repetitive and numbing after a while. Not bad but not better than the original and not distinguished enough from other underworld melodramas. Is another remake of “Shaft” far behind? Continue reading →
June 17, 2018 “The Incredibles 2” (**1/2 out of four) was a reasonably cute and engaging sequel to the 2004 classic about Mr. Incredible (voice of Craig T. Nelson) taking a backseat and being dad at home while Elastigirl (voice of Holly Hunter) is out saving the world from mind-tampering which threatens the city and subsequently their family. A few spectacular sequences (love the train-chase at the beginning) and Pixar’s usual lush animation make this worthwhile but it has its lulls as well and never reaches the dizzying highs of the original. Not quite incredible but still passable family entertainment Continue reading →
June 17, 2018 “Affairs Of State” (*** out of four) was an engrossing political thriller about a young campaign aide (David Corenswet) who gets in way over his head in a minefield of political corruption when he begins sleeping with both the wife (Mimi Rogers) and daughter (Grace Victoria Cox) of a wealthy presidential candidate and this leads to consequences he never imagined. Crafty and twisty drama provides Rogers and co-star Thora Birch with their best roles in years and a solid starring debut for Corenswet. Adrian Grenier is also solid in a key supporting role as one of the president’s other high-powered aids. Continue reading →
June 14, 2018 “Beyond The Sky” (** out of four) was a flashy but empty, overly familiar sci/fi melodrama about a young filmmaker (Jordan Hinson) making a documentary exposing the lies of alleged alien abductees who encounters a woman with dark secrets from her past that uncover disturbing truths about otherworld life. Some inventive use of set design and photography are undone by movie’s predictable story patterns and characters. “Close Encounters Of The Third Kind” and “Alien” were nearly 40 years ago and they’re still being ripped off! Strong character actors Dee Wallace and Peter Stormare are wasted in throaway roles. Continue reading →
June 10, 2018 “Eyes In The Hills” (* out of four) was a practically worthless drama about a former couple (Hailey Clearwater and Devin Roane) who go on a hiking trip and he discusses his ongoing infatuation with her while a mysterious being lurks in the shadows over them. Not to be confused with “The Hills Have Eyes” but makes those movies (and their remakes) look like masterworks of terror by comparison. Promoted as a horror movie which it is not. Continue reading →
June 10, 2018 “In Memory Of” (*1/2 out of four) was a gory, ugly horror melodrama that viewers will want to forget memories of as soon as possible about the survivor (Jackie Kelly) of a series of medical experiments who escapes with nightmarish hallucinations and amnesia and is pursued by the sadistic doctors who initially captured her but she then embarks on a cross-country road trip to find a mysterious stranger who can help restore her memory. She should have attempted to track down a better writer and director for this mess instead. Kelly is good in a difficult role but this overlong and overly unpleasant film lets her down. Continue reading →
June 10, 2018 “Adrift” (** out of four) was an utterly basic lost-at-sea melodrama about a young couple (Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin) who fall in love and embark on a voyage at sea where they become stranded, starved, and have to test both of their mental and physical endurance to survive. Best thing about the film is Woodley’s stirring performance; otherwise this treads on all-too-familiar water and doesn’t feature anything done better in “Castaway” or (especially) “All Is Lost”. Directed by Baltasur Komasur who previously worked on “The Sea” and “Trapped” and may want to give the water a rest for a little while. Continue reading →
June 10, 2018 “Hereditary” (** out of four) was a trite horror thriller about a daughter (Toni Collette) whose mother and daughter both die suddenly leading her on a mental and emotional breakdown that uncovers dark secrets about her family (Alex Wolff and Gabriel Byrne) and their ancestry. Intriguing and interesting at first but story stalls after a while, and becomes yet another movie about exorcisms and paranormal activity. Collette’s first-rate performance makes up for a lot but even she gets swallowed up by film’s repetition and overlength. Many critics and horror fans thought highly of this (it does have some creepy moments) so you may want to judge for yourself. Continue reading →
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