October 12, 2017 “Spielberg” (*** out of four) was an impressively done documentary about legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg who began his life as just a boy who loved movies and grew into one of the most successful and revolutionary filmmakers of all time, from his commercial smashes (“Jaws”, “Jurassic Park”) to his personal and artistic triumphs (“Saving Private Ryan”, “Schindler’s List.”) Features interviews with friends and fellow filmmakers George Lucas and Martin Scorcese and also Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio among many others. Story covers some of Spielberg’s lesser works and as a result loses some interest but is most fascinating when showing his filming and ideas for both “Schindler’s List” and “Private Ryan” and his initial film “Jaws” which all cemented him as one of the best directors ever. Continue reading →
October 11, 2017 “Red Christmas” (*1/2 out of four) was a pretty awful horror story set on Christmas about a mother (Dee Wallace) who must protect her family when a mumbling stranger appears at their household and the dead bodies start piling up one after another. Horror fans will probably enjoy the return of Wallace from the ’80’s classics from “The Howling” and “Critters” but will enjoy little else about this time-wasting schlock, with hardly any scares or thrills. For virtually the same story with more scares and style, watch “Black Christmas” instead. Continue reading →
October 10, 2017 “Infinity Chamber” (* out of four) was a torturous melodrama that makes you feel as if you’re stuck in an infinity chamber in which a determined prisoner (Christopher Soren Kelly) is trapped in an automated prison and befriends a female inmate (Cassandra Clark) and the two of them must attempt to outsmart a computer to try and escape to the outside world which may or not still exist. Similar in some ways to “Passengers” and to early Phillip K. Dick sci/fi but endless talk, static pacing, and dreary characters make this feel like a death sentence. A half-hour idea ridiculously padded out to nearly two hours. Continue reading →
October 9, 2017 “Better Watch Out” (* out of four) was a nearly unwatchable horror thriller about a young babysitter (Olivia DeJonge) who is hired to watch an annoying brat (Levi Miller) for the evening when there is suddenly a home invasion and him and one of his even more annoying friends (Ed Oxenbould) hold her hostage and torment her. Anyone who makes it to the end of this mess will know exactly how she feels. Unusually mean-spirited and unpleasant film plays like a junior-high school version of “Desperate Hours.” Everyone has to pay the bills but one time great character actress Virginia Madsen (who plays the boy’s mom) should surely “watch out” for dreck like this. Continue reading →
October 9, 2017 “Cold Moon” (*1/2 out of four) was an unpleasant and uninvolving story set in redneck Florida in which the town residents are up in arms when a young 14-year old is found murdered in a local river and tied to her bicycle and the ensuing suspects include the local sheriff (Frank Whaley), an enderly and incapacitated senior citizen (Christopher Lloyd), a local troublemaker (Josh Stewart), and other swell folks. Decent cast is eclipsed by story and characters with no appeal and interest and leads to a pretty unsatisfying ending for anybody who sticks this through. This just about cries out for the David Lynch of “Blue Velvet” or “Twin Peaks”. Continue reading →
October 8, 2017 “Marjorie Prime” (** out of four) was a tepid story set in the not-too-distant future in which a husband and wife (Tim Robbins and Geena Davis) are able to utilize holographic recreations of deceased loved ones and how this enables both them and their mother (Lois Smith) to have a relationship with a younger version of the patriarch (Jon Hamm) of the family and how this leads to all of them questioning their identity and their relationships. Story attempts to incorporate themes of artificial intelligence and dehumanization in the overwhelming wave of technology but is overall muted and aloof, and plays like warmed-over themes from Stanley Kubrick. Interesting cast is mostly left high-and-dry. Continue reading →
October 8, 2017 “Walking Out” (** out of four) was a languid thriller about a teenager from the city (Josh Wiggins) who journeys to the outdoors of Montana to hunt for the first time with his gruff and estranged father (Matt Bomer) as they struggle to re-connect until they are stranded and left for dead in the middle of the wilderness and are forced to reconcile in order to survive. Visually crisp cinematography from Todd McMullen and beautiful Montana locations makes this lovely to look at but unfortunately story fails to garner any momentum. Father-son dynamics are too underwritten to evoke any emotion. Bill Pullman has a very minor role in flashbacks. Any one scene in “The Revenant” easily outdoes anything here. Continue reading →
October 8, 2017 “Batman vs. Two Face” (** out of four) was a forgettable animated entry about the Dark Knight (voiced by Adam West) who becomes involved in an escalating battle against Harvey Dent (voiced by William Shatner) who becomes scarred by acid and mutates into Two-Face who becomes a criminal mastermind and threatens all of Gotham City. Kudos for bringing back original Batman actor Adam West in his final film role but otherwise this is thoroughly routine. Colorful animation can’t revive weak script and story. Continue reading →
October 8, 2017 “Overdrive” (** out of four) was a sputtering action thriller about two car-thief brothers (Scott Eastwood and Freddie Thorp) who journey to France to look for new prospects and new cars but manage to enter into the crossfire of a local international crime boss (Clemens Schick). Reasonably stylish and watchable but story and script similarities and derivations from “The Fast And The Furious” series put the brakes on this and as a result it never takes off. In fact, Eastwood just got done starring in the last “Furious” entry. Continue reading →
October 6, 2017 “My Little Pony: The Movie” (*** out of four) was a cute expansion of the cartoon series about a dark force threatening Ponyville and how the Mane 6 (voices of Tara Strong, Ashleigh Ball, Andrea Libman, Tabitha St. Germain, Cathy Weseluck) are forced to embark on an incredible journey outside of Equestria to obtain new friends and save their home. Full of nice animation and positive messages about friendship and family for young kids. Hardly a masterpiece but should satisfy and entertain families and fans of the television series. Continue reading →
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