September 23, 2017 “Leatherface” (*1/2 out of four) was a thoroughly stale prequel to the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” showing a teenaged Leatherface (Chris Adamson) and how he escaped from a mental hospital with a vengeful sherriff (Stephen Dorff) on his trail and was badly influenced by his deranged mother (Lili Taylor) to become a vicious, saw-wielding killer. Original “Chainsaw” writer Kim Henkel wrote this and this was executive produced by original director Tobe Hooper but enough already! Despite a few good gory deaths, it’s familiar and forgettable. Dorff actually looks older in the flashback scenes than he does in scenes set in the present day! Continue reading →
September 23, 2017September 23, 2017 “Gaga: Five Foot Two” (**1/2 out of four) was an intimate documentary reminiscent of Madonna’s “Truth Or Dare” about the pop phenomenon Lady Gaga showing her in preparation for her Super Bowl halftime show but also her day-to-day life involving her relationships with her family and her intense physical pain that has recently affected her and the nonstop pace of her career. Film features interviews and footage of her father, producer Mark Ronson, and many others but she honestly isn’t that interesting an interview subject and it doesn’t show you much about her that you don’t already know. Mostly for hardcore fans; others might get bored after a while. Continue reading →
September 23, 2017September 23, 2017 “Killing Gunther” (** out of four) was a heavy-handed comedy about a group of eccentric assassins (Coble Smulders, Hannah Simone, Taran Killam) who decide to locate and retire the world’s greatest assassin (Arnold Schwarzenegger) but he remains one step ahead at all times and turns the tables on them. Fast-paced comedy is too uneven and never quite hangs together although this may be your only chance to hear Arnold sing country music (he actually says in one scene “I’m coming for you Brad Paisley”). Stay through the credits for one of Arnold’s country “songs”, if you make it that far. Continue reading →
September 21, 2017 “The Everglades Killings” (*1/2 out of four) was a strictly by-the-numbers horror show about a group of young college kids (Sydney Ray, Nicholas Kolasisnski, Peter Pontone, and others) on Spring break in Florida who take a less-than-incredible journey to the Florida Everglades where they are all stalked and killed one by one. All this movie does is kill your time. “Scream” made fun of shoddy horror movies like these 20+ years ago and “Creature From The Black Lagoon” was a scarier monster/slasher movie filmed in Florida 60+ years ago! Continue reading →
September 21, 2017 “England Is Mine” (*1/2 out of four) was a superficial biography of the early life of rock star Morrissey (Jack Lowden) showing him growing up in early ’70’s England and how he discovered rock and roll which would eventually lead him to becoming the lead singer of The Smiths and later a solo superstar. Unfortunately, film presents the young Morrissey as being both one-note and dull and as the result the film is too. Film hardly tells you anything about Morrissey that you probably don’t intuitively know anyway. Lowden looks a little like Morrissey but displays little of his sullen charisma. Hard core Morrissey fans might want to take a look but Smiths titles “How Soon Is Now?”, “Asleep”, and “Nowhere Fast” are apt descriptions of sitting through this Continue reading →
September 21, 2017 “Negative” (*** out of four) was a solid action thriller about a former British spy (Katia Winter) who has to take it on the run after a deal with a violent cartel goes wrong and she teams up with a photographer (Simon Quarterman) to stay alive and to uncover and expose the dangerous truth involving the underworld and the government. Yet another conspiracy action thriller clearly influenced by the “Bourne” movies but it moves fast and is carried along by the strong performances and interplay between its leads. Not a complete success and not without some minor lulls but overall well-made and entertaining. Continue reading →
September 19, 2017 “Blood Honey” (** out of four) was an ineffectual melodrama about a young woman (Shenae Grimes-Beech) who is affected by a childhood tragedy and returns to her family’s hunting lodge to be with her dying father (Gil Bellows) but finds herself immersed in a nightmare of survival involving her two cunning and manipulative brothers (Kenneth Mitchell and Don McKellar). Film is never as gripping or compelling as it should have been and is never terribly scary or moving. Beech’ solid performance holds your attention but film seems pointless by the end. Continue reading →
September 17, 2017 “The Wilde Wedding” (** out of four) was a disappointing comedy about a retired film star (Glenn Close) whose wedding to her fourth husband results in chaos when their respective families (Minnie Driver, Patrick Stewart, Peter Facinelli, and others) and her ex-husband (John Malkovich) all show up and open old wounds of bitterness and separation. Doesn’t take off despite that impressive cast; has its moments especially in the beginning but gradually becomes contrived and silly and plays like a sitcom pilot. Unsuccessful change-of-pace for director Damian Harris who directed the superior 1991 Goldie Hawn thriller “Deceived.” Continue reading →
September 16, 2017 “Justice” (** out of four) was a lackluster Western set in 1868 after the Civil War but a corrupt mayor (Stephen Lang) and a bloodthirsty gang of outlaws are intent on re-surging the war and turning an old abandoned mine into a military stronghold; a U.S. marshal (Jackson Rathbone) with a mysterious past rides into town and attempts to restore order. Handsomely photographed like most Westerns but story, characters, and dialogue are all so hollow and familiar. By this point, it’s the Western genre itself that needs to be re-surged because they’ve virtually all been the same since about 1868. Lang is first-rate again and once again shows he’s a dynamite character actor. Continue reading →
September 15, 2017 “Churchill” (*** out of four) was a compelling biographical drama of the famed British Prime Minister (Brian Cox) set during the 96 hours leading up to the D-Day invasion and how his opposition to the war led to him going against the main general (John Slattery) and others in England. Cox’ first-rate performance dominates and takes center stage in this film, even as the story covers limited ground and you wish it had a wider focus on other areas of his life. Ella Purnell and Miranda Richardson also stand out in key supporting roles. Continue reading →
