March 15, 2017 “Top Coat Cash” (*1/2 out of four) was a slapdash, derivative action melodrama about a skilled MMA fighter (David Tittone) who returns home from Vegas and is recruited by various underworld figures to engage in a ruthless bank robbery which leads to a multitude of consequences no one foresees. Director/writer/star Tittone lacks personality and the same could be said for his script and direction. Even the action scenes and bank robbery aren’t particularly well-staged. Hard-core action and MMA fans would best spend their “cash” elsewhere. Continue reading →
March 15, 2017 “Virtual Revolution” (**1/2 out of four) was an intriguing, if not quite revolutionary, futuristic action thriller set in Paris 2047 in which a government shadow agent (Mike Dopud) works in a dystopian society in which all live in virtual worlds online and he is hired by a ruthless corporation to track down terrorists who threaten to disrupt this system and blur the line between virtual reality and reality. Impressive production design and very stylish cinematography by Cyril Bron highlight the by-now standard futuristic look of tall skyscrapers and flying machines; unfortunately, the story and script get overly murky, talky, and cerebral as it goes along. A fairly impressive directing debut for Guy-Roger Duvert who shows himself as a visual stylist but this is best watched with the sound off. Continue reading →
March 14, 2017 “Can’t Buy My Love” (** out of four) was a plastic romantic comedy about a rich snob (Benjamin Hollingsworth) and a paramedic applying for medical school (Adelaide Kane) who meet cute and then gradually bicker and fall in love, despite their different places in life. As contrived as it is predictable, with a tacked-on happy ending, although ace character actor James Remar has some nice moments as Hollingsworth’s dad. Director Farhad Mann shows a fumbling hand at romantic comedy which isn’t all that surprising from the guy who directed “Max Headroom” in the 80’s. Byetheway, this has no relation to the 1987 comedy of the same name with Patrick Dempsey. “Buy” that movie instead of this one. Continue reading →
March 14, 2017March 14, 2017 “Alp” (*1/2 out of four) was a limp horror thriller about a young man (Yusef Abdur-Razzaaq) who suffers from sleep paralysis and comes home to confront his demons and is immediately besieged by frightening hallucinations that make him question his state of mind and his sanity. Intriguing look at a serious mental and psychological illness goes nowhere, and will only make viewers question why they wasted their time on this, rather than watch “The Nightmare” instead. Razzaaq is good but cannot overcome film’s exploitative and routine approach. Continue reading →
March 14, 2017March 14, 2017 “King Kong: Skull Island” (*** out of four) was a fun reimagining of the classic story about a group of scientists and expedionists (Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson) who venture into the Pacific and find themselves in the domain of Kong and must fight for their lives to escape. Resembles more “Jurassic Park” than any of the previous “Kong” films but it’s no less entertaining, with superior visual effects, beautiful cinematography, and great soundtrack selections. Strong cast led by Sam who is ageless and repeats his classic line from “Jurassic Park”, and also gets kudos for reuniting both Jason Mitchell and Corey Hawkins from “Straight Outta Compton”. Continue reading →
March 14, 2017 “Wolves” (** out of four) was a sincere but unexceptional teenage melodrama about an 18-year old basketball star (Taylor John Smith) who seems to have it all- a pending scholarship to Cornell, being the captain of his team, and a beautiful and supportive girlfriend- but his life is gradually undone by his unstable father (Michael Shannon) and his alcoholism and gambling addiction. Good performances can only do so much with a well-worn and predictable story we’ve seen plenty of times before. Basketball game climax is emotional, though, and almost makes rest of the movie worth sitting through. Continue reading →
March 13, 2017March 13, 2017 “Bedeviled” (** out of four) was a weak horror thriller about five friends who are terrorized by an unseen murderous force after downloading a mysterious app to their phone which eventually takes over their phones, then their lives, and then their sanity. Potentially scary story about horror in the digital and social media age is too uneven and silly although it has a few good jolts every now and then. For a scarier and more twisted horror movie about social media, watch “Unfriended” instead. Continue reading →
March 12, 2017March 12, 2017 “Blood, Sand, and Gold” (** out of four) was an expendable action thriller about an archaeologist (Monica West) who discovers gold in the Sahara Desert. When it is stolen, she enlists rogue mercenary (Aaron Costa Ganis) on a global quest to steal it back. Attempt at a Bond-like espionage thriller is never terribly compelling or exciting, despite lots of international intrigue and underworld twists and turns. Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone can do this- and do it better- in their sleep. Continue reading →
March 12, 2017March 12, 2017 “Population Zero” (*** out of four) was an incisive mockumentary about the investigation into a series of murders at Yellowstone National Park and how the murderer who confessed was freed and dismissed due to a legalistic loophole within the courts. But film goes even deeper into the ruptures that occurred within the family’s small town and how the killer was motivated by the big-business affects of fracking. Engrossing story holds you attention from start to finish. How “real” it is can be debated and may effect your enjoyment but film is still fascinating and well-made. Continue reading →
March 11, 2017March 11, 2017 “Quarries” (** out of four) was a blah, by-the-numbers horror show about a group of women (Nicole Marie Johnson, Carrie Finklea, Leisha Hailey, Sara Mornell) who go on a trip into the wilderness and are besieged and terrorized by a group of mutant backwoods rednecks and have to band together and fight back in order to survive. Neither the best nor worst of its kind but you’ve seen it all before and done better, in “Wrong Turn” and “Mother’s Day” among others. You may want to watch those instead of sitting through this pointless retread. Continue reading →
