March 8, 2017 “The Assignment” (*1/2 out of four) was a sleazy melodrama about a hitman who awakens and finds that he has had gender-change surgery and is now a sexy siren (Michelle Rodriguez) who is trying to elude her captors but now also seeks revenge on the vindictive doctor (Sigourney Weaver) responsible. Once-great director Walter Hill (“48 Hours”, “The Warriors”) falters again with a weird and ugly story which is hard to care about anything. Reunites Rodriguez and Weaver from “Avatar” but sorely lacking that film’s sincerity and grand vision. Continue reading →
March 8, 2017 “The Creature Below” (*1/2 out of four) was a subpar sci/fi horror show about a young scientist (Anna Dawson) who discovers a malevolent entity at the bottom of the ocean which leads to her enacting revenge but later descending into the perils of insanity. One-note story of a sick woman’s lurid descent and revenge goes overboard and is often gross and disgusting. Dawson is OK in an almost unplayable role. Continue reading →
March 8, 2017 “Rising Fear” (**1/2 out of four) was a tense action thriller about a former marine (Tom Getty who also wrote and directed) who exchanges numbers with a girl on the bus whose number is actually the detonation number for a terrorist bomb that goes off! Soon, he finds himself on the run from the FBI, C.I.A., and the city as he is being framed for international terrorism. Rapidly implausible action thriller at least never stops moving and features enough hand-to-hand combat, chases, and intrigue to make it fun to watch just the same. Getty is OK in the lead but does a reasonable job as action director. Continue reading →
March 8, 2017 “Moonlight” (*** out of four) was a powerful story of a young homosexual African-American growing up in poverty in Miami with no positive role models and film chronicles his struggles in three segments from childhood to adolescence and adulthood as he questions his identity in life. Not a great film as many have said (it was the second film to win Best Picture this year at the Oscars) but very well-acted and features many effective moments. Riveting first segment works best but story in high school covers familiar territory and third segment meanders. Mahershala Ali is terrific in an Oscar-winning supporting role but he disappears from the story too quickly and you may leave wishing more of the movie was about him. Continue reading →
March 1, 2017 “Spectral” (** out of four) was a wearily derivative military action drama about a special-ops team (Bruce Greenwood, Emily Mortimer, James Badge Dale and others) that is dispatched to fight supernatural beings but soon find that they have their hands full and this will be a war to the death. Full of video-game like special effects, jingoistic speeches, and lots of gunplay. Watchable pastiche of “Starship Troopers”, “Alien”, “28 Days Later” and too many others to mention has enough firepower to make it watchable but a definite sense of deja-vu hangs over the proceedings. Continue reading →
March 1, 2017 “A Cure For Wellness” (** out of four) was an overdone horror drama about an ambitious young executive (Dane DeHaan) who travels to the Swiss Alps to retrieve his mysteriously departed CEO at a wellness program under the complete domination of a sinister doctor (Jason Isaacs) and soon realizes that the program is not nearly what it seems. Film begins well but starts to falter as it goes on (and on) and becomes repetitive, especially in its second half. Much of the imagery is striking but much of the story seems lifted from “Shutter Island”. Both DeHaan and Isaacs are exceptional. Continue reading →
March 1, 2017 “The Spirit Of The Game” (** out of four) was a hokey true story set before the 1956 Olympics in which a crew of Americans went to Australia and attempted to help them unify and unite for the Olympics team. Well-meaning and well-acted movie is unfortunately cornball and contrived, whether it’s based on a true story or not. Watchable but not terribly invigorating. Continue reading →
March 1, 2017 “Fist Fight” (*** out of four) was an often very funny comedy about the escalating feud between two teachers (Charlie Day, Ice Cube) which leads to an after-school fight. Hard to tell at first that this is a remake of 1987’s “3 O’Clock High” but it is, with teachers instead of students. Story is slim and script is contrived but it features enough laughs to make it worthwhile. Day is likeable and funny and Ice Cube is ferocious and hilarious in a perfectly cast role, and they play off and work well against one another. Continue reading →
March 1, 2017 “Fare” (** out of four) was a lurid story of a cab driver (Thomas Torrey who also wrote and directed) whose night takes a few unexpected detours when he picks up the guy (J.R. Arducci) who has been having an affair with his wife (Katherine Drew). Potentially sizzling story is hampered by Torrey’s strange and unlikeable character and the story goes on too long even at only 75 minutes and loses steam. Works best in its scenes between Torrey and Arducci but story falters once Arducci is written out. Continue reading →
March 1, 2017 “Man Down” (*** out of four) was a heartfelt and affecting story of a U.S. marine (Shia LaBeouf) who returns home from Afghanistan but finds he is physically and emotionally unable to return to the life he left behind with his wife and son. A flawed but still compelling look at PTSD and how the brutality of war often affects soldiers long after they return home. LaBeouf sears the screen in one of his most powerful performances. Gary Oldman is strong also as always in a key supporting role. Continue reading →
