September 29, 2016 “Broken Vows” (** out of four) was an illogical and derivative thriller yet again modeled after “Fatal Attraction”, “Obsessed”, and too many others to mention. A young career-woman (Jaimie Alexander) about to be married hooks up with a bartender (Wes Bentley) who turns out to be (what else?) a real sicko who seeks to turn her life upside down when she won’t see him again. Attractive and watchable but story has more than a few logic gaps and seems to be following much too familiar a pattern by now. Bentley appears to be playing a more psychoactive version of his character from “American Beauty”…but there’s no rose petals here. Continue reading →
September 25, 2016 “Deserted” (*1/2 out of four) was a dreary melodrama that makes the audience feel deserted right along with the main characters. A 24-year old (Mischa Barton) is released from prison and meets up with her brother (Jackson Davis) and they go on a road trip but they get hopelessly stranded in the valley with the usual array of rednecks, wild animals, etc. Pretty to look at but otherwise- pretty much of a bore. “Deliverance” covered this same territory more than 40 years ago and “Wrong Turn” stylishly updated it 13 years ago so sometimes more is less. Continue reading →
September 25, 2016 “Complete Unknown” (*1/2 out of four) was a complete waste of time about a man (Michael Shannon) who meets a girl at a dinner party (Rachel Weisz) who he is sure he knew before and it turns out this is true and that she changed her name and identity years ago and the two share an endless all-night odyssey discussing their past, their future, and the importance of change. Good actors Shannon and Weisz should have probably discussed the importance of picking a better script together. Potentially interesting story is rambling, hazy, and (after a while) bizarre and boring. Similar story was covered much more powerfully in “The Age Of Adeline”. Continue reading →
September 25, 2016 “Assassin X” (** out of four) was a slick but empty Redbox action thriller about an aging assassin (Olivier Gruner) who is double-crossed by his sinister boss (Patrick Kilpatrick) when he falls in love with his target (Stephanie Gerard) and refuses to kill her leading to them both having to take it on the run to stay alive. Wall-to-wall music soon becomes grating and nearly drowns out the dialogue in some scenes although it’s no loss. Stylish direction and cinematography are plusses and Gruner’s charisma compensates to some extent. ’90’s star Richard Grieco pops up in a meaningless supporting role and Martin Kove picks up a few bucks as one of Grunier’s nemesises. Continue reading →
September 25, 2016 “Clown” (** out of four) was an unpleasant horror drama about a devoted father (Andy Powers) who finds a clown suit in the new house he moves into with his wife and son and finds he can’t take it off and it becomes part of his skin which causes him to deteriorate psychologically, physically, and mentally. Unrelentingly grim and violent drama offers no letup and has no sense of humor either. Powers is good though under the circumstances. You’d fare much better watching “Killer Klowns From Outer Space” instead. Continue reading →
September 25, 2016 “When The Bough Breaks” (** out of four) was a ridiculous thriller about a surrogate mother (Jaz Sinclair) to a wealthy couple (Morris Chestnut and Regina Hall) who are unable to have their own child. They then unexpectedly have her move in with them which leads to problems when she develops a dangerous fixation on the soon-to-be father. Yet another “Fatal Attraction” clone that is fatally obvious and contrived. Good performances help disguise story holes and make this watchable for a while but story gets excessively silly and unbelievable, especially in the second half. Continue reading →
September 25, 2016 “Food Choices” (**1/2 out of four) was an interesting documentary from fillmmaker Michal Siewerski which features interviews with numerous health specialists, practicioners, and other experts about the impacts that different foods and diets have on our health and how polluted some foods have become. Not as incisive and forthcoming as “Food, Inc.”, “Fast Food Nation”, and “Fresh” which covered this same ground already but still a valuable look at one’s health and looking more closely at what one is really eating. Continue reading →
September 24, 2016 “Tell Me How I Die” (**1/2 out of four) was an above-average Redbox melodrama about a group of college students who take part in a clinical drug trial under the supervision of a shady doctor (William Mapother). At first, everything seems great but it begins to have horrifying side effects in which they are able to see their own deaths and then they have to race against time to escape their fate. Chilling story is well-acted and well-directed by D.J. Viola but its impact is simmered by it’s overlength at nearly two hours. Owes an obvious debt to Stanley Kubrick and David Cronenberg stories of mind control but better than most direct-to-Redbox junk. Continue reading →
September 24, 2016 “Steel” (** out of four) was an aloof melodrama about a successful television journalist (Chad Connell) who suffers career-threatening panic attacks on his job which leads to exploration and soul-searching to the realization that he’s gay and he embarks on a relationship with a younger man (David Cameron) which leads to a relationship which both of them never expected. Unlike many other melodramas, this does not cop-out and is refreshingly frank regarding homosexuality and relationships but it’s hard to connect to these characters on an emotional level and as a result- the story is hard to get involved in. Good performances and beautiful music score by Vincent Ho are undeniable standouts. Continue reading →
September 24, 2016 “Laid In America” (*1/2 out of four) was a startlingly stupid comedy that seemed inspired by the National Lampoon comedies of the 1970’s and ’80’s except those comedies had sting and laughs. Two foreign exchange high-school students (Olajide Olatunji and Caspar Lee) who never should have been allowed through customs embark on a quest to get laid on their last night in America. By the end of this misfire, you’ll undoubtedly wish they had been deported. Both Olatunji and Lee try but are helpless against a terrible script and direction that equates frantic with being funny. Watch “Made In America” again instead. Continue reading →
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