https://dlepik.com/2026/05/16/hellfire-1-2-out-of-four-was-a-modestly-affecting-crime-melodrama-about-a-drifter-stephen-lang-who-wanders-into-a-nowheresville-midwestern-town-under-the-complete-rule-and-authority-of-a-rut/dlepikcomen2026-05-16T04:27:34+00:00“Hellfire” (**1/2 out of four) was a modestly affecting crime melodrama about a drifter (Stephen Lang) who wanders into a nowheresville Midwestern town under the complete rule and authority of a ruthless mob boss (Harvey Keitel) and tries to help himself and the various other residents (Scottie Thompson, Michael Sirow, and others) escape. Leisurely story initially holds its grip thanks to Lang’s authority and quiet intensity but loses its way as it starts to simmer into a conventional action thriller and melodrama and starts to becomes a Coen Bros-like version of “Rambo.” Lang is rock-solid as usual; Keitel is wasted in his umpteenth role as a crime boss.https://dlepik.com/2026/05/16/the-punisher-one-last-kill-out-of-four-was-a-meager-continuation-of-the-classic-marvel-series-about-frank-castle-jon-bernthal-who-is-now-an-alcoholic-with-severe-ptsd-but-has-to-spring-bac/dlepikcomen2026-05-16T01:48:46+00:00“The Punisher: One Last Kill” (** out of four) was a meager continuation of the classic Marvel series about Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) who is now an alcoholic with severe PTSD but has to spring back into vigilante action when the matriarch (Judith Light) of a crime family he once brutalized recognizes him and swears vengeance. Lacks the emotional resonance and stylish intensity of “Punisher: War Zone” (by far the best of the series) and seems hollow and routine. Bernthal also co-wrote the screenplay and is solid in the lead role but is/was blown away by Ray Stephenson.https://dlepik.com/2026/05/16/faces-of-death-out-of-four-was-an-uneven-remake-of-the-1978-cult-horror-classic-about-a-website-content-moderator-barbie-ferreira-who-comes-across-a-series-of-videos-reproducing-the-gruesom/dlepikcomen2026-05-16T01:47:49+00:00“Faces Of Death” (** out of four) was an uneven remake of the 1978 cult horror classic about a website-content moderator (Barbie Ferreira) who comes across a series of videos reproducing the gruesome killings from the original and realizes it’s the work of a copycat murderer (Dacre Montgomery). Alternately plodding, effective, pretentious, and overly weird and doesn’t congeal into a satisfying whole. Made with some skill and good production values but doesn’t match the revelatory shock and scares of the original. Filmed in 2023.https://dlepik.com/2026/05/16/forbidden-fruits-1-2-out-of-four-was-a-charmless-teen-comedy-melodrama-horror-thriller-about-a-secret-witch-cult-lili-reinhart-victoria-pedertti-alexandra-shipp-that-operates-out-of-a-mall/dlepikcomen2026-05-16T01:44:49+00:00“Forbidden Fruits” (*1/2 out of four) was a charmless teen comedy/melodrama/horror thriller about a secret witch cult (Lili Reinhart, Victoria Pedertti, Alexandra Shipp) that operates out of a mall store (!) but the arrival of a new hiree (Lola Tung) forces them to question their darkness and sisterhood strength. Starts off relatively briskly but then quickly descends into a synthetic monstrosity combination of “Mean Girls” and “The Craft.” In fact- the Toronto mall used in this film is the exact same one used in “Mean Girls”…………but there’s no Regina George