“Legacy Peak” (**1/2 out of four) was an amiable, agreeable kid’s adventure about an explorer (Lucas Black) on a trip with his partner’s children (Kyleigh Baker and Roman Engel) when their plane crashlands in the woods and they have to trust one another and fight for survival. Likeable story is no great shakes but earnestly performed and full of positive morals and ideals for children. Beautiful outdoor cinematography by Ryan Spacone is a highlight throughout.

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“Breakout” (*1/2 out of four) was a threadbare suspense thriller about a retired Black Ops agent (Louis Mandylor) who squares off against a criminal mastermind (Brian Krause) who has taken control of a maximum security prison while various cops (Tom Sizemore, Victor DiMattia, and others) outside struggle to seize control. Thoroughly routine “Die Hard”/”Olympus Has Fallen” rip-off and not even the action scenes are all that well-staged. Krause is unconvincing as a diabolical crimelord; the late Sizemore is wasted in one of his final film roles.

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“Maneater” (* out of four) was a toothless horror potboiler about a group of friends (Nicky Whelan, Porscha Coleman, Kelly Lynn Reiter, and others) who are besieged by a ravenous shark and it’s up to a seasoned professional (Trace Adkins) to come out to sea and save them. One more unnecessary addition in the seemingly endless glut of killer-shark movies with little style, scares, humor, or much of anything else. Country music star Adkins does what he can here but unfortunately this just isn’t going to elevate his acting career to the “big time”.

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“As Good As Dead” (** out of four) was a muffled action thriller about a former cop turned MMA fighting instructor (Michael Jai White) who trains a young boy (Michael Copon) to fight but this subsequently leads to an imprisoned crime kingpin (Tom Berenger) finding out his whereabouts and enacting revenge and targeting him for death. Fairly efficient with enough hand-to-hand combat and gunfights for fans but never rises above the routine. Berenger is wasted in a role that seems to be an elderly version of the 3 wise men he played in “Training Day”.

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“A Nurse To Die For” (** out of four) was a synthetic suspense thriller about a father (Jeremy John Wells) who hires a nurse (Allison McAttee) to take care of his sickly daughter (Hailey Gray) but soon finds out (what else?) that she is a sociopathic nutjob who is continuing to keep their daughter sick so she can overtake all their lives. Utterly generic thriller right down to its title with the usual gaps in logic and predictable plot twists. Attractively lit and shot by Thomas L. Callaway and competently acted but still another example of going to the well too often.

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“Ghosted” (*** out of four) was a swift romantic action adventure about a young farmer (Chris Evans) who has a chance meeting with a girl (Ana de Armas) and they have a great night out together but he subsequently finds out she is a secret agent for the C.I.A. and they are soon swept up in international spy espionage involving a ruthless arms dealer (Adrian Brody). Slickly done story in the vein of “Romancing The Stone” is carried along by the strong chemistry and camaraderie between Evans and de Armas who is sensational and cool-to-the-touch in what could be a star-making role. Undeniably silly at times but never stops moving and being light on its feet.

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“Lola 2” (*1/2 out of four) was an amateurish sequel about the title fighter (Taja V. Simpson) who falls in love and has a child but struggles to leave the rigors of the ring behind her and finds herself enveloped to return for one final fight to the death, regardless of the consequences. Superficial sports drama covers all the routine bases without any resonance or reverberation. Even the fight scenes are pretty by-the-numbers and not that excitingly filmed. Any of the “Rocky” sequels knocks this on its ass, hands down.

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“You’re Killing Me” (** out of four) was a tired horror potboiler about a young girl (McKaley Miller) who goes to an elite costume party which soon turns ugly when she finds herself entrapped by a creepy costumer (Brice Anthony Heller) and this subsequently worsens when his sadistic parents (Dermot Mulroney and Anne Heche) show up and tighten the immense screws on her even more. Promising beginning soon sputters as film devolves into a routine rehash of “The Purge” and “Desperate Hours.” Miller (who at times resembles a young Drew Barrymore) is solid in the lead but Heche is wasted in one of her final film roles.

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“Pretty Stoned” (*1/2 out of four) was a pretty lame teen comedy about a devoted pothead (Skye Townsend) and an overachiever (Paris Berelc) who find themselves having to join forces when one of them disperses of a multitude of pot from a drug henchwoman (Kandi Buruss) and find themselves on the run from her and her mob of enforcers and have to somehow make the money back, all the while staying safe and staying happy and high. Throwback to the Cheech-and-Chong comedies of the ’70’s and ’80’s and “Half Baked” is too mindless and silly to give anyone but young viewers even a mild comic high. Spirited performances from the two leads can’t help this from soon turning into a bad trip.

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“Horror In The High Desert 2: Minerva” (**1/2 out of four) was a proficiently done horror melodrama focusing on a series of tragedies in Nevada in 2018 which could be possibly linked to the events in the original regarding the disappearance of the character Gary Hinge as various townsfolk (Suziey Block, Brooke Bradshaw, C.R. Brough, and others) attempt to sort it out. One more unnecessary horror sequel and found-footage horror movie that the world did not need but having said that- it’s well-made, moodily shot by Dutch Marich on a low-budget, and does feature some scares. A few scenes seem directly inspired by (and rip-offs of) the most influential found-footage horror movie of them all “The Blair Witch Project.”

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