“Twisted Sister” (*1/2 out of four) was a clunky suspense thriller about a successful career woman (Mena Suvari) who seems to have the perfect life with her husband (Mark Famiglietti) until a mysterious stranger (Joy Nash) shows up out of nowhere claiming to be her long-lost half-sister and turns her life upside down. Laughably obvious and predictable thriller done without much conviction or style and thus little reason for watching. It’s doubftul this was named after the famous band of the same name but you’ll likely be waiting for Dee Snider to show up at any time and start cursing them out and kicking ass. One-time American beauty Suvari needs to start picking better roles.

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“Pinball: The Man Who Saved The Game” (** out of four) was a superficial mock-documentary set in the current day in which Roger Sharpe (Dennis Boutsikaris) reflects back to 1976 in which he (played at a younger age by Mike Faist) came from the Midwest and was determined to challenge and overturn NYC’s ban on pinball machines, no matter how many political and personal enemies he made. Not exactly the grandest or greatest story to tell about how pinball machines were saved and restored and it’s hard to get a sense on why Sharpe set out on this quest in the first place. Directed with some bounce by Austin and Meredith Bragg and filled with some good ’70’s soundtrack nuggets but film practically evaporates while you’re watching it.

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“Gunfight At Rio Bravo” (*1/2 out of four) was a slipshod Western melodrama about a Russian gunslinger (Alexander Nevsky) who attempts to help a marshal (Oliver Gruner) and a sheriff (Joe Cornet who also directed) against a vicious outlaw gang (led by Matthias Hues) when they invade and threaten to take over their small East Texas town. Cheaply done Western covers the usual bases (saloon fights, gun standoffs, etc.) without much flair or fire. Title is an obvious hybrid of classics “Gunfight At O.K. Corral” and “Rio Bravo” but this still mostly fires all blanks.

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“John Wick: Chapter 4” (** out of four) was a bloated fourth entry in this blockbuster series about the indestructible title assassin (Keanu Reeves) who finds a path to defeating the High Table but must first square off against a series of deadly assassins every bit as ruthless and severe as he is. Director Chad Stahelski bathes this in the same extravagant flash and style as the previous entries (and there are great scenes) and throws in homages to Sergio Leone, John Woo, and Reeves’ own “The Matrix”….but it’s insanely overlong at nearly three hours and much like previous entries feels like you’re watching an endless video game after a while. Enough action and style to satisfy fans of the series but enough is enough by now.

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“Dungeons And Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” (** out of four) was a hollow adaptation of the legendary video/board game about a rogue thief (Chris Pine) and a series of followers (Michelle Rodriguez, Rege-Jean Page, and others) who embark on a journey to retrieve a lost relic but encumber obstacles and treachery at every turn especially when they come up against Ford Fitzwilliam (Hugh Grant) and his team of dragons and demons. Lots of dungeons and dragons but film is surprisingly dull for the first hour or so; it jump-starts again every now and then and features some great visual effects but never detonates with any awe or wonder. You can’t help but think how this brings back memories of “Raiders Of The Lost Ark”, “The Mummy”, “Pan’s Labyrinth”, and also “Labyrinth” at times.

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“Kill Her Goats” (*1/2 out of four) was a gruesome horror show about a woman (Arielle Raycene) who recently graduates from school and her graduation gift turns out to be her long-term dream house but upon moving in- she finds out (yawn) some nearby killers want her out by any murderous means necessary. Umpteenth entry in the killer-in-the-woods/damsel-in-distress/crazy-redneck genre. Plenty of blood and gore for those who demand it but zero in the way of originality. Writer/director Steve Wolsh even dares to have her watching the original “Night Of The Living Dead”, a reminder when these types of movies were actually chilling and fun.

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“Johnny And Clyde” (* out of four) was a perfectly awful suspense potboiler about the title pair of thieves (Avan Jogia and Ajani Russell) who set their sights on robbing a high-end casino under the domination of a criminal princess (a facelifted Megan Fox) who vows to fight back at all costs. Repellant story filled with unpleasant characters and violence and director Tom DeNucci’s in-your-face direction is no help. You know you’re in trouble when the most clever aspect of the film is it’s title! The talented Bai Ling has a minor role but let’s just be nice and say this likely will not have the long-lasting mesmeric power of “The Crow.”

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“Camp Murder” (* out of four) was an inept timewaster about a group of friends (Callie Russell, Josh Bzura, Rachel Beck, and others) who venture off to a camp for a nice getaway but soon find out that (yawn) a masked slasher is on the loose and won’t give up until all of them are dead. Supposed throwback to ’80’s slasher classics instead seems like a really bad movie from the ’80’s, with filmmaking and acting that can only liberally be described as amateur hour. It’s movies like this that make the original “Friday The 13th” look like Masterpiece Theater by comparison.

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“The Stalking Fields” (*1/2 out of four) was a dismal action melodrama about a group of friends (Sean Crampton, Nora Garrett, and others) who find themselves in the midst of a military Special Ops program by a group of violent sadists (led by Adam Harrington) to cure PTSD and eradicate anyone who comes in their way. Howlingly bad dialogue is made even worse by overripe acting and low-grade filmmaking. It’s bad movies like these that are enough to give someone PTSD in the first place. Watch “The Killing Fields” instead.

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“Guns Of Eden” (** out of four) was an empty action potboiler about a young woman and ex-cop (Alexandria Faye Sadeghian) who is out on a camping trip when an armed militia (Tim Ohearn, Jessica Zwolak, and others) attempt to take over the campgrounds in an attempt to uncover drug loot and kill anyone in their path and she has to put her former police and military skills to the test to the survive. Promising beginning with some sharp and snappy dialogue soon dissipates as film devolves into a “Die Hard” in the woods without much originality. Film won awards at both the Buffalo and Worcester film festivals but it’s a half-cocked gun at best.

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