“Death Alley” (*1/2 out of four) was a jerry-built Western set in 1892 in which the Dalton Gang (Joshua Outzen, Justin France, Tristan Campbell, and others) set out to become the most famous outlaws in America but this lead them to all-out war with other gangs and various law enforcement. If you ever want to see a virtual library of Western cliches (saloon fights, gun standoffs, lots of….dust), look no further. Perhaps it’s time to retire the Western genre before it itself suffers its own “death.”

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“Dark Light” (* out of four) was an inept horror thriller about an Interpol detective (Damian Chapa) who investigates a series of bizarre murders in Ireland; a beautiful woman (Estefania Villaespesa) is blamed for the murders but he begins to suspect that there might be more than meets the eye and this investigation brings him to the church and investigating a possible stigmata. Rockbottom clunker looks cheap and goes nowhere slowly. Even the Ireland scenery looks dreary. Chapa also wrote, directed, and co-produced this mess.

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“Hot Seat” (** out of four) was a middling action potboiler about a former hacker (Kevin Dillon) who arrives at work and finds out he literally cannot leave his seat unless he hacks into a high-level bank and is tormented by an unseen perpetrator while a burnt out cop (who else but Mel Gibson) tries to break in and rescue him. Relatively well-made and well-acted but never rises above solid mediocrity. Dillon does his best to enliven things with his rogue charisma but Gibson a…

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“Last The Night” (** out of four) was a predictable suspense melodrama about a teacher (Brian Austin Green) on the verge of a mental breakdown after being separated from his wife and daughter in the midst of the pandemic; upon hearing some of his students (Julia Quang, Acorye White, and others) make fun of him online, he goes berserk and on a bloody rampage vowing to make them pay. Interesting irony in having one-time 90210 actor Green as a high-school teacher but that’s about it here for surprises. Proficiently made but otherwise pretty forgettable.

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“Losing Addison” (*1/2 out of four) was an incomprehensible psychodrama about twin brothers (Adam Elliott Davis and Joel Robert Walker) who spend their whole lives having a psychic and spiritual connection; when one brother decides to sever their connection, the other mentally unravels leading to one of them possibly murdering their ailing mother (Sherilyn Fenn). Story is told in flashbacks and fragments but is basically a jigsaw puzzle not worth putting together since you don’t care about any of the characters. Film won awards at Oregon Independent Film Festival and Amsterdam International Festival but they must be “losing” their grip on reality.

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“Woodland Grey” (**1/2 out of four) was an elegant but empty suspense melodrama about a man (Ryan Blakely) living in isolation in the woods who saves the life of a young woman (Jenny Raven) and nurses her back to health; she is initially grateful to him but soon begins to realize that all is not what it seems and she makes a terrifying discovery and then realizes her life is in danger. Film is extremely well-made with crisp cinematography by Graham Guertin Santerre and a haunting and foreboding music score by Daniele Caretta Skye Klein but central story and characters aren’t all that compelling so film doesn’t deliver. “Misery” told more-or-less the same story with more suspense and scares.

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“The Man From Toronto” (** out of four) was a paper-thin Netflix comedy about the world’s deadliest assassin (Woody Harrelson) and a terminal screw-up (Kevin Hart) whose identities get mixed up at an air B & B rental leading to a plethora of complications and consequences for both of them. A one-joke movie in which even the one joke isn’t all that funny but at least director Patrick Hughes keeps this moving fast. Needlessly contrived and overlong, with only the good-natured performances of its two leads to help it stay afloat.

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“Crimes Of The Future” (*1/2 out of four) was a severely unpleasant futuristic psychodrama in which humans have adopted to a synthetic environment in which transformations and mutations are commonplace; a celebrity performance artist (Viggo Mortensen) showcases live performances of the metamorphosis of his organs but doesn’t realize that a sinister group is trying to use his celebrity to shed light on the mysterious next step of the human evolution. Typically bizarre and unconventional story from the twisted mind of David Cronenberg but film is pointless, ugly, and (after a while) boring. No relation to the 1970 Cronenberg film which weirdly had the same name. Fifth (and least) collaboration between Mortensen and Cronenberg.

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“Beavis And Butthead Do The Universe” (*** out of four) was a very funny follow-up about the title morons (voiced by Mike Judge) who are somehow selected for space travel in the year 1998; a fellow astronaut (voiced by Andrea Savage) becomes enraged with their stupidity and tries to kill them but they end up falling into a black hole that instantly transports them to the present day where they have to learn and adapt to the times while that same astronaut is now a powerful senator who enlists the FBI to track them down and have them killed for good this time! Not exactly sure we needed a sequel 26 years after the original but writer/co-director/original creator Judge is more than up to the task as the 2 instantly recreate their moronic chemistry together and there’s a lot of laughs along the way, as the 2 learn about cell-phones, the internet, and white privilege. A definite must for original series fans. Welcome back boys!

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“Harmony” (** out of four) was a good-looking but unpleasant horror psychodrama about a wounded soldier (Marili Kateri) who is transported to a medical facility to assist in her recovery but she soon uncovers the hidden sinister truth of the medical facility’s agenda and tries to revolt and get out before it’s too late. Scott Jeschke’s striking and alluring cinematography does look good and makes you hope that story is going to build to more than just another derivation of “The Shining” and “Asylum”- but it doesn’t and is cold-to-the-touch.

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