“The Ice Road” (*** out of four) was a relatively solid action thriller about a big-rig ice-road driver (Liam Neeson) who must lead a death-defying mission over a frozen ocean in Northern Canada to save trapped miners (Laurence Fishburne, Martin Sensmeier, and others ) when a remote diamond mine collapses and various big-business and political figures (Matt McCoy and Matt Salinger) struggle to contain and defuse the situation. Neeson’s rock-solid presence makes all the difference here and elevates what might have been a B-movie throwaway into being watchable and entertaining although it starts to grow a little repetitive after a while. Filmed actually in Manitoba with striking and vivid cinematography by Tom Stern.

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“Secrets Of A Marine’s Wife” (**1/2 out of four) was a serviceably done adaptation of Shanna Hogan’s best-selling novel told in flashbacks about the ups-and-downs of a marriage between a dedicated marine (Evan Roderick) and his unhappy wife (Sadie Calvano) which leads to disarray once he is accused of her murder and a hard-nosed detective (Andrea Drepaul) investigates. Did he really do it or were there other people who wanted her dead? Interesting “Rashomon”-like story with taut direction and storytelling but leads to an unsatisfying conclusion that is disappointing and flat. Eerily, Hogan herself died last Fall while this film was in production.

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“Babysitter Must Die” (*1/2 out of four) was a must-avoid clunker about a group of armed cultists (Nic Fitzgerald, Melinda Yeaman, and others) who invade a household looking for something they believe to be inside; fortunately for the house, a tough-as-nails babysitter (Riley Scott) is inside and is determined to fight them back to the death. Umpteenth rip-off of “Desperate Hours” and also (for a more recent cross-reference) “Trespass” and also “The Purge”. Formulaic and unpleasant and not even the fight and revenge scenes are particularly well-staged.

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“As The Village Sleeps” (* out of four) was an inept timewaster that will likely put you to sleep about a college girl (Chloe Cammerer) who organizes a birthday celebration at (yawn) a cabin in the middle of the woods with her friends and family (Winnie Du, Michael Gum, Shiah Luna) in which they play a mysterious party game which causes them to systematically turn against one another and kill each other rampantly. Dreadful filmmaking and production values turn this into a chore to watch. Yet another horror movie that looks like (and probably was) shot on someone’s cell-phone camera.

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“Cruella” (***) out of four was a breezily done prequel to Disney’s “101 Dalmation” series showing the title character Cruella de Vill (Emma Stone) and how she started in the ’70’s as an up-and-coming fashion designer and punk-rock singer (!) whose various anger at life and rivalry with her narcissistic boss (Emma Stone) turned her into a cruel villain. Director Craig Gillespie works with bounce and lighthearded humor and infuses wall-to-wall great music, and Stone is perfect in the lead, although a little of this does go a long way as film does wear thin after a while. Still overall entertaining and definite fun for “Dalmations” and Disney fans.

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“Chained” (**1/2 out of four) was an uneasy but engrossing pulp psychodrama about an abused and bullied young boy (Marlon Kazadi) who escapes his disillusioned life when he meets a criminal (Aleks Paunovic) chained inside an abandoned warehouse but the tables soon become turned when he soon becomes an abuser himself of the criminal and leads to a psychological power orientation and struggle between the two and also the boy’s abusive father (Adrian Holmes). Rough and difficult subject matter is turned into compelling material by strong acting and storytelling. Paunovic in particular is riveting as the chained and sympathetic criminal. Not to be confused with 2012 thriller of the same name.

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“The Birthday Cake” (**1/2 out of four) was an engagingly stylish underworld melodrama about a young man (Shiloh Fernandez) who on the 10th anniversary of his father’s death brings a birthday cake to his uncle (Val Kilmer) and the rest of his mafia family (Vincent Pastore, Paul Sorvino, and others) but it turns out to be a night that none of them will forget. Not much plot per se but told with a nicely twisted sense of macabre humor and flair and packed with so many veteran actors and familiar faces (including Lorraine Bracco and Ewan McGreggor) that it holds your attention. A lumpy recipe at times but overall satisfying and filling.

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“The Superdeep” (** out of four) was a super-derivative sci/fi horror hodgepodge about a small research team (Milena Radiluvic, Sergei Ivanyek, Nikokay Kovbas, and others) who venture deep beneath the subterranean surface of the ocean to explore a deep borehole but find a humanoid from the deep that threatens their existence and all of humanity if it comes to the surface. Nowhere near the worst of its kind, with good cinematography from Hiyak Kirakosyan as a definite highlight, but far too long at nearly two hours and last half-hour is such a brazen rip-off of both “Alien” and “Aliens” (and also “The Terminator”) that you may be in disbelief. You may as well watch those classics again instead of this umpteenth ripoff.

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“Buckskin” (** out of four) was a hollow and routine Western set in 1820 Texas in which a seasoned fur trapper (Tom Zembrod) journeys into the mysterious buckskin woods in the hopes of saving a young boy (Blaze Freeman) but finds that he may not want to be saved as they form an unexpected bond with one another. Well-shot (by Anthony Gutierrez) like most Westerns and features a sweeping music score but comes up empty as it goes over all-too-familiar territory from many other past (and better) Westerns. Game effort from veteran neo-Western director Brett Bentman but still lacks the panache and richness of Sergio Leone, Sam Peckinpah, or even Walter Hill.

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“Scorn” (**1/2 out of four) was a sporadically effective melodrama about three friends (Lindsley Register, Christie Osterhus, and Alexander McPherson) who ruminate on their past struggles with addiction, infidelity, and various other personal struggles in an apartment together over one night. Three-character story is mildly incisive with some sharp dialogue and strong performances but is unable to sustain sufficient interest for a feature-length film. Overall worth checking out especially for independent film fans but may have worked stronger as a play.

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