“Amp House Massacre” (*1/2 out of four) was strictly formula stuff about a group of social-media influencers and friends (Kara Royster, Pedro Correa, Ciera Angelia, and others) who party at a mansion in Hollywood Hills where they are stalked by a killer who reveals their deepest-and-darkest secrets before killing them off. The kind of movie that was a lot more fun in the ’80’s but is hollow and by-the-numbers now. Film’s ending is a real letdown, if you make it that far.

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“Daddio” (*1/2 out of four) was a rambling melodrama about a world-weary taxi driver (Sean Penn) who picks up a passenger (Dakota Johnson) and the two engage in a series of conversations pontificating the meaning of life, relationships, and their existence. What may have worked as a two-character play or a film short is unbearably tedious at feature length and winds up a pointless waste of time. Johnson once again shows she’s a strong actress and holds the screen but Penn is at his mumbling and disheveled worst as the driver.

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“Hate To Love: Nickelback” (***1/2 out of four) was a rollicking documentary about the title hard-rock band who came out of nowhere from Canada in the early 2000’s and overcame initial adversity and indifference to become an enormously popular band for over 2 decades but have faced more than their share of personal/professional/health hurdles while being lambasted by many but loved by so much others. A very interesting and well-done documentary showing the behind-the-scenes difficulties that many may not have realized from what has seemed like an indestructible band. Excellently directed and edited and very moving at times, whether you “hate” or “love” Nickelback.

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“Boneyard” (** out of four) was a meager suspense thriller about various law enforcement agents (Mel Gibson, 50 Cent, Nora Zehetner, Brian Van Holt, and others) who all collide in attempting to capture a brutal serial killer who collects and disperses bones of different female victims. Good cast is unable to enliven all-too-familiar and unpleasant material; the underrated Van Holt fares best as the lead detective on the case but Gibson and 50 are both wasted. Based on a true story but seems even more based on previous serial-killer stories “Seven” and “The Bone Collector.”

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“Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” (*** out of four) was a winning sequel about the return of Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) who has to go back to swank Beverly Hills to help his daughter (Taylour Paige) and gets mired up in a sinister plot involving a ruthless cop (Kevin Bacon) and has to turn back to former friends (John Ashton and Judge Reinhold looking odd) for help. Nowhere near up to the hilarity and dazzle of the first 2 but far more agreeable and entertaining than the last entry which came out 30 years ago! Kudos also to bringing back Harold Faltermeyer’s sizzling original score and other soundtrack selections and to Murphy for being aces in a role that he began all the way back in 1984.

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“Nyctophobia” (** out of four) was a pedestrian horror thriller about twin sisters and their friend (Bianca D’Ambrosio, Chiara D’Ambrosio, and BJ Tanner) who find themselves trapped in a supernatural blackout with various monsters with their only hope of survival being the light of their cellphones. Nowhere near the worst of this disreputable genre and is relatively well-made and decently acted but is really more-of-the-same and predictable. At least it’s compact and short at 1 hour and 17 minutes.

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“Grieve” (*1/2 out of four) was a monotonous muddle about a recluse (Paris Peterson) who retreats back to his family’s forest home after suffering a personal loss but soon finds that an ancient evil and force is lurking in the darkness and threatening to overtake him. Exquisitely shot by Evan Henkel and with an eerie music score by Theresa Brown but it all adds up to nothing, since the central story is drab and inert. Directed by Robbie Smith who is the vocalist for Heavy Heavy Low Low but based on this effort needs to set his filmmaking sights a little higher.

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“Cinderella’s Curse” (*1/2 out of four) was a disconcertingly awful “remake” of the 1950 Disney tale about Cinderella (Kelly Rian Sanson) who summons the help of her fairy Godmother (Chrissie Wunna) to enact bloodthirsty revenge against her stepmother Danielle Scott) and her vicious sisters (Lauren Budd and Natasha Tosini). Hard to believe that this could be made after the similarly titled (and similarly terrible) “Cinderella’s Revenge” which was just released last month (!) but no one ever accused horror filmmakers of too much originality. Like that film, this one is mean-spirited and gruesome and as needless as a glass slipper.

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“Horizon: An American Saga- Chapter 1” (*1/2 out of four) was a grueling “epic” Western chronicling a 15-year span of pre-and-post Civil War expansion and settlement in the American west in which a settler (Angus MacFayden), a lieutenant (Sam Worthington), a sergeant (Michael Rooker), a grizzled colonel (Danny Huston), and a retired gunslinger (Kevin Costner) all intersect. Ambitious story is also long-winded and incredibly dull as it plods on for over 3 hours; Costner is dull too and also directed and incorporates many elements from his earlier “Dances With Wolves” and “Open Range” but the film this may remind you most is “Heaven’s Gate.” Supposedly, 3 additional entries are planned.

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“In A Violent Nature” (*1/2 out of four) was a disposable horror thriller about a rotting corpse (Ry Barrett) who somehow comes back to life intent on reclaiming a lost locket and will slaughter and dismember anyone who gets in his way. This all worked better when it was a guy named Jason and the series was called “Friday The 13th.” Pretty gruesome at times but other than that pretty much a waste of time. Mostly filmed in 2021 and then re-edited and re-shot to no avail.

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