February 17, 2018 “Black Creek” (** out of four) was a wan thriller about a troubled young kid (Chris O’Flyng) and his sister (Leah Patrick) who return to their native Wisconsin woods to scatter their deceased father’s ashes but soon find themselves haunted by an ancient Native American curse that has marked them for death. Director James Crow shows talent in creating a spooky atmosphere and features a terrific music score by Pete Coleman but film is unfortunately deficient in scares and thrills and becomes tedious after a while, even at only an hour-and-twenty-minutes long. Continue reading →
February 17, 2018 “Looking Glass” (*1/2 out of four) was a pale imitation of both “Vacancy” and “Twin Peaks” about a married couple (Nicholas Cage and Robin Tunney) who buy a desert motel where they find out all-too-late that strange and bizarre events are occurring and they soon find that murders are on the rise. Leaden and sleazy melodrama is bereft of the conviction and intensity it needs, and only has the talented stars to carry it. Director Tim Hunter previously helmed both “River’s Edge” and “The Saint Of Fort Washington” and also some classic episodes of “Twin Peaks” but there’s not much worth looking at here. Continue reading →
February 16, 2018 “The Man Who Invented Christmas” (**1/2 out of four) was a perfectly respectable but uninspired historical melodrama about how Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) came to the inspiration for writing “A Christmas Carol” which redefined the Christmas holiday for centuries to come. Stevens is good as Dickens but Christopher Plummer stands out as usual as Ebenezer Scrooge. Film is lovingly detailed and vibrantly shot but there’s a fundamental emptiness after a while that prevents it from fully coming alive. Look fast for Jonathan Pryce who looks unrecognizable as Dickens’ father. Continue reading →
February 15, 2018 “Batman: Gotham By Gaslight” (**1/2 out of four) was a generally entertaining animated action drama set in an alternative Victorian Age Gotham City in which Batman (voiced by Bruce Greenwood) investigates a series of murders by none other than Jack The Ripper and realizes only he can stop him. Undeniably silly and murky in setting the Batman story in a different time and century but is fast-moving and features some striking and colorful animation that makes it soar. Worthwhile for Batman completists and animation fans. Continue reading →
February 13, 2018 “Grindhouse Nightmares” (0 out of four) was a nightmarishly awful bargain-basement collection of grindhouse cinema which make you remember why grindhouse theaters are all now out of business; in the first, a hapless jerk (Steve Munroe) is tormented by someone he can hear but not see; the second is titled “Stripper With A Shotgun” so you can probably infer what that’s about. Not even the faux-coming attractions in the middle featuring Michael Madsen are funny! For a more impassioned and funny throwback to grindhouse cinema, watch the 2007 Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino trash classic “Grindhouse” instead. Continue reading →
February 13, 2018 “The 15:17 To Paris” (*1/2 out of four) was a draggy melodrama based on a true story of three Americans (Alek Skarlatos, Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone) who discovered and thwarted a terrorist plot aboard a train while in France. Despite this, the majority of the movie concerns their escapades prior to the terrorist attack and while on vacation and gives us little to care about. The big terrorist attack scene finally arrives towards the end but is so brief- it’s over before you know it! All three actors play themselves which is inspired and original but since they’re nothing special as actors- it adds little to the movie. A disappointment from director Clint Eastwood who has directed far better crime melodramas (“Mystic River”) and biographies (“Sully”, “American Sniper”) in recent years. Continue reading →
February 12, 2018 “Faith Under Fire” (**1/2 out of four) was an earnest but superficial melodrama based on a true story about a school guidance counselor (Toni Braxton) who has to talk to and appease a deranged gunman (Trevor Morgan) who threatens and besieges her Atlanta school and their children while the police outside try to contain situation and have him killed. Braxton is good as a woman who tries to keep her cool and stay alive while facing certain death but Morgan is frustratingly one-note and so is the movie at times although it does build interest and suspense towards the end. A sincere effort from actor-director Vondie Curtis Hall but this cannot match the power or intensity of his 1996 Tupac/Tim Roth drama “Gridlock’d.” Continue reading →
February 11, 2018 “Fifty Shades Freed” (** out of four) was a not-bad third and final entry in the hugely popular series about the continuing sexual adventures of Christian (Jamie Dornan) and Anastasia (Dakota Johnson) who get married but their happiness and prosperity is continued to be threatened by former associate Jack Hyde (Eric Johnson). Better acting and characterization from Dornan and stylish direction from director James Foley make this the best of the series although story basics are still hollow and one-note. Works best in the final third and builds to a satisfying climax for series fans. Continue reading →
February 11, 2018 “Still/Born” (** out of four) was a thoroughly routine horror show about a new mother (Christie Burke) who gives birth to twins, only one of which who lives, and she soon begins to suspect that (yawn) he has been taken over by supernatural and evil forces. Yet another rip-off of “The Shining”, “Poltergeist”, and also “The Bad Seed” which proves the scariest thing about horror movies is they seem to have run out of ideas. Competently made and acted, and not without a few scares, but completely lacking any originality. Great title though! Continue reading →
February 10, 2018 “Battlecreek” (*1/2 out of four) was a simply boring melodrama about a young man (Bill Skarsgard) with a rare skin disease who has been sheltered his entire time by his feisty mom (Paula Malcomson) but everything changes when he meets a young girl (Claire van der Boom) and falls in love for the first time. Monotonous story of first love and young angst set in small-town America; Malcomson’s sexy performance provides film’s only sparks. A disappointment from director Alison Eastwood (Clint’s daughter) which lacks fire and style. Continue reading →
