“The Devil’s Hacksaw” (* out of four) was an aptly titled hackwork set in a nowheresville town in Pennsylvania in which a brutal murderer escapes and wreaks merciless havoc on the townsfolk (Eddie Benevich, Peter Blessel, Nikki Carlson, and others) who all have to run for their lives. Made by someone who watched “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre“ and “Deliverance“ too many times and looks like it was shot on someone’s cruddy Obamaphone. This makes “The Devil’s Rejects” look like Orson Welles by comparison.

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“The Carpenter’s Son” (* out of four) was a turgid action melodrama set in prehistoric Roman Egypt in which a destined figure known as The Son (Noah Jupe) is being protected by The Carpenter (Nicholas Cage) but doubts his powers as they begin to be engulfed by a supernatural entity and being. Laughably solemn and overblown with a miscast (to put it mildy) Cage really tough to take in the lead role. Unintentionally funny at times but for the most part a real bore.

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“Jay Kelly” (*** out of four) was a winning comic melodrama about a seasoned movie star (George Clooney) who realizes he is at a crossroads in life and in his career and embarks on a journey of self-reflection and self-discovery with his devoted manager (Adam Sandler) and various others (Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Jim Broadbent, and others) he has known over the years. A perfect role and showcase for Clooney who is effortlessly engaging and charismatic more-or-less playing himself and surrounded by a stellar supporting cast. Not much plot per se but entertaining just the same.

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“Predator: Wastelands” (0 out of four) was a pitiful waste of film about an alien hunter (David Chokachi) who arrives on post-apocalyptic Earth and takes down a gang of warlords and becomes a folk hero to the oppressed locals and then sets its bloodthirsty sights on the warlords’ ruthless leader (Thomas Avona). NOT a part of the classic “Predator” series and is a low-budget knockoff/mockbuster but is worthless on almost every level and liberally rips off “Stargate”. I wasn’t crazy about the recent “Predator: Badlands” but this makes that look like “Citizen Kane” compared to this.

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“Killer Nurses” (** out of four) was a pretty conventional suspense melodrama about two traveling nurses (Mia Challis and Jonetta Kaiser) who begin investigating what’s going on at a local hospital when a fellow nurse dies under mysterious circumstances and other doctors and medical personnel (Rob Mayes, Mai Delapa, and others) seem to be trying to cover their tracks and cover things up. Certainly watchable with decent performances and production values but pretty by-the-numbers and could have used a shot of adrenaline. OK for what it is.

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“Blades Of Grass” (* out of four) was a suffocating, self-indulgent tapestry of stories set in a single hotel room and it shows the inter-relations of 5 separate inhabitants (Lester Balkissoon, Noa Luz Barenblat, Zane Claudio, and others) and the various relationship crises and struggles they all go through. No plot, no momentum, and no point to any of this; film reminds you of wannabe Robert Altman and (in a way) of “New York Stories” except that film was made with wit and some style. Made by someone who likely ingested too much “grass” that dulled all their sensibilities.

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“Muzzle: City Of Wolves” (*1/2 out of four) was a desultory sequel to the 2023 action thriller about grizzled ex-cop Jake Muzzle (Aaron Eckhart) whose peaceful life of serene retirement is disrupted when a gang brutally attacks his family and he has to fight various inner demons to pursue them and take them down at any and all personal cost. Formulaic and routine thriller haphazardly put together out of the spare parts of hundreds of other (and better) cop movies. Eckhart is solid as usual but is himself “muzzled” by film’s unpleasantness and rambling tone.

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“The Family McMullen” (** out of four) was an unwieldy follow-up to the 1995 indie smash “The Brothers McMullen” about the continuing family dynamics of the McMullen family (Edward Burns and Mike McGlone) who now have families (Connie Britton, Halton Sage, Sam Vartholemeos, and others) of their own and ongoing struggles that both tear them apart and at the same time make them closer. Starts off funny with Burns’ usual sharp and acidic wit but gradually loses its spark (and laughs) and gradually dwindles towards sitcom mediocrity. Burns himself stands out as usual in the cast and him and McGlone’s scenes together are a standout but perhaps they should have made a sequel to “She’s The One” instead.

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“We Met In December” (** out of four) was a saccharine Hallmark holiday confection about a man (Niall Matter) and woman (Autumn Reeser) who meet at a hotel and fall in love and then separate but share continued determination to find one another again and fulfill their quest for true love. Easy to watch, with aggreable performances and pretty cinematography from Rudolf Blahacek, but predictably plotted and just as easy to forget. Film has similar story elements from George Clooney’s “Up In The Air” but lacks that film’s sharply drawn wit and magical spark.

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“In Our Blood” (*1/2 out of four) was a tawdry horror potboiler about a filmmaker (Brittany O’Grady) who reunites with her estranged mother (Alanna Ubach) for a documentary; when she disappears, her and her cinematographer (E.J. Bonilla) attempt to track her down and wonder if she has relapsed or if a sinister and malicious force is at play. Director Pedro Kos tries to incorporate elements of film-within-a-film, addiction struggles. mother-daughter reconciliation but unfortunately bites off a lot more than he can juggle. Relentless hand-held camerawork will likely make you reach for dramamine and dumb dialogue might make you need an advil.

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