“Night Of The Missing” (*1/2 out of four) was a terminally weird and arch anthology-horror story set on a stormy Christmas Eve in a small-town in which the sheriff is a killer (Meredith Thomas) and is visited by a strange young woman (Jill Awbrey) who tells her four less-than-enthralling horror stories about other killers and swell holiday folks. Genuinely bizarre without being entertaining, to say nothing of not being scary or funny. Horror cult legend Bill Moseley has a small supporting role but even he isn’t able to turn this into anything watchable.

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“Transmorphers: Mech Beasts” (** out of four) was a robotic sci/fi action thriller set 20 years after the original “Transmorphers” in which a newer and more advanced species of alien robots descend on Earth and threaten to wipe us away into extinction while a group of rogue military operatives (Tom Arnold, Matthew Gademske, Geena Alexandra) attempt to save the planet. Yet another low-budget Asylum cash-in on a much more extravagant mainstream movie (“Transformers” if you had to guess) and seems to have come off an endless assembly line. Having said that, the visual effects are decent and it has enough fast-paced action for those that are not too demanding.

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“Due Justice” (*1/2 out of four) was a terminally grim pulp-vengeance thriller about a former military agent (Kellan Lutz) who hunts down the various elements of a crime organization (led by Jeff Fahey) who killed his wife and brother and abducted his daughter. Sour and unpleasant story leaves a bad aftertaste in your mouth; Lutz is robotic and one-note while Fahey goes in the other direction chewing the scenery with a hammy and laughable performance. Another “Death Wish” clone that will likely die a quick death at Redbox machines.

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“No Way Out” (** out of four) was an unexceptional melodrama about a former attorney (Marques Houston) struggling to cope with life following a traumatic event and gets sucked back into the underworld by a criminal client (Casper Smart) and has to use his psychological skills to survive. Smoothly directed by Chris Stokes and well-acted but film never manages to be all that involving or gripping. Houston also co-wrote and co-produced. For those wondering, this is not a remake of the Kevin Costner/Gene Hackman 1987 classic of the same name.

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“The Dirty South” (** out of four) was a morose melodrama crime-thriller about a bartender (Willa Holland) who has to fight back with everything she has to prevent an organized crime ring (Dermot Mulroney, Shane West, etc.) from taking over her bar which leads to things getting really ugly in the Louisiana bayou where they all converge. Pretty routine and tedious with expected plot turns and events although Holland’s strong performance and atmospheric lensing from Jess Dunlap help to keep it watchable.

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“The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes” (*** out of four) was a sturdy prequel set 64 years before the events of the original in which Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) sees a chance for change in society and personal redemption when he mentors Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) leading to his eventual role as the tyrannical leader of Panem. Well-crafted and well-told adaptation of the 2020 novel and directed with a sure-hand by series veteran Francis Lawrence. Overlong at nearly two-hours-and-40-minutes but should definitely please series fans.

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“Leave The World Behind” (** out of four) was a bloated, diffuse melodrama about a married couple (Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke) who take a weekend getaway to a luxurious rental home which soon takes a turn for the worse when a malicious couple (Mahersha Ali and Myha’la) knocks at their door and turns their whole perspective and viewpoint on reality upside down. Not all that different from “The Strangers” back in 2008 except that movie was leaner and lesser-scaled- and also better. Star-laden cast helps to give this a professional sheen but it’s fatally overlong and overly weird. A strange vehicle for Roberts and even her ardent fans would best leave this one “behind.”

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“Good Burger 2” (*1/2 out of four) was a wholly unnecessary sequel 26 years later (!) after the original about Dex (Kenan Thompson) who returns to working at the title joint with Ed (Kel Mitchell) where they once again wage war against a rival burger corporation (Jillian Bell and Lil Rel Howery) that is determined to put them out of business. Likely to satisfy fans of the original and the Nickelodeon short t.v. series but short is what this (and the original) should have remained. Good-natured performances from the leads help but Mitchell’s annoying character and generally dumb screenplay will likely give you indigestion.

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“A Neighbor’s Vendetta” (*1/2 out of four) was a strenuously illogical suspense thriller about various friends (Sydney Cole Alexander, Chelsea Gilligan, Steven Good, and others) who all have affairs and backstab one another until things turn deadly when one of them dies and everyone’s worst instincts seem to be rising to the surface. Hard to believe that thrillers could still be ripping off “Fatal Attraction” almost 40 years later but seeing is unfortunately believing. Sleek lighting and cinematography are film’s only saving grace.

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“Johnny Z” (** out of four) was a spare-parts action thriller about the title half-human/half-zombie (Michael Merchant) who is trained by a martial arts master (Felix Cortes) and then subsequently seeks vengeance on the ruthless and evil corporation that created him leading to bloody war. Congenitally derivative story borrows plot threads from too many other films to count but is overall well-paced and Merchant’s strong performance helps to keep it watchable. Not all that different from “Johnny Mnemonic” with Keanu Reeves but is at least far better than that 1995 disaster.

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