Category: Film Review

Four years ago, Destin Daniel Cretton directed “Short Term 12,” which detailed the inner lives of those involved in a residential treatment facility. It was a beautiful, emotional feature. My favorite of the year. Cretton returns to screens with “The Glass Castle,” graduating to a larger, more mainstream project that has the opportunity to be seen by a wide audience, potentially flocking to theaters to view what the helmer has done with his adaptation of Jeannette Walls’s best-selling 2005 memoir. To maintain such broad expectations, Cretton smoothes his filmmaking fingerprints, reducing most of “The Glass Castle” to questionable sentimentality and troubling character arcs. It’s certainly a different beast than “Short Term 12,” but Cretton’s latest is in dire need of the same grit and intimacy, playing broad with primal emotions and delicate dramatics.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

If you find yourself in the presence of someone complaining about a lack of original films being made these days, send them over to “Planetarium,” which features one of the stranger, more unexpected plots I’ve encountered in recent memory. It’s not an especially triumphant effort, but co-writer/director Rebecca Zlotowski (“Grand Central,” “Belle Epine”) certainly gives the endeavor a proper boost of the odd and the seductive, making a pre-WWII story that touches on the afterlife, moviemaking, and sisterhood. “Planetarium” rides a thin line between intoxicating and infuriating, and perhaps this is where Zlotowski enjoys the view most, creating a picture that uses mystery to manage the unreal, filling the gaps with fetishistic activity and scrambled behavior, asking the viewer to put a cinematic puzzle together where half the pieces are missing.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

I think for most people, at least in film circles, the name Hampton Fancher only has meaning as the screenwriter of “Blade Runner” and the director of “The Minus Man,” which featured advertising that reinforced his creative control. “Escapes” is a love letter to the real man, with director Michael Almereyda creating a documentary to celebrate Fancher’s expansive life. However, instead of recruiting friends and family to help tell this story, approaching the subject from the outside in, “Escapes” simply permits Fancher to share tales on his own, with enormous amounts of text-based information used to fill in the gaps. And Fancher talks, talks, and talks, transforming into a monologist as she shares select memories for Almereyda, working through the details of his days with a subtle physical bounce and a mind that enjoys the labyrinth of storytelling, leaving no stone unturned as he welcomes visitors to his past.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

I can’t imagine anyone was more surprised by the success of 2014’s “The Nut Job” than the producers of “The Nut Job.” It was a throwaway feature, meant to gobble up some family filmgoing bucks during a January slow period, but it connected, defying expectations to become another “Hoodwinked!” of sorts, showing box office hustle in a marketplace dominated by animation empires and brand names. That the movie wasn’t very good was another story. Profit is profit, and now there’s “The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature,” which also isn’t very good, but it remains to be seen if parents, now stuck in the dog days of August, will have a much patience with a franchise that’s not particularly clever or inventive with cartoon mayhem, and offers a follow-up where a canine character gleefully consumes two piles of vomit.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Medieval monks go on a mission in “Pilgrimage,” a bruising actioner that returns to a burgeoning world of fanaticism and the worship of magic. Director Brendan Muldowney isn’t interested in telling a superficial story of travel and combat, but sets out to make the viewer feel the pain of the journey, which keeps its characters in state of discomfort and confusion for the duration of the run time. That’s not to suggest the feature is a slog, as it highlights compelling characterizations and meaty conflicts, with a primary offering of mysticism fueling tempers in the middle of Ireland, finding Muldowney keeping his effort primal and propulsive, using limited locations effectively, tied together with a reasonable amount of mystery.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There was some hope that with his appearance in “The Expendables 3,” Wesley Snipes would be able to restore what was left of his career after years of participating in junk cinema and enduring personal problems. Handed a high-profile gig, Snipes followed it up with an appearance in “Chi-Raq,” the best Spike Lee movie in years, but his bad habits are back. “Armed Response” effectively ends the Snipes revival, returning him to dismal DTV fodder that previously padded his filmography. He couldn’t look more bored here, but it’s hard to blame the man for sleepiness when paired with director John Stockwell, who rarely, if ever, puts in a commendable effort (previously helming “Turistas,” “Cat Run,” and “Dark Tide”), barely piecing together this tedious supernatural chiller.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Managing a career filled with critical and commercial disappointments, Halle Berry found moderate success with 2013’s “The Call,” which required the actress to portray a character largely stuck in a stationary position, directing the survival of a kidnap victim from the pressurized environment of a 911 call center. It was mild exploitation, and it found an audience, reenergizing Berry’s career as Hollywood hunted for another “Taken” situation where a veteran actor could be transformed into mature butt-kicker for an older audience. Berry picks up where she left off in “Kidnap,” which also finds the star in a stationary position directing the survival of a kidnap victim, only here the action largely takes place on interstates, challenging Berry to come up with a commanding characterization that mostly involves a persona talking to themselves and making poor decisions for 90 minutes. “Kidnap” is certainly energetic, but before it gets stupid, it remains very dumb. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com 

Development on “The Dark Tower” has been brewing for a very long time. Many filmmakers, including J.J. Abrams and Ron Howard, have attempted to conquer Stephen King’s legendary series of novels, but only now has there been a production that’s managed to stick the landing. Perhaps the mere act of getting this byzantine material to the big screen is enough to brand the movie a success, but director Nikolaj Arcel (“A Royal Affair,” “Truth About Men”) doesn’t have the experience with such massive waves of fantasy. “The Dark Tower” offers a divisive viewing experience, with fans offered references and backstory, while newcomers are presented with the digestion of an entire universe in a mere 90 minutes. The picture speaks a different language, and if you’re not locked into position from the get-go, giant sections of the effort are terribly confusing, while the rest is just tiresome and dull.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Alejandro Jodorowsky took a break from filmmaking after 1990’s “The Rainbow Thief,” or perhaps filmmaking asked for a breather. While never a prolific helmer, Jodorowsky’s absence was noted, making his return to screens with 2013’s “The Dance of Reality” all the more special. Going the autobiographical route, Jodorowsky distorted and amplified his life and times, emerging with another, slightly less extreme offering of surrealism that triumphantly reinstated his creative authority. Interested in scratching the same itch, Jodorowsky returns to his story with “Endless Poetry,” a continuation of “The Dance of Reality,” charting his maturity and artistic awakening, revisiting the point of impact when childhood melts away and more adult pursuits begin to take command. Sustaining the mood, Jodorowsky once again bathes the feature in oddity, personal expression, and grotesqueries, making this second chapter as captivating as the first.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

For a film titled “Step,” highlighting the struggles and successes of a high school dance squad, there’s surprisingly little choreographed movement contained within. It’s a documentary about young black women in America who use dance to escape from their daily lives and questionable future, but the feature isn’t strictly about rhythm. Director Amanda Lipitz is far more interested in the educational goals of her subjects, which is an amazing break from expectations, putting full attention on the battle to attend college and the war of passing grades. “Step” eventually gets around to dance and its substantial rehearsal time, but Lipitz has a stronger picture when exposing concerns about potential and showcasing intelligence celebrated and sabotaged. As empowerment cinema goes, it works, but not for the obvious reason.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After helming “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints,” director David Lowery elected to disturb his rise to indie film glory by taking on the considerable demands of a Disney production. Lowery was an unusual choice to take command of 2016’s “Pete’s Dragon,” but he managed to create something remarkable out of a remake, gifting the effort a sense of magic and sincerity that’s rarely encountered in family entertainment. It was one of the best pictures of the year. Getting something mainstream out of his system, Lowery returns to the low-wattage needs of no-budget cinema, going the esoteric route with “A Ghost Story,” which is as opposite a viewing experience from “Pete’s Dragon” as can be. Challenging the mind and the rear end, the endeavor is pure Lowery, who puts everything into a tiny feature about time, the afterlife, and relationships, crafting an art-house Rorschach test that demands a specific type of moviegoer in a precise mood for cosmic puzzling.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Every now and then, a Scott Adkins actioner will come up for review. The next generation Jean-Claude Van Damme (starring in the recent “Hard Target 2” isn’t going to help quiet this comparison), Adkins likes to work, maintaining a steady stream of DTV titles that emphasize his martial arts training and cinematic stance, keeping up an action hero tradition that’s largely ignored these days for grungier, morally dubious tales of criminality. Looking to stretch a bit, moving away from contemporary headbangers, Adkins takes the title role in “Savage Dog,” which is actually a period piece, though one that’s not exactly interested in manners and political upheaval. It’s another bruiser from Adkins, who does what he can with a movie that’s not particularly attentive to detail or drama.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The plight of the overworked mother is revived for “Fun Mom Dinner,” which once again pits harried females against the world of parental responsibility and spousal support, hoping to appeal to an exclusive audience with displays of raunchy sisterhood and heartfelt confession. We’ve done this a few times before, most recently with 2014’s “Moms’ Night Out,” which took a more religiously minded route to hellraising, never achieving a fever pitch. Mercifully, “Fun Mom Dinner” doesn’t soften easily, with writer Julie Rudd and director Alethea Jones putting in a commendable effort to give the feature a comedic personality before it loses its nerve, having fun with the messes of parenthood and the struggles of marriage while engaging in stretches of mischief.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2008, Kathryn Bigelow helmed “The Hurt Locker,” a searing, restless Iraq War drama that restored her career, bringing her Oscar gold and industry respect, also kicking off a union with screenwriter Mark Boal, who also collected an Academy Award for his work on the feature. In 2012, Bigelow and Boal returned to the depths of Middle East hell with “Zero Dark Thirty,” delivering another pulse-pounding ride of heated conflicts, moral ambiguity, and military procedure, sustaining their box office success and maintaining a brand for tense, agitated storytelling. The pair turns their attention to America for “Detroit,” a dramatization of the “Algiers Motel Incident” from the turbulent summer of 1967 — a harrowing display of murder and racism that reverberates to this day. In many ways, “Detroit” is an easy lay-up for Bigelow and Boal, offering an oversimplified take on dangerous cops and scarred civilians, but it’s impossible to deny the urgency of their filmmaking, using a docudrama approach to capture moments of unrest and horror, bringing viewers into the insanity of the moment.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

I’m not entirely sure “Chronically Metropolitan” is a finished film. It feels incomplete, like it was either rushed through production or neutered in the editing room, with major pieces of the puzzle barely registering during the surprisingly short run time (80 minutes before end credits). Or perhaps screenwriter Nicholas Schutt and director Xavier Manrique simply had a short story in mind when they decided to commit the tale to the screen, setting small dramatic goals for themselves to resemble a brief visit to another world. “Chronically Metropolitan” isn’t too problematic, but it doesn’t get under the skin either, going through the motions with troubled characters and easily avoidable problems while the rest of the feature carries itself with an appealing NYC mood and a few capable performances. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The premise of “Brave New Jersey” imagines the hysteria of a small town in 1938 that’s come into contact with the Orson Welles radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’s book, “The War of the Worlds.” Such a plot immediately brings to mind the potential for 90 minutes of comedic anarchy, watching everyday souls deal with a Martian invasion that never was. Weirdly, co-writer/director Jody Lambert doesn’t slam his foot on the gas when it comes to the vivid imaginations of those who believe Welles’s work to be a news report of mass destruction. Instead, Lambert makes a dramedy, putting more attention on the needy citizens of Lullaby, New Jersey, interested in their desires, dreams, and curiosity, with actual humor barely present during the viewing experience. It’s an odd choice, leaving “Brave New Jersey” underinflated and anti-climatic, though Lambert has select ideas that connect as intended.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Legend of Ben Hall” is an apt title, as the saga of the famous Australian “bushranger” tends to mythologize his unsavory life, working to turn crime into a greater purpose from a decent man. It’s curious creative choice from writer/director Matthew Holmes, who’s poured his blood, sweat, and tears into the effort, trying to make it look and feel as authentic as possible on a limited budget. He’s made a cinematic picture, and one carried nicely Jack Martin, who delivers depth as the titular outlaw. Take “The Legend of Ben Hall” at face value, and it’s engaging with a modest sense of sweep and tormented characterizations. But as a celebration of a life lived on its own terms, it’s a bit unappetizing, trying to make a hero out of a man who spent the majority of his life making trouble for others.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Children’s entertainment is a tightrope walk for most parents. For every thoughtfully scripted, masterfully produced offering of animation, there are ten no-budget, quickie productions simply there to take advantage of guardians in need of a visual babysitter for 90 minutes of downtime. “The Emoji Movie” isn’t sloppy, spending a few bucks to bring its cartoon realm to life, but it’s as creatively bankrupt a picture as can be, merely created to make jokes about poop and sell impressionable kids on the magical wonders of smartphone ownership. Crammed with product placement and dramatically constructed with parts from other, better films, “The Emoji Movie” is a soulless endeavor and a painful viewing experience. Your kids deserve better. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

2014’s “John Wick” was a dream come true for action movie fans who wanted something more than edits to define big screen mayhem. It was helmed by two people, Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, and they did an incredible job turning what should’ve been a forgettable bottom shelf title into a powerhouse of bodily harm and chilly temperaments, sold with color, style, and sound. Stahelski remained with the brand name for last February’s “John Wick: Chapter 2,” making an equally enthralling sequel that managed to do something interesting with the raw materials delivered in the first feature. Leitch veers off into a slightly different direction with “Atomic Blonde,” which is cut from the same cloth as “John Wick,” using furious brutality and stunning visuals to bring another genre battle royal to life, this time concentrating on Cold War paranoia, German locations, and star Charlize Theron, who’s committed in full to the controlled chaos Leitch masterminds with palpable glee. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2015, writer/director James C. Strouse made a wonderful impression with “People Places Things,” a sweet and smartly observed dramedy that superbly utilized star Jemaine Clement and brought Jessica Williams to greater awareness with the general public. Sensing something about the young actress and former “Daily Show” contributor, Strouse ups his dosage of Williams, gifting her a starring vehicle in “The Incredible Jessica James,” which makes full use of her many thespian talents. They’re a fine pair, with Strouse understanding what Williams can bring to the screen, while the actress offers her own vibrant personality, permitting the director to locate many emotional subtleties otherwise unachievable with another performer. “The Incredible Jessica James” is small in scale but big in spirit and laughs, and it would be a shame if Strouse and Williams stopped their wildly effective collaboration here.  Read the rest at Blu-ray.com