Category: Film Review

Filmmaking ambition is a hard thing to find these days. Storytelling formula usually wins out in the end, and viewers tend to respond to such familiarity, as it provides comfort and, hopefully, a good time at the theater. Writer/director Geremy Jasper attempt to mount a major musical event in “O’Dessa,” which is his follow-up to the 2017 hit (and box office bomb), “Patti Cakes.” The helmer remains in a musical mood with his latest effort, detailing a ruinous future world of digital distraction facing the might of a young woman and her uniquely powerful voice. The film is a fantasy, and while Jasper doesn’t have access to a significant budget to realize his setting, he does have a strange imagination for the endeavor. It’s not entirely successful as a drama, but “O’Dessa” contains some wild world-building and Tomorrowland touches, joined by an excellent soundtrack, which turns this deeply flawed offering into “The Apple” for Generation Z. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“High Ground” is the seventh picture directed by James Bamford to be released since 2024. He’s a quantity over quality type of filmmaker, tearing through B-movie productions, with his last endeavor, the dreadful “Jade,” briefly in theaters just one month ago. He’s not a helmer too concerned with creativity and surprise, and he issues another wheezy actioner in “High Ground,” which is actually more of a family tale than anything offering suspense. Screenwriter John Thaddeus creates the simplest of stories to follow, slapping on as much formula as possible to help the material cross the finish line, leaving behind some potential for craziness to occur in this examination of a small town crisis. Bamford’s here to supply stunt work, which isn’t inspired in the feature. In fact, “High Ground” doesn’t even visit violence until well past its midway point, leaving excitement behind to deal with uninteresting characters and their half-realized emotional issues. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Maria Schneider was an actress for nearly three decades (she passed away in 2011), playing a number of different roles in productions of various quality. However, she’s best known for her part in 1972’s “Last Tango in Paris,” an erotic drama that attracted a lot of attention when it was initially released and, amazingly, still does to this day. “Being Maria” isn’t a bio-pic, but an attempt to understand the subject during a few tumultuous stretches in her life, as co-writer/director Jessica Palud endeavors to illuminate violations of trust and mounting frustrations that added turns to Schneider’s life, and not always in the right direction. There’s only a surface appreciation of familial and professional challenges in “Being Maria,” but Palud finds ways to connect the dots of disappointment, making for a decent examination of struggle as Schneider battles to maintain reputation and emotional stability. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Eleven months ago, “Cash Out” was released. Did you see it? Have you even heard of it? Well, now there’s “High Rollers,” which is a sequel to the 2024 release, and one promised at the end of the original feature. Instead of being titled “Cash Out 2,” the production has elected to remove all identification that the new release is actually a direct continuation, and I feel bad for those lured into a rental thinking they’re about to watch a James Bond knockoff starring John Travolta. Instead, they’re offered junk, directed by “Ives” (allegedly a pseudonym for noted shlockmeister Randall Emmett), who delivers another low-budget caper featuring most of the same underwhelming cast and an unexotic location. It’s not an improvement, and it requires knowledge of “Cash Out” to make sense, and even that’s not guaranteed. It’s a dim take on “Ocean’s Eleven,” made by a production team looking to slap together movies as fast as possible. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Just two months ago, director Steven Soderbergh was in theaters for a hot second with “Presence.” It was the famously idiosyncratic filmmaker’s version of a ghost story, and an effective one, with enough atmosphere to pass. He’s right back in play with “Black Bag,” trying a spy game on for size, and one scripted by David Koepp, with the pair also collaborating on “Presence.” The team returns to the chilliness of relationships in the feature, which is no “Mission: Impossible” clone, but closer to a “My Dinner with Andre” riff that’s occasionally interrupted by urgent elements of surveillance and scheming. And it clicks nicely, but certainly not forcefully, as Koepp goes more for dialogue than danger, and Soderbergh doesn’t vary his low-fi style, keeping things nice and dry. “Black Bag” doesn’t boil over, but it retains a good simmer, pulling viewers into suspicion through a few decent hooks, and the cast can’t be beat, as they all seem to enjoy a chance to play with battling personalities instead of weapons. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Before he achieved a bit of industry notice with his screenplay for 2023’s “Cocaine Bear,” writer Jimmy Warden was already busy exploring more craziness in the world of stalkers and their objects of desire. Shot in 2022, “Borderline” aims to have some darkly comedic fun with severe mental health issues, pitting a pop star and her battle with a most determined, and insane, fan, who’s attempting to stage a wedding to his beloved without consent. Warden (making his directorial debut) gets semi-wacky with the endeavor, and he’s very tuned into style and soundtrack, treating the picture like a music video at times. “Borderline” has the makings for something surprising and enjoyably grim, but the helmer pulls most of his punches in the offering, and his sense of humor and casting leaves much to be desired. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Joe and Anthony Russo have struggled to land a hit picture since their box-office-busting work on 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War” and 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame.” The siblings have elected to go big with follow-up projects, including 2022’s insufferable “The Gray Man” and 2021’s “Cherry,” with the latter stretching for event movie status involving an indie film story of addiction. Instead of rethinking their creative approach of the last five years, the Russos double down on excess for “The Electric State,” which is an adaptation of a graphic novel by author Simon Stalenhag. Screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (who wrote the “Avengers” features, also “The Gray Man”) don’t put much of an effort into the endeavor, sticking with blockbuster formula as they develop a tale of robots and humans fighting for freedom on an alternate reality Earth. The helmers throw a monster-budgeted party with “The Electric State,” but visuals alone can’t carry the viewing experience, unable to distract from a lack of conflict and meaningful drama that keeps the offering instantly forgettable. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Shal Ngo made an impression with his 2023 film, “The Park.” The picture was far from perfect, but it showed promise, giving Ngo a chance to improve on his moviemaking abilities. He returns with “Control Freak,” which goes from the expanse of an open world setting used in “The Park” to the tight confines of a screaming mind, exploring the savagery of insanity as one woman is confronted by the mysteries of her past and the unrelenting itchiness of her present. The feature is undeniably slow burn, never in any hurry to pursue frightening highlights, but Ngo delivers a reasonably engrossing study of trauma and guilt in the offering. And he provides star Kelly Marie Tran with a killer leading role, allowing the actress to get a little wild as she handles a part that keeps her in a sustained state of agitation. “Control Freak” really gets to weird places through Tran’s commanding performance. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Just over a decade ago, co-writer/director Craig Johnson delivered “The Skeleton Twins.” He achieved a delightful balance of heart and humor with the picture, creating something a bit off-beat but still very human, ending up with one of the best features of the year. Johnson hasn’t been able to match such a creative triumph, struggling with subpar character studies (including 2017’s “Wilson”) and television work, but he steps up once again to challenge tonal balance in “The Parenting.” While a play on demon possession movies, the offering fully intends to be hilarious before it tries to become horrifying, putting Johnson in a difficult position of handling atmosphere for an endeavor that’s looking to be a little mischievous along the way. “The Parenting” (which was shot three years ago) definitely has laughs, mostly thanks to casting, and the helmer manages to execute some genre elements with care. It’s a bit uneven overall, but Johnson stays mostly alert with the effort, hoping to hit viewers in unexpected ways. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen like the dark stuff. They’ve explored human misery and troubled relationships in features such as “Villains,” “Body,” and “Significant Other.” They graduate to a more visceral level of body horror in “Novocaine,” as screenwriter Lars Jacobson (“Day of the Dead: Bloodline”) cooks up a special recipe of pain that’s sold as something of a romance with bits of superhero cinema as well. It’s the tale of a man who can’t feel pain faced with a seemingly impossible task of rescue, marching into danger for love, only to encounter extreme violence from those who don’t understand what keeps him upright. It’s a formula for a vicious night at the movies, and “Novocaine” gets most of the way there, thanks to a charming lead performance from Jack Quaid. Berk and Olsen launch the picture with enthusiasm and surprises, and while they can’t keep up this momentum, it’s enough to secure an entertaining viewing experience, but not a film for the squeamish. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2019, writer/director Bong Joon-Ho escalated an already lauded career with the release of “Parasite.” The feature managed to break free of art-house control to become a mainstream hit, even making its way into the Awards Season gold rush, claiming several Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. The helmer was put into a special position of permission, as Hollywood was ready to back whatever he wanted to make as his follow-up. And now there’s “Mickey 17,” which is an adaptation of a 2022 book by Edward Ashton, playing to Bong’s storytelling strengths as the material covers human and animal concerns, especially exploitation during a time of corporate control. “Mickey 17” has a lot of bold ideas and a budget to bring them to life, but in a career filled with fascinating projects, this is arguably his least effective offering, unable to find narrative clarity as the whole endeavor drags from one scene to the next. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Less than a year after the release of “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie,” the SpongeBob SquarePants Universe receives another spin-off in “Plankton: The Movie.” It’s a sudden SpongeBobbing that’s a little disorienting, as someone, somewhere is determined to increase media ubiquity of the franchise and its cast of characters. “Sandy Cheeks” wasn’t entirely successful, but it remained an entertaining cartoon event, handling the presentation of a supporting player as she’s granted a starring role. “Plankton: The Movie” does away with heroism, electing to extend screen time with a villain, albeit one who never seems to have much success when disrupting daily life in Bikini Bottom. Thankfully, Plankton is an amusing irritant to follow, and while the production still maintains trouble with final acts, the offering is spirited and humorous, gifting co-writer/star Mr. Lawrence an opportunity to shine. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There’s recently been some internet debate over the quality of movies made by director Paul W.S. Anderson. He’s a divisive figure in film fan communities, and his oeuvre isn’t exactly inspiring, and while he’s managed to create a few passably entertaining pictures (such as “Resident Evil” and “Even Horizon”), most of his work is dire, forever chasing B-movie highs with a limited vision for style, performance, and action. The last 15 years hasn’t been especially kind to Anderson, and he lands another career thud with “In the Lost Lands,” an adaptation of a 1982 George R.R. Martin short story. Anderson and screenwriter Constantin Werner set out to create a world for the endeavor, but there’s not much to explore in this ultra-processed dud, which doesn’t connect at all as a fantasy epic, and looks like a CD-ROM game from 1996. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Scripted by Ivan Diaz, Dan Scheinkman, and Meghan Brown, “F Marry Kill” is a tale about the perils of modern dating, amplified through a serial killer story. There should be some level of panic involved, and since the feature is also a comedy, perhaps a few laughs found along the way. However, the material doesn’t get anywhere with its ideas, swinging wildly from a study of female liberation to a detective story, asking viewers to care about thinly drawn characters experiencing an easily avoidable threat. Director Laura Murphy endeavors to create something madcap and perhaps a little bit scary, but she mostly crafts a terrible episode of television, aiming to go as lightweight as possible with material that carries no cinematic weight. “F Marry Kill” is a rough sit, and its leaden way with cutesiness and edginess wears on the senses long before the first act passes. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Rule of Jenny Pen” is an adaptation of a short story by author Owen Marshall, giving screenwriters Eli Kent and James Ashcroft (who also directs) a challenge to expand a tale that’s explored in a limited location, following a small number of characters. It’s a study of insanity in many ways, also taking on the indignity of aging, but Ashcroft is ultimately after something sinister in the material, which sinks into the muddiness of senior care nightmares. “The Rule of Jenny Pen” is a memorable offering of torment, watching the helmer work very hard to generate a visual experience with the film, exploring unreality and the confines of the central location. He’s also blessed with a tremendous cast, as stars Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow absolutely sink their teeth into their roles, clearly embracing the wild sense of torture the material develops throughout. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Eephus” is the feature-length directorial debut for Carson Lund, who previously provided marvelous, evocative work as a cinematographer for 2024’s “Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point.” He brought the craziness of an extended family holiday to life in the spirited film, and he immediately returns to the nuances of relationships and the atmosphere of an event in “Eephus,” which is named after a specialized pitch in baseball. Lund (who co-scripts the offering with Michael Basta and Nate Fisher) takes a long look at the game and players in a recreational league, eschewing plot to remain in The Hang with two teams spending a full day working out the details of the last game hosted inside a ballpark scheduled for demolition. Lund doesn’t put dramatic pressure on viewers, preferring a more observational understanding of aging men and their relationships to one another and the spirit of baseball. And he sells it all with humor and detail, creating an unexpectedly charming picture. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Atom Egoyan almost treats “Seven Veils” like a happy accident. The feature was created while Egoyan mounted a stage revival of the opera “Salome,” inspired by the restrictions he faced during his creative process, triggering a need to explore what he previously couldn’t on stage. It’s an unusual point of departure for the script, but Egoyan is an unusual guy, and while his filmography is littered with ambitious offerings of mediocrity, especially in recent years, he returns to a semi-alert state in his latest, which covers a range of topics and spaces of psychological distress. “Seven Veils” comes withing striking distance of becoming a mystery, following a director’s efforts to oversee a new production of “Salome” while inspecting all of the emotional baggage, which returns to view during the rehearsal process. Egoyan creates a mood for the endeavor, and his pursuit of behavior is fascinating to watch at times, infusing the film with a few surprises as it balances the process of making art and the development of manipulation that’s often paired with creativity. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There’s a certain level of surprise when encountering “Night of the Zoopocalypse,” especially as the picture is being sold as “inspired by a concept” from Clive Barker. The famed horror/fantasy novelist and filmmaker (responsible for “Hellraiser” and “Nightbreed”), Barker isn’t someone typically associated with family entertainment, and while he doesn’t have anything more than an executive producer credit on the feature, his love for the macabre remains in the animated movie. Not that “Night of the Zoopocalypse” is frightening, but it does try to remain a little spooky while still welcoming young viewers to this survival picture. Directors Ricardo Curtis and Rodrigo Perez-Castro find a proper balance of comedy and threat in the endeavor, which is a mostly spirited exploration of animal panic, sold with interesting budget animation and a charming voice cast who help to bring the offering to life. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Queen of the Ring” explores Mildred Burke, or at least certain parts of her life. Burke is credited as helping to bring “lady wrestling” to the masses, using her “Kansas cyclone” personality and physical gifts to break through industry barriers during a time when such pro-wrestling events were actually illegal. It’s an incredible life boiled down into a frustratingly mediocre movie, as writer/director Ash Avildsen (son of John G. Avildsen) tries to replicate his father’s “Rocky” formula for the endeavor, pushing too much melodrama at times. There’s a story to share about the origin of women in professional wrestling, and “Queen of the Ring” should’ve been it, presenting Burke with more than soap opera-adjacent woes. However, there’s star Emily Bett Rickards, who’s absolutely vibrant in the lead role, giving the offering a wonderful energy that taps into Burke’s professional and personal drive. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Visual effects artist James Madigan makes his feature-length directorial debut with “Fight or Flight,” and he’s chosen quite a storytelling challenge. It’s an actioner, but one set in an airplane, tracking the growing chaos inside a Bangkok flight bound for San Francisco that’s teeming with all kinds of killers and targets. Perhaps there’s some similarity to 2022’s “Bullet Train” and a few other bruisers cut from the same cloth, but Madigan brings a brighter sense of entertainment value to the violent film, largely able to juggle all the hurt coming for the main characters and dark touches of comedy, which is employed to make the whole thing palatable. Screenwriters Brooks McLaren and D.J. Catrona create an interesting gladiatorial arena for the endeavor, and while they can’t always sustain the sugar rush elements of the picture, they mostly nail excitement and oddity in this rough and tumble movie. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com