Category: Film Review

There was a time roughly two decades ago when all Hollywood wanted to do was find the next YA adaptation for franchise development. The “Harry Potter” gold rush resulted in a few significant hits (including “Twilight” and “The Hunger Games”) and some major misses (“The Golden Compass,” “Inkheart”) while pursuing the allowance money of young viewers excited to see their favorite books on the big screen. “Uglies” is a throwback to such a production era, with screenwriters Jacob Foreman, Vanessa Taylor, and Whit Anderson taking a shot at adapting a 2005 book by Scott Westerfield, who transformed his post-apocalyptic tale of pretty people dominance and homely citizen revolution into a lucrative literary career, resulting in the release of three sequels. “Uglies” is meant to be the first of many movies, and as these things go, it’s not a rough sit, with director McG (“Charlie’s Angels,” “Family Switch”) keeping the action coming and the exposition palatable as he aims to start something big with the source material. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1998’s “Rounders” is a terrific picture. The film manages to balance character business and tensions involved in the game of poker, creating an unexpectedly fulfilling viewing experience with wonderful suspense. Screenwriter Josh Wilcox aims to recreate the atmosphere of “Rounders” with “Dead Money” (the title is taken from a poker term), which also looks to explore acts of intimidation and escalation in the world of card games and assorted side bets. However, instead of trusting the innate thrill of gambling, Wilcox adds an overt crime tale to the movie, splitting time between action on the table and violence happening elsewhere. “Dead Money” doesn’t amount to much, but director Luc Walpoth has some good ideas and suitably amplifies a few shocking acts of bodily harm. It’s just not enough to make a more compelling endeavor, as most of the feature feels underwhelming and, at times, ridiculous. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Azazel Jacobs pulls off the nearly impossible with “His Three Daughters.” It’s a static study of tensions and sadness as three women reunite to care for their ailing father in a cramped New York City apartment, and the writing retains a defined theatrical approach. There’s room for characterizations to develop and performances to bloom, while the scope of the feature is small, mostly contained to confrontations and conversations among the siblings and those around them during this dark time. Jacobs (“Terri,” “French Exit,” and “The Lovers”) manages to take something that’s ideal for the stage and create riveting cinema out of personal problems, doing what few others can when faced with such a storytelling challenge. “His Three Daughters” is obviously boosted by outstanding performances from the entire cast, but it also connects with its ideas on family estrangement, hitting vivid beats of stunted communication during a turbulent examination of finality and pain. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After stumbling with the wild, unpleasant tonality of “Clerks 3” and bottoming out with the borderline unwatchable “KillRoy Was Here,” writer/director Kevin Smith seeks the warm waters of nostalgia to support his latest effort, “The 4:30 Movie.” It’s a comedy about being young in 1986, dealing with suburban challenges, crushes, friendships, and filmgoing at a local theater. Smith sticks to his routine, scripting a feature filled with dialogue and crudeness, but he also tries to make something sweet and heartfelt, pulling from his own adolescence to fuel a trip into the past. “The 4:30 Movie” has its charms and a few laughs, and Smith sustains his interest in cameos and oddity to keep the short picture (76 minutes before end credits) on the move. It’s not an entirely successful study of teendom, yet the endeavor pulls Smith out of his recent creative funk, but only periodically. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Critic” is a film about a nasty drama critic that often resembles one of the plays he’s waiting to tear apart through the art of opinion writing. It’s a picture that doesn’t quite work, yet remains watchable, just to see how far screenwriter Patrick Marber (adapting a novel by Anthony Quinn) goes with the premise, which navigates dark turns and examines the behavior of a few corrupt individuals. There’s potential for something macabre to emerge, but director Anaud Tucker (“Hilary and Jackie,” “Leap Year”) doesn’t exactly unleash hell, aiming for a more atmospheric examination of psychological gamesmanship. The helmer scores with select moments of confrontation, and there’s a sharp cast to manage, with star Ian McKellen sinking his teeth into his role as the eponymous demon, stopping just short of campiness as he portrays a man with no morals newly energized to seek revenge on an employer looking to silence him. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Speak No Evil” was originally a 2022 Danish film from co-writer/director Christian Tafdrup, who supplied a grim psychological chiller using small acts of offense and intrusion, analyzing the behaviors of a family targeted by seemingly friendly tourists looking to welcome fresh faces into their lives. And now it’s been Americanized, with James Watkins claiming writing and directing credits. Watkins is perhaps best known for his work on 2008’s “Eden Lake,” where he managed to sustain suspense and land a viciously dark ending without losing control of the feature. He’s back on the same terrain with “Speak No Evil,” which also studies the evil that men do in a rural setting, only here there’s a little more dramatic depth as the material digs into the weariness of marriage and the threat of strangers. There’s a slightly dull edge to the remake, but intensity remains in spurts, with the endeavor coming alive when it concentrates on the stings of microaggressions. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Time travel, or something along those lines, goes for the heart in the coarsely titled “My Old Ass.” Writer/director Megan Park (“The Fallout”) looks to tap into generational dread with the feature, which concerns an 18-year-old woman confronted with her 39-year-old self after a night of psychedelics in the woods. While it initially seems like the stuff of a comedy, Park doesn’t have much interest in big laughs. Instead, she aims for big feels with the picture, which examines the emptiness of aging and the joys of love, working to create something life-affirming from askew perspectives. “My Old Ass” has storytelling issues and performance bigness to endure, but smaller moments tend to count the most in the effort, with Park clearly working something personal out on the screen as she details private pain and secret fears facing the characters. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

The Eggers Family is expanding their filmmaking empire. With “The Front Room,” Max and Sam Eggers make their directorial debut after time spent collaborating with their sibling, Robert Eggers, writing the screenplay for 2019’s “The Lighthouse.” Now they take control of their own production, turning to a short story by author Susan Hill for inspiration. And the brothers work hard to turn limited material into a reasonable nightmare, going darkly comedic for this examination of motherhood, religion, and incontinence. “The Front Room” is a wild feature with some delightful surges of insanity, but the writing also struggles to fill out the picture, with the Eggers showing some strain when it comes to expanding plot and character. It’s not an offering for everyone, often going weird and gross, but for those comfortable with pure oddity, the effort has its positives, including a delightfully demented supporting turn from actress Kathryn Hunter, who commits Grand Theft Movie with her striking performance. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Producers love to finance movies about whistleblowers, especially over the last decade or so, focusing on digital leakers looking to expose corruption. We’ve dealt with “Snowden” and “The Fifth Estate,” watching noble filmmakers try to make sense of delicate political and personal situations. Audiences certainly don’t care, but now comes “Winner,” which is actually the second feature made about the tale of Reality Winner (third if you count the 2021 documentary, “The United States vs. Reality Winner”), an NSA agent who decided to poke around evidence confirming Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election, eventually sharing it with the media. In 2023, there was “Reality,” a little-seen picture starring Sydney Sweeney, and now “Winner,” which endeavors to explore the same story with a larger scope. Director Susanna Fogel (“The Spy Who Dumped Me”) and screenwriter Kerry Howley look to get a little closer to Winner and her woes, but even with spy games and family issues, the material ends up a flat understanding of the subject’s life and choices. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

1988’s “Beetlejuice” was a special film. It arrived when director Tim Burton was young and hungry, trying to make sense of a Hollywood career after the unexpected success of his feature-length helming debut, 1985’s “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” (arguably his best movie), handed another chance to create something strange for the masses. And “Beetlejuice” was certainly weird, but creative and hilarious as well, embracing Burton’s love of the macabre and monkey business, also giving star Michael Keaton one of his best roles as a wiseacre demon. After the endeavor scored big at the box office, sequels were discussed….for decades. Finally, Burton and Co. have returned with “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” a follow-up that intends to keep the party going for the brand name. The production’s joints are a little rusty and the writing is overstuffed, but there’s fun to be had with “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” especially when Burton taps into his old madness and Keaton is permitted to get goofy with his most distinct creation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Jeremy Saulnier has impressed with his directorial offerings, but he hasn’t released a picture in six years, last seen on screens with 2018’s “Hold the Dark.” The “Blue Ruin” and “Green Room” helmer returns to the brutality of man in “Rebel Ridge,” which examines the depths of police corruption in a small town setting, offering beats of action as a detective story of sorts develops. Also writing the endeavor, Saulnier returns to his slow-burn ways, exploring acts of survival and partnership in the south, and while the feature certainly teases a Liam Neeson-y direction, the film doesn’t fully indulge such escapism. Saulnier prefers to make something more literary-esque, delving into complicated characters and the secrets they keep. As with “Hold the Dark,” overlength is an issue here, but “Rebel Ridge” mostly holds together as an engrossing thriller with excellent performances all around. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There are many television shows about kitchen renovations and, well, nightmares, detailing the struggles of restaurant owners who begin to understand the scope of their problems when it comes to running a successful business. For “South Park” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, such horror is multiplied tenfold when they purchased the Casa Bonita eatery, located in Colorado, in 2021. The establishment, the “Mexican restaurant Disneyland,” represented sunny memories for the pair (especially Parker), returning them to the days of their youth, when all a kid needed were the wonders of kitschy entertainment and terrible food. “Casa Bonita Mi Amor” is a documentary capturing the event of reviving the pink-painted wonderland, with director Arthur Bradford (“6 Days to Air: The Making of South Park”) following the traumatic experience as Stone and Parker retain hope to revitalize a place of magic, only to be confronted with a complete overhaul of a decrepit building. It’s a riveting, hilarious journey. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Parental responsibility is taken to the extreme in “I’ll Be Right There,” and yet the feature remains utterly real in its depiction of family obligations and their sometimes suffocating ways. Writer Jim Beggarly does an exceptional job delivering dimensional characters with relatable issues, also maintaining the realness of it all while creating a few comedic highlights. It’s a wonderfully written film, and director Brendan Walsh (“Centigrade”) delivers assured work, achieving a steady rhythm of conflict while allowing the cast to take their moments and feel around the jagged emotions in play. “I’ll Be Right There” remains small in scale, preferring to deal with deep emotions, but the picture is gracefully executed, and it’s a pleasure to watch star Edie Falco work through the stages of frustration her character experiences during the endeavor, giving one of her finest performances. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Thicket” is a violent western created by celebrated author Joe R. Lansdale, the writer behind “Hap and Leonard” and “Bubba Ho-Tep.” It’s a rough study of survival from the author, with adaptation duties handled by screenwriter Chris Kelley and director Elliot Lester (“Aftermath,” “Blitz”), who are challenged to make something semi-approachable with a story that’s primarily about agony in many forms. It’s certainly not a friendly picture, but the rough edges of the source material are largely preserved in the feature, which tries to maintain a psychological portrait of bruised people while still participating in western traditions. “The Thicket” isn’t always successful with its storytelling, but it does create an immersive understanding of the era and its gun-toting participants, while a few casting treats certainly help the cause. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Artificial intelligence is a scorchingly hot topic right now, giving “Afraid” (unfortunately stylized as “AfrAId”) an opportunity to delve into the dangers of a life controlled by a computer entity, and one that’s been training to seem perfectly human to the world around it. Writer/director Chris Weitz (“About a Boy,” “The Golden Compass,” and “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”) has a chance to craft something provocative and relevant (even if the film was shot two years ago) with the material, but this is a Blumhouse production, and they aren’t big on making statements. They want horror, and that’s something that doesn’t fit in “Afraid,” with Weitz fumbling spooky atmosphere and cheap jump scares, suffocating the few critical ideas on AI influence the writing manages to land. There’s the reality of the topic and the haunted house interests of the picture, and viewers are quickly left with a real dud. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“1992” is most notable as the final screen appearance for actor Ray Liotta, who passed away in 2022, which gives some indication how long the film has been on the shelf, waiting for release. The passing of the actor is perhaps the only memorable element of the endeavor, with screenwriters Sascha Penn and Ariel Vromen (who also directs) visibly laboring to make a decent idea for a crime picture into something more in step with social ills, especially during the time of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. The feature commences with a few promising characterizations and moments of criminal thinking, but the material simply gives up in the final act, unable to really go deep with its Spike Lee-ish take on the boiling tensions of the big city, while action concepts mostly fall flat due to a limited budget and uninspired casting, including Liotta, who’s here doing his usual rabid bad guy business. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Sean McNamara is a film director who likes to work. He’s not one to pay close attention to quality, content to churn out movies with limited budgets, with sustained employment his career goal, not the shaping of artistic statements. McNamara tries his luck with Americana in “Reagan,” though this picture has some gray at the temples, as it was shot four years ago, newly revived to take advantage of political fever brewing during this election season. Screenwriter Howard Klausner (“Space Cowboys”) has it all here, looking to reach a specific audience with his take on the spirit of the U.S.A. as it carries one man from Hollywood to the White House, becoming a leader with help from his indefatigable love of his country and the power of acting. Perhaps there’s something to be found in a true study of ambition and power, but “Reagan” isn’t that feature. It’s a bio-pic of Ronald Reagan from the director of “Baby Geniuses and the Mystery of the Crown Jewels,” “Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite,” and “Bratz.” Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

For 181 episodes of television, actor Gary Coleman managed to charm viewers with his cherubic appearance and comfort with comedy. He was one of the stars of “Diff’rent Strokes,” initially cast for his ease in front of a camera, only to develop into a pop culture icon, complete with a catchphrase (“What’choo talkin’ about, Willis?”) and seemingly endless energy to capitalize on such rare success. But there was a very real side to Coleman’s life, especially after his time on the sitcom, and director Robin Dashwood makes a little effort to explore his experience in “Gary,” a documentary that examines some of his highs and most of his lows. A sensationalistic tone permeates the film, as Dashwood can’t resist the ugly side of Coleman’s days. However, there’s an opportunity to understand the late subject’s perspective in life, comprehending decisions that became tabloid fodder, while his pain is made crystal clear. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“You Gotta Believe” is based on the true story of Bobby Ratliff, a Little League coach of a struggling team who was diagnosed with cancer, forcing him to balance medical demands with his desire to watch his players make their way to the Little League World Series. Screenwriter Lane Garrison has all the basics in underdog cinema to work with, and he’s done this before, scripting 2021’s “12 Mighty Orphans,” which also dealt with an unsteady Texas team of young people trying to find their way to glory. Surprises are limited in “You Gotta Believe,” but director Ty Roberts (who also helmed “12 Mighty Orphans”) at least makes an effort to energize the viewing experience with baseball action and adolescent shenanigans. The picture captures youthful activity capably, and there’s an inspiring tale of teamwork in the middle of it all, giving the endeavor some emotional power as it follows a storytelling playbook. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Trends in horror are a common occurrence, and they often result in some weird takes on the source material. 1993's "Herencia Diabolica" aims to cash-in on the "Child's Play" craze (the film is also known as "The Mexican Chucky"), bringing the nightmare of a killer doll to life once again, only without much in the way of a budget or screenwriting. It's a cheap endeavor from co-writer/director Alfredo Salazar, who doesn't have the time and patience to establish a functional genre exercise. He's more focused on filling the run time, delivering a heavily padded offering of tiny terror with "Herencia Diabolica," which is dull and generally uninterested in craziness for almost an hour, and when the effort finally gets around to macabre happenings, there's still a concerning lack of insanity to make the picture memorable beyond its severe creative shortcomings. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com