Category: Film Review

Writer/director William Woods makes his helming debut with “The Outer Threat,” and he attempts to generate an apocalyptic scenario with an extremely limited budget and use of a few locations. Woods turns to math and science to conjure a sense of adventure for the picture, along with a healthy dose of paranoia, trying to give the feature some liveliness without having to pay for major action set pieces. The mildness of it all shows throughout the viewing experience, putting Woods to work on character and revelations for what’s kinda, sorta an alien invasion movie. “The Outer Threat” might not please those on the hunt for more defined thrills, as Woods can’t lift the whole endeavor off the ground, but acting and intelligence survives, keeping the offering engaging at times, especially when the tale comes into contact with more physical threats. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2003, author Azar Nafisi published a memoir about her days in post-Islamic Revolution Iran, returning to her homeland to remain an English professor at the University of Tehran during a time of severe social and political change. Director Eran Riklis (“Spider in the Web”) and screenwriter Marjorie David (a television veteran) attempt to make a film out of Nafisi’s details, with “Reading Lolita in Tehran” endeavoring to understand the pressures of living in the country, and how such intensity worked to grind down the professor’s spirit. It’s a story told in four chapters, and doesn’t always provide the most enlightening understanding of the subject’s experience. However, the bullet points are clear, and Riklis oversees fine performances to help sell the anguish of the educational and living situations presented here, preserving Nafisi’s experience as she attempts to endure an impossible situation of gradual submission and form a plan for a secret revolution. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director John Suits has been concentrating on making DTV entertainment, including a dip into the business of Bruce Willis and his medical issues for 2020’s “Breach.” Suits returns with “The Isolate Thief,” moving away from tech and dystopian misery to make a western, going the slow-burn route with help from screenwriter Kevin Lefler, who arranges a tale of survival and threat set during the end of the Civil War. The material plays like a short story, generating a conflict inside a small space, with a handful of agitated characters forced to deal with one another without engaging the outside world. “The Isolate Thief” doesn’t really have enough to support a feature-film exploration of trouble coming for a young woman on her own, but the picture finds a few ways to develop suspense, and acting helps the cause, giving the endeavor some weight as the story hunts for trouble to explore. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

An actor of incredible presence, career achievements, and personal opinion, Brian Cox makes his feature-length directorial debut with “Glenrothan.” He’s out to tell a Scottish story, working with a screenplay by David Ashton and Jeff Murphy that investigates the emotional wounds of two brothers experiencing a reunion after four decades of separation, trying to make sense of their current situation. Cox sells the stuffing out of Scotland, bringing locations to life to the best of his ability, making for a very rustic viewing experience. He’s less confident with dramatic entanglements, as most of the picture offers a formulaic study of communication issues involving stubborn characters. “Glenrothan” doesn’t reach its goal to become a heartwarming tale of forgiveness, but Cox clearly loves the setting, providing a pleasing advertisement for Scottish tourism. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In the early 2000s, Scottish men Billy “Silibil” Boyd and Gavin “Brains” Bain were warmed by their dream of becoming rap stars. They had no industry connections, just ambition and confidence in their talents. They also had a gift for spinning lies. The story of the rap group Silibil N’ Brains was previously explored in Bain’s 2010 memoir, which inspired “The Great Hip Hop Hoax,” a 2013 documentary about the duo and their adventures in the music industry. Actor James McAvoy (joined by screenwriters Elaine Gracie and Archie Thomson) is also interested in the story of Silibil N’ Brains, inspired to make his directorial debut with “California Schemin’”, which dramatizes Boyd and Bain’s experiences as they attempted to con their way to music business glory. McAvoy brings energy to the picture’s opening half, capturing the excitement of deceit and the troubles of sustaining such a scam. The feature eventually slides into melodrama, but McAvoy has his moments of liveliness and character, getting the film upright before he loses his way. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

2020’s “Enola Holmes” was a surprise streaming hit, and it was quickly followed by 2022’s “Enola Holmes 2,” giving “Stranger Things” star Millie Bobby Brown another franchise to participate in. “Enola Holmes 3” arrives four years after the last installment, and there’s a sense of maturity in the production, which, once again, is inspired by the YA book series by author Nancy Springer. There’s no radical change in tone or moviemaking approach, but new director Philip Barantini (who helmed “Boiling Point” and the series “Adolescence”) brings a bit more spirit to the sequel, and the production suddenly realizes the value of a shorter run time. “Enola Holmes 3” offers slight improvements on its predecessors without altering the recipe for mildly engaging murder mystery entertainment, created for younger audiences. Surprises aren’t included, but a more inviting viewing experience remains. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Co-writer/director David Wain makes very funny movies, but he hasn’t made one in a long time. The helmer of “Wet Hot American Summer,” “Role Models,” and “They Came Together” was last seen guiding the National Lampoon story, “A Futile and Stupid Gesture,” all the way back in 2018. Wain returns with “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass,” and it’s a relief to find that he hasn’t lost interest in creating incredibly silly endeavors, returning to shenanigans with co-writer/actor Ken Marino, inspecting the insanity of a woman trying to process her fiancé’s cheating ways by pursuing her own carnal fantasy in Los Angeles. In an age when most (all?) R-rated comedies are loaded with dismal improv and raunchiness, “Celebrity Sex Pass” is a breath of fresh air, with Wain and Marino out to have scripted fun with the material, scoring big laughs along the way. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Minions & Monsters” is the seventh installment of the “Despicable Me” franchise, which has been steadily growing since the 2010 release of the original feature. Animation studio Illumination has been cranking out movies with impressive regularity, and with their latest offering, the production is out to make a film that’s in love with filmmaking. The Minions go Hollywood in their latest endeavor, and while there are monsters promised in the title, the screenplay (by Brian Lynch and Pierre Coffin, who also directs) is more interested in the yellow mischief makers and their experiences in Los Angeles. “Minions & Monsters” isn’t the most rigidly structured picture, creating some storytelling unevenness, but, as with the rest of the “Minions” offerings, there’s a fun factor here to carry the viewing experience. And movie fans will have a ball tracking all the cinema references included here. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Olivia Wilde ran into plenty of troubles with her last directorial outing, 2022’s “Don’t Worry Darling.” She battled horrible press, production troubles, and underwhelming box office on a picture that was intended to launch her career as a major helming force. Wilde is back with “The Invite,” and one can sense an effort to keep things minimal this time around, allowing her more control with less cast members to manage and a tighter space to work within. It’s a remake of the 2020 Spanish movie, “The People Upstairs,” and screenwriters Rashida Jones and Will McCormack are challenged to Americanize the endeavor while preserving the material’s inherent points of pressure. “The Invite” puts actors Seth Rogen, Edward Norton, Penelope Cruz, and Wilde in an apartment for an evening of conversation and confrontation, and the feature maintains a slight level of intensity without ever spilling over into bigger comedy and stronger emotionality. Still, it’s nice to see Wilde back on her feet again with the smaller ways of her latest offering. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Director Daniel Stamm makes an exorcism picture in 2010’s “The Last Exorcism.” He made another exorcism movie in 2022’s “Prey for the Devil.” And now Stamm returns to screens with “Lockbox,” which is, well, another exorcism feature. The man enjoys his demonic possession tales, and this one is somewhat unique, as it’s an adaptation of a podcast, with screenwriter Justin Yoffe tasked with developing an episode of the Knifepoint Horror Podcast into a cinematic endeavor. Stamm isn’t an especially inspired helmer, and he doesn’t bring much to “Lockbox,” which provides the usual in genre entertainment, striving to locate terror in dark imagery and crazed behavior. However, Carla Gugino provides some appeal, trying to remain invested in a story that’s not entirely defined, carrying a limp film with welcome effort. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Little Brother” is the latest R-rated comedy to try and win audience approval through raunchiness. Screenwriters Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel (“The D Train,” “Yes Man”) have a workable premise involving a family man experiencing a special kind of horror when the boy he briefly mentored nearly 30 years ago returns to his life with the expectation of continuing their association. It’s an idea that’s ripe for a darkly comedic treatment, playing up mental instability and extended awkwardness as the situation tightens for both characters. Instead of providing edge, director Matt Spicer (“Ingrid Goes West”) goes crude, launching a feeble comedy that hopes to charm with its steady display of gross-outs and humiliations. Stars John Cena and Eric Andre are appropriately mismatched as screen partners, but they’re handed uninspired material that always tries to slide by with wearying stupidity. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Jackass” made its MTV debut in 2000, immediately finding an audience with its juvenile antics and DIY stunt work. It brought skate video vibes to the mainstream, triggering the creation of a movie in 2002, and the picture did remarkably well. The brand as returned in many sequels and even a spin-off over the years, and it seemed that 2022’s “Jackass Forever” was going to be a swan song for the original crew. After all, these once young men of extreme bodily pain were getting older, and audiences were moving on to different offerings of stupidity, giving Johnny Knoxville and his crew a chance to bow out gracefully. However, the “Jackass” crew isn’t one to leave money on the table, resulting in the creation of “Jackass: Best and Last,” which offers a mix of new shenanigans and clips from previous installments. It’s a brazen teat-squeeze from the “Jackass” universe, with the production merely out to be a cash machine, not a fresh round of slapstick and bullying from goofballs who’ve been hurting themselves for the entertainment of others for nearly three decades. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2025, Warner Brothers did something few Hollywood studios do, gambling on the success of a movie that wasn’t even out yet, putting a semi-sequel in motion before the first picture was ready for the masses. The movie was “Superman,” with writer/director James Gunn using his power with DC Studios to make sure the new “DCU” universe was up and running by sending “Supergirl” into production right away, out to sustain whatever momentum he could build with his take on the Man of Steel. “Superman” did well enough (there’s a sequel due out next summer) and, a year later, there’s “Supergirl,” which attempts to match the first film’s quirky Gunn-ness and love of superhero activity, though the helmer has been replaced by Craig Gillespie (“I, Tonya,” “Cruella”), and the tone of the material (scripted by Ana Nogueira) is considerably darker. Much like its predecessor, the new feature isn’t a consistent endeavor, but it’s boosted by fine acting from lead Milly Alcock, and Gillespie certainly gets momentum going early in the offering, finding ways to generate a thrilling first half before the whole thing comes to a stop. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Jon and Andrew Erwin are Christian directors who’ve specialized in religious stories over the course of their career. They’ve experienced a few hits (“I Can Only Imagine,” “Jesus Revolution”) and a few misses (“I Can Only Imagine 2,” “American Underdog”), remaining with faith-based filmmaking to help attract a specific audience. Leaving Godly might behind, the Erwin Brothers turn to early American history for inspiration with “Young Washington,” attempting to cash in on sesquicentennial fever (or lack thereof) with a dramatization of George Washington’s early days of military service during the French and Indian War. The endeavor hopes to track the formation of the subject’s bravery and dedication to American persistence, but the Erwins don’t provide a cinematic atmosphere for the picture, lacking determination to turn the tale into a fiery understanding of character and purpose. I cannot tell a lie, dear reader: this is one incredibly mediocre movie. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Couture” is a film about the fashion industry that has very little interest in the ways of the fashion industry. It’s the latest endeavor from writer/director Alice Winocour (“Paris Memories,” “Proxima”), who looks to examine various women involved in a Fashion Week event, showing more interest in personal lives and troubling times than the emergence of style during pressurized days. It’s a drama with several perspectives, challenging Winocour to juggle the personalities as they all experience extraordinary pressure during this time period, while one is faced with the ultimate in life-changing news. “Couture” isn’t interested in generating defined lines of drama, and it doesn’t provide the most powerful ending, but the feature stays involving as it investigates bottled emotions and career realities. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Six years ago, director Derrick Borte and actor Russell Crowe collaborated on the thriller, “Unhinged.” The B-movie was released during prime pandemic days, and it managed to find a small audience during a stretch of zero multiplex competition. It took a bit of time, but the pair are back with “The Get Out,” which is an adaptation of a 2010 novel by Thomas Perry. Borte and co-writer Daniel Forte attempt to find some balance to the story’s tonal highs and lows, with the crime saga taking occasional dips into comedy before it fully commits to violent events. “The Get Out” opens with noticeable confidence, but there are a lot of characters and motivations to manage, and Borte doesn’t have the stamina to pull off the labor. It’s uneven work, but the first half remains inviting with its collection of odd characters and their stressful connections to monetary theft. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Uwe Boll. Now there’s a name that hasn’t been publicized in a long time. The notoriously schlocky director caused a little chaos around two decades ago with a series of awful, video game-inspired pictures (“House of the Dead,” “Alone in the Dark,” “BloodRayne”) that turned Boll into an Ed Wood-style helmer, only without the B-movie charm. He hasn’t stopped working, still churning out no-budget endeavors, but Boll is back on the hunt for publicity, crafting “Citizen Vigilante,” which hopes to inspire some rage with its look at the migrant issue in Europe. Boll doesn’t up his filmmaking game in the process, but he does court controversy, hiring Armie Hammer for the lead role years after his own troubling behavior caught up with him, effectively ending his already fledgling Hollywood career. However, he’s back in action, attempting to look stern for Boll, who works to build an entire movie around hard stares and poor execution, serving up what appears to be a genuinely unfinished feature that’s solely out to antagonize with its intense idiocy. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Rod Lurie found some attention with his pandemic release, 2020’s “The Outpost.” The picture brought audiences into the middle of combat pressures during the Iraq War, with Lurie looking to generate a look at the brutality of service and the sacrifice of soldiers. While he messed around with inspirational football drama in 2025’s “The Senior,” Lurie returns to global conflict with “Lucky Strike,” which is set during the “Battle of the Bulge” during World War II, but it isn’t a full-scale war movie. The co-writer/director goes smaller in scale, electing to follow one man’s quest to survive behind enemy lines, facing brutal conditions, a leg wound, and waves of Nazis as he strives to make it back to safety. “Lucky Strike” has the makings of a pulse-pounding thriller, offering a defined goal and plenty of setbacks, but Lurie remains oddly muted with the endeavor, trying to create a respectful understanding of sacrifice instead of a more feral one. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Co-writer/director Julian Schnabel was last seen on screens in 2018’s “At Eternity’s Gate,” trying to make sense of personal and artistic struggles involving Vincent van Gogh in a feature that didn’t attract much of an audience. Schnabel is known for artful undertakings that strive to burrow into character experiences, and he returns with another study of stress in “In the Hand of Dante,” which is an adaptation of a 2002 book by Nick Tosches. The tale covers two time periods and lots of trouble coming for all characters, and there are moments when Schnabel actively pursues something of a crime story involving the theft and authentication of Dante Alighieri’s “The Divine Comedy.” There are blasts of aggression and research that give the helmer something to do, but there’s also a hunt for artistic meaning and inspiration that makes the viewing experience feel endless (the picture runs around 160 minutes), with Schnabel trying to generate an epic, and visibly straining to do so. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“40 Dates and 40 Nights” returns viewers to the routine of the romantic comedy. There are seemingly hundreds of these kind of movies being pumped out every year, and screenwriter Sarah Howard is trying to keep up with the competition, creating another tale of a young woman facing the brutal ways of the dating scene while on the hunt for one functional male. There’s a gimmick in play, as the main character is tasked with completing a series of dates to achieve a taste of financial security, but Howard doesn’t dig into the comedic possibilities of the premise. Instead, she generates the mildest picture imaginable, going slo-mo with relationship and personal challenges to happiness. “40 Dates and 40 Nights” is certainly soft enough, with functional performances to follow, but there’s no snap to the offering. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com