Category: Film Review

Leave it to a rock band to make the most entertaining horror comedy in recent memory. Foo Fighters have been around in one form or another for nearly 30 years, but there’s something about a pandemic that inspires strange ideas. For frontman Dave Grohl, the downtime presented a chance to develop an idea for a demonic possession story, with screenwriters Jeff Buhler and Rebecca Hughes hired to flesh out the concept of a band experiencing a developing nightmare while attempting to record their latest album inside a haunted house. There’s a single setting but lots of ideas for bodily harm in “Studio 666,” which updates the concept of a “band movie” for genre fans, asking members of Foo Fighters to play slightly cartoonish versions of themselves while the tale delivers blasts of ultraviolence and moments of silliness. “Studio 666” is tremendous fun, and while it’s aimed at the fanbase, there are gore zone delights for all. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Earlier this month, Roland Emmerich tried to thrill moviegoers with his vision of global disaster in “Moonfall,” spending an enormous amount of money on visual effects to create massive scenes of destruction. The film was greeted with a collective yawn from viewers. Now Norway has their shot at making a mess of things with “The Burning Sea,” which brings a smaller sense of danger to screens, though the writing doesn’t skimp on scary business, turning to the horrors of real-world ecological ruin to fuel an offering of disaster cinema. Norway has been here before, finding success with efforts such as “The Wave,” “The Quake,” and “The Tunnel.” The production is practiced in the ways of summoning suspense, and while “The Burning Sea” has its defined Hollywood moments, director John Andreas Andersen does an excellent job keeping the endeavor focused on the business at hand, scoring a few nail-biting sequences along the way. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“The Desperate Hour” takes on the sensitive subject matter of school shootings, only it never fully explores the chaos that goes on inside a terrorized building. Screenwriter Chris Sparling (“Greenland,” “The Sea of Trees”) remains on the outside of the developing situation, creating a suspense picture about a parent who realizes their own child is involved in the event, left to madly contact others to better understand if the teen is a killer or a victim. “The Desperate Hour” aims to be an unsettling viewing experience, observing a real-world situation of shocking confusion, following a single character as she speeds to a destination that will forever change her life. There’s tremendous disappointment that comes with the realization that Sparling isn't committing to an authentic depiction of anguish, eventually going Hollywood with a feature that’s refreshingly pure in its intensity for its first two acts. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Unfortunately, “Gasoline Alley” isn’t a live-action adaptation of the long-running (103 years!) comic strip. Instead, it’s the latest offering of snoozy acting from Bruce Willis, who barely participates in this murder mystery, which presents Devon Sawa as a tattoo artist caught up in bad business that’s resulted in the deaths of four prostitutes. Sawa gets to have his Man on Fire moments, going steely and growly in the lead role, and there’s a curious credit here, with Tom Sierchio co-scripting the feature, previously known for his work on the fantastic 1993 film, “Untamed Heart.” Early hopes for something different from a Willis production are dashed fairly quickly, as co-writer/director Edward Drake doesn’t have the time or money to really think about the lurid material, trusting in routine chases and shootouts to get the endeavor to 90 minutes, skipping on a chance to really explore the griminess of the premise, unwilling to find a fresh way to deal with screen ugliness. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Zoom is described as a “video teleconferencing software program,” and it became a very big deal during the COVID-19 pandemic. Zoom permitted large groups to gather online and interact in a way that kinda-sorta resembled the natural back and forth people had in “the before times.” It was also a valuable source for connection as isolation crept into our lives, giving loved ones a chance to see one another again, helping to briefly but effectively chase the lockdown blues away. “Family Squares” is a Zoom movie in a way, using the technology to bring together a group of actors tasked with portraying a dysfunctional family pulled together to deal with the death of the matriarch. Director Stephanie Laing (“Irreplaceable You”) offers an ambitious examination of communication and performance with the picture, and while she could seriously use another pass in the editing room, “Family Squares” does find its footing as a study of emotion and relationships dealing with various distances. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Big Gold Brick” is reminiscent of prefab cult films released in the early 2000s, when producers were trying to reach an alternative audience with brain-bleeders (e.g. “Donnie Darko,” “The Chumscrubber”), looking for young talent to do something quite different to attract attention. Making his feature-length helming debut is Brian Petsos, who takes viewers into the world of brain injuries with “Big Gold Brick,” which mixes the real and unreal in a dark comedy about relationships and the art of storytelling. Petsos comes prepared to show his stuff with the endeavor, overseeing a stylized, vaguely silly effort that’s meant to be a wild ride into psychosis, and one that requires 132 minutes of your time. There’s little reward for such a big ask from the production, as the material isn’t particularly amusing and lacks gravity as a study of a broken mind. Petsos wants the world with this offering, but it’s hard to remain interested in the movie’s frustrating indulgence. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Butter” is based on a 2012 YA novel by Erin Jade Lange, and its cinematic adaptation seems inspired by the major success of 2017’s “Wonder.” The two tales deal with the experience of being bullied and misunderstood, with external differences inspiring others to dehumanize the characters in subtle ways. “Butter” examines the difficultly of being morbidly obese in high school, with the eponymous teen struggling to be treated kindly while masterminding a dire plan to be understood by all. Lange’s material explore dark emotions and real-world pain, which is difficult to bring to the screen. Writer/director Paul A. Kaufman has all the good intentions in the world to create a sensitive understanding of the boy and his problems, but such ambition, as pure-hearted as it is, tends to cloud the complex emotions in play, making for a mediocre take on adolescent confusion. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

He was once a staple of cable programming and bottom-shelf video store offerings, and now Andrew Stevens is trying to make his mark on the VOD action market, producing “Pursuit,” which, like so many of these low-budget endeavors, features a crummy script, poorly shot action, and the appearance of a once A-list actor (in this case, John Cusack) who’s now doing money gigs to pass the time. “Pursuit” is ridiculous, but not in fun way, with the production trying to get mean with graphic violence and sadistic characters, hoping to attract attention to a darker revenge story, and one that sometimes requires a whiteboard to follow. Director Brian Skiba (“Beverly Hills Christmas,” “Defending Santa,” and “Merry Ex Mas”) trades seasonal spirit for nasty business in rural Arkansas, and while he tries to squeeze in some style and severity, he can’t fight a dull script and bad acting, which this picture is loaded with. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is the ninth installment of a franchise that began in 1974, and the original filmmakers weren’t exactly thinking about a long-running movie series at the time. The grotesque appetites of primary monster Leatherface have basically remained the same over the decades, but he’s taken many forms, deviating from the original endeavor, which was largely about grimy, grisly frights, shot like a snuff film. After the general blandness of 2017’s “Leatherface” and the absolute stupidity of 2013’s “Texas Chainsaw 3D,” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” makes some effort to connect to the original Tobe Hooper classic, returning to the character of Sally Hardesty for a little long-time-coming revenge, aping the recent smash hit, “Halloween.” Sadly, for “Chainsaw” heads, this bit of visceral motivation doesn’t bring much to the feature, which aims to be simple, short (74 minutes before end credits), and slaughter-y, but offers nothing new to the brand name besides a modern setting. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

After spending the last decade developing his position as a producer of films such as “Magic Mike” and “Logan Lucky,” Channing Tatum is ready to make the leap to direction, and he picks a layup project to best secure a future behind the camera. Joining partner Reid Carolin, Channing also co-scripts “Dog,” which examine the combative relationship between an ex-Army Ranger and the wounded military canine he’s tasked with bringing to her deceased handler’s funeral. It’s hard to dislike anything involving the healing powers of animal partnership, but Carolin and Tatum don’t think things through with the feature, preferring to make a scattered tale of mutual misery that hopes to be heartwarming, only to offer unlikable characters making confusing choices. “Dog” eventually gets to the sweet stuff, but the journey there is a rough ride most of the time, dependent on Channing’s charms to connect the dots. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

As pop culture deep cuts go in 2022, “Inspector Ike” certainly has the weirdest inspiration in recent memory. Co-writers Ikechukwu Ufomadu and Graham Mason (who also directs) head back to the 1970s, looking to parody the state of television mystery movies, inventing a faux world for a gifted NYC detective and his periodic run-ins with murder. The pair concoct a comedy, and one created on a shoestring budget, limiting the technical replication of the picture, but Ufomadu and Mason manage to score some hearty laughs with this extremely specific valentine to the “Columbo” world of small-screen cops and their expert ways with sleuthing. “Inspector Ike” isn’t built for bigness, remaining a modest offering of silliness, and it largely succeeds through engaged, playful performances and occasional ideas that deliver on the promise of such a strange spoof. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

There’s not a lot of ways to approach a werewolf story, with freshness lacking when it comes to the ways of transforming bodies and vicious appetites. Writer/director Sean Ellis (“Cashback,” “Anthropoid”) searches for a new take on a monster movie, and he finds it with “The Cursed,” which brings such terror to the late 1800s, offering a story about land seizure, denial, and grief. There’s also the occasional sequence of stalking between predator and prey, but Ellis doesn’t go overboard with his moments of violence. Instead, he elects to take the slow-burn route, playing tribute to Hammer Films and their deliberate ways of exploring an unfolding nightmare. “The Cursed” isn’t always riveting, but it comes together as an intelligent study of werewolf fantasy and threat, doing something different with a well-worn concept. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Writer/director Richard Bates, Jr. enjoys the creation of idiosyncrasy. He’s been creatively successful with the stuff in recent years, previously helming “Tone-Deaf” and “Trash Fire,” getting something going with dryly executed weirdness that occasionally lands some huge laughs. He’s back to business with “King Knight,” which explores the bursting insecurity of a witch whose entire history of personal success as an adolescent is exposed to his coven, leaving him in a position of exposure he can’t immediately process. Bates, Jr. brings a healthy sense of humor to the endeavor, which is small in scale but steady with silliness, making for an enjoyable sit. It’s not the most ambitious feature, but the production achieves some good-natured hilarity with its limited budget, remaining strangely kind and cheery with this tale of wizardry and shame. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Uncharted” is an adaptation of a video game series established in 2007. The franchise has been wildly popular with players, often described as an updated version of the Indiana Jones saga, sharing an appetite for high adventure and globetrotting treasure hunting. And now it’s a movie, because that’s apparently what gamers want to see, removing control of the action and putting it into the hands of producers itching to provide a big screen ride that could never replicate the experience of being the characters on a mission to find a fortune. “Uncharted” the film fails to summon a significant sense of excitement, struggling with miscastings and an overall sluggishness that doesn’t inspire a sense of awe or suspense that typically comes with this style of entertainment. It began life as a video game and probably should’ve stayed one. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Marry Me” is being positioned as the big 2022 Valentine’s Day offering from Hollywood, presenting a digestible opposites-attract tale that’s filled with music and warm feelings, and an enormous number of plugs for NBC television programming. Sweetness isn’t really a priority for the picture, which is a loose adaptation of a webcomic, though such an odd inspiration doesn’t really factor into the making of the endeavor, which often resembles dozens of other romantic comedies all seeking to create some tingles for date night. “Marry Me” is certainly inoffensive, but there’s no noticeable drive from director Kat Coiro (“A Case of You”) to make something different with the material, happily guiding the feature through predictable scenes and programmed feelings. There’s very little spark to the movie, which spends most of the run time denying what actually works in the film, on a simple quest to deliver the same old stuff for holiday viewers trying to catch a little buzz off big screen love. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Returning to his love of low-wattage thrillers, director Steven Soderbergh offers “Kimi,” which updates the ways of paranoia cinema for the COVID-19 age. Written by David Koepp (another fan of twisty chillers, previously helming “Stir of Echoes,” “Secret Window,” and “You Should Have Left”), the feature pieces together elements of “Rear Window” and “Blow Out,” creating a situation of panic for the lead character that requires more than just physical endurance to survive. There’s a heavy psychological element in play, as “Kimi” is perhaps more of a character study than a nail-biter, with Soderbergh enjoying another celebration of 1970s cinema, sticking with minimalist ideas and conflicts. The endeavor isn’t thunderous, but it’s efficient and gripping at times, working with mental health issues of today to inspire a classic sense of pressure on the protagonist. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2017, Kenneth Branagh decided to try his luck with the works of Agatha Christie, directing an adaptation of her most famous novel, “Murder on the Orient Express.” He also gifted himself the central role of private detective Hercule Poirot, fitted for an ornate mustache and a chewy part, unleashed on a somewhat underwhelming endeavor that was definitely boosted by his thespian emphasis. The picture found an audience, becoming a major hit for Branagh, who tries his luck again with “Death on the Nile,” which takes its inspiration from a 1937 Christie book. Much like “Murder on the Orient Express,” there’s a lot to like about the new Poirot adventure, but there’s just as much that doesn’t connect in the film, which is hurt by an uneven cast and iffy technical credits. But there’s always Branagh, who makes a meal out of the part, once again giving his all to the feature in a way that helps to occasionally lift it off the ground, making detective fiction thrilling. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

Liam Neeson has been doing the same thing for many years now, cashing in as an unusual action hero for an older audience. He’s made serviceable bruisers in recent years (“The Marksman,” “The Ice Road”), and he reteams with his “Honest Thief” director, Mark Williams, for “Blacklight,” which is, of course, about a character with a particular set of skills who switches to protection mode when he’s threatened by bad guys. What’s slightly different about “Blacklight” is its push to be taken seriously as a story concerning the hazards of journalism, which is blended with the usual business involving Neeson’s character and his way with violence. The writing (by Williams and Nick May) is trying to comment on the ways of today’s world, delving into conspiracies and government betrayals, but the two sides of the endeavor fail to gel into one complete Neeson-y joyride, leaving the final cut tonally inconsistent and a tad silly. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

In 2020, director Jason Orley made a positive impression with “Big Time Adolescence,” which examined the confusion that comes with being a teenager, facing social challenges and personal issues involving a bad influence. He returns to the ways of arrested development with “I Want You Back,” which brings the age of concern up to thirtysomething territory, but flaming insecurities remain. The screenplay is credited to Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, and they try to update the “When Harry Met Sally” formula for a new, more cynical time of romantic woe, reworking character panic concerning the end of relationships with a broader comedic vision. “I Want You Back” doesn’t sustain its initial spark, but it’s incredibly funny at times, with stars Jenny Slate and Charlie Day offering tremendous chemistry and timing to help Orley find his way through the endeavor. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com

“Supercool” aims to land somewhere between “Superbad” and a John Hughes teen comedy, going the fantasy route to explore common adolescent insecurities and less common adventures involving criminal activity. It’s a presentation of zaniness from director Teppo Airaksinen and writers Olli Haikka and Ali Moussavi, who attempt to generate a farcical atmosphere for the endeavor. Trouble is, the production doesn’t push hard enough when it comes to a snowballing sense of madness, playing with outrageousness every now and then, which puts the movie into park one too many times. There are ideas in “Supercool” with potential, and laughs are present, but the overall effort is lacking a sense of sustained tomfoolery, and it eventually wants to generate some level of sincerity, which is all wrong with a premise that’s better with silliness, at least when given a chance to explore it. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com