|
B-
|
Saw X
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
A decent “Saw” installment is something of a cinematic miracle, and while it ends winded, “Saw X” is at least halfway functional and winningly attentive to its lead character.
Posted Sep 29, 2023
|
|
B-
|
The Creator
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
“The Creator” is absolutely arresting and powerful in spurts, but it ultimately fails to land in an extraordinary way.
Posted Sep 27, 2023
|
|
B
|
Flora and Son
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Becomes a showcase for Hewson, who delivers an outstanding performance of prime itchiness and concern, handed a shot to really show her stuff as Carney crafts a gentle study of relationships soothed by musical expression.
Posted Sep 27, 2023
|
|
B
|
PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
A slightly more explosive take on family entertainment, with action sequences once again capturing attention while the script for this follow-up is a little less thrilling.
Posted Sep 27, 2023
|
|
B-
|
The Kill Room
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Launches with compelling oddity, highlighting the strange ways of art appreciation and manipulation, which is far more interesting than underworld entanglements that come to claim the effort’s second half.
Posted Sep 27, 2023
|
|
B-
|
Nowhere
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
It connects with certain offerings of tension and fortitude.
Posted Sep 27, 2023
|
|
B-
|
Warrior Strong
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
It’s a nice turn for the once and future Diceman, who’s joined by a lively supporting cast aiming to make formula palatable in this study of high school basketball leadership.
Posted Sep 27, 2023
|
|
D
|
The Re-Education of Molly Singer
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
It’s difficult to summon such sympathy, or even overall interest in “Singer,” with the picture failing to come up with inspired madness, or even basic laughs, going predictable and forgettable instead.
Posted Sep 27, 2023
|
|
C
|
Head Count
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Doesn’t connect as intended, and the writing plays too much with time, aiming to be clever and twisty instead of simply remaining compelling.
Posted Sep 27, 2023
|
|
C
|
Reptile
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Elements work in “Reptile,” especially police brotherhood material, but it doesn’t add up to much in this underwhelming study of crime and punishment (and faucets).
Posted Sep 27, 2023
|
|
B
|
Bottoms
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Seligman and Sennott don’t take their premise the whole way, leading to some disappointment, but they have something here that’s quite different at times, and uproarious when it wants to be.
Posted Sep 22, 2023
|
|
B+
|
No One Will Save You
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
A visually striking and periodically exciting chiller that heads in unusual directions, shaking off predictability early as the story finds ways to thrill and touch on the human condition.
Posted Sep 22, 2023
|
|
B-
|
Spy Kids: Armageddon
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
“Armageddon” isn’t exactly fresh, but it’s fun to a certain degree, delivering lively entertainment for younger audiences while Rodriguez continues to explore his fascination with greenscreen production achievements.
Posted Sep 22, 2023
|
|
D
|
Expend4bles
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Weirdly flat, unable to cook up exciting sequences for the crew as they slowly assemble to take on a generic enemy in a sequel that’s nowhere near as entertaining as previous adventures.
Posted Sep 21, 2023
|
|
B-
|
Shaky Shivers
(2022)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Kung has a tiny budget to bring “Shaky Shivers” to life, and the effort is aided by his leads, Markham and Nguyen, who deliver big charm and appealing enthusiasm for the material, which definitely needs their spirit.
Posted Sep 20, 2023
|
|
B-
|
Relax, I'm from the Future
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
There’s star Rhys Darby, who brings his natural charm to the endeavor, providing a bright, amusing performance in an effort that’s much better with the actor on the move.
Posted Sep 20, 2023
|
|
D
|
Condition of Return
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Slides into absurdity quickly, exploring betrayals, suicide, domestic trouble, and Satanic rituals with all the subtlety of a soap opera, sprinting away from any potential gravity the opening scene conjures.
Posted Sep 20, 2023
|
|
D
|
Dark Asset
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
“Dark Asset” opens as a traditional bruiser but wants to conclude as a brain-bleeder, and Winnick doesn’t have the budget, cast, or directorial ability to pull off this kind of involving mystery.
Posted Sep 20, 2023
|
|
C
|
The Retirement Plan
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Far better with set-ups than payoffs, resulting an increasingly crowded offering of half-speed action cinema.
Posted Sep 20, 2023
|
|
C
|
Night Screams
(1987)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Run-of-the-mill stuff from uninspired filmmakers trying to make B-movie magic happen in the wilds of Kansas.
Posted Sep 18, 2023
|
|
D+
|
Psycho Girls
(1986)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
"Psycho Girls" isn't really much fun, with the harshness of violence too abrasive to enjoy on a pure horror level, and editorial slackness isn't helping the cause.
Posted Sep 18, 2023
|
|
C
|
Black Magic Rites
(1973)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Isn't without some pleasures, but it doesn't fully live up to its early promise, getting lost in unreality to a point where Polselli can't find a way out of the tale.
Posted Sep 18, 2023
|
|
C
|
The Boogey Man
(1980)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Slow and somewhat uneventful, trying to master some type of cinematic creep that doesn't register as intended.
Posted Sep 18, 2023
|
|
A-
|
Hackers
(1995)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
It's not a picture for cynics, requiring some relaxation while Softley explores old tech and cartoon personalities, but it's a vibrant feature that's superbly executed, making for an entertaining sit for those willing to go along with it.
Posted Sep 18, 2023
|
|
B-
|
The Killer Condom
(1997)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
"Killer Condom" isn't a slapdash endeavor, highlighting some attention to detail and a love for weirdness. At two hours in length, the feature is demanding a lot of patience from viewers.
Posted Sep 18, 2023
|
|
C
|
My Demon Lover
(1987)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
It's a Tim Burton-ish production without Tim Burton, making for an uneven viewing experience with sometimes questionable characterizations.
Posted Sep 18, 2023
|
|
B-
|
Black Circle
(2018)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
It's an interesting feature, but only periodically, eventually diminished by a weak climax, which doesn't carry the kind of payoff invested viewers deserve.
Posted Sep 18, 2023
|
|
A-
|
The Pied Piper
(1985)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
A striking picture.
Posted Sep 18, 2023
|
|
D+
|
God Is a Bullet
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
What's left is a seemingly endless revenge story brought to life by limited actors, while the helmer's obsession with bodily harm wears out its welcome quickly.
Posted Sep 18, 2023
|
|
B-
|
Dumb Money
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Gillespie is occasionally stuck between trying to be funny with the subject matter and hoping to reinforce a sobering level of fraud involving a community of characters. Such indecision doesn’t always make for an inspired take on the central crisis.
Posted Sep 14, 2023
|
|
B
|
A Haunting in Venice
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Production restrictions in terms of budget and location push Branagh to get a little weirder and B-movie-y with the effort, which results in a tighter, more compelling detective story.
Posted Sep 13, 2023
|
|
B+
|
The Inventor
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
A gorgeous movie, with strong displays of artistry running throughout the endeavor. It’s also an interesting introduction to da Vinci’s life for younger viewers.
Posted Sep 13, 2023
|
|
A-
|
A Million Miles Away
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Michael Pena delivers the finest performance of his career in this lovely picture.
Posted Sep 13, 2023
|
|
A-
|
Rebel
(2022)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Mixes raw emotions with unexpected blasts of artful expression that keeps viewers invested in material that would otherwise be extraordinarily difficult to watch.
Posted Sep 12, 2023
|
|
B+
|
Love at First Sight
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
It’s gentle work, with charm and a slight dusting of movie magic, surprising with its restraint and commitment to a deeper study of emotional ache.
Posted Sep 12, 2023
|
|
B-
|
Inspector Sun
(2022)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Gurpide keeps things relatively breezy during the short run time, cooking up pursuit sequences and sleuthing challenges, which bring some snap to the effort before it succumbs to family film formula.
Posted Sep 12, 2023
|
|
C
|
Outlaw Johnny Black
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Isn’t as well-written or energized as “Black Dynamite,” caught up in a strange desire to be earnest instead of farcical.
Posted Sep 12, 2023
|
|
B-
|
Satanic Hispanics
(2022)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
The picture doesn’t overwhelm with creativity, but there’s enough here to satisfy, especially for Halloween viewing.
Posted Sep 12, 2023
|
|
C-
|
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
The film is determined to be a good time for all, but whatever plucky magic was offered in the first feature is long gone at this point.
Posted Sep 08, 2023
|
|
C-
|
The Nun II
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Mostly a lifeless endeavor, laboring to restart the engine of a one-note idea, getting as far as the heavy recycling of scares before the whole thing limps to a dull conclusion.
Posted Sep 08, 2023
|
|
B-
|
Sitting in Bars with Cake
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
A somber viewing experience, making for some confused tonality at times, but the actors understand the professional assignment, landing sensitivities while Sie and Schulman look to turn something initially silly into something strangely gloomy.
Posted Sep 07, 2023
|
|
C-
|
Zombie Town
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Certainly earnest in its intention to entertain pre-teen viewers, but the helmer can’t make sense of the bizarre plot, which becomes unnecessarily burdensome for a feature that’s only out to please.
Posted Sep 06, 2023
|
|
D
|
Office Race
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Extraordinarily lame, with co-writer/director Jared Lapidus putting in next to no effort when it comes to the creation and execution of humor in the film.
Posted Sep 06, 2023
|
|
B-
|
The Equalizer 3
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
“The Equalizer 3” is certainly the most appealing chapter of the franchise, putting in a little more effort to get under the lead character’s skin, which is more compelling than watching the brutalizer push guns through brains.
Posted Sep 01, 2023
|
|
A-
|
Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia
(2022)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
A lovely feature...animation is gorgeous, returning to a sublime watercolor-inspired world, and performances are perfectly expressive.
Posted Aug 30, 2023
|
|
C
|
Retribution
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
Doesn’t slam down hard enough, passing on the simple pleasures of insane escalation to become a mediocre B-movie with a star who’s no longer interested in standing.
Posted Aug 30, 2023
|
|
C-
|
The Good Mother
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
The feature isn’t brave enough to pursue anguish and understanding, turning to more formulaic survival events to find a way out of an uninteresting story.
Posted Aug 30, 2023
|
|
B
|
Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
The last act isn’t as involving, but the feature mostly finds its way with occasional peculiarity and a puzzling story, which is supported by a capable cast.
Posted Aug 30, 2023
|
|
B-
|
We Kill for Love
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
More analytical than anecdotal, going the “Room 237” route with a stern, film theory approach, which is undeniably interesting, but with this absurd run time, it occasionally feels like running a marathon with no finish line.
Posted Aug 30, 2023
|
|
B-
|
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
(2023)
|
Brian Orndorf
|
It’s more Disney Channel than John Hughes, but the picture has its moments, especially when focused on the pressure points of adolescence.
Posted Aug 30, 2023
|
>