"We're not critics. We're professional fan-girls." --- This blog is dedicated to movies and the entertainment industry. We use random selection to bring into light the best and worst of streaming films and entertainment news.
Streaming Service: Netflix Movie Name/Year: The Invitation (2022) Genre: Horror, Thriller Length: 1h 45min Rating: PG-13 Production/Distribution: Screen Gems, Mid Atlantic
Films, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) Director: Jessica M. Thompson Writer: Blair Butler Actors: Nathalie Emmanuel, Thomas Doherty, Sean Pertwee, Hugh
Skinner, Carol Ann Crawford, Alana Boden, Stephanie Corneliussen, Courtney
Taylor Blurb from IMDb: A young woman is courted
and swept off her feet, only to realize a gothic conspiracy is afoot.
Selina’s Point of View: As radiant as
Nathalie Emmanuel (Army of Thieves, Game of Thrones, F9: The Fast Saga) was,
she felt completely out of place in The Invitation. It wasn’t good
enough for her. Emmanuel acted
her ass off, but the rest of the film dragged lazily behind. It offered nothing
really for her to work with. It was barely even a romance up until the climax
when things started happening, and then it was all predictable. Sure, there were
a couple of horror scenes up until then, but they were so cut and paste that it
wasn’t worth it.
I will say that
the spa day scene was pretty good. It had a lot of suspense, and I was on the edge
of my seat. Like Nathalie, it felt like it should have been part of a much better
film. The idea behind The
Invitation wasn’t bad. I also liked how it touched on the dehumanization of
service workers. I feel like we’ve been getting a lot of class warfare flicks
lately, and it’s not very hard to guess why. A lot more could have been done
with those concepts. I’m also a little
angry at the trailer. It had me believing that The Invitation was going
to be the next Ready or Not (2019). Instead, it had all the thrilling
parts of the film, leaving nothing left to surprise audiences during the full runtime.
I’d rather be told too little in the coming attractions, than too much. As much as I
wanted to like The Invitation, it just didn’t work for me.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 29% Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 59% Metascore – 45% Metacritic User Score – 3.2 IMDB Score –5.3/10 Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 1.5/5 P.S. There’s a rated R version available
on DVD. This review is only for the PG-13 version. Movie Trailer:
20 – The Enormity
of Life (4/6) Production/Distribution:
1031 Films, Garage Creative Studios Director: Eric
Swinderman Writer: Eric
Swinderman, Carmen DeFranco Actors: Emily
Kinney, Breckin Meyer, Giselle Eisenberg, Rick Montgomery Jr., Debra Herzog,
Bryant Carroll, Davis Aguila, Andrew Gordon, David Vegh, Daniel Repas, Aubree
Stone, Carter Anderson, Allen O’Reilly Genre: Comedy Rated: Not Rated Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: After a failed suicide attempt, a man receives a substantial
inheritance from a long lost relative and meets a struggling single mom with an
eccentric young daughter. Together they embark on a journey of self-discovery
and healing. This film is going to be a gut punch. The trailer is as clear
as possible about that. It’s going to touch on suicide, as well as other heavy
triggers. I think it’s all going to be worth it in the end, though. The Enormity of Life seems like it’s going to show
what it means to hit rock bottom and then climb out. I’m pretty sure it’s going
to wind up having a hopeful message – which I think people need right now. The only reason I couldn’t put this movie any higher, is
because there’s the possibility it may go too far, without any real resolution.
Sometimes, flicks like this are guilty of that kind of thing, and that makes
them a chore to watch. It’s labeled a comedy, which isn’t really shown well in the
trailer. That makes me a little suspicious as well. Here’s hoping this one gives us what we need. 19 – The Believer
(4/2) Production/Distribution:
Gypsy Lane Films, Relentless Escargot Productions, 611 Films, Black Powder Works,
Artist View Entertainment, Freestyle Releasing Director: Shan
Serafin Writer: Shan
Serafin Actors: Aidan
Bristow, Sophie Kargman, Susan Wilder, Lindsey Ginter, Billy Zane, Robbie
Goldstein Genre: Horro Rated: Not Rated Length: 91
minutes IMDb Blurb: None shown This trailer looks like a rom-com gone evil. The Believer seems to go into a relationship where
the female is the abuser – which is not something movies tend to explore. Sure,
you’ve got stuff like Gone Baby Gone (2007), but it’s rare. It’s
something I feel needs more examination. Abusers come in all shapes and sizes,
and so do their victims. In all honesty, the horror aspect feels reminiscent of Audition
(1999). There are scenes in the trailer that immediately pull that Japanese
flick to mind. Which is not a bad thing. I’m not familiar with anyone working on The Believer,
but I do think there are some good signs in the trailer. 18 – Vanquish (4/16) Production/Distribution:
March On Productions, Lionsgate, Signature Entertainment Director: George Gallosw Writer: George
Gallo, Samuel Bartlett Actors: Ruby
Rose, Morgan Freeman, Patrick Muldoon, Julie Lott, Nick Vallelonga, Ekaterina
Baker, Joel Michaely, Richard Salvatore, Miles Doleac, Juju Journey Brener, Ele
Bardha, Bill Luckett Genre: Action,
Crime, Thriller Rated: R Length: 96
minutes IMDb Blurb: A mother, Victoria, is trying to put her dark past
as a Russian drug courier behind her, but retired cop Damon forces Victoria to
do his bidding by holding her daughter hostage. With Vanquish, it’s less about the story and more
about the actors involved. Ruby Rose (The Doorman, Batwoman, John Wick: Chapter 2)
is a hell of an actor in her own right, but Morgan Freeman (The Comeback Trail,
Ben-Hur, Lucy) is legendary. I am very much looking forward to seeing how
they mesh in a film like this. It also looks like a solid action flick. I doubt it will be
too deep, but there will almost definitely be amazing fight scenes. 17 – Bloodthirsty
(4/23) Production/Distribution:
Voice Pictures, 775 Media Corp, Brainstorm Media, Première TV Distribution Director: Amelia
Moses Writer: Wendy Hill-Tout
Lowell Actors: Lauren
Beatty, Greg Bryk, Katharine King So, Michael Ironside, Judith Buchan, Jayce
McKenzie, Jesse Gervais Genre: Horror Rated: Not Rated Length: 84
minutes IMDb Blurb: Grey is an indie singer who is having visions that
she is a wolf. When she gets an invitation to work with notorious music
producer Vaughn Daniels at his remote studio in the woods she begins to find
out who she really is. Bloodthirsty could go one of three ways. It could
either be an honest werewolf film, a metaphor, or all in the characters mind. I’m
fine with the former two, but if it turns out to be all hallucination… that
would be tricky. There are so many pitfalls this flick could fall into if it’s
the latter. The worst of which would be leaving the audience unfulfilled. Way
too often, when that’s the case, it feels like the whole thing just didn’t
matter. Why bother telling the story if nothing’s affected by the contents –
right? I really want to see a new, modern, actual werewolf film.
But because of the aforementioned possibilities, I couldn’t put this any higher
on my list. 16 – Justice
Society: World War II (4/27) Production/Distribution:
DC Comics, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Director: Jeff
Wamester Writer: Jeremy
Adams, Meghan Fitzmartin Actors: Matt
Bomer, Stana Katic, Chris Diamantopoulos, Matthew Mercer, Elysia Rotaru, Liam McIntyre,
Omid Abtahi, Geoffrey Arend, Ashleigh LaThrop, Darin De Paul, Keith Ferguson,
Armen Taylor Genre: Animation,
Fantasy Rated: PG-13 Length: 84
minutes IMDb Blurb: The Justice Society of America, a group of heroes
aiding the allies in World War 2, acquire an ally from the future who sends
them on an adventure that changes history. Any time DC intends to put out an animated film, chances are
high it’ll be on my Top 20 for that month. DC’s animated features are just as consistent as their live-action
films are inconsistent. It’s that simple. Sure, you’ll get the occasional Dark
Knight (2008) out of their blockbuster-type flicks, but it feels more
likely that you’ll get a Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016).
Their animation work is just a significantly higher quality. That’s what I expect here. I expect a movie that sticks to
the feel of the comics and fulfills audiences. It will be somewhere between
watchable and amazing. 15 – The Power (4/8) Production/Distribution:
Air Street Films, British Film Institute (BFI), Head Gear Films, Kreo Films FZ,
Metrol Technology, Stigma Films, Shudder, VR Films And Studios Director: Corinna
Faith Writer: Corinna
Faith Actors: Rose
Williams, Emma Rigby, Charlie Carrick, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Paul Antony-Barber,
Clara Read, Diveen Henry, Robert Goodman, Nuala McGowan, Shakira Rahman, Marley
Chesham, Joe Haddow, Maria Major Genre: Horror Rated: Not Rated Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: 1973: a young nurse is forced to work the night
shift in a crumbling hospital as striking miners switch off the power across
Britain. But inside the walls lurks a terrifying presence that threatens to
consume her and everyone around her. The more I watch this trailer, the more I’m feeling it. I thought it seemed a little basic at first, but my opinion
slowly evolved. Now, I think the time period it takes place in, and the setting,
may wind up elevating what could have been a basic supernatural haunting story. The trailer seems terrifying. I’d love to move it higher on
the list… but I have to admit that the plot (on its own) seems rather tropey. We’ll find out soon enough. 14 – Concrete
Cowboy (4/2) Production/Distribution:
Green Door Pictures, Lee Daniels Entertainment, Neighborhood Film Co., Tucker
Tooley Entertainment, Waxylu Films, Netflix Director: Ricky
Staub Writer: Ricky
Staub, Dan Walser Actors: Idris
Elba, Lorraine Toussaint, Caleb McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome, Method Man, Swen
Temmel, Byron Bowers, Terez Land, Jennifer Butler, Ivannah-Mercedes, Liz
Priestley Genre: Drama Rated: R Length: 111
minutes IMDb Blurb: A teenager discovers the world of urban horseback
riding when he moves in with his estranged father in North Philadelphia. You had me at Idris Elba (Luther, Thor: Ragnarok, Beasts
of No Nation). Elba is just one of those actors I will follow to any
project. I trust his professionalism, and I trust his process. No one is going
to have a 100% success rate in the movies they work on… but I know that the projects
he opts to join have a leg up on the rest. The trailer looks interesting, heartbreaking, and honest.
Down-to-Earth, even. It’s going to touch on some serious subjects, but I
believe it will wind up being heartwarming in the end. 13 – Monday (4/16) Production/Distribution:
Faliro House Productions, Automatik Entertainment, Protagonist Pictures, Blonde
Audiovisual Productions, IFC Films Director: Argyris
Papadimitropoulos Writer: Argyris
Papadimitropoulos, Rob Hayes Actors: Sebastian
Stan, Denise Gough, Dominique Tipper, Yorgos Pirpassopoulos, Elli Tringou,
Andreas Konstantinou, Sofia Kokkali, Syllas Tzoumerkas, Chloe Sirene, Marisha
Triantafyllidou, Orlando Seale, Prometheus Aleifer, Efi Gousi Genre: Drama,
Romance Rated: R Length: 116 minutes IMDb Blurb: A spark on a Friday can lead to a sizzling weekend
fling, but what happens when you get to the inevitable Monday? Sebastian Stan (The Devil All the Time, We Have Always
Lived in the Castle, I’m Not Here) is going to be trending for a while
because of his work in the Marvel Universe’s Falcon and the Winter Soldier
(2021). For that reason, I was expecting to see other films starting to pop up
for him in the next few months. He’s a great actor, no one can deny that. I think it’s important
that he’s branching out into a variety of parts, so that he doesn’t get type-cast.
As such, I’m looking forward to seeing him as a romantic leading man. Romance films don’t always speak to me, but this one seems a
little more modern in its story telling. I feel like we’re going to see less in
the way of tropes, because it’s trying to weave the plot into our current
societal norms. Most flicks still try to stick to the past, and they utilize
all the problematic aspects that people have started rolling their eyes at. Monday seems like it’s going to be a unique take on
love. 12 – Four Good
Days (4/30) Production/Distribution:
Indigenous Media, Oakhurst Entertainment, Productivity Media, DeAPlaneta,
Vertical Entertainment Director: Rodrigo
Garcia Writer: Rodrigo
Garcia, Eli Saslow Actors: Mila
Kunis, Glenn Close, Stephen Root, Carla Gallo, Michael Hyatt, Chad Lindberg,
Violet Brinson, Joshua Leonard, Rebecca Field, Gloria Garayua Genre: Drama Rated: R Length: 100 minutes IMDb Blurb: A mother helps her daughter work through four
crucial days of recovery from substance abuse. Addiction is a very serious subject. One that Hollywood tends
to tackle in pretty much the same way all the time. It takes the obvious stance
of “drugs are bad,” and they teach us that lesson through showing people spiral
down until there’s nothing left of them. Granted, there are some extremely good films in the sub-genre.
Requiem for a Dream (2000) being the first one to come to mind. The problem is, we all know that. We know drugs are bad. Our
parents pushed it into our mind, the schools we went to, the after-school
specials of our favorite TV shows… etc. That makes it difficult to feel like there’s
anything new to say on the subject. What I like about Four Good Days is that it assumes
we know that drugs are bad, and it seeks to show us a different perspective. It
wants to show us what happens after someone has already decided to leave drugs
behind. I like that it’s going to go into what an addict goes through when they
want to quit, but they don’t feel capable of it. I’m also looking forward to seeing Mila Kunis (Family
Guy, The Spy Who Dumped Me, Bad Moms) step into a role that seems outside
her comfort zone. 11 – Thunder
Force (4/9) Production/Distribution:
Marc Platt Productions, Netflix Director: Ben
Falcone Writer: Ben
Falcone Actors: Jason
Bateman, Melissa McCarthy, Pom Klementieff, Octavia Spencer, Bobby Cannavale,
Melissa Leo, Sarah Baker, Melissa Ponzio, Braxton Bjerken, Tyrel Jackson
Williams, Trevor Larcom, David Storrs Genre: Action,
Adventure, Comedy Rated: PG-13 Length: 105
minutes IMDb Blurb: In a world where supervillains are commonplace, two
estranged childhood best friends reunite after one devises a treatment that
gives them powers to protect their city. I wanted to put this movie higher on the list but, when I
think about it, I don’t believe I can. I said it while I was streaming the trailers – Melissa McCarthy
(Life of the Party, The Kitchen, The Boss) is like a female version of
Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems, The Week Of, Murder Mystery). She’s a good
actor – great even – but she’s known to make some rough project choices. Her
name feels like a draw, but her films often prove disappointing. For every Can
You Forgive Me? (2018), there are several The Happytime Murders
(2018). Now, I’m not saying this will definitely be a bad film. If I
thought that, it wouldn’t be on my list. In actuality, I believe Octavia
Spencer (The Witches, Onward, Ma) is a good choice to work with McCarthy.
I’m thinking she’ll be able to reign her in a little and offer a good sense of
balance. The trailer itself looks interesting. There are a bunch of
funny moments, but I don’t think they did that thing where they left nothing
for the movie. I look forward to seeing for myself.
Streaming
Services: Shudder Movie
Name/Year: Can’t
Take it Back (2017) Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller Length: 88 minutes Rating: NR Production/Distribution: Big Block Media Holdings, Screen
Gems, Afterparty VFX Director: Tim Shechmeister Writer: Matt Shechmeister, Tim
Shechmeister Actors: Ana Coto, Noah Centineo,
Ivanna Sakhno, Lexi Atkins, Jill Larson, Logan Paul, Meredith Foster, Keith
Pillow, Mandy Gonzalez, Paul Urcioli, Brenna Bloom Blurb
from IMDb: Following
a group of students who leave hateful comments on the page of a fellow pupil
who recently committed suicide.
Selina’s
Point of View: My first thought?
“Ew. Logan Paul’s in this movie.” I mean, he’s on the cover so, naturally, I
expected him to be in the movie quite a bit. Instead he’s pretty much
inconsequential. The significance
of him being involved in a film about the soul of a girl who killed herself
seeking revenge, is not lost on me. Logan Paul (The Thinning, Where's the Money, Airplane Mode) is just the worst. Moving on.
Can’t
Take it Back was
basic. It was a paranormal horror film. It followed all the tropes and painted
by all the numbers. It was acceptable, but not something I see myself even
remembering by tomorrow.
It just didn’t
have anything to set itself apart from every other flick tackling the same
subject and sub-genre. Ana Coto (DisCONNECTED, Ouija, True
Fiction) was decent in her
part and I enjoyed seeing Noah Centineo (The Fosters, Charlie's Angels, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still
Love You) in a movie that
wasn’t a teen romantic comedy – but even they didn’t elevate it. Hell, it had
an ending that I rather enjoyed… but it needed something more. Can’t
Take it Back was
meh. I won’t steer anyone away from it, but I also won’t be recommending it. There
are much better paranormal, and revenge, flicks on Shudder.
Cat’s
Point of View: When
I saw that we would be watching Can’t Take it Back during October, I was
just as divided about it then as I am now. It bugs me. Some things you just
can’t shake, though. I’ll
address the elephant in the room first. I can’t bring myself to forgive Logan
Paul for his 2018 stunt in Japan. The world keeps turning and he was,
technically, punished through loss of sponsorships for his distasteful antics.
I, however, don’t feel that earned him redemption by any means. For that
reason, I find myself going out of my way to avoid his work in an effort to not
support him. At the
same time, the other actors and production crew working on films he just
happens to be a part of are not responsible for him being a shit person. I was
excited to see Lexi Atkins (Anatomy of Deception, The Boy Next Door, Some
Kind of Hate) and Noah Centineo attached to this movie. I wanted to watch
for their sake. We’ve reviewed and enjoyed other projects of theirs over the
years, after all. That
being said, let’s talk about Can’t Take it Back.
I
generally enjoyed my experience with the movie and was relieved to see that a
certain person had a relatively small role. Atkins was great in her ‘mean girl’
role. Centineo did a great job with his part, as well. There was a fresh face
at the forefront of this production. Ana Coto was a good fit leading the cast.
I bought her story 100%. There
were a few spots here and there throughout the movie that were a bit more of a
hard sell for me, but I was invested all the same. Nothing was wonky enough to
lose my interest or make me roll my eyes. The
overall production value was really pretty good. The spectral effects were
creepy, even if some of the jump-scares felt a smidge over-the-top. But hey,
for a teen-centric horror, it wasn’t that bad. I
think Can’t Take it Back got the message across, as well as offered some
good thrills and chills. I’m afraid this won’t haunt me as long as some of the
other films within our Shudder Spree, though.
Rotten
Tomatoes Critic Score – None Rotten
Tomatoes Audience Score – None Metascore – None Metacritic
User Score – None IMDB
Score – 4.1/10 Trust
the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 2.5/5 Trust
the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3/5 Trust
the Dice Parental Advisory Rating: R Movie
Trailer:
Production Companies:
Screen Gems, Unbroken Pictures
Producer: Adrienne
Biddle, Mitch Budin, Jack Campbell, Glenn S. Gainor, Ogden Gavanski, Richard
Goldberg, Peter Jarowey, Tamara Nagahiro, Ryan Noto
Director: Quinn
Lasher
Writer: Mike
Scannell
Actors: Yvonne
Strahovski, Anna Pniowsky, Abigail Pniowsky, Ryan McDonald, Justin Bruening,
Julian Bailey, Stephanie Costa
Blurb from Netflix:
While vacationing at a remote lake house, a mother and her daughters become
pawns in the twisted game of an ax-wielding psychopath.
Selina’s Point of View:
I have some issues with this film.
Ignoring the fact that it is pretty much the most basic
recipe of all, I feel like the majority of the dialogue and character actions
are unbelievable. There wasn’t a single moment during the movie where I felt
sucked in.
Now, granted, pretty much every slasher film needs some
suspension of disbelief – but when you pair it with a ridiculous script and
actions that simply don’t make sense, all you’re left with is a hot mess.
Let me put it to you this way. The kids in this film had
less supervision than Carl in The Walking
Dead (2010). On top of which, the adults make choices that no adult in
their situation would make.
I’m not going to fault the actors here. Two of them were
kids, which automatically excuses them. You can’t properly judge a child’s
acting skills if they have bad direction – and there was some massively bad
direction happening. I’ll watch them in other projects to give them a real
chance.
It’s almost like the creators wanted to make a new masked slasher
to turn into a franchise. Only, they didn’t care how they did it. They paid no
attention to anything. Not even something as simple as continuity. For
instance, and I’m only going into it because I don’t think it’s a spoiler, they
come upon a man in the beginning that has to describe to them that he’s considered
neighborhood security as though it’s their first time there. You come to find
out later that they make the trip every single year. It’s a small – but noticeable
– issue.
The concept was the only part of this film that had any
promise.
He’s Out There is
just not good.
Cat’s Point of View:
Within the first 10 minutes of this movie, I thought I had
it all figured out. I was wrong. That’s not a bad thing, either. I definitely
enjoy when films throw my expectations out the window.
It’s rare for a thriller or horror movie to not make me feel
the urge to yell at the characters to not do something stupid. Surprisingly,
there was very little of that for me here. Instead, I was leaning forward with suspense
and hoping for the best.
I bought in at a level that my pulse was pounding.
The sound
that Netflix’s closed caption subtitles dubbed ‘demonic giggling’ gave me
goosebumps and a sense of dread that has lingered after the final credits.
(When I watch movies at night, I sometimes use the closed captioning so I don’t
miss dialogue due to using a lower volume setting.)
The story was framed well; and the object used was outright
dark. It set a nice foreboding tone that carried from the very beginning
through the thematic elements that tied it in with the rest of the movie.
As I attempt to sleep without that horrifying laughter
following me into my dreams, at least I do so knowing that I enjoyed myself
obtaining that new nightmare fuel. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this movie,
especially to fans of the genre and strong female roles.
Writer: Jaume
Balaguero, Alexandre Bustillo, Manu Diez, Julien Maury
Actors: Rachel Nichols,
Laura Harring, Stany Coppet, Andrea Tivadar, David Chevers
Genre: Horror,
Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: 100
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A woman in her third trimester of pregnancy is
stalked by a stranger who is obsessed with her unborn child.
I’m not sure I’d call this film the most original thing I’ve
ever seen, but it does look sufficiently harrowing. Of course, I’m a little
bias at the moment. Pregnancy hormones are a bitch.
The thing is, January is when production companies put out
films that they don’t have a huge amount of confidence in. December is the big
month for snagging an audience. In January, no one’s really got money left over
and they go back to work or school after breaks. That means, the pickings are
often slim for the month.
As a result, Inside
likely wouldn’t have made my list on any other month. It didn’t catch my
attention so much as the thought of watching it didn’t repulse me. Quite a few
of the films this month fit into that same category.
Now, that doesn’t mean any of them would definitely be bad
or generic. Don’t put a huge amount of stock in what production companies think.
Fox might not have put Deadpool (2016)
out in January, but they were vocal about having no faith in it – and that
movie was phenomenal.
19 – The
Competition (1/26)
Tag Line: Play or
be played.
Production Company:
The Theory Inc., Ascension Media
Director: Harvey
Lowry
Writer: Kelsey
Tucker
Actors: Thora
Birch, Claire Coffee, Chris Klein, David Blue, Jason Tobias, Tiffany Fallon,
Gabrielle Stone, Harvey Lowry, Michael Draper, Tim Harrold, Kimberly Stanphill,
Betsy Hume, Jasmine Fontes, Kelsey Tucker, Catherine B. Johnson, Henry Noble,
Shelly Lipkin
Genre: Comedy,
Romance
Rated: NR
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: None
Is it just me or is Chris Klein (Just Friends, American Reunion, Authors Anonymous) somewhat
type-cast? It’s like he never really left his American Pie (1999) days.
Still, this film doesn’t look awful. It’s not really all
that unique, either, but it seems like it could be watchable at the very least.
Likely not something I’d choose, but I wouldn’t be too upset if we rolled it.
Who knows? It might even surprise me.
18 – Primal Rage
(1/26)
Tag Line: The legend
of Oh-Mah
Production Company:
None listed
Director: Patrick
Magee
Writer: Jay Lee,
Patrick Magee
Actors: Casey
Gagliardi, Andrew Joseph Montgomery, Eloy Casados, Justin Rain, Marshal Hilton,
Shannon Malone, Jackey Neyman Jones, Jim Roof, Brandon Gibson
Genre: Horror
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: A newly reunited young couple's drive through the
Pacific Northwest turns into a nightmare as they are forced to face nature,
unsavory locals, and a monstrous creature, known to the Native Americans as
Oh-Mah.
Clearly, just by watching the trailer alone, you can see
there are a lot of stereotypes in play for this creature feature horror. I
mean, they even bothered to show us the creepy convenience store/gas station
clerk warning the protagonists about the woods. What’s worse is that this film
seems to be utilizing those tropes seriously instead of ironically.
Still, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a sasquatch-based
horror film and this one seems to be higher quality than the majority of them.
It could just be a bad trailer. That’s what I’m hoping for.
It was funded on Kickstarter, too. That makes me want to
have faith in it.
17 – Swinging
Safari (1/18)
Tag Line: Staying
alive was harder than you think.
Production Company:
Piccadilly Pictures, See Pictures, Wildheart Films
Director: Stephan
Elliott
Writer: Stephan
Elliott
Actors: Guy
Pearce, Julian McMahon, Radha Mitchell, Kylie Minogue, Asher Keddie, Jack
Thompson, Jacob Elordi, Alice Lanesbury, Oscar Bailey, Atticus Rob, Ava Taylor,
James Calder, Jesse Denyer, Imogen Hess, Marcus Guinane, Renaud Jadin
Genre: Drama
Rated: NR
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: A teenager comes of age in a small Australian town
during the 1970s when a 200-ton blue whale gets washed up on a local beach.
This will be coming out in Australia, specifically.
I imagine there’s going to be a huge amount of cringe in
this film that’s going to make me shy away from seeing it, but the raunchy
humor is clearly there and there’s a decent cast backing it up. I can’t really
hold the cringe factor against it, because that’s personal opinion. Tons of
people love watching that kind of thing. I’m just super sensitive to it and
wind up hiding in my shirt.
I’m just weird.
The tagline indicates that there might be more to this movie
than meets the eye, as well. Especially when you take into account that IMDb
doesn’t list it as a comedy. It may be misrepresented in the trailer. In fact,
it almost definitely is – considering the blurb mentions a whale that doesn’t
even make an appearance in the video I just saw.
16 – Insidious:
The Last Key (1/5)
Tag Line: Fear
comes home
Production Company:
Blumhouse Productions, Entertainment One, LStar Capital, Stage 6 Films
Director: Adam
Robitel
Writer: Leigh
Whannell
Actors: Lin
Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Kirk Acevedo, Caitlin Gerard, Spencer
Locke, Josh Stewart, Tessa Ferrer, Aleque Reid, Ava Kolker, Pierce Pope, Bruce
Davidson
Genre: Horror,
Mystery, Thriller
Rated: PG-13
Length: 103 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier faces her most
fearsome and personal haunting yet - in her own family home.
I’m so done with the Insidious
series that it’s not even funny. However, I have decided to reluctantly admit
that this one doesn’t look bad. At the very least it doesn’t look like a repeat
of all the others.
I still hope it’s the last one.
15 – Death Race
4: Beyond Anarchy (1/30)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Universal 1440 Entertainment, UFO International Productions, Capital Arts
Entertainment
Director: Don
Michael Paul
Writer: Paul W.
S. Anderson, Tony Giglio, Don Michael Paul
Actors: Zach
McGowan, Frederick Koehler, Christine Marzano, Yennis Cheung, Cassie Clare,
Lucy Aarden, Danny Trejo, Danny Glover, Nicholas Aaron, Cameron Jack, Lorina
Kamburova, Diana Dimitrova, Valislav Pavlov, Lee Shone, Natalie Ann Parry
Genre: Action
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: None
This film is going straight to DVD, which makes sense for
something in this kind of series that’s going into the fourth film and has more
of a cult following than a mainstream one.
It’s very easy to write this film off as typical sequel
fodder. Until you watch the trailer and realize there’s actually a really
decent, strong, cast behind it.
Sure, it’s Mad Max
lite, but I’m still really interested in seeing people like Danny Glover (Day of the Mummy, Legendary, Lethal Weapon 4)
and Danny Trejo (Bad Ass, Machete, Shoot
the Hero) pull Death Race 4 out
of the ‘typical’ pile and put it into one that’s more for films worth watching.
Don’t write this movie off just yet.
14 – A Tale of
Two Coreys (1/6)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Hybrid, Philco, Mayor Entertainment, Brain Before Brian Productions
Actors: Elijah
Marcano, Justin Ellings, Scott Bosely, Casey Leach, Ashley Scott, Patrick
Muldoon, Paula Lindberg, Brian Huskey, Aleksandra Jade, Brandon Howard, Keith
Coogan, Jacob Loeb, Bella Popa, Michael Carbonaro, John Ennis, Richard Tanner,
Jennifer Peo, Claude Knowlton, Brian Nolan, Jono Cota, Jay Disney, John Colton
Genre: Drama
Rated: NR
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: The story of teen heartthrobs Corey Feldman and
Corey Haim, whose lives were forever changed by the glitz, glamour, and the
darker side of show business.
With everything going on in Hollywood today, I think it’s
more important than ever to explore what happened with the Coreys when they
were young actors.
Hollywood likes to think it’s above the law. It’s not. Furthermore,
no entertainment is so important that it excuses the abuse of a child – for any
reason. What happened in the lives of Corey Feldman and Corey Haim is
inexcusable, and it’s about time people paid attention.
13 – Day of the
Dead: Bloodline (1/5)
Tag Line: Join
the undying war.
Production Company:
Campbell Grobman Films, Nu Boyana Film Studios
Director: Hector
Hernandez Vicens
Writer: Mark Tonderai,
Lars Jacobson, George A. Romero
Actors: Sophie
Skelton, Johnathon Schaech, Jeff Gum, Marcus Vanco, Mark Rhino Smith, Lillian
Blankenship, Shari Watson, Rachel O’Meara, Luke Cousins, Lorina Kamburova,
Cristina Serafini, Debbie Sherman, Nathan Cooper, Teodora Duhovnikova, Ulyana
Chan, Bashar Rahal
Genre: Horror
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: A small group of military personnel and
survivalists dwell in an underground bunker as they seek to find a cure in a
world overrun by zombies.
Oh, this film scares me. Not in the typical zombie/horror
way, either.
For those of you who don’t know, the brilliant George Romero (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of
the Dead, Land of Dead), the grandfather of zombie lore and the original
creator of Day of the Dead, died this
past July.
Now, it’s very possible that this film is coming out now as
a way to honor the memory of Romero… but it could also wind up dishonoring his
memory. Bloodline is not a sequel,
it’s a reimagining that is coming out less than a year after Romero’s death.
I want to believe this film will take into account how loyal
Romero’s fans are and not screw things up… but a reimagining so soon… it makes
me nervous.
I’m still willing to give it a chance.
12 – Devil’s Gate
(1/5)
Tag Line: Pray
they are never found.
Production Company:
Caramel Film, Mednick Productions
Director: Clay
Staub
Writer: Peter
Aperlo, Clay Staub
Actors: Milo
Ventimiglia, Bridget Regan, Amanda Schull, Shawn Ashmore, Jonathan Frakes,
Javier Botet, Adam Hurtig, Spencer Drever, Scott Johnson, Will Woytowich, Jan
Skene, Sarah Constible, Beverly Ndukwu, Jean-Francois Ferland
Genre: Horror,
Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: 94
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Set in the small town of Devil's Gate, North
Dakota, the film examines the disappearance of a local woman (Regan) and her
young son. Schull plays an FBI agent who helps the local sheriff (Frakes)
search for answers. Partnering with a deputy (Ashmore), they track down the
missing woman's husband (Ventimiglia) and find that nothing is as it seems.
On first look, Devil’s
Gate looks like a typical supernatural cop thriller, but there’s more
beneath the surface.
First of all, I have no fucking clue what this trailer is
telling me. It may not be supernatural at all – that hand that reaches out at
one point looks very alien in nature. Does that necessarily mean it’s an alien
film? No. I mean, the title indicates there’s a hellish factor, since devils
are mentioned. If it is hellish, though, I expect something really interesting
in design according to what that hand looked like.
Second of all, the cast is nothing to sneeze at. There are a
couple of relatively big names that don’t tend to take on typical projects.
Although they might not always find the best of them, they’re rarely typical.
They like to go out on a limb.
Finally, I’m very curious about Peter Aperlo (300: March to Glory, Watchmen: The End is
Nigh, Legend fo the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole). He’s one of the
writers working on Devil’s Gate, but
he’s mostly familiar with writing for video games. That’s something that
intrigues me. I want to see how his experience in the gaming world translates
to the film world – especially with the kind of acting back-up he’ll have in
this project.
11 – Saturday
Church (1/12)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Spring Pictures, Round Films
Director: Damon
Cardasis
Writer: Damon
Cardasis
Actors: Margot
Bingham, Regina Taylor, Evander Duck Jr., Marquis Rodriguez, Peter Y. Kim,
Jaylin Fletcher, Luka Kain, Mj Rodriguez, Jose Baez, Stephen Conrad Moore, Kate
Bornstein, Indya Moore, Jarrett Austin Brown, Alexia Garcia
Genre: Drama,
Fantasy, Musical
Rated: NR
Length: 90
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A 14 year-old-boy, struggling with gender identity
and religion, begins to use fantasy to escape his life in the inner city and
find his passion in the process.
This musical is very politically relevant at the moment,
with light being shined on the transgendered community, awareness, and
acceptance.
I believe a film on this subject that allows people to see
the life of a child coming to terms with their own identity in the safety of a
musical, might be exactly what the world needs right now. That musical
component allows people who may not be as tolerant, or who may not understand
transgendered youth very well, to see the honesty in the story through a gentler
lens… even if the story is harsh.
Sometimes, the answer is to hold someone’s hand as they walk
a path to understanding, instead of throwing them in head first.
10 – Stratton
(1/5)
Tag Line: The
enemy has a weapon. So do we.
Production Company:
Atomic Arts, GFM films, SquareOne Entertainment, Stratton Film Productions,
Twickenham Studios
Director: Simon
West
Writer: Duncan
Falconer, Warren Davis II
Actors: Dominic
Cooper, Austin Stowell, Gemma Chan, Connie Nielsen, Thomas Kretschmann, Tom
Felton, Jake Fairbrother, Tyler Hoechlin, Derek Jacobi, Lizzie Winkler, Rinat
Khismatouline, Igal Naor, Olegar Fedoro
Genre: Action,
Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 95
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A British Special Boat Service commando tracks down
an international terrorist cell.
Really, Stratton
just looks like a good, solid action film with a decent cast.
It’s very possible that the film might spiral off into
trope-town… but I’m hoping there’s more to it. I really want to believe in Stratton.
9 – Proud Mary (1/12)
Tag Line: Execute
with style.
Production Company:
Screen Gems
Director: Babak
Najafi
Writer: Steve
Antin, John Stuart Newman, Christian Swegal
Actors: Taraji P.
Henson, Neal McDonough, Danny Glover, Xander Berkeley, Billy Brown, Margaret
Avery, Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Owen Burke, Jose Guns Alves, Adrian M. Mompoint,
Alex Portenko, Bo Cleary, Al’Jaleel McGhee, Shawn Doherty, Roger Dillingham Jr.
Genre: Action,
Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: Taraji P. Henson is Mary, a hitwoman working for an
organized crime family in Boston. Mary's life is completely turned around when
she meets a young boy whose path she crosses when a professional hit goes awry.
This film just looks like a fun way to see some great actors
be badasses. I’m absolutely ready to see Taraji P. Henson (Empire, Hidden Figures, Top Five) act as an assassin.
Proud Mary has a
very 70s quality to it and that makes me curious about where the plot is going
to go. In my experience, 70s films were pretty fucked up – many of them in the
best way. At the very least, some of the craziest movies I’ve seen were made in
that decade.
Needless to say, I expect a lot from this film, as well as
the cast.
8 – The Leisure
Seeker (1/19)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Indiana Production Company, Bac Films, Rai Cinema, Ministero per i Beni e le
Attività Culturali (MiBAC)
Director: Paolo
Virzi
Writer: Michael
Zadoorian, Stephen Amidon, Francesca Archibugi, Francesco Piccolo, Paolo Virzì
Actors: Donald
Sutherland, Helen Mirren, Kirsty Mitchell, Janel Moloney, Joshua Mikel, Chelle
Ramos, Christian McKay, Elijah Marcano, Robert Pralgo, Dick Gregory, Matt
Mercurio, Marc Fajardo, Mylie Stone
Genre: Adventure,
Comedy, Drama
Rated: R
Length: 112
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A runaway couple go on an unforgettable journey in
the faithful old RV they call The Leisure Seeker.
Donald Sutherland (The
Hunger Games, Crossing Lines, The Mechanic) is one of my favorite actors of
all time. Possibly in my top ten, though people likely wouldn’t guess it. I’ve
never seen him act poorly in anything he’s ever been in, though. He always
throws himself into every part he takes.
In this case, I can’t imagine how difficult it much have
been for him to throw himself into the part of an Alzheimer’s victim. It had to
have been heartbreaking…
And I will be disappointed if watching his performance is
anything less than life changing.
7 – 12 Strong (1/19)
Tag Line: The
Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers
Production Company:
Alcon Entertainment, Black Label Media, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Lionsgate
Director: Nicolai
Fuglsig
Writer: Ted
Tally, Peter Craig, Doug Stanton
Actors: Chris
Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, William Fichtner, Elsa Pataky, Taylor Sheridan,
Michael Pena, Rob Riggle, Ben O’Toole, Marie Wagenman, Seth Adkins, Peter
Malek, Kenneth Miller
Genre: Action,
Drama, History
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: 12 Strong tells the story of the first Special
Forces team deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11; under the leadership of a new
captain, the team must work with an Afghan warlord to take down the Taliban.
There’s no way this film wouldn’t look good, I think. Chris
Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok, Blackhat, Rush)
in a war film based loosely on reality just sounded like an awesome movie, even
before I saw the trailer or who else was involved.
When you add the trailer and the rest of the cast to the
equation, 12 Strong seems like it can’t
miss.
6 – Molly’s Game (1/5)
Tag Line: Deal
with her.
Production Company:
STX Entertainment, Huayi Brothers Pictures, The Mark Gordon Company, Pascal
Pictures, Entertainment One
Director: Aaron
Sorkin
Writer: Molly
Bloom, Aaron Sorkin
Actors: Jessica
Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Chris O’Dowd,
J. C. MacKenzie, Brian d’Arcy James, Bill Camp, Graham Greene, Justin Kirk,
Angela Gots, Natalie Krill, Stephanie Herfield, Madison McKinley, Piper Howell
Genre: Biography,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: 140
minutes
IMDb Blurb: The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class
skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game and became an
FBI target.
Every time I saw this trailer, I liked it a little more. It
crept up my top 20 list very quietly, until it plateaued here.
It does fall in that biographical film dead horse category
that Hollywood has been beating… but it still looks good to me. There’s strong
women, action, intrigue… I have some difficult looking passed Molly’s Game without giving it credit.
I am a little concerned about the run time, which is why
this film couldn’t climb higher on the list than this. Two and a half hours for
a biographical film about someone relatively unknown is a little much. There’s
some significant risk of the story getting boring.
Actors: Michael
Gambon, Imelda Staunton, Ben Whishaw, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Sally
Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, Marie-France Alvarez, Sanjeev Bhaskar,
Ben Miller, Jessica Hynes, Robbie Gee, Jim Broadbent, Enzo Squillino Jr., Tom
Conti, Louis Partridge, Hugh Grant, Peter Capaldi, Tom Davis, Noah Taylor,
Aaron Neil, Brendan Gleeson
Genre: Animation,
Adventure, Comedy
Rated: PG
Length: 103
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Paddington, now happily settled with the Brown
family and a popular member of the local community, picks up a series of odd
jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy's 100th birthday, only for
the gift to be stolen.
I never got around to seeing the first Paddington (2014), but I was only a little interested anyway. This
sequel actually speaks to me more than the original did. I just think this film
looks better.
Of course, I’m aware that there could be all manner of
sequelitis at work here that makes it suck horribly… but I don’t think that’ll
be the case. I have faith in Paddington 2
– and I might just watch the first one in order to prepare myself for it.
4 – The Commuter (1/12)
Tag Line: Lives
are on the line.
Production Company:
Ombra Films, StudioCanal, The Picture Company
Director: Jaume
Collet-Serra
Writer: Byron
Willinger, Philip de Blasi, Ryan Engle
Actors: Liam
Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks, Sam Neill, Elizabeth
McGovern, Killian Scott, Shazad Latif, Andy Nyman, Clara Lago, Roland Moller,
Florence Pugh, Dean-Charles Chapman, Ella-Rae Smith, Nila Aalia, Colin
McFarlane, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Genre: Crime,
Drama, Mystery
Rated: PG-13
Length: 104
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A businessman is caught up in a criminal conspiracy
during his daily commute home.
Liam Neeson (A Monster
Calls, Silence, A Christmas Star) is always a good reason to want to see a
film. In this case, I find the plot of The
Commuter to be interesting as well – if not entirely original.
It actually reminds me quite a bit of Eagle Eye (2008), a movie I relatively enjoyed. The only thing that
makes this one stand out against the other is that the cast is better.
Hopefully, the story deviates enough to make a difference. I may have liked Eagle Eye, but I don’t need another film
exactly like it.
3 – The Post (1/12)
Tag Line: None
Production Company:
Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks, Participant Media, Pascal Pictures, Star
Thrower Entertainment
Director: Steven
Spielberg
Writer: Liz
Hannah, Josh Singer
Actors: Meryl
Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Tracy Letts, Bradley Whitford,
Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Rhys, Alison Brie, Carrie Coon, Jesse Plemons, David
Cross, Zach Woods, pat healy, John Rue, Rick Holmes, Philip Casnoff, Jessie
Mueller, Stark Sands, Michael Cyril Creighton, Will Denton
Genre: Biography,
Drama, History
Rated: PG-13
Length: 115
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A cover-up that spanned four U.S. Presidents pushed
the country's first female newspaper publisher and a hard-driving editor to
join an unprecedented battle between journalist and government.
I love films that advocate standing up for what’s right at
all costs, especially when ‘what’s right’ is specifically centered around the
truth.
Transparency is a huge factor in government and, without it,
politicians cannot be held accountable because no one knows what they’re really
doing. This film touches on that idea, while looking into the true story of a
badass woman standing her ground when people thought she couldn’t.
All of this is a part of The
Post, along with a ridiculously talented cast and crew that includes Steven
Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan, War
Horse, The BFG), Meryl Streep (Into
the Woods, The Giver, The Iron Lady), Tom Hanks (Inferno, Sully, Ithaca), and Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story, Blue Jay, The Runner). I really don’t see
how this film can go wrong.
2 – Please Stand
By (1/26)
Tag Line: You can’t
blend in when you were born to stand out.
Production Company:
Allegiance Theater, 2929 Productions
Director: Ben
Lewin
Writer: Michael
Golamco
Actors: Dakota
Fanning, Toni Collette, Alice Eve, River Alexander, Marla Gibbs, Jessica Rothe,
Michael Stahl-David, Patton Oswalt
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: PG-13
Length: 93
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A young autistic woman runs away from her caregiver
in an attempt to submit her manuscript to a "Star Trek" writing
competition.
There’s something completely endearing about this film – and
not just because I consider myself a Trekkie.
Dakota Fanning’s (The Last
of Robin Hood, Effie Gray, Very Good Girls) part looks incredibly in depth
and I can’t wait to see how she works with Patton Oswalt (BoJack Horseman, Veep, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.).
I’m hoping that Please
Stand By goes down a more heartwarming path, but I like that there are numerous
possible outcomes to this plot. That means you can’t really know where the film
is going to end up while you’re watching it.
1 – Maze Runner:
The Death Cure (1/26)
Tag Line: The
time of reckoning has come.
Production Company:
Gotham Group, Temple Hill Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox
Director: Wes
Ball
Writer: T. S.
Nowlin, James Dashner
Actors: Rosa
Salazar, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Walton
Goggins, Katherine McNamara, Aidan Gillen, Nathalie Emmanuel, Patricia
Clarkson, Giancarlo Esposito, Barry Pepper, Ki Hong Lee, Jacob Lofland, Paul
Lazenby
Genre: Action,
Sci-Fi, Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: Young hero Thomas embarks on a mission to find a
cure for a deadly disease known as the "Flare".
I have been waiting for this film for so damn long.
As a fan of the books, I don’t actually like the Maze Runner films. Everything is off and
wrong and makes me cringe on an Eragon (2006)
level. Still, I’ve been dying to see how they wrap it up – since it almost seems
to follow a different storyline altogether.
With everything Dylan O’Brien (Teen Wolf, American Assassin, The Internship) went through to get
this film recorded, I really hope it’s as good as it could be. (Provided you ignore
the book series)
