'Dirty Angels' Fails to Impress Critics

         On December 13, 2024, Lionsgate released 'Dirty Angels', which received a predominantly negative reception from critics and a score of 38% on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of this writing. In the film, "Soldiers in an all-female commando unit pose as members of a relief organization to save a group of girls taken hostage by terrorists in Afghanistan." The ensemble cast includes Ruby Rose, Eva Green, Jonica T. Gibbs, and Maria Bakalova. Read the full review round-up below.

        Matt Lynch of In Review Online says, "Ever since the disaster that was Green Lantern, one of action cinema’s surest old hands and biggest directors of the ’90s has been toiling away making sturdy, and occasionally lower budget, films. Now 81 years old, most recently Martin Campbell has dabbled in Neeson territory (2022’s Memory), made an unusual Jackie Chan revenge movie (The Foreigner), and gave viewers the truly weird hitman romantic drama The Protege. Now, he’s back with the women-on-a-mission movie Dirty Angels, which reunites him with his Casino Royale star Eva Green, and like the rest of his output over the last decade or so, the project delivers mostly solid journeyman work, goosed with a few welcome idiosyncrasies." Adding, "With regard to the cast, though, there isn’t as much to say, since beyond Jake the other women are thinly sketched and mostly there to offer expository dialogue — this is the Eva Green show. The actress gets to do almost all of the lifting here, playing Jake as so closed-off that her natural ruthlessness is amplified to the point of cruelty. She’s clearly having a blast with the role despite the utter seriousness of the entire proceeding, and it’s yet another genre movie in which the performer with presence to spare proves to be most successful element. Dirty Angels is hardly a perfectly film, but it’s Green, even more than Campbell, who makes the material work."

       Aaron Peterson of The Hollywood Outsider notes, "Despite the lack of humor (and a handful of spotty effects), Dirty Angels is a pulpy good time. Director Martin Campbell knows this genre back-to-front and has delivered yet another entertaining bloodbath with more than its share of plot twists." Concluding, "Though the team and the script both are effective, engaging and, at times, even surprising, one element that is slightly lacking is fun. Grounded in realism, Dirty Angels is a very gritty mission-style scenario, but having a jovial aspect often elevates the best in the genre. Other than a few welcome winks and quips from Bakalova, this grouping is more intense than John Wick at a puppy mill."

       Nick Rogers of Midwest Film Journal was less impressed, stating, "There are some interesting intertextual ideas about the delusion of American exceptionalism and a very strong fight scene involving Eva Green that's both sword fight and street fight. But this is otherwise merely the latest mediocre Martin Campbell movie."

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        Robert Taylor of Collider writes, "Dirty Angels is largely structured like a heist movie, with most of the screen time devoted to preparing for the big rescue. And that's really the problem number one here. For an action film, there's surprisingly little of it. The first significant action sequence doesn't occur until 50 minutes into the movie. By the time the Angels, disguised in burkas, storm the bad guys' compound, there are only 15 minutes of the movie left. The rest of the runtime is filled with endless planning and some light intrigue. The team makes various alliances with local power players, some of whom will later be revealed to be double-crossers with secondary motivations. The film also spends a lot of time trying to build out a world where sometimes you have to ally with the lesser of two evils, but the political observations the movie offers feel both too superficial and ill-fitting for the story at hand. This is a sub-two-hour "women on a mission" action movie, which isn't the ideal platform to sneak in a detailed breakdown of the geopolitical history of the Middle East. None of it proves to be very interesting, and plot specifics often feel like they're from a lesser episode of 24."

'Young Werther' Reviews: "If you’re looking for a familiar story that features elements of early 2000s rom-coms, including fun loving best friends and awkward sexual tension in a love triangle, you’ll be pleased with this film"

         On December 13, 2024, Lionsgate releases 'Young Werther', which has received a mixed reception from critics. "Patrick J. Adams, Douglas Booth and Alison Pill star in this romantic comedy based on the classic smash hit novel of tragic romance. While on a simple errand to Toronto, a carefree and charming young writer named Werther stumbles across the love of his life only to discover that the young woman is engaged. Despite the urgings of his hypochondriac best friend, Werther turns his world upside down in a desperate, misguided and hilarious quest to win her heart." But what did the critics say?

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        Justin Bower of Loud and Clear Reviews says, "It’s also loads of fun. If you’re looking for a familiar story that features elements of early 2000s rom-coms, including fun loving best friends and awkward sexual tension in a love triangle, you’ll be pleased with this film. While it offers some hilarious jokes and a somewhat intriguing storyline, it’s nothing revolutionary. The acting, led strongly by Booth and Pill and supported by Adams, is the best part of Young Werther. Not only is Werther and Charlotte’s chemistry believable, but the cast as a whole works perfectly together. This salvages an oddly paced story that attempts to cover too much ground in a short runtime. Young Werther’s script is well written. I usually detest expositional dialogue, but it is utilized in a clever way to clarify character backstories and interests. Other big moments, such as Werther’s inevitable proclamation of love for Charlotte, are sentimental and avoid being cringeworthy. There are plenty of heartstopping moments throughout; the ending is surprising, the most original portion of the film. Romantic bliss can only go so far, and the conflict at the heart of Werther and Charlotte’s relationship eventually surfaces. Arriving at the end, however, is a journey writer-director José Lourenço seemed reluctant to embark upon. Long, dialogue-heavy scenes are interrupted by montages over catchy songs to fill in the gaps of lost plot progress. While I think no rom-com is complete without a good montage, Young Werther overuses them, resulting in a disjointed experience overall."

       Bill Chambers of Film Freak Central notes, "Pill has received some of the best reviews of her career as the winsome Charlotte, but it’s a blessing and a curse that the character’s chapter-skipped youth resonates with how Pill went straight from playing students to teachers in the popular imagination because no one in the past 20 years had the insight to make her the romantic lead. She’s in her element here, but she’s undoubtedly a bit long in the tooth for Charlotte, and styled so rigidly it’s as though one hair out of place will cause the decades to instantly catch up with her. It reduces her to a cartoon character, and one of those is already enough for the remarkably thin Young Werther, a movie that confuses the novel’s gravitas with its renown. Instead of writing a roman à clef about his chaste affair with Charlotte, The Sorrows of Young Walter, and sending her a copy, Werther may as well have texted her; that “sorrows” lands with all the heft of “[sadface emoji], lol.”

'Armor' is a Real Turkey of a Film

         On November 22, 2024, Lionsgate released 'Armor', which has received negative reviews from critics and seems destined to become yet another turkey in the filmography for it's co-lead, Sylvester Stallone. In the film, "Academy Award Nominee Sylvester Stallone and Jason Patric star in an action-packed thriller about the lengths one man will go to save what's left of his family and reclaim his own life. James and his son Casey are armored truck drivers tasked with delivering a suspicious package. After a violent ambush on the road, James and Casey are trapped until they discover the value of what they have been carrying and join forces to outgun and outwit their attackers." But what did the critics say?

        Aidan Kelley of Collider says, "Where Lionsgate's other ill-fated action ventures like Borderlands and The Crow might be remembered as examples of what not to do for an action film, Armor may not even be remembered at all." Adding, "Armor's biggest strength is its lead character, James, and that's largely thanks to a solid performance from Jason Patric. James is the only character in the film who is given any sort of meaningful development, even if his alcoholic tendencies can be quite cliché and sometimes even downright goofy (such as the way he stores his secret stash of booze in the fridge). Despite the character's shortcomings, Patric still delivers a more than passable performance as a scared father who is trying to do everything to protect his family."

Photo by Alex Kalligas on Unsplash

       Avi Offer of NYC Movie Guru notes, "James (Jason Patric) and his son, Casey (Josh Wiggins) work as armored truck drivers fight for their lives when a gang of thieves, Smoke (Dash Mihok), Echo (Josh Whites) and Viper (Jeff Chase), led by Rook (Sylvester Stallone), ambush their truck and trap them on a bridge in Armor. Co-writers Cory Todd Hughes and Adrian Speckert take a simple premise and turn it into a meandering, dull and uninspired blend of drama and action with not nearly enough thrills. They try to humanize James and Casey by providing them with a backstory involving a tragic event that's the cause of James' feelings of guilt and shame as well as his alcoholism and rocky relationship with Casey. James is trying his best to get on the right track by going to AA meetings. The ambush will put his relationship with Casey to the test. Is there not enough dramatic tension within their dysfunctional relationship to propel the plot? If only it were the meat of the story instead of the ambush which is the least compelling part of the film. Rook remains a boring, underwritten villain, and the ending tries to be un-Hollywood and surprising, but doesn't make much sense in hindsight and becomes a weak, lazy ending that feels like a cop-out. The action scenes are lackluster and the dialogue sounds bland without comic relief that would've provided much-needed levity. Talented actor Josh Wiggins, who also stars in the super dramas Hellion and Giant Little Ones, deserves better material than this. At a running time of 1 hour and 29 minutes, Armor, directed by Justin Routt, opens at Cinema Village and on VOD via Lionsgate." Photo by Alex Kalligas on Unsplash

'Cellar Door' Fails to Impress Critics

         On November 1, 2024, Lionsgate released 'Cellar Door', which has received predominantly negative reviews from critics. In the film, "A wealthy homeowner offers to give his beautiful estate to a couple who's looking for a fresh start. However, their dream home comes with one unusual caveat -- they can never open the cellar door." The ensemble cast includes Scott Speedman, Jordana Brewster, and Addison Timlin. But what did the critics say?

       Brian Orndorf of Blu-ray.com says, "Scott and Taylor don’t follow the potential of the cellar door, quickly putting the mystery on the backburner to deal with relationship issues between Sera and John. For the architect, his work life has been derailed by sexual harassment allegations from Alyssa, putting him on suspension, unable to tell his wife what’s going on. He builds a layer cake of lies instead, struggling to handle Alyssa and the fallout from their affair. This is the tale “Cellar Door” wants to pursue, aiming for a psychological study of a dishonest man trying to stop his life from unraveling. “Cellar Door” periodically returns to the unknown, as John uses his free time to figure out an alternate route into the basement, and he researches previous owners. There’s also the discovery of a bullet buried in a wall." Adding, "It’s very strange to watch “Cellar Door” avoid becoming a more suspenseful film. The writers are clearly trying to use a MacGuffin to help explore what becomes a melodrama of sorts, getting away from the unknown to highlight troubling behaviors and burgeoning insanity. A dissection of marital trust is the final destination of the movie, but the writing just isn’t strong enough to pull off the magic trick of misdirection. Director Vaughn Stein (the consistently underwhelming helmer behind “Terminal,” “Every Breath You Take,” and “Inheritance”) doesn’t add enough visual tension to the effort, and his command of casting leaves much to be desired. The feature ultimately becomes a study of relationships put to the test, which isn’t nearly as enticing as the secrets of the cellar door."

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'Dominique' Reviews: "an absolutely ferocious action movie with stunning plot twists"

        On October 11, 2024, Lionsgate released 'Dominique', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the film, "Dominique, a well-trained assassin, flees from her troubled past in an attempt to begin a new life in South America." The ensemble cast includes Oksana Orlan, Maurice Compte, and Chase Coleman. Read the full review round-up below.

       Julian Roman of MovieWeb says, "Oksana Orlan, a statuesque fashion model turned actress, writer, and producer, will kick your ass and break a foot doing it in Dominique, an absolutely ferocious action movie with stunning plot twists. The film initially seems like another mindless and forgettable VOD entry we've seen countless times. That expectation changes dramatically when a razor-sharp first act goes in a truly shocking direction. Every character is fair game once ruthless and sadistic baddies are unleashed. Steel yourself for shock, awe, and heartbreak. There are no sacred cows or boundaries here." Adding, "Director/writer Michael S. Ojeda, who previously worked with Orlan in The Russian Bride, stirs up a second act hornet's nest with a big reveal. Jaws will hit the floor. What transpires is visceral, ugly, and completely reframes the story. Ojeda deserves credit for not being predictable. He baits the audience into a false sense of security, then delivers a narrative wallop that hits like a freight train. Ojeda raises the stakes to the point of no return. Dominique must choose to follow her conscience or allow a bad situation to get worse. That's not an easy thing for someone who's always chosen self-preservation."

       Avi Offer of NYC Movie Guru notes,, "Dominique (Oksana Orlan), a ruthless assassin, hides out with a police chief, Santiago (Maurice Compte), and his family after killing members of the mafia. When the mafia kills Santiago, she sets out for revenge against them while trying to protect his family in Dominique. The screenplay by writer/director Michael S. Ojeda doesn't get any points for originality. Of course, there's a MacGuffin which, in this case, happens to be a laptop with a recording of a mafia killing that would incriminate them if it were to go public. It's essentially a less bonkers version of John Wick set in a jungle with a female lead instead of a male in the lead role. Oksana Orlan commands the screen in an electrifying performance which helps to elevate the film well above its mediocre screenplay. There are a few surprisingly moving moments between her and some of Santiago's family members who she's defending. The action scenes are decent, but nothing exceptional. Fortunately, Ojeda maintains suspense from start to finish and doesn't allow the film to overstay its welcome or become exhausting by keeping the running time under 2 hours. At 1 hours and 34 minutes, Dominique is an explosive, gripping and exhilarating action thriller. It opens at Cinema Village and on VOD via Lionsgate."

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'Megalopolis' Reviews: "It’s a noble aspiration, if only the film actually said anything coherent"

         On September 27, 2024, Lionsgate releases 'Megalopolis', which has earned predominantly negative reviews from critics, currently holding at 51% on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a Critics Consensus that reads, "More of a creative manifesto than a cogent narrative feature, Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis is an overstuffed opus that's equal parts stimulating and slapdash." "MEGALOPOLIS is a Roman Epic set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor's daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves." But what exactly did the critics say?

       Damien Straker of Impulse Gamer says, "Francis Ford Coppola only had a concept of a plan. Megalopolis is the American epic he has been attempting to develop since 1977. An entire generation or two of actors was ready to be cast in the film before the project was canned, revived, and derailed again. The plan in the 1980s was that the film would unfold over a single day in New York with the city juxtaposed against Catiline Rome. It never came to fruition. It was then to be filmed in the early 2000s, but shooting was disrupted by the September 11 terrorist attacks. The film has now finally opened albeit to mixed reviews and a dismal box office performance that aptly reflects its disappointing form. The poor reception has also been compounded by various industry scandals, including but not limited to inappropriate behaviour, fake reviews in the film’s trailer, and hilariously Coppola rating the film himself five-stars on his own Letterboxd account. There is extensive information about how chaotic and unprofessional the actual shooting process was at times too. The noise aside, what is indisputable is that Megalopolis was not worth the drama. It is a poor film that fails to sustain its dramatic tension or utilise its rich cast. Consequently, this terrible passion project should see this once great director go quietly into the night."

       Chris Evangelista of Slashfilm disagrees, stating, "Megalopolis" may be a mess, but gosh, it's a beautiful mess — an unapologetically earnest film aching to be seen on the biggest screen possible, even if some of its imagery is ugly and flat thanks to questionable visual effects. After failing for so long to get the movie off the ground, and set back by years of box office disappointment, Coppola funded the film himself, putting up an eye-popping $120 million to get "Megalopolis" made on his own terms. The final result arrives on a wave of behind-the-scenes rumors and controversies (Coppola is currently suing Variety over some of those rumors), and also the foregone conclusion that the movie will ultimately flop." Adding, "But a movie's box office does not determine its quality, and one has to assume that the 85-year-old Coppola isn't really concerned with "Megalopolis" being a hit at this point. He just wants people to see it, and see it they should, flaws and all. In an era where Hollywood dreck becomes more homogenized and dictated by venture capitalists who don't give a flying f**k about actual art, the fact that "Megalopolis" exists at all is something of a miracle. I do not love the final film itself, but gosh, I love that I got to see it."

       Maureen Lee Lenker of Entertainment Weekly was less than impressed, stating, "Despite being nearly three hours long, more substantive sentences have probably been written about what Megalopolis might be than what is actually in the script. Francis Ford Coppola changed cinema as we know it, and his Godfather films will remain hallmarks of American filmmaking. But his latest film (and possibly his last) is a stain on his legacy. Somehow Megalopolis manages to be both chaotic and unspeakably boring. Coppola melds Ancient Rome with modern-day New York, which is a stab at commentary on America’s own declining empire (look out for the “Make Rome Great Again” sign and the pointed line about politicians only needing to be entertainers). It’s a noble aspiration, if only the film actually said anything coherent."

       Andrew Webster of The Verge notes, "There’s a refreshing idealism to Megalopolis. In a time overflowing with grim, nihilistic postapocalyptic stories, Francis Ford Coppola’s latest film is a retrofuturistic parable about creating a better world through architecture, science, and dreams. Unfortunately, that sheen fades almost immediately. The film wants viewers to imagine an idealistic future. But its vision for that future is so vague as to be meaningless. For all of its good intentions, Megalopolis is a confusing, bloated disaster. This shouldn’t be too surprising, as the lead-up to the film’s release has mostly been focused on one controversy after another. There’s the long development time, with director Coppola working on the movie in some form since 1982, forced to self-finance the entire $120 million production because studios passed on it. There are the reports of inappropriate on-set behavior (and a subsequent lawsuit), specifically hiring actors “who were canceled at one point or another,” and all of those fake AI-generated review quotes. The four-decade-long process of bringing Megalopolis to theaters was an absolute mess, much like the film itself."

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        Jackson Weaver of CBC News writes, "Sanctimonious to the point of insulting, Megalopolis is a cautionary tale — though not about the entropic nature of empires and civilization. It's a warning about what too much money, too much self-seriousness and too little editing can do to an artist." Adding, "The intent to compare the fall or Rome with the projected fall of the U.S. does lead to one of Megalopolis's sole points of value. The parallels between Megalopolis's Cicero and Catilina and their Roman counterparts' competing interpretations of the value of the republic — as well as their involvement in the Catilinian plot to overthrow it — will be interesting to those with an eye for history."

'Never Let Go' Reviews: A "truly scary film that marks one of Berry’s best work in a long while"

         On September 20, 2024, Lionsgate releases 'Never Let Go', which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics, currently holding at 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, played by Academy Award® winner Halle Berry (Actress in a Leading Role, 2001 -- Monster's Ball), and her twin sons is their house and their family's protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times -- even tethering themselves with ropes -- they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival." The ensemble cast includes Percy Daggs IV, Anthony B. Jenkins, Matthew Kevin Anderson, and Stephanie Lavigne. But what did the critics say?

        J. Don Birnam of Next Best Picture says, "Fans of niche horror rejoice at the arrival of Academy Award-winner Halle Berry into the genre. In her latest film, “Never Let Go,” she plays Momma, a woman living with her twin sons in a post-apocalyptic world, stalked by monsters. Captivating and ferocious, Berry’s Momma must fight back against the forces of darkness that are stalking her and her children while facing renewed doubt about the reality of the evil that surrounds her. The end result is an enjoyable and, at times, truly scary film that marks one of Berry’s best work in a long while."

       Laura Potier of Starburst praises the film, stating, "While this reviewer can’t decide whether Never Let Go would have been better as an ultra-serious, Gothic chamber piece or as an all-pulp, jump-scare extravaganza, Aja’s latest is still an entertaining, polished horror... perfect for spooky-season viewing."

       Courtney Howard of Variety notes, "Never Let Go” isn’t interested in reinventing familiar formulas when it comes to its unsettling spin on sinister spirits visiting a secluded cabin in the woods. With its inclusion of a protective mother and her two young kids attempting to escape an evil entity plaguing their world, it’s also unafraid to invite minor comparisons to “Bird Box.” Still, director Alexandre Aja’s psychologically taut feature blazes its own trail, dropping us into the middle of one family’s ghastly, worsening crisis, craftily drawing its scares from their interpersonal and intrapersonal strife. Though not all of its clever ideas come together efficiently in the finale, its thematic ruminations on grief, sanity, rebellion and redemption are intrinsically intertwined to harrowing, claustrophobic effect, heightening the hallucinatory horrors and dread-soaked atmospheric pull." Adding, "As demonstrated in Aja’s previous films, ranging from “High Tension” to his “The Hills Have Eyes” remake, the French genre director’s strength lies in stories dealing with ordinary people trapped in seemingly insurmountable, nightmarish experiences. Each is told with brevity in mind, streamlining the narrative’s pacing and twists. The same can be said of the way Aja fearlessly explores similarly bleak mounting circumstances in “Never Let Go,” sensing how to tap into the shared universal fears of both the characters and the audience rooting for their survival."

       David Rooney of Hollywood Reporter was less impressed, stating, "Splat Pack veteran Alexandre Aja tries his hand at family-in-peril horror along the lines of the Quiet Place franchise with Never Let Go. But mostly, the French director just succeeds in making us miss his entertainingly trashy swerves into B-movie pulp, with creature features built around ravenously bitey carnivorous fish (Piranha 3D) or giant Florida gators riled up by a hurricane and flood (Crawl). Whatever their strengths and weaknesses, those movies were fun popcorn entertainment with teeth. Fun is banished from Aja’s latest, which starts out mildly intriguing and chalks up a few bracing jump scares before running out of juice." Concluding, "Part of the problem with KC Coughlin and Ryan Grassby’s feeble screenplay is the laboriousness of its setup. Halle Berry plays a woman, initially identified only as Momma, living in woodlands isolation in an old timber family home with her preteen nonidentical twin sons, Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins) and Nolan (Percy Daggs IV). Whenever they step outside the house in search of food, they must remain tied to its foundations with thick ropes and: Never. Let. Go. That way evil can’t touch them and make them do bad things, explains Momma, so many times you want to scream, “Jesus, we get it!”

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'1992' Reviews: "By grounding the film in a real event fraught with a great deal of racial tension, "1992" comes loaded with expectation, which the film largely meets thanks to the efforts of its dynamic cast"

         On August 30, 2024, Lionsgate released '1992', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics, currently holding at 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "Mercer (Tyrese Gibson) is desperately trying to rebuild his life and his relationship with his son (Christopher A'mmanuel) amidst the turbulent 1992 LA uprising following the Rodney King verdict. Across town, another father and son (Ray Liotta and Scott Eastwood) put their own strained relationship to the test as they plot a dangerous heist to steal catalytic converters, which contain valuable platinum, from the factory where Mercer works. As tensions rise in Los Angeles and chaos erupts, both families reach their boiling points when they collide in this tense crime-thriller." But what did the critics say?

       Douglas Davidson of Elements of Madness notes, "By grounding the film in a real event fraught with a great deal of racial tension, "1992" comes loaded with expectation, which the film largely meets thanks to the efforts of its dynamic cast." Adding, "Gibson’s been working for decades now and his on-screen reputation is one of a fast-talking funny man, a notion cemented from his work as Roman Pearce in the Fast Saga, of which he’s played a significant part in recent years. He’s always had the potential for dramatic work, a personal favorite being his role as Angel Mercer in 2005’s Four Brothers (though that role did include a bit of comedic work, too). Here, however, Mercer is stoic, thoughtful, and aware that the hand he’s been dealt is unfair, but also of his own making. It’s not important for the audience to know precisely what he’s done to earn prison time, whereas it matters how he reacts to the way others on the street speak of him versus how the man who hired him at the factory, Joseph Francis (Michael Beasley) does. In the first, Gibson gives Mercer a quiet defiance, a recognition that who he was, who the streets believe him to be, is not who he wants to be any longer, for both himself and his son. In the second, Gibson allows Mercer to relax, to chat, to exist as a person in the world who embraces his responsibilities and opportunities. Through these responses, Gibson gives Mercer shape that makes all the things that come later, all the actions that Mercer takes to keep his son and himself safe, a true sacrifice."

Photo by Marius GIRE on Unsplash

 Andrew Parker of The Gate writes, "The more I think about the whole, the more I realize that the good bits are of greater value than the lesser ones, and at least the bits that don’t work retain a bit of panache and craft." Concluding, "The heist movie thread flounders for a number of reasons. The characters are all stock tough guys, some of whom will turn out to be more sympathetic than others, and it’s not hard to guess which ones. The dialogue is tin-eared, expositional and reductive in the extreme, forcing the characters to explain mundane details that Vroman can’t find a way to show in the fabric of the film. The viewer already understands that these two separate stories are going to collide, so they won’t be surprised by all of the things that go wrong during the heist or where all of Vroman and co-writer Sascha Penn’s unsubtle foreshadowing is going to lead. And to top all of that off, Eastwood, who carries these sections of the film, isn’t up to the task at hand, turning in a wooden, hollow performance. Liotta is a good enough performer to make something out of what very little he has been given here. Eastwood, however, has all of his limitations as a performer exposed and is hung out to dry."

       Edward Douglas of The Weekend Warrior says, "1992 uses its setting well, but make no mistake that this is more of a heist action movie than having anything to do with Rodney King or the court verdict that led to the L.A. Riots." Continuing, "This mostly relies on Gibson and Liotta to carry it, as I’ve never really thought much of the Eastwood spawn as an actor, even though he seems to get cast a lot."

       Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth states, "The premise itself is too clever an idea to dismiss the film entirely for its shortcomings, offset mainly by outstanding turns from Tyrese Gibson and Ray Liotta."

'The Crow' Reviews: "I saw the original The Crow not too long ago, and as imperfect as it was, it was a better movie"

         On August 23, 2024, Lionsgate released 'The Crow', which has received predominantly negative reviews from critics, currently holding at 21% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film," Bill Skarsgård takes on the iconic role of THE CROW in this modern reimagining of the original graphic novel by James O'Barr. Soulmates Eric (Skarsgård) and Shelly (FKA twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right." But what did the critics say? 

Photo by Johnny Briggs on Unsplash

        Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture writes, "Overall, “The Crow” is not only a missed opportunity that fails to justify its existence but an endeavor that should’ve been laid to rest many years ago." Adding, "While the story “The Crow” adheres to the basic plot of the original (for the most part), it adds little to the characters or the world they inhabit. The villain, Roeg, is one-dimensional and does not contain the menacing presence that Michael Wincott’s Top Dollar brought to the first film. Huston sleepwalks through his performance like an aimless soul drifting through the afterlife, as the screenplay seems entirely disinterested in giving him anything memorable to convey or clarity behind his power and motivations, rendering him merely as fodder for Eric’s revenge and nothing more."

       Alan Ng of Film Threat says, "It drags through a slow love story, lacks the original’s dark, gritty atmosphere, and misses the intensity that made the 1994 film a cult classic." Concluding, "I’ll just admit it right now. I saw the original The Crow not too long ago, and as imperfect as it was, it was a better movie. I have been so bored with a movie like this since Madame Web. In fact, I’m tempted to watch Madame Web again as a palette cleanser. Let me get the comparison out of the way."

        James Preston Poole of But Why Tho? A Geek Community praises the film, stating, "Sexy, tortured, and very gothic, The Crow absolutely lives up to its namesake in its own way." Adding, "By the time The Crow hits a tearful conclusion, it’s clear that this movie was made with the right intentions. The Crow may not always rise above a clear villain problem. The shadow of the original graphic novel, the 1994 adaptation, and proposed versions of this movie that never happened might be too much baggage for some moviegoers to get over. Nevertheless, The Crow is the rare comic book movie that slices open its chest and lays its beating heart bare."

       Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth notes, "Aside from one brutally satisfying action sequence, The Crow is a series of events stitched together with no buildup, logic, or momentum. For a movie about star-crossed soulmates, it has no soul"

'Greedy People' Reviews: "This unique comedic crime thriller starts off deceptively sunny and quirky, only to plunge into much darker territory as it unfolds"

        On August 23, 2024, Lionsgate releases 'Greedy People', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics, currently holding at 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "Residents of a small island town navigate a murder and the discovery of a million dollars, a series of increasingly bad decisions upend the once peaceful community." The ensemble cast includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lily James, Simon Rex, Uzo Aduba, Himesh Patel, Tim Blake Nelson, and Joey Lauren Adams. But what did the critics say?

        Matt Donato of Collider writes, "Greedy People is somewhat tonally amiss, but not long enough for the experience to self-destruct. It's a fine working backward whodunit from the inside out." Continuing, "Patel crushes as the anxious straight man, Gordon-Levitt's obnoxious metalhead keeps us on our toes, and James lets curiosity get the better of Paige. Then there are the supporting roles, like Tim Blake Nelson's shrimp-peddling Wallace Chetlo — the deceased's husband — or Simon Rex's handsy masseuse. Jim Gaffigan and José María Yazpik play hired killers with territory boundary issues. Uzo Aduba grounds tension as the leading officer who could spoil Will and Terry's quickly unraveling scheme. Actors fall into rhythm as Providence's inhabitants start pointing blame in all directions, tiptoeing around traps, or stumbling into them with catastrophic results. Given the sheer number of roles, I'd argue that some characters got short-changed screen time — but what's available is a hoot."

       Cody Dericks of Next Best Picture notes, "Pitch-black humor and a grim tone can be perversely enjoyable, but it’s mostly tiring here." Adding, "The cast list boasts an impressive array of respectable actors, all delivering fantastic performances, regardless of their screen time. Patel leads the film with a likable, often pitiable energy, which is necessary to keep the audience invested in his story despite his quick turn into disrepute. James is right by his side, and even when she’s not fully aware of Will’s misdeeds, Paige’s steadfastness and willingness to trust him is made fully understandable by James’ natural magnetism. She has been one of our most reliably charming actors for years, and here, her screen presence makes her the heart of the movie. She’s the true brains of her household, and James brings depth to what seems, at first, like a fairly shallow character, previewing just how involved in the plot she will eventually become without fully showing her hand too early."

        Frank Scheck of Hollywood Reporter was less impressed, stating, "Unfortunately, the proceedings become increasingly tiresome the more the characters are killed off, with the result that despite an impressive cast, the film comes to feel like a Coen Brothers rip-off." Adding, "Despite the hard-working efforts of its impressively game ensemble, Greedy People fails to fulfill its considerable ambitions. It lives up to its title by greedily attempting to have its comic cake and eat its violence, too"

       Louisa Moore of Screen Zealots says, "This is one of the few recent films I’ve seen that actually surprised me at least a half dozen times. This unique comedic crime thriller starts off deceptively sunny and quirky, only to plunge into much darker territory as it unfolds."

Photo by Isaac Moore on Unsplash

'Borderlands' Bombs with the Critics

         On August 9, 2024, Lionsgate released 'Borderlands', which is the highly anticipated film adaption of the video game franchise of the same name. Unfortunately, the wait may have been for naught as the film has received predominantly negative reviews, holding rotten at 7% on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside a Critics Consensus that reads, "Glitching out in every department, Borderlands is balderdash." In the film a bounty hunter returning to her home planet for a mission reluctantly creates a team in order to save the universe. The ensemble cast includes Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Black, Florian Munteanu, and Edgar Ramírez. But what did the critics say?

        Donald Clarke of Irish Times notes, "Console junkies will find themselves involuntarily hammering an imagined X button in the hope of getting back to the gameplay. No good. You’re stuck with this wacko BS." Adding, "When Blanchett actually says “I’m getting too old for this shit” it doesn’t play like a gag at the expense of all the superannuated action stars who have said it before her. Unfortunately, the longer the thing goes on the less it ceases to be good honest rubbish and the more it expects us to care about the stupid, stupid plot."

        Carla Hay of Culture Mix says, "Borderlands" should be called Bored and Bland to describe this slipshod movie adaptation of the video game. It's just a mishmash of mindless action scenes, annoying characters, and shameless ripoffs of Star Wars and Mad Max movies."

       Tatiana Hullender of Screen Rant was more impressed, stating, "Borderlands rushes through too many plot points for its own good, but it's saved by its likable cast and willingness to lean into video game moments." Continuing, "In a recent interview with Screen Rant, Jamie Lee Curtis explained that Cate Blanchett was the number one reason she agreed to be in Borderlands, and the proof is in the final product. From her opening narration to the final sequence of triumph, Blanchett commands the screen and demands my respect and attention. There have been instances where a respected actor can turn out to be too good for the popcorn movie they're in, accidentally weighing down the work instead of elevating it, but that is far from being the case here."

       Benjamin Lee of Guardian writes, "Blanchett, outfitted in sparkly gear and a swoop of bright red hair, deserves credit for not shrinking from a task so far beneath her." Adding, "With its juvenile humor, fast pace and shaky handle on grownup feelings, Borderlands winds up resembling nothing so much as a children’s film that’s too violent for children to actually watch. It’s not the severity of the violence so much as the aesthetic drabness; strange, really, that gorehound Roth bungles a few horror-tinged sequences into a hail of machine-gun fire. (Blame the PG-13 if you must, but CG blood wouldn’t improve matters.) If the recent Dune movies are self-serious Star Wars, and Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon series are bozo-level Dune, then Borderlands is Rebel Moon dumbed further down until it hits a dead end. There can be something freeing about a shameless genre ripoff, whether game-based or not; just look at Resident Evil, Pitch Black or The Fast and the Furious. (Maybe Vin Diesel is the secret sauce.) Borderlands doesn’t seem to quite realize that there’s an art to the steal."

Photo by Felipe Bustillo on Unsplash