Movie review: Red Notice

 Hunting the world's most notorious art thief, Booth, FBI profiler Hartley realizes he must team up with the criminal to catch an even more elusive crook who seems to always be one step ahead.

Dwayne Johnson (Hartley), Ryan Reynolds (Booth), Gal Gadot (Bishop), Ritu Arya (Inspector Das), Chris Diamantopoulous (Voce), Ivan Mbakop (Tambwe), Vincenzo Amato (Gallo), Rafael Petardi (Ricci).

Red Notice is the silly fun that happens when you put three big name actors together who all enjoy a few good laughs. Hartley is on the hunt for notorious art thief Booth when they are both double-crossed by Bishop. Teaming up, the two set out to take Bishop down giving Booth the art he desires and Hartley the arrest he is seeking. The result is an action adventure with more than a few laughs and a storyline that moves long well up through the Happy Ever After ending.

Acting was enjoyable with Johnson, Reynolds, and Gadot all delivering very well and appearing to work well together. Arya and Diamantopoulous both did nicely and brought a bit more depth, while the remainder of the supporting cast was solid and enjoyable.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are nicely done with just enough detail given the genre. Action scenes and visual effects are nicely done and integrated together well. Dialogue is a lot of fun with some good laughs and nice subtle humor. Sound and soundtrack were good.

Overall Red Notice is quite simply; fun. The film remains light and casual with good laughs while moving the storyline along at a nice pace. Those who enjoy fun action comedy should enjoy this one.

With some mild sexuality, some violence, foul language, and a few crude references, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 12.20.21
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Action, Comedy, Thriller, Adventure

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Army of Thieves

 In this Army of the Dead prequel, German safecracker Dieter is recruited by a mysterious woman to crack three notorious safes across Europe just as the zombie apocalypse begins.

Matthias Schweighofer (Dieter), Nathalie Emmanuel (Starr), Ruby Fee (Korina), Stuart Martin (Brad), Guz Khan (Rolph), Jonathan Cohen (Delacroix), Noemie Nakai (Beatrix), Christian Steyer (Wagner).

Army of Thieves begins well, showing us a bit of Dieter's life and how he was recruited for the biggest safe-cracking heist in history. With Dieter now a part of the gang and the heist execution underway, the film develops more depth and begins hinting at the upcoming zombie apocalypse. As the suspense intensifies so does the action, and plot depth continues to grow through the fitting ending which adds nicely to the original film.

Acting was good with Schweighofer delivering nicely and maturing well through the film. Emmanual also contributed well and seemed to work well with others. Fee was solid and entertaining as usual, as was Martin and Khan. Cohen gave a solid performance and the remainder of the supporting cast was good.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are nicely done with good variety, use of natural scenery, and an overall solid feel. Action scenes fit the film nicely and added well. Dialogue was good with nice movement and depth, though captions were appreciated due to some of the heavier accents. Sound and soundtrack are nicely managed.

Overall Army of Thieves is a very good sequel to Army of the Dead, yet stands alone as a solid film as well. The storyline is fairly unique and holds interest well. Acting and technical work are well done leading the film to flow nicely from start to finish. Those who enjoy crime or heist films, unusual suspense films, or even the prelude details of a zombie apocalypse should enjoy this one.

With some fairly graphic violence and a fair amount of foul language, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 12.20.21
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Thriller, Comedy, Crime, Action, Prequels

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Fear Street: Part Three - 1666

Fear Street: Part Three - 1666 has Deena returning to 1666 where she learns the truth about Sarah Fier and the night that cursed Shadysiders forever. Meanwhile, in 1994, ther fight for survival and Shadyside's future continues.

Kiana Madeira (Sarah), Ashley Zukerman (Goode), Gillian Jacobs (Adult Ziggy), Olivia Welch (Hannah), Elizabeth Scopel (Real Sarah), Benjamin Flores Jr. (Henry), Randy Havens (George), Julia Rehwald (Lizzie).

Fear Street: Part Three - 1666 finally brings us to the truth about Sarah Fier and the beginnings of the Shadyside curse. With Deena now in 1666 as Sarah, the friends struggle to reunite Sarah with her hand in 1994 with hopes of breaking the curse. As the story unrolls quite a few loose ends and connections are explained, though the timeline movement remains a bit confusing. Once again, once characters and plot are in place, the film takes on a good pace through to the end.

Acting was again solid with Madeira, Zuckerman, Jacobs, Rehwald, and Flores returning again and once again delivering well. Havens, Scopel, and the remainder of the supporting cast were enjoyable and solid.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are again nicely done with good variety and a reasonably solid feel. VFX and physical effects also remain consistent and fitting. Dialogue continues to have decent depth and move things along, while the varied soundtrack remind us of the storyline timeframe.

Fear Street: Part Three - 1666 does a decent job of wrapping up the franchise. Acting, technical work, and plot remain consistent with the franchise once again. And again, those who enjoyed the first 2 films should enjoy this film and the storyline conclusion.

With a fair amount of sexuality,  plenty of violence, gore, foul language, and potentially disturbing images and scenes, this should be fine for older teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 10.25.21
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Horror, Teen Screams, LGBTQ Films, Horror Series, Mystery

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel
 

Movie review: Fear Street: Part Two - 1978

 

Returning to Shadyside, this sequel takes place in 1978 when school is out for the summer and Camp Nightwing is welcoming their summer campers. But when the legend continues and another Shadysider is possessed by the urge to kill summer camp turns into a real fight for survival.

Sadie Sink (Ziggy), Emily Rudd (Cindy), Ryan Simpkins (Alice), McCabe Slye (Tommy), Gillian Jacobs (C. Berman), Kiana Madeira (Deena), Benjamin Flores Jr. (Josh), Ted Sutherland (Nick Goode).

Fear Street: Part Two - 1978 begins with C.Berman as this sequel is tied back to the original, though the timeline is more than a little confusing. The Shadyside curse has followed the Shadysiders to Camp Nightwing where the carnage continues when a camper becomes possessed by the urge to kill. With the plot now in place, the story becomes about survival and solving the curse before everyone is killed leading to a fairly fast moving ride to the end.

Acting was once again pretty good with Sink and Rudd both delivering well in a variety of scenes. Simpkins added nicely and delivered well, as did Slye, Jacobs, Madeira, Flores and the remainder of the supporting cast many of which returned in their previous roles.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are again nicely done with good variety and a reasonably solid feel. VFX and physical effects also remain consistent and fitting. Dialogue continues to have decent depth and move things along, while the varied soundtrack remind us of the storyline timeframe.

Overall Fear Street: Part Two - 1978 is an enjoyable sequel consistent with the first film. This installment builds on the main plot while adding nice depth to the storyline and characters. Those who enjoyed the first film should enjoy this one.

With a fair amount of sexuality,  plenty of violence, gore, foul language, and potentially disturbing images and scenes, this should be fine for older teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 10.25.21
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Horror, Teen Screams, LGBTQ Films, Horror Series, Mystery

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Fear Street: Part One - 1994

Following a series of brutal slayings, a group of teens realize town folklore is real. Setting out to fight an evil force that has plagued their town for hundreds of years. Welcome to Shadyside.

Kiana Madeira (Deena), Olivia Welch (Sam), Benjamin Flores Jr. (Josh), Julia Rehwald (Kate), Maya Hawke (Heather), Charlene Amoia (Rachel), Ashley Zukerman (Goode), Jeremy Ford (Peter), Noah Garret (Skull Mask).

Based on the books of the same name from R.L. Stine, this first installment of the trilogy begins nicely with some character introductions and storyline setup before shifting smoothing to the main plot. The story, unrolled in reverse in the trilogy, builds depth quickly while entertaining as only a teen scream can. Things move along at a brisk pace without excessive focus on the horror with a preference for drama. This first film doesn't quite finish as expected, but does leave us ready for more.

Acting was entertaining with Madeira doing a decent job, as did Welch, and the two seemed to work well together. Flores fit his role well, as did Rehwald who delivered nicely. Zukerman was appropriately dark and suspicious, while Ford delivered nicely. The remainder of the cast was solid.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are nicely done with good variety and a reasonably solid feel. VFX and physical effects are integrated well and the film flows nicely. Dialogue has good depth for the genre and moves things along, as does the focused and enjoyable soundtrack.

Overall Fear Street: Part One - 1994 is a good start to the trilogy. While a younger cast and dialogue point the series toward a younger audience, the full-length film approach and storyline spanning all 3 episodes grabs older audience attention as well. Those who enjoy modern horror flicks should enjoy this series.

With a fair amount of sexuality,  plenty of violence, gore, foul language, and potentially disturbing images and scenes, this should be fine for older teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 10.24.21
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Horror, Teen Screams, LGBTQ Films, Horror Series, Mystery

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel
 

Movie review: Kate

 

While working in Tokyo, highly skilled assassin Kate botches a hit on a member of the yakuza and quickly finds she has been poisoned. With less than 24 hours to live, she sets out to exact revenge on her killers while also forming a strange bond with the daughter of a previous victim.

Mary Winstead (Kate), Woody Harrelson (Varrick), Miku Martineau (Ani), Tadanobu Asano (Renji), Jun Kunimura (Kijima), Michiel Huisman (Stephen), Miyavi (Jojima), Mari Yamamoto (Kanako), Kazuya Tanabe (Shinzo).

Kate begins with a flashback to a previous mission in which she killed a man in front of his daughter. We then rejoin Kate, a highly skilled assassin, many months later as she contemplates retirement. But on a final job, she misses her yakuza crime boss target and then quickly realizes she has been poisoned. The remainder of the film is an action fueled journey as Kate tries to exact revenge before her time runs out.

Acting in Kate felt mediocre. Winstead felt cold much of the time, and didn't quite fit the role at others. Harrelson was decent in a smaller role, as was Martineau. The remainder of the supporting cast did reasonably well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are decent through most of the film. That said, VFX were several times so far over the top they couldn't be missed. Physical action scenes were decent, though again VFX took over frequently. Dialogue was a bit dry and lacking. Sound and soundtrack are okay.

Overall Kate is a lethargic entry in the action & adventure genre. The film feels like a cookie-cutter copy of others and the dark theme suppressed attempts at generating energy. The result are easily anticipated plot points and slow movement. Those who enjoy mild action & adventure should enjoy this one.

With some sexuality, violence and gore, and foul language, save this for older teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 10.21.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Action, Adventure, Action & Adventure, Crime, Drama

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Brightburn

 

In this superhero horror, a child from another planet crash-lands on Earth and is found by a couple who adopts him as their own. Years later his true nature comes to the surface and nobody is safe.

Elizabeth Banks (Tori), David Denman (Kyle), Jackson Dunn (Brandon), Abraham Clinkscales (Royce), Christian Finlayson (Fauxhawk), Jennifer Holland (Ms. Espenschied), Emmie Hunter (Caitlyn), Matt Jones (Noah).

Brightburn is an interesting entry in the superhero horror genre. Falling to Earth as a child, Brandon is raised as a human by two loving parents when he begins to exhibit unusual abilities. While we think for a moment he might become a superhero, our hopes are quickly dashed when it appears Brandon may prefer decimation of the human race. The remainder of the film is a dark twisted trail through to the end.

Acting was decent with Banks and Denman both delivering fairly well. Dunn was well cast and fit his role both visually and with his skills. Jones was an enjoyable addition and did well, as did Hunter, Clinkscales and the remainder of the supporting cast.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were mild but fitting though some darker scenes were challenging. Action scenes and VFX worked together nicely to give the film a supernatural feel that felt reality based. Dialogue was okay and moved things along fairly well. Sound and soundtrack are good.

Overall Brightburn is a dark but enjoyable sci-fi horror that gives a new perspective on a familiar story. Those who enjoy superhero horror or darker films should enjoy this one.

With somewhat graphic violence, foul language, and potentially disturbing scenes, save this one for older teens and above.

Released: 2019
Reviewed: 10.17.21
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Superhero horror, Sci-Fi horror, Sci-Fi Drama, Mystery, Horror

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Zombieland: Double Tap

 

Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock are once again back on the road killing zombies in Zombieland: Double Tap. The sarcastic dysfunctional family faces off against evolved zombies, survivors, and of course, each other.

Jesse Eisenberg (Columbus), Woody Harrelson (Tallahassee), Emma Stone (Wichita), Abigail Breslin (Little Rock), Zoey Deutch (Madison), Avan Jogia (Berkeley), Rosario Dawson (Nevada), Luke Wilson (Albuquerque).

Zombieland: Double Tap begins by bringing the group back together on a road trip. Before long their sarcasm evolves to dysfunction punctuated by encounters with other survivors and disturbingly evolved zombies. The main cast relationships are grown and achieve a bit more depth while the addition of new characters kept things moving along well. The addition of new announcements by Columbus as narrator was enjoyable, but overall this one had fewer laughs than the original.

Acting was solid with Eisenberg, Harrelson, Stone, and Breslin all delivering well in their familiar roles. Deutch, Dawson, and Wilson were all nice additions that brought polish and laughs to the film. The remainder of the supporting cast was solid, enjoyable, and contributed very well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were once again solid with a realistic feel. That said, this one seemed to rely more on VFX for backgrounds, and even some action scenes, than the original leaving the film feeling a bit flat. Physical action was nicely managed. Dialogue was good, though more laughs would have been nice. Sound and soundtrack are pretty good.

Overall Zombieland: Double Tap is a pretty good zombie flick. Those finding this one first will not be lost but, go back and see the original, you won't want to miss it. The film has decent depth, some good laughs, and moves along at a nice pace. Those who enjoy lighter zombie flicks or comedies should enjoy this one.

With some mild sexuality and crotch humor, violence, gore, foul language, more of all of the above, and potentially disturbing images, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2019
Reviewed: 10.5.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Comedy, Zombies, Sequels, Action, Horror

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Bloodshot

 After being killed, combat soldier Ray is resurrected by the RST corporation as the superhero Bloodshot. His blood replaced with nanites, Ray is nearly unstoppable and able to heal instantly. But RST still has control of his mind leading Ray to question reality.

Vin Diesel (Bloodshot), Eiza Gonzalez (KT), Sam Heughan (Dalton), Toby Kebbell (Axe), Talulah Riley (Gina), Lamorne Morris (Wigans), Guy Pearce (Harting), Johannes Johannesson (Baris), Alex Hernandez (Tibbs).

Bloodshot begins with the death of Ray and quickly after, his resurrection as Bloodshot. Brought back to life by RST and Harting, they retain control over his brain, resetting Ray after each mission. As Ray begins to question reality he focuses his new abilities on finding the truth where his new strength and ability to heal instantly prove him a formidable adversary. Much of the story moves along at a quick pace with plenty of action through the end.

Acting was okay with Diesel delivering his usual, but starting to show his age. Gonzalez was an enjoyable choice, did fairly well, and seemed to work well with others. Heughan was a perfectly annoying jerk, and Pearce delivered his shifty doctor role nicely. Morris was a great addition, bringing some much needed levity. The remainder of the cast was good.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were reasonably well done with heavy VFX integration. Effects, physical and CGI, were pretty good with only a few overdone scenes that felt out of place. Dialogue was decent and moved things along fairly well. Sound and soundtrack are enjoyable.

With some sexuality, plenty of violence and gore, foul language, potentially disturbing scenes, save this for teens and above.

Released: 2020
Reviewed: 9.15.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-fi, Comic Books and Superheroes, Sci-fi & Fantasy

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Vacation Friends

 Marcus and Emily meet another couple on vacation in Mexico and quickly become friends, but the relationship becomes strange and awkward when they return home.

Lil Howery (Marcus), Yvonne Orji (Emily), John Cena (Ron), Meredith Hagner (Kyla), Robert Wisdom (Harold), Lynn Whitfield (Suzanne), Andrew Bachelor (Gabe), Tawny Newsome (Brooke), Barry Rothbart (Darren).

Vacation Friends begins with Marcus and Emily heading to Mexico for a much needed vacation. Within the first 10 minutes character introductions are mostly complete, plot setup achieved, the two couples have met, and the plot begins to unroll. From there the film is an active adventure as conservative Marcus and Emily are exposed to adventure and thrills by Ron and Kyla, their new friends. The film finally finishes with a Happy Ever After ending that is easily seen coming.

Acting was good with Howery and Orji delivering well and seeming to work well with others. Cena and Hagner were perfectly cast, fit their roles wonderfully, and delivered well. The remainder of the supporting cast added some depth and did well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are all well done with good use of natural scenery and a solid, realistic feel. Action and effects are fun and fitting. Dialogue is good with some nice humor and good movement. Sound and soundtrack are solid.

Vacation Friends is a fun, fairly fast moving comedy adventure that focuses on the fun first. With some decent laughs and fun storyline, those who enjoy light comedy should enjoy this one.

With some mild sexuality and foul language, this should be fine for older teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 9.13.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: The Voyeurs

 

When young couple Pippa and Thomas move into their dream apartment, they quickly realize they can see into their neighbors apartment across the street. Shortly after they realize the neighbors are frequently intimate and hardly shy, leading their curiosity into obsession.

Sydney Sweeney (Pippa), Justice Smith (Thomas), Ben Hardy (Seb), Natasha Bordizzo (Julia), Katharine So (Ari), Cameo Adele (Joni), Jean Yoon (Dr. Sato), Cait Alexander (Sam), Blessing Adedijo (Mere).

The Voyeurs begins innocently enough as Pippa and Thomas finally join their lives together, moving into their dream apartment. Almost as quickly, they realize they can easily see into the neighbors apartment across the street and the neighbors are not shy with their intimate activities. Before long, curiosity turns to obsession with Pippa and Thomas injecting themselves into their neighbors lives. From there the film is an interesting cat-and-mouse adventure with some great twists and tension.

Acting was good with Sweeney and Smith both delivering well. Hardy was interesting but really not likeable. Bordizzo was solid and enjoyable. So, Adele, and the reminder of the supporting cast were good.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were solid with good variety and a realistic feel. Physical effects were good and fit the film nicely. Dialogue was enjoyable with nice depth and movement. Sound and soundtrack are fitting.

The Voyeurs is an enjoyable, interesting, and entertaining film that blends intimacy with drama, mystery, and thrills along with a plot twist or two that add nice depth. Those who enjoy intense drama or unusual mysteries should enjoy this one.

With plenty of sexuality some of which is fairly graphic, nudity, adult situations, foul language, mild violence and gore, save this one for adults and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 9.13.21
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Erotic Thriller, Young Adult

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Attack the Block

 

When hostile alien monsters invade an inner city housing project in London a teen gang steps up to protect the tower block and their home. As the battle escalates, unlikely alliances are made in hopes of defeating the alien invaders.

John Boyega (Moses), Jodie Whittaker (Sam), Alex Esmail (Pest), Leeon Jones (Jerome), Franz Drameh (Dennis), Simon Howard (Biggz), Maggie McCarthy (Margaret), Danielle Vitalis (Tia), Jumayn Hunter (Hi-Hatz).

Attack the Block begins with some character introductions that also serve as plot setup and paint the setting for us. The aliens quickly arrive and engage with a teen gang living in a London tower block, and the gang quickly digs in to protect their home. From there the film is a fast and somewhat funny action adventure flick that moves long at a good pace without taking itself too seriously.

Acting was okay with Boyega delivering reasonably well. Whittaker delivered nicely and actually fit the film fairly well. Esmail, Jones, Howard, and the remainder of the supporting cast were reasonably good.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were decent though a lot of darker scenes were challenging. VFX and creature effects were interesting and the film actually found a way to have alien monsters we could see without being able to see the alien monsters. Dialogue was okay and moved things along. Sound and soundtrack are fairly well done.

In the end Attack the Block is a fairly enjoyable sci-fi action adventure film with good technical work, acting, and a story that moves along well. Teens will likely enjoy this the most.

With a couple bits of mild sexuality, plenty of violence and gore, foul language, and potentially disturbing images, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2011
Reviewed: 9.13.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Aliens

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: The Grudge (2020)

 This sequel to the 2004 film with the same name continues following the story of a house cursed by an angry spirit that will hunt and kill anyone who enters.

Tara Westwood (Fiona), Junko Bailer (Ghost), David Brown (Sam), Andrea Riseborough (Muldoon), Demian Bichir (Goodman), Joel Garland (Greco), Lin Shaye (Faith), John Cho (Peter), Betty Gilpin (Nina).

After a young mother murders her family in her own home, Detective Muldoon investigates and finds the house is cursed by an angry spirit who hunts and brutally kills anyone who enters. Instead of solving a crime, Muldoon finds herself struggling to save her own life and that of her son as the relentless ghost now hunts them.

Acting was okay with Riseborough and Bichir delivering reasonably well. Bailer was solid, and Shaye delivered her usual. Cho was well cast and fit his role nicely. The remainder of the supporting cast was good.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds all have a solid realistic feel and fit the film well. Action scenes and VFX were blended well and managed nicely. Dialogue was okay but could have used a bit more depth. Sound and soundtrack were somewhat lethargic.

The Grudge (2020) tries hard to extend the storyline from the original film with some related events and characters, but in the end the effort feels flimsy. Storyline aside, this version just never developed the energy of the original, even when relying on events and characters from the original film. A few surprise scares, but nowhere near the tension of the original.

With violence, gore, foul language, and disturbing images, save The Grudge (2020) for older teens and above.

Released: 2020
Reviewed: 9.8.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Horror, Supernatural Horror, Thriller, Psychological Thriller

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Take Shelter

When Curtis begins having apocalyptic visions, he decides to build out the storm shelter in his back yard to protect his wife and deaf daughter. As the visions progress, he questions if it is him they need protecting from.

Michael Shannon (Curtis), Jessica Chastain (Samantha), Shea Whigham (Dewart), Tova Stewart (Hannah), Katy Mixon (Nat), Robert Longstreet (Jim), Ron Kennard (Russell), Scott Knisley (Lewis).

Take Shelter begins well enough with some character introductions and setup. The plot takes a while to show up as Curtis begins having unusual visions with growing intensity. Convinced a major storm is coming, he builds out the shelter in his back yard. While doing so, we learn more about his past and Curtis begins to question his sanity. The film feels like it wraps with multiple endings, none of which completely fit.

Shannon delivered very well in Take Shelter with a solid emotional performance. Chastain also did nicely with good fit and delivery. Whigham delivered as usual, and the remainder of the cast supported well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were all well done with a solid feel and nice use of background scenery. Physical and visual effects had good detail and fit for the film. Dialogue could have used a bit more but was okay. Sound and soundtrack were mild.

Overall acting by Shannon, if you are a fan, is the most entertaining part of this film. The film felt like it lacked energy and character engagement.

With some graphic violence, gore, and foul language, save this for older teens and above.

Released: 2011
Reviewed: 8.25.21
Star rating: 2 out of 3
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Indie Drama

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel
 

Movie review: Jolt

 Lindy has an impulse control disorder resulting in strong rage and homicidal urges which she controls using an electrode system to shock herself. But when the new love of her life is murdered the electrodes come off.

Kate Beckinsale (Lindy), Jai Courtney (Justin), Stanley Tucci (Dr. Muchin), Bobby Cannavale (Vicars), Laverne Cox (Nevin), Gregory (Curtis), Ori Pfeffer (Delacroix), David Bradley (Fizel), Susan Sarandon (Woman).

Jolt begins with a bit of humor alongside character introductions and setup. Lindy now in love with new guy who is promptly murdered, the film turns a bit darker. As Lindy forgoes electricity in favor of action, the energy ratchets up a notch and things get slightly more interesting as the storyline gains depth. The film wraps with an unusual ending that seems to try and tie up loose ends, or setup for a sequel.

Beckinsale was decent in this one in a role that seemed to fit her pretty well. Courtney was also well cast and delivered solidly, as did Tucci in a lighter role. Cannavale was good as always, and the remainder of the cast supported well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were good, including darker scenes of which there are plenty. Action was well managed, as were visual effects. Dialogue was good but it would have been enjoyable for the humor to continue throughout the film. Sound and soundtrack are nicely done.

While Jolt is unlikely to win any awards, it is a light action thriller that moves along at a decent pace. Acting is reasonably good, as is technical work, and the plot has just enough depth. Those who enjoy milder action violence should enjoy this one.

The film has some sexuality, quite a bit of violence, and plenty of foul language so save it for older teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 8.25.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Action, Thriller, Action & Adventure

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Cosmic Sin

 Far in the future, a group of soldiers including a disgraced retired general who is recalled, is sent on a preemptive strike against a new alien enemy civilization in hopes of preventing an interstellar war.

Frank Grillo (Ryle), Bruce Willis (Ford), Brandon Lee (Braxton), Corey Large (Dash), Lochlyn Munro (Locke), Costas Mandylor (Bleck), CJ Perry (Cantos), Perrey Reeves (Dr. Goss), Eva De Dominici (Sayle).

Cosmic Sin starts with a bit of reading as we zoom 500 years or so into the future, learn we are not alone in the universe, aliens are not always nice, and interstellar war is on the horizon. To solve this problem, a group of soldiers is sent to attack an alien civilization as a preemptive strike. If that idea wasn't bad enough, a disgraced retired general with past alien issues is recalled to join the mission. The remainder of the film is sci-fi action through the flat ending.

Acting was a bit of a mess here. Grillo was dark, brooding, and sporadically over the top as usual. Willis was in the film, but with his lack of lines or much else, was he really? Large was fun, while Munro and Mandylor delivered their usual. The remainder of the cast was okay.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were mild but good. Costuming was well done. Effects were decent with fair attention to detail, good movement, and reasonable fit. Dialogue was on the thin side, while sound and soundtrack are fitting.

Cosmic Sin is very possibly an apt description of this film. The story felt like it was lacking life and energy which, considering the storyline is about saving humanity with an interstellar war, was surprising. The plot lacked originality but okay, Willis is in the film and will save it. Instead, Willis was almost part of the background cast with few lines and even less emotional delivery leaving things to Grillo in a limited role. Most will find the film lacking in several ways.

Some violence, mild gore, and some foul language, but this should bore the socks off anyone over 15 years old quite easily.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 8.24.21
Star rating: 2 out of 5
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure, Aliens, Action & Adventure

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Blood Red Sky

Her transatlantic flight hijacked by terrorists, a mother with a strange illness springs into action to protect her son, exposing her true self in the process and potentially endangering all of humanity.

Peri Baumeister (Nadja), Carl Koch (Elias), Alexander Scheer (Eightball), Kais Setti (Farid), Dominic Purcell (Berg), Graham McTavish (Drummond), Kai Baulitz (Buchner), Roland Moller (Karl), Chici Ajufo (Curtiz).

Blood Red Sky begins at the end before rolling to a flashback and starting over. Here the story jumps right to Nadja to try and give us a sense of her mysterious illness. From there, the hijacking plot takes over for a while before the two are combined into a vampire horror flick with an airplane twist. The film winds back around to what we thought was the ending, adds a twist, and finishes fairly well.

Acting was interesting. Baumeister was completely unlikeable at first, but got much better. Koch was pretty good and brought good depth to the story. Setti was okay, while Purcell was type-cast nicely once again and delivered his usual. McTavish, Baulitz, and the remainder of the cast were decent.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds felt realistic other than some wide open spaces on the airplane. Effects were handled nicely and fit well. Dialogue was okay with reasonable depth. Sound and soundtrack are fairly lethargic.

In the end, Blood Red Sky sticking vampires on an airplane to create a horror flick is an interesting and fairly unique approach which was managed well. Horror fans, vampire fans, and even plane disaster fans should enjoy this one at least somewhat.

With a fair amount of blood, gore, violence, disturbing images, foul language, some more blood and violence, save this one for older teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 8.24.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Horror, Vampires, Action, Thriller, German

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel
 

Movie review: Hunter Killer

 Unproven submarine Captain Glass is tasked with the extraction of a Navy SEAL team attempting to rescue Russia's president from a rogue general staging a military coup. Instead Glass finds his boat at the center of not only the rescue operation, but possibly a war.

Gerard Butler (Glass), Gary Oldman (Donnegan), Common (Fisk), Linda Cardellini (Norquist), Corey Johnson (Captain), Adam James (Forges), Carter MacIntyre (XO), Michael Nyqvist (Andropov), Toby Stephens (Beaman).

Hunter Killer begins with mild character introductions and setup before quickly moving to the main plot with a somewhat familiar storyline. Unproved submarine Captain Glass is sent to Russian waters to extract a seal team rescuing the Russian president. Instead Glass finds himself essentially at war with Russia, but with a fellow Russian submariner helping him out. The story finishes with a rather bland Happy Ever After ending.

Acting was solid with Butler and Oldman delivering well, though if you were hoping to see Butler in an action role forget it. Fisk fit his role nicely and managed it well, as did Cardellini. Nyqvist was well cast and did nicely, as did MacIntyre and the remainder of the supporting cast.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were good with a fairly solid, realistic feel. Variety of settings and use of natural backgrounds were good, while heavy visual effects were well done. Dialogue had good depth and movement. Sound and soundtrack are decent.

Overall Hunter Killer is a solid action thriller with a strong military aspect that most should enjoy despite a few technical plot holes. The story moves along well, the characters are mostly likeable, and the film develops some depth without becoming overly dark or serious.

With some mild violence and some foul language, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2018
Reviewed: 8.24.21
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Action, Thriller, Military, Action & Adventure, Drama

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Fantasy Island

 

Fantasy Island is a magical place where secret dreams come true. Run by Mr. Roarke, guests at the tropical resort live their dreams up until they turn to nightmares and then must solve the island's mystery to survive.

Michael Pena (Mr. Roarke), Maggie Q (Gwen), Lucy Hale (Melanie), Austin Stowell (Patrick), Jimmy Yang (Brax), Portia Doubleday (Sloane), Ryan Hansen (JD), Michael Rooker (Damon), Parisa Fitz-Henley (Julia).

Fantasy Island launches pretty well with some interesting plot setup and character introductions. From there the film turned into a fairly bland suspense style mystery. Guests to the island are allowed to live out a single fantasy however, the island is a bit twisted and so the fantasies take dark turns the guests don't expect. The guests then need to solve the island's mystery to survive, though how exactly that works is itself a mystery. The biggest disappointment with this one; it had none of the energy or fun of the original series and was instead dark and negative.

Acting was actually good here with Pena doing a nice job. Maggie Q was decent, if a bit stiff. Hale was fun as was Stowell, Yang, and Hansen. Doubleday fit her role well and delivered, as did Rooker, also in type. The remainder of the cast was solid and enjoyable.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were decent with a fairly solid feel and good fit. Action was good with nice intensity and detail. Dialogue was reasonable and moved things along, though the humor was flat. Sound and soundtrack are solid.

Overall Fantasy Island is a low-energy horror fantasy flick which many will enjoy. Those hoping to find an extension of the TV series will be seriously disappointed.

With some mild sexuality and nudity, violence, gore, and a few foul words, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2020
Reviewed: 8.15.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Horror, Action, Fantasy, Adventure

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Fanboys

 A group of friends waiting years for release of Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace sets out on a cross-country trek to steal a copy from the Skywalker Ranch when one of the is found to be terminally ill.

Dan Fogler (Hutch), Jay Baruchel (Windows), Kristen Bell (Zoe), Sam Huntington (Eric), Chris Marquette (Linus), David Denman (Chaz), Christopher McDonald (Big Chuck), Isaac Kappy (Garfunkel), Seth Rogen (Seasholtz).

Fanboys begins like a Star Wars film, with a rolling storyboard. From there we are introduced to the characters and before long the plot appears. Now the setup is done, the group of fanboy friends sets out on their crazy road trip to Skywalker Ranch to steal a copy of Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Along the way are more than a few pokes at the Star Wars franchise, George Lucas, and plenty of nods to Star Wars characters and actors with included laughs. The story wraps nicely with a fun ending for a fun film.

Acting was enjoyable, if a bit inexperienced. Fogler delivered well in a fun role, as did Baruchel. Bell and Huntington both did nicely, as did Marquette. The remainder of the supporting cast was fun and fitting.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are decent with reasonable detail for the film genre. Action scenes were fun and funny. Dialogue had some nice laughs alongside the drama, and presented decent depth. Sound and soundtrack were solid and well done.

Overall Fanboys is simply silly fun. The story is fun and has some laughs, and the cast was solid. Star Trek fans and those who enjoy lighter comedy should enjoy this one.

With some mild comedy sexuality, comedic violence, and foul language, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2008
Reviewed: 7.12.21
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Spoofs, Satire, Comedy, Late Night Comedy, Drama

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Breach

 Fleeing a plague on Earth, and interstellar ark is attached by a shape-shifting alien stow-away focused on eradicating humanity.

Cody Kearsley (Noah), Bruce Willis (Clay), Rachel Nichols (Chambers), Kassandra Clementi (Hayley), Johnny Messner (Blue), Corey Large (Lincoln), Callan Mulvey (Teek), Timothy Murphy (Stanley), Johann Urb (Shady).

Breach begins with the exodus from Earth and character introductions. From there the film builds depth with characters while slowly rolling out the main plot and a couple of distraction sub-plots. The action and intensity increases as the suspense builds, culminating in a final epic battle with the mother alien.

Acting was rough here. Kearsley felt out of place in his role half the time. Willis gave us reasonable delivery, but his character and lines were a mess. Messner, Large, Mulvey, Murphy, and Urb all did well. Nichols and Clementi was okay, as was the remainder of the supporting cast.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were a mess. Obvious green screens, out of focus shots, and a ridiculous creature at the end didn't help things. Action scenes were lacking detail and felt largely unrealistic. Dialogue was mediocre and more depth would have been better. Sound and soundtrack are flat and uninteresting.

Overall Breach was disappointing. Poor technical work coupled with lackluster acting and direction resulted in a low energy film that did little to hold audience interest. Even Willis fans will likely be disappointed.

With a fair amount of violence and potentially disturbing images, this should be fine for older teens and above.

Released: 2020
Reviewed: 7.12.21
Star rating: 2 out of 5
Genre: Sci-fi, Horror, Action, Sci-Fi Horror, Suspense

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: The Baytown Outlaws

 After being shot three times by her ex-husband Carlos, Celeste hires the Oodie boys to hunt him down and retrieve her godson. But before long the 3 brothers find they are being hunted by just about everyone.

Billy Bob Thornton (Carlos), Eva Longoria (Celeste), Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Rob), Clayne Crawford (Brick), Travis Fimmel (McQueen), Daniel Cudmore (Lincoln), Andre Braugher (Millard), Michael Rapaport (Lucky).

The Baytown Outlaws begins by introducing us to the Oodie boys and their current line of work. The boys are soon hired by Celeste to hunt down her abusive ex-husband, who shot her 3 times, and retrieve her godson. The Oodie's quickly find the boy, and almost as quickly find they are being hunted by multiple odd characters. The remainder of the film is an action packed mix of blood, guts, and drama through the conveniently happy ending.

Acting was pretty good with Thornton delivering his usual quirky performance. Longoria was solid in a smaller role. Crawford, Fimmel, and Cudmore all did very well and appeared to work well together. Brodie-Sangster was solid in his quiet role. The remainder of the supporting cast did well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are good with a fairly realistic, solid feel. Action and effects were good with nice detail and fit for film. Dialogue was okay, though some accents were challenging. Sound and soundtrack are nicely done.

Overall The Baytown Outlaws is an enjoyable, nicely done if a bit quirky, crime action flick. The film moves along well and holds audience attention nicely.

With some sexuality, fairly graphic violence, and foul language, save this one for older teens and above.

Released: 2014
Reviewed: 7.12.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Crime Action, Action & Adventure, Action Comedy

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: The Tomorrow War

 Thirty years in the future, in 2051, mankind is losing a war against an alien species. Sent back in time to 2021, a group of soldiers delivers the disturbing news, a plea for humanity to stand up and fight now, and institutes a draft to take soldiers back to 2051 to help fight in the war.

Chris Pratt (Dan), Yvonne Strahovski (Muri), J.K. Simmons (James), Betty Gilpin (Emmy), Sam Richardson (Charlie), Jasmine Mathews (Lt. Hart), Edwin Hodge (Dorian), Keith Powers (Maj. Greenwood), Mary Rajskub (Norah).

The Tomorrow War begins by showing us where Dan will end up before rolling back time 28 years for the arrival of soldiers from the future. The soldiers explain that humanity is losing a war against aliens in the future and must begin fighting now. That means drafting soldiers and taking them to the future to fight. When Dan is recruited, and realizes the war has already been lost, he joins forces with a scientist and his estranged father in hopes of rewriting the future for his daughter.

Acting was decent with Pratt delivering fairly well. Strahovski was solid, if a bit stiff. Simmons delivered his usual nicely. Richardson, Mathews, and the remainder of the supporting cast were pretty good.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were rough with poorly done CGI, VFX, and obviously apparent green screens. Creature effects were decent up until the final fight scenes at which point things got ridiculous. Dialogue was okay but could have used a bit more depth. Sound and soundtrack are okay.

Overall The Tomorrow War is an enjoyable Action & Adventure film if you don't dwell on the special effects. The story is interesting, the action keeps things moving, and acting is decent.

With some moderate violence, foul language, and potentially disturbing images, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 7.12.21
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Comedy

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Wonder Woman 1984

 Fast forwarding to 1984 after years of keeping a low-profile working at the Smithsonian, Princess Diana finds herself defending against the Soviet Union and the power-hungry Maxwell Lord who hopes to take over the world. As if that weren't enough, a new enemy known as Cheetah is revealed and adds to the complications.

Gal Gadot (Diana), Chris Pine (Steve), Kristen Wiig (Minerva/Cheetah), Pedro Pascal (Maxwell), Robin Wright (Antiope), Connie Nielsen (Hippolyta), Lilly Aspell (Young Diana), Amr Waked (Emir), Natasha Rothwell (Carol).

Wonder Woman 1984 begins with a bit of catch-up and plot setup before going off the rails. Essentially, Diana has been working under the radar at the Smithsonian since we last left her. At work, she comes across an artifact with incredible power. The artifact is quickly taken by a power-hungry madman with hopes of taking over the world. In the process, a new super-villain named Cheetah is created and only adds to Wonder Woman's problems.

Acting was lacking energy and fit. Gadot and Pine both felt like they phoned this one in to a point. Wiig was interesting until her elevation to super-villain at which point, the role felt like more than she could manage. Pascal felt out of place with overacting and a poor fit for the role. The remainder of the cast was okay.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were okay but could have had more attention to detail and a realistic feel. The film felt like it tried too hard to mimic 1984 much of the time. Effects and CGI were disappointing with completely unrealistic scenes. Dialogue was another failure with several plot points not explained at all, or requiring us to extrapolate what might have happened after the last film. Plot and storyline continuity was a mess. Sound and soundtrack are lethargic.

Overall Wonder Woman 1984 was simply disappointing. Technical work was poor, acting was disappointing, and the storyline was almost rendered unintelligible by direction. Those hoping for a solid continuation of the franchise will likely be disappointed.

With mild sexuality, violence, and mild foul language, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2020
Reviewed: 7.12.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Action & Adventure, Action Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Comic Books and Superheroes, Sci-Fi Action, Fantasy

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Willy's Wonderland

 

 

An anti-social drifter is tricked into a quick overnight janitorial job at Willy's Wonderland, a condemned amusement park. Once the sun goes down he quickly finds himself in a war for survival as the parks evil animatronics come to live with a taste for blood.

Nicolas Cage (Janitor), Emily Tosta (Liv), Beth Grant (Sheriff Lund), Ric Reitz (Tex), Chris Warner (Jed), Kai Kadlec (Chris), Caylee Cowan (Kathy), Jonathan Mercedes (Dan), Terayle Hill (Bob), Christian Delgrosso (Aaron).

Willy's Wonderland begins with a little plot setup for what little plot exists. A drifter driving through a small town becomes stranded when his tires are destroyed and takes a quick overnight janitorial cleanup job to pay the repair bill. Unfortunately abandoned amusement park Willy's Wonderland is the cleanup job and nobody told The Janitor that the furry animatronics come to life at night. The remainder of the film is The Janitor battling furry animatronics and saving a group of kids who snuck in to make trouble.

Acting was a bit of a mess here. Another role with Nic Cage not talking or acting like a normal human. Someone please tell him to stop taking these roles. Tosta was mildly interesting, as was Grant. The remainder of the supporting cast felt like they walked in off the street and found themselves in a movie.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are actually decent with fair attention to detail and good technical work. Action scenes were half a step from ridiculous unless you enjoy furry battles. Dialogue was thin, campy, and lacking any kind of depth. Sound and soundtrack feel as low budget as the rest of the film.

Willy's Wonderland amusement park was condemned in the movie, which should probably be condemned as well. With a ridiculous plot that is never well explained, lackluster acting, and mediocre technical work, furry lovers may be the only ones to find value here.

With some mild sexuality, violence, gore, and foul language, this should be fine for older teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 7.1.21
Star rating: 1 out of 5
Genre: Comedy, Action, Horror, Sci-Fi Horror

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Greenland

 As a planet-killing comet races toward Earth the Garrity family races toward their only hope for survival. Encountering the best and worst of humanity amid destruction of the world, they hop a plane in a last-ditch effort to save their lives.

Gerard Butler (John), Morena Baccarin (Allison), Roger Floyd (Nathan), Scott Glenn (Dale), Randal Gonzalez (Bobby), Scott Pythress (Kenny), Claire Bronson (Debra), Gary Weeks (Ed), Tracey Bonner (Peggy).

Greenland begins with introduction of the comet, Clarke, which is expected to rain fragments down upon Earth. As character introductions roll-out, so does the plot when it is learned Clarke will instead be an extinction level event. Identified by the government as essential, the Garrity family races toward a government shelter only to lose their transportation and be forced to take a huge risk in hopes of saving their lives.

Acting was reasonably good with Butler and Baccarin both delivering fairly well. Floyd was decent and Glenn delivered with his usual gruff. Bronson, Week, Bonner and the remainder of the supporting cast were mild but good.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds feel pretty good with fair integration of CGI/VFX. A few scenes felt over-the-top but most were reasonably solid. Action scenes were entertaining but felt lacking and a bit lifeless. Dialogue was good with fitting depth. Sound and soundtrack are okay.

Greenland is a decent end-of-the-world action thriller with fair technical work and acting. Same as the numerous other movies of the same genre that are more engaging and exciting. While Greenland is not bad at all, it adds nothing to the genre and challenges none of the more popular catastrophe films.

Some mild gore and foul language but nothing here to keep teens and above away.

Released: 2020
Reviewed: 7.5.21
Star rating: 2 out of 5
Genre: Thriller, Action, Drama, Action Thriller, Disasters

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: The Ice Road

 Following the collapse of a mine in remote northern Canada, struggling ice road trucker Mike and his brother lead a rescue mission of semi-trucks loaded with heavy equipment across a frozen ocean to save trapped miners.

Liam Neeson (Mike), Marcus Thomas (Gurty), Laurence Fishburne (Goldenrod), Amber Midthunder (Tantoo), Benjamin Walker (Varnay), Holt McCallany (Lampard), Martin Sensmeier (Cody), Matt McCoy (Sickle).

The Ice Road begins with some character introductions and plot setup as we learn how Mike and Gurty are down on their luck and scraping to survive. Things quickly change with the mine collapse trapping most of the miners and the equipment needed to save them across a frozen ocean. Mike decides to take on the task of driving a load of heavy equipment across the ice after which the film is simply action and adventure with some bits of suspense and a thin sub-plot for distraction.

Acting was decent from Neeson, but the film was not. Liam, you make a good action hero but you need to stop taking these repetitive, plot deficient, roles trying to capitalize on your name. Thomas was decent as was Fishburne in a smallish role. Midthunder was okay while Walker delivered his usual. The remainder of the cast was okay.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are pretty good though integration with VFX was seriously lacking at times. Action scene CGI could have also used a bit of help. Dialogue was mediocre with reasonable depth and movement. Sound and soundtrack are fairly boring.

Overall The Ice Road is a solid Action & Adventure flick, if you have not seen many Action & Adventure flicks. The film never really develops energy or character engagement and feels like a generic cookie-cutter film with little depth or originality.

With some violence and foul language, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 7.1.21
Star rating: 2 out of 5
Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama, Thriller, Action Thriller, Action Drama

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Tenet

 

With only a single word in his arsenal, Tenet, a Protagonist must unravel a spiderweb of global espionage defying physics and time in hopes of stopping a madman bent on world destruction by temporal means.

John Washington (Protagonist), Martin Donovan (Fay), Robert Pattinson (Neil), Dimple Kapadia (Priya), Denzil Smith (Sanjay), Michael Caine (Crosby), Elizabeth Debicki (Kat), Yuri Kolokolnikov (Volkov), Kenneth Branagh (Sator).

Tenet begins with a short bit of setup incorporated with some character introductions and plot setup. The story quickly gets moving, along with the action. Essentially Protagonist is tasked with stopping a madman plotting to destroy the world with alien technology that morphs the entropy of any object. From there, the storyline only gets more confusing as objects and time are blended. In the end, the film tries to wrap up and explain things and does a decent job. At the same time, a bit more explanation would have helped.

Acting was good with Washington delivering nicely. Debicki also fit well and did nicely. Pattinson was solid and delivered well bringing some light to the film. Branagh was well cast and delivered very well as always. Kapadia, Smith, Caine and the remainder of the supporting cast were good.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were good with a variety of settings and solid technical work. CGI and VFX fit the film well while being essential to help explain physics and time. Action was solid and entertaining while being quite unique. Dialogue was good but a bit more depth would have been nice. Sound and soundtrack are decent. Editing could have used some work with several scene switches that were never explained.

Overall Tenet is a mind-bending sci-fi action thriller with solid technical work, good depth, and a unique engaging storyline. Those who enjoy intense sci-fi thrillers, or have interest in altered physics, should enjoy this one.

Plenty of violence, gore, and foul language so save this one for teens and above.

Released: 2020
Reviewed: 6.15.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Sci-Fi Action, Sci-Fi Thriller, Sci-Fi Aliens, Espionage, Time Travel

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Revenge

 A romantic weekend away with her wealthy boyfriend changes course when two of his slimy friends arrive for a hunting trip. Things escalate, eventually ending with Jen being left for dead. But far from dead, Jen sets out to exact revenge with extreme prejudice.

Matilda Lutz (Jen), Kevin Janssens (Richard), Vincent Colombe (Stan), Guillaume Bouchede (Dimitri), Jean-Louis Tribes (Roberto).

Revenge begins well enough as Jen and Richard enjoy their weekend getaway. But when two of Richard's slimy friends arrive, the tone of the weekend changes. Things escalate and Jen is left for dead, but instead saves herself and makes a miraculous recovery. Now, she is out for revenge and nothing less will do. From there the film is a cat-and-mouse action thriller as the roles of hunter and prey begin to switch regularly with Jen finally reaching her goal.

Acting was decent with Lutz delivering a fairly solid performance. Janssens was decent and seemed to work well with Lutz. Colombe and Bouchede were both well cast as scum and both delivered well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were okay if a bit bland. Background and natural scenery are nice, but can be overdone when there is quite literally nothing to see. Dialogue was mediocre and could have used more depth and detail. Sound and soundtrack are okay. Blood and gore however were nicely done with plenty of both.

In the end, Revenge felt like it had little of the depth or intensity of actual revenge. Lutz seemed to be trying to portray determination, but instead felt a bit unrealistic. For example; she was able to walk for miles on dirt roads with no shoes and no apparent issues. And while Colombe sold it as a jerk, Janssens didn't quite sell it as an emotional boyfriend or as one of the guys ready to cover things up. Those who enjoy a less intense action thriller should enjoy this one.

Released: 2018
Reviewed: 6.6.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Action, Thriller, Horror, indie Action

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Army of the Dead

 Following the zombie apocalypse, Las Vegas is a zombie only zone about to be bombed. But for a group of mercenaries, the opportunity for a $200 million dollar heist is irresistible.

Dave Bautista (Scott), Ella Purnell (Kate), Omari Hardwick (Vanderohe), Ana de la Reguera (Maria), Theo Rossi (Burt), Matthias Schweighofer (Dieter), Nora Arnezeder (Lilly/Coyote), Hiroyuki Sanada (Tanaka).

Army of the Dead begins by showing us how the zombie apocalypse was started before fast-forwarding a bit to present day where Las Vegas is a walled-in zombie-only zone. Soon after Scott is offered a heist inside Las Vegas and begins building his team. From there the film is a roller-coaster action horror flick with plenty of zombies. The film moves along pretty well and does a decent job of maintaining the plot

Acting was solid with Bautista delivering both action and decent drama. Purnell was okay but felt like she thought she was the lead. Hardwick, Reguera, and Rossi were all solid. Arnezeder fit her role well and delivered well, as did seasoned action Sanada. Schweighofer and the remainder of the cast were good.

Camera work was nicely done with good framing, movement, and variety. Sets and backgrounds were also nicely done with a solid, realistic feel. Dialogue was good with reasonable depth and movement. Sound and soundtrack are fitting.

Army of the Dead is an enjoyable, nicely done zombie flick with good depth and a unique take on zombies despite the thin plot. Zombie fans should enjoy this one.

With some topless zombies, graphic violence, gore, foul language, adult scenes, more zombies, blood, gore, and violence, you may want to hold this one for older teens and above.

Released: 2021
Reviewed: 5.24.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Horror, Zombies, Action, Crime, Adventure

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Your Highness

When his fiancée is kidnapped Prince Fabious teams up with his stoner brother, Thadeous, on orders from his father who hopes Thadeous will mature, on a quest to save her.

Danny McBride (Thadeous), James Franco (Fabious), Rasmus Hardiker (Courtney), Natalie Portman (Isabel), Toby Jones (Julie), Justin Theroux (Leezar), Zooey Deschanel (Belladonna), Charles Dance (King Tallious).

Your Highness begins by showing us Thadeous and his life along with a few other character introductions. Before long, Fabious comes home for help rescuing his kidnapped fiancée. His father the King sees this as an opportunity to force Thadeous to mature and orders the two on a quest to rescue Belladonna. The two quickly meet and team up with Isabel, a warrior on a similar path. The remainder of the film is a comedy action adventure with more than a few chuckles that travels at a good pace through the requisite Happy Ever After ending.

Acting was enjoyable with McBride and Franco both doing well delivering solid performances with plenty of laughs. Portman was a fun addition and brought nice depth to things. Hardiker was well cast and did nicely, as did Jones, Theroux, Deschanel and the remainder of the supporting cast.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are fun and light with reasonable fit and detail for the film. Action scenes were largely physical and well done, as were visual effects. Dialogue had some good laughs and strayed only lightly into the dramatic. Sound and soundtrack are fitting and enjoyable.

In the end, Your Highness is a fun action comedy that moves along and entertains well. Those who enjoy a silly movie will enjoy this one. Those looking for serious depth or intricate technical work will be disappointed.

With some nudity and mild sexuality, persistent crotch humor, comedic violence, blood, gore, foul language, and potentially disturbing scenes, I wish you the best of luck at keeping younger teens away from this one.

Released: 2011
Reviewed: 5.24.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Comedy, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Action Comedy

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: The House That Jack Built

 Jack is a highly intelligent serial killer believing his murders over the past twelve years to be an expression of art. The House That Jack Built follows those twelve years of his life as his skills develop and the law closes in causing him to take ever greater risks for his art.

Matt Dillon (Jack), Bruno Ganz (Verge), Uma Thurman (Lady 1), Siobhan Hogan (Lady 2), Sofie Grabol (Lady 3), Riley Keough (Simple), Jeremy Davies (Al), Jack McKenzie (Sonny), Emil Tholstrup (Young Jack).

The House That Jack Built begins by introducing us to Jack and quickly thereafter, his fondness for killing in the name of art. Told in the form of an unusual interview, the film then follows 12 years of Jack's life as his serial-killer skills improve. At the same time the police are slowly closing in forcing Jack to take ever greater risks. The story culminates in a flurry of action as Jack works to complete his final work of art before being caught.

Acting from Dillon was very good throughout with solid delivery and immersion in his character. Ganz, Thurman, Keough, Davies, and the remainder of the supporting cast did nicely in much smaller roles.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are solid with good use of natural scenery and attention to detail. Action scenes and effects were very impacting to say the least and fit the film perfectly. Dialogue was good with nice depth and movement. Sound and soundtrack are solid.

Overall The House That Jack Built is an engaging and entertaining film. It is also somewhat disturbing from several aspects. Those who enjoy psychologically disturbing horror should enjoy this one.

With some nudity, graphic violence and gore, animal cruelty, foul language, disturbing images and adult situations, save this for the oldest teens and above.

Released: 2018
Reviewed: 5.12.21
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Horror, Crime, Drama, Serial Killers, Psychological Thrillers

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: The Dustwalker

 Officer Sharp must fight to save her small town after a crashed alien spacecraft brings a deadly parasite to earth, infecting the townsfolk and turning them into vicious killers.

Jolene Anderson (Sharp), Stef Dawson (Samantha), Richard Davies (Luke), Cassandra Magrath (Angela), Talina Naviede (Michelle), Harry Greenwood (Paul), Ben Mortley (Bill), Ryan Allen (Anthony), Oscar Harris (Dean).

The Dustwalker begins with the arrival of an alien spacecraft near a small, isolated desert town. Slowly character introductions are made, followed by the main storyline. If this sounds boring, that's because it is. The story takes time to unroll and while doing so allows us the time to truly start disliking the characters. The film attempts to raise the sci-fi aspect a notch toward the end, but fails to have the impact it seems to intend.

Acting was a mess here. Anderson fell flat as a cop and was completely unbelievable through most of the film. Davies was mildly better but considering who he was acting with, couldn't improve things much. Dawson put in the energy but still didn't feel genuine. Most of the rest of the supporting cast felt inexperienced or bland.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds have a realistic feel. Almost too realistic with some awkward framing and lack of background focus appearing to try to conceal backgrounds or set detail. Visual effects were thankfully minimal and simplistic. Action scenes were mild and lacking in action. Dialogue was dry and often lifeless. Sound and soundtrack are lethargic at best.

Overall The Dustwalker is a miss. The storyline is common while acting and technical work could use some help. The film does a poor job of building energy or even audience engagement with characters. The result is a less than mediocre film from about every aspect.

With some mild violence and a couple foul words, this should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2019
Reviewed: 5.10.21
Star rating: 2 out of 5
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller, Suspense

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Terminal

 Taking place in a train terminal at night; 2 male assassins, a female assassin, waitress, janitor, crime boss, and teacher have their lives intertwined at the hands of a criminal mastermind with a taste for revenge.

Margot Robbie (Annie/Bonnie), Simon Pegg (Bill), Dexter Fletcher (Vince), Mike Myers (Clinton/Franklyn), Max Irons (Alf), Katarina Cas (Chloe), Nick Moran (Illing), Les Loveday (Young Clinton), Jourdan Dunn (Conejo).

Terminal begins with a bit of back-story or plot setup that makes little sense. Roll credits and from there the storyline begins executing. Along with some plot points we get character introductions and depth begins to build quickly. The rest of the film is a quirky journey revealing more plot tidbits punctuated by some action and drama. Toss in a plot twist or two and the film wraps up fairly well.

Acting was solid with Robbie and Pegg both delivering nicely. Although Terminal is a quirky unusual film, it was nice to see Robbie in a different type role. Fletcher was well cast, as was Irons and both added nice depth to the film. Myers was unusual as always, fitting the film well. Cas, Moran, and the remainder of the supporting cast were enjoyable.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are all dark in the film noir genre without being industrial. Action and effects are fitting and nicely done and engaging. Dialogue is all over with some dark humor, plenty of challenging accents, and frequent fast subject changes. Sound and soundtrack are appropriate and well done.

Terminal ends up being a film that is difficult to define. It would be easy to call it a crime drama however,  with the film noir theme, very good cast, and dark plot, there is a lot more depth to the film.

With plenty of violence, gore, foul language, and adult situations, save this one older teens and above.

Released: 2018
Reviewed: 5.10.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Drama, Crime, Thriller, Film Noir

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: An Awkward Sexual Adventure aka. My Awkward Sexual Adventure

 Dumped by his girlfriend due to his poor sexual performance, mild-mannered accountant Jordan is searching for help. Enlisting the aid of a stripper to expand his experience, he is led into a world of massage parlors, S&M, cross-dressing and strip clubs.

Jonas Chernick (Jordan), Emily Hampshire (Julia), Sarah Manninen (Rachel), Vik Sahay (Dandak), Melissa Elias (Reshma), Marina Kerr (Ruth), Andrea del Campo (Sapphire), Onalee Ames (Gypsy), Randy Apostle (Rabbi).

An Awkward Sexual Adventure (also billed as My Awkward Sexual Adventure) begins with Jordan's awkward sexual performance before becoming even more awkward. Albeit in a sexually adventurous way. With character introductions and plot setup out of the way the story gets moving with more than a few laughs as Jordan is educated by Julia and others. The film wraps with the Happy Ever After ending we all saw coming five minutes into the film.

Acting was entertaining with Chernick delivering nicely. Hampshire was well cast, fit her role well, and also delivered well. Sahay was hysterical and a perfect fit for both the film and his work with Chernick. Manninen, Elias, and the remainder of the supporting cast did well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds are good with nice variety and fit for the film with only a few details missing. Action scenes were enjoyable and fun. Dialogue was also fun with some nice laughs and good balance of depth. Sound and soundtrack are solid.

Overall An Awkward Sexual Adventure is a fun, mildly edgy comedy with solid acting and technical work. Though the plot is about sexual performance, this really is more a comedy about how people approach sexual education and to a smaller degree, relationships.

As you might imagine this one contains a fair amount of sexual comedy, references, partial nudity or more, sexual acts and some foul language. Save this one for the oldest teens and above.

Released: 2013
Reviewed: 5.10.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Alternative

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Pawn Shop Chronicles

 A small Southern town's local pawn shop serves as a connection between a man searing for his abducted wife, a couple of white-supremacist meth heads, and a down-and-out Elvis impersonator resulting an a wild-goose chase of all-start proportions.

Paul Walker (Raw Dog), Matt Dillon (Richard), Brendan Fraser (Ricky), Kevin Rankin (Randy), Vincent D'Onofrio (Alton), Norman Reedus (Stanley), Chi McBride (Johnson), Elijah Wood (Shaw), DJ Qualls (JJ), Pell James (Cyndi), Lukas Haas (Vernon), Ashlee Simpson (Theresa), Thomas Jane (The Man).

Pawn Shop Chronicles begins where it should, in the pawn shop run by Alton and Johnson. From there the story shifts to an odd crime setting off a chain of even stranger events. As the film evolves, the strange things find a common connection via the local pawn shop. The story finally wraps with a strange ending that actually ties up loose ends and explains things better than we had hoped with some nice chuckles along the way.

Acting was surprisingly good with the entire cast delivering well. Dillon was well cast in his role, and Fraser did an excellent job as washed-up-Elvis. Wood and Qualls both did nicely in roles that fit them well. The remainder of the cast, too numerous to mention, did quite well.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were pretty good but obviously not the focus. Action scenes were fitting and solid without being overdone for the film. Dialogue was fun with some nice comedy and decent depth for the genre. Sound and soundtrack are okay.

In the end, Pawn Shop Chronicles is a nicely done action comedy focused on providing a few laughs and an amusing storyline, which it does pretty well. Action comedy fans should enjoy  this one.

Released: 2013
Reviewed: 5.9.21
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Action, Comedy, Adventure, Crime, Action Comedy

copyright ©2021 Dave Riedel