Movie review: Deadpool

Ward is an ex-Special Forces operative turned mercenary when he is diagnosed with advanced cancer. Volunteering for a research project that could cure him, it instead leaves Ward disfigured with superhuman healing powers launching him on a path to revenge.

Ryan Reynolds (Wade/Deadpool), Karan Soni (Dopinder), Ed Skrein (Ajax), Michael Benyaer (Warlord), Stefan Kapicic (Colossus voice), Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic), Morena Baccarin (Vanessa), Style Dayne (Jeremy).

Deadpool is quite simply an unusual approach for a film, particularly for a Marvel production. The story begins with some background on Wade before slipping into the storyline. The storyline however is somewhat out of order, showing some action scenes before they are explained. Along the way there are plenty of laughs from simple humor as well as profanity and crude actions. The film wraps up with a bit of a corny ending, and hopes for a sequel!

Acting was quite enjoyable with this one. Reynolds with his sarcastic humor was a perfect fit in his role and delivered very well. Skrein made a wonderful villain with nice energy and a good fit playing against Reynolds and Baccarin. Baccarin was a nice choice and showed a more racy side of herself with class and style that fit the film well. The remainder of the cast was solid throughout.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were nicely done and blended expertly with CGI. Action scenes were intense and also supported well with CGI and effects. Dialogue was good with nice depth, plot movement, and audience engagement with the characters. Sound and soundtrack were enjoyable.

If you are looking for something original and unusual that retains mainstream appeal without unrealistic focus on being artistic, check out Deadpool. Fans of action adventure, late night comedy, or comic book superhero's should enjoy this one quite a bit. Those easily offended by profanity or crude humor may want to take a pass.

With plenty of graphic and hysterical foul language, graphic violence and gore, sexuality, and nudity this should be fine for older teens and above who will try and see it regardless.

Released: 2016
Reviewed: 9.2.16
Star rating: 5 out of 5
Genre: Action Comedy, Action Adventure, Late Night Comedy, Comic Book Superheroes, Fantasy action

copyright ©2016 Dave Riedel

Movie review: The Houses October Built

Filming a home-made documentary, five friends set out to find the best Halloween haunted house they can. Instead something finds them, and begins haunting them at every turn.

Brandy Schaefer, Zack Andrews, Bobby Roe, Mikey Roe, Jeff Larson, Bob Ballou, Tansy Alexander (Trannyotomy), Kahl Brice (Head Clown), Robert Benjamin (Clown), Chloe Crampton (Porcelain).

The Houses October Built begins with some interviews before moving to the main plot. As the five friends set out to find the best haunted houses, strange things begin to happen and it appears they may be the hunted instead. While the rest of the film tries to lay out a plot and storyline, trying is all it really does. Interviews mixed with random horror do not a movie make. Though there are a few creepy moments, redemption is not in sight.

Acting was mediocre at best, while most was a bit worse.

Camera work was awful with seemingly everything but the kitchen sink thrown in trying to keep things interesting. While variety is nice, so is stability and consistency. Sets and backgrounds, which appeared mostly natural, were nothing special. Dialogue had a few interesting moments but could have done much more. Sound was decent.

Overall unless you absolutely must see every horror film ever made, skip this one. But if you have a home-made horror fetish be sure and check this one out.

With some nudity, foul language, and some disturbing scenes, older teens and above should be appropriately bored stiff by this one.

Released: 2014
Reviewed: 8.30.16
Star rating: 1 out of 5
Genre: Horror, Thriller

copyright ©2016 Dave Riedel

Movie review: David Cross - Making America Great Again!

From the Paramount Theatre in Texas comes just over an hour of ponderings on various topics by David Cross. Pontificating on the American swagger, religion, and politics including Donald Trump, David definitely has an unusual view of things.

David Cross

David Cross has played some interesting characters in films so I'm not sure why I thought his comedy would be any different. He takes a different, almost quirky, view of things putting together something resembling logic that, together with comedy, is as funny as it is strange. Casually strolling around the stage, David does a nice job of mixing different types of humor and a nice variety of topics.

Camera and spotlight work was good. Stage setting was simple but worked. Sound was good, even when David was doing unusual things with the microphone.

While I'm familiar with David the actor, I wasn't previously familiar with his comedy and found it quite enjoyable. Those who are offended, not just easily, may want to think twice about this one. Meanwhile the rest of us will be busy chuckling.

With plenty of foul language but nothing else, this may be fine for older teens.

Released: 2016
Reviewed: 8.30.16
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Comedy, Stand-up Comedy

copyright ©2016 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Gaslight

Years after the murder of her aunt in her home, Paula and her new husband move back into the same house. But Gregory, her new husband, has a secret to protect. Even if it means driving his new wife insane.

Charles Boyer (Gregory), Ingrid Bergman (Paula), Joseph Cotton (Brian), Dame May Whitty (Miss Thwaites), Angela Lansbury (Nancy), Barbara Everest (Elizabeth), Heather Thatcher (Lady Dalroy), Lawrence Grossmith (Lord Dalroy).

Gaslight begins with some mild backstory and character introduction before moving to the main plot. Moving back to the house in which her aunt died, Paula struggles emotionally which Gregory sees as an opportunity to help hide a secret he has been keeping. The rest of the film is a nice mix of misdirection and subtle hints that cast Gregory in a highly suspicious light.

I heard about this film as the origination of the term Gaslighting, and as a good explanation of the term. While the film may explain the original meaning, it doesn't seem to fit well with the currently used definition which seems much more common and less criminal.

Acting was enjoyable with Bergman delivering wonderfully. Boyer also did well with good delivery and emotion. Cotton and Whitty were fun in supporting roles they handled nicely. Lansbury, much younger here, fit her role well and was solid, as was the remainder of the cast.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were good with most of the film taking place inside a single house. Made in 1944, this is a black and white that is showing some age. While colors and effects may be missing, the film is well done and easy to watch with good technical work. Dialogue was enjoyable though a bit more explanation about Gregory's secret and other events would have been nice. Sound and soundtrack were good.

Overall Gaslight is a very enjoyable Classic Thriller. Fans of classics, black and white films, and the slow-build thrillers of the 40's should enjoy this one.

Nothing here to limit audience age. Preens and above should be fine with this one.

Released: 1944
Reviewed: 8.22.16
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Classic thrillers, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Crime Thriller

copyright ©2016 Dave Riedel

Movie review: The Forest

When her twin sister disappears in Japan's "Suicide Forest", Aokigahara Forest, Sara sets out to search for her. Instead she finds the woods a playground for the supernatural.

Natalie Dormer (Sara/Jess), Eoin Macken (Rob), Stephanie Vogt (Valerie), Noriko Sakura (Mayumi), Taylor Kinney (Aiden), Yuho Yamashita (Sakura), Terry Diab (Grandma), Nadja Mazalica (Young Sara/Young Jess).

The Forest begins well enough with some minor backstory and character introductions. After Jess goes missing things get slightly more interesting as Sara sets out in search of her missing twin. Once the story moves to the forest things get much more interesting as the supernatural aspect of the film moves into focus. The rest of the movie is a supernatural horror ride with some thrills, chills, BOO shots, and a nice twist for an ending.

Acting was decent with Dormer doing a nice job in her dual role with good delivery and emotion. Kinney was enjoyable and did a good job generating doubt with his delivery. The remainder of the cast was solid and fit the film nicely.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were good although some of the darker forest scenes were a challenge. Action scenes and CGI were good with nice detail and fit. Dialogue was a bit thin at times, and could have easily added depth to the film. Sound and soundtrack are mild but enjoyable.

Despite a somewhat unusual storyline, The Forest ends up being a basic haunted-woods script with a few mild twists. The plot is interesting, technical work fairly well done, and acting solid making this a nice mid-level horror flick that genre fans should enjoy.

With plenty of graphic violence and gore, some foul language, and just plain scary scenes, this surprisingly should be fine for teens and above.

Released: 2016
Reviewed: 8.18.16
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Horror, Supernatural Horror, Supernatural Thriller, Thrillers

copyright ©2016 Dave Riedel

Movie review: APEX: The Story of the Hypercar

APEX: The Story of the Hypercar takes a look at a visionary carmaker and his desire to break into the hypercar market, competing against names like Ferrari and McLaren. Along the way the film takes a look behind the scenes at top-secret development facilities, and how the cars are tested on the track.

Zachary Levi (Narrator).

While APEX: The Story of the Hypercar sounds as if it examines the class as a whole, the film really focuses on Swedish entrepreneur Christian von Koenigsegg. His vision is to build a hypercar based on a 1:1 horsepower vs. weight ratio. But rather than focusing on the technical aspects of the car, the film focuses more on competition to market and track testing. Along the way we get a brief look at development by competitors such as Ferrari, McLaren, and Pagani.

Being a documentary there really isn't much acting here, just interviews, which were enjoyable.

Camera work was pretty good with nice use of natural scenery and action cameras used both in and on the cars being examined. For a documentary this one did a nice job of putting us in the drivers seat. Interview dialogue and narration were good. As was sound and technical work overall.

If you are someone who wants design details or a focus on technical specifications you may be a bit disappointed with this one. But if you want a big picture look at hypercar development and marketing, you should enjoy this one.

Nothing here to limit audience age. In fact, younger car fanatics will probably enjoy this one.

Released: 2016
Reviewed: 8.13.16
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Documentary, Automobile

copyright ©2016 Dave Riedel

Movie review: Hush

A deaf writer who retreated into the woods to live a solitary life must fight for her life in silence when a masked killer appears at her window.

Kate Siegel (Maddie), John Gallagher Jr. (Man), Michael Trucco (John), Samantha Sloyan (Sarah), Emma Graves (Max).

Though deaf, the vibrations of sound in a big city are too much for Maddie, a writer who decides instead to live remotely in the woods. But when a killer appears at her window, his intentions to terrorize and kill her quite clear, Maddie realizes she is truly alone. As the killer uses her lack of hearing against her, he finds Maddie much more aware of what she can't hear than he expected. Rather than explaining the plot well, Hush prefers to focus on the terror and suspense, which is does quite well.

Hush does an amazing job of putting you inside Maddie's head with an understanding of how life would be without sound. The film then uses this new education of yours to its advantage, impressively ratcheting up the terror index with nary a peep.

Acting was very good with Siegel delivering a wonderfully complex performance, really selling her characters inability to hear. Gallagher Jr. also did nicely, coming across as quite menacing and psychotic. Trucco and Sloyan had small parts but delivered well.

Sets and backgrounds were mild but fitting for the film. Camera work did a good job of reinforcing Maddie's lack of hearing which, along with creative use of sound, really brings you into the world of a deaf person. Action scenes were good with a solid, realistic feel. Sound, again, was used well to support the theme of the film.

Being trapped by a killer is a well worn storyline to which Hush adds some new variables, freshening up the plot and making things a bit more interesting. The result is a sleeper film with good technical work, acting, that builds suspense and terror well. Genre fans should enjoy this one.

With graphic violence, foul language, and intense terror scenes, reserve this one for older teens and above.

Released: 2016
Reviewed: 8.13.16
Star rating: 4 out of 5
Genre: Thrillers, Horror Movies, Slasher and Serial Killer, Suspense, Terror

copyright ©2016 Dave Riedel