Black Water

My View:  Black Water  (2018)  R  A deep-cover operative named, Wheeler (Jean-Claude Van Damme), finds himself imprisoned in a CIA black op-site on a submarine. Kidnapping Wheeler will be a deadly mistake.I was looking forward to seeing Black Water because I thought putting Van Damme in tight quarters to fight in but there is too much talking in this film and not enough fighting. Dolph Lundgren is in his fifth film with Van Damme playing a fellow detainee, but fans of Lundgren are going to be disappointed as he doesn’t get into the action until seventy minutes into the film. The plot does have a few twists and turns, one which I didn’t see coming. I just wanted more action from this film and less talking.  My Rating: Cable   Black Water Info

In Case You Missed It (A movie just released on DVD/Blu-Ray):  Pacific Rim Uprising (2018)  PG-13   Jake Pentecost (John Boyega) teams with Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots. Nate Lambert (Scott Eastwood), Jake’s rival and hacker, and Amara Namani (Cailee Spaeny), join the team when a new Kaiju threat rears up.  Unlike the first, this film doesn’t have heart. The characters are shallow, the dialogue is creaky, and the action sequences are confusing. The only thing that saves this movie is the performances of John Boyega, who is charismatic, and Cailee Spaeny, who does a phenomenal job, considering this is her first feature film. I just wish the two of them had better material to work with.  My Rating: Cable   Pacific Rim Uprising Website

In Memory of Ed Wood (A Movie I've Only Seen in Trailers but Just Looks Like a Bad Idea):  The Meg (2018)  PG-13   Jonas (Jason Statham) must protect his family and fellow workers from a 70-foot shark while in a sunken submersible. We already have the Sharknado movies, why do we need this version?    The Meg Website

Forgotten Film:  Frailty  (2001)  R   A man named, Fenton (Matthew McConaughey), shows up at an FBI agent’s (Powers Boothe) office and tells the agent that he knows who did a series of serial killings that occurred in the area and have never been solved. The man begins to tell the story of his dad (Bill Paxton), who was visited by an angel and told to kill demons disguised as people. The movie flashes back to when he was a young boy, and we see how and why his father, with the help of his sons, killed the victims. The late Bill Paxton directed this psychological drama that adds a little horror to the story as it goes along. Paxton is brilliant in the part, creating a character that is terrifying but is also a loving father who thinks he is doing the right thing. Frailty is a movie that isn’t always easy to watch but is fascinating in its delivery.  My Rating: Full Price    Frailty Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Black Water:  Stunt Guard

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Whitney  (2018)  R  Documentary on the life and music of the immensely talented but troubled Whitney Houston. The director of the film, Kevin Macdonald, got two nominations for this project at the Cannes Film Festival.    Whitney Facebook Page

Until Next Time!

Pacific Rim Uprising

My View:  Pacific Rim Uprising  (2018)  PG-13   Jake Pentecost (John Boyega) teams with Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots. Nate Lambert (Scott Eastwood), Jake’s rival and hacker, and Amara Namani (Cailee Spaeny), join the team when a new Kaiju threat rears up.  Unlike the first, this film doesn’t have heart. The characters are shallow, the dialogue is creaky, and the action sequences are confusing. The only thing that saves this movie is the performances of John Boyega, who is charismatic and Cailee Spaery, who does a remarkable job, considering this is her first feature film. I just wish the two of them had better material to work with.  My Rating: Cable   Pacific Rim Uprising 

Indiefest:  The Death of Stalin  (2017)  R  This comedy shows the last days of Joseph Stalin (Adrian McLoughlin), the Soviet dictator, and the chaos that follows his death in 1953.  While I did think this film was funny at times, I just never got into the flow of the movie. I loved the cast, and Jeffery Tambor is brilliant as a weak-minded leader who is more concerned about how he looks than governing the country. The film never finds a rhythm and, at times, is very grim. I feel it never gained any momentum, and I was bored by certain sections of the movie.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   The Death of Stalin Website

Indiefest:  Flower  (2017)   R  A sexually curious teen (Zoey Deutch) forms an unusual friendship with her mentally unstable stepbrother (Tim Heidecker).  I loved this film, and Zoey Deutch gives a complex and funny performance. The storyline is clever and has plenty of twists and turns to make you interested. It went in a direction that I didn’t expect but in a good way. This isn’t going to be for everyone, especially moviegoers who are not into indie filmmaking, but Zoey Deutch will be a big star one day if she keeps giving performances like this one.  My Rating: Full Price   Flower Website

Indiefest:  I Kill Giants  (2017)  Barbara (Madison Wolfe) is a young loner who struggles through life by escaping into a world of magic and monsters. Barbara is convinced that her town will be attacked by giants. The question:  Is Barbara crazy or does she know something that no one else knows?   This is a very quirky movie about a very strange but determined girl. Wolfe is on screen the whole time, most of them by herself as Barbara battles through life. Wolfe is asked to play a multi-layered part, one that she excels at, giving Barbara life. I Kill Giants is not your ordinary coming-of-age tale. My only quibble with the film is the ending, which tries to wrap things up too neatly. Overall, Anders Walter gives us a film that has some magical moments and a main character who is fascinating to watch. Be sure to see I Kill Giants in the theatre. It deserves the big screen.  My Rating: Full Price   I Kill Giants Info

Indiefest:  Leaning Into the Wind  (2017)  Documentary on artist Andy Goldsworthy, who creates art from nature.  This is an enjoyable film about an artist who makes art from nature, but sometimes his art only lasts for minutes or seconds, like his shadow people. Goldsworthy, when he senses it may rain, he lies down on the pavement and lets the rain hit him. He then gets up, and there is a shadow of where he was, but only for a short time before the pavement gets wet. The filmmaker follows Goldsworthy around the world as the artist makes works of art from trees, mud, flowers, and sticks. The film kept me interested and the artwork, though sometimes strange, is beautiful. If you like art, you will enjoy this film about a very peculiar artist, one that likes to climb in bushes just for fun.  My Rating:  Full Price      Leaning Into the Wind Website

Forgotten Film:  Matinee  (1993)  A small-time film promoter (John Goodman) releases a B-movie during the Cuban missile crisis.  Goodman is hilarious as the promoter who wants to make some money but also wants to entertain. Theatres and movie studios had to resort to stunts to get people away from their TV’s, and this funny and sometimes moving film shows the lengths they would go.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee    Matinee Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Pacific Rim Uprising:  Hair Designer 

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You: Outside In  (2017)  An ex-con (Jay Duplass) struggles to readjust to life in his small hometown. He gets help from his old high school teacher (Edie Flaco).  Jay Duplass co-wrote the script, so I am excited to see this film.   Outside In Info

Until Next Time!