Thriller, 89 Minutes, 2014
I’ll admit to a bit of a chip on my shoulder going into this. The casting of a now officially elderly Robert Englund [IMDB] seemed more stunt than substance (even if he does a decent British accent). How could a near-seventy year-old man possibly work as the protagonist of a slasher flick?
Pretty damn well, it seems.
Horror, 112 Minutes, 2013
The movie is based on the reports of noted paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. It presents them as learned, respected and heroic. They were none of these things. None of their evidence has ever stood up to investigation, and none of their claims have ever been confirmed. Most of their cases, such as the famous Amityville Horror, have been thoroughly debunked as hoaxes and the rest are highly explainable.
Family, 107 Minutes, 2014
The Muppets have honed their formula to perfection in the 35 years since the original “The Muppet Movie” [my review]. There have been rough patches, but all was set right with 2011’s big-budget revival “The Muppets” [my review]. Where that film spent significant time on new characters and human relationships, this one is a return to the basics. More songs, more gags and more Muppets.
Thriller/Drama, 113 Minutes, 2010
In 1997 three retired Mossad agents are enjoying some deserved accolades. A new book is being released about the 1965 mission that made them legends. Then, less that twenty years after the formation of Israel, Mossad’s goal was to bring Nazi war criminals to justice.
Horror/Thriller, 82 Minutes, 2013
This low-budget thriller ups the ante by focusing on a trapped mother and her three daughters. She was taking the teens to pick up their father, back from an extended tour of duty in the Middle East. They’re forced to seek shelter in the basement of a nearby farm house when a tornado forces them off the road. It’s only when they try to get out that they realize their safe harbor is actually a prison; one guarded by terrible, predatory creatures.
Thriller, 88 Minutes, 2013
Hey kids, more torture porn! That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does seem like we’ve gotten more than our fair share of them lately. Each finds a reason for people to be pushed to their extremes and then, well, pushes them. Happily, this one is better than most.
Thriller, 97 Minutes, 2013
Some films chronicle a descent into madness. This one tosses you in the middle of it and continually challenges your perception of where rock bottom lies. Boundaries are defined only enough to be ignored and “normal” is something you see on old television programs.
Horror/Thriller, 89 Minutes, 2011
Low-budget horror is a mostly-miss affair. Characters as thin as the fake blood they’re splashed in and plots as trite as a “Love is…” poster. The train-wrecks are fun in their own way, but the real joy is in finding the (very) few that hit their mark. This is one of those.
“We Need to Talk about Kevin” on IMDB
Thriller, 112 Minutes, 2011
Kids suck, amirite or amirite? I mean you’re perfectly happy living your life, spending your disposable income and sleeping through the night. You want to go out; you go out! You want to beat “Final Fantasy VII” in a sitting; you do it! Then, out of nowhere, BAM! Then, nine-months later it all goes to hell. The crying, diaper changing and total lack of privacy. And don’t get me started on the enduring antisocial behavior, diminished empathy and remorse, and disinhibited or bold behavior!
Thriller, 88 Minutes, 2009:
Thomas Jane [IMDB] stars in and directs this dark, psychological thriller. Dick (Jane) and Gina (Lauren German [IMDB]) met, fell in love and got married all in the same day. But that’s the kind of thing that happens in Las Vegas. They’re driving Gina’s old Ford through the desert at night – it’s the only way to beat the heat – so that they can start their new life together. Things go from bad to worse when they run down an accident victim and have to deal with a quickly unraveling set of circumstances.
“The Conjuring” on IMDB
“Filth” on IMDB
