I can’t say I was entirely disappointed in Keeping Up with the Joneses but for the talent they had, Galifianakis, Hamm and Fisher in particular, the script does them no justice with humor that doesn’t quite land and a thin plot that can’t compensate for the lack of laugh-out-loud jokes.
xXx now going on 15 years later still is as dumb and ridiculous as ever… and entertaining as all hell. The stunt work is rather impressive and while Vin Diesel may not be some thespian actor, movies like this and Fast and the Furious is right in his wheelhouse.
Cheesy and utterly dumb, Jack Frost still is a funny little fantasy-horror that might not be some classic, even by cult standards, but I did manage to laugh until the end with just how ridiculous the concept was.
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back wasn’t quite an ill-advised sequel but it certainly was unnecessary. As someone who hasn’t read a single Lee Child novel, I never had a problem with Cruise’s casting but here this was a forgettable action-thriller that is worth a rental but nothing more.
Comes a Horseman is an oft forgotten western-thriller that features three amazing performances, particularly by Jason Robards, with beautiful cinematography from the late Gordon C. Willis (The Godfather Trilogy).
Panned by critics (29% on Rotten Tomatoes), Stanley & Iris rests almost entirely on the talent, and charms, of the two leads, Jane Fonda and Robert De Niro, rather than the script. Fans of either of these legendary actors will get something out of this rom-melodrama.
The Monster isn’t terrible, not even close, but for horror fans might be disappointed especially how the movie was marketed. There are some fine performances for sure, though, especially by Zoe Kazan and the young Ella Bellentine, just a shame the script didn’t do them any favors.
Two for the Road is a charming little romantic drama featuring two charismatic leads in legendary actors Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney (when he didn’t mumble his lines like he had as of late).
The Girl on the Train has to be one of the more disappointing movies of the year as I am a fan of mystery-crime films however the acting isn’t bad led by Emily Blunt with honorable mentions to both Hayley Bennett and Rebecca Ferguson, but even with a so-so script, it might be worth a rental.
I guess its apt timing for this to come out after the New Year’s Eve quasi meltdown, but 2001’s Glitter was as bad as it was 15 years ago; the acting is at best spotty and the story clichéd.
Dressmaker is a well done movie highlighted by a fantastic cast including Kate Winslet, Judy Davis and Hugo Weaving. The story does have a familiar feel but with a darker crime twist that makes it all the more investing.
Death Race 2050 might not be very good but the filmmakers weren’t trying to make it very good and as a throwback to the 1975 original it certainly does the job well. That said, watching it solo, it wasn’t all that fun with the gimmick wearing thin early on but I suspect if you watched in a group, there might be some entertainment value.
In a Valley of Violence was somewhat of a surprise for a (basically) direct-to-video release mainly because, in spite of a familiar story and Western clichés, featured some solid performances by Ethan Hawke and Taissa Farmiga.
Southside with You is a simple, and incredibly short (74-minutes w/o credits), romance-drama that works more for the two lead performances by Tika Sumpter and Parker Sawyers who do great work going beyond impersonating and giving the future President and First Lady depth.
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life is a safe and harmless film mainly for families however for anyone older, the jokes don’t quite land though I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was mildly entertaining.