Darkest Hour is one of the better movies of 2017 and features a powerhouse, and Oscar-worthy, performance from Gary Oldman who proves once again that he is a chameleon no matter what role.
Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a so-so entry in the TCM franchise but considering how poor the others have been, even the second one which has garnered a fan base, it’s perhaps one of the better ones, though the scares are limited.
Hangman is just another in a long line of forgettable thrillers you probably pass on by at your local Wal-Mart and while this one does at least star Al Pacino and Karl Urban, I’m not entirely sure it’s worthwhile, though I suppose there were worse movies out there to watch.
Coco is yet another hit from Disney-Pixar and although I don’t think it’s the best they put out, I actually enjoyed Momoa a tad more, but the core story was so well written and had a great core, and non-cynical, message about family with a touching ending.
Macon County Line is a well developed drama that really stands out from others of the 1970s and does feature some great performances, particularly Max Baer (he also co-scripted) who previously was known as a comedic actor.
The 9 Lives Movie Collection is the usual cheap release put out by Mill Creek mostly recycling Sony movies they have the rights for and probably were part of a collection in the past. Considering the movies here, you’re really not getting high quality work but some entertaining flicks mixed in with some bad ones
The Strangers is a movie that still holds up today as it did 10 years ago. Its simplicity, and restraint of using jump scares, really helps it stand out from others in the thriller/horror genre even when character development is, at best, minimal.
Homeland: The Complete Sixth Season is easily the worst of what was otherwise a strong series. The performance from Mandy Patinkin is still strong while Claire Danes’ character storyline meanders and isn’t all that engaging.
Manhattan Murder Mystery might not be one of my favorite Woody Allen movies, it is certainly one of the more entertaining ones featuring a great performance from Diane Keaton.
The Star technically isn’t a great animated movie by any stretch but it is perfectly safe and unlike The Emoji Movie, did illicit a few laughs from me and never once came across as cynical, and the voice talents was pretty impressive while the animation, albeit nothing extraordinary, was passable.
Scalpel is a diabolically fun thriller-horror film thanks to the devilish performance by lead actor Robert Lansing; almost seemed like an episode of “Tales from the Crypt”.
Victor Crowley isn’t a great horror-comedy, as the latter aspect doesn’t always land, but it is entertaining enough with respectable, if not familiar, gore effects and a solid enough ensemble cast led way by Laura Ortiz and series veteran Parry Shen.
Daddy’s Home 2 might not be very good and some Christmas comedy-classic-in-the-making this is not, but I did manage to chuckle a few times here and there and I did genuinely enjoy seeing Mel Gibson generally being a dick, otherwise it’s an unmemorable film.
The Gruesome Twosome is one weird, and frankly bad, horror movie with some shoddy filmmaking, even by swamp-level budget standards, and the video and audio transfers, despite the best efforts of Arrow, don’t look or sound all that hot.
Only the Brave is perhaps one of the better surprises of 2017 with some great performances from Josh Brolin, Jennifer Connelly and even Miles Teller, and telling a story that I’m not entirely sure many have heard of or at least remember.