Ride Along 2 is no better or worse than the original. You’ve pretty much got the same type of jokes and the performances from its core cast isn’t anything special, though presumably they at least had a good time while filming. The action is rather ho-hum and although I don’t mind Kevin Hart, even he seemed to be going through the motions.
Concussion is, technically speaking, a well made film and features a good performance from Will Smith, but in spite of what works, at its core the movie is missing a soul. In the hands of a more skilled filmmaker it could’ve been emotionally charged and instead it’s rather forgettable.
It’s really a shame that, as with Dying of the Light, it’s unlikely we’ll ever see what director Gee Malik Linton’s original movie was like although I have read some have seen his cut. Instead, we get a hodge-podge mess of a film slapped together by the studio and the result was an utter mess of a film.
Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie, in spite of the lame subtitle, is an entertaining addition to the fascinating and enjoyable franchise that takes many cues from previous versions but tries out a different message. The animation is still fantastic and although new viewers will easily be lost, as a casual fan, I still found it well done, even if it’s a big step back from the “old” TV series.
While I didn’t care very much for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 for being so dissimilar from the original, it’s hard not to commend Tobe Hooper for at least trying something different rather than rehash the same plot with a new cast and bloodier kills. For me, however, it never quite clicked but I know the film has a strong fanbase.
Daddy’s Home might have a few laughs but it’s just another forgettable Will Ferrell comedy with sloppy writing and jokes that mostly are lame than actually funny, not to mention a sugar-heavy ending that was just awful, though family friendly I guess.
Point Break just might be the most pointless remake yet (Total Recall is a close second) with uninspiring performances, save maybe for Ray Winstone’s limited role, including Luke Bracey as such a bland main character, even the more reliable Edgar Ramirez did little for me as the charismatic villain.
The Death Walks Twice set is another homerun from Arrow Video. The two-movie collection, which should’ve been three if they included Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion, are two examples of the giallo genre (which I’m still new to) and although a bit lengthy, both are entertaining
The Forest isn’t a good movie but I suppose as poorly made as it was, there are worse films out there and at only 95-minutes (sans credits), it does make for quick watch not to mention Natalie Dormer isn’t half bad considering what she had to work with.
The Hateful Eight is easily my least favorite of Tarantino’s films and while technically speaking it is a masterpiece especially with a couple of the performances (Russell and Leigh in particular), the cinematography and score, the rest was an utter chore to sit through and it felt every bit of its nearly three hour length.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is a letdown mostly because it shows why the final chapter didn’t need to be split into two with extraneous scenes that weren’t necessary in telling the story.
The Manchurian Candidate is a movie for its time, fear of communism and an idea that I’m sure some find merit today, a politician being controlled by a foreign government or, as is the case with the 2004 remake, corporation. The film also excels in the acting department with top notch performances by Sinatra, Harvey and Lansbury.
Bandits probably could’ve been better with a tighter script but the performances from the core cast, Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton and Cate Blanchett, are all fantastic that it makes the film as a whole fairly entertaining.
LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Cosmic Clash isn’t as good as its predecessors, and obviously a far cry from the LEGO feature films, but it’s a fun movie especially for younger viewers and at only 78-minutes (w/ credits), it at least flies by.
Species was a fun guilty pleasure. No, it wasn’t great but at least it gave us a quasi-star in Natasha Henstridge and some quality effects work. The sequel was dumb but had some minor entertainment value but as Hollywood tends to do, they milk a franchise for its worth. The third and fourth movies were, frankly, crap.