No Way Out was a pleasant surprise of a thriller featuring good suspense and a solid performance by Kevin Costner with honorable mention to Will Patton. To cap things off, the ending had a nice and unexpected twist.
My All American is the clichéd sports drama but mostly well acted especially on the part of Finn Wittrock. I can’t say I recommend it considering it is the type of film that will eventually air on Spike or maybe even the Hallmark Channel in a few years but if you enjoy the genre, it might be a worthwhile rental.
Extraction is exactly what I thought it would be and so much less. It’s yet another direct-to-video (or very limited release) from Bruce Willis who is not only somehow second billed in spite of making a cameo appearance but billed behind Kellan Lutz, tells you everything you need to know.
“Falling Skies” was a bit of an uneven series but I can’t say over the course of its five seasons I can’t say any of them were particularly ‘bad’ and had many entertaining moments. The series was also efficient with its budget and featured some impressive effects, both visual and make-up, while the acting all around was quite good headed by Noah Wyle as well as Will Patton.
I Knew Her Well isn’t something I normally watch and I wasn’t especially invested with the story or the character but it’s hard to deny the performance from Stefania Sandrelli was excellent and in the end I at least found it well made with a moving final scene.
This “Double Feature” release from Shout Factory is the definition of a mixed bag. While Millennium was pretty darn good with a compelling story and respectable acting, R.O.T.O.R. is the exact opposite in every regard and easily is one of the worst films I’ve seen in some time if not ever.
While The 33 certainly tells a compelling story, this film adaptation of it is a bit too paint-by-numbers and doesn’t come close to living up to the actual news coverage which from my recollection was nearly 24/7.
Secret in Their Eyes is a decent if not horribly disappointing movie considering the amazing cast. Although the three main actors turn in perfectly fine performances, with Chiwetel Ejiofor being the best of the trio exuding enough charm to overcome story and editing issues, this is not a film that has much if any replay value and is at best a Saturday night rental, nothing more.
Our Brand is Crisis isn’t a bad movie per se but it’s one with some identity issues. Personally, it might’ve worked far better as a satire on American politics but they decided to use the country of Bolivia as a stand-in. This is the type of movie that screams rental, not much more.
Trumbo is a well made movie that probably will be more remembered for its performances, specifically by Bryan Cranston who received an Academy Award nomination for his great performance as Dalton Trumbo. Outside of the acting, though, I don’t think this was an especially memorable flick but well worth checking out.
Black Mass, although decent enough, is a disappointment considering the subject and a well rounded and respected cast headlined by the versatile Johnny Depp. However, in the end it felt underwhelming and pedestrian which is a shame as filmmaker Scott Cooper could be a respectable director.
The Graduate is probably one of the more quintessential movies of the 60s probably featuring some of the best direction, not to mention editing, ever with incredible pacing and blocking. Combine that with perfect casting from Dustin Hoffman as an unlikely leading man to the nuanced performance by Anne Bancroft, this is one hell of a film that holds so well today.
Criminal Activities isn’t a half bad crime-drama especially by direct-to-video standards. The performances from Michael Pitt and Dan Stevens were good and even John Travolta in his limited appearance gives the film some weight.
It might be too simplistic to call Crimson Peak style over substance, but I couldn’t quite embrace this gothic-romantic in spite of some incredible production designs and a couple fine performances by Hiddleston and Chastain.
Man Up is on the better and all around fun surprises of 2015 in a genre that doesn’t very often surprise. The chemistry, both romantic and comedic, shared between Simon Pegg and Lake Bell really propels combine that with some genuinely funny scenes, even surreal, it makes for a breezy brit-rom-com.