Mini Review - Shelter
Shelter (out Feb 5) is a cliche-laden action thriller. Jason Statham plays a man living a deliberately solitary life but secretive government agents will soon come after him. Grade: C+.
Mini Review - The Strangers: Chapter 3
The Strangers: Chapter 3 (out Feb 5) is a pathetic conclusion to the horror trilogy. The characters' actions make no sense and the dialogue is appalling. Grade: C-.
Mini Review - Is This Thing On?
Is This Thing On? (out Feb 5) is directed by Bradley Cooper and is based on the true story of a man, recently separated from his wife, who rediscovers his zest for life after stumbling into a bar and performing stand-up comedy. It digs a little deeper than the average romantic comedy with nice lead performances from Will Arnett and Laura Dern. Grade: B.
Mini Review - Saipan
Saipan (out Feb 5) transports us back to the 2002 FIFA World Cup and is a dramatized interpretation of a stoush in the Irish football team between captain Roy Keane and coach Mick McCarthy. This feels way too simplistic with the supporting folk come across as caricatures. I’d have preferred a documentary approach where we hear from the actual people involved. Grade: C+.
Mini Review - We Bury the Dead
We Bury the Dead (out Feb 5) is a seen-it-all-before apocalyptic movie where a woman (Daisy Ridley) goes in search of her missing husband amongst a sea of zombies in Tasmania (of all places). Production values are fine but the story is not interesting enough. Grade: C.
Mini Review - Addition
Addition (out Jan 29) is an Australian romantic drama starring Teresa Palmer and Joe Dempsie and is based on a 2008 novel authored by Toni Jordan. It's about two strangers who unexpectedly find love but there are a few bumps along the way. It feels like we only get a surface-level view of these characters. I wanted more. Grade: C+.
Mini Review - Send Help
Send Help (out Jan 29) brings back memories of Triangle of Sadness in that it's about shifting power dynamics between two people stuck on a deserted island following a plane crash. I enjoyed the unlikeable characters and unexpected plot points. That said, it's a bumpy screenplay with a few events feeling goofy and contrived. A mixed bag. Grade: B-.
Mini Review - Blue Moon
Blue Moon (out Jan 29) is set almost entirely in one location and follows acclaimed lyricist Lorenz Hart as he interacts with an assortment of people in a New York bar in 1943. I’d have preferred a bit more drama/narrative but it’s hard to fault the lead performance of Ethan Hawke who makes it an interesting character study. Grade: B.