Stars-and-popcorn

So, I saw this movie at a film festival the year it was released and what I remember best is just how hard the audiences was laughing. The film features a premise that might be a little over done in horror films, but it's use of witty dialouge and self-aware performances makes it so much better than all the other "trapped in a house with a serial killer" movies I've seen. It is honestly one of my favorite horror comedies of all time and I would love to see them minds behind this indie film get a chance to make more movies. It's charming, thrilling, and knows exactly what it's doing when it comes to blending horror with comedy. Definitely worth watching even if you don't like scary movies.

After seeing 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' in theaters I have to admit that it's been a pretty good year for Marvel at the movies. Marvel studios itself has already released 'Black Panther' and 'Avengers: Infinity War,' and another one of their heroes got a sequel from Fox. With all these Marvel movies in 2018, ''Ant-Man and the Wasp'' had a lot to overcome in order to be even slightly memorable. Luckily, the film is much more than just slightly memorable, it's probably the most fun I've had at the movies so far this summer.

Paul Rudd is back as Scott Lang a former criminal turned accidental hero. Scott's had a bit of a rough time as of late and is coming to the end of two years under house arrest. He's kept on a tight leash and is just trying to keep his head down until he's free to walk the streets again. That is until Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) comes knocking on his door again. Reluctantly Scott is sucked back into becoming Ant-Man in order to help Hope and her father (Michael Douglas) on a mission to save her mother and outsmart the villains hot on their tails (Walton Goggins and Hannah John-Kamen). Oh, and the FBI wants to put them all behind bars. Needless to say, this is Ant-Man's biggest adventure yet.

Unfortunately, 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' is a Marvel movie that starts to rely too much on people having seen the other films of the MCU. It makes a number of references to 'Captain America: Civil War' and Scott Lang's involvement in the events of that film. Of course, it also helps to have seen the first 'Ant-Man' movie too so you know who these characters are and what in the heck that Quantum Realm is (then again, I still don't really even know what it is). Then, of course, there's also the tie into 'Avengers: Infinity War.' While I appreciate Marvel trying to tie all their film together into one epic universe, the fact that you have to sit through over six hours of movies in order to truly grasp all the nuances in their newest film is a bit daunting. Personally, it's not an issue for me, but I figured I would offer a heads up to the more casual Marvel movie fans out there.

So, why wasn't Ant-Man in 'Infinity War?' Well, I'm not going to completely spoil that for you, other than to say that you should definitely stick around through the credits to find out what he was up to. My theory is that Paul Rudd and Chris Pratt together in one movie would have been one joker too many. In a lot of ways, they are very similar heroes. Of course, Pratt is one of the heavy hitters in Hollywood right now, but I have to say that Rudd plays the fish out of water hero much better overall. Scott Lang is pretty much a professional screw up despite the fact that he's utterly brilliant. The fact that he has no idea what he's doing though, and fully acknowledges it, makes him one of the better heroes in the MCU right now. I mean, there's no way Ant-Man on his own could compete with Captain America, Thor or Iron Man? Well, you make him the most human of them all and that's 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' gets right.

Marvel has seriously been upping their game with their female heroes. They've come a long way from just having Black Widow in their ranks and have some truly badass ladies from Valkyrie ('Thor: Ragnarok') to Okoye ('Black Panther'). Now Evangeline Lilly's Wasp gets to join them. In fact, she's so badass in this movie that it feels a lot more like Ant-Man is her sidekick. While we got to see some pretty awesome uses of shrinking powers in the first film, but this movie really ups the ante. The Wasp manages to take groups of baddies apart in absolutely astounding displays of grace and brutality. Honestly, the men of the MCU are going to have to watch out at this rate, because the women are proving to be much cooler as of late.

What makes 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' really shine though is that it is absolutely side-splitting. Of course, Paul Rudd is well known for his endearing charisma and sense of humor on the big screen, but this time around he's got plenty of other capable comedians working with him. Luckily audience favorite Luis (Michael Peña) is back with his comrades (T.I. and David Dastmalchian), and they're all back in great form. Joining them though is one of my favorite supporting actors, Randall Park, joins them and practically steals the show. He plays an FBI agent who is essentially a huge puppy dog throwing around words like "malarkey" and "dickens." All together, they round out a cast that manages to make 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' a comedy to rival even 'Guardians of the Galaxy' in the MCU.

While 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' might be a comedy at heart, it is still very much an action film. Director Peyton Reed manages to make small powerful in some outstanding uses of the shrinking powers Ant-Man posses. There are car chases, fight sequences, and even a few death-defying stunts. Altogether, it feels like this sequel really embraces the potential that the original laid out. Best of all 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' feels like it steps outside the mold that most Marvel movies feel like they're vacuum sealed into these days. Sure, it's an action comedy like so many of them, but it's just a ton of fun and doesn't feel quite like an all-out superhero movie at heart. So, if you're looking for a great movie to see in theaters, be sure to check out this awesome flick.

'Hotel Artemis' has its fair share of cinematic kerfluffles from story structure to pacing. However, it's a lot of fun. This is mostly because it has a cast that is given roles that they excel at. It's such an odd assortment of actors that came together to create a stylish film that seems familiar yet unique at the same time.

There are rules at the Hotel Artemis, a secret, high tech hospital for the underworld of Los Angeles. In order to remain a member of this elite criminal's emergency room, you have to respect the staff and the other patients, much in the same way that The Continental from 'John Wick' has rules. It's neutral ground where egos, grudges, and guns have to be checked at the door. The reason for these rules is because it houses an odd assortment of colorful characters from all walks of life. The only thing they all share in common is that they are the worst of the worst when it comes to dirty dealings in a city known for its outlaws.

Jodi Foster stars as the nurse that runs the Hotel Artemis. She's a washed-up drunk who has long since lost her medical license, but not her skills when it comes to saving the lives of those who probably shouldn't be saved. Foster's portrayal of Nurse is much richer than the character probably deserves in a sci-fi action film. Tormented by the death of her son, she hasn't set foot outside the hotel for decades due to crippling anxiety. Despite this she is a no-nonsense tough as nails caretaker who won't hesitate to call upon her orderly, Everest, played by David Bautista, to expel unruly guests from the premises. Her character is the very cornerstone of the film and what everything and everyone is built off of.

The rest of the cast features the likes of Sophia Boutella as a beautiful and deadly assassin, Sterling K. Brown as a devastatingly handsome bank robber, and Charlie Day as an obnoxiously entitled arms dealer. The three are at odds given that the hotel houses criminals and criminals can't be trusted, and to make matters worse a full-blown riot is taking place on the streets below. Luckily, there is honor among thieves for the most part. That doesn't last long though, because, well, what fun would that be?

'Hotel Artemis' is the feature directorial debut of Drew Pearce, who also wrote the film. While he's proven to be an exceptions writer in the past his directing isn't quite up to par with the concepts and characters he's put together. While the actors all do what they do best with the roles they're given, the pacing and cinematography feel flat, which undermines the urgency of the situation. There's such a focus on putting together the leads in the film, that the overall threat that they end up facing by the end of the film doesn't feel like it's truly worthy of them and ends with a disappointing third act.

Despite the cinematic issues 'Hotel Artemis' faces, it is fun watching events unfold. Brown is unbelievably charming as a suave and debonair bank robber trying to get out of the underworld once and for all. Most of his scenes are shared with Boutella who has exploded onto the scene since 'Kingsman: The Secret Service.' Since then she's become a name I look for on movie posters and while her films might not always be great, I'm never disappointed in her performances. Then there is Bautista who has become incredibly popular since joining the MCU and is an actor that takes his art very seriously. He's someone who remains humble and works hard for everything he has. While the role of Everest might not be as juicy as say, Sapper in 'Blade Runner 2049,' he manages to use his imposing physicality perfectly in Hotel Artemis.

As we like to say here, "not all great movies are good." That isn't to say that 'Hotel Artemis' is a great movie, because it definitely isn't. However, it's a fun movie. It's a film that is mindless entertainment with enough interesting concepts (from medical nanites to 3D printing organs) to keep audiences intrigued with what's unfolding. It's just unfortunate that it never seems to achieve what it's aiming for. At its core, it's a film with great characters and an interesting premises, so much so that it almost feels wasted. That being said, it still a movie that I quite enjoyed sitting through. There are certainly better films that came out this week, but I feel like Hotel Artemis really rounds out the choices at the cinema. It's not a movie for everyone, but for those who enjoy trashy movies with reliable and talented actors, it's definitely going to hit the spot.

'Ocean's 8' had a lot to live up to after what a tremendous success Steven Soderbergh's 'Ocean's Eleven' was. The all-male original was filled with more charm and style than you could shake a stick at. Luckily, 'Ocean's 8' features such an incredible cast that it has no problem not only living up to any expectations there might have been, but also distinguishes itself as a fun and fascinating heist movie.

After the lackluster success of the Ghostbusters' reboot and the recent Overboard film, I wasn't completely sold on the idea of gender-bending successful films. The concept is intriguing in principle, but in a way, it feels lazy. 'Ocean's 8' though isn't a reboot or a remake, it's a spinoff from 'Ocean's Eleven' featuring Danny Ocean's sister Debbie, played by Sandra Bullock. As charming as the old silver fox George Clooney is, Bullock manages to embrace her role as his younger sister and proves to be a more than worthy addition to the Ocean family. She manages to encompass the sophisticated and playful confidence that Clooney displayed, but manages to create a character that doesn't rely on her family ties to win over audiences.

The rest of the cast is filled with unbelievable talent. Featuring the likes of Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sarah Paulson, they manage to create such genuine chemistry that it's hard not to fall in love with all of Debbie Ocean's crew. Like the original 'Ocean's Eleven', Debbie's heist requires a group made up of people from all walks of life with a variety of criminal skills that will come together to pull off an impossible heist. It's hard not to notice that there aren't any men on the crew, but as Debbie puts it so elegantly, "Women go unnoticed." Thus her crew relies on the fact that they will all be constantly underestimated due to their gender, but prove that anything boys can do, girls can do too.

'Ocean's 8' relies a lot on the chemistry I mentioned earlier and it's a brilliant decision by Gary Ross. All of the actresses in the film do what they do best, especially Mindy Kaling and Awkwafina who are delightful as the comic relief of the crew. Of course, all the women in the film are delightfully charming and play their parts perfectly, it's a dream cast and like 'Ocean's 'Eleven'' it wouldn't have been possible without such a talented crew coming together. It's just hard not to gush about the performances given and I wouldn't be surprised if audiences got a chance to see these ladies comes together for another film. After all, you have a nine and ten left to film in the Ocean's franchise.

It might seem tacky to talk at length about the costuming of such a film given that so often Hollywood is more obsessed with who a woman is wearing than who they actually are. However, given that the heist of the film takes place during the annual Met Gala, an event known for it's gorgeous and adventurous fashion displays, it would be a crime not to say that the dresses the women wear are breathtaking. Not only that, but the fashion choices throughout the film really add to the story overall, just by looking at these characters you can immediately tell what kind of people they are. Like 'Ocean's Eleven', the story is filled with rich and colorful characters and their costuming goes a long way to adding legitimacy to their portrayals.

'Ocean's 8' definitely takes a few notes from the original, most notably in the editing. Unfortunately, this is the one place where it falters. The film is filled with quick cuts and short scenes which make it feel rushed at times. Worst of all it tries to embrace the unique transitions that 'Eleven' used from scene to scene. Something that felt very appropriate for Las Vegas, but doesn't make a lot of sense in the Big Apple. It feels like it's trying too hard to grab onto the spirit of 'Eleven', something that is completely unnecessary given the quality of the story and performances at the core of this film.

I've compared 'Ocean's 8' to 'Ocean's Eleven' quite a bit in this review because there's no getting around the fact that there was a lot for it to live up to. I'm glad to say that this movie manages to stand on its own two feet far from the shadow of its predecessors. While it might not be quite as good as the 'Eleven', there is no question that it is much, much better than the sequels. I found 'Ocean's 8' to be a delightfully charming night out at the movies. It's filled with plenty of twists that you'll never see coming and is a sly and smart heist film with an all-star cast. I was hoping that it would be a good movie and I'm happy to say it was exactly that. While it's not perfect, I think it's well worth the price of admission and a film that will leave you satisfied and smiling.

'Hereditary' is one of the most unsettling and viscerally horrifying movies I've seen in years and I absolutely loved every single moment of it.

2018 has been a less than satisfying year when it comes to the horror genre. While films like 'Insidious: The Last Key' and 'Winchester' failed to live up to expectations, 'Hereditary' blew them away. It features a brilliant cast that manages to dig their nails deeply into the roles that director/writer Ari Aster creates for them. He proves to be an absolutely brilliant creative mind with a keen eye for detail and masterful understanding of dread.

At its core, 'Hereditary' is a movie about family and the secrets we keep from them. At the center of it is Toni Collette who plays a mother who recently lost her own. The two were estranged towards the end, so she's struggling to feel much of anything after the passing. During the grieving period though a mystery starts to unravel that proves her own mother was a very different person than she thought and lived a secret life that is threatening to undo her own family in the wake of her death.

The cast is absolutely incredible, especially Collette who has a face made for horror films. I mean that has the highest possible compliment and am referring to the expressions of terror, shock and gut-wrenching grief she experiences throughout it. In short, Collette has absolutely epic crazy eyes that are almost as nerve-racking as the actual horror elements of the film. In the film, her character does her best to protect her own family from her own grieving process, not wanting to put any more stress on them. Her stoicism though leads to her mask of sanity slowly slipping as the film goes on. She's not the only member of the family that is suffering the loss of her mother though.

Her own daughter, played by newcomer Milly Shapiro, has a hard enough time dealing with people and things deteriorate rapidly after she loses her grandmother. Shapiro is unbelievably creepy from the moment she appears on screen. So much so, that I had to update my own list of the Creepiest Kids from Movies. Her off-putting performance invokes a sense of anxiety that lingers throughout the film and she is a sharp contrast to the rest of her family. While everyone has their issues in 'Hereditary', there is something clearly wrong with the young daughter of the family.

Director Ari Aster embraces a number of creepy thematic elements that all continuously add up in little ways. Collette's character works with miniatures that unnervingly accurate recreations of everyday scenes in her life. They are so accurate in fact that there are times in the film where it isn't clear if shots are of miniatures or of actual scenes. Shapiro's character follows in her mother's creative footsteps with her drawings and unsetting dolls that she makes from items she finds laying around. Together the two show that they have a need to escape from reality, but it's questionable whether their hobbies are healthy or not. These are just small examples though, but most of the details in the film are small. Things that would be upsetting just on their own, but combined together create a visceral reaction in the audience. At times it's almost hard to watch 'Hereditary', but it definitely pays off if you can keep your eyes open until the end.

In typical horror fashion, 'Hereditary' embraces the fact that white people do the dumbest things when it comes to the supernatural. Collette's character becomes obsessed with unraveling the secrets of her mother, especially after the family experiences more tragedy. While the family is splintering apart from the events of the film, she starts an investigation into the paranormal to find answers and soon finds herself out of her depth. The results of her meddling where she doesn't belong are absolutely terrifying. Aster though doesn't focus on jump scares or a lot of blood splatter to tell this tale of horror. Instead, his approach is all about tone and pacing. 'Hereditary' is a completely engulfing experience that you can not only see and hear but also feel. Don't let that fool you though, there are still plenty of moments in the film that are hard to watch.

'Hereditary' is a hardcore horror film. A far departure from what we have gotten in theaters lately. The characters and story connect with the audience early on and because of the emotional bond, it is able to manipulate our feelings all the more easily. It's not a film for the faint of heart or those prone to nightmares, because the unsettling feeling of anxiety it creates will linger with you long after the credits. The person I saw the film with commented that they did not feel safe after watching 'Hereditary', while I personally felt emotionally exhausted. For me, the fact that it was able to invoke such feelings proves that it is a more than successful entry into the genre. Those who want a real horror movie will not be disappointed in 'Hereditary'.

'Breaking In' is a film that cashes in on the old saying that there's nothing stronger than a mother's love for her children. Caught in an impossible situation, a mother (Gabrielle Union) is forced to not only fight for her life but the life of her children as well. Sounds like a compelling movie, right? Well, the problem is that the threats she is facing include a bleach blonde tweaker and an ex-con who can't quite manage to grow a complete mustache. Needless to say, the mom is the most intimidating character in the entire film.

One of the most underrated principal in good storytelling is that a hero is only as good as their villain. We all love watching someone save the day, but the real icing on the cake is the bad guy. 'Breaking In' stumbles not because it has a bad premise or the leads aren't very good. It's because the bad guys are pretty pathetic. They're lead by Billy Burke, who actually does a pretty good job as the brains of the operation. It's just that his cohorts don't exactly strike terror in the hearts of the audience. Even the psycho, Mexican stereotype who is quick to kill (played by Richard Cabral) hardly makes audiences bat an eye, even though his eyes are pretty crazy. The poor casting and scripting behind these characters sets 'Breaking In' up for failure early on because there will never be a grand moment of overcoming the undefeatable villains.

Luckily, the leads of 'Breaking In' actually do a pretty damn good job. Gabrielle Union manages to create an empathic connection with audiences early one in the film. She's a natural as a mom just trying to get through a tough weekend with two whining kids. Her son (Seth Carr) is a tech geek who can't help annoying his older sister (Ajiona Alexus) who keeps her nose buried in her phone texting boys. In a way these characters are stereotypes, but they never quite cross over into cliche. Instead, the audience is able to identify with them instantly, meaning that the film can get right to the heart of its story without a lot of development. This is both a good and a bad thing in the end.

As good as Union is in 'Breaking In' though, she never gets a chance to seem larger than life. There's no hero's journey for her. No moment where her resolve changes or she gathers herself to do the insane and take on the criminals holding her kids hostage. Her character simply is and that's actually kind of boring. I'm sure that it's meant to demonstrate the kind of courage and resolve that all mothers are supposed to have when it comes to defending their children, but that's just an assumption and the byproduct of weak writing by Ryan Engle (who has had quite a year with 'Commuter' and 'Rampage'). In fact, it shares a lot of similarities with 'Commuter' in its lack of story structure and character development.

Overall, 'Breaking In' isn't much of a thriller because it never raises the stakes, only keeps them consistent. There's very little in the form of escalation, and even when it tries to, director James McTeigue never takes the time to lay out the implications. Not only that, but there's a real lack of visual flair to the film, which is odd considering McTeigue is so well known for it. Alas, this is a far cry from his epic revenge film, 'V for Vendetta.' Instead, it's a lackluster attempt at a home invasion movie that never manages to make audiences too concerned for the main characters' safety. The shots are all quick and never linger to raise suspense. 'Breaking In' feels very much like a rush to the finish line and even the anticlimactic ending isn't long enough to let anything sink in before the credits start to roll.

Unfortunately, 'Breaking In' is just another disappointing attempt at trying to snag an audience with a lackluster mother's day movie. To be perfectly fair, it did exceed my expectations, but considering how much I was dreading this flick, that isn't saying much. It's not a painful movie to watch like so many other action thrillers, but it never makes you feel anything at all. Instead, it just meanders along until the end and audiences are left asking "that's it?". I'm not mad that I saw this movie or even disappointed that I sat through it. Instead, I'm completely apathetic towards 'Breaking In'. I nothing it.

Mother's Day is coming up and so it makes sense that 'Life of the Party' would be the perfect movie for audiences to take their moms to in order to celebrate. However, it's about as much fun as discovering a surprise sex scene in a film you're watching and sitting awkwardly through it with your mother. The film doesn't so much have a plot as it's more an excuse to showcase a number of quirky jokes that requires contorting characters into awkward positions and circumstances in order to work. Take it from personal experience though, anyone can be awkward, but that doesn't make them funny.

Melissa McCarthy has become an actress whose films remain consistently inconsistent. She's had some that she's knocked out of the park, such as Spy. But more often than not her movies often fall just short of being truly great (and sometimes even just good). In 'Life of the Party', she plays a caricature of the typical mom. She laughs at bad jokes, wears gaudy clothes, can't read a room, and is just embarrassing for no reason whatsoever. Her character is going back to college to finish up her senior year and earn her degree. The twist? Well, it just so happens to be her daughter's senior year as well. It's a premise that would have made a fun ongoing Saturday Night Live skit, but after nearly two hours of it all I felt was a sickening amount of second-hand shame for most of the characters involved.

As much as McCarthy tries to lead the ensemble cast onwards and upwards in 'Life of the Party', it was Gillian Jacobs that stole the show. I loved her character in 'Community,' which centered on non-traditional students in college. So, this transition to a character known as "coma girl" who wakes after an 8-year coma to head back to college was a natural progression for her. Honestly, the premise of her character seemed like it would have made for a better movie than 'Life of the Party'. Her sarcastic attitude, optimism, and lingering cognitive impairment was absolutely delightful and managed to keep a number of the scenes afloat. If nothing else, 'Life of the Party' confirmed that Jacobs is an actress we need much, MUCH more of in the future.

'Life of the Party' continues a pleasant trend we've seen in theaters lately with a strong focus on women characters and the twists that they can bring to cliched comedy tropes. 'Blockers' showed the girl perspective of high school with wild and out seniors trying to have the best prom ever to the chagrin of their parents. 'Thoroughbreds' showed that girls can handle the dark buddy comedy just as easily (and perhaps even better) than most guys can. 'Life of the Party' tries to bring that same enlightenment to the college party flick. In a lot of ways, it manages to make it work through the supporting characters. However, McCarthy is a bit too loud and obnoxious throughout the movie to really let it get good enough footing in order to voice its message. That isn't to say that she isn't funny at certain parts. The part where she suffers from severe stage fright during an oral presentation was delightful. These scenes though are few and far between.

I'll admit that the humor that is predominantly used in the film isn't my cup of tea. I've never been a fan of just watching characters consistently embarrass themselves through their journey for no other reason than a few cheap laughs. 'Life of the Party' fails though not because the scenes aren't funny at times, but because the characters never grow from their embarrassing moments. McCarthy never comes around and undergoes the growth that shows the whole journey and all of its hardships were for the best and made her a better person for it. That's because she starts off as a good person, just one that makes you incredibly uncomfortable at times. Things would have been so much better if she had gone from a meek and submissive housewife suffering from years of passive aggressive abuse from a dick of an ex-husband to a strong, confident, and independent woman. This transition though happens after a trip to the bathroom and a quick makeover twenty minutes into the film, leaving nothing for the next hour and a half to do but poke around at various cliches.

I'm sure that lots of people are thinking that 'Life of the Party' is a great excuse to take their mom to the theaters this Sunday. Personally, I don't have the kind of relationship with my mother where I can comfortably laugh at jokes like "va-google" or scenes where a 40 something-year-old repeatedly has sex with a student less than half her age (same goes for male characters in similar situations). It feels too much like 'Life of the Party' has a checklist of college movie tropes that it needed to get through. College rival? Check. Weird roommate? Check. 80's party? Check. So on and so forth. It's not the worst comedy I've seen this year, but it's forgettable one at best. You're better off taking mom to see Infinity War instead this weekend. I'm sure she'll appreciate the 3-Chris' much more than any of McCarthy's jokes.

I was forced to watch this film and it was incredibly painful. The production values and script are so bad that it is actually anxiety inducing. I could feel myself getting more and more uncomfortable as the film went on, especially as it took to stereotypes to portray Americans. Its incredibly difficult to follow this film since the passing and character development are so chaotic. Not only that, but the decisions behind much of the production values are uninspired and make little practical sense. I would encourage everyone to avoid this cliched mess of a movie. There are absolutely no redeeming qualities.

'Bad Samaritan' is a movie that I've been looking forward to for a few months. Ever since David Tennant gave his incredible performance as Kilgrave on the Marvel Netflix series Jessica Jones. The idea of him playing a totally demented psychopath had me giddy with anticipation. However, when it comes to this film that's about where the fun ends. Even with David Tennant playing the big bad wolf, he stumbles too much to save 'Bad Samaritan' from being, well, a bad movie.

I really wanted to like 'Bad Samaritan', especially because I'm a sucker for a good horror movie that can make your skin crawl. There are definitely some moments in the film that will make audiences jump and cringe. However, a lot of those scenes that make you cringe are the ones where David Tennant's American accent starts to slip. I'm not sure why they decided to make his character American, possibly to make Robert Sheehan's Irish accent stand out more, but it's definitely not one of Tennant's strong suits.

There are plenty of other things that are cringeworthy in 'Bad Samaritan' other than the occasional accent slip. Brandon Boyce tries to create a creepy serial character to act as the menacing villain of the movie, but fails miserably when it comes to his background. Tennant's character, Cale Erendreich, is a unimaginably rich trust fund brat who was so obsessed with horses that breaking them no longer thriller him. So, he took to breaking humans much like horses. It's a premise for a serial killer that feels more suited to being a 'Criminal Minds' psycho of the week than a big screen villain. Even ignoring the motives behind Erendreich's character, he never comes across as threatening. Sure he has money to throw at problems and proves to be incredibly cunning, but he lacks the right kind of presence for something like this. His performance though it incredibly chilling at certain times. There's no question that Tennant is a great actor, but the character he's given to work with is kind of pathetic.

The title of the film itself comes from the protagonist who is vallet that burgles people's homes while they're at dinner. Sheehan manages to make the character charming at times, but he feels incredibly out of place when it comes to this movie. For some reason the character is made Irish, which really doesn't add much to the overall story at all. More than that though he seems incredibly unsuited for the situation he finds himself in. The script makes him more bumbling than he needs to be when it comes to trying to convince the cops or those around him that Erendreich is a monster walking among them. It's just another one of the horror movie tropes that I can't stand.

Then again, despite the fact that 'Bad Samaritan' is riddled with cliches, it does get a few things right. With Tennant more focused on psychologically breaking his victims rather than just killing them off when they become problematic, it allows the stakes to continuously rise for the hero. His life is slowly taken apart by a man who is not only smart, but has the resources to destroy the struggling millennial. It's during this sequences of events that Tennant manages to do his best work. The scenes where he gives his maniacal rants though seem forced and cumbersome. In a lot of ways, Tennant does his best work in 'Bad Samaritan' when he isn't talking.

There isn't a lot in 'Bad Samaritan' that we haven't seen before in one way or another. It's filled with the same cliches from so many other horror movies/ thrillers and plays it safe for much of the film. In a way though, that's good because it pretty much follows a paint by numbers when it comes to what audiences like from these sorts of things. Though it stumbles from time to time because it tries to pound square pegs into round plot holes, there is enough salvageable here to at least let fans of the genre have some fun while watching it. Of course, if you're looking for something really scary then you're better off just skipping this one.

Let's face facts, the original 'Overboard' was more than a little problematic. I mean, Kurt Russell shows up and forces Goldie Hawn to repent for her classism through indentured servitude which somehow turns to love. Essentially, it's a classist, sexist mess, that's still a pretty good comedy (it was a different time). The remake though it problematic in a whole new way. Despite its attempt at gender swapping the lead roles, it still suffers from underlying sexism and classism but adds just a dash of racism to round out the dish. The thing is, that just like the original, it's still kind of a good comedy.

The down and dirty synopsis of 'Overboard' is that a super-rich asshole (Eugenio Derbez) falls off his yacht and suffers brain trauma that leads to amnesia. A slighted former employee (Anna Faris) then tricks him into thinking he's married to her and the father of her children to serve two purposes 1) To force him to walk a mile in another man's shoes and 2) to help with income and child care until she can pass her nursing exams. It's wonderfully creative revenge that borders on kidnapping, fraud, and false imprisonment. Simply hilarious!

'Overboard' is not a movie I was looking forward to because it seemed like a pointless remake. However, to truly judge it on its own merits, you have to completely ignore the 1987 original. That being said, the first act of the new one is almost completely intolerable. Both Faris and Derbez are insufferable as they try their best to rub each other the wrong way. So much so, that it's difficult to feel sympathy for either of their plights. Thirty minutes into 'Overboard' and I could not wait for it to end. However...

The film does manage to find it's own to legs to stand on in the second act as Derbez gets a chance to actually show off a bit of the charm he's so well known for. Both Faris and Derbez are great comedic actors but have a history of accepting roles that require them to go over the top, which is what we see in the first act of the film. Once they mellow out a little bit and 'Overboard' finds its rhythm, you can't help but let it slowly grow on you. It's definitely not one of the better comedies I've seen this year but 'Overboard' is much better than I would have ever thought possible. Especially since it makes a reference to the 1987 film happening in the same universe, proving that it's self-aware.

As a white male, I don't really have the right to get offended on behalf of other people. Still, there were a number of things that I found more than a little problematic with the new incarnation of the film. Since there's a gender swap, the evil billionaire is changed from being a woman to a Mexican man. The problem is that it really stuffs the Mexican stereotypes in there for the sake of comedy. Derbez becomes a day laborer to make ends meet with a construction company. The other Hispanics in the film are seen working in a kitchen and watching telenovelas all day. Oh, and the machismo is strong in this film. Like I said, it's not my place to be offended by these things, but maybe these aren't good cliches to be used when the writing/ directing team has last names like Dixon and Greenberg (especially with one of the big jokes focusing on a Speedy Gonzalez tattoo).

That being said, what I do appreciate about 'Overboard' is that its heart is in the right place. There are extended sequences in the film where characters do speak only in Spanish (even the Farris' character took the time to learn to speak it), there are actually Hispanic actors cast in Hispanic roles, and there's a strong focus on the value of family and a close community. Plus, the Mexican lead is a billionaire.

At the end of the day, 'Overboard' isn't a great movie. My expectations were pretty low for it, so it did manage to exceed them. This is mostly thanks to Derbez who is absolutely adorable in the film. As it goes on it does manage to get better as it goes on, but it is never quite enough to make up for the excruciating first half hour or so. As a remake, it's disappointing, but definitely not one of the worst. As a film, it's tolerable at best but does have its charming moments.

Personally, I love 'Ghost Stories'. There's something terrifying about the unknown that comes after death and what might be lurking beyond. Luckily, 'Ghost Stories' manages to give audiences some pretty creepy tales that will make you think twice about turning off the lights at night.

'Ghost Stories' is the tale of skeptic Professor Goodman, a man who prides himself on debunking the paranormal (played by Andy Nyman). The good professor has a bit of a chip on his shoulder when it comes to his investigations and maintains a none to subtle approach when he yanks away the curtain to reveal the truth. However, he's given three tales to investigate and finds himself a bit out of his depth and starts to question his stern disbelief in the supernatural.

I've never been much of a fan when it comes to horror anthologies. Don't get me wrong, I certainly appreciate a good scary short film, but I've never seen it done in a way that really blew me away. More often than not, they seem like cobbled together movies only loosely managing to tie together certain elements to create a cohesive narrative. In other words, they always seem like more trouble than they're worth as a filmmaking gimmick. 'Ghost Stories' though manages to have a singular story arc that ties the three tales together. Now, not all the tales are stellar, but all of them are creepy as hell and some are downright frightening. The secret is that co-directors Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman know that it's the suspense before the scare that's the real pay off. So, they take the time to let the suspense build until it's palpable and then they unleash the ghosts on their unsuspecting victims.

Overall, 'Ghost Stories' has a lot of ups and downs. For one, Martin Freeman never really manages to fall into his role in the film, despite being the real star power behind it. He's a bit inconsistent and never manages to become menacing when he needs to. Instead, he comes off more annoyed than anything else. Still, there are moments where his puppy dog charm serves him well, but I can't help wondering a little about the effectiveness of his casting. That being said, he never turns in a poor performance. It's just that he doesn't seem well suited for the role he's given to work with.

Like Freeman, the tales of terror that makeup 'Ghost Stories' are a bit inconsistent as well. They seem to swing a little wild, never really managing to find their focus to tie them together. Despite this though, they do manage to embrace the tagline of the movie, which is: "The brain sees what it wants to see." The real question is if just because your brain is seeing it, does that mean it's not real? That's the question that Professor Goodman has to struggle with, especially as the tales escalate and he finds himself doubting his entire professional career. There's plenty of creepy happenings that Goodman encounters while interviewing those who experienced these events first hand, 'Ghost Stories' never convinces me that Goodman should be convinced by any of this.

Despite the fact that 'Ghost Stories' isn't a perfect film, it's one that I certainly couldn't help enjoying. The tales are dark and twisted, pushing the limits, but making it seem effortless. I was especially enthralled with the first of the stories that Goodman investigates about a haunting in an old factory. The others are certainly spooky, but that first tale put me on the edge of my seat. The others were certainly fun to sit through, but suffer a bit from a low budget when it comes to the effects. Luckily, the film doesn't rely too heavily on creepy gimmicks to sell the horror aspect.

The reason why I'm so focused on the flaws when it comes to 'Ghost Stories' is that it's actually a really good movie and because of that these small flaws are noticable. The directors don't mess around when it comes to their stories and don't baby the audience. Instead, there's a sense of respect and that makes it all the easier to get sucked into the film. The stories manage to touch on cliches we all have heard in one form or another from traditional supernatural tales, but they're hardly lazy. Instead, they manage to bring delightful twists that keep them from being too obvious. While it might not be perfect, it's definitely a refreshing horror film that fans will love.

Like every other geek in the world, I was stoked to see 'Avengers: Infinity War.' I bought my tickets in advance. I got a soda that was way too large to drink in two and a half hours. I argued with some teenager who tried to steal my seat. I sat in jittery anticipation once the lights went down... And I was left wanting once the credits ran.

'Avengers: Infinity War' was the equivalent of Marvel's money shot. It's been building to this since the first 'Avengers' movie showed Thanos peeking over his shoulder with a cocky smile on his face. Since then, they've been hinting at the inevitable confrontation that was bound to happen between Earth's mightiest heroes and some big purple spaceman. With Avengers: Infinity War, we see Thanos actually get off his ass and do something, and he does a lot and yet nothing at the same time.

The biggest problem that 'Avengers: infinity War' suffers from is that it tries to do so much in so little time. Fans of the MCU are well aware that there are more heroes than you can shake a stick at and 'Infinity War' stuffs all of them in, in one way or another. Of course, the big three (Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, and Robert Downey Jr.) get their share of screen time, everyone else thought has minimal roles to play throughout the film. Tom Holland is Marvel's newest plaything, so he gets plenty of time, but the rest of the big heroes are shoehorned in such a way that screams "contractual obligation." Then again, I don't think any fan is something to be upset about seeing their favorite heroes finally meet on the big screen (especially when it comes to Robert and Benedict Cumberbatch). The problem is that none of them really get a chance to stretch their legs.

I have to admit 'Avengers: Infinity War' definitely has some feels in it. Oddly enough, most of these feels come from Thanos himself (Josh Brolin). He's supposed to be the big bad of the MCU, but it seems like his heart is in the right place, even if he's a pretty extreme pragmatist. Still, his character isn't laughing evilly in the wings as he commits acts on par with the worst war crime I can think of. Instead, he struggles. He sees the cost and even admits that achieving his goal costs him everything in the end. So, is it all worth it?

Who knows! The damn thing basically ends in a "to be continued."

'Avengers: Infinity War' suffers from trying to do so much that the editing can't possibly keep up with it. There's no downtime between the action sequences, which doesn't mean that they aren't any less spectacular. It just means that there's no time to let anything sink in before the movie is rushing off to the next sequence. That being said, the heroes all achieve a new level of badass-dom, especially Chris Evans as Captain America. The guy is a beast this time around. Unfortunately, there is so much going on that it can be hard to figure out what's going on mid-flight.

This brings me to another point when it comes to 'Avengers: Infinity War.' The damn thing is so busy when it comes to its visuals, that I honestly don't think it's worth seeing in 3D. For the first few minutes of the movie, I couldn't understand what was happening. Apparently, though there was quite a beatdown when it came to Thanos and Hulk. Enough so that Hulk gets performance anxiety. Something I find odd since Thanos actively avoids the Hulk in the comics. I'm not going to knick pick about this though, because I'm not a neckbeard nerd.

Look, here's the bottom line, 'Avenger: Infinity War' is a fun movie. It's competently made by the Russo Brothers, who are Marvel's golden boys. Is it everything that fan might want? No. Does it live up to what it promises? No. Is it still something fanboys should throw money at and be happy they get it? Probably.

You're not going to be disappointed in 'Avengers: Infinity War,' but Marvel does not have the right to act all high and mighty after this. I'm sure 2019 will bring a "sequel" that will make it all worthwhile. As of right now though, 'Avengers: Infinity War' is kind of a disappointment. It's a letdown. There have been so many good movies this past year from Thor: Ragnarok to Black Panther that Marvel ended up raised the bar. It had to stumble at some point, it's just lucky that it only stumbled and didn't fall flat on its face with 'Avengers: Infinity War.'

17 years ago one of the greatest comedies of the new millennium was bestowed upon us. Over the years 'Super Troopers' has been a movie that we all could count on to make us laugh or settle arguments over what to watch on Netflix. Needless to say, it set a pretty high bar and I'll be honest, there was a bit of doubt in my mind that 'Super Troopers 2' could live up to it. It's been such a long time and the movies that comedy troupe Broken Lizard has made since then have never quite managed to capture the same lightning in a bottle that the first one did. Luckily, 'Super Troopers 2' manages to touch on everything we loved about the original without losing any inspiration.

'Super Troopers 2' brings back all the mustachioed troopers you loved from the first film, including Jay Chandrasekhar, Steve Lemme, Kevin Heffernan, Erik Stolhanske, and Paul Soter. This time though the troopers are sent over the border into Canada to help transition a town into becoming part of America. Of course, at this point no one really wants to be part of America, so they're met with plenty of resistance not just from the local townsfolks, but also the Mounties that have to turn over the keys to the kingdom. It doesn't take long for our heroes to resort to their shenanigans and even come up with a few new pranks as well. Luckily though, they stumble upon a mystery to solve just in time to save them from themselves.

As hilarious as the Broken Lizard troupe is I was delighted by their choices to play the three Mounties, which included Will Sasso, Tyler Labine, and Hayes MacArthur. All of whom play their roles as hilariously cliched Canadians with French accents, a love for hokey, and plenty of "sorries" to go around. They're not the only new faces you'll recognize though with plenty of cameos from the likes of Clifton Collins Jr, Sean William Scott, and Damon Waynes Jr. As if that wasn't enough, even Rob Lowe makes an appearance as the brothel-owning mayor of the town (don't worry, it's legal in Canada). These fresh faces are probably what helps prevent 'Super Troopers 2' from resorting to too many of the jokes we all loved to in the first one and they're welcome additions to the film.

What makes 'Super Troopers 2' work so well is that it knows why people loved the first one so much. Sure there's an overall plot to the movie, but it's interspersed with scenes that serve no real purpose other than to be hilarious. For example, at one point the Troopers steal the Mounties uniforms and pull people over to prank them. The film manages to recreate those scenes we loved in the original but puts a new twist on them as they speak with ridiculous accents, pull cars over on horses, and even meet a driver they pulled over all those years ago. It's incredibly satisfying to see a sequel that doesn't try to do everything the first film did, but at the same time doesn't try to reinvent the wheel.

It's easy to tell how much Broken Lizard enjoyed making 'Super Troopers 2,' which makes it so easy to laugh along with them. There's something pure about a movie that's made for fun with the sole purpose of making people laugh. Sure, there are plenty of parts in the film that are underwhelming. The locations are often underutilized, the plot serves to carry the team from joke to joke, and it still has that low budget feel that forced the first film to be so creative. In a lot of ways, 'Super Troopers 2' is not a good movie. Then again, it doesn't have to be. Like I always say, "Not all great movies are good."

There have been some really great comedies this year from 'Blockers' to 'Game Night.' While 'Super Troopers 2' might not have the same quality that made those films so great, it's definitely one that fills the theater with laughter. It's hard to be made at its shortcomings though. After all, movies are meant as escapism. To help get away from all the crap going on in your life. I'm certainly not against films having deeper, meaningful messages, but sometimes you just want something stuffed with stupid fart jokes. In that regards, 'Super Troopers 2' is a resounding success. If you loved the first one, then you're going to have a blast seeing the old gang back together again. I know I did.

Personally, I think no one does revenge like the Koreans. However, the French certainly gave it one hell of a shot with this dark and twisted film called, well, 'Revenge.' There are a lot of things that this movie manages to get right, but it feels like a tale that's been told one too many times and doesn't feel like it brings enough originality to make it really stand out. Still, as blood-soaked horror movies go, 'Revenge' is a pretty damn good one.

Director Coralie Fargeat brings us a brutal film about a woman's struggle to survive against three predatory men. At the center of the story is Matilda Lutz as Jen, a seemingly professional mistress working for a wealthy Frenchman taking a holiday with some of his buddies. From the beginning, it's clear that Jen is nothing more than an object to her disgusting male counterparts (Vincent Colombe, Guillaume Bouchède, and Kevin Janssens), something that she doesn't object to at first, but things slowly start to go too far. When Jen finally stands her ground against one of the hairy upright pigs they do what any typical misogynist would do and leave her for dead in the desert. The problem is that leaving people for dead in movies often comes back to bite you on the ass...

Ever since 'Kill Bill,' there's been an obsession with drenching beautiful women in blood and battering them to make them seem strong and powerful on the big screen. It's certainly worked for a few films like 'The Descent,' 'You're Next,' and 'Atomic Blonde,' and to a certain extent it works for 'Revenge.' However, it seems excessive, almost gratuitous at certain parts. It's understandable that Jen is meant to be a force of nature turning back on those who wronged her, but at a certain point, blood loss becomes a serious concern. There are even rumors are that the production crew used so much fake blood that they would often run out of it on set. Needless to say, Revenge is definitely a gory, revenge-driven horror film that ensures the heroes victims suffer much more than she does.

I have to give some serious credit to Matilda Lutz who turns in a jaw-dropping performance. She sells the idea that she has an indomitable spirit with every fiber of her being, which is a complete 180 from how she starts the film out. The sequences where she performance field surgery on herself in order to survive will make audiences absolutely cringe even though it doesn't show anything too disturbing. Instead, Coralie Fargeat relies on Lutz's reactions, screams, and wails of pain to really sell the sequences. This only makes it all the more convincing as she pursues her attackers across a desolate desert landscape.

'Revenge' is very much a movie about survival. On both sides of this fight are people doing everything they possibly can to save their lives. While Jen's life is quite literally on the line, the attackers are metaphorically dead if she does make it out alive. After all, they do attempt to rape her and murder her while on vacation. Of course, it's easy to pick a side in this fight from the get-go, but the fact that this is a down and dirty fight for survival makes it all the more enthralling to watch it unfold. Especially since Jen has an almost supernatural drive to finish what they started. In that regards, 'Revenge' is about as hardcore and brutal as they come.

It's always been such a disturbing notion to me that men with power feel the need for even more power. It's as though their entitled to it. 'Revenge' makes this very clear by the fact that these incredibly wealthy scumbags, who can buy anything they want, feel the need to assert even more power over Jen. In a way, she's there because they are men with power, but these men turn out to be psychopaths in the making with a need to control everything around them. When they can't, things go wrong very quickly for everyone. With that in mind, I have to warn audiences that these men are gut-wrenching to watch. As bloody and gruesome as 'Revenge' is, it's the men who are the most revolting part of the entire movie.

Honestly, I think 'Revenge' is very much the new 'High Tension' and I can not wait to see what Coralie Fargeat. It's a tremendous film with a strong woman at the center of it that will shock everyone with how powerful her will to survive is. Personally, I would have rolled over and died in the first ten minutes of what she endures. While it does take things a little too far at times, it never really feels like it's done for shock value. It's definitely not for the faint of heart though and if you're sensitive to scenes of violence against women then you will not want to see this. Horror fans and people who want to see some disgusting men get what they deserve though will love 'Revenge.'

You ever watch a horror movie and wonder why anyone would make the stupid choices the main characters always seem to make in them? Well, 'Traffik' is over an hour and a half of that. Of course, most movie plots can't really progress unless the heroes are dumb as stumps. To make matters worse though, the characters in Traffik are so unlikeable that it's hard not to hope the bad guys get them, and those bad guys are racist, white trash, sex traffickers. So, that's really saying something.

The film opens establishing Paula Patton's, Brea a reporter who doesn't seem to understand what reporting actually is. Within a few minutes her characters pretentious and condescending attitude, specifically shown when she is upset that an article she had been working on for months is scooped. Why was she working on it for months? Because she wanted to teach readers about the first corrupt politician to ever exist. Sure it sounds like a "fun" thought piece to post on your weekend blog, but that's not exactly what an editor might want in a major news story that should have broken weeks ago. Of course, her unwavering sense of "truth" and "justice" continues to overpower common sense for the rest of the film.

Then there's Darren Cole (Laz Alonso). The necessary asshole that 'Traffik' seems to require in order for the stakes to raise in the second act. A narcissist incapable of considering the feelings of anyone else or considering for a moment the consequences of his actions outside of himself, Darren manages to be the exact opposite of Brea, and yet is her spiritual twin. He's just a lot more aggressive when it comes to his self-centeredness. That's a good thing though, I guess, since if anyone actually took the time to use logic in the movie, then it would be over pretty quickly.

The rest of the cast though is actually pretty tolerable. Well, save for the racist sex traffickers, since they're just as obtuse as the protagonists they're terrorizing. The whole film is based on the fact that one of the girls they're trying to sell slips a satellite phone into Brea's bag at a truck stop (something she somehow has in her possession). Said phone just so happens to be filled with pictures or women being held prisoner and plenty of phone numbers for pretty much everyone in their organization. It's a pretty damning piece of evidence to own, let alone lose. Yet, lose it they do and Brea manages to use her keen skills as a reporter to unlock it, and doom herself and her friends.

The rest of the movie is pretty much a low key siege on the multi-million dollar cabin that the four friends are staying at. Since racist bikers don't really have the charm to capture the audience's attention for long periods of time, 'Traffik' rolls out a British villain for some reason in the form of Luke Goss. Apparently, biker gangs in northern California involved in sex trafficking need a British leader to oversee day to day operations. Honestly, this sort of stupid is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this film though.

At its heart, 'Traffik' is a movie that is trying to shine a light on the horrors of the sex trade and how it is happening all across the globe, even in our own backyard. Unfortunately, its intentions are meaningless in the face of stupid characters and writer/director Deon Taylor who enables them constantly throughout the movie. To make matters worse, he treats the sex trafficking ring in the film as if it were some sort of evil organization that seems more worthy of James Bond than Brea coming after them. Spanning the globe and reaching the highest powers. It tries so hard to make this group seem like such a big deal that it ruins the illusion. If it was just a brutal gang of bikers then that would have been fine and dandy. Its reach exceeds its grasp though and is absurd in the worst possible way.

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what audience 'Traffik' had its heart set on wooing, because it's a completely miserable piece of filmmaking. The more I think about it the worst I feel about wasting my time sitting through it. Which 2018 having some many movies with such powerful contemporary commentary on social issues, 'Traffik' does it's cause a disservice. It claws frantically trying to pull itself out of the deep dark hole and ends up managing to climb out of it. Definitely one of the more disappointing movies of the year.