Bullet to the Head (2012) Review:

Action films have come a long way from what they used to be. Violence would only contain so much graphic details and the length at which action scenes would be were for shorter periods. This all changed though when the 1980s rolled around and the opposite happened. The actors who in part influenced this were people like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Coinciding with them were their directors for their various films. What's interesting is when those traits are attempted to be replicated in films nowadays. Sometimes, what worked in the past doesn't produce the same result later on which is more than likely what happened with this film. Originally being headed by Wayne Kramer, the story and direction was intended to be darker. But due to disagreements between him and Stallone, it can be assumed the type of film this was supposed to be changed.

Sarah Shahi & Sylvester Stallone

The story is about hitman James Bonomo (Sylvester Stallone) and detective Taylor Kwon (Sung Kang) being forced together to take out a common enemy. The reason for this is both their partners were killed by the same person. That person is Robert Morel (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) a wealthy business man who is in cahoots with Marcus Baptiste (Christian Slater). The person doing the killing is Keegan (Jason Momoa). That's really all that this film is, one big revenge action film with nothing deeper than that. The script was written and adapted by Alessandro Camon (The Messenger (2009)) from a graphic novel by Alexis Nolent and Colin Wilson. That is it though, aside from director Walter Hill taking over instead of Wayne Kramer. Realistically, this film is just another call back to buddy cop films of the 1980s and nothing more.

When it comes to plot, there isn't much for the audience to get behind. Stallone plays his usual grizzled self and Kang plays the inexperienced foil to that of Stallone. Scene after scene the actors go around interrogating and killing and the cycle continues. It's not a bad film if a viewer is into that, but it offers nothing new. The narrative is as generic as it comes. The way Jimmy Bobo and Taylor Kwon are connected to a single person and how that person is connected to others is beyond bland. All the supporting characters are cardboard cutouts of some high powered authority who has "all kinds" of connections. Christian Slater and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje are just there to look big, but mostly they amount to very little. It's rather unfortunate.

The other supporting cast members try too, but again are not that intriguing. Marcus Lyle Brown plays Kwon's backup and Sarah Shahi plays Lisa, Jimmy Bobo's daughter, a tattoo artist. Her history is explained a little, but not given much else. However even with all these critiques that doesn't the mean the actors don't have chemistry. Stallone and Kang work well off each other. Shahi is one tough actress and the person who looked like he had the most fun was Jason Momoa as Keegan. While this was before his Arthur Curry / Aquaman days, Momoa was known for other roles like in HBO's Game of Thrones. For what it's worth though, the action in this film is entertaining. Stallone still has the moves as well as Kang, Momoa and Shahi.

"Take it easy,.....I didn't know you were Stallone's daughter"

Being that Walter Hill began his career with action films like 48 Hrs. (1982) and later on like Undisputed (2002), it's no surprise that the action is a strong component to this feature. The cinematography was taken care of by Lloyd Ahern II who also worked on Last Man Standing (1996), the god awful Turbulence (1997) and also Undisputed (2002). Here, Ahern's camerawork is nice and steady though and works well with the action. More surprisingly was the film score composed by Steve Mazzaro. Being that this was his first feature film, the sound is unlike the usual action cues. Since this takes place down south, Mazzaro includes lots of guitar and harmonica which suits the setting. While he has composed additional music for other composers, his first outing here is a nice welcome.

Unfortunately, this is  a bare bones action film that doesn't require much to keep the brain engaged. Something more could have been done, but instead it's just mindless fun, the actors work well and the music is nicely composed.

Points Earned --> 6:10

Overboard (1987) Review:

The wealthy and the middle class have always been too different worlds. A rich person's concerns are on a separate scale to that of someone of lesser financial status. Yet the two distinguished classes live among each other for the most part without bothering one another. However, when the factions clash, they tend to clash hard. There are also times where the mixing of the two work out, but it’s usually a tossup. Which is kind of how this movie plays out. Stories that rely on such improbable events to happen can be a real stretch at times and this film tries hard to convince its audience that it couldn’t. Luckily, there are redeeming qualities, but its best to keep in mind how unlikely this story is.

Goldie Hawn & Roddy McDowall

The plot is about average widower carpenter Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell) trying to make ends meet by working for a living. His four sons, Charlie, (Jared Rushton), Joey (Jeffrey Wiseman), Travis (Brian Price) and Greg (Jamie Wild) are rowdy, need proper parenting and education. Making matters worse is when Proffitt is called to a job for rich snob Joanna Stayton (Goldie Hawn) and is then fired after doing the job not according to her standards. Shortly after though, Joanna accidentally falls off her yacht and when recovered, suffers from amnesia. This gives Proffitt the idea for payback by claiming her as his wife. Directed by Garry Marshall and written by Leslie Dixon, this movie is an okay comedy for its time. What helps in this story is its cute narrative and characters, but there are still issues with it.

First of all, wrongfully claiming someone as your own is kidnapping. Dean Proffitt is already making a bad move. Also what kind of name is that? I would expect a little better naming convention for our protagonist coming from the future writer of Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Pay It Forward (2000), Freaky Friday (2003) and Limitless (2011). The direction is also generic. Viewers can see from a mile away how events will play out, which makes this a very clichéd story. Again, coming from a director who would later helm Pretty Woman (1990) and The Princess Diaries (2001), seems strange they would be at this level to start. Aside from the initial misstep on Proffitt's behalf, the story is cute because the development of the Joanna and Dean are likable. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have the required chemistry to make it work. It's just the surrounding Proffitt family that make it feel not as special.

There's several scenes with inappropriate dialog spoken by Dean's kids. Whether they're looking at playboy magazines, spouting out curses or making rude remarks about other women just feels wrong. Fine, the audience is supposed to see how uncontrollable Dean's kids are, but visuals are enough. On top of that, some of those lines are meant for laughs, which they do not produce one. That's not to say this film isn't funny, but the child actors are not the highlight. However, the performances from Edward Hermann as Joanna's original husband, Katherine Helmond as Joanna's mother, and Roddy McDowall as Joanna's butler all give funny showings. Even Mike Hagerty and Hector Elizondo have small roles.

"Watch,....she and I will be together forever after this...."

The cinematography was adequate for the film. John A. Alonzo who handled the cameras has various shots that cover interiors of the yacht Joanna lives on, to the utter squalor that is Dean Proffitt's house. Considering Alonzo's best known work was for Chinatown (1974), it's good that he maintains the right look for this film. There's a bunch of neat visual gags involving little contraptions that do things in the Proffitt household too. Cheesy but again, cute. Lastly there's an early film score from Alan Silvestri who makes the most of the music even with only a couple synthesizer instruments. The main theme is catchy and the more sentimental scenes that use piano are also easy on the ears. For an early work, it is still a great listen.

Story wise, it is fairly predictable in every way possible no thanks to the direction. The script also includes scenes that are rather in bad taste involving the protagonist's offspring. However, the overall execution is cute, the main leads are credible and the music is catchy.

Points Earned --> 6:10

Come, Said the Night (2019) Review:

Horror films that revolve around spiritual entities can be a gamble sometimes. Presentation is everything when it comes to the viewer's perception of the beast in question. However, it also depends on where these apparitions fall in line with the narrative being told. Creatures like these exist in all sorts of cultures and have been depicted in a number of ways. The frustrating part is that many people don't know whether they are foreshadowing upcoming good or bad events. This seems to be the struggle for this one family who is going through a tough time. It's hard to know what's really the cause of these mysterious events, but religion is a path people take in order to try and make a justification for said moments. Which is exactly how this story begins.

Tate Birchmore & Nicole Moorea Sherman

The premise is about the Grady family, made up of Roy (Lew Temple), a widower, Sprout (Nicole Moorea Sherman) and Percy (Tate Birchmore) who recently lost another family member Magda (Daniela Leon). Together they move to a remote location where they strive to bond with one another and learn to let go of the past, holding true to their beliefs in Greek mythology. Soon after though, Sprout and Roy begin having strange dreams at night, being visited by ghostly figures. The script and direction was headed by Andres Rovira, in his first feature length film. With that said, this a very strong first outing of his. Being a screenwriter and director at the same time is not always the easiest of tasks to handle. What works best in the screenplay for this film is it's disturbing coming of age plot. Viewers follow Sprout on a journey of self-discovery and growth, not all of which is pleasant.

There are certain rules she is required to abide by, like giving an hour of silence to the gods or not mingling with the opposite gender. Such as in the case for the local park ranger Stella Woodhouse (Danielle Harris) and her son Max (Max Page). Stella enjoys visiting Roy, while Roy wants Max to befriend Percy. Yet, Stella thinks Max should get to know Sprout since they have something in common. Both their parents' partners passed away. Things only get more ominous the more Sprout begins to grow out of her comfort zone. Performance wise, the actors all do a great job. Nicole Moorea Sherman as the main lead is very convincing and its entertaining to see her character develop. Sherman was also in The Queen's Corgi (2019), but this really should be her breakout acting role. Her chemistry with the other actors is well matched too.

Tate Birchmore who has also been in other movies like Peppermint (2018) is believable in his role as a little brother. The only thing that doesn't make sense is his affinity for covering his hands. Whether it be plastic wrap or oven mitts, his hands are covered. Not sure what that's all about. Lew Temple as Roy Grady certainly does his best to be a caring father as well as showing his massive flaws. His interest in pagan religion however, would have been nice to get more background on. Having played in other movies like The Devil's Rejects (2005), Unstoppable (2010) and The Lone Ranger (2013), Temple is competent in his role. The same could be said for Danielle Harris who rose to fame from her days in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989). Harris as Stella Woodhouse plays her roll with sass and is somewhat of a sister figure to that of Sprout.

"You know Michael Myers is my uncle right?"

The visuals to this feature are a decent spectacle too. Being that the horror elements to this feature are more ghostly and psychological, there's very little blood spilled and that's okay. Thankfully there are no jump scares. The camerawork handled by Madeline Kate Kann was well done too. Seeing that this is also her first feature length film, this is great. There are several shots from a bird's eye view and when it comes to the nightmarish creatures, Kann uses the camera to keep what viewers want to see right out of focus to keep their attention. Smart. However, there is a specific location that felt rather random. Almost like there was more to it. A scene being left out maybe? Lastly, the musical score composed by Diego Rojas is fair for what was heard. Much of his music consists of light piano with an occasional string draw. It's simple and that's all that was really needed.

Usually, coming of age films are dramas. This one though. combines family drama with a much darker twist. While there are occasional areas that could have used more explanation, the story of a family struggling to seek emotional closure is definitely an intriguing watch. The cast of actors work well, the music is elementary but effective, and the visuals are competently crafted.

Points Earned --> 7:10

The Crow: City of Angels (1996) Review:

When original films go down as a classic of its own, it is usually, if not always very hard for a sequel to ever reach the same status. The Crow (1994) was a special project for many who worked on it, mostly because of the unfortunate death of star Brandon Lee from a fatal gunshot. While the film did make enough money and gained quite the following, studios wanted to continue making films about the character. Thankfully, they decided to focus on a new character who obtains the supernatural powers instead of trying to continue the original. In some ways, this works out. In other ways, not so much. This kind of uphill battle should be expected, but for what was done, it's obvious effort was put in. Viewers just have to remember that.

Do I look like Eric Draven?

The story is about a new unlikely hero by the name of Ash Corven (Vincent Perez), a father who is killed along with his son after they witness a gang murder. Only to be revived by the mystical crow, and then seek revenge on the gang who ruined his life. The person who stumbles upon Corven is Sarah (Mia Kirshner), a local tattoo artist who's been having dreams about him. The script was written by up and coming comic book writer David S. Goyer. While the film itself had much studio interference by the time it was released, what was left of Goyer's script is doable to some degree. What doesn't make sense however is the backgrounds to the characters aside from Corven. The film was directed by Tim Pope, who would have this theatrical film only to his credit.

Supporting characters to this feature more or less get the ax here. Sarah's dreams are not explained nor is she given much of a backstory and how she connects to Corven. The gang who murder Corven, is led by Judah Earl (Richard Brooks) and consists of Curve (Iggy Pop), Nemo (Thomas Jane), Spider Monkey (Vincent Castellanos) and Kali (Thuy Trang). They too don't receive much development aside from being shown that they killed Corven and his son. Judah's motives especially aren't the clearest. He wants to have the crow's powers, but it's not explained as to why he developed such a goal. Along with that, the lore and how the rules for the crow work seem to not be as transparent this time. It's understood that the crow is the weak point of the powers, however that doesn't explain if this power exists only in one crow or all of them. The acting for the most part is acceptable.

Vincent Perez as the new crow is fairly believable. His attitude towards his enemies is about as likeable as Brandon Lee's performance and his looks aren't too far off either. Perez for the most part has remained in the foreign film industry. Mia Kirshner is alright, but without her backstory it's not as strong. Kirshner would go on to star in films like Cowboys and Angels (2000) and The Black Dahlia (2006). Richard Brooks is interesting to watch, mainly because he goes from rather soft spoken to over the top energetic, it's off putting but kind of funny. Brooks has remained more a TV actor since. Iggy Pop is,...well Iggy Pop, known for his musical career. Thomas Jane is well known for what he would go onto to play in Marvel's second attempt in The Punisher (2004) and other films. Vincent Castellanos stopped acting no long after and Thuy Trang unfortunately died shortly after. There's even an appearance from Beverley Mitchell.

Mia Kirshner

As for visuals go, the action is fairly entertaining. While much of the film is in this monochrome sepia tone tint, it works in its favor. There's several shoot outs and fist fights. Some of which can get rather bloody and it entertains. The cinematography was handled by Jean-Yves Escoffier, who also worked on Dream Lover (1993) and 15 Minutes (2001). For what Escoffier shows, it captures several areas of the urban landscape involving buildings and rooms. Never has so much trash been a part of a city. Lastly, Graeme Revell returns as the composer to this and he mostly keeps all the feeling intact. While Revell does resurrect a theme from the original film, the rest features beating drums and spiritual sounding music. That's a great thing.

The story is not as emotionally hard hitting like the original, but the actors try. The problem lies in the script with very little backstory to the supporting characters and the lore behind the crow. However, the music, cinematography and action still entertains. It's a watchable sequel.

Points Earned --> 6:10