The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998) Review:

The Brave Little Toaster (1987) may have not been a realistic family film with living appliances, but it did have something special about it. The characters and scenes that were created using them were all memorable. While it's typically not associated with the Disney renaissance period, it is has a strong following behind it. But like many tent pole starters, the studio took advantage of it years later by creating direct-to-video sequels. While The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue (1997) was by no means a match to the original, it did manage to remain fairly faithful to the universe that it was built upon. However, it was surprising to learn that much of the original voice cast did not return for the follow up. When it came to this entry, it's no longer surprising.

Rob & Chris' Baby

Once again written by Willard Carroll, the title to this sequel is by no means lying about its premise. The brave little toaster and friends indeed go to mars. All because of one tired hearing aid (Fyvush Finkel) who was planning to leave everyone else behind and it just so happens, Rob & Chris' child somehow gets entangled into the tractor beam that was supposed to take hearing aid. The story has gone full out wacky. Direction hasn't changed either with Robert C. Ramirez in charge. The plot here is just so outlandish that it mostly rejects any kind of sense the first two stories had. The characters actually make it to mars by riding a fan driven laundry basket powered by a microwave. Sorry what? There are just too many questions to ask related to this.

How does the microwave create enough power for the whole crew to break earth's gravity? What's the microwave even powered by? The first film had the sense to know that a battery was at least needed. Not to mention, Chris & Rob's baby is kept alive in space via a bubble. It's this kind of writing that really says the to the viewer that this is really a young kids film. Sure, the first film had some very adult themes, but this a complete departure from that entirely. That's not to say everything's bad,...but the story itself is. It's remarkably unrealistic to that of the what the original set up. Not to mention the execution of this story takes place in less than a day. In order to accomplish this, going from earth to mars round trip means the team must have been traveling super fast.

For voices, the cast from the second film return with some additions. Deanna Oliver, Thurl Ravenscroft and Timothy Stack all return for a third time as their respective characters. Eric Lloyd, Roger Kable, Andy Milder, Jessica Tuck, Chris Young and Brian Doyle-Murray all return from the second film for their roles. Lastly, extras to the story are Calculator (Stephen Tobolowsky), Microwave (Wayne Knight), Faucet (Farrah Fawcett), Fanny (Carol Channing) and Tinselina (Kath Soucie). All whom voice their characters well, some of which viewers may not recognize initially until the credits roll. It's just unfortunate that these talented actors are participating in such an average sequel. Thankfully, they at least know how to act.

"I'll have you know I was once Emperor Zurg"....

The visuals to this entry are decent. Paul Lin who was animation director for this and the second film made the film look okay. For what the film had budget wise, this is passable animation. It's not expected to be anything blockbuster worthy. Music on the other hand was mixed this time. The songs created by William Finn are rather bland and don't contribute to any character development. This includes the lyrics written by Ellen Fitzhugh, which is just very boring. The only saving grace is that Jim Cummings sings one of those songs. As for the score, Alexander Janko returns to compose and while it isn't outstanding, he does have a reoccurring theme, which is appreciated. The music does fit the scene it is used for.

This third sequel is not a terrible film, but it certainly ignores practically all the setting up the original film made. The voice actors do well and the animation is still fair for the film that it is. However, the music is middling at best and the plot is just very silly.

Points Earned --> 5:10

The Thief and the Cobbler (1993) Review:

Animation has been proven time again that cartoons can be just as engaging as regular live action films. It's also known that animation gives filmmakers the power to create anything they want that the real world may be too hard to try and materialize. One person who knew this well was animator Richard Williams, a man who really knew the profession inside out. Whether it be creating fun title sequences to the Pink Panther films, or helping to create Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) one of the most memorable live-action cartoon films to date, Williams had the hand for eye catching animation. Sadly, he never achieved his lifelong dream, of finishing this film. As well respected as he was, this has remained never fully completed the way he wanted it to be done.

"Ohhh,...how did we ever knock-off Aladdin?!"

Co-written by Williams, Margaret French and a slew of other ghost writers from over the years, the story is about a cobbler by the name of Tack (Matthew Broderick) who happens to be wound into a crazy adventure because of a bumbling thief (Jonathan Winters). The thief wants to steal three golden spheres from the kingdom of Nod (Clive Revill) that provide protection from the evil one eye army. Scheming behind the king's back is ZigZag (Vincent Price), hoping to not only rule the kingdom but also marry King Nod's daughter Princess YumYum (Jennifer Beals). Overall the story is okay, but because the final cut of the film suffered from so much meddling, there's a lot to be desired.

The Miramax re-edit has enough dialog throughout the film, but much of it feels to be in the wrong places. Both Tack and the thief say very little of anything outside of their heads. This leads to very little interactions between the essential characters and ultimately a lack of development within the story. Princess YumYum & Tack have scenes where they are together, yet there's only a couple where they share an actual conversation. Much of the time, audiences will hear more of Jonathan Winters' dialog for the thief's inner monologue. By no means can the characters be criticized for not having distinct personalities, but as a whole they're level of investment is low.

The voice acting is enjoyable though. Matthew Broderick and Jennifer Beals from Flashdance (1983) and Vampire's Kiss (1988) have acceptable chemistry. And as much of Jonathan Winters' dialog adds nothing to the plot, his moments are comical too. Of course, the best though goes to Vincent Price for his performance as ZigZag, the every other line rhyming antagonist. All the words recorded from Price are so entertaining to listen to. There's also other characters like Mighty One-Eye (Kevin Dorsey), Chief Roofless (Windsor Davies) and Phido the Vulture (Eric Bogosian). All who have interesting dialog as well.

Princess Yum Yum & the Cobbler

As mentioned before the character designs themselves are very unique and captivating to look at because of the way they were animated. John Leatherbarrow was credited as cinematographer to this picture, although it's unclear as to what he contributed since this is an animated feature. Either way, the animation is still a dazzling array of sequences and colors that only Williams could conjure up. The film score and songs were composed by Robert Folk. Having experience working with scores focused more on comedies and or militaristic settings, hearing his music to this feature was a nice surprise. Not only did it fit the film well, but was very pretty, as were the songs sung by Bobby Page.

It's unfortunate that Richard Williams did not receive the proper treatment for his dream goal film, but his memory will live on in the separate cuts of each film. While the Miramax cut is certainly not the best, it isn't the worst either. Sadly, the dialog used doesn't really develop its characters well, which is a big problem. But the characters do have charm, there are funny moments, the music is wonderful and the animation is mesmerizing.

Points Earned --> 6:10

Jaws 2 (1978) Review:

It's been agreed upon many times that people should not mess with the classics. No matter what the genre, some original films do not require a story to continue further. While the occasional sequel lands on its feet and strikes a memorable chord, very few do and don't live up to the hype. Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975) revolutionized the way people went out to see movies. But what also made the film successful was just how close to home the film hit viewers. The reason for this was that the villain (the shark) was depicted like any other shark in natural wild life, mostly. As the story neared its end, it did become increasingly strange how the ferocious meat eater was able to have such a complex memory bank. Aside from this though, the story felt grounded and quiet realistic in its intent making people all the more scared to venture into the sea.

Roy Scheider returns

For the sequel, the story continues with Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) patrolling the beaches of Amity Island several years later. After a bunch strange occurrences where people end up missing, Brody begins to suspect a new shark has arrived in town. Meanwhile, his wife Ellen (Lorraine Gary), Mayor Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) and Len Peterson (Joseph Mascolo) try to keep things under control to the public. Also Brody's son Mike (Mark Gruner), who frequently uses his own sail boat is tempted to keep going out to sea thanks to peer pressure from his friends. Written by Carl Gottlieb (from the first film) and Howard Sackler (The Great White Hope (1970)), the script does a fairly decent job continuing the story. There are still parts though that make it not as effective as the original. Direction was headed by Jeannot Szwarc who would later direct the average spin-off Supergirl (1984).

The execution of the story is fine, because there are several scenes that viewers will genuinely care for with the characters on screen. Seeing Roy Scheider (even though he regretted) and other cast members return was an appreciated welcome. It helps give the fans of the original, characters they can get behind. It also seems that Ellen Brody and Jeff Hendricks (Jeffrey Kramer) are stepping up in the public spotlight. There's even a reference to Matt Hooper from the original film. Instead, this time Collin Wilcox Paxton comes in as Dr. Elkins, to help Brody identify the shark. The parts the screenplay suffers from the most though are moments involving the shark's motivations. The actions are more out of character than the last beast. However, that does not mean it doesn't entertain. The other flaw is that some subplots are just left unfinished, just like the original in some ways.

As for horror elements though, the scares are still there to some degree. Because this story is set in what is very much the real world, the peril certain individuals endure can be quite the experience and the acting from them is good too. Most of this goes to Mark Gruner and his other cast mates like Gary Springer, Donna Wilkes, Gary Dubin and Ann Dusenberry. Coming across a shark as big as the one from this or the original film would be very scary indeed. While there isn't as much dismemberment as the first film depicted, there's still blood and mangled corpses lying around. The effects were also just as great as the original. The shark no longer has that weird cheek flap over the bottom half of its mouth. There's also an easter egg to that of the Orca of the first film and a couple of pyrotechnic sequences for other visual flares.

"HAIIII GUYS"

As for camerawork, Michael C. Butler worked to provide the look of this film. While he was in no relation to Bill Butler from the first film, the cinematography is practically equal to that of original. The underwater scenes are shot competently, showing the viewer all kinds of angles. And so is any scene above water with or without the shark, Music was also another great component to the entry. Composed once more by John Williams, the score revisits it's very familiar thumping tune as well as adding in new motifs for the sailing scenes and underwater ones. It's its own score in a way and again equally matches the original composition created years before. Even luckier for collectors was the fact that the score was re-released completely with all other tracks. A very nice set to have.

Mostly, this sequel very much continues the intensity to that of its predecessor. The actors and the situations they get involved in are believable. The music is another classic addition and the camerawork is spot on to the original. The only problem this entry suffers from is more preposterous scenarios and maintaining the trend of not completing subplots.

Points Earned --> 7:10

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) Review:

The original Jumanji (1995) back in the mid 1990s was a phenomenon in itself. It may have not smashed records like that of Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) or Jurassic Park (1993), but it was also no underground film that went totally under the radar. Many fans remember it fondly for not only having likable characters and an interesting story, but also because of the lasting impression it left. While Jumanji was marketed as a family film, it definitely had some rather intense moments. When a sequel was announced to this film, somehow the reaction wasn't as largely lambasted. Probably majority of people were curious as to how such a feat could be pulled off. To everyone's surprise, things went better than expected, especially with respect to other game to movie adaptations.

Wolff, Blain, Turner & Iseman

Directed by Jake Kasdan (Bad Teacher (2011) and Sex Tape (2014)) and writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers (The Lego Batman Movie (2017)), Scott Rosenberg (Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)) and Jeff Pinkner (The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)) all penning the script put together a sequel that remarkably matches up the original. Spencer (Alex Wolff), Fridge (Ser'Darius Blain), Bethany (Madison Iseman) and Martha (Morgan Turner) are all everyday high school students. Spencer's a nerd, Fridge is an athlete, Bethany is the popular girl and Martha is not. After they all receive detention for disobeying their teachers, they discover the Jumanji game in the form of a video game in the room they sit. It is there they discover there's more to the game than just something to use their time. Once inside the game, is when things get uniquely comical.

Spencer becomes the macho Dr. "Smolder" Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), Fridge turns into Franklin "Mouse" Finbar (Kevin Hart), Martha becomes Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan) and Bethany, to her shock is now Professor Sheldon "Shelly" Oberon (Jack Black). And what makes the plot to this sequel a worthy follow-up is because of how it changes the scenario for everyone involved. Unlike the original where the game turned its surrounding environment into the jungle, here the people playing the game get transported into the game (which is a jungle). On top of that, the four main stars are also not turning in performances they usually fit the mold too. Johnson, Black, Gillan and Hart all have to play the younger actors' personalities and not their own. While some mannerisms are kept the same, seeing the veteran actors act like teenagers is very different.

This leads to some very comedic scenes revolving around their situation. It's all opposites as to how they looked in real life. However aside from the physical aspect, the characters also have other moments to develop and learn to work as a team. There's also appearances from Nick Jonas and Bobby Cannavale who plays Van Pelt (the villain from the original movie). Most of the time replacing an already existing character would constitute as bad continuity, but here there's a justifiable reason as to why Van Pelt is being played by another actor, so it's okay. However one thing that does need to be addressed, is more use of the lesser known stars. Yes, having Jack Black, Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan and Kevin Hart star does help, but it would be nice to see more attention given to the younger actors. There's also the whole thing about how the story continues after this....it is rather definitive.

"So I ditched, the mustache and went with this weird eye thing"

As for visuals, the cinematography was handled by Gyula Pados. For what's shown, it looks great. The backgrounds are lush green and the inside scope of Jumanji looks vast and wide. Pados seems to know how to handle this based on the fact that he also shot for other big landscape films like Predators (2010) and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015). Lastly, the film score composed by Henry Jackman was well done too. Jackman has lent his talents to all genres like Monsters Vs. Aliens (2009), Kick-Ass (2010) and Winnie the Pooh (2011), so it shows that he can handle not only more tender moments but also lively action sequences too. While he doesn't reprise the creepy theme of James Horner's score, he does create a new one that fits the tone and it is repeated throughout.

While the younger actors don't get as much time to shine, nor does this sequel really leave it open to more stories, this sequel is definitely on point with its predecessor. The action/comedy mix well, the scenario has the main leads challenge their performance skills, the cinematography is lit fantastically and the music is a welcome addition to franchise.

Points Earned --> 7:10

Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) Review:

Six installments in a film franchise can become pretty laborious depending on the crew handling the project. After subsequent sequels, stories can lose their supporting basis for why they began to begin with. Just like the Halloween, Hellraiser and Friday the 13th franchises, the writers attached make their best attempt to connect films together but there's always something that gets lost among the string of stories. This film is no different and unfortunately is a bit of a set back from past entries. Since his creation, Freddy Krueger has been quite the demon. Over time, his persona has changed which has affected his film image. However, this has been a gradual evolution. What was once more mysterious and dangerous, became more silly and over the top.

Lezlie Deane, Ricky Dean Logan & Breckin Meyer

The plot to this entry revolves around a character by the name of John Doe (Shon Greenblatt), after waking up on the outskirts of Springwood, the last surviving teenager. Amazingly Freddy Krueger was able to kill off all teenagers in Springwood and now he's off to a new place to do the same. After being picked up by the police, Doe is brought to Maggie Burroughs (Lisa Zane) and Doc (Yaphet Kotto) who are looking after other troubled teenagers. The others consist of Tracy (Lezlie Deane), Carlos (Ricky Dean Logan) and Spencer (Breckin Meyer). All whom have had parent issues. The screenplay was written by Michael De Luca, who would later become the producer to other hit films like The Mask (1994), Blade (1998) and Ghost Rider (2007) and directed by Rachel Talalay.

For a story, it does have points that work. The focus of characters change evenly and the backstory of Freddy Krueger is further explained. This helps give the audience a greater understanding behind Freddy's motivation to do harm. Shon Greenblatt as John Doe has his moments but Lisa Zane is best of the protagonists. Yaphet Kotto as Doc is a nice supporting character but nothing's really explained as to how he understands dreams more than anyone else. The rest of the cast though is rather forgettable. Lezlie Deane, Ricky Dean Logan and Breckin Meyer all play characters who bicker with each other. None of their dialog would make any viewer want to cheer them on. There's also cameos from Johnny Depp and Roseanne Barr.

As for Robert Englund, there's no doubt that he's puts in a performance he was enjoying. Unlike all other entries, Englund hams up Krueger to the fullest extent. Not only is Krueger spewing out one-liners left and right, but he's also breaking the fourth wall. He even makes an unlicensed Nintendo slogan and references the endings to the past films. While his quips are comical, it's rather sad to see how terrifying the character once was, only to be playing video games to kill his victims. The gore effects are still there though. There's blood and other amputations that occur and the practical effects look realistic. This doesn't add to the scare factor though. It's just there for visual appeal. The digital effects though are another thing completely.

"Nintendo anyone?"

While CGI had more or less been integrated at this time thanks to Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), the CGI effects in this film do look out of date. Most likely due to the budget, the filmmakers should have just stuck with the practical effects. Cinematography handled by Declan Quinn was rather uninspired. Being that he would later make most of his career filming for musicians, the look of this entry isn't anything noteworthy. The dream sequences aren't that unique nor do anything creative with their surroundings. Thankfully, the music was a little more entertaining thanks to composer Brian May's score. While it may not sound as creepy due to scenes filmed, he still replicates Charles Bernstein's original theme which is important. Thanks for that.

Freddy's closure in this installment is certainly a nice conclusion, story wise. The practical effects are still top notch, the music and backstory to Krueger being explained is much welcomed and Krueger has a formidable foe. However, the camerawork is nothing praiseworthy, the story is no longer scary and the majority of the main leads are boring.

Points Earned --> 5:10

The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015) Review:

Any genre has all kinds of avenues to explore when it comes to storytelling. The setting alone can be a factor as to how a story will play out. Specifically period pieces. These types of tales can be a bit tricky to handle based on the accuracy the picture and the direction the narrative heads in. If there was a time though to focus on that was one of the scariest, it would be when witches were a big deal. Witch trials were a serious thing during their medieval times and onward. As soon as a witch was even spoken of, things would go south pretty quickly. People would begin having fanatic fits of hysteria and meltdowns, all to be sure such creature was never present. This is more or less what happens here in this uniquely horrifying film.

Anya Taylor-Joy & Harvey Scrimshaw

The story to this film is about a family in the 1600s who is banished from their plantation after a religious dispute. After moving out and settling elsewhere, the family's newborn son is snatched away as to what was surmised as a witch. Fearing the worst, the family begins to suspect everything around them, including themselves. Writing and directing this was Robert Eggers, in his first feature film debut. Accomplishing this is not an easy task to begin with, which already is an impressive start. The script is simplistic yet effective in its story to show just how little is needed to make it good. One of the contributing factors to this experience is the atmosphere that is felt. Much of it is unsettling and ominous looking because of how secluded the location is.

The cast are believable in their roles. Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), the first born daughter who witnesses her youngest sibling's vanishing gives a memorable performance. That and her chemistry with her father William (Ralph Ineson) and mother Katherine (Kate Dickie) are quite the struggle. Thomasin's other siblings Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw), Mercy (Ellie Grainger) and Jonas (Lucas Dawson) are also perform well. Caleb comes in second to that of Thomasin for length of screen time. Both Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie were in the HBO series Game of Thrones. While Anya Taylor-Joy was in Split (2016) and Glass (2019). Bathsheba Garnett and Sarah Stephens who play the witches are quite unnerving to say the least and are very convincing.

The minor issues in the story are the parts that are not explained. Some characters' fates go unresolved. Nothing is shown what might have happened to them. This is critical when it comes to showing closure in a story. The other flaw was the cause of the whole plot. As the narrative is executed, the thought of someone being a witch begins to surface. Yet it is never explained as to who was the witch, if at all. Understandably so there will be confusion, but also clarity should be brought to light on the inquiry. As for horror, there's only one jump scare and it doesn't even involve a sting which is great. The rest is unrelenting dread that is displayed. There is blood and gore but not much. It's more of the sense of being left alone that is more horrifying.

Cinematography was well shot too. Handled by Jarin Blaschke, the camera remains steady and focused. Many times, the lens is aimed strategically at one place in order to cause unrest with the viewer. Blaschke also filmed for Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet (2009) and Fray (2012). Lastly there's the film score composed Mark Korven. The music heard is a mix of ethereal female chants, minimal strings and very light percussion. All of which present this story in such a disturbing way, it will make the audience feel like there really is something among them that is not right. Korven also scored films like White Room (1990), Cube (1997) and Cruel & Unusual (2014). Either way, it is simple for all the right reasons.

Minor points like character resolutions and definite cause of plot is the only issue here. The actors give solid performances, the visuals are quite discomforting (in a good way) and the music is creepily memorable.

Points Earned --> 7:10

Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977) Review:

When Charles Addams' cartoon of a family who was too far into Halloween than most families were, he probably wasn't sure what a success it would be. When his creation was adapted into the 1964 show, the characters became larger than life with their unique personalities and interests. While the show itself only lasted two seasons, it made a lasting impression on several viewers. For couples, Gomez and Morticia are popular choices for costume Halloween parties. And although the look of the characters weren't an exact match to that of Charles Addams' original drawings, the look was iconic nonetheless. Amazingly several years later, most of the original cast returned for a TV movie special revolving around the season of Halloween.

Morticia & Pancho

The focus of the plot is around the holiday where the Addams will be celebrating all hallows eve. To them, it's their Christmas time. Before the end of the night, a legend by the name of Cousin Shy comes to give gifts and carve pumpkins. Meanwhile, a group of crooks lead by the boss (Parley Baer) want to infiltrate the Addams' home to steal their family fortune by luring Gomez to a lodge meeting far away. Simultaneously, Gomez (John Astin) is worried about his brother Pancho (Henry Darrow) having feelings for Morticia (Carolyn Jones). For a TV movie, it very much feels like an extended episode to the show but all in good fun. It's rather shocking considering the director, David Steinmetz, had no experience prior or after this event. Was he even directing?

Writing the script was George Tibbles, who also wrote for Dennis the Menace and Leave It to Beaver. As mentioned before the execution feels much like an extended episode and nothing more. The subplots about Gomez's brother Pancho and his advances on Morticia are bit out of place. Henry Darrow as Pancho looks very much like Gomez Addams and acts very similar, which has some comedic timing. But the point of having him being there is only because of the fake trip Gomez is going on. As for the crooks who want to break into the Addams' household, it could have very well been left out. Parley Baer, Patrick Campbell and Vito Scotti add comedic moments but they play random characters; not returning ones of such. There's even impostors who stand in as Gomez and Morticia.

In spite of all this though, this special is still watchable for the original cast themselves. Not only has time passed, but Morticia and Gomez have added children Pugsley Jr. (Ken Marquis) and Wednesday Jr. (Jennifer Surprenant). Ken Weatherwax and Lisa Loring who played the original Pugsley and Wednesday are now grown and also return to the family household. Ted Cassidy returns as the lumbering Lurch and still has his funny moments. Jackie Coogan also returns as Uncle Fester and still doesn't understand anyone outside the house. Felix Silla even has his moments as cousin It going back and forth with Gomez Addams. And of course, as if it had to be mentioned; Carolyn Jones and John Astin as the classic Addams couple still have their same comedic delivery.

"I still look better than my brother right?"

For what's on screen, the visual gags are still funny too. Filmed by Jacques R. Marquette, the cinematographer to Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958), the camera angles used here make use of the entire set. Thing's appearances between rooms always provides a good laugh. There's even props used that have pyrotechnics. Lastly, the music was supported by original composer Vic Mizzy, who also composed the original theme for the show. Since it was a special, the intro is a tad different but still remains as lively and memorable as the original. The cues used from transitions and other doodads all works appropriately to the situation occurring at the time.

Following the success of the show, majority of the original cast return for this Halloween themed TV movie special, and it could have been worse. While the subplots going on around the main characters don't amount to much, it's still fun seeing the same chemistry return for one more extended period of time.

Points Earned --> 6:10

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

9 (2009) Review:

Animated films are no small industry as it once was. After Pixar and Dreamworks hit it big with their films in the late 1990s, several more studios jumped in to try and compete. The thing was though, many were competing for the same demographic. That demographic was more family friendly than anything else. Only recently has the film industry seen an interest in making more adult related animated features for theaters to distribute. A film that would come to mind would be Sausage Party (2016). That though was in the genre of comedy, which needed an R rating. However not all adult films need to be rated R. A perfect example would be this feature film.

Rag doll # 9

The story here is about a rag doll labeled number 9 (Elijah Wood), who wakes up in a strange setting. His surroundings consist of a massive wasteland, only to discover other rag dolls like him with other numbers. Number 8 (Fred Tatasciore), 7 (Jennifer Connelly), 6 (Crispin Glover), 5 (John C. Reilly), 4 & 3 are silent twins and 2 (Martin Landau), all led by 1 (Christopher Plummer). Even Alan Oppenheimer has a small role. The difference is, 9 found a green glowing piece that seems to be important. Unfortunately, none of them know what its purpose is for. To their dismay, this isn't their only problem. The dolls are also being hunted by mechanical predators made from animal parts that are seeking though take their lives.

The script was penned by Pamela Pettler, the same writer from Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (2005) and Monster House (2006). Seeing that, it is quite obvious where the darker elements to the film came from. For an animated film, the premise to this is far grimmer than some may think. The post-apocalyptic setting is refreshing and horrifying (in a good way) at the same time because how unexpected things are depicted. There is death shown and it's not exactly hidden from the viewers' eyes. Credit needs to be given for Shane Acker who has only directed this film. Since then he has been a previsualization artist for other projects like Total Recall (2012) and 47 Ronin (2013).

What doesn't work in the script's favor is the logic behind it. There's a kind of science that is used in this film that doesn't go into great depth. Sure, this film is a fantasy, but even so the idea behind the plot is bizarre. The time at which this takes place doesn't seem anywhere near the current day. The same could also be said for the purpose of the plot. The dolls have a reason for being there, but once it is revealed, it's questionable as to how it'll help. It's really not clear at all, but the voice actors behind the characters make up for that. All of them have moments that feature them in a way so the audience gets a chance to relate and understand the dolls.

"Noppppe......doesn't look dark enough for me....."

The animation to this film was well done. While it is unclear how cinematography assisted in this project, Kevin R. Adams was the director of photography. Aside from this, he has remained in the art department. The animators behind the film though did a great job. The rag dolls are expressive and the antagonists they come across are also quite intriguing to watch in their movements. The music however was even greater with its sound. Composed by Deborah Lurie, the score has fantastic sounding music that works well with the action, horror and more emotional moments. She has also composed for Dear John (2010) and Footloose (2011). Luckily for her, a score was released to show just how good she is.

While the details in the plot itself and the logic behind it isn't all that believable, that doesn't mean the film doesn't entertain. The voice cast, animation, dark storytelling and the music all help in making this a mature animated film fun to revisit.

Points Earned --> 7:10

Beyond the Gates (2016) Review:

Independent films are the place for all up starting filmmakers. Unless one has a solid connection to a big name movie studio, the likeliness of getting a noticed is slim. However, if one is truly passionate and uses all their connections to their advantage, something may come of it. Not every indie filmmaker has this dream, but it is a large majority. Sometimes the best way to get viewers' attention is by bringing them in with nostalgia. This has to be done correctly though, otherwise audiences will think they are being sucker punched into a joke. Thankfully there are filmmakers out there who care to make a quality feature; like this one.

Brea Grant & Graham Skipper

Take Jackson Stewart as an example. Directing his first feature film and making himself known for it with good publicity. The plot to this feature is about distant brothers Gordon (Graham Skipper) and John (Chase Williamson) coming together after their father's disappearance. Only to learn that their father (Henry LeBlanc) was last around playing a VHS game called "Beyond the Gates". Out of curiosity, Gordon's girlfriend Margot  (Brea Grant) joins. To their dismay, the three learn that after starting the game, they must finish it risking their own lives. Writing the screenplay was also Stewart and Stephen Scarlata. Prior to this, Scarlata wrote for Final Girl (2015).

What Scarlata and Stewart do with their screenplay is take a couple different films and make an interesting hybrid out of them. The closest this movie comes to is Insidious (2010) meets Jumanji (1995). However, instead of the board calling the shots, it's overseen by some lady on a TV (Barbara Crampton). What the filmmakers do get right is the premise. The execution is what could have used more development. There just wasn't enough focus on the board game itself, its history, and lore. There would be so much to discover. Instead, much of it tends to lean more on the usual horror clichés. While not all of the execution can be seen from far away, it is fairly predictable.

That's not to say the actors aren't credible though. The three main leads do share decent chemistry together and that's important. Even the supporting cast is fine with Matt Mercer playing a local cop and Justin Welborn playing a rude friend of John's. Chase Williamson was in Victor Crowly (2017). Brea Grant was in Halloween  II (2009), as was Justin Welborn. Matt Mercer was in Contracted (2013). And of the crew, Barbara Crampton is the veteran having been in movies like Re-Animator (1985) and Chopping Mall (1986). The visuals were also well taken care of. The gore effects were very bloody, but nothing that looked overly fake and ridiculous.

"LIKE MY ONION BREATH?!"

That also goes for Brian Sowell's work as the director of photography for this feature. Having worked as a camera operator for other films like Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (2015), Annabelle: Creation (2017) and The Disaster Artist (2018), Sowell's skill shines through on this. He keeps the cam steady and has some creepy shots filmed too. Lastly, the film score composed by Wojciech Golczewski was great listening to as well. Creating a theme using a music box type instrument, the tune will get the viewer's attention. Golczewski has also scored for Eraser Children (2009) and Night of the Wolf (2014). Off to a great start.

The movie isn't perfect, with far too little attention put on the premise. The actors on the other hand make up for that. As well as the skilled cinematography, decent practical effects and catchy music.

Points Earned --> 6:10

Chaplin (1992) Review:

Among the movie industry, several Hollywood actors have come and gone. Many are remembered for their roles in various films, but the ones that have been immortalized were the pioneers of the era. Some have come even before the time when films contained sound. Of this category, Charlie Chaplin was one of those innovators. Making a name for himself by making several of his own movies before he even hit 30 years of age, Chaplin made it big far in advance. No surprise that a biopic was made on the thespian too. For what it's worth, it was a very well constructed film. Also it is one the films that put Robert Downey Jr. on the map.

Downey Jr. as Chaplin

Headed by Richard Attenborough, the same director of Gandhi (1982), audiences get to see how Charlie Chaplin came to be. With the help of writers William  Boyd, Bryan Forbes and William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)), this crew was able to put together an engaging drama  that reflects on Chaplin's life experiences, through his eyes. Playing Chaplin in his good likeness is Robert Downey Jr., who at the time was still finding his place. This really could have been the movie that made his career, but that wouldn't be until Marvel's Iron Man  (2008). Starting out though, this was a good first step.

Along with him are numerous other well known faces like Geraldine Chaplin playing Charlie's mother. Paul Rhys plays Chaplin's step brother Sydney. Anthony Hopkins plays the author who talks to Chaplin in his older years. Kevin Kline plays Douglas Fairbanks, a close friend of Chaplin. Moira Kelly plays Oona, Chaplin's final wife. There's also appearances by Dan Aykroyd, Marisa Tomei, Penelope Ann Miller, Maria Pitillo, Milla Jovovich, Kevin Dunn, Diane Lane, Nancy Travis and James Woods. All of which give believable performances in the characters they portray that were apart of Chaplin's life experiences. There is one flaw to the screenplay though.

While the film has plenty of run time to explore certain aspects of Chaplin's life events, there seem to be too many characters for the story to cover. Certain individuals arrive and leave not long after each other, with very little said about them. If this be the case, leave them out entirely. However this doesn't mean the dramatic elements to the story aren't effective. Several points are made throughout Chaplin's lifetime, displaying how much he played with fire. Whether that be making films involving politics, or having personal issues with his estranged wives that left him over the years due to his obsessive work life. He had a lot going on all the time.

"And I,...Anthony Hopkins,....looked old...."

The cinematography handled by Sven Nykvist was well shot. There's lots of practical sets featured within this film. Some are behind the scenes to other films Chaplin made in his career, which is very cool to see. Then there's John Barry who worked as the composer for this movie. The music is one the most beautiful renaissance sounding scores heard and Barry provides a theme for the film too. While the entire album itself is not as long as the feature, it captures all the right cues that are absolutely iconic. The tone that is heard is a romantic, yet melancholy mix. One of Barry's best compositions for any collector.

Numerous characters to keep track of can be a bit much for viewers, but that's the only trouble this film has. RDJ charms as he becomes Chaplin with a deep story, classic camerawork and wonderful sounding music. Not to mention all the actors who take part in it too.

Points Earned --> 8:10

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003) Review:

From the original TV show, to the big screen, Charlie's Angels had an interesting premise. It starred several female leads in action roles and made use of their charm to really bring audiences in to watch. Being that Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz were all in popular films before this, the first installment only cemented their names that they could star in the action genre. The movie adaptation of the show however was practically a mixed bag. While it had the right actors, the storytelling was weak with clichés and obsessive focus on the feminine appeal in all the wrong ways. It wasn't super crass, but it definitely could cause multiple eye rolls among the audience.  But it made enough money to guarantee a sequel, and it's not any better.

The Angels return.....

The film sets off with a new adventure for the leads after rescuing security agent (Robert Patrick) with a special ring that contains important information to the witness protection database. As they begin to dig deeper, they learn more to the plot than there was before. Having the screenplay written by John August, Cormac and Marianne Wibberley didn't do a whole lot. Seeing that August was the only writer from the original and the Wibberley's wrote for The 6th Day (2000) before this, the story is overly drawn out. Even with McG coming back to direct, the pacing seems to go for excessive amounts more than it should.

That's not to say Diaz, Liu or Barrymore don't give their characters charm, they just unfortunately don't have much to work with except have cheesy dialog or dress in highly sexualized attire. Bernie Mac as the latest Bosley has better moments than Bill Murray's performance. That and all the other cameos and returnees that show up. There's appearances from Bruce Willis, Carrie Fischer, John Cleese, Ashley Olsen, Mary-Kate Olsen, Robert Forster, Shia LaBeouf and reappearances from John Forsythe, Luke Wilson and Matt LeBlanc. But they all have limited presence and only help further the plot, exposition wise.

Of those characters, the ones that were more captivating to watch were Crispin Glover as the thin man. Justin Theroux plays an ex of Drew Barrymore's character and Demi Moore plays an ex Angel briefly. These three actors actually have moments in the movie that are more surprising to see. Sadly, they don't receive as much attention as they should. The action sequences in the film certainly have effort put into them. Seeing that McG is very familiar with these kinds of scenes, they are carried out very competently. The only flaw may be that there may be a little too much emphasis on the slow motion. At least it's not shaky cam.

"Remember me?......."

However that doesn't mean the special effects are always top notch either. Even for 2003, CGI did look good in several films before this. But here, there are some shots that don't look as polished, which is unfortunate. The camerawork, again handled by Russell Carpenter who worked on the first film did an okay job but it still doesn't make up for some of the weak visuals. Lastly the score by Edward Shearmur was barely present to begin with. Much of the film contains cues from other well known artists like John Bon Jovi, M.C. Hammer, The Who and Natalie Cole. It's fine, but there's no identity to the characters so oh well.

It's not a terrible film, but it's also pretty bad. The material is too bland and cliché to make anything special out of it. The actors trying their best and the action sequences are really the only aspect that is almost completely flawless.

Points Earned --> 4:10