Like many others in Los Angeles, Josh is an unpaid intern desperately trying to make it. When his boss has him go pick up a highly valuable necklace, he figures he’ll save some time and picks it up early. While the necklace is in his possession, his housemates through a party that quickly turns to a home invasion. Co-written by Jamie Marshall and Matthew L. Schaffer with Marshall also directing, the film builds a home invasion/heist story with double crosses and not one clear cut innocent character.
Category Archives: Movie Reviews
Beauty and the Beast (1991): 25th Anniversary Signature Edition [Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital]
I can’t believe it’s actually been twenty five years since “Beauty and the Beast” actually came to theaters. It’s one of the many Disney films I went to see as a child, and loved it for its amazing animation and fantastic tale. Disney offered up their own twist on the fairy tale many read as children, and it’s a unique iteration that managed to be a huge hit in the 90’s. It is also the last animated movie to be a serious Oscar contender before the Oscars stuffed animation in to their own category away from live action fare. “Beauty and the Beast” thankfully still holds up as a moving and charming tale that takes a very epic tone toward the classic fairy tale.
Snowden (2016)
If Hannah Arendt focused on the banality of evil, Oliver Stone focuses on the banality of goodness. His new film “Snowden” feels like a retread of “Wall Street,” where a terminally bland young man is intoxicated by the excesses of a brilliantly corrupt environment but turns on his benefactors in the name of justice. In this case, Stone is working from a real-life adventure that does not necessarily translate smoothly into a reel-life presentation.
Dark Angel: The Ascent (1994)
Full Moon offers their take on “Innocent Blood” with the tale of a vigilante demon and her hapless doctor boyfriend who proceeds to fall in love with her despite her demonic underpinnings. Angela Featherstone is insanely sexy as Veronica, a young demon who hangs out in hell sorting out sinning souls with her father, a dutiful monster who wants her to step in line and follow his orders. Veronica is restless though, and seeks to visit the Earth realm to see what it looks like. After fighting with her father once more, she escapes with her loyal German Shepherd to the outer world. There, she discovers the world isn’t that different from hell, save for the fact that the sinners and pure evil are able to hide among the civilized, rather than be punished.
White Coffin (2016) [FrightFest 2016]
Virginia and her daughter Rebeca have left behind husband and father respectively. When Rebeca is kidnapped, Virginia must play a disturbing and violent game to get her back. She must see how far she is ready to go to save her daughter. Written by Adrian Garcia Bogliano and Ramiro Garcia Bogliano, the film is directed by Daniel de la Vega. Together, they create more of a thriller with horror elements than a flat out horror film.
Night of the Something Strange (2016) [FrightFest 2016]
A group of friends hell-bent on going to the beach for spring break embark on a road trip during which they stop at a small town cheap motel. As they arrive, an STD-like disease is ripping through town. Directed by Jonathan Straiton who wrote the story it’s based on and co-wrote the script with Ron Bonk and Mean Gene. The story they create is completely dependent on gross out sex jokes and monster rape. The film still manages to keep things fairly lighthearted as things are approached in a way that works for its subject matter.
Cycle (2016)
Director Alexis Ramirez’s short film “Cycle” is a little rough around the edges, but I really enjoy what kind of idea is presented in such a short time. The concept of competition and the thirst for success in a career driving a person mad is a good one that’s been tackled many times. It is thankfully done pretty well here focusing on Heather, a young woman who is at home one afternoon seemingly practicing on choking someone to death.