If anything, “Gotti” will go down as one of the most infamous movies of 2018. It’s a movie was in development hell for years, snuck up on audiences, and garnered a ton of bad reviews. And it responded by insulting critics and talking down to its audience. Make no mistake though, “Gotti” is bad. It’s very bad. It’s pure Oscar bait, with a director who realty wants his film to be “Goodfellas,” and a leading star who is so completely out of his lane it’s kind of sad to watch. Here John Travolta doesn’t seem to be acting, so much as competing for an Oscar nod, and it’s an endurance test from beginning to end.
Tag Archives: Crime
Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss By Passing Through the Gateway Chosen By the Holy Storsh (2018) [Cinepocalypse 2018]
Hey, I always thought that if you want to make a comedy that practices surrealism and is abstract, then go hog wild. Just make sure that the comedy is actually funny. Thankfully for the most part, “Seven Stages…” is funny. It’s very funny, in fact. It’s also so off the wall, weird, and out of the ordinary that it might alienate some audiences who go in to it expecting something mainstream and broader. For a debut Vivieno Caldinelli’s “Seven Stages…” is funny and bold, but by the hour mark, the narrative completely falls apart, and I was about ready for the movie to end.
Lionheart (1990): 2 Disc Special Edition [Blu-Ray/DVD]
Whether you know it as “Léon,” or “Lionheart,” or “Wrong Bet,” or “Full Contact,” or “AWOL,” or “Lion,” it’s tough to argue that this is one of Van Damme’s sillier roles. And this is a man who once played twins in an action movie vehicle (“Double Impact” is the best Van Damme movie ever made, I’ll argue that until I’m blue in the face). “Lionheart” is such an odd movie that I fondly remember loving back in 1990, but now in both versions, it’s kind of a weird movie that skips through various sub-genres of action cinema that feel awkward. At one point it even feels kind of like a “Rocky” wannabe.
The Incredibles 2 (2018)
“You can’t count on anyone, especially your heroes.” – Syndrome
Leave it to Disney and Pixar. They have the stable of Marvel superheroes at their disposal and they approach “The Incredibles 2” not as a cash grab but a sincere look at the idea of superheroes in the modern era. Sure superheroes seem like a great idea in theory, but “The Incredibles 2” uses its concept as a means of exploring the world with superheroes and how it can have its definite upsides and crushing downsides. The first film had the concept of the idea of the meaning of being exceptional, our natural advantages, and how mediocrity has become the norm for society that only accepted stellar, once upon a time. “The Incredibles 2” takes it a bit further dissecting the need for heroes and whether self-reliance is the only thing we have in this world.
The Stranger (En fremmed flytter ind) (2017) [Toronto True Crime Film Festival 2018]
Amanda is not looking for love, she is not even looking to date really. That is until someone reaches out to her online to introduce her to this charming man. She reluctantly accepts and meets this man who might just be a dream. He’s charming, he’s well-mannered, he seems to love her right away, and he’s the descendant of one of the richest families in the country. Or is he?
My Name Is Myeisha (2018) [Toronto True Crime Film Festival 2018]
A young woman falls asleep in a parked car with a gun in lap. The police are called to help as the car is broken down. When they get there, all they see is a passed out woman with a gun.
Abducted in Plain Sight (2017) [Toronto True Crime Film Festival 2018]
The Broberg family lived a normal life, perhaps a bit naïve about the world. That is until a new neighbor moved into town and started turning their world upside down.