Terrifier

Not quite Pennywise, or Captain Spaulding, but a different killer clown.  You know, "Art the Clown?"  AKA, the Terrifier!  Backstory as to why I watched this low budget slasher flick; at the last horror movie convention I attended this guy had the longest line and most action of any other booths which included Jason, Robert Englund, Lance Hendrickson, Etc.  Going in knowing how cheesy it would be, I realized I had seen this clown before in another movie called "All Hallows Eve" and I loved every minute of it!  Not much to tell other than the fact this silent creepy clown terrorizes three hot chicks on Halloween (along with anyone else who he happens to see) and its typically in a manner that is about as unpleasant as you can imagine.  Its low budget, gritty, bad acted and no plot but a great horror night selection.  Wait for the cool scene where he manually saws a girl from her crotch to her head, its a really family dinner time moment!

FYI:  Thornton, who plays Art was actually a street mime before getting into acting.

***1/2

Man Vs.

Bear Grylls, you know the "so-called" wilderness survival expert.  Well look at the picture above, see a resemblance?  Good, you should since the whole movie struck me as kind a spoof of the dip shit shows that allegedly have an outdoors man on his own surviving.  This thriller is set up to be a really good flick, it includes elements that make it a real movie and not just your typical slasher in the woods type of film.  TV Personality, wilderness survivor is experiencing some serious ratings failings as well as negative feedback from his producers so he decides to go all in on a lone upper North East survival trip.  He has a few cameras and a backpack with some items but most of all he is on his own.  He begins to experience some weird stuff and finally realizes he is not alone.  Sounds kick ass right?  Well as soon as we discover who else is out there with him, the whole thing turns to cheese with really bad Power Rangers type graphics.  All in all, it was a good movie other than the fact I just couldn't get over how low budget some of the elements were.  I think they would have been better off not showing the entity (no spoilers) rather than try to pull it off.  Good Netflix late nighter if you know what your going into.

FYI:  Oops!  In one scene you can see cars driving in the background.

***

Too Big To Fail

If you still haven't become negative and suspicions about the economic crash of the early 2000's then you arent watching enough movies about it!  This hidden gem was outstanding right along with the others who follow suit such as The Big Short and Margin Call.  This one centers around the potential fall of Lehman Brothers involving back channel negotiating, political fudging, no strings attached bailouts and a lot of lip service to the public.  This gave a very in-depth understanding of just how greedy the industry can be with no repercussions.  This all star cast really shined and gave all of the 10,000 ft view characters some humility.  This is a must watch for anyone who just cant get enough of the crisis situation.

FYI:  4 Oscar nominees star in this film

****1/2

Us and Them

The world has always had "have's" and "have not's".  The real issue is how does the human psyche deal with it.  Work hard?  Invest?  Get an education?  Hell no!  You get a gun, go to some rich assholes house and tie them up to teach a lesson!  Well that's what this young man does to prove a worthless point as if a needle in a haystack will suddenly jump out and stick you in the finger.  This working class stiff along with his band of misfits have a master plan of taking over a rich dudes house and holding him and his family hostage teaching him that the rich are evil and the weak will soon rise!  The story is not unique and the plot is a bit thin but was a very enjoyable watch.  I liked the whole idea and the fact that they didn't try to make it something its not.  It was acted okay and very "next door" quality but well worth the watch.  Streaming on Netflix, give this one a shot!

FYI:  The gun used in this was filled with sand to make it feel heavier, like a real pistol.

***

How it Ends

Not another post-apocalyptic survival movie!!!  How many times can Hollywood take Mad-Max, The Road, and Blackout, throw some other actors in it and try to churn it out as new twist on the genre.  Well, I am a fan so keep em coming!  I liked this one for a few reasons but I will give you the old fashion Molina Film Review Good, Bad, and Ugly on this one!  The Good:  Cool unexplained reason for the meltdown.  Weird weather, total electronic darkness, and a fast reaction by the people to become chaotic.  I also liked the tense relationship between main actor and Father in law.  The Bad:   So many wasted opportunities for the plot line to move into great directions.  What is going on, where did they go, and who is that?  The Ugly:  Some good, and some really, really bad acting/writing.  There were times where I laughed out loud it was so forced.  Overall, I enjoyed this one, the fact that the main actor wasn't a complete bad-ass with a weapon and that he didn't understand the situations he was in made it worth while.  This is a good watch and will keep you entertained.

FYI:  Many of the military members were actual members of the Canadian Army

***1/2

Red Sparrow

What a terrible position to be in as an American Spy.  You get roped in, seduced and used with a sexy and beautiful young Russian spy forced to use her body as a weapon.  Sounds horrible to me!  Just go ahead and kill me before manipulating me into a sensual sex game with a "Sparrow"spy.  On top of all that, the class hot shot in Sparrow School is J-Law, and she isn't shy showing her skin in this flick!  I was very much not interested in this movie as I thought it was going to be just a rip off of Atomic Blonde, (which was awesome).  Little did I know it was going to be really good and surprising with the plot twists, action, gore and nudity.  I have also never really been attracted to Lawrence, but wowza!  She is super sexy in this one!  Basically she is an A List Russian Ballerina who ends up getting hurt and is reduced to the low portion of society.  She is then recruited by her slime ball Uncle to be a "Red Sparrow" spy and seduce for secrets.  Her first target, an American spy who needs a new contact for his assignment.  Next thing you know, they are shacking up!  It's not an Oscar worthy movie, and it is a bit predictable but well worth your time!

FYI:  Lawrence spent 4 months practicing ballet 3 hours a day for this role.

***1/2

Good Time

Good ole shovel face is out for blood again, but this time he ain't drinking it.  This isn't your cheesy, weirdo, fan girl vampire movie, that's for sure!  I will start off by saying I hate Pattinson, he is a creepy type of actor who never really shines for me.  He is awesome in this one as a low life dirt bag who is racing through the night to correct his terrible decisions.  The story starts out with him and his mentally challenged brother in a botched bank robbery.  They are on the run and the brother (played brilliantly by the director) gets caught and put into lock up.  Pattinson must enter the depths of a shady city in order to find him and get the cash to set him free.  There is outstanding 80's throwback music for the score, some great slow burning cinematography, and great nail biting action.  This is an extremely underrated movie with a surprisingly great plot.  Amazon Prime right now, give this one a serious look!

FYI:  Most of the actors in this film are ordinary people cast to play the specific parts.

****1/2