Bobby LePire

The Haunting Of Hollywood is effective when focusing on the characters and the horrifying and dramatic effects the past can have on people. The actors are compelling and deliver robust, humanized performances. For the most part, the directing brings forth the truth of the emotional baggage and trauma being dealt with. But when it goes into full horror mode, the style does not mesh and becomes jarring.

#AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead is a well-crafted horror comedy that provides a thoroughly enjoyable viewing experience. The cast brings their smartly written characters to life, adding depth and dimension to the story.

The Golem is creepy, as the cinematography is awash with atmosphere and the use of such a creature is interesting. The dramatic side of things mostly holds up as well, and when combined with the excellent acting, the movie turns out to be very effective and memorable.

Yuni is a beautiful, tender film with strong characterizations. The cast is excellent, and the subtle direction reinforces Yuni’s overwhelming feelings.

Palmer keeps the jokes coming at a steady pace while the cast, especially Robertson, deliver hilarious and sweet performances. So don’t think about it too hard and have a good time.

Girl On The Third Floor has enough carnage and bloodshed to satisfy all gorehounds. Director Travis Stevens gets terrific performances from an excellent cast, and the atmosphere is consistently foreboding.

Safer at Home starts on an off-putting note, and the epilogue muddies the timeline to the point of confusion. But, nestled between those two baffling sequences lies a gripping thriller brought to life by astute direction, an intelligent screenplay, and a great cast. While not perfect, this independent production is still worth an adventurous audiences’ time.

Wolfgang examines the life and game-changing career of Wolfgang Puck in a visually engaging and charming way. While it repeats itself every so often, the food on display is delectable, and every interview is a trove of information.

It is a charming affair featuring a stellar cast with believable chemistry. Plus, there is enjoyment in getting to decide Cami’s fate and seeing where it takes you. I am going to rewatch this and choose another path.

While director Alison Reid tries to be a bit more engaging than a simple talking-head documentary, with varying success, the movie has earnestness and heart. So, even with its issues, it is still a solid good time.

The core cast, Pine and Foster especially, are superb, while the screenplay gives them plenty to chew on. At a quickly moving 105 minutes, the film is worth the time investment.

Hard Miles is standard fare, but it is well-made. The cinematography is fantastic, capturing the rush of freedom a bike can offer. The score is also a great addition. The cast is solid, and the story is a sweet, engaging affair.

American Hangman makes a mystery out of a few things that are too easy to guess, so it takes a while to get going. However, thanks to sharp direction, an original take on the dramatic police procedural, and a truly excellent, very game cast, the movie is a worthwhile 100-minute watch.

Camp Hideout is another fun feature from Sean Olson, who is quickly becoming the go-to filmmaker for solidly made, independent, family-friendly fare. The action hijinks are both exciting and funny. The cast is good, and the direction keeps the momentum at a steady pace.

Even at 81-minutes long, Poppy Field drags a bit in the middle. But, the story is important, the lead actor is stunning, and the direction is excellent. Overall, this is a revealing and riveting look at how countries are dealing with the LGBTQIA+ in the worst possible ways.

Unbridled tells a conventional story, but it adds enough new twists to prove engaging. The acting is strong and the direction assured, so even when the script drops the ball, there is still a reason to remain invested. Plus, the ending is genuinely heartwarming and cathartic. Not all dramas achieve that.

The cast is solid and matches the high drama of the story nicely. But the reason for checking this film out is the racing. The races are elegantly shot, tense, and breathtaking. Blatz’s love of motorcycles and racing is on full display and proves fun to watch.

Painkiller hammers its message home, which might frustrate some viewers. But, the direction is good, the action exciting, the story interesting, and the score is beyond stellar.

578 Magnum does not tell a fresh tale, and the editing leaves a lot to be desired. But Dinh delivers where it counts: the action. The action scenes are stellar and will take the audience’s breath away. The cast is also great and delivers their martial arts with intensity.

King Car is chock full of beautiful and crazy sequences; all brought to life by a fantastic cast.

Camp Cold Brook accomplishes a seemingly Herculean task. It manages to make both slasher flicks and movies centered on paranormal investigations feel fresh without being a deconstructionist take.

Pet Sematary balances humor, drama, and horror believably while exploring the inner turmoil of a seemingly ordinary couple; though the script does not go far enough in establishing their new life and dodgy special effects hurt some scenes. Happily, the cast makes up for these flaws with great turns, lead by Jeté Laurence, whose performance is reason enough to watch the film.

Words of War is a solid drama about a remarkable woman.

There are plenty of grisly and fun murders, and the effects are stellar. The cast, led by a terrific Holloway and an over-the-top Combs, is genuinely fantastic.

Easter Bloody Easter starts off rocky, and not every joke lands. However, due to the sheer number of punchlines, the hit-to-miss ratio is high. The leads thoroughly understand the material and deliver perfectly calibrated performances to match the intentional cheese of the plot. In the pantheon of Easter horror films, this is a good one to rewatch every spring.

Assassin is an engaging look at the pursuit of revenge despite its cost to one’s soul and mind. The cast is excellent, and the dialogue is clever. While the plot isn’t strikingly original, nor is its twist, there is still plenty of fun to be had. Plus, it is nice to see Willis giving it his all for one of the last times.

Time Trap is highly creative, populated with relatable characters, with a whip-smart script. Sadly, the very end of the movie undoes the tense atmosphere setup throughout. While it does not ruin the film, it does leave one a bit disappointed.

Rally Caps works where it counts: the friendship between Jordy and his new teammates. The inspirational aspect pulls hard at the heartstrings because Cipolla’s script carefully sets up Jordy and his dilemmas.