One of the most oddly-conceived movies ever made, and one I’ve had some personal interest in watching for a long time.
What’s It About? A civilian pilot, Mark Curran, meets a scientist on the run from the military, who tells him about a deadly conspiracy that could affect the entire Earth – and gives him the power to defeat it with the high-tech combat machine, G-Saviour.
STRAIGHT UP: A fascinating example of Murphy’s Law in action. 0.5/5
It’s January, nothing good is coming out, and I’ve still got Star Wars on my mind. Really, this was inevitable.
What’s It About? A chance encounter leads young Luke Skywalker from his home on the desert planet of Tattooine to the front lines of a rebel operation to strike at the evil Galactic Empire.
STRAIGHT UP: A timeless piece of modern mythology. I still love it. 4.5/5
Oscar bait so obvious, even I had to bite. Besides, the trailers were incredible.
What’s It About? A wounded scout, Glass, must survive the wilderness in order to track down and get revenge on Fitzgerald, the trapper who killed his son and tried to kill him.
STRAIGHT UP: Works better as art than as a story. 3/5
As a casual fan of Quentin Tarantino, I wanted to take a look at his newest film.
What’s It About? Eight strangers, each carrying baggage from the Civil War, hole up in a cabin together to escape a blizzard, and begin to discover that most of them have very good reasons to want to kill each other.
STRAIGHT UP: Too self-indulgent, despite its technical merits. 2/5
This might be the biggest movie of all time. Let’s compare notes.
What’s It About? Scavenger Rey and ex-Stormtrooper Finn inherit a droid carrying information about the missing Luke Skywalker’s whereabouts, and get mixed up in a plot to determine the fate of a galaxy.
STRAIGHT UP: Great action and characters elevate a familiar plot. 4/5
A new Shakespeare film offered the perfect opportunity for me to return to writing reviews and to my roots as a college English major.
What’s It About? After a chance encounter with a mysterious group of witches, Scottish warrior Macbeth is driven to murder his king and seize the crown for himself, with dire consequences for all involved.
STRAIGHT UP: Somber and violent, soulless and boring. 2/5
I should be reviewing Oscar contenders by now, but I prefer to watch schlock instead. (At least I’m honest!)
What’s It About? When his friend Dolan 36th is struck by a fatal curse, immortal warrior Kaulder swears to seek and destroy the witches behind the act.
STRAIGHT UP: Furious 7 it ain’t. 1/5
WWE’s Dean Ambrose is one of my favorite wrestlers, and I didn’t want to miss his film debut.
What’s It About? When troubled cop John Shaw discovers evidence of a drug-smuggling operation in his precinct, corrupt officers lock down the building and force Shaw to shoot his way out.
STRAIGHT UP: An all-around disappointment. 1/5
A special screening in D.C. gave me the chance to see this movie, which beat Jurassic World head-to-head at the Japanese box office.
What’s It About? Nine girls who found fame performing as pop stars at their high school must deal with the consequences of their now-global popularity.
STRAIGHT UP: This is all it took to take over Tokyo? 3/5
Another limited-release DBZ movie means it’s time for another special review!
What’s It About? The legendary villain Frieza is resurrected by the Dragon Balls, and attacks the Earth to get revenge against Goku and his friends.
STRAIGHT UP: I liked it. Not deep, but very action-packed. 3.5/5
RED COMET REVIEWS 