Movie Reviews

Jennifer Lawrence stars as a Russian spy working undercover in America in "Red Sparrow." Director Francis Lawrence ("I Am Legend" 2007) and screenwriter Justin Haythe rely on gratuitous sex and violence, leaving a promising storyline and quality entertainment behind. It was adapted from the 2013 novel of the [..]

"12 Strong" is the true story of the first U. S. military incursion into Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Although a well-intentioned salute to our brave men and women in uniform, this project falls short due to lack of focus in the story [..]

Denzel Washington brings us more thrilling vigilante justice in "The Equalizer 2." Director Antoine Fuqua, who was at the helm of the original "Equalizer" in 2014, has the entire project running like a well-oiled machine, greatly helped by returning screenwriter Richard Wenk. [..]

"The 15:17 to Paris" is the true story about an aborted terrorist attack aboard the Amsterdam to Paris train in 2015. Director Clint Eastwood ("Play Misty for Me" 1971) took the unusual step of having the three Americans who stopped the attack play themselves. Clint [..]

"God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness" continues the story of Pastor Dave Hill as his church burns down. When the owner tries to evict the church from the grounds, Dave fights them in court with the help of his estranged and atheist brother. Director/screenwriter Michael [..]

"Bent" is the story of a former narcotics police officer who is out for revenge on the people who framed him and sent him to prison. This is something of a formulaic plot but is watchable due to smooth direction by Robert Moresco ("Crash" 2004), who [..]

Bruce Willis plays a doctor out for revenge on the men who killed his wife and leave his daughter comatose in "Death Wish." Director Eli Roth ("Cabin Fever" 2002) and screenwriter Joe Carnahan put together a decent remake of Charles Bronson's "Death Wish" (1974), which in [..]

Liam Neeson has another one of his patented action thrillers out called "The Commuter." In this one, he plays a man recruited into a murder conspiracy by a mysterious woman while on his daily train commute. The results are an exciting and engrossing movie [..]

Alicia Vikander takes over the role of Lara Croft and comes out smelling like a rose in "Tomb Raider." She fits right into the action-adventure genre, and does well with the inevitable comparisons to Angelina Jolie, who also did the same role in the 2001 and [..]

"A Simple Favor" is a mystery film about a woman named Stephanie befriending a woman named Emily, whose son attends her son's school. Emily asks Stephanie for a simple favor - to pick her son up from school - and Emily vanishes without a trace. The drama and [..]