Director Albert Pintó takes a minimalist concept and stretches it to its limits in “Nowhere”, a new Spanish-language survival thriller that’s now streaming on Netflix. Written by the five-person team of Ernest Riera, Miguel Ruz, Indiana Lista, Seanne Winslow, and Teresa Rosendoy and anchored by a gutsy lead performance from Anna Castillo, “Nowhere” takes its audience on a journey that can be as inspiring as it is ridiculous.

“Nowhere” is set in a dystopian society where shortages of food, water, and everyday resources has plunged the world into chaos. This has given rise to a vaguely sketched tyrannical regime who are savagely carrying out their new world order. It includes rationing goods and rounding up pregnant women and children as part of something resembling population control.

In Spain, Nico (Tamar Novas) and his very pregnant wife Anna (Castillo) are attempting to flee the country for Ireland where there is still a semblance of freedom and resistance. The couple pay all the have to some unsavory human smugglers. But through a rather harrowing and down-right brutal series of events, Nico and Mia are separated and she finds herself all alone in a shipping container aboard a huge cargo ship.

While out at sea, a violent storm sends her shipping container plunging into the turbulent waters. From there this mostly single-setting survival story plays out as a pregnant Mia attempts to stay alive inside the floating container with only a small bag of supplies and four to five crates of who-knows-what. She faces numerous hurdles including water seeping inside, a lack of food, and of course her pregnancy which offers its own set of unique challenges.

Castillo puts the movie on her back and gives an intensely committed performance. Mia shows incredible determination and fortitude as her situation grows more dire by the second. Sometimes watching her navigate the dangers she faces adds real tension to the movie. But things can come off as a little too convenient and even borderline absurd on occasions. But Castillo holds our attention and gives us a sympathetic protagonist who’s easy to root for.

Pintó’s direction is solid and he knows he has a good thing in Castillo. The movie lags a bit in the middle and would have been more effective if it were trimmed down a bit. As for the story, it doesn’t offer much depth to its world although what’s teased is interesting. And while “Nowhere” very much tells a survival story, it also has some interesting things to say about guilt, grief, and motherhood. All said, it’s a nice get for Netflix. And it surprisingly does a lot with a pretty simple idea. “Nowhere” is now streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

I really enjoy taut and tense thrillers. I’ve long loved quality science-fiction. I’m always up for a good horror movie. These three genres (and more) come together in “No One Will Save You”, a terrific new Hulu Original film from writer-director Brian Duffield. This mesmerizing mash-up surprises at every turn, defying predictability and keeping us guessing all the way through to its final shot. What an unexpected treat.

Duffield deserves a ton of credit for shrewdly using everything at his disposal to create, develop, and sustain a gripping and suspense-filled genre experience. His film is artfully scripted, visually striking, and anchored by an emotionally rich and mostly wordless performance by a truly sublime Kaitlyn Dever.

Dever plays Brynn Adams, a quiet and reclusive young woman living alone in her family’s homeplace in the country. She’s somewhat of a pariah in her nearby community. So much so that her anxiety kicks in whenever she’s around the cold and leering locals. What’s going on? Why the unfriendly reception? Why has she been ostracized? This is the first of a handful of mysteries that Duffield patiently unfold over the course of his film’s lean 93 minutes.

At home, Brynn finds comfort in being alone. She spends time working on a model replica of the town – something she and her late mother once had fun doing together. She also writes letters to her best friend Maude who we learn died ten years earlier. These things may sound weird but for Brynn they’re almost therapeutic. Plus it keeps her busy while alone in the country, where lately the only excitement has been the strange circle of dead grass that suddenly popped up in her well-manicured yard.

One night Brynn is awakened by a loud banging outside her house. At first she thinks it’s varmints in the trash cans. But when she discovers her front door open and hears footsteps downstairs, it’s clear she has an intruder. From here the movie takes on the feel of a home invasion thriller. But Duffield doesn’t let us settle in. He quickly reveals that her intruder isn’t from this planet. It’s an alien which sends the film in a much different direction than I was expecting.

This really is a case of ‘the less you know the better’ so I’ll leave you to discover the numerous surprising twists and turns for yourselves. I will say that many of the film’s classic sci-fi inspirations are impossible to miss and it possesses a tasty B-movie flavor that hearkens back to so many movies I cut my cinematic teeth on. But it’s what Duffield does with those inspirations that is so impressive. He takes a lot of familiar pieces and fits them together into something truly his own.

As I watched “No One Will Save You” thoughts of “The Twilight Zone” kept swirling around in my mind. At times the similarities are uncanny. I found myself routinely blown away by Duffield and DP Aaron Morton’s knack for framing one stunning shot after another. I was captivated by the storytelling which relies on its visual language and the intensely expressive Kaitlyn Dever rather than dialogue. And as a lover of genre filmmaking, I was giddy with excitement every time the movie took another unexpected turn. Like I said – what a treat. “No One Will Save You” is streaming now on Hulu.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Despite being a genuine fan of the wickedly fun Conjuring Universe, I have to admit it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The three centerpiece films (“The Conjuring”, “The Conjuring 2”, and “The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It”), based on the real-life exploits of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, are delightfully fun slices of period horror. It’s the spin-offs that have been hit-or-miss.

A prime example is 2019’s “The Nun”, a movie that had so much working for it – a great setting, a terrifying supernatural antagonist, and a terrific and often underrated lead in Taissa Farmiga. But it ended up suffering due to the film’s unremarkable storytelling that consistently milked the same handful of overused horror tricks. It wasn’t a bad movie. It simply left so much of its potential untapped.

Still I was pretty excited to hear that Warner Bros. had green lit a sequel. “The Nun II” sees Farmiga returning as Sister Irene, the young nun who miraculous survived the horrifying events at Saint Cartha abbey (see the first film). Four years have passed and she is now a part of a new convent. She’s found happiness yet she keeps her experiences at Saint Cartha a secret.

But following the gruesome death of a priest in Tarascon, France, the church calls on her to travel to the French monastery and investigate. She’s accompanied by the rebellious Sister Debra (unconvincingly played by a miscast Storm Reid). The two learn that the monastery is now a girl’s boarding school and among those employed there is a hunky handyman named Maurice (Jonas Bloquet) who has ties to Saint Cartha. He has his eye on Kate (Anna Popplewell), a teacher with a sweet young daughter, Sophie (Katelyn Rose Downey).

As you can probably guess, Sister Irene finds herself once again face-to-face with Valak (Bonnie Aarons), the demon nun first introduced in “The Conjuring 2”. But before that happens several pieces have to fall in place first. Unfortunately not all of them do. There are a handful obvious plot holes that are hard miss and making sense out of everything is no easy task. Yet the movie remains engaging. Director Michael Chaves pulls off some nifty tricks and sustains a genuinely creepy atmosphere throughout.

Taissa Farmiga (the real-life sister of Vera Farmiga who plays Lorraine Warren in the three Conjuring films) remains a crafty bit of casting. And while it’s hard to buy into the church fully entrusting Sister Irene with such an investigation seemingly on a whim, Farmiga’s performance is good throughout and she wins our investment even when the writing seems unsure about where to take her character. Farmiga is a real strength.

I also enjoyed the gonzo final 15 minutes where Chaves lets it rip, offering up some good jolts within his killer horror set pieces. That said, the movie still stumbles in key places. In the case of “The Nun II”, its biggest problem centers around the story itself which at times feels stitched together rather than fully thought out. It also commits the sin of leaving its titular character, the truly unsettling Valak, on the sidelines for far too long. It all makes for a sequel that is a nice step up from its predecessor, yet one that still hasn’t fully realized its terrifying potential. “The Nun II” opens today exclusively in theaters.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

(Originally Reviewed in 2012)

Fans of the “Vacation” films have followed the Griswold family on a cross-country vacation, a European vacation, and even a Las Vegas vacation. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is arguably the funniest of the “Vacation” movies and focuses on their attempt at a “good old-fashioned family Christmas”. Of course anyone familiar with the Griswolds knows this is easier said than done, especially with the well-meaning but blundering patriarch Clark at the helm. For audiences the results are pretty hilarious.

Chevy Chase reprises his role as Clark Griswold. He’s still not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but a he’s good husband and father. As mentioned, this time he sets out to have a traditional family Christmas. That includes venturing out in the wild to find a real Christmas tree, aggressively decorating the outside of his house with Christmas lights, and inviting his parents and in-laws to his home for the holidays. Naturally Clark’s lovable ineptitude ensures that none of his ideas work out as planned, and that’s a big part of the fun.

Beverly D’Angelo returns as Clark’s ever-patient and supportive wife Ellen who (as in every “Vacation” movie) perfectly understands her husband’s propensity for overdoing things. She’s the sometimes calming voice of reason and a perfect complement to her nutty husband. Chase and D’Angelo have always had a terrific chemistry which has always been a strength in every “Vacation” movie.

Aside from Clark and Ellen, the movie is filled with an assortment of great and infinitely quotable characters. This time around Juliette Lewis plays their daughter Audrey while Johnny Galecki plays their son Rusty. E.G. Marshall steals several scenes as Clark’s cantankerous father-in-law, Art. Doris Roberts is really good as Ellen’s boozy mother, as is John Randolph as Clark’s supportive father. There’s also William Hickey as the stogie-chomping Uncle Lewis and Mae Questel as the near-senile Aunt Bethany. They arrive later in the film but bring some big laughs with them. And how can I not mention Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Nicholas Guest as the Griswolds’ snooty next-door neighbors.

But the real stand-out is Randy Quaid as cousin Eddie, a character who has earned his pop-culture renown. He and his family show up to the Griswold home uninvited, and that’s when things really turn wacky. Eddie is a dimwitted bum and unashamed moocher, but he’s family nonetheless. Everything from his wardrobe to his mannerisms firmly fit into the ‘crazy uncle’ mold. And then Quaid throws in some zany touches all his own. It’s safe to say he doesn’t just steal scenes, he steals the movie.

Like the other films in the “series”, Clark eventually loses his mind and things go from bad to worse as every one of his good intentions blow up in his face. And we get to shamelessly laugh all the way through. At the same time, the ‘National Lampoon’ tag means you’re going to get innuendo and a handful of gags risqué enough to keep this from being what some will consider “family friendly”. But its laughs are undeniable and the script (written by the late, great John Hughes) hits nearly every note.

“Christmas Vacation” has so many scenes and just as many lines that you just can’t forget. Director Jeremiah Chechik has a blast taking so many of the familiar family and Christmas traditions and accentuating them in a way that only the Griswolds could. It’s hard to believe that “Christmas Vacation” is already 33 years old. Yet during that time the film has evolved into a perennial holiday classic. Who would’ve thought?

VERDICT – 4 STARS

In “Nocebo”, Eva Green plays a fashion designer who’s suffering from a unexplained illness. She’s seen several doctors and has been prescribed numerous medications, but nothing has seemed to help. Her husband (played by Mark Strong) is growing impatient which has put a strain on their marriage. But when a mysterious woman shows up at their door, the story moves from a family drama to something darker and far more twisted.

That might be the basic setup for the movie, but “Nocebo” has quite a bit going on under its surface. It’s a creepy and sometimes gnarly psychological horror film. Yet at times it plays like a socio-political thriller, especially in its sly digs at class, greed, entitlement, and corporate oppression. Director Lorcan Finnegan finds room in his film for both genre and commentary. And while I’m still not sure how well all of the pieces connect, Finnegan, along with screenwriter Garret Shanley, craft something that’s both entertaining and surprisingly thought-provoking.

Christine (Green) has enjoyed a successful career designing children’s clothing. She lives in a posh home in an upscale neighborhood with her marketing strategist husband, Felix (Strong). Their daughter Bobs (Billie Gadsdon) attends an expensive private school. Without question it’s a comfortable life of plenty, but that suddenly changes. While presenting her latest clothing line at a fashion show, Christine is jarred by a frightening vision (or is it a vision?). She sees a mangy, milky-eyed dog covered in large clumps of blood-gorged ticks. I won’t spoil the details of this genuinely creepy and deliciously gross scene, but it ends with her snapping back as if from a dream yet with one pretty nasty tick bite on the back of her neck.

Shortly following her ghastly vision, Christine begins suffering from an assortment of symptoms such as headaches, tremors, trouble sleeping, and absentmindedness. Eight months pass and her condition has only worsened, affecting her life at work and at home. But then she’s suddenly surprised when a petite Filipina caregiver named Diana (Chai Fonacier) shows up at her door seemingly unannounced. The mysterious and unassuming woman says Christine hired her and this was to be her first day. Fearing she’s having another memory lapse, Christine invites Diana in and gives her a room upstairs.

So did Christine hire Diana and forget or is there something more sinister going on? That’s a key question and we feel we know the answer pretty early on. But much of the fun comes from watching Finnegan and Shanley carve in the details as they unpack the truth. And the cast gets some good material to work with, especially after Diana arrives. Her creepy yet cryptic presence drives a wedge between Christine and Felix. He quickly grows suspicious of Diana’s strange medicines and folk remedies while Christine slowly grows more dependent on them. Green, Strong, and Fonacier are a proficient trio with each filling in certain pieces of the overall puzzle. Green is especially good, especially in the second half as her character begins to completely unravel.

“Nocebo” earns points for it’s underlying message which comes to the surface through Diana’s interwoven backstory. It’s a well shot and well incorporated addition even if it doesn’t quite pack the final punch it could have. Still, the message in itself is potent and makes us look at the story through a new lens. And while most of the film relies on the audience’s patience, it loses some of that trust in a final act that’s a touch on-the-nose. But none of those things lessen the fun or dull the film’s psychological edge. And Lorcan Finnegan shows himself to be a compelling craftsman, using folk horror (yes, the ticks return) and evocative symbolism to dole out some genuinely unsettling scenes. “Nocebo” opens in select theaters this Friday, November 4th and on VOD November 22nd.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Lena Headey plays a recently retired burlesque dancer named (yikes) Gypsy. She’s spent years dancing in a hole-in-the-wall club and now all she wants to do is finish writing her book and take a cruise (I know, just go with it). But her blissful retirement hits a snag after she finds herself in the middle of hilariously hokey crime boss and his hunt for a young boy.

Written and directed by Gigi Gaston, “9 Bullets” can best be described as a movie full of pieces that don’t fit. None of the emotions feel sincere, and the characters are so constricted by formula that they barely seem human. It’s a movie of ideas, and some of them are well-meaning. But “9 Bullets” ends up needing far more than good intentions to make us connect with what we’re given.

I’ll give it to Headey, she really commits to her character. But with dialogue this bad and plotting this terrible, it would be impossible for anyone to make Gypsy or her story compelling. It’s made even worse by the glaringly phony central relationship between Gypsy and a young kid named Sam (Dean Scott Vazquez). The movie heavily relies on the overused ‘sweet kid meets a hard-boiled adult’ trope, dumbing it down and leaving us with nothing to latch onto. And no amount of schmaltzy music can make us care.

The scattershot story sees Gypsy and Alex crossing paths after the boy witnesses his family gunned down by the henchmen of a redneck crime boss named Jack (Sam Worthington). It turns out Alex‘s dad swindled some money from Jack. And of course the penalty is execution, not just of him but women and children as well. But when Jack’s laughably dumb thugs realize they missed Alex, they set out to hunt the boy down.

Thankfully Alex is taken in by Gypsy who has this opaque and barely defined past connection with Jack and his gang. We learn Gypsy and Jack were once an item, and their relationship might have been worth exploring. Instead Jack is yet another cookie-cutter toxic slug. Except here he’s also a licorice-munching psychopath who will travel all over the American West to murder the child and his dog. And that’s basically what the movie becomes – a bland cat-and-mouse thriller full of silly, implausible twists as Gypsy and Alex run for their lives.

Of course, Gaston’s intent is much different. She wants this to be about two lost souls running from their pasts and finding a future together. But it’s so hard to take them seriously, especially when they’re forced to utter such cornball lines as “You better let someone love you before it’s too late.” or “I want someone to love me.” My favorite may be Worthington saying with a straight face “Do I look like a rabbit?”

These are only some of the film’s problems. There’s a shameless sex scene that’s shot in a way that’s completely inconsistent with the story. There’s a final act music montage that’s one of the corniest things I’ve seen in years. And then you have the ending itself which is utterly preposterous. I’m guessing it (somehow) looked a lot better on paper. Actually, you could probably say that about the movie as a whole. “9 Bullets” is streaming now on Hulu and is available on VOD.

VERDICT – 1 STAR