Having a cracking concept can be a hard thing to live up to. Case in point – “Simulant”, a science-fiction thriller built around a slightly familiar yet generally intriguing premise. It’s an entertaining enough feature film, but one that has a tough time maintaining the kind of energy and tension it wants. Not all of its pieces fit together and it lacks a few key ingredients to make it stand out. Still, a solid cast and an impressive production value help overcome its handful of noticeable limitations.

Director April Mullen, working from a script by Ryan Christopher Churchill, does a good job creating and developing a not-so-distant future where technology has advanced but humanity’s fallibility still leaves its mark. It’s a world where humans co-exist with humanoid creations called simulants. The early generation models are obviously synthetic and are relegated to mere service work. But the newer models as so realistic they’re virtually indistinguishable from humans.

Concerned over a growing autonomy among the newer model simulants, ACE (Artificial-Intelligence Compliance Enforcement) was formed to ensure simulants followed their programming (mainly to never harm humans and to obey their human owners). Among ACE’s most dogged agents is Kessler (Sam Worthington) who is driven by a personal tragedy to prove that simulants are ignoring their programming and pose a serious threat. He believes a simulant named Esmé (Alicia Sanz) and her relationship with the mysterious Casey (Simu Liu) is key to uncovering the truth.

Meanwhile a wealthy artist named Faye (Jordana Brewster) and her dutiful husband Evan (Robbie Amell) live a comfortable and seemingly loving life together. But they have a not-so-well-concealed secret (revealed within the first 30 minutes) that eventually connects them with Casey and Kessler. From there the story slowly morphs into a somewhat lukewarm mystery that opens up some interesting questions without ever offering any thought-provoking answers.

Yet Mullen and Churchill keep their audience involved even if the rather ambiguous payoff doesn’t exactly blow our socks off. There are some crafty ideas and even occasional glimmers of brilliance. But it shows its cards early and everything afterwards plays out pretty much the way we expect. Even worse, the stakes never feel as high as they’re meant to. So even though the movie does a good job holding our attention, we never feel the gravity of anything. That’s the biggest weight holding this solid but underwhelming effort down. “Simulant” is now available on VOD and streaming on Hulu.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

It should go without saying, but with a title like “Slotherhouse” audiences should know exactly what kind of movie they’re in for. The filmmakers aren’t hiding anything. They’re giddily conscious of the kind of movie they’re making. And it’s that brazen (and utterly delightful) self-awareness that makes this unapologetically silly horror-comedy work way more than it should.

Directed by Matthew Goodhue and written for the screen by Bradley Fowler, “Slotherhouse” brings back memories from the 1980s when perusing the sizable horror section at our local video rental store became a weekly ritual. The colorful VHS boxes for countless B-movie horror flicks just like “Slotherhouse” lined the shelves and I can’t tell you how many I watched (some multiple times over). So there’s a natural draw that makes movies like this hard for me to resist.

“Slotherhouse” borrows from all kinds of movies from the horror and teen comedy genres and it does so with a twinkle in its eye. One of the things that makes it so funny is that everyone plays it straight which actually makes the film’s utterly bonkers premise stand out even more. Think about it – a killer sloth carving up college girls at a sorority house pretty much speaks for itself.

Whether they’re attacked by natural predators or hunted by human invaders, life can be tough for the notoriously slow-moving and easy-going tree sloths in the rain forests of Panama. Take the one we see in the opening scene (a hilariously obvious puppet that coos like a human baby). She’s minding her own business in her natural habitat before being tranquilized and nabbed by a poacher. She ends up in the hands of a slimy trader (Stefan Kapicic) who illegally buys and sells wild animals in the United States. But here’s the thing, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill tree sloth.

Meanwhile Emily (Lisa Ambalavanar) and her best friend Madison (Olivia Rouyre) are preparing for their senior year at college. But rather than thinking about classes, graduation, and her future, Emily is more concerned with her pitiful social media follower count and with impressing her sorority sisters. Soon she’s butting heads with the popular and profoundly obnoxious Brianna (Sydney Craven), the resident mean girl with a gaggle of acolytes who do her bidding.

I’ll skip the details, but Emily’s obsession with being popular leads to her “acquiring” the sloth, naming it Alpha, and introducing it as the new sorority house mascot. What could possibly wrong? Well for starters, remember that bit about this not being your run-of-the-mill sloth? That’s something the girls of Sigma Lambda Theta violently and often hilariously learn that the hard way.

To no surprise there are numerous things in the story that make no sense at all. Characters routinely make dumb choices, gaping plot holes abound, obvious questions never get answered. But to be fair, measuring the logic of a movie like this seems utterly pointless. And that gets to the comedy side. A big part of the fun I had with “Slotherhouse” was laughing at these glaring “issues”. The filmmakers know what they’re doing and getting that kind of audience interaction is exactly what they want.

All of that said, “Slotherhouse” does have its faults which no amount of over-the-top absurdity can cover. While there is plenty of fun to be found throughout the movie, it has to really stretch itself to fill 93 minutes. It ends up spending too much time on sorority girl drama which frankly isn’t that interesting. Also (and I don’t say this often) the movie is hampered by its PG-13 rating. So much of the potentially good stuff happens off screen. I can only imagine how ridiculously gonzo this thing could have gotten if the film had really went for it.

Yet I sit her typing this review with a smile on my face, remembered the incredibly silly and laugh-out-loud moments scattered all throughout this truly wacky concoction. Goodhue and Fowler definitely succeed in putting together a preposterous genre cocktail, custom-made for a late-night viewing in a dark theater with an all-in crowd. It makes for a pretty good evening at home on the couch as well. “Slotherhouse” opens September 19th in select theaters and on VOD.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

Filmmakers have looked at the Jewish Holocaust from a variety of angles. Different films that examined it through the eyes of children. Some have focused on specific regions. Others have highlighted individuals who went to great lengths to help the Jews. A well done movie on the subject always has a strong effect on me. Not solely because of the horrific events or troubling images recreated on screen. It’s the fact that they deal with a very real and devastating time in human history. The Nazi slaughter of six million Jews marks one of the world’s darkest times. But it’s also a period that should never be forgotten and thoughtful movies can help ensure that we remember.

Several movies have done a superb job responsibly depicting the Holocaust. Among the very best is Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List”. Released 30 years ago, it has had the strongest impact on me personally. I recently revisited the film after putting it off for many years. That’s because it’s not an easy movie to watch. It features some of the most realistic and graphic depictions of Nazi violence towards Jews and doesn’t shy away from presenting it in crushing detail. From their initial relocation to Krakow’s Jewish Ghetto to their brutal and deadly time spent in the Nazi extermination camps, we see the Jews experience cruelty and brutality made all the more disturbing by its roots in reality.

The Jewish plight is brilliantly and cleverly realized through the true story of Oskar Schindler. Schindler (brilliantly played by Liam Neeson) is a German businessman who arrives in occupied Krakow in hopes of making a load of money exploiting the war. At first Schindler is a self-absorbed, money-hungry man who quickly finds acceptance by kissing up to an assortment of high-ranking German SS officers. Through bribes and his Nazi Party membership, Schindler obtains several contracts to make metal pots and pans for the German soldiers in the field.

To secure even more money for himself Schindler brings in a Jewish workforce whose labor is considerably cheaper than the local Catholic Poles. To keep his fledgling company up and going he hires Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley), an accomplished Jewish accountant and highly regarded member of the Jewish community. It’s through this key relationship that Schindler’s perceptions begin to change.

Coinciding with the arrival of SS Officer Amon Goeth (a truly sinister Ralph Fiennes) to the Plaszow concentration camp, the Germans raid and empty the Krakow Ghetto, slaughtering hundreds of Jews in the streets and shipping the rest to the camp. As Schindler witnesses the atrocities he’s deeply troubled and an internal conflict forms between his desire for a money-making business and his growing affection for his Jewish workers. He’s tempted to take his money and leave the city. Instead he sets out to use his fortune to save his workers and as many other Jews as he can. But to do so he’ll have to get close to high-ranking Nazi’s like Goeth which is no easy task.

The story of Oskar Schindler and his personal transformation is quite powerful. Neeson’s Schindler is a confident and looming opportunist. Even Spielberg’s camera makes him stand head and shoulders above so many of the people he encounters. Particularly stirring is the relationship between Schindler and Stern. Initially the two are strictly business with neither liking or trusting the other. But as mentioned it’s their growing friendship that plays a pivotal role in Schindler’s transformation. Neeson and Kingsley are terrific together.

Then there’s Fiennes and his stunning work as Goeth, a sick and twisted personification of evil. While Schindler finds ways to manipulate Goeth, his inherent wickedness is ever-present and manifested through some of the movie’s more disturbing scenes. What makes the character more terrifying is that Spielberg doesn’t stray too far away in his portrayal of the real Amon Goeth. He was a sadistic cold-hearted murderer who is killed countless Jews himself, not counting the thousands he ordered to be executed. Several scenes emphasize Goeth’s savage tendencies including his sick penchant for sniping Jewish workers from the terrace of his château overlooking the camp.

“Schindler’s List” was a technical achievement. Spielberg’s choice to shoot in black-and-white along with the hand-held camerawork and strategically set wide-angled shots adds to the authenticity and at times has a near documentary feel. The movie is also helped by being filmed on or near the locations of the actual events. Spielberg’s desire for realism really pays off and the locations were a big part of it. But that same desire for realism also made filming difficult for the director. It’s been said he cried repeatedly during the filming and there were certain scenes he literally couldn’t watch.

“Schindler’s List” is a great movie yet understandably hard to watch. It’s disturbing and emotionally draining. But it’s also a film of immense power and deep sincerity. It’s a visually stunning work that forces us to deal these horrific historical events. It’s also a story of a man’s incredible transformation. The movie has stood the test of time in large part thanks to Spielberg’s personal connection. It seeps into every facet of the film, moving us, informing us, and reminding us of a time we should never forget and of events we should never repeat.

VERDICT – 5 STARS

If ever there was a cinematic poster child for B-movie schlock it would have to be 2013’s disaster comedy “Sharknado”. First airing ten years ago on the Syfy channel, this utterly shameless, gleefully self-aware, and proudly mindless concoction has gone from made-for-television dreck to a full-blown cult classic that has spawned a total of five sequels and three spin-offs. Who saw that kind of success coming?

Now independent film distributor The Asylum is celebrating the movie’s 10th Anniversary with an all new 4K remastered version of “Sharknado” that features new visual effects and never-before-scene footage. Better yet, they’re bringing it to over 500 big screens across the country for a special two-night engagement. Talk about a movie custom-made for a late-night screening with an energized crowd.

As for the story, it is unbelievably silly and completely implausible in every possible way. Everyone involved in the film knows it and that’s a big part of what makes it entertaining. Yet there is an illusion of seriousness that actually makes it even funnier than it naturally is by concept alone. Director Anthony C. Ferrante and screenwriter Thunder Levin throw all sorts of ingredients together and end up with something you can’t help but enjoy.

How’s this for a wild weather anomaly – twenty miles off the coast of Mexico a massive waterspout forms and begins sucking sharks out of the ocean. Somehow it turns into a dangerous hurricane (I think) and quickly heads up the coast towards California. Now in case you’re tempted to delve into the science of such an anomaly, don’t. Remember, the name of the movie is “Sharknado” so looking for logic is missing the point. Just know the movie attributes it all to global warming and then quickly moves on.

Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering) is an ex-professional surfer who now owns a restaurant and bar on the Santa Monica Pier. With the killer hurricane bearing down on the shore, Fin, his best chum Baz (Jaason Simmons), his loyal barmaid Nova (Cassie Scerbo), and a handsy local lush named George (the late John Heard) flee the pier and head inland. But floodwaters full of frenzied man-eating sharks is soon rushing into the city. Yikes.

Fin and his crew head to Beverly Hills (a funny little in-joke for fans of the 90210 zip code) to warn his ex-wife April (Tara Reid), their daughter Claudia (Aubrey Peeples), and April’s jerk of a boyfriend Collin (Christopher Wolfe). But in a snap the storm is on top of them, bringing not only the floodwaters but sharks to their posh, upscale neighborhood. To make matters worse, three enormous waterspouts hit downtown Los Angeles sucking up more sharks and slinging them across the city.

So yes, it’s remarkably silly but Ferrante, Levin, and (as mentioned) the entire cast is completely aware of it. And the story’s goofiness is only accentuated by everything surrounding it – the hilariously bad one-liners, the stilted overly dramatic performances, the cheap special effects and gobs of glaringly fake gore. You’ll find yourself giggling at nearly every facet of this bonkers creation.

But again, that’s pretty much the point. “Sharknado” is the epitome of “so bad it’s good”. Maybe not good enough to watch again and again, but plenty good enough to do what it sets out to do – entertain in its own offbeat cockamamie way. Don’t overthink it. Just have fun laughing at it. It certainly has fun laughing at itself. “Skarknado 10th Anniversary Edition” will be in select theaters August 15th and 16th.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

Easily one of the biggest surprise hits of the 2023 movie year is “Sound of Freedom”, a gripping fact-based thriller that was completed five years ago but struggled to find distribution. With the help of crowdfunding rather than big studio backing, “Sound of Freedom” has finally made its way it to theaters and has found itself a passionate and vocal audience. To no surprise the movie has also found plenty of detractors.

Unfortunately slanted positions on politics and faith have clouded much of the discourse surrounding the film to the point that its overarching message is often being overlooked. That’s a shame because “Sound of Freedom” strikes up a sensitive yet necessary conversation about the world’s fastest growing international crime network – the under-reported human trafficking trade. It’s an issue we all should be affected by, and the film’s clear-eyed perspective shines a much-needed light on this horrifying reality.

Directed and co-written by Alejandro Monteverde, “Sound of Freedom” doesn’t sugarcoat the very real subject matter at its center, addressing it with an almost uncomfortable clarity. At the same time there is a deep sense of compassion that comes through in both Monteverde’s focused direction and the intense performance from the film’s lead, Jim Caviezel.

Caviezel plays Tim Ballard who in real-life quit his job as a Department of Homeland Security Agent in 2013 and founded Operation Underground Railroad, a non-profit organization dedicated to stopping human sex-trafficking. The film dramatizes his days working on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. We’re also given a good grasp of the frustration that led him to break off on his own to track down and save captives (many of them children) and bring to justice their captors.

The film begins with a devastating gut-punch of an opening that paints for us a clear picture of how crafty traffickers can be in luring children into their webs. In this case it’s an 11-year-old girl Rocio (Cristal Aparicio) and her 7-year-old brother Miguel (Lucás Ávila) who are abducted in Honduras. In California, Ballard and his team arrest a local pedophile who they discover has deep ties with Central American human traffickers. Through the creep (and in a way I won’t spoil) Ballard finds out about Miguel and manages to rescue the young boy.

Afterwards Ballard learns of Miguel’s sister, Rocio who he pledges to find and bring home. He tracks her to Cartagena, Columbia where he teams up with a local police officer named Jorge (Javier Godino) and Vampiro (Bill Camp), a former cartel collaborator seeking to atone for his past sins. After landing some strong leads, the trio put together an ambitious plan. But just as they’re about to pull the trigger, Ballard’s agency pulls his funding and orders him back to California. Tired of the bureaucracy, Ballard promptly resigns and begins working on another way to save Rocio before it’s too late.

The film’s riveting first half is followed by a second half that draws itself out a little too long. Yet it remains enthralling throughout largely thanks to Caviezel. His performance is a captivating mix of steely determination and heartfelt vulnerability. Better yet, he’s no Rambo archetype. Instead we’re given wisely grounded portrayal that is exactly what the story needs.

And despite its meager backing and modest budget, the movie looks as good (and as expensive) as most Hollywood studio productions. Much of it is due to Monteverde’s keen instincts with the camera and the stellar lensing from cinematographer Gorka Gómez Andreu. Shooting on location in Cartagena only adds to the visual authenticity.

“Sound of Freedom” is a tough movie to watch and it should be. At the same time it never overplays the dangers or milks the audience’s emotions. Yes, it has specific scenes that are sure to provoke responses from those watching. But they’re mostly well earned rather than manipulative, especially if your heart is in the right place while watching. So say what you will about the movie. In the end it rises above the dubious claims and disingenuous concerns to offer a compelling and at times unflinching exposé that will stick with you for a long time. “Sound of Freedom” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

1973’s “Serpico” was almost a much different movie. By that I don’t mean a different spin or a different genre. I mean there were some dramatically different creatives first attached to the gritty biographical crime drama. Sam Peckinpah was once in line to direct but eventually backed out. But the kicker was Robert Redford and Paul Newman, both relatively fresh off working together in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Sting”, were set to star with Redford playing the titular character Frank Serpico. They too left the project.

It was a bumpy road, but soon Sidney Lumet was brought in to direct. Even more notable, Al Pacino was given the lead role. Written by Waldo Salt and Norman Wexler, “Serpico” was an adaptation of a 1973 book by author Peter Maas. It told the true story of New York City police officer Frank Serpico who came face to face with rampant police corruption. It was a gutsy film for its time and it received criticism from some within the NYPD and other groups who claimed the feature overlooked key parts and underrepresented key people from the true account.

Early on we see Frank Serpico as a young ambitious Italian who graduated from the New York Police Academy and was eventually stationed at a hopping downtown precinct. He starts as a patrolman but his feel for the street gets him promoted to a plainclothes officer. But he quickly begins seeing the underside of the department. And when he refuses to take a $300 payoff, Frank breaks an unwritten rule within the fraternity that puts him at odds with many of his fellow cops.

Pressure mounts for Frank to fall in line but he continues to resist, going as far as to become the eyes and ears of the commissioner. With a target on his back from both within and outside the department, Frank finds himself buckling under the pressure. Pacino’s performance organically evolves throughout the movie, turning his character from a well-intended but naive idealist to a hardened and stressed-out cynic. Pacino’s appearance mirrors the change, going from clean and buttoned-up to blousy shirts, bucket hats, and sandals.

Pacino would go on to win a Golden Globe and be nominated for an Academy Award for his performance. While the script doesn’t always do his character favors, Pacino is able to keep both his character and the story itself centered. He’s helped by a solid supporting cast featuring John Randolph, Jack Kehoe, Barbara Eda-Young, Tony Roberts, and Biff McGuire. Look close and you’ll also catch a couple of fun uncredited appearances by Judd Hirsch and F. Murray Abraham.

“Serpico” certainly had its detractors mainly among those who felt it veered too far away from the true account and was a little too selective in how it chose to focus its story. But as entertainment goes it works well as a big city crime drama with a sprinkle of neo-noir flavoring. And in the end the strengths of Lumet’s direction, Pacino’s performance, and Arthur J. Ornitz’s gritty cinematography are more than enough to get past the film’s handful of stumbles.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS