‘The House’ fails to be a big player
On paper, the teaming of Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler in a comedy about parents who open an underground casino to pay for their daughter’s college tuition sounds like a sure thing. But, in reality, almost nothing about “The House” (2017, Warner, R, $28) hits the comic jackpot.
The situations are ridiculous, the plot twists predictable, and, most surprisingly, Ferrell and Poehler are unable to generate more than a single giggle or two. In fact, “The House” is so misguided, you’ll wind up feeling sorry for the cast members forced to go through the motions of such a bad bet of a comedy. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu
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The Beguiled: The latest from Sofia Coppola (“Lost In Translation”) aims to cast a spell with its hothouse atmosphere of repressed sexuality and impending violence. But, for all its fever-dream qualities, it remains strangely remote and uninvolving. Set at a secluded boarding school in Civil War-era Virginia, the action begins with the arrival of a Union deserter (Colin Farrell) who almost instantly upends the tranquility of the school, inadvertently pitting the women (Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning) against each other. A remake of a 1971 movie, “The Beguiled” is so afraid of being melodramatic that’s it barely dramatic at all. A real disappointment. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected): Filmmaker Noah Baumbach (“The Squid and the Whale”) is back with a comedy that centers on members of an estranged family (Adam Sandler, Elizabeth Marvel) who gather together in New York for an event celebrating the artistic work of their father (Dustin Hoffman). Sigourney Weaver, Emma Thompson, Ben Stiller and Adam Driver offer support. On Netflix. Pilgrimage: Before he donned Spider-Man’s tights, Tom Holland starred in this 13th century drama about a young monk who teams up with a former Crusader (Jon Bernthal) to help transport a religious relic to Rome. Along the way, Holland and company are ambushed by all kinds of bad men, including traitorous Norman soldiers hoping to get their hands on the powerful talisman. A few sequences stand out, including a fogshrouded chase scene and the finale which allows Bernthal to shine. But much of the rest of the movie is a real slog thanks to the dreary visuals and stilted dialogue. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu Armed Response: Wesley Snipes’ first leading role since getting out of prison in 2013 finds him playing a Black Ops agent who is tasked with putting together a team (Anne Heche, Dave Annable) to investigate what happened to the soldiers stationed at an isolated military compound. Despite thin characterizations and uninspired dialogue, “Armed Response” is a surprisingly entertaining thriller. Director John Stockwell (“Blue Crush”) makes great use of the tight quarters, especially after the characters begin turning on each other. Your nerves will get a good, rattling workout. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu Patton Oswalt - Annihilation: This deeply personal stand-up special dives into the last year of Patton’s life, following the passing of his wife, and how he worked through the pain and grief by finding humor. Oswalt also explores topics including the angst of social media, the current political climate and being tricked by robocalls. On Netflix. Mindhunter - Season One: From “Zodiac” and “Seven” director David Fincher comes a series that, if the trailer is any indication, looks like a bingeworthy deep dive into the minds of serial killers. Based on John Douglas’ memoir, the movie follows the FBI profiler (Lancaster native Jonathan Groff) as he attempts to understand what makes seemingly everyday people go off the deep end. Charlize Theron, of all people, exec produced. On Netflix.
Teen Titles
Timeless - Season One: Who doesn’t love a good time-travel adventure? In this new series, a criminal(Goran Visnjic) determined to destroy America makes off with a state-of-the-art time machine. To the rescue comes an unexpected team of heroes: a history professor (Abigail Spencer), a soldier (Matt Lanter) and a scientist (Malcolm Barrett) who use the machine’s protype to travel back in time to ensure key historical moments remain unchanged. Not only does it work as a thriller but you’ll glean all kinds of interesting history lessons from episodes devoted to such events as Lincoln’s assassination and the explosion of the Hindenburg. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu Fallen: The latest from “Shine’s” Scott Hicks has a lot going for it: a game cast, a stunning location and a romance that revolves around reincarnation. But what’s onscreen is a tsunami of supernatural gobbledygook. Quakertown’s Addison Timlin exudes the right kind of haunted melancholy to play a teenager who, after showing up at her new boarding school, is instantly drawn into a bizarre romantic triangle with two teen angels. Too bad the screenplay strands Timlin and the rest of the cast with awkward scenes that go nowhere. Based on a young adult bestseller, “Fallen” makes the “Twilight” movies seem like “Citizen Kane.” On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu Tokyo Idols: From Japanese director Kyoko Miyake comes a fascinating exploration of “idols,” or teenage girl singers who collectively earn up to $1 billion a year singing and dancing along to J-Pop tunes. They rarely play their own instruments or write their own music but they have deeply fanatic followers who, in the movie, claim their ardor is “not a fad, it’s a religion.” It’s a fascinating look at a cultural phenomenon that is still going strong in Japan. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu