Monday, September 18, 2023

The Retirement Plan: Movie Review



A purposely bad movie with Cage in granddad/assassin mode.

Action comedy The Retirement Plan had very little planning go into it: Cast Nicolas Cage, make him a good guy, and have him kill a whole bunch of bad guys. There’s certainly an element of fun to that premise, but it’s a very broad, very over-the-top re-purposing of an action crime drama into a comedy. Jimmy and Ashley find themselves on the run from bad guys who will kill them if they don’t get what they want: a critical thumb drive. They need an escape plan.   2023

Directed by: Tim Brown

Screenplay by: Tim Brown

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ashley Greene, Thalia Campbell and Ron Perlman

Thursday, August 31, 2023

Choose Love: Movie Review




A minimal rom-com with no right or wrong choice.
A choose your own adventure romantic comedy. You finally have your choice of the stable boyfriend, the international long lost love or a rock star. Sorry, not your choice, you get to pick for Cami. Cami (Laura Marano) is an LA music producer who opens the movie by visiting a psychic. The psychic frames the movie perfectly, but Cami is a very flighty girl who can’t make up her mind about anything.   2023

Directed by: Stuart McDonald

Screenplay by: Josann McGibbon

Starring: Laura Marano, Scott Michael Foster, Jordi Webber and Avan Jogia

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Deltopia: Movie Review



A day in the life of high school seniors attending an end of school year epic party. Deltopia is named after the real-life California beach party called Deltopia, and indeed the film opens with a ‘based on true events’ label. The problem with such a label is you’re expecting something interesting or significant to happen, but it looks a lot like every other movie about teens partying, except even harder to get into.   2023

Directed by: Michael Easterling, Jaala Ruffman

Screenplay by: Michael Easterling, Jaala Ruffman

Starring: Luna Blaise, Madison Pettis,
Charlie Gillespie, and Hart Denton