"Life of the Party" Review by Tim Hellman

'LIFE OF THE PARTY': Three Stars (Out of Five)

A comedy about a recently divorced mother who decides to go back to college, and then ends up in her daughter's class (much to her daughter's disappointment). It stars Melissa McCarthy, Molly Gordon, Gillian Jacobs, Maya Rudolph, Julie Bowen, Matt Walsh, Stephen Root and Jacki Weaver. The film was directed by Ben Falcone (who also directed his wife, Melissa McCarthy, in the comedy hits 'TAMMY' and 'THE BOSS'), and it was written by the married couple. The movie has received mostly negative reviews from critics, but it is expected to be yet another hit at the Box Office for McCarthy and Falcone. I found it to be really uneven, and hit-and-miss with laughs.

As Maddie Miles (Gordon) goes off to college, her father, Dan (Walsh), tells her mother, Deanna (McCarthy), that he wants a divorce. Heartbroken, Deanna decides she wants to go back to college, since she quit school a year before graduation (when she became pregnant with Maddie). By going back to school Deanna feels liberated for the first time in her life, and she begins partying with Maddie's friends and sleeping with a college student half her age. She of course finds happiness, and her true self in the process.

The film is really funny in places, and then not funny at all in other places. At times it's even painful to watch (how bad it is), and then moments later it's hilarious again. I've seen a lot of comedies like this, and of course they're hard to overly recommend, or discourage people from seeing. It's definitely good for at least some good laughs, and it's a feel good/positive movie too. It's not as good as 'TAMMY', or McCarthy's best films definitely though.

"Rampage" Review by Tim Hellman

'RAMPAGE': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A sci-fi monster flick based on the popular video game, of the same name (by Midway Games), about a genetic experiment gone wrong that transforms a trio of animals into destructive monsters. Dwayne Johnson stars as a primatologist who tries to rescue an infected albino gorilla, which he had bonded with, and stop the other monsters from destroying the city. The film costars Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Åkerman, Jake Lacy, P.J. Byrne and Joe Manganiello . It was directed by Brad Peyton (who previously teamed with Johnson on the 2015 disaster flick 'SAN ANDREAS'), and it was scripted by Ryan Engle, Carlton Cuse, Ryan J. Condal and Adam Sztykiel. The film has received mixed to negative reviews from critics, and it's expected to be a modest hit at the Box Office as well. I found it to be mildly amusing (at times) but mostly forgettable.

Davis Okoye (Johnson) is an animal loving primatologist in Rwanda, who's also the head of an anti-poaching team there. His best friend is an albino silverback gorilla named George (Jason Liles). When Davis learns that George has been infected by an unknown substance, and is growing at an alarming rate because of it, he teams with a genetic engineer, named Dr. Kate Caldwell (Harris), to try and help him. Then he learns that two other animals have been infected by the same experimental serum, and the trio are soon destroying the city. Davis does everything he can to save his friend, and stop the rampaging monsters.

My favorite parts of the movie are the animals, the animal/human relationships, and the monster fight scenes. I also found the battle scenes in the climax to be pretty amusing, and nostalgic, when they imitate the video game it's based on (which I played back in the day). All of the human stuff is mostly boring though. The Rock has a few good scenes in it, and Akerman makes a sexy femme fatale villain (Lacy is mildly amusing as her dimwitted brother too), but other than that the movie is pretty dull when it centers on the humans (and all the unnecessary plot nonsense). So some of the film is entertaining, and worth seeing, but most of it is annoying filler.

"Lights Out" Review by Tim Hellman

'LIGHTS OUT': Four Stars (Out of Five)

Supernatural horror flick; about a violent spirit, which can't survive in the light, that's stalking a young woman and her brother. The film was produced by horror master James Wan, and it was directed by first time feature filmmaker David F. Sandberg. It was written by Eric Heisserer, and it's based on Sandberg's 2013 short film (of the same name). The movie stars Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, Maria Bello, Alexander DiPersia and Billy Burke. It's surprisingly received (mostly) good reviews from the critics, and it's also performed admirably well at the Box Office (so far). I enjoyed it.

The movie tells the story of a young woman, named Rebecca (Palmer). Rebecca learns that her unstable mother (Bello) is off her medication again. Her brother, Martin (Bateman), is struggling at school because of it; due to the fact that he's getting very little sleep. Rebecca brings Martin home to her house, and she soon learns that he's being haunted by an evil spirit; which can only survive in the dark.

The film is a little clichéd, and routine (in story); but it's also really well made, and filled with great haunting imagery. The concept (of a ghost that can't survive in the light) plays out really well, in frightening imagery. The film is scary, and the performances are all decent (except for maybe the young boy). The fact that the script, and characters, might be a little poorly written, doesn't effect the suspense quality of the movie. If you're looking for good scares, that's probably what you'll get.

Fantasia 2016: Official Stills and Trailer the Upcoming Chiller "Lights Out"

New Line Cinema and Warner Bros recently released stills and the officials for the upcoming chiller "Lights Out". The film is based on the short horror film by David F. Sandberg, who also directs this film and is being executive produced by James Wan (The Conjuring 2, Saw). It stars Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, Maria Bello and Billy Burke.

The film is a special screening and will take place on July 20th at 7PM at the SGWU Alumni Auditorium (Hall Theatre)in Montreal QC.

For more information on this film, you can goto : http://www.lightsoutmovie.com/

Plot Synopsis:

From producer James Wan (THE CONJURING and INSIDIOUS franchises) comes a tale of an unknown terror that lurks in the dark. When Rebecca (Teresa Palmer) left home, she thought she abandoned her childhood fears. Growing up, she was never really sure of what was and wasn’t real when the lights went out… and now her little brother, Martin (Gabriel Bateman), is experiencing the same unexplained and terrifying events that had once tested her sanity and threatened her safety. A frightening entity with a mysterious attachment to their mother, Sophie (Maria Bello), has reemerged. But this time, as Rebecca gets closer to unlocking the truth, there is no denying that all their lives are in danger… once the lights go out.

"Lights Out": Official Trailer

"Horrible Bosses 2" Review - Written by Tim Hellman

'HORRIBLE BOSSES 2': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Sequel to the 2011 hit comedy flick 'HORRIBLE BOSSES', which was about three friends who team together to try to murder their bosses. This time the buddies plot to kidnap the adult son of a rich businessman, who conned them out of their own business dreams. All of the main cast, of the original film, is back for this installment (except Colin Farrell, who's character died in the first movie); including Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Foxx, Kevin Spacey and Lindsay Sloane. They're joined this time around by Chris Pine and Christoph Waltz. It was directed by Sean Anders and written by Anders and John Morris (along with John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein). Anders and Morris are the same team that wrote other popular comedy flicks like 'SEX DRIVE' (which Anders also directed) and 'SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE'; they also co-wrote 'HOT TUB TIME MACHINE', 'WE'RE THE MILLERS' and 'DUMB AND DUMBER TO' (I'm a big fan of theirs). I wasn't a fan of the original 'HORRIBLE BOSSES' but I absolutely love this sequel!

Nick Hendricks (Bateman), Dale Arbus (Day), and Kurt Buckman (Sudeikis) have decided to start their own business together; instead of having to continue to answer to the horrible bosses of other companies. They've come up with a unique shower head invention, they call 'Shower Buddy', and think they've attracted the interest of a rich investor and his son, named Bert (Waltz) and Rex Hanson (Pine). Bert promises the trio that he'll buy 100,000 units from them but after they take out a $500,000 loan, and make the product, he backs out of the deal; he then plans to buy all their shower heads, at a discounted foreclosure price, to sell himself. In order to get their money back Nick, Dale and Kurt decide they're going to kidnap Rex and ask Bert for the $500.000, they lost, in ransom. Things, of course, don't go as they planned.

I liked the idea of the original movie but just didn't find it to be that funny; I thought a lot of the jokes fell flat (despite an awesome cast) and didn't think it seemed very inspired (especially considering the great premise and great cast). This installment gets everything right that the first film got wrong. First of all it's hilarious, from beginning to end, thanks in large part to the directing of Anders and the clever writing team of Anders and Morris. The jokes rarely miss this time around and it's got a pretty clever caper storyline, and an awesome car chase climax, to boot! The film's success is also thanks largely to the outstanding cast, that seems like they're having a lot more fun this time; you can see it in the bloopers (in the end credits) and you can also just feel it in the movie (the whole way through). This is comedy done right; much better than the original!