‘Twisters’ spins in place compared to its 28-year-old predecessor

“Twisters” (2024) – In 1996, “Twister”, a tornado-chasing action-adventure flick starring Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt, took movie audiences by storm and funneled a massive box-office take of just under half a billion dollars. Director Jan de Bont’s 90s disaster thriller is filled with twisty terror but also whimsy as a ragtag collection of scientists and researchers regularly encircle, with daredevil abandon, nature’s whirlwinds.  However, the will-they-or-won’t-they romantic tension between Bill (Paxton) and Jo (Hunt) is the emotional glue that holds this entertaining picture together. Twenty-eight years later, a sequel,…

‘Touch’ taps into tangible feelings of love found and lost

“Touch” (2024) – “Looking back as days go by.” – Kristofer (Egill Olafsson) Director/co-writer Baltasar Kormakur’s film “Touch”, based on co-writer Olaf Olafsson’s 2022 novel, taps into tangible feelings of love found and lost.  It’s about aging and taking inventory of one’s life.  It’s about looking back, touching memories of first love, reaching out for closure, and either shutting a door forever or leaving it open for a second chance.  Well, “Touch” is a sweet, tender, and worthwhile story that swims in cross-cultural waters, but it wades in place at…

‘MaXXXine’: This dull and dark Hollywood mystery doesn’t light up the big screen

“MaXXXine” (2024) – The year is 1985.  The place is Tinseltown, California. Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) is reaching for glitz and glam.  This adult film actress and dancer at The Landing Strip, located near an airport (LAX, we presume), wants to land a spot in Hollywood as a legit movie star and transition from a rated X career to a rated R or a PG-13 one.  Maxine drives a white Mercedes convertible and possesses a “The Best or Nothing” air of confidence to make it show business, but she just…