Category: Reviews

Our heroes need to catch a plane in ‘Kandahar’, but this pedestrian action flick never takes off

Jeff Mitchell

“Kandahar” (2023) – These days, if you look up the latest releases arriving at the local cineplex and see Gerard Butler’s name appearing in the credits, you can bet a dollar that the man is tied to an action movie.  Granted, this critic hasn’t seen most of his films.  Still, Gerard has developed a Liam Neeson-like reputation for consistently stepping – or running – into the genre.  Director Ric Roman Waugh – who worked with Mr. Butler on “Angel Has Fallen” (2019) and “Greenland” (2020) – helms “Kandahar”, a film…

‘Sisu’: Run, don’t walk, to 1944 Finland and this fabulous and bloody midnight-madness flick

Jeff Mitchell

“Sisu” (2022) – “My advice to you, my violent friend, is to seek out gold and sit on it.” – The Dragon says to Grendel in author John Gardner’s “Grendel” (1971)  In director/writer Jalmari Helander’s fabulous, entertaining midnight-madness flick, “Sisu”, the year is 1944 and nearly the close of WWII.  He sets this story in Finland.  The Moscow Armistice is signed, and Finland must remove the German military presence from their land. For Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila), a Finn, he’s done with the war.  This 60-something, gray-bearded loner now roams…

‘Paint’ doesn’t inspire

Jeff Mitchell

“Paint” (2023) – “Let’s decide.  Maybe there’s a happy tree, an evergreen tree, and he lives right there.” – Bob Ross “That tree was probably too tall.  Brace yourself.  You are going to get some calls about that.” – Carl Nargle (Owen Wilson) Carl Nargle regularly paints nature scenes on a canvas for a local PBS Burlington, Vt. station.  With his tall, brown curly locks and calm, soothing demeanor, the similarities are obvious between this on-screen fictional character and the late Bob Ross in “Paint”, a comedy from writer/director Brit…