Plot: An aging boxer struggles to escape the grasp of a small town while battling a fractured relationship with his teenage daughter.
Runtime: 1 Hour 41 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Salvable starts when aging boxer Sal (Kebbell) continues to train and work in a local care home. His relationship with his daughter Molly (Cassidy) is hanging on a thread, as his ex-wife wants him to spend less time with her. Sal continues to search for ways to turn his life back around.
Vince (LaBeouf) offers him a chance to take part in more questionable fights, where he continues to shine, but at a cost. He is torn between making a name for himself in a potential comeback or keeping his relationship together with his daughter.
Verdict on Salvable
Recap
The movie follows an ageing boxer trying to hold his life together; his career outside the ring is difficult, and family life is more complicated. However, an encounter with someone from his past offers him an opportunity to have one more run at stardom, but it will come at a cost.
Best Parts
The movie shows the struggles of an ageing boxer and how once they finish in the ring, they lose the appeal they once had. It reflects the world where they were more known and trying to fit back into everyday life. The performances are brilliant and help us understand the pain the characters are going through.
Worst Parts
On the weaker side, we don’t see too much, we haven’t seen in similar storylines before. It is a more traditional concept without going to the extremes others have in the past.
Final Thoughts –Salvable is moving, hard hitting and emotional journey.
Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel – Movie Review
First Reaction – Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel shows a nightmare scenario of an abusive psychotic boss.
Watch Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel on Netflix now.
Director: Sally Rose Griffiths
Plot: American Apparel rises as a major fashion brand in the 2000s, but its success under CEO Dov Charney masks workplace issues. As financial troubles grow and harassment claims emerge, employees face the reality of a toxic environment.
Runtime: 55 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Verdict on Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel
Recap
The documentary follows the sudden rise of the fashion brand American Apparel. It offered an alternative style which felt different and hired unqualified people in bigger roles for the company. The company exploded in the fashion industry with an American-made product, and the owner, Dov Charney, grabbed the headlines. However, it doesn’t take long before the whirlwind turns into a nightmare because of the CEO’s behaviour.
Best Parts
The movie highlights how quickly a business can rise by being different on the surface. It shows the naïve nature of younger people who have been given opportunities that nobody else would offer them. This shows how disastrous the business was and how Dov ran things in a toxic manner.
Worst Parts
It shows the trapped environment the employees got caught in and how they were happy to take the abuse if they were considered successful. The naïve nature of the people interviewed is most surprising, as we know more people research before accepting any role.
Final Thoughts –Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel shows the terror in the workplace.
Plot: My Life is Murder follows the adventures of fearless private investigator Alexa Crowe, who solves the most baffling crimes as well as coping with the frustrations of everyday life.
Runtime: 45 Minute Episodes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Verdict on My Life is Murder Series 4
To Dye For
The season kicks off with a popular stylist found dead on the beach. Alexa (Lawless), Madison (Vagulans) and Harry (Jobe) begin their investigation. They dive into their closest friends and co-workers to learn the secret life. However, the case pushes people against Alexa and her past.
This is a great return with Alexa’s opening sequence bringing a great laugh to remind us of her nonsense attitude. It brings us an interesting story and keeps us wondering who is behind the murder. We are prepared to see what other cases Alexa will get into now. (4/5)
Tough Love
Alexa is called to investigate the death of a tennis coach who looks like they have been killed by a blow to the head. Harry talks Alexa into investigating the case, as the killing by a tennis ball launcher doesn’t make sense. Meanwhile, a glamorous private investigator is also on the case and follows Alexa on her case.
This gives us a great mystery for Alexa, and adds humour with a rival investigator. It keeps the show flowing with a calm, entertaining nature. We get to enjoy the humour involved, and Lucy Lawless continues to shine in the leading role. (4/5)
Location, Location, Location
Alexa takes the case of a real estate agent found in the pool of the property they are trying to sell. She meets a rival agent and the neighbourhood around her home. However, the property has a reputation, and Alexa must discover the truth.
This creates an interesting case that keeps giving us plenty of surprises. It shows Alexa goes above and beyond to solve the case. We get a great selection of suspects, and the episode keeps us wanting to learn even more. (4/5)
One Man’s Poison
Alexa is called upon to help a friend of Reuben’s who is accused of murder. The private chef is the last person to see the victim and prepared a specialist dinner. However, it becomes a case closer to home when solving the case.
This brings us a fun undercover job for Madison and Reuben as they investigate the close-to-home murder. It shows Madison being the more important member of the team, creating frustration with Alexa. We continue the light-hearted nature behind the crimes, and it keeps us wanting even more. (4/5)
En Pointe
Alexa and Madison investigate the death of a dancer. The dancer is murdered with an arrow, and Alexa must get close to the school to learn the truth.
Alexa gets to tackle her previous nightmares in dancing school by targeting the strict teacher. However, her judgment clouds her abilities to investigate. While this has a nice mystery and a more light-hearted touch, it feels like one of the weaker episodes of the series. (3/5)
The Good Oil
Alex investigates the murder of a Samoan family where the children just inherited the business. It looks like a robbery gone wrong, but it could expose a bigger secret within the community. Alex must learn the culture with the help of Reuben if she is ever going to get close to the community for answers.
This continues the calmer approach, where we focus more on the cases. It still works for the show and brings us closer to the Samoan culture. The personal story involving Alexa is fun to watch, but the last two episodes are the slower ones. (3/5)
The Widows Club Part 1
Alexa turns to her brother Will to go undercover at an elite golf club. One of the members has died under mysterious circumstances, pointing fingers at the wife and her friends known as the Widow’s Club. This leads to everyone getting involved in the case, preparing for the next chapter of the truth.
This episode is split between two episodes and leaves us wondering what happens next. It creates a big mystery and lets everyone get involved in the case, while creating strain between Alex and Madison. (4/5)
The Widows Club Part 2
We begin after the bombshell of who the prime suspect is and the reason why Alexa has been acting differently. Alexa is now forced to clear her own name as the prime suspect for the latest murder, the man who killed her husband. This creates the highest stakes for Alexa and Harry faces consequences for getting her involved too.
This is a great conclusion for the series and leaves us wanting even more. It hits the hardest for everyone involved, with Alexa needing to deal with her own position. We get a great ending to the series and we just want to see even more episodes. (5/5)
Overall
My Life is Murder Series 4 returns with a series of interesting cases and a leading character you want to watch in every scene. Lucy Lawless is fantastic and the series keeps you wanting to return for more and more. Despite being a series of crimes, it keeps things light-hearted before hitting harder in the season finale.
Final Thoughts –My Life is Murder Series 4 is a great light-hearted series of crimes.
Plot: In the wake of a family tragedy, a strong-willed teenager and her grieving stepfather volunteer to help a mysterious tech company evaluate its new A.I. operating system.
Runtime: 1 Hour 17 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Neurovenge starts when Jill (Shibuta) and Henry (James) suffer a tragedy. They need money after the tragedy and are offered a chance to work for a mysterious tech company on their new A.I. operating system.
When the father and daughter move into the home, they discover the A.I. understands what they want. However, it pushes them to dangerous levels of dealing with memories but leaves them questioning whether they want to be connected with an A.I. system or not.
Verdict on Neurovenge
Recap
The movie follows a grieving father and stepdaughter who are offered a chance to be part of an A.I. home project. They must spend a week in a home, but it only begins to unlock their emotions about what happened. Meanwhile, the A.I. learns too much information and becomes dangerous.
Best Parts
The movie uses the challenging experiences of two family members dealing with a tragedy. Elsewhere, we have the idea of working with new A.I. controlling a home is a tried a tested horror element. It highlights the dangers of them and the paranoia of how fast A.I. can learn. The performances are good throughout the film too.
Worst Parts
The opening incident shows the sadness of the people left behind by a reckless behaviour. It also doesn’t challenge enough of the A.I. involvement, which other movies have put forward a lot harder in their stories.
Final Thoughts –Neurovenge takes a disturbing chapter in the A.I. involvement in home involvement.
First Reaction – Shark Whisperer shows the battle to protect a species against humanity’s panic.
Watch Shark Whisperer on Netflix now.
Director: Juan Oliphant
Plot: Marine conservationist and social media activist Ocean Ramsey fearlessly swims with sharks in this documentary deep dive into her mission to protect them.
Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Verdict on Shark Whisperer
Recap
The documentary follows Ocean Ramsey and Juan Oliphant, who learn sharks’ patterns to swim and get to know them. They use their knowledge to connect and turn their experiences into a campaign to help save sharks from being butchered. The pair use Ocean’s social media presence to help create a campaign, but challenging people opinions on sharks is a bigger challenge than they expected.
Best Parts
The movie shows how people can take the time to learn and understand everything around them. It reflects the negative media around sharks and how people try to understand the attacks. However, it shows an increase in threat with more people in the ocean. There is a good series of stories that highlight how one bad incident doesn’t tell the whole story, and people panic easily.
Worst Parts
While this is a personal project about what the couple would like changed. It doesn’t do much to highlight the naïve members of the world who, needless or recklessly, put themselves in danger, causing the attacks in the first place.
Final Thoughts –Shark Whisperer is a good campaign documentary about making a change.
Plot: After a prison transfer goes wrong, a dangerous mercenary and a naive police officer must work together to escape an island full of hostile prisoners.
Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Bloodstorm starts when Officer Hansen (Hedins) is assigned to help with a prison transfer of Bennet (Kurzhal). What seems like a routine prison transfer takes a drastic turn when a group of hostile prisoners attack the transfer. Bennet and Hansen must put their differences aside to survive the attack and make it out alive.
They learn of the awful things happening on the island and know the numbers they must face. However, it becomes more important to save everyone they can, even if it means risking their lives.
Verdict on Bloodstorm
Recap
The movie follows a mercenary teaming up with a female police officer when a prison transfer goes wrong. They must overcome the odds to survive the attacks if they are ever going to see society again.
Best Parts
The concept of a prisoner and a police officer working together to survive a dangerous group of prisoners is interesting and entertaining. It delivers on overcoming the odd concept and has fun fight sequences.
Worst Parts
We have a lot of over use of slow motion, usually when one of the female characters is dealing with a prisoner. It also struggles to do more than a struggle fight despite showing Officer Hansen as stronger and portrayed as tougher. The movie also pushes towards the need to show prisoners only interested in sexual assault, which will be difficult for a lot of people to watch.
Final Thoughts –Bloodstorm is a good late-night action movie.
Plot: When a woman’s first love suddenly reenters her life, her relationship with a charming, but abusive neurosurgeon is upended and she realizes she must learn to rely on her own strength to make an impossible choice for her future.
Runtime: 2 Hours 10 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: It Ends With Us starts when Lily (Lively) begins the next adventure in her life. She opens a flower shop, leading to a chance meeting with charming neurosurgeon Ryle (Baldoni), whose sister Allysa (Slate) starts working in her shop. While the relationship begins in a whirlwind way, Lily begins to look back at her first love.
Lily bumps into her first love Atlas (Sklenar) and feelings come back. She is left wondering what the right decision is, after Ryle starts showing a more aggressive controlling attitude.
Verdict on It Ends With Us
Recap
The movie follows a woman who was raised in the shadow an abusive father and finds herself in the same position as her mother. Her new love begins controlling her until she meets her first love and must decide whether to break the cycle.
Worst Parts
It was hard to find anything interesting in this movie. It felt tonally wrong for the subject of abusive relationships to be portrayed like a charming romantic comedy. Leaving us in the position of will they, won’t doesn’t make any sense. Elsewhere, the performances are not the best, except for Jenny Slate, a fun supporting character. It lacks the intensity the story wants to give us and loses any credibility in explaining how manipulative the guy is meant to be.
Final Thoughts –It Ends With Us is a drag, tonally wrong movie.
Plot: A father and son working as security guards for an armored truck company encounter a team of would-be robbers while on a bridge. They become trapped and must come up with a plan to escape and ensure their survival.
Runtime: 1 Hour 35 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Armor starts when father (James) son Casey (Wiggins) security guards find their truck under attack. Rook (Stallone) leads a team to steal the contents. However, he isn’t prepared for James fighting back, forcing his team to find a way into the armoured truck.
James and Casey explore their strained relationship as they hold up in their vehicle. Meanwhile, Rook tries to solve the problem from the outside and keep things calm.
Verdict on Armor
Recap
The movie follows a group of criminals trying to hijack an armoured truck. However, the truck’s guards refuse to step out without a fight. This leads to a standoff on a bridge, as the criminals try to get in and the guards hope for rescue.
Best Parts
The idea is interesting, as it creates a standoff. There is a small sub-story between the father and son trying to rebuild their relationship. This is the best part of the story, even if it doesn’t go as deep.
Worst Parts
The movie is trying to do as much as possible to create connections, twists and turns. However, none of them feel like they click, and we end up going nowhere fast. The performances are not the strongest and despite having Stallone, we seem to lack the action we would attach to his name.
Final Thoughts –Armor is a by-the-book thriller without the intensity of the standoff.
Plot: A young woman returns to her childhood home to discover strange circumstances surrounding her parents death and the town that she grew up in.
Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: The Path starts when Caitlin (Colwell) learns her big sister Abigail (Hanna) wants to sell their childhood home. They recently lost their parents under strange circumstances and Caitlin decides to investigate more.
When she begins her investigation, she begins seeing strange things around the home. However, the truth behind what is wanted is far more disturbing and Caitlin learns what her family was involved in.
Verdict on The Path
Recap
The movie follows sisters who must make a difficult decision about their future. Their parents have died under strange circumstances and money is running low. However, their desire to learn the truth leads them down a dangerous path.
Best Parts
The movie creates an interesting mystery surrounding what happened to the sisters parents. It also highlights how easily stranger events can be happening in the background of small towns and the basement scene is excellent.
Worst Parts
The movie tends to go too heavy on silly characters. With the biggest confusing and strange moment coming from the opening sequence. Elsewhere, the sisters lack any real chemistry and it was hard to understand where they are in life, despite a tragic event happening to them.
Final Thoughts – The Path has strange moments, but never reaches the terror presented.
