Author: Laurie Coker

I can’t help but wonder how many little boys or girls dream of flying planes. Do most youngsters want to design games or engineer the next best tech tool? In my mind, being a pilot seems like a life of glamour and excitement. And then there is the thrill of controlling something so … well,… Continue reading The Pilot: A Battle for Survival

‘The 355’ Strange title, but as obscure movie titles typically go, its origin is revealed during some not so random moment in the film. Sadly, ‘The 355,’ a gender flipping, mission impossible, flounders in every aspect and misses its mark. Its super-powered, all-star cast promises far more than the film delivers. Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o,… Continue reading The 355

By Laurie Coker Rating: D+/C- It is true, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” With these words comes an image of a woman bent on revenge and the victim or victims in her wake. ‘Hell Hath No Fury’s’ title evokes a similar representation, but director Jesse V. Johnson and writer Katharine Lee McEwan… Continue reading HELL HATH NO FURY

By Laurie Coker Rating: C- Jamie Lee Curtis still draws viewers and apparently, the makers of ‘Halloween Kills’ know it. They tout her as the star of the latest in the Michael Myers slasher saga and yet, she has fewer than fifteen minutes of screen time. Co-writer/director David Gordon Green, along with Danny McBride and… Continue reading HALLOWEEN KILLS

By Laurie Coker Rating: C Campiness in a movie can be a great deal of fun, but overdone humor can wear thin pretty quickly. ‘Venom: Let There be Carnage’ spins with special effects and classy CGI, but falls short on story substance and dialogue. Director Andy Serkis delivers an impressive amount of “carnage,” and Tom… Continue reading VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE

By Laurie Coker Rating: A Old-school, gritty Westerns are challenging to come by, or so it seems, but ‘Old Henry,’ starring Tim Blake Nelson, comes as close to a true cowboy flick as any of late. Writer/director Potsy Ponciroli has created a slow-burn Western filled with twists and turns. The perfect vehicle for Nelson, ‘Old… Continue reading OLD HENRY

By Laurie Coker Rating: C- Clint Eastwood’s filmmaking in front and behind the camera is legendary and iconic. He has created unique, memorable characters and directed impressive films. Now in his 90’s, the veteran is still drawing at the box office, but perhaps, this is the time to sit back and enjoy his later years.… Continue reading CRY MACHO

By Laurie Coker Rating: C There seems to be a more noticeable trend now for taking traditional male roles and casting women in them, especially in the violent action film genre. The problem with this lies in the fact that these stories aren’t fresh. Director Cedric Nicolas-Troyan makes a genuine effort to create an action-packed… Continue reading KATE

By Laurie Coker Rating: C+/B- Admittedly, horror films don’t thrill me. I prefer old-school scary movies like Hitchcock’s. He knew how to terrify with implication and camera angles and not gratuitous violence and floods of blood. Director James Wan’s ‘Malignant’ does use some impressive approaches to the terror factor, but ultimately, he relies far too… Continue reading MALIGNANT