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MOVIES THAT SUCK! “Tin Soldier.” / “The Ruse.” / “Breaking News in Yuba County.” / “The Girl with a Bracelet.” / “Autumn Lights.” / “Stray.”

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“Tin Soldier” (2025, Hulu) action thriller . When the leader of a dangerous cult triggers a standoff with authorities, a former soldier returns to the compound he left years earlier to find his missing wife and square off against the man he used to follow.          Regardless of its proven lure: Jamie Foxx. Robert De Niro, John Leguizamo , plus Scott Eastwood (Clint's son) and reliable support characters Yul Vazquez and Saïd Taghmaoui, this project by Brad Furman still qualifies as B-movie fare, with some explosions.          “Tin Soldier” is scattered or fragmented, acting is extraordinarily overacted (especially Mr Foxx) and simply a messy heap of genre cliches. 🎥💻📽 “The Ruse” (2024, Tubi) thriller film. A young in-home caregiver fears for her life after being assigned to a mysterious, elderly patient in a remote seaside home.         This little movie by a ...
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LIAM NEESON. “Blacklight.” / “The Grey.” / “Cold Pursuit.”

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“Blacklight” (2022, Pluto TV) action thriller film . Stars Liam Neeson as a brooding FBI fixer who becomes involved in a government conspiracy.         With a production budget of $43 million, this movie only grossed about $16 million worldwide, making it a box-office bomb . Not hard to believe that. Definitely, this is one of Mr Neeson 's worst performances and/or movies.         The storyline is scattered with crisscrossing subplots and unpursued back stories, nothing new or exciting about the action sequences, and acting is “another day on the job” uninspired. 🎥💻📽 “Cold Pursuit” (2019, Netflix) action thriller film . Follows a vengeful snowplow driver, Nels Coxman, who starts killing the members of a drug cartel following the murder of his son. Stars Liam Neeson as Nels.          Stylish direction by Hans Petter Moland , from Frank Baldwin's script, a remake ...
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GERARD BUTLER. “Kandahar.” / “Last Seen Alive.” / “Copshop.”

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“Kandahar” (2023, Sling) spy action thriller film , loosely based on actual events, the story follows a CIA operative and his translator who flee Afghanistan after their covert mission is exposed. Stars Gerard Butler.          Mr Butler's CIA and ex-MI6 Tom Harris’ bearded macho posturing is easily the highlight of this movie, forget that this is all a lame derivative of the usual Americans/Europeans warring elsewhere cliché. With some stabs at guilt? And the battle scenes are short of spectacular. 🎥💻📽 “Last Seen Alive” (2022, Hulu) action thriller. A man takes the law into his own hands in the search for his missing wife.         A critic mentioned that this movie is “achingly similar” to that of the 1997 Kurt Russell film “ Breakdown.” I saw that movie but I am not bothered by the similarity. Many movies manage to project “original” identities although loosely based on previous films (such as Akira...
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ACTION DRAMA. “The Wrecking Crew.” / “The Rip.” / “Silent Night.” / “Warrior.”

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“The Wrecking Crew” (2026, Amazon Prime) buddy cop action comedy. Private investigator Walter Hale is killed in an apparent hit and run in Hawaii . His sons, estranged half-brothers US Navy SEAL James and suspended police detective Jonny, are informed of his passing.          This is a Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista weekend, guys! Bring out the Coleman cooler of Coronas and seafood boil and enjoy!         All macho shit, I know. Yet this movie's charm and wit are infectiously unavoidable. The story is flimsy, I know. But the awesome action sequences + the smart-ass attitude are sheer delight! The highway spectacle, featuring Morena Baccarin on the wheels, is worth a bottoms-up chug-along. Morena is the top macho on that one.         And it looks like there's a sequel, upcoming? Let it roll! 🎥💻📽 “The Rip” (2026, Netflix) action thriller film written and directed...
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“This is Spinal Tap.” / “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.”

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“This is Spinal Tap” (1984, HBO Max) mockumentary comedy film directed by Rob Reiner . Christopher Guest , Michael McKean , and Harry Shearer are members of the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap .         Mr Reiner and the stars wrote the screenplay, though most of the dialogue was improvised. The band (or actors) wrote and performed all the songs.         I didn't see this satire when it was first shown decades ago. Now, I agree Spinal Tap's cult status is justified. Ruthlessly funny, brilliantly edited, loosely acted. Wicked is the word. But wicked-hilarious. 🎥👍📽 “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” (2025, Amazon Prime) mockumentary comedy film directed by Rob Reiner . The sequel to “ This Is Spinal Tap ” (1984) about the members of the fictional heavy metal band Spinal Tap as they reunite for one final show.           Christopher Guest , Michael McKean ...
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