Earning Its Lumps, ‘FATMAN’ Is Neither Naughty Nor Nice Enough

November 9, 2020 by Matt Oakes Posted in Out in Theaters Tagged Chance Hurstfield, Christmas, Eshom Nelms, Fatman, Ian Nelms, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Mel Gibson, Out in Theaters, Reviews, Shaun Benson, Walton Goggins Leave a comment

Fatman’s bizarro Christmas movie pitch is multifaceted in its oddness. Mel Gibson plays a weathered and worn right-wing version of Chris Cringle. Ole Santa slams brews at the local bar, shoots cans off barbed wire fences and uses his omniscience to scare a tempted husband off the scent of an inviting barmaid. You see, Santa is losing the faith as the parents of the world create fewer and fewer children deserving of Christmas presents and his government-contracted paycheck reflects this shortage of joy. Enter a rich, entitled mob boss of a 10-year old brat (Chance Hurstfield) who has tired of coal in his stocking and so hires a holiday-obsessed assassin (played by Walton Goggins) to claim the head of the Fatman as retribution. Read More

Angry Cop Heist ‘DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE’ is Criminally Long ‘Reservoir Dogs’ Redux

March 21, 2019 by Matt Oakes Posted in Out in Theaters Tagged Dragged Across Concrete, Mel Gibson, Out in Theaters, Reviews, S. Craig Zahler, Tory Kittles, Vince Vaughn Leave a comment

Mel Gibson steps back into the limelight after what seemed like an eternity in Hollywood jail to embody Brett Ridgeman, a salty cop peddling on both sides of the law in S. Craig Zahler’s crime-drama Dragged Across Cement. Sure, Gibson’s popped up in a few higher profile studio releases over the past decade but it’s been since the 2011 Jodie Foster-directed The Beaver that he’s been in the pole position leading a film. And, unfortunately, Dragged Across Concrete hardly gives us a chance to celebrate the return of the veteran actor with a troubled history. Read More

Out in Theaters: ‘HACKSAW RIDGE’

November 2, 2016 by Matt Oakes Posted in Out in Theaters Tagged Andrew Garfield, Andrew Knight, Hacksaw Ridge, Mel Gibson, Out in Theaters, Reviews, Robert Schenkkan, Sam Worthington, Terera Palmer, Vince Vaughn 2 Comments

Mel Gibson, he of the religiously verbose variety, has been embroiled in a very public war with Hollywood – and himself – over the last decade. The director of Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ and Apocalpyto became persona non grata when audio of his now famous anti-Semitic rant, followed by threatening messages made to his then-girlfriend Oksana Gregorieva, went public. Ever since, Gibson’s been trying to claw his way back into the good graces of the mainstream and with the double shot of Blood Father and Hacksaw Ridge, may have just found some footing. Read More

Out in Theaters: ‘BLOOD FATHER’

August 12, 2016 by Matt Oakes Posted in Out in Theaters Tagged Erin Moriarty, Jean-François Richet, Mel Gibson, Michael Parks, Out in Theaters, Reviews, William H. Macy 1 Comment

In this summer of blockbuster ipecac, a little gritty revenge thriller goes a long way. We’ve seen one bankrolled mega-flick after another failing to deliver even the most basic of popcorn inertia. By contrast, the lightweight, low-budget action-thriller Blood Father makes it look easy. Well, easyish. Dispensing with the narrative gristle and computer-animated window-dressings, Paris native Jean-François Richet applies the paddles to this most derelict of seasons and squeezes, bringing back to life a blockbuster run that, for all intents and purposes, has proved DOA throughout. All he needed, it turns out, was Mel Gibson and a dash of piss and vinegar. Read More