Resident Evil: Final Chapter

Actors: Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Shawn Roberts, Ruby Rose, Eoin Macken, William Levy, Iain Glen

Rating: 7 out of 10, The promised (hopefully) last film in the series as we follow Alice back to the “hive” where the whole apocalypse started in the first movie. Jovovich has grown to be a compelling female action star as she continues her six movie swath cutting through zombie hordes while battling the evil Umbrella Corporation. It’ every bit as silly as it sounds but I remain a fan of this type fare and really enjoyed this last ride with Alice. While this is promised to be the last chapter they did leave themselves a little wiggle room. Nothing is ever final in the Resident Evil world, especially when it makes buckets of money.

MVP: Milla as the irrepressible Alice

John Wick 2

Actors: Keanu Reeves, Common, Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ruby Rose, John Leguizamo, Ian McShane,

Rating: 10 out of 10, I was prepared for a letdown because the first one was so good but I was heartily surprised as this one is possibly better. It is no more believable but provides a lot more texture into the underworld society Wick is trying to escape. Reeves deadpan look is perfect for the Wick part as he mows down a seemingly endless stream of would be foes, usually with his signature headshot but he also touches his own mythology with a very sturdy pencil. A total thrill ride of completely unbelievable but impossible to ignore action. The first great movie of 2017, all the more so since it’s a sequel and had higher expectations to meet.

MVP: Mr Reeves, por favor, who else in the very dangerous title role

Underworld Blood Wars

Actors: Kate Beckinsale,Theo James, Lara Pulver, James Faulkner, Charles Dance

Rating: 6 out of 10, This can be recommended for its only socially redeeming feature – Kate Beckinsale back in skin tight lycra spandex as the heroine vampire fighting against both sides in a vampire versus werewolf war. Tris Prior’s boyfriend, Four, is back to assuage the teenybopper crowd. I really liked the first couple movies in this series but it’s devolved into a loosely assembled series of CGI fights superimposed on a very shaky script. Still hard to ignore that lycra.

MVP: Kate Beckinsale once again as Selene, slinky and deadly