Film Feature: 10 of 2015’s Worst Films, By Spike Walters & Patrick McDonald

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“Danny Collins” “Ricki and the Flash” “Rock the Kasbah”

‘Danny Collins’ ‘Ricki and the Flash’ ‘Rock the Kasbah’
Photo credit: Bleecker Street Media, Sony Pictures Releasing, Open Road Films (II)

A three-for-one category that exposed a deadly trend in genre filmmaking – old movie stars portraying aging rock ‘n roll characters. “Danny Collins” featured Al Pacino as his “hoo-ha” finest as a rocker trying for redemption in the most awkward and unrealistic way. “Ricki and the Flash” had a horrible script (by “Juno” scribe Diablo Cody), and threw away a stellar cast headed by Meryl Streep as rocker Ricki. And finally, Bill Murray in one of the most misguided and Ugly American old-rocker-themed films, “Rock the Kasbah.” What they all have in common is idiotic stories, while the potential for exploring the 1960s generation in older contemplation is wasted. It can be all summed up by three words – “Al Pacino sings.” (PM)

“The Cobbler”

The Cobbler
Photo credit: Image Entertainment

This movie almost has to be seen to be believed – it’s most shocking quality is that it exists at all. Adam Sandler is a cobbler who, thanks to his dear old dad’s magic shoe repair machine, is able to slip into the identity of other people merely by slipping on their shoes. The film, directed by Tom McCarthy of this year’s lauded “Spotlight,” is a series of one incomprehensible miscalculation after another. It ends up with Sandler putting on dear old dad’s shoes and doing Oedipus one better by taking his own mother for a romantic night on the town. Once this is seen, it cannot be forgotten. (SW)

“Hot Pursuit”

Hot Pursuit
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

This is a film that propels itself on the premise that screaming every line makes them funnier, and one of the dialogue screamers is Sofia Vergara. A “buddy” comedy (by the dart throwers of Warner Bros.) of the lowest form, it teams Vergara with…wait for it…Reese Witherspoon. Both actresses have proved adept at comedy before, but it’s obvious that they need decent material to deliver. Some of the “gags” include a rolling suitcase that Vergara’s character keeps dragging around, a cocaine truck that explodes (uh-huh), menstruation jokes and Witherspoon dressing up as Justin Bieber (which emphasizes once and for all how girlish JB looks). Also the winner of the laziest movie title of the year – it should come with its own hammock. (PM)

“Our Brand Is Crisis”

Our Brand Is Crisis
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

This is the movie that filled me with a sense of fury and anger. – not at the political operatives blatantly manipulating the populace for morally dubious ends, but at the filmmakers for stealing two hours from my life which I’ll never get back. Who exactly is this film for anyway? It’s a smug, inept satire that can’t be bothered to entertain, since it’s too busy patting itself on the back for having a faux cynicism about the world of politics. This is a movie too full of itself and its condescension towards eveything else to realize how dumb it really is. (SW)

“Entourage”

Entourage
Photo credit: Warner Bros.

One of the most anticipated TV-series-to-movie transitions became one of the biggest bombs of the year, by exposing the sins of the original HBO series in a confined two hour format. What began in 2004 as a mid-level adventure of four New York City street guys in the soft environs of Los Angeles movie stardom devolved into this junk, revealing the misogyny, male menopause and weird agendas of the aging characters – Jerry “Turtle” Ferrara, for example, wanted his weight loss pointed out about thirty times. It was all just very uncomfortable within a two hour story, with Billy Bob Thornton and Haley Joel Osment lending their six names to an already crowded cast list. It begged for Billy Bob and Jeremy Piven’s toupees to come to life and have a drain clogging contest. Distributed by Warner Bros., you guys stay classy. (PM)

CLICK HERE for the 10 Best Films of 2015 by Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com.

Happy New Year from HollywoodChicago.com to our loyal readers. We love you, man!

By PATRICK McDONALD Writer, Editorial Coordinator HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com