Last Stop in Yuma County (2024)

A gas station, hotel, and diner sit together on an otherwise empty stretch of highway in Arizona. The gas truck is late, so anyone stopping to fill up has to wait since the next station is 100 miles away. Soon there are about half a dozen people nursing coffees in the diner -- two of whom just robbed a bank and are antsy to get going.

There's not a lot of dialogue and only a tad more plot, but it works. The characters behave believably for the most part and the jittery tension grew as the minutes passed. 

B

It's What's Inside (2024)

The day before one of them is getting married, a group of college friends reunite for the first time in almost a decade. One of them -- the black sheep who made good in tech -- has brought along a machine that allows the consciousness of each person connected to the machine via electrode to jump into the body of another participant. After the initial shock, the group enjoys the experience and starts playing a "guess who's in whom" game.

There's absolutely no question that this is a terrific premise, but the camerawork keeps shoving story out of the way to say "look how fast I can spin! see how quick I can cut! pay attention to all of my tricks!" I was disoriented and had a hard time keeping things straight. Really too bad because I liked what was underneath the effects.

C+

Killer Heat (2024)

Drunken PI with some demons is hired by a woman to investigate the death of her brother in law (her husband's identical twin). The case has been closed as accidental and the family into which she's married is very private and very powerful, so she wants him to keep quiet about what he's doing. 

I knew what was going on from the moment I heard "twin," so it became a matter of just waiting until the reveal to confirm that the obvious was true. There is a little twist at the very end, but it's not enough to alter my view of this as a by-the-numbers waste of time.

C-

The Nest (2020)

A thriller with Jude Law and Carrie Coon and a title that sounds promisingly insidious? Well, it's spooky season, so yes please!

Law (British) is the second husband of Coon (American) and they seem to be flourishing in the states, along with their their two children. But he says he's got a big opportunity in England and wants to move the family there and, since it's the '80s and he's the man of the house, there they go. They're in a huge mansion, living way beyond their means, and everyone's struggling in their new country -- including Law who can't land the deals he's working.

Unhappy family, big spooky estate -- we were teed up for the big scares. And then they never came. The whole movie was basically "toxic man uproots his family based on a hopeful fabrication and it doesn't pay off."

C

The Teachers' Lounge (2023)

Carla Nowak is in her first year of teaching at a new school. After several thefts, one of her students is accused and quickly exonerated of being the culprit. When Ms. Nowak lays a trap for the thief and it yields a suspect, she finds herself on the outs with parents and students, as well as faculty and staff.

This felt almost like a thriller. It took me a long time to finish because I was so emotionally affected by the tension, unfairness, and mob mentality. Making Nowak a bit of an outsider worked quite well here as no one was inclined to be on her side out of loyalty. All of that said, I'm dinging it a bit for the unsatisfying (and, frankly, confusing) ending.

B