“Malignant” (Horror/Crime: 1 hour, 51 minutes)

Starring: Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, George Young and Michole Briana White

Director: James Wan

Rated: R (Strong violence, gore and profanity)

Movie Review: This horror movie is a waste of time because of a very unconvincing narrative. It is typical horror themes with a slight twist. The characters’ actions are not sensical. The story is mundane horror material seen in better movies.

Madison Mitchell (Wallis) has visions of violent murders that leave her shocked and disturbed. Surprisingly, she finds the murders did happen as she envisioned them. Madison also receives a call from the killer, indicating they have a connection in some manner. 

Madison, her sister, Sydney Lake (Hasson), and two law-enforcement detectives (Young and White) are searching for answers. As they search for the killer, they learn more of Madison’s eerie past. 

James Wan is the director of this screenplay by Akela Cooper. Wan is known for movies such as “Insidious” (2010), “The Conjuring” (2013) and “Furious 7″ (2015). He knows how to create frights in movies. Here, Wan and writer Akela Cooper merely take passe themes from other horror movies and apply them.

Characters’ actions make no sense. They run into dark rooms to confront a malevolent being and do not turn on lights. They do not telephone law authorities, and police do not call for backup for a killer on the run.

The movie changes from being a horror to something more unrealistic bordering on science-fiction. Not much has an explanation to fill numerous plot holes. The story has plenty of unfinished concepts it never completes in a fulfilling manner.

This narrative is a hodgepodge of themes thrown together to entertain. Some moments manage to shock but most are expected bits.

Grade: C (Malignant writing makes for mediocre entertainment.)

Playing at Valdosta Stadium Cinemas

“Show Me the Father” (Documentary: 1 hour, 31 minutes)

Starring: Deland McCullough, Sherman Smith and Jim Daly

Director: Rick Altizer

Rated: PG (Thematic elements)

Movie Review: “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” 

Those are the words of C.S. Lewis. Too bad, brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick did not follow that advice. The purpose of being a good moviemaker is one knows what to put in and cut from a movie. Director Rick Altizer and the Kendricks missed a perfect opportunity to preach the gospel through one beautiful story. Instead, they focus on multiple stories, when the best one deserved more time.

Fatherhood through the love and guidance of the Heavenly Father is the purpose of this documentary. It is a sermon about men being good fathers through their faith. This is done by showcasing several men who discuss their fathers, their families and their relationship with God Jehovah. The sermon is good. The message is needed with numerous fathers absent from families.

“Show Me the Father” is an interesting documentary. It manages to keep one’s attention because its interviewees are real people who appear like a neighbor next door.

However, this movie would be a better religious documentary if its producers removed themselves from the movie. The best part of this movie are the parts involving Deland McCullough, Sherman Smith and Jim Daly. Their relationships with their dads are intriguing.

Deland McCullough and Sherman Smith deserve a movie of their own. These two men are the documentary’s best example of having a relationship with The Father and our human fathers. They should be this movie’s focus but producers get to digress with their familial inclusions.

Still, “Show Me The Father” is worth following. It has an element of surprise that is worth the wait.

Grade: B- (Show them the money.)

Playing at Valdosta Stadium Cinemas

Adann-Kennn Alexxandar has reviewed movies for more than 20 years for The Valdosta Daily Times.