THE FOREST [2016]

Director Jason Zada makes his feature-length debut with The Forest, a film that resembles something that should be scary but ends up falling flat on it's lifeless little face.
Natalie Dormer plays duel roles as a twin that sets out to Japan in search of her sister who went missing in the infamous Aokigahara forest, known mostly for being a popular site for an uncanny number of suicides.
It's an interesting setting (if not a wee bit insensitive to it's past) but unfortunately it doesn't do a whole to make the best of the creepy atmosphere that was handed to the film-makers on a silver platter.  There's plenty of lazy plot unfolds, sloppily written character choices and a large abundance of tired "scares" that come at all the predicted beats.
At least composer Bear McCreary's excellent end credits cue is worth sticking around for.

1 ranger station out of 5

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 2 [2015]

Director Francis Lawrence finally brings The Hunger Games films series to a close with Mockingjay - Part 2, the 2nd part of the adaptation of the final book.
Katniss & a team of rogue allies go on a dangerous mission to assissinate President Snow once and for all.
With the drawn-out pointlessness of the previous film, Part 2 charges forward with it's action sequences (and mild plot development) to the finish line with grim delight.  However, it's too late, the boring damage of Part 1 is done and makes it difficult to really give much of a crap anymore.  It'd be easier to care if the leading characters had any sort of personality whatsoever but that went out the window when the series started.  As an admirer of The Games, the film is entertaining enough to feel good about finally letting it go but it's heavy faults really can't go unnoticed.

2½ tiger-ladies out of 5

THE COUNSELOR [2013]

With Ridley Scott directing a star-studded cast in an original screenplay by novelist Cormac McCarthy I was expecting quite a bit from The Counselor but in the end found much to be desired.
The first hour drags quite a bit with more than enough quirky criminal monologues about next to nothing to make you wonder if it's supposed to be funny.  The second half of the film is where things get interesting and more intense as several themes of sexuality, human nature, death and consequences begin to be explored.  McCarthy's novels are near poetic perfection but his film dialogue isn't quite as interesting and this film is built on spoken words rather than actions.  There's plenty of memorable moments but it simply doesn't satisfy the hunger for a smarter thriller than this.

3 car fuckers out of 5