Skyscraper (2018)

★★½
Like The Towering Inferno but without the crowded room of famous actors, Skyscraper does what you would expect it to do given the premise of a burning high rise and the presence of Dwayne Johnson. It's the kind of movie Sylvester Stallone would have made if this idea had been brought to him in the '80s. With a building falling apart around him and hindered by animated fire that is far from being perfected, Johnson barrels through the action with his signature gruffy tough-guy personality, but this time he has family placed at risk, which gives him the opportunity to show a softer side that works and is a welcome change of pace for the actor. A few surprises here and there keep the interest level high. For once, a Dwayne Johnson character is vulnerable and could fail. Late in the movie he realizes he no longer controls his destiny, and this results in a tender moment with his daughter to assure her of his love for her. The rest of the movie, though, feels like a retread of better action movies.

Growing Up with I Spit on Your Grave (2019)

★★★
Terry Zarchi's mistitled Growing Up with I Spit on Your Grave (more on that later) expands upon previous examinations of Meir Zarchi's cult classic that appeared on D.V.D. releases and presents an informative behind-the-scenes look at the infamous shocker from 1978. He brings together a wide array of commentators and cast members to discuss how the movie came together, the experience of filming its notorious rape scenes and the Streisand Effect that the negative reviews had on home video sales. Star Camille Keaton has spoken frequently on her involvement and her belief in the project, but the younger Zarchi goes one step further by obtaining interviews with actors Eron Tabor and Gunter Kleemann, who both explain how they got their roles and go over what they thought of the content when they read the script. Crew members and film critics chime in, but Zarchi's use of social media to recruit commentators both for and against the movie is a level of fan outreach that I've never seen before.