Month: July 2017

Dead Man Down (2013, dir. Niels Arden Oplev)

A man seeks revenge on the gangster who killed his family. Glum thriller that spends too much time on taking itself too seriously and with obvious mystery and romance subplots. Good technical credits, tho, and fun cameos (Armand Assante, F Murray Abraham).

Vengeance [AKA Vengeance: A Love Story] (2016, dir. Johnny Martin)

A driven cop seeks redemption by hunting four rapists. Low-key drama which can’t make up its mind about its being a character piece or a vigilante flick. Some great incidental moments (the lighting, the stunt-work), but this is ultimately a compromised and unfocused piece.

Doctor Strange (2016, dir. Scott Derrickson)

A vain medic discovers new powers after searching for a cure for lost surgical skills. Satisfactory origin story which suffers from having its source material plundered by other popcult properties, tho gets revenge by borrowing world-bending imagery from Inception.

Fancy a second opinion? Here’s Lemonsquirtle’s take.

Here Alone (2016, dir. Rod Blackhurst)

A woman hides in a forest after the death of her daughter and husband in a zombie outbreak. Low-key and downbeat z-flick which makes the most of its limited resources in focusing on grief and character rather than on splatter.

GoodFellas (1990, dir. Martin Scorsese)

The rise and fall of mob informant Henry Hill. Peerless, confident, cine-literate story of a generation of Mafia-related life, which stands also as a lesson in popular music, Italian cookery, and the storytelling possibilities of cinema. Magical from first frame to last.

The Rainmaker [AKA John Grisham’s The Rainmaker] (1997, dir. Francis Ford Coppola)

A young lawyer takes down a callous insurance company. Slick, mainstream, and linear legal thriller with no surprises but plenty of feel-good under-dog moments. Damon in Mary Sue mode. A professional, anonymous job from its former genius writer/director.

Life On The Line (2015, dir. David Hackl)

Electrical power workers battle their demons, and sometimes, power cuts. Ho-hum drama which can’t decide if it’s interested more in blue-collar soap operatics or in Hawksian camaraderie under pressure, ending up focusing on neither.

Villain (1971, dir. Michael Tuchner)

The fall of a London gangster. Great bit of lowlife Cockney thuggery, with Burton playing a character that has attributes of both Kray twins. Huge strength in depth in the casting, plus lots of quirky detail, and a snarling central performance. Recommended.