Slow burn, low key noirish drama sees Guy Pearce come to terms with actions in his past after visiting a fortune teller. An interesting premise that falls flat due to never knowing what to do with the central idea. Good hair from Pearce, though. 😐
Month: February 2018
China Salesman (2017, Dir. Tan Bing)
This film is absolute crap in every possible way – made me want to set myself on fire. Watch it, if only for the novelty value of seeing what happens if a crazy-drunk conversation is taken seriously and made into a film. Sadly, it can not be unseen.
Logan Lucky (2017 Dir. Steven Soderbergh)
Red-neck heist movie. The plot jumps around a tad wildly but the whole thing holds together pretty well. Has a Coen brothers feel to it yet lacks the fun aspect and the characters you need, but enjoyable none the less.
Unthinkable (2010, dir. Gregor Jordan)
An FBI agent and a CIA torturer clash over the questioning of a terrorist. Low-budget but decent moral quandary thriller with some effective performances though ultimately no real answers.
The Wall (2016, dir. Doug Liman)
Two US soldiers are pinned down by a sniper. Low-key but well-sustained thriller with a straightforward premise, anchored by a couple of good performances and by direction that’s well-conceived enough not to make the piece stagey.
Hellraiser: Judgement (2018, Dir. Gary J. Tunnicliffe)
Hard to like mish-mash. Gruesome drippy visuals and gore weaved into a detective story that makes no real sense. Another poor attempt at dragging out a Franchise that was never really very good anyway. Watch if bored only.
After Earth (2013, dir. M. Night Shyamalan)
An estranged father and son have to work together to survive on a hostile planet. Contrived and awkwardly-structured SF/horror; an obvious Smith family passion project. One great jumpscare aside, though, this is minor work from all.
I, Robot (2004, dir. Alex Proyas)
In 2035, a robot-hating detective investigates the suicide of a tech genius. CG-heavy SF action thriller based very loosely on Isaac Asimov stories. Some interesting production design, but linear and clunky plotting make this hollow, despite star Will Smith’s obvious charisma.
Escape Room (2017, dir. Will Wernick)
Four friends visit an escape room; except they’re trapped with a malevolent entity. Low-budget horror that riffs neatly on a current trend, and works well to hide its many borrowings (everything from Hellraiser to Saw). Not great at all, but some interesting moments.
The Cloverfield Paradox (2018, dir. Julius Onah)
A space station tasked with saving the Earth from energy crisis is transported to a parallel dimension. Good-looking, well-cast, but dumb-as-rocks sidequel to Cloverfield / 10 Cloverfield Lane that steals indiscriminately (Gravity to Evil Dead II) but can’t settle in terms of tone or logic.
255 Review 