A new mining post security chief on a Jupiter moon investigates a series of deaths. A weak script and iffy science undermine this great-looking SF thriller (emulating Alien and clearly influential on early James Cameron). Doesn’t really deliver on its High Noon in Space promise.
Here’s the trailer.
Investigating a stolen jewel, Poirot finds himself at a luxury resort where there is murder afoot. An if-it-ain’t-broke sequel to Death On The Nile, though this time with the camp dialled right up. Solid cast, a fancy isolated location, a puzzle to solve, no-one taking things too seriously.
Here’s the trailer.
Hercule Poirot must investigate a killing on a luxury sleeper service. Handsome if slightly stagey and camp version of the Agatha Christie stalwart. An awkward backstory and too many starry suspects make for tricky telescoping of the novel, but fans won’t mind a bit.
Here’s the trailer. And a previous review.
An amnesic warrior monk is Earth’s chosen defender against an alien fighter. Ambitious though slightly tatty would-be martial comic-book arts epic. Plenty of fights (though little actual jiu jitsu) and some guest stars (Cage, Grillo, Jaa) in supporting roles: it’s basically a low-budget riff on Predator, though.
Here’s the trailer.
Back from summer camp, a girl finds her mother has a perfect new boyfriend, who is probably just a little too interested in the denizens of the lake by which they live. Creepy, atmospheric and a little bit squishy. Or fishy. Take your pick.
Want another take? Here’s Xussia’s review and here’s the trailer:
A female executive is kidnapped by two men: she escapes and a pursuit begins. Thrilling, fascinating riff on Red Riding Hood with folk horror and mythic as well as more straightforward night-from-hell elements. Well-sustained and managed throughout, with a handful of moments of genius. Recommended.
Here’s the trailer.
1983: a Soviet cosmonaut returns to Earth harbouring a parasite. Very watchable Alien/Quatermass Experiment hybrid, balancing SF horror with a developing romance and a modernist visual sensibility. Doesn’t add much to what we’ve seen before, perhaps, but distinctive in feel and look nevertheless.
Here’s the trailer.
A carload of young adults are trapped on a deserted road by a sniper. Excellent and well-sustained horror/thriller hybrid. Act three is slightly fudged, but overall this is an impressive bit of genre filmmaking that plays fair, maximises the potential of its premise, and delivers in gore and thrills terms. Recommended.
Here’s the trailer.
A former detective returns to Japan from the US: an old friend’s daughter under threat. Neither quite a neo-noir, an action thriller or a study of overseas crime syndicates, The Yakuza tries to be all three with variable results. Slow, but interesting, with flashes of a darker, better, and more violent film lurking.
Here’s the trailer.
Four old men, and the sons of one of their number, are each haunted by a vengeful spirit. Straightforward (and not that scary) adaptation of the Peter Straub novel: it doesn’t gel as a whole, but there are effective sequences and some lovely moments, both in production and performance terms.
Here’s the trailer.
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