A charter vessel captain buys a secondhand boat; it turns out to be haunted. Trashy maritime horror with a solid cast doing their best with scrappy material. There are some effective moments, but the lack of actual story is problematic, as is the way the film gives up in its third act.
Tag: gary oldman
The Courier (2019, dir. Zackary Adler)
A motorcycle courier foils an assassination attempt on a key witness. Genuinely terrible action thriller, shot around limited guest star availability and locations, padded with stock footage and nonsensical city-at-night driving shots of the Thames. Saddled with an abject script, Kurylenko does what she can.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004, dir. Alfonso Cuaron)
Potter is threatened by a notorious escaped prisoner and ally of the Dark Lord. The third in the sequence is a touch darker, expanding the movie universe away from the quest-based adventures of parts 1 and 2. A step up all around, with confident direction, better effects, and actors maturing into their roles.
True Romance (1993, dir. Tony Scott)
A pop-culture geek finds true love and a suitcase of cocaine. A modern fairy story, an ode to the movies, and a movie nerd’s fantasy script come together; riffing on Malick’s Badlands and wearing its references on its sleeve, True Romance stands up well to this day, and has a cast of up-and-comers and veterans to die dor.
The Laundromat (2019, dir. Steven Soderbergh)
A widow investigates an insurance company; a complicated web of financial fraud unravels. Superficially similar to The Big Short and Vice in its mix of drama, comedy and mockumentary, The Laundromat offers a clear and accessible primer to the Panama Papers scandal, and to Mossack (Oldman) and Fonseca (Banderas), both gleeful at its heart.
Hunter Killer (2018, dir. Donovan Marsh)
A US submarine captain attempts to prevent a rogue minister-led coup in Russia. Old-fashioned military thriller aping the likes of Tom Clancy. Not bad while its on, though there’s not one surprise; a game cast of character actors play the material straight.
Hannibal (2001, dir. Ridley Scott)
Clarice Starling is helped by a former victim of Lecter’s to find the escaped Hannibal. Elegant sequel to The Silence of the Lambs with Lecter repositioned as an antihero. Lots to enjoy if you go with it, though it lacks the impact of its predecessor.
The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017, dir. Patrick Hughes)
A down-on-his-luck bodyguard has to escort his former nemesis to a court hearing. Passable road movie / action comedy with a game cast doing its best with average material. Some fun bickering and fighting though, and a weird sense of UK geography.
The Fifth Element (1997, dir. Luc Besson)
A New York cabbie teams up with an alien to save the planet from invaders. A delirious delight, The Fifth Element isn’t for everyone, but its over-the-top camp and stunning design work makes it an ideal double bill with Mike Hodges’ Flash Gordon.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014, dir. Matt Reeves)
Ten years after the events of Rise, apes and humans come into contact with each other. Superior monkey military parable fun, with hawks and doves in human and ape camps alike, arguing for armageddon and peace respectively. Inevitably, though, war erupts.
255 Review 