Eddie Brock unwittingly infects a condemned killer with a symbiote. Shouty sequel which is at least brief, splashy, and has a committed central performance. Plus, it feels like a comic. Unfortunately, it’s also unfunny, nigh plotless, and wastes some considerable onscreen (mostly Brit) talent.
Here’s the trailer.
A Tokyo-based assassin has 24 hours to get revenge on the yakuza chief who fatally poisoned her. The 1940s noir D.O.A., basically, as a stylised action movie. Okay as far as it goes, though the rote script and a fetishized approach to Japanese pop culture detracts from Mary Elizabeth Winstead badassery and intermittently-terrific action choreography.
Here’s the trailer.
Six months after the Pearl Harbour attack, the Japanese and US navies battle in the Pacific. Clunkily-scripted military action-drama that doesn’t have quite the effects budget needed to pull off its ambitious visual ideas. Poor lighting of greenscreen work doesn’t help. A decent cast of hunks and character actors do what they can.
Ten years after the events of Zombieland; tensions split the group, but new threats emerge. Horror-comedy z-sequel that offers pretty much the same as before, though with inevitably diminished returns. Fine for those who liked the first one, though there’s little here for anyone else.
Two retired lawmen are recruited to hunt down and kill Bonnie and Clyde. Handsome but slow period thriller that can’t quite make up its mind if it wants to go for drama or action. Well-played, though, with a great Thomas Newman score, evoking Road To Perdition.
After stumbling across the proceeds from a drug deal gone wrong, a Vietnam veteran is pursued by an implacable hitman. Astonishing thriller about violence, randomness and fate, which works also as a contemporary (it’s set in 1980) borderlands Western.
A Han Solo origin tale. After a clunky and stagey first act, this heist western SF hybrid finds its feet, even though its nominal lead is a black hole around which much more interesting support stuff occurs. Inconsequential.
A woman pursues justice for her murdered daughter. Offbeat black comedy-drama with little concession to likeability or straightforwardness. Hugely enjoyable, though, with great performances, and keeps always on the right side of quirky.
Want a second opinion? Here’s Lemonsquirtle’s.
A modest biopic of Lyndon Johnson, focusing on his succession from Kennedy. Straightforward and sympathetic to its protagonist, with good performances from a quality cast – Richard Jenkins comes off best – and only marginally-distracting (though excellent) prosthetics.
Caesar comes up against a military leader determined to wipe apes from the planet. Downbeat but impressive third and final part of the trilogy; a more introspective movie than its predecessors but stirring nevertheless.
Another opinion? Here’s Lemonsquirtle’s review.
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