Action, 98 Minutes, 2011
The so-called “torture porn” sub-genre of splatter films, epitomized in the modern era by the “Saw” [IMDB] franchise but predating it by decades, is difficult to execute correctly. The point that most low-budget attempts forget is that it isn’t the actual pain being inflicted to the characters. Focusing on purely the physical is, as films go, crude and ultimately boring.
Action, 98 Minutes, 2011
This is a low-budget, ham-fisted thriller that thinks it’s a hell of lot more clever than it really is. Most of the budget is blown on the marquee talent, Dean Cain [IMDB] and Michael Madsen [IMDB]. Both of their careers have taken undeniable downward turns in recent years and neither puts forth his best effort here. Madsen, especially, sleepwalks through his scenes. The rest of the acting is universally terrible.
Action, 131 Minutes, 2001:
You know who makes crappy movies? Truly terrible, criminally awful movies? Robert Redford [IMDB], that’s who! Bad plots, bad scripts, bad acting! All of his movies almost without exception are pure and utter crap! They’re pure drivel without any social value or redemptive quality of any kind! His movies can only appeal to the most debased frat-boy mentality!
Thriller, 95 Minutes, 2008
Thrillers are hard to get just right. There’s an incredibly fine line between a onimous stare and ridiculous mugging. Between a straggled gasp of horror and a barely stifled belch. This gets things so close to right but more often than not we get a belch rather than a gasp .
“The Adjustment Bureau” on IMDB
Sci-fi, 106 Minutes, 2011
First, this was very good. The acting, the pacing, the script – all very good. Matt Damon [IMDB] is as likable as ever, Emily Blunt [IMDB] is insanely hot and who doesn’t like to see John Slattery [IMDB] wandering around? Do not let the following prevent you from seeing this film!
I’m going to spoil quite a bit of this movie. Starting… now.
Adventure, 108 Minutes, 2011
Yet another excellently made Australian movie. (I won’t go into, yet again, how impressed I’ve been by Australian productions lately.) Sure, it’s an “anthem” movie – in this case to caving (as an aside, when did we stop calling it “spelunking”? I liked “Spelunking”!) and underground diving. As you might expect this activity is incredibly specialized and incredibly dangerous and the movie does an excellent job of relating it meaningfully to the audience.
“I Spit on Your Grave” on IMDB
Horror, 108 Minutes, 2010
This is not a movie for a first date… or a third for that matter. Or, in fact, any week were you might want to actually have sex… on second thought make that any month. This is a remake of the controversial 1978 classic horror movie of the same name [IMDB]. Often mislabeled an exploitation film the original was anything but sexual. (While I’m sadly sure that some people must enjoy this kind of brutality it was clearly not the intention of the film to cater to that audience.)
“Texas Killing Fields” on IMDB
Crime Thriller, 105 Minutes, 2011
I have to admit I’d never heard of this movie before. My wife started it before I came into the room and when I saw the title I assumed “B-grade horror”. Then when I started seeing the cast I thought, “Hey – this is an actual real movie!” And indeed it was – A-list actors and everything!
Thriller, 95 Minutes, 2009
While the description and the title may lead you to instantly think “slasher flick” (I did) there’s actually a deeper story here. It doesn’t always work (and sometimes it really doesn’t work) but it’s an honest attempt to break the mold and for that alone it deserves some love.
Horror, 83 Minutes, 2009
I was a little put off when this started up and I discovered the production company was “Mountain Dew Green Label Studios” About 20 minutes in we also get treated to some elaborate art created primarily with Mountain Dew. Yes, this is a movie funded by soda pop and featuring soda pop. (Although, to be fair, they really weren’t that heavy-handed about it.)
