2022

AMC+

"When a wanna-be rapper learns his ex-girlfriend is engaged to his rival, he teams up with three other misfits to steal her wedding diamonds and win her back."

Karan Soni or Dopinder from Deadpool is the only guy people will recognize

2023

AMC+

"Benita Parla (Julia Mayorga) seeks to rebuild her life after starting work at an antique store. She regains her confidence while working with her kind employer Peter Kessler (Alan Cumming). At the same time, she also meets one of her friends Diana Van der Laar (Katie Holmes) who is living with mental illness."

It was not bad but maybe kind of slow.

i did not recognize Saundra Santiago from Miami Vice playing the mom.

She was awful on that show but pretty good in this movie.

The Anderson Tapes Amazon Prime
Sean Connery. Directed by Sidney Lumet. 1971
A recently paroled thief plans the heist of a luxury apartment building, not realizing he's stumbled into a heavily surveilled sting operation set by The Feds.

I haven't seen "The Anderson Tapes" since it was on the NBC Monday Night Movie a hundred years ago. Of course, it's dated, -the computers use keypunch cards, and the listening devices are reel-to-reel, and, of course, there are plenty of slurs that wouldn't fly today. However, it has an interesting premise, and Sidney Lumet was generally a reliable director ("Dog Day Afternoon" "Serpico"). Lumet has a great supporting cast (including a very young Christopher Walken), and he knows how to showcase New York and its distinctive attitude. Unfortunately, the film is middling at best. The film takes a lowkey procedural approach to the story, cutting back-and-forth between Sean Connery setting up the plan and various Federal operations tracking his plan. It pretty much abandons Suspense for Character, playing a lot of it for humor between the criminals and the quirky tenants being robbed.

1992 Lionsgate Films Blu-Ray
Tyrese Gibson, Ray Liotta. Directed by Ariel Vroman. 2024
In 1992, Mercer is desperately trying to rebuild his life and relationship with his son amidst the turbulent 1992 L.A. uprising following the Rodney King verdict. Across town, another father and son plot a dangerous heist to steal catalytic converters, which contain valuable platinum, from the factory where Mercer works. As tensions rise in Los Angeles and chaos erupts, both families reach their boiling points when they collide.

"1992" is a solid Heist Film set against the backdrop of the Rodney King riots in South Central. Tyrese Gibson is quite good in the lead role and Ray Liotta gets to be a badass one last time. The first half of the film really throws you into the violence, chaos and anger of the riots. However, the film eventually becomes more of a conventional cat-and-mouse showdown in a factory. It's certainly entertaining but I needed a finale that returned to the aftermath of the riots and what happens next for the father and son.

Point Break Shout! Factory 4K
Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. 1991
FBI agent Johnny Utah goes undercover to infiltrate a cadre of Southern California surfers suspected of robbing banks.

I find "Point Break" a profoundly silly movie but damn it sure is memorable. It certainly was one of Patrick Swayze's most iconic roles, perfectly suited to his charisma and physicality. Kathryn Bigelow's action scenes are terrific, including a car chase, an epic foot race, and that final bank robbery scene. The movie doesn't make much sense, -Johnny Utah blows his cover with Bodhi and his gang early in the film and yet they still play cat-and-mouse for another hour or so, -but it's such an adrenaline-fueled fantasy that it's absolutely intoxicating.

Amazon Prime

This has to be one of the worst movies of 2024 and should get some Rassie nominations.

I own this on 4K.

With the exception of Nancy Allen who is not a really good actress it remains a classic

2023

Hulu

"When catastrophic floods submerge London, a new mother embarks on a dangerous journey to find a safe refuge, all the while trying to protect her baby from the surrounding chaos."

If you want to see Jodie Comer nude and pregnant in a bath tub and a topless scene you get your wish.

AMC +

A generic end of the world flick and it has Nic Cage on the title but he appears in maybe 2 or 3 scenes

2022

AMC+

"Having split everything in their lives after the break-up, former couple Nina and Allen compete in a ludicrous custody battle for their favourite watering hole."

It felt more like a TV show than a movie

Black Cab (2024)

Is a Horror film? Is it a Thriller?

Director Bruce Goodison & Writer Virginia Gilbert don't seem to know either.

Nick Frost & Synnøve Karlsen are solid but they are absolutely wasted in this absolute 87-minute slog.

Slingshot Decal Releasing Blu-Ray
Casey Affleck, Laurence Fishburne. Directed by Mikael Halstrom. 2024
An astronaut struggles to maintain his grip on reality aboard a possibly fatally compromised mission to Saturn's moon, Titan.

You often read in movie reviews, "This film plays like an episode of 'The Twilight Zone'", and "Slingshot" is a perfect example. Three astronauts on a mission to Titan react badly to their "Hibernation" drugs, and struggle to keep their grip on reality. It's a competent Paranoid Thriller. The middle of the film probably repeats the premise a little too much, with flashbacks to how Casey Affleck joined the mission mixed with hallucinations that suggest the crew is turning on him. Can he trust the others or even himself? It all leads to a well-structured climax that will either sell the whole film to you or having you feeling like you've wasted your time.

Strange Darling (2023)





I first noticed Willa Fitzgerald in season 1 of Reacher so having her as the lead in this drew me in and I wasn't disappointed. Fantastic performances here, along with some familiar faces and excellent photography by Giovanni Ribisi. As others have said, go in cold and avoid spoilers if you're going to watch this film for the first time to enjoy the full experience. I'm glad I did. Absolutely recommended.

Smile 2 Paramount Pictures
Naomi Scott. Directed by Parker Finn. 2024
About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.

"Smile 2" has a body slam of a pre-credit sequence and that helps keep the slow burn of the first half of the film tolerable. The film is definitely a showcase for Naomi Scott, -perhaps too much of a showcase, as the film is long, -but she's a much more convincing "Pop Star" than M Night's daughter in "Trap". Parker Finn maintains a genuinely creepy vibe throughout the film, the jumps are effective, and the violent bits genuinely made me wince.

The Big Racket (1976, Dir. Enzo Castellari) – This is one of the craziest movies I’ve ever seen. And it was a blast to watch. Falling under the “poliziotteschi” genre, it’s basically about a bunch of degenerate hoodlums that are going around town trying to exploit shop owners into paying them protection money. And due to some pretty large lapses of judgment on behalf of the police, and a somewhat over-the-top flailing justice system, the criminals manage to escape punishment. That is, until one cop goes rogue, and enlists the help of several of the townsfolk that have been wronged by said criminals (and when I say “wronged,” I mean wronged (i.e. fucked your wife, killed your daughter wrong); like, they have pretty solid reasons for wanting revenge, even though their losses are largely due to decisions made by the same rogue cop that is now enlisting them in his extra-judicial ways). Not the most logical movie, but really fun nonetheless. Insanely violent and vicious at times, and extremely compelling. Not to mention the killer score that accompanies the film. There were tons of great ‘70s Italian crime pictures, but this has to be one of the best. And when the so-called “juvenile delinquents” (they’re all CLEARLY in their late 20s/early 30s, so not exactly juveniles but whatever) meet their fates, you can’t help but be thrilled. This is a movie to savor. Once I watch the other film in the Arrow Blu-Ray collection, I’m sooooo delving into the bonus features, cause I want to know more about this glorious film.


The Heroin Busters (1977, Dir. Enzo Castellari) – While a slight step down from the above-mentioned film, this one is still another solid entry in the poliziotteschi genre. Once again starring the talented Fabio Testi, as the title implies, this film sees his character go undercover to bust a multi-national drug running empire, with Italy being the focal point. With a globe-spanning, quite thrilling opening sequence, the film maintains a steady pace all the way up until the end, where it kind of tapers off.





Regardless of that, leading up to it is quite a vicious journey, as the film doesn’t shy away from showing the real-life effects of heroin on the general population, and the depressing lives of those that have become hooked on the drug. And? What a thrilling score by Goblin (although, I must say, even that kind of tapers off towards the end of the pic for whatever reason; almost as though the band couldn’t figure out what sounds could enhance the final sequence and help make it compelling). Also has David Hemmings in a somewhat limited role, most likely to help sell the movie to more markets around the world (it’s not like he was ever a huge star, but his name was known from stuff like Blow-Up and Deep Red). An enjoyable movie, but not on par with his previous, The Big Racket.



A Man On His Knees (1979, Dir. Damiano Damiani) – Wow. Wow. An incredible movie, beginning and ending with the same amazing, pulse-pounding score. Featuring a superb performance from Guiliano Gemma, and an equally compelling performance from his primary antagonist, played by Michele Placido. The whole story is about Gemma’s character, an ex-con turned coffee kiosk proprietor, who is mistakenly identified as being involved in a mob related kidnapping and is thus sentenced to be killed. Placido plays the hitman sent to perform the duty. Never following the narrative pathway that you’d expect, and yet feeling all the more realistic for it. This is a great, great movie. Probably Damiani’s best (even better than the great movies he did with Franco Nero). I was just stunned by this movie. And it really comes down to the excellent writing and the exceptional, yet seemingly low-key direction. An excellent look at corruption and the effect of organized crime on the innocent. And a case study of those that have reformed and try to lead a better life, only to be dragged down by forces out of their control. I LOVE THIS MOVIE.



The Iron Prefect (1977, Dir. Pasquale Squitieri) – Another very good (but not quite great) ‘70s Italian movie about the Mafia and corruption in Sicily. This time, BASED ON A TRUE STORY, Guiliano Gemma plays “The Iron Prefect” sent to Palermo to clean up the territory and do away with the bandits and mafioso that are devastating the general population. Unlike the other ‘70s Italian movies I’ve recently watched, this is a much more elegant and refined movie (not that that’s a mark against those other movies, it’s just stylistically much different and feels like “fine dining” whereas those other films were more like cheap, but delicious “fast food,” if that analogy makes sense). Ultimately the efforts to clear out the mafia may prove fruitless, however, as the mafia’s tentacles run far and deep. Well shot, well written. Just a good solid movie. I probably lean towards the more “exploitation-style” when it comes to these sorts of movies, but I have to admit this was a nice change of pace. And I can see why it won a bunch of Italian movie awards.

The Savages (2007, Dir. Tamara Jenkins) – I have to say I was actually a little disappointed in this. I mean, it seemed to get rave reviews almost across the board when it was released way back when. And I had heard that it was a dramedy, but if that’s the case then it really leans into the drama, with a few, few comedic bits sprinkled in. And even then, the humor is very caustic and biting. It’s not laugh out loud funny. It just has the odd line reading that maybe makes you crack a semi-grin. And that’s mainly due to the phenomenal acting across the board. Like, you can’t find any fault with the performances by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney (I think Linney is still underrated; I mean, she’s been nominated for multiple awards, but I always get the sense that oftentimes she’s like the second or third choice for a lot of the roles she gets, and that shouldn’t be the case). Anyway, those two are great and they totally come across as siblings in the movie. And Philip Bosco (who, every time I see him, despite being in several movies, I always like Law & Order cause I swear I’ve seen him play a judge on multiple episodes) is really sad and touching. And actually, one of the standouts is Gbenga Akinnagbe, who I mostly know from his excellent performance on The Wire. His performance rings true and he’s such a welcome addition to the cast. I feel this guy really deserves larger roles. I know he’s continued to work since The Wire (pretty sure he was in The Deuce) but man, he’s so talented. He stole the scenes he was in with Linney, and that’s not easy to do. And character actor Peter Friedman, who has one of those faces where you’re just like, you recognize him instantly but you’re not quite sure where, cause he has had smaller roles in all sorts of productions, television and film. Margo Martindale has a small role and she’s always reliable. Anyway, yeah, this really feels like an actor’s movie. Fantastic performances, but I’m not quite sure what to think of the movie as a whole. I certainly wouldn’t have it in my top ten of 2007, but it would kind of be in the middle of the pack. Not bad, by any means, but not great. And if you can get it for like $10 like I did (the DVD, of course; somehow it’s never been released on Blu-Ray in North America), then you could do much worse.



Rachel Getting Married (2008, Dir. Jonathan Demme) – Wow. Just stunning. I purposely went into this movie more-or-less completely blind, other than knowing it would obviously involve a wedding. And it just floored me. So raw. So uncensored. There are scenes in this movie that are sooooo incredibly unflinching I was just squirming in my seat. Like, I watch a lot of horror flicks and they seldom make me feel that uncomfortable. You can’t help but cringe during certain moments because they just feel that real. The direction is flawless, largely handheld, and it honestly reminded me of Cassavetes’ film methods. And the cast is sublime. Even Anne Hathaway (I must admit, I am NOT a fan. In fact, I have a hard time thinking of one other performance she has ever given that I’ve liked…at all. And nothing comes to mind. BUT SHE IS A ROCK IN THIS ONE.). And Bill Irwin is like the glue that holds the whole thing together. This one cuts a little close to the bone for oh so many reasons, but you can’t turn your eyes away from it. It’s like that expression, watching a trainwreck and you just can’t look away. It maybe got a wee bit contrived towards the end (started feeling a little false, to be honest), but after watching Hathaway’s Kym character go through what she went through, you kind of want to cut her some slack. My recommendation is to do what I did and just go into this one blind. It’s best to not have any idea where the story is going, and just submit yourself to Demme’s tremendous direction, and Jenny Lumet’s (yes, Sidney’s daughter) wonderfully perceptive script.



Black Sunday (1977, Dir. John Frankenheimer) – Really great ‘70s thriller about a terrorist plot to use the Goodyear Blimp to launch an attack on Americans (including the U.S. President) at the Superbowl, between the Steelers and the Cowboys. Amazingly, they were able to use actual game footage (portions of 2 or 3 different games, actually) and incorporate it into the film, which is obviously something that would be virtually impossible today. Hell, just using the NFL insignia and actual real-life teams and the Goodyear Blimp would never fly in today’s overly sensitive climate. So just from a historical perspective, it’s really quite fascinating. Some solid performances by Robert Shaw and Marthe Keller, but the standout is Bruce Dern; he’s pretty good at balancing his performance so it doesn’t come across as melodramatic, which must’ve been difficult given some of the dialogue he had to deliver. On the other had, Steve Keats, an actor I typically like (I’m pretty sure he was in The Friends of Eddie Coyle, which is one of my all-time favorites), is god-awful in this. Just his accent is laughable. Thankfully he only has a small role. I guess the one drawback of the film is that is it a tad long, at nearly two-and-a-half hours. Some scenes probably could’ve been edited or even cut out entirely, but that’s kind of a minor quibble. If you have the time to watch it in its entirety, you kind of get completely drawn in by the hour mark so you might not even care too much. The plot, based on a novel by Thomas Harris (of The Silence of the Lambs and Red Dragon fame), is not too far-fetched. I know if you button-down and actually really analyze the story, you’ll be able to roll your eyes at certain things, but if you’re willing to suspend your disbelief, then you’ll find it an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. Frankenheimer has certainly done better films, but this would still rank as one of his stronger ones.

Primal (2019, Dir. Nicholas Powell) – While I do love Nic Cage, and I love his work ethic, this is one of those movies of his that just falls off the rails, and not in a “so-bad-it’s-good” way. It’s just a pretty dumb movie with not-very-good CGI and a cast full of shit-for-brains characters that make stupid decision after stupid decision. Basically the plot is Cage’s hunter character has captured a rare white jaguar and is attempting to transport it to the U.S. mainland via boat. However, some black ops/military people are also transferring a prisoner on the same boat. As one would expect, mayhem ensues when said prisoner escapes and causes havoc on the boat. Not terribly original, but it could’ve been a lot better than what we ended up. Cage is fine as Walsh the hunter, but it’s not one of his more memorable performances. His character’s transformation is just ridiculous and something the average viewer will see coming a mile away. Famke Janssen looks great as a Navy medical attaché, and I suppose she does an okay job. Kevin Durand, who I happen to really like and feel, given the right role and the right script, he can be dynamite on the screen, just fails on virtually every level in this one. His acting as the psychotic/deranged prisoner/escapee is laughably over-the-top. Plot holes galore dominate this movie. One of the most frustrating aspects is trying to determine the ship’s general geography. Like, Durand’s character is in the galley, then the engine room, then the shipping compartment, then the bridge, then on deck, etc., seemingly with the snap of his fingers. There’s just no sense of where some characters are in relation to others. I’m usually game for any Cage movie, including his DTV or straight-to-streaming stuff (which I'll admit is pretty much all of his films these days), but this is one of the worst ones. Not as awful as one of the other movies released in 2019; that falls on the ultra-shitty Running with the Devil. But yeah, this one is bad. I doubt one would even get a kick out of it if wicked drunk or stupid stoned. It’s just awful.

A Real Pain (2024)

Thoroughly enjoyed Kieran Culkin's performance but Jesse Eisenberg's left much to be desired, as it felt like a reprisal of a role he's done a dozen times over.

Anora (2024) (Second Viewing)

Still amongst my absolute favorite films released this year.

Wolfs (2024)

Although it was wonderful to spend 108-minutes with George Clooney & Brad Pitt, Director/Writer Jon Watts' film isn't quite as fun or clever as it fully believes it is.

Twisters - Peacock

Fun film and Daisy Edgar-Jones holds your attention throughout the film.

A Prairie Home Companion (2006, Dir. Robert Altman) – Simply put: A PURE DELIGHT. A joyous movie about life and the passing of time and mortality. And when you consider the fact that it was Altman’s final film, is makes it all the more poignant. FLAWLESS CASTING. Streep and Tomlin playing off each other is a joy to witness (and Lohan does a stellar job as Streep’s daughter). John C. Reilly teaming up with Woody Harrelson was pure genius. They have the funniest lines in the whole movie. And, let me tell you, this is one funny movie. A lot of reviewers seemed to say that, well yeah, there is humor, it’s just very subtle. Well, subtle or not, I f**king laughed. It’s different humor than more mainstream comedies, but it’s there. It’s humor that comes right out of the characters and their great line readings, as opposed to situational humor. And Kevin Kline is lights out hilarious. And Maya Rudolph has some great lines. And Virginia Madsen acts as kind of a string tying everything together. Even Garrison Keillor, who I’ve never found particularly funny, has some wonderful bits in this. As a final film, what a way for Altman to go out. You couldn’t have asked for much better than this. And I remain stunned at the tepid, lukewarm response this seems to have gotten upon its release, and even now. Hopefully enough people pick up the recently released Blu or discover it elsewhere, cause I’m sure when all is said and done, people are going to remember this one fondly. A GREAT MOVIE, naysayers be damned.




Touch (1997, Dir. Paul Schrader) – One of Schrader’s lesser works, but probably still worth checking out at least once. An unusual Elmore Leonard tale about a “stigmatist” played by Skeet Ulrich, who seems to have the ability to heal people with his touch, and who is subsequently exploited by a charlatan, played by Christopher Walken. The cast is filled with names like Janeane Garofalo, Tom Arnold, Bridget Fonda, Lolita Davidovitch, Paul Mazursky, and Gina Gershon. It actually starts off pretty strong, and contrary to one might expect from someone like Schrader, it actually does have some solid comedic bits, mostly from Tom Arnold’s obnoxious yet devout character. Whether or not the plot makes any sense, well, I don’t know, but I went along with it for the most part. Walken is always a delight to watch, and Skeet Ulrich is surprisingly solid (always seemed strange to me he didn’t or doesn’t have a larger career after his role in Scream). The musical score is also great (I believe it was overseen by Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters fame). While it’s not nearly on par with the best of Schrader, it’s still an okay way to spend a lazy afternoon. Eventually I’ll get around to watching it with the commentary, cause I’m interested in the stories behind the movie (I’ll finally get a chance to go back to look at some of the books I have on Schrader and finally read the sections about Touch, as I’d always skip them in the hopes that one day I’d get a chance to watch the movie). And while the Blu-Ray is criminally over-priced (I think I paid around $50 CA), I’m still glad I got it. Almost own every Schrader movie on Blu…aside from a few outliers…still hoping for a Blu of The Walker…and maybe one day I’ll get the Twilight Time Auto Focus, but hopefully not for the $100+ it’s currently being sold for by third parties…Til it drops in price, I’ll stick with my DVD copy…

Red Rock West Cinématographe Blu-Ray
Nicholas Cage, Dennis Hopper. Directed by John Dahl. 1993
A down-on-his-luck laborer drives to a small town for work and gets mistaken for a hitman. Taking the money and trying to leave town is only his first mistake...

I recall seeing John Dahl's "Red Rock West" on Cinemax well before it's brief run on the Art House circuit (the same would happen with his follow-up "The Last Seduction"). Dahl would later direct the entertaining "Rounders" but mostly focused on directing episodic Cable Series. "Red Rock West" is a terrific Modern Day Western Noir. Good performances from Nick Cage (very controlled for the most part) and veteran supporting actor JT Walsh, while Dennis Hopper sort of re-visits "Frank Booth" (not that I mind). Good picture quality on the disc and some insightful bonus material.

Hannah Takes the Stairs

Blink Twice Warner Bros. Blu-Ray
Channing Tatum. Directed by Zoe Kravitz. 2024
When tech billionaire Slater King meets cocktail waitress Frida at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days and everyone's having a great time. Nobody wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality.

"Blink Twice" opens with a trigger warning regarding sexual violence, and I have to admit that kept me hanging waiting for the veil to be lifted even though the slow-moving first hour had me tempted to throw in the towel. The second hour finally begins to peel the onion story-wise and when I realized what was actually going on, it became a much more horrific, - and uncomfortable - film. The story is told in an intentionally disorienting style, but it's also incoherent at times. The ending turns the film into something of a satire, -sacrificing credibility for a direct message, -and that made "Blink Twice" less potent for me.