3 out of 5. David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES is a small but impactful film. The cast is really good together
and direction is quite solid. I especially like the Art Direction and
costumes in this film. Viggo is a badass in this and has an amazingly
shot fight scene. Also Vincent Cassel is loose cannon and adds a lot of
tension throughout. Fun stuff.
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4 out of 5. Writing the previous review made
me think of this other easily forgotten gem by David Fincher, ZODIAC.
The sound design was rich, the film was dark and punishing. The
characters were almost as scary in their
intensity as the killer they were chasing. You can see how the tidal
wave of mysterious terror overtakes their lives slowly and pulls them
under before it's too late. Probably not an easy one to rewatch but a
great reminder of how compelling Fincher continues to be as a filmmaker.
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3 out of 5. You might have missed this little
gem by director Paul McGuigan, but if I were you I'd put down my money
on LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN. Everything is not what it seems here and the fun
opportunity of mistaken identity goes
awry. Killer performances all around. Smart writing and stylish
directing make for a rollicking good time. So if you want a good Friday
movie and something with the energy of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking
Barrels check it out.
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3 out of 5. THE LIMEY with Terence Stamp and Directed by Steven
Soderburgh rises to the occasion through the simplicity of plot and
style. It avoids the cliches of the genre and feels fresh and appealing
throughout. Stamp owns the picture and maybe that's why I gave it a 3
instead of a 4. It's not groundbreaking cinema but it's still cool,
stylish and worthy a watch. If you like your revenge quiet and
cool...this is the movie for you.
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4 out 5. The original SOLYARIS by the great Russian filmmaker Andrei
Tarkovsky is almost what you'd call a space race of a film. Even though
Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey eclipsed it by a few years it
should be just as recognized as a winning film. The creativity and
design of Solyaris is memorable if not familiar with the "high tech" of
the time, yet it also has a timeless quality. It's creepy and cool like
only the isolation of space can provide. If you like the recent indy
film MOON, you will really like this. Great score too, and that
ending...not much different than the weirdness of Kubrick...makes you
wonder.
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4 out of 5. Ben Affleck's GONE BABY GONE is another one of those films that sneaks
passed you and you wonder why you missed it. Casey Affleck is easily
likable in this role but it's the very real people they use for extras
that ground this film. It feels "salt of the earth" and when you're
talking about a girl's kidnapping you want to feel the grit in every
frame. There's a voracious energy that seers through this film as we get
closer to the answer. The power is in the performances and the
relationships and the direction doesn't get in the way one bit. Finally,
Ben can affect us in ways his acting sometimes falls short of. If you
liked Mystic River you'll surely enjoy this.
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5 out of 5. Juan José Campanella's Academy Award Winning THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES is a very smart and masterfully shot film. Again, actor Ricardo Darin, pulls you right into the story of an unsolved crime that he's started writing about. Like any good mystery the closer he gets to the truth, the more danger he puts himself in. The directing and cinematography is stunning and sharp. And the ending is deliciously satisfying while leaving a pit in the bottom of your stomach.
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3 out of 5. CUBE is a great example of how a
smart director like Vincenzo Natali can make the best use of his art
skills with so little. Like PRIMER the concept is deceptively simple and
yet highly believable in the context
we're given. It's a great little thriller/horror film that is clever and
smart without being overly aware of itself. I like these kinds of films
because when you pull back to see the larger picture there is an even
bigger story at hand.
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