How far would you go to find your kidnapped daughter?
Prisoners would have to be one of the most polished films of the year. I was completely engrossed in every shot of the movie just loving the unique positioning of the camera, the clarity, the beauty. Director Denis Villeneuve and his team capture the tone of the dark subject perfectly.
Then combine this with an incredible cast. Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard and Paul Dano amongst others not so well known yet still great actors/actresses. Jackman is very convincing playing the desperate father who in his own mind is forced to cross the line and take matters into his own hands. Howard is good as the father of the other victim - acting almost as a voice of reason to the out of control Jackman.
My favourite performance though was Jake Gyllenhaal playing the obsessed detective Loki. A man who has solved every case he has been assigned. Although as the story played out it felt he was always a step or two behind, his persistence never wavered and we can see the reasons for that perfect record. My only complaint with Loki is we are given very little, if any background on him. He is obviously a dark and complicated man but any cause or reason for this is left up to our imagination. I'm sure the name 'Loki' (The father of Hel in Norse mythology) is deliberate... I just would have liked to see a bit more fleshing out here.
Dano is worth a mention as well playing the simpleton Alex Jones. With an IQ of 10, Jones becomes a very interesting character as you're never quite sure if there is more to him or if he is just a diversion. Prisoners is one of those thrillers with many suspects and as the movie plays out you will change your mind a number of times. I wouldn't rave that the ending is going to blow any minds however it very deliberately challenges the previous actions of the characters and further blurs the lines of right and wrong. Hard to say more on this without giving too much away.
I highly recommend checking this thoughtful drama/thriller out. For me I don't think the re-watch value is super high but for a first watch it was a damn good ride.
8/10
IMDB Info
Showing posts with label Thriller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thriller. Show all posts
The River
This 8 episode T.V series aired last year however I only heard about it a couple of weeks ago stumbling across a trailer. The show was created by Oren Peli and Michael Perry of Paranormal Activity fame and co-produced by Steven Spielberg (amongst others). Looking back a few years, about the closest thing I can remember to a horror series was the X-Files but we seem to be getting quite spoiled with shows like 'The Walking Dead', 'American Horror Story' and now out of the blue this single season of 'The River'!
The show follows a search & rescue team led by Tess Cole up the Amazon river attempting to find her husband, Dr Emmet Cole who went missing while shooting the families adventure T.V show - The Undiscovered Country. The producer of the show is happy to pay for the trip provided he can film everything. The boat is hooked up with a large number of mounted camera's plus two dedicated camera men following the action and it is through this footage that the entire story is told.
'The River' has so much potential. The amazon river and jungle is such an interesting, unknown and creepy setting for a horror story that it does half the work for you. Unfortunately after the final episode I couldn't help but think about all of the things these guys could have done to turn a good show into a great one.
Let's concentrate on the positives first. Firstly as you probably know by now I am a big fan of the found footage style when it is done right (well edited and not too much shaky cam). The style worked really well for this show contrasting the claustrophobic feeling on the boat with the huge unknown jungle. The combination of the mounted and held camera's was great to provide more shot variety and also allow the story to move out into the jungle. I felt it was slightly over edited but generally production was pretty damn well done.
I really enjoyed the core story and character development as well. There was a lot of history given to the characters within each episode and by the end a full picture had been painted. The tone is set about 20 minutes into the first episode going straight into a supernatural encounter and showing that basically anything goes. To help track down Emmet they must search through a lot of recorded footage from the missing crew and I felt this added a nice element being able to build tension from watching the prior events unfolding whilst experiencing the current as well.
This could have been such an incredible show but unfortunately a few things really let it down. Firstly and very importantly was the acting. It wasn't terrible, but I think it's safe to say that no one is winning any awards. When considering each character separately, nobody really stuck out too bad, just as a whole there were parts it detracted from the experience. Bigger budget there and who knows.
The other main issue is I feel they went too over the top with the variety of horror 'encounters'. The core story was excellent and would have easily provided 8 episodes of content. Instead they tried to pack too much in and make each episode into it's own unique segment. (The zombies were the last straw). There were some fantastic scene's in the jungle with the native tribesman and local legends & ghost stories - I would have just loved to see the entire 8 episodes really flesh this out and link it all back to the Dr.
If I was to rate this on quality alone it would probably get a 7 however given the incredible potential of the story and setting I can't help feel they didn't really do it justice in the end. That said though, if you're a horror fan definitely check it out.
6/10
IMDB Info
The show follows a search & rescue team led by Tess Cole up the Amazon river attempting to find her husband, Dr Emmet Cole who went missing while shooting the families adventure T.V show - The Undiscovered Country. The producer of the show is happy to pay for the trip provided he can film everything. The boat is hooked up with a large number of mounted camera's plus two dedicated camera men following the action and it is through this footage that the entire story is told.
'The River' has so much potential. The amazon river and jungle is such an interesting, unknown and creepy setting for a horror story that it does half the work for you. Unfortunately after the final episode I couldn't help but think about all of the things these guys could have done to turn a good show into a great one.
Let's concentrate on the positives first. Firstly as you probably know by now I am a big fan of the found footage style when it is done right (well edited and not too much shaky cam). The style worked really well for this show contrasting the claustrophobic feeling on the boat with the huge unknown jungle. The combination of the mounted and held camera's was great to provide more shot variety and also allow the story to move out into the jungle. I felt it was slightly over edited but generally production was pretty damn well done.
I really enjoyed the core story and character development as well. There was a lot of history given to the characters within each episode and by the end a full picture had been painted. The tone is set about 20 minutes into the first episode going straight into a supernatural encounter and showing that basically anything goes. To help track down Emmet they must search through a lot of recorded footage from the missing crew and I felt this added a nice element being able to build tension from watching the prior events unfolding whilst experiencing the current as well.
This could have been such an incredible show but unfortunately a few things really let it down. Firstly and very importantly was the acting. It wasn't terrible, but I think it's safe to say that no one is winning any awards. When considering each character separately, nobody really stuck out too bad, just as a whole there were parts it detracted from the experience. Bigger budget there and who knows.
The other main issue is I feel they went too over the top with the variety of horror 'encounters'. The core story was excellent and would have easily provided 8 episodes of content. Instead they tried to pack too much in and make each episode into it's own unique segment. (The zombies were the last straw). There were some fantastic scene's in the jungle with the native tribesman and local legends & ghost stories - I would have just loved to see the entire 8 episodes really flesh this out and link it all back to the Dr.
If I was to rate this on quality alone it would probably get a 7 however given the incredible potential of the story and setting I can't help feel they didn't really do it justice in the end. That said though, if you're a horror fan definitely check it out.
6/10
IMDB Info
The Conjuring
The Conjuring is a damn good horror movie. Flawless filming and production help create a perfect combination of tension, creep and scares further supported by some really interesting characters and locations. Some might argue this is just another haunted house tale however when it's done well ... who cares!
What makes this film even more interesting is that it's based on real people - Lorraine and Ed Warren. Real life paranormal/demon hunters associated with such cases as Amityville and Haunting in Connecticut (both of which also made it to film). Reading up on them after the movie I was surprised to find they were quite respected and are reported to have helped many people over the years with 'supernatural' problems. I'm a sucker I know, but I love seeing 'Based on real events' at the beginning of a horror - it just makes it easier to relate to the story... Horror is no place for skeptics.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are brilliant playing the Warren's. Their chemistry on screen is great. Lorraine is the medium and Ed is the warrior and together they make a powerful team. If the movie is accurate Ed was the only non-ordained person authorized by the Catholic Church to perform exorcisms.
I also want to make reference to the audio. It is always one of the most important factors in a good horror film and The Conjuring absolutely nails it. The key tension sounds were just so clear and defined - for example a simple loud knock on the door almost made me double check someone wasn't knocking on mine.
Oh, and then there's the doll. If your creep-o-meter doesn't spike to max when this damn thing comes on screen, there's something wrong with you. *shudder*
Give me this over the modern torture porn any day.
My only criticism with this movie is it made me break one of my good wine glasses. Watching horror in pitch black is a must however next time I must remember to pause it on a light frame when needing a loo break. The walk back was trecherous!
If you're a fan of haunted house style horror then definitely give this a go. I would compare it to movies such as Poltergeist, Insidious and maybe even The Others. Like all good horror, watch it alone and in the dark.
9/10
IMDB Info
What makes this film even more interesting is that it's based on real people - Lorraine and Ed Warren. Real life paranormal/demon hunters associated with such cases as Amityville and Haunting in Connecticut (both of which also made it to film). Reading up on them after the movie I was surprised to find they were quite respected and are reported to have helped many people over the years with 'supernatural' problems. I'm a sucker I know, but I love seeing 'Based on real events' at the beginning of a horror - it just makes it easier to relate to the story... Horror is no place for skeptics.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are brilliant playing the Warren's. Their chemistry on screen is great. Lorraine is the medium and Ed is the warrior and together they make a powerful team. If the movie is accurate Ed was the only non-ordained person authorized by the Catholic Church to perform exorcisms.
I also want to make reference to the audio. It is always one of the most important factors in a good horror film and The Conjuring absolutely nails it. The key tension sounds were just so clear and defined - for example a simple loud knock on the door almost made me double check someone wasn't knocking on mine.
Oh, and then there's the doll. If your creep-o-meter doesn't spike to max when this damn thing comes on screen, there's something wrong with you. *shudder*
Give me this over the modern torture porn any day.
My only criticism with this movie is it made me break one of my good wine glasses. Watching horror in pitch black is a must however next time I must remember to pause it on a light frame when needing a loo break. The walk back was trecherous!
If you're a fan of haunted house style horror then definitely give this a go. I would compare it to movies such as Poltergeist, Insidious and maybe even The Others. Like all good horror, watch it alone and in the dark.
9/10
IMDB Info
The Last Of Us
I know this is supposed to be a MOVIE review blog but I just have to write a bit about the new PS3 game from Naughty Dog - The Last of Us.
Naughty Dog are the legends responsible for the Uncharted series which are really good fun well made games. They seem to nail the perfect combination of story, characters, game play and beautifully detailed graphics which make for a really immersive experience, almost like playing through a movie.
As a lover of all things post apocalyptic and zombie related you could imagine my excitement when they announced they were turning their attentions to 'The Last of Us'. Once I got my hands on it I couldn't stop playing... the game creates an atmosphere that begins with the start screen right through to the moment you switch it off and are left sitting in front of the T.V thinking "What do I do now?".
They have taken everything good about the Uncharted engine and game play and added more on top. I won't give too much away but the opening act is simply incredible as you experience the world spiraling into chaos and then we go 20 years further on where the real journey begins.
The game just gets everything right. The story is so engaging and the character development is brilliant. They obviously put a lot of time and money into really good voice acting and audio work to make the experience as realistic as possible.
The pacing is perfect - an absolute balance of story, action, tension and relief. The level design is very clever also, often feeling quite open world when in fact it's quite linear - leading you a certain way with always the option to go explore and extra area or two for some supplies... and believe me you will need them. Unlike other games you are rarely over supplied and even a few bullets or a home made 'shiv' can be the difference of passing an area or not.
There is a very simplistic crafting system based on basic supplies you will find in your travels. A pair of scissors, a bottle of alcohol or some sticky tape for example. What works better than a steel pipe? I know, lets sticky tape some scissors to the end! You won't believe how satisfying the melee combat is... the hits feel hard and the blood will splatter.. a LOT (it's R rated).
If you're a bit of a gamer and have access to a PS3 I highly recommend giving The Last Of Us a go. It's such an enjoyable ride and I honestly cannot fault it in anyway.
10/10
Naughty Dog are the legends responsible for the Uncharted series which are really good fun well made games. They seem to nail the perfect combination of story, characters, game play and beautifully detailed graphics which make for a really immersive experience, almost like playing through a movie.
As a lover of all things post apocalyptic and zombie related you could imagine my excitement when they announced they were turning their attentions to 'The Last of Us'. Once I got my hands on it I couldn't stop playing... the game creates an atmosphere that begins with the start screen right through to the moment you switch it off and are left sitting in front of the T.V thinking "What do I do now?".
They have taken everything good about the Uncharted engine and game play and added more on top. I won't give too much away but the opening act is simply incredible as you experience the world spiraling into chaos and then we go 20 years further on where the real journey begins.
The game just gets everything right. The story is so engaging and the character development is brilliant. They obviously put a lot of time and money into really good voice acting and audio work to make the experience as realistic as possible.
The pacing is perfect - an absolute balance of story, action, tension and relief. The level design is very clever also, often feeling quite open world when in fact it's quite linear - leading you a certain way with always the option to go explore and extra area or two for some supplies... and believe me you will need them. Unlike other games you are rarely over supplied and even a few bullets or a home made 'shiv' can be the difference of passing an area or not.
There is a very simplistic crafting system based on basic supplies you will find in your travels. A pair of scissors, a bottle of alcohol or some sticky tape for example. What works better than a steel pipe? I know, lets sticky tape some scissors to the end! You won't believe how satisfying the melee combat is... the hits feel hard and the blood will splatter.. a LOT (it's R rated).
If you're a bit of a gamer and have access to a PS3 I highly recommend giving The Last Of Us a go. It's such an enjoyable ride and I honestly cannot fault it in anyway.
10/10
Stoker
WHAT THE?!
What a crazy film. Very unique and beautiful yet pretty damn weird really. But it worked!
This is Chan-wook Park's first go at an English language film with a Hollywood budget. I'd like to draw comparisons with Stoker and his other films but to be honest I've only ever seen one of his films - Oldboy... which was pretty damn decent I might add.
Cinematography was very nicely done and I especially liked some of the transitions between shots. One in particular going from a comb going through hair merging into a paddock of wheat & grass was really well done.
Could fault the acting all round really although no real stand outs. Nicole Kidman seems to play this type of role almost too well now, reminded me a bit of The Others. I'm not too familiar with Matthew Goode who plays the central male role but he did well getting his creep on.
Definitely not your typical horror/thriller. Apart from a few mildly tense scenes there are no 'scares' as such - it is more of an interesting journey watching the story unravel. It definitely feels like a couple of styles combined but I can't put my finger on the two movies to compare to... sorry not being very helpful! If you're not big on overly violent and scary horrors but don't mind a strange but interesting story with a bit here and there this might be the one for you.
7/10
IMDB Info
No One Lives
Not a terrible B-Grade horror really. Quite well written with some interesting elements that give it a bit extra than the usual slasher. There was even a moment or two that could even be considered horror hall of fame worthy but these were soon forgotten amongst the generic padding.
Unfortunately it's also let down by some pretty average acting although Luke Evans gave a fairly solid lead performance and creates quite an intriguing character.
Something kept me watching though and it had enough legs to keep me until the end. I wouldn't be in great hurry to see this but if it crosses your path late at night when the thirst for blood hits give it a crack. It's like a hunter becomes the hunted crossed with a bit of Stockholm syndrome flipped around until you know what's going on but are never quite sure what will be next.
6/10
IMDB Info
Chained
I gave Chained a go after a review I read on BloodyDisgusting.com and am glad I did.
It's quite a slow burning character driven thriller about a serial killer and his unwilling hostage "apprentice", who he calls Rabbit. The relationship between these two is the main focus of the film and the murders serve only to help define and expand on this so are dealt with quite quickly and in a realistic manner.
Set mainly inside an old farm house there were many elements that reminded me of "The People Under the Stairs". It works well though and adds nicely to the creepy vibe.
What lifts this movie a bit is the acting from the main killer played by Vincent D'Onofrio who you will know from Law & Order and probably Men In Black :). His character is quite an interesting and unique psycho and the interactions between him and Rabbit were quite fascinating. I don't think the movie would have been pulled off without this strong performance.
Overall a dark and disturbing yet interesting watch.
7/10
IMDB Info
It's quite a slow burning character driven thriller about a serial killer and his unwilling hostage "apprentice", who he calls Rabbit. The relationship between these two is the main focus of the film and the murders serve only to help define and expand on this so are dealt with quite quickly and in a realistic manner.
Set mainly inside an old farm house there were many elements that reminded me of "The People Under the Stairs". It works well though and adds nicely to the creepy vibe.
What lifts this movie a bit is the acting from the main killer played by Vincent D'Onofrio who you will know from Law & Order and probably Men In Black :). His character is quite an interesting and unique psycho and the interactions between him and Rabbit were quite fascinating. I don't think the movie would have been pulled off without this strong performance.
Overall a dark and disturbing yet interesting watch.
7/10
IMDB Info
Premium Rush
You've probably noticed I tend to rate movies on personal enjoyment rather than a full analysis of the technical aspects. I do this mainly because I don't know a hell of a lot of the technical mumbo jumbo and although I can identify it while I'm watching I would never be able to articulate it onto the page. The other reason is that who wants to watch a movie with a notepad and pen spending the time worrying about these observations? I much prefer to completely immerse myself and enjoy the separation from reality for a couple of hours.
Anyway, this tends to be why a lot of my scores are probably a bit higher overall. Movies can be bad in a lot of regards but there's usually something positive that I like to focus on and block out the rest.
Premium Rush is one such film.
The story is recycled garbage and the characters are about as deep as my pockets after a Vino Mofo Pants Off Friday, but who cares if that's not what the movie is trying to achieve. In my opinion, Premium Rush aims for one thing only... to deliver a fun ride. See what I did there? (The movie is about Bicycle Couriers).
It's fun, its exciting and some great shots & editing make for some really intense bike chases through the middle of New York. The main character played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt likes to ride on a steel frame bike with a single gear and no brakes except the old school pedal back ones. Although this creates some pretty intense situations on the road, as a cyclist myself, watching him bounce off cars and get back up on his bike was a little bit..... pshhhh.
I've got a huge man-crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt so always keen to check out any movie he's in. You have to respect the man as he did the hard yards after 3rd Rock doing a lot of small indy films such as The Lookout , Brick and Stop-Loss before he was really noticed. Now he's a wanted man... Inception, Dark Knight rises, Looper to name a few of the big ones. His performance here is solid but not worth elaborating on. If you haven't seem some of the Indy films mentioned before I recommend - Brick and Lookout especially were great films.
Premium Rush is an enjoyable film for one of those nights when you can't be arsed thinking too much.
7/10
IMDB Info
Anyway, this tends to be why a lot of my scores are probably a bit higher overall. Movies can be bad in a lot of regards but there's usually something positive that I like to focus on and block out the rest.
Premium Rush is one such film.
The story is recycled garbage and the characters are about as deep as my pockets after a Vino Mofo Pants Off Friday, but who cares if that's not what the movie is trying to achieve. In my opinion, Premium Rush aims for one thing only... to deliver a fun ride. See what I did there? (The movie is about Bicycle Couriers).
It's fun, its exciting and some great shots & editing make for some really intense bike chases through the middle of New York. The main character played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt likes to ride on a steel frame bike with a single gear and no brakes except the old school pedal back ones. Although this creates some pretty intense situations on the road, as a cyclist myself, watching him bounce off cars and get back up on his bike was a little bit..... pshhhh.
I've got a huge man-crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt so always keen to check out any movie he's in. You have to respect the man as he did the hard yards after 3rd Rock doing a lot of small indy films such as The Lookout , Brick and Stop-Loss before he was really noticed. Now he's a wanted man... Inception, Dark Knight rises, Looper to name a few of the big ones. His performance here is solid but not worth elaborating on. If you haven't seem some of the Indy films mentioned before I recommend - Brick and Lookout especially were great films.
Premium Rush is an enjoyable film for one of those nights when you can't be arsed thinking too much.
7/10
IMDB Info
Sound Of My Voice
This is a little indy film which hit Sundance in 2011. I was keen to check it out because a while back I managed to check out Martha Marcy May Marlene one night with Guy and the whole cult subject was quite intriguing.
Although a completely different type of film they both convey well, the power of the cult leader and their ability to attract people to their world.
The movie is beautifully shot and combined with some subtle audio creates a great atmosphere of the unknown. It is amazing what these guys do on a tiny budget. I may have appreciated this even further had it not been for my 3 month old son who did not seem to enjoy the film as much and protested quite loudly throughout.
This movie won't be everyone's cup of tea. It is slow and intricate but if you are patient I think you will be drawn in by the decent actors playing interesting characters in an interesting and foreign subject... well foreign for me anyway, not sure how many of you guys have cult experience?
At the end of the journey I was left with a single question...
Was this woman actually from the future?
I'm still wondering. She wouldn't be the first... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Titor
7/10
IMDB Info
The Debt
The only negative was with the casting. The movie is set both in the past and modern day following the same characters. The older versions of the guys are the wrong way round (in looks) so the whole movie I was thinking they were the other guy. I had a read on IMDB and it seems many people felt the same way. It’s annoying because if they were playing the right character they are almost perfect.
8/10
IMDB Information for The Debt
Man On A Ledge
7/10
IMDB Information for Man On A Ledge
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