Reviews
David Newton’s THE TAKE DOWN Does Its Real Unseen Heroine Justice
Stunt professional David Newton‘s debut turn at filmmaking drew great prospects in the last few years with assassin thriller, The Take Down. Formerly titled “Amber“, the film brings aboard stunt performer and debut actor Jack Jagodka for a strong feature outing that has garnered nearly two-dozen awards for its festival run.
Jesse V. Johnson’s TRIPLE THREAT Multiplies With Its Starry Action Cinema Line-Up
There’s no real shortage of action movies in the industry. The rarity, however, lies in seeing so many talented household names under one banner (save for The Expendables franchise of late) in a film like Jesse V. Johnson’s newest ensemble gathering, Triple Threat.
Review: In TOP KNOT DETECTIVE, McCann And Pearce Strike Asian Cult Comedy Gold With Unapologetic Fervor
Filmmakers Aaron McCann and Dominic Pearce knew exactly what they were doing in the years leading up to the completion of their latest SBS webseries-turned-feature debut, Top Knot Detective. It took a bit of effort and evolution, for sure, and indeed it’s paid off something fierce in terms of influence, having become one of the biggest and most well-received cult hits of our time.
Cocked, Locked And Ready To Rock, STREGA Does Not Need Your Permission To Be Awesome
While A-list Tokusatsu programming reigns supreme in its conventions, the last eight years have proven to be slightly more watershed in challenging the norm. Thus, with actor and independent filmmaker Bueno signaling a new beacon for fans keen on something different, the release of Gun Caliber in 2014 proved pivotal for the niche in doing just that – ultimately heeding the call for a new brand of suit-action heroics.
CREED II: If There’s Poetry In Boxing…
SOUTHPAW, written by Kurt Sutter of the successful, long-running show Sons of Anarchy, came out in July of 2015. Ryan Coogler’s CREED, co-written with Aaron Covington, released four months later of the same year. Before seeing either of them, I expected to enjoy Creed but like Southpaw better, aesthetically. I have always been a huge fan of the Rocky series, but I was more recently a fan of Sons, so there, admittedly, was bias filled in my assumption that went beyond my reaction to their inaugural trailers. I was wrong, it turned out. Southpaw, though I loved it and still do, was, well, written by a television writer and felt like it. This is not to say it was bad by any measure, but the emotional beats bordered a bit much on the grandiose. And while this is great for a show with the breathing room of a serial, as a device it was constricted by the tight conventions of cinema and in the movie registered as ..depressing.
Bruno Gascon’s CARGO Is An Artful, Unforgiving, Consequential Tale Of Survival
Amid directing a spate of shortfilms, writer and director Bruno Gascon’s interest took to years of exploring the criminal underbelly of international human trafficking, in accordance with a personal story about meeting a disinterested truck driver compelled to drive to Portugal based on a promise.
Jarrod Crooks’ INDIE GUYS Delivers The Cinematic Love/Hate Relationship You Crave (Reprint)
I have to credit my latest interview subject, actor and rising star José Manuel, whose own career progression has been much more mobile than I imagined over the past several years. At some point back then, it appears his journey landed him somewhere in Wisconsin and in the throes of writing/directing duo, actors Jarrod Crooks and Greg Kuper, leaving in their wake what I think is one of the most discernible odes to cinema and the love of cinema to date.
Timo Tjahjanto’s THE NIGHT COMES FOR US: A Story Of Frenetic Poetry
Orson Welles said of friendship that, through it, we get to create the illusion that we are not alone. He said of women that through them men become civilized. I wonder what he would have thought of The Night Comes For Us, a film that illustrates friendship (both its value and fragility) through a harsh, deconstructive lens, and presents a young girl as the catalyst for its protagonist’s quest to civilize himself, that is, to regain his civility after a career of criminality and murder.
Kitamura’s Stylish, Energetic LUPIN III Falls Short Of Expectations
The Works, an international organization comprised of the greatest thieves in the world. When the head of the organization is betrayed by one of their own (Yan), legendary thieves and criminals Lupin III (Oguri), femme fatale Fujiko (Kuroki), gunman Jigen (Tamayama), and master swordsman Goemon (Ayano), head out to find their former ally.
Drawing On Human Nature, Phil Blattenberger’s POINT MAN Crosses Bullets And Bigotry
Debut director Phil Blattenberger’s Point Man goes hard and heavy on the dogs of war in an award-winning racially-charged military drama that draws enemy fire and friendly fire too close for comfort.
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