Reviews

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I AM PAUL WALKER Spotlights The Man He Always Was, And His Undying Essence

Five years since the untimely death of actor Paul Walker, there’s no question that his loss is still felt by people who knew him in some capacity – be it through his movies, his philanthropic work, or the interpersonal experiences notably shared among friends and family. Adrian Buitenhuis’ feature documentary, I Am Paul Walker, debuts an explicit look into Walker’s life, documenting his Mormon upbringing and talent for drama at an early age, and the neverending impression he’s had since then and into his latter years. The film also explores many of the struggles the actor faced underneath it all, from fatherhood to family tragedy, and maintaining his own sustenance between his private and celebrity life. Many of these struggles encompass several recurring themes that surface throughout the documentary as we learn more about Walker. The biggest one is the actor’s willingness to walk away from the entertainment industry in […]

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8 REMAINS Is A Median Supernatural Murder Thriller That Still Empowers

Director Juliane Block’s vision is so described as one that is “drawn to the dark side of human nature”, according to her IMDb. 8 Remains, Block’s newest thriller, is certainly indicative of this fact and serves up an interesting feat from top to bottom; I’ll leave matters of its freshness for those who follow this particular genre. Actress and co-producer Maja-Celiné Probst plays Talli, a beleagured young woman otherwise enamored in what looks to be a prospective visit to the castle home of her new beau, Damien, played by Gregory B. Waldis. Little does Talli know that her love interest has invited her to her own death by strangulation, ensuing a whirlwind afterlife journey that entraps Talli’s soul in an ethereal hellscape encompassed in Damien’s own controlled thoughts. It is in this afterworld that Talli must now navigate through a raft of painful memories, from childhood and onward, including that […]

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ROBIN HOOD: THE REBELLION Tackles Opposition From All Sides With Median Results

There’s little uncertainty among some directors about how much there is to tap into for workable material for Robin Hood films. Writer and director Nicholas Winters found his in Robin Hood: The Rebellion rejoining Hooligan Escape star Ben Freeman, and for this, a story that immerses you into a war already in-progress. You get solid peformances all around, headlined by Freeman and actor James Oliver Wheatley – the latter starring as the incorrigible and evil Sheriff of Nottingham. The Sheriff has zeroed in on Sherwood Forest, leaving its inhabitants vulnerable with Robin and Will Scarlett (James G. Nunn) taking point against the Sheriff’s men. Actor Jamie Kenna weighs in as Little John, unsettled by the incursion as well as ill-gotten ideas of Robin’s intentions with respect to his persona; John’s woes are just the first indicator that others among Sherwood’s people may have become turncoats in exchange for better prospects […]

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Tom Paton’s BLACK SITE Opens Its Doors To Hampered Epic Sci-Fi Poetry

Redwood and Pandorica director Tom Paton combines action, science fiction thrills and drama with a darkly-lit, slow burn tinge to the pacing in Black Site, his third feature film now hailing from Airpick Pictures and Tom Paton Film. Relatively modest in budget with an apt creative approach that makes an effort toward a bigger scope and scale at times, the performances are largely solid with a strong lead in actress and martial artist Samantha Schnitzler who carries her feature debut lead role with impressiveness and wit, and the necessary screenfighting chops to boot. From the start of opening credits, the score alone gives you the feeling of a paranormal sci-fi that pays homage to shows and films of the 1980s. Bits of nostalgia continue just a little more as the film progresses toward its modern day-set narrative, centering Paton’s H.P. Lovecraft-inspired tale on a remote facility in the woods that […]

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LKFF 2018: Cho Kyu-Jang’s THE WITNESS Testifies With An Incriminating Look At Humanity

Jump scares are aplenty going forward without much overkill as director Cho Kyu-jang assures his viewers in an ample first fifteen minutes of his latest summer pic, The Witness. Next to its intriguing introduction, the film wastes no time immersing you in the dark world of our antagonist as his latest victim runs for her life in the dark of night only to end up beaten to death on a residential block – her killer quick to spot who’s watching. The post-opener sets our film hours before the deadly incident, introducing Sang-Hoon, an ordinary office worker just celebrating the purchase of his home in Gwacheon. Coming home with a drunken stupor, he’s slow to notice the faint, albeit audible cries for help coming from several floors below, just outside his building. A woman is suddenly beaten to death by a baseball cap-wearing killer with a hammer, and while he’s instinctive […]

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High On Concept And Ambition, Joseph Kandov’s SHOCKED Simply Burns Out

Signaling director Joseph Kandov’s second turn at the helm will be his latest sci-fi action fantasy, Shocked. This is my first taste of anything he’s directed and for its fifty-three minute duration, he ponies up quite a concept worth investing some interest, particularly if he can polish up his craft a bit for the sequel should there be one. Penned by Kandov and cast member Kofi Nsafoah, Shocked prefaces its narrative with a foreword on ancient African culture and technology. The film segues to present day with Ran Jacobs debuting as Kojo, a good Samaritan left neutralized when Osei (Hannibal Miles) an alleged mugging victim shocks him with a mysterious device. He later shocks an elusive criminal named Mason (Kofi Nsafoah), and as the film moves forward, we meet a small cadre of local gangsters, a detective, and a man named Xamot (Donald Tucker) searching for the murderer of his […]

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RAMPANT

RAMPANT Savages With Political Drama, Zombie Thrills And Hyun-Bin’s Awesomeness

A year after working together on Confidential Assignment, actor Hyun-Bin’s latest return to the screen proves continually fruitful once more with Kim Seung-Hoon on period action adventure horror, Rampant. Why the film underwent three title changes is beyond my own understanding, though Rampant definitely sticks both creatively as well as applicably with respect to the narrative preset in Hwang Jo-Yoon’s screenplay. Ramapant immediately immerses you into its murky Joseon-era milleu with the fiery high-seas raid of a merchant ship and a violent attack on one of the raiders. That exposition sets up the rest of the film in which we meet King Lee Jo (Kim Eui-Sung) as he’s embroiled in the urgency brought about by potential traitors in their midst, including the crown prince himself. We later catch up with the other prince, Lee Chung (Hyun-Bin) finally released from Qing captivity after ten years as he and his servant, Hak-Soo […]

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Marc Price’s NIGHTSHOOTERS Is Pure, R-Rated Martial Arts Action And Comedy Fun

The last five years have been terrific in keeping up with actor and martial artist Jean-Paul Ly. A career comprised of nominal stunt performance and small roles that eventually paved the way for his stellar reception in Jailbreak now brings us front and center with Magpie and Colin helmer Marc Price, whose name became central to the posterity of martial arts cinema back in late 2017 with UK production, Nightshooters. The action and comedy turn up some robust and energizing performances from the very start; An audibly forte shot of a bloody skull inaugurates the narrative telling of Marshall (Adam McNab), an independent filmmaker hungry to complete his latest no-budget, over-the-top zombie movie featuring washed-up action star, Harper (Doug Allen). Their beleagured seven-member team including boom mic/sound guy Oddbod (Nicky Evans), practical effects and demo expert Ellie (Rosanna Hoult) and production assistants Jen (Kaitlyn Riordan) and the hapless Kim (Mica […]

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OUTLAWED Nods To Real Life Heroes With Escapist Action And Thrills

Adam Collins both stars and co-directs (with Luke Radford) in an action thriller about a special forces veteran who struggles with civilian life after a botched mission and is approached by his childhood love who needs help bringing a corrupt politician to justice. It is very rare in the action genre to find a story that hasn’t been done a hundred times before. Fortunately, the structure was shifted around enough that it wasn’t as predictable and a bit more engaging. Some scenes were laying it on a bit thick, to the point where I was exclaiming out loud, “I get it, the character’s hit rock bottom.” with still another few minutes of the sad montage to go. But the main selling point is of course the action, consisting of mainly shootouts with occasional close-quarters combat. It’s easy to fall into the “shot, reaction shot, shot, reaction shot” pattern with shootouts […]

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FIVE FINGERS FOR MARSEILLES Is Essential Tastemaker Cinema

It was a few years ago that Be Phat Motel duo Michael Matthews and Sean Drummond rose to the occasion with stunning short sci-fi proof adaptation of Charlie Human’s Apocalypse Now Now. With that project in tow for a full feature film presentation, they’ve also become headturners in the festival circuit with their latest debut at the help further putting South Africa in the lucrative crosshairs with revenge/redemption western, Five Fingers For Marseilles. Long before becoming the kind of milestone cinema drawing crowds in Canada, Korea, the U.S. and other fests abroad, Five Fingers For Marseilles sat in development for eight years before filming in 2016. Matthews’ research, in addition to covering tens of thousands of miles of land throughout South Africa, also included listening to stories from Sesotho locals – some which he once even stated to 702 were pretty gruesome in comparison to what he chose for his […]

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LOI BAO: Victor Vu’s Cautionary, Redemptive Hero Tale Thrives And Thrills

With the foothold superhero movies have gained throughout the spectrum of cinema, the dynamics fluctuate greatly with Hollywood being the most noticeable blip. Other territories sprout with more regional appeal whereas Victor Vu’s latest, Loi Bao, has the fruit of momentum on its heels for greater profusion. Following screenings at Fantasia in Canada and East Winds in the U.K. in the past year, Vu’s new film still stands firm in today’s film climate. Its circulation outside of Vietnam sort of deems it a worthwhile talk topic with respect to Asian representation in cinema, and its attribution to the superhero genre certainly makes it ripe for the occasion. Its lead star, Cuong Seven, has all but proven his apt, physical capability thusfar as the villain in Cuong Ngo’s 2016 thriller, Tracer. Switching into protagonist for the duration of Vu’s new crimefighting foray, Seven pulls his weight firmly in carrying a story […]

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IRON FIST: SEASON 2 Lives To Fight Another Day

The new season of Iron Fist is now here and I actually couldn’t be happier. The first season drew some pretty proper criticisms for its structural aspects and some fans are apparently still apprehensive in their lingering sentiments over the show’s star, Finn Jones. I have to say though that there’s plenty that comes out much better in the handling of the action to coincide with some of the drama. Continuing from season one and its ensemble pivot to The Defenders, Danny Rand has taken the mantle in protecting New York City from crime. Balancing it all with his personal life with Colleen Wing still has its challenges but it’s nothing they can’t handle until questions begin to stir some gravely important issue concerning them both. This, while in the midst of finding themselves as mediators in a brewing war between two Triad factions, ensues bittersweet reunions with friends-turned-foes, and […]

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