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Bullitt County (2018)
Give this high caliber indie a shot
One thing I'll say from the offset, this movie touted itself as being about bourbon. I thought to myself, cool, I like bourbon, I'll check it out. It is not about bourbon. It's about bourbon the way Jurassic Park is about lawyers. Also, it's not really a thriller, not entirely at least. Much like pancakes are just dessert disguised as breakfast, this is more of a dramatic comedy strutting around in lavish thriller plumage.
None of this is to say it's a bad movie - quite the opposite. Although it's a grim genre tale, there's a lot of heart, a lot of laughs, a few tears, plenty of blood spilt, and...a musical number? For myself, I liked not knowing too much going in, as there are plenty of surprises, some you don't see coming, others you do (but those are just as satisfying). I was a bit rattled by the abrupt and abrasive tonal change halfway through, but after a second viewing, I can dig it. Bullitt County is more like a fine wine than a bourbon, just need to let it aerate a bit and then the flavors really explode.
Are the characters entirely logical, making sound decisions like normal human beings? Eh, they stretch the limits of what's believable (or likable in many instances), but hey, that's what makes genre flicks so fun, and Bullitt County in particular. Everything feels larger than life, and I mean that in the best possible way. From the stylistic choices in cinematography and editing to the portrayal of each of the main characters (or all the characters for that matter), this is a bombastic assault on the senses. Even the music and sound editing make some ballsy in-your-face choices, teetering on taking it too far in some instances, but always keeping within the parameters of the overall film, unorthodox though they may be. As unhinged as it gets, nothing ever feels out of place.
Don't expect everything about this flick to be served on a silver platter, either. There's a lot buried under the surface to grapple with long after the credits roll, especially if you've had any sort of brush with alcoholism in your life. Definitely wasn't expecting a little backwoods indie to take such a bold plunge into an issue like that. It's a wild ride, infused with plenty of the 70's to feel nostalgic but not get distracting, and while I've never been to the real Bullitt County, I'd absolutely get lost in this film again.
Deadfall (1993)
Nic Cage is Insane
Possibly one of Nic Cage's most stellar performances (on a completely non-serious level, of course). The movie is absolutely ridiculous with Michael Biehn as the lead, and never loses steam through the twists and turns of absurdity. Worth checking out just for Cage's scattered coke-driven scenes. This'll be a new yearly tradition in my household with mandatory viewing for all.
Sonny (2002)
Well, at least I tried it
I was so excited to see Nic Cage making a directorial debut and even more so to learn that James Franco was taking the lead. God what a let down. Franco may has well have been on sleeping pills the entire movie, which never really goes anywhere. I appreciate Cage's love of New Orleans and can get down with the atmosphere of the story, but unless you have to watch this at gunpoint, I wouldn't waste your time. If you're thinking of buying it, don't. Just message me and you can have my copy. I don't want it back.
Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)
Legitimately ashamed that I bought this
This movie should be burned at the stake along with anyone who claims they actually like it. You'd think a team of Nic Cage and Penelope Cruz could be amazing, but the only thing amazing about it is how amazingly bad it is. All mandolins around the world cry whenever anyone watches this movie. It doesn't help that it feels like it's 5 hours long. I give one extra star because I'd like to believe that deep down in the jumbled recesses of his coke-fueled mind, Cage actually thought his character WAS the mandolin.
Lord of War (2005)
100% behind this gem
Ultimately a super depressing and downer of a movie when you really think about it, but god it is SO GOOD. Jared Leto is amazing and Nic Cage is perfect for his role as an international gun runner. Phenomenal cast overall, really cool (but disturbing) story, and never a dull moment. 100% behind this gem.
The Rock (1996)
BEST.MOVIE.EVER.
Ultimately, my favorite movie of all time. Yes, it is ridiculously stupid and reeks of the 90s, but I don't care. There are so many awesome actors littered all over this masterpiece and an insane amount of hilariously quotable lines. I think I own every possible edition of the DVD and Blu-Ray and am not ashamed to admit that.
[Rec] (2007)
(Spectacular)
I cannot say enough good things about this brilliant horror flick, as it ranks in my top 3 favorite of all time in this genre, and is by far the best found footage iteration out there. The greatest strength of this movie is that it succeeds in making you feel like you're trapped in the building with the protagonists, scared out of your mind, and you don't have the slightest idea what you're even up against, because the filmmakers ingeniously draw out the reveal as long as possible. So many great scares, so much suspense, and filmed so well, you forget a lot of times that it's yet another found footage attempt. This should definitely be on every horror fanatics "must see" list, if you haven't done so already. Seriously, it's magnificent.
One parting note, and I cannot stress this enough - DO NOT WATCHED THE VERSION DUBBED IN ENGLISH. It's not that I'm a purist, or snub my nose at dubbed foreign films, but this gem loses all of its appeal if not seen in it's original language. That's just how it is.
The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
So much awesome, where do I even begin?
It's been said (by some fairly reliable and scholarly sources) that if you watch "The Shining" as a parody of the horror genre, it's an uproariously funny movie. Personally, I've never been able to lift myself out of Kubrik's stunningly horrific classic to see the humor, and I'm not sure I really want to taint the perfection I've always perceived from that masterpiece.
With "Cabin in the Woods," I can have my cake and eat it too. Not only are there plenty of great scares to appease the horror masses, not to mention enough supernatural spooks to stock your nightmares for the next several years and blood and gore galore, but the entire movie is one epic satire of everything horror. One minute you're white knuckled and trying not to pee your pants, the next you're laughing so hard that you run an even higher risk of peeing your pants.
It's a smart and funny, captivating and terrifying, and with a plot trajectory that totally blindsides you. This is always on my list of annual Halloween favorites, nestled right next to "The Shining," right where it belongs.
Daylight (2013)
Fascinating film, BUT . . . . definitely not for everybody
Daylight seems to be, at first glance, a run-of-the-mill found footage film, rife with lots of running around (both at night AND during the day, because why not?), shaky hand-held camera work with gratuitous glitching from the editing room, several characters who insist on running said camera for every conceivable moment of their day (which they try and justify, but I mean, come on), and performances from actors which aren't terrible, per se, but which certainly won't win any Academy Awards.
But while accomplishing all of that, Daylight achieves something very, very different, and something that probably doesn't jive with a lot of self-proclaimed "horror buffs." The problem here is that I don't feel like Daylight, at its core, is really a horror film. There are no crap-your-pants scares, no ghastly exorcisms or CG ghouls flying around, and no over-the-top gore to appease those with bloodlust. Instead, Daylight is a slow-burn thriller spiced with the ingredients of a standard horror but couched in a formula that borders on art house, and the result is nothing short of intriguing.
The entire first half of the film, in fact, is nothing more than a crime investigation, which takes a couple of viewings just to sort out who's who and exactly why and how they all seem to know each other. But it's certainly not boring. Act 2 definitely tests one's patience and attention skills, as the chronological timeline goes haywire, and the story takes off in a different direction, which begins to amp up as the characters (and the narrative) start to get a little crazy. If nothing else, the film is worth sticking around for the last ten minutes, where the directors (there are 3 of them?) seem to have thrown the rules of filmmaking out the window and conceived of something that really cannot be explained, but is totally unexpected and amazingly insane and was a huge part of why I went back to watch the whole movie over again. And then again. And probably will again.
So would I suggest this movie to everybody I know? Probably not. At least not to anyone looking for cheap scares and mindless entertainment. There are plenty of other places to find that. But if you're looking for a dark, haunting, cerebral sort of experience, then you should definitely check this one out.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
Twice the Amount of Un-Amazingness
Dear lord this was just one painful minute after another. The only truly redeeming part of this haphazard sequel was the casting of Jamie Foxx as Electro. His performance is stellar amidst (and in spite of) the drudging script and an ensemble of cringe-worthy performances from the rest of the cast. But that's really all it has going for it. The graphics aren't much better or any more believable than the first "Amazing Spiderman" of which this is based. I appreciated the overall plot line somewhat, but not enough to suggest that anyone else subject themselves to the 2+ hours of torture. This movie, in fact, isn't even good enough to have playing in the background while you are working on something else and aren't even paying attention to it. I actually would like to keep writing about how bad this movie really is, but I keep getting more and more worked up as I go along, and I'm afraid I might blow a fuse in my brain if I get bent out of shape any further. Moral of the story: Amazing Spider-Man 2: Twice the amount of Un-Amazingness.
Good Game (2014)
Good Game is good if you like games
A friend of mine recommended this to me - he's an avid gamer and has a podcast and YouTube series devoted to all things gaming - and I can totally appreciate the appeal to those enveloped in that world. While it's personally not my thing, it was kind of fascinating to see this whole other "society" devoted to the craft of Pro Gaming, particularly Starcraft. In my opinion, the subject kind of borders on the ridiculous, but that's mostly because I've never really been that into gaming (we were forced to play outside as kids, and as such, I never really developed the knack for video game systems). But "Good Game" is nonetheless an interesting look at the Evil Geniuses team and their efforts to make it in their chosen field of cutthroat competitiveness.
The Happening (2008)
I'm still not sure what's happening
It is truly comical just how terrible this movie is. I mean it is so laughably bad that I have to give it an extra star just for how hard I was laughing at some points. I have now seen more of the inside of Mark Wahlberg's mouth than I ever care to see again. And the only reason I would ever, ever, ever watch this again (or suggest it to anyone, even someone I hate a great deal) is if there were copious amounts of alcohol involved. And even then, I'm pretty sure I would spend most of the movie thinking about other, more worthwhile, things that I could be doing instead of watching "The Happening" and wasting all that delicious alcohol.
Non-Stop (2014)
Liam Neeson's action career is non-stop....and I love it
This is pretty much what we've come to expect from Liam Neeson these days - a gruff, jaded, middle-aged man with a colored past is begrudgingly thrown into a catastrophic situation in which he can trust no one, and he must transform into the gritty action hero that we have all come to know and love. I seriously never tire of watching Liam Neeson in these roles (I get unabashedly giddy every time a new "Taken" is announced), and he certainly does not disappoint in "Non-Stop." The writers did an amazing job with a story in which you are constantly questioning who the actual villain is, which at more than one point they lead you to believe might even be Neeson himself, and you can never quite shake that shadow of doubt.
The supporting cast is just as much a part of this movie's appeal, with Julianne Moore (as her usual charming self), Michelle Dockery, and Corey Stoll sporadically muscling their way to the forefront, all the while casting doubt on their own motives. My only strike against it (and it might just be my mood today, because it's not a make-or-break kind of complaint) is that it doesn't truly reach a climax of epic proportions like it seems to build up to - but that's understandable because the entire movie takes place inside an airplane, so you can't exactly build up much larger than that. All in all, though, a very enjoyable little action flick, a nice way to spend a Saturday evening.
Forever's End (2013)
Stunning cinematography
Whatever else you may think of Forever's End, it is an undeniably beautiful movie, due both to the excellent cinematography and the gorgeous environment and tone established by the filmmaker. This lends to a rather unsettling feeling when combined with a story that is anything but beautiful and gorgeous. The lead actress does an admirable job of carrying the weight of the world (and the entire movie) on her shoulders, and the other characters work well with her to create a very eerie vibe that is a staple of this story. This was certainly not the movie I was expecting going in, but the twist ending definitely gives you something to think about several days later.