Letterboxd — Your life in film

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THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD is the kind of mid-budget adult thriller that we need more of in today’s cinematic climate. Taylor Sheridan’s screenplay may lack the spark of his previous efforts but he makes up for it with brutal action, a larger (burning) canvas & a solid ensemble led by the awesome Angelina Jolie!

SPIRAL: FROM THE BOOK OF SAW trades in the ridiculousness of the overdone horror franchise for a serious new detective story with a new killer. It may not reinvent the cop or horror genres but the visuals are more refined, the writing more purposeful & the cast more electric (despite Chris Rock’s overacting). Right behind the first for me in the franchise.

OXYGEN managed to surprise me with its taut direction from Alexandre Aja & thrilling screenplay by Christie LeBlanc, stretching out its limited premise in directions I wasn’t expecting. The claustrophobic setting is used to maximum effect while the emotionally grueling lead performance from Mélanie Laurent had me riveted from beginning to end.

ARMY OF THE DEAD can be just as messy as the gore that spills all over Zack Snyder’s zombie-filled Las Vegas. Chaotically brutal action but the weak dialogue is all teeth with little bite. Dave Bautista carries this overlong film on his giant back, delivering his most emotional & best performance yet.

RIDERS OF JUSTICE skillfully juggles multiple tones & genres to entertaining & profound results! The dark humor & brutal action with a strong emphasis on character consistently surprised me at every turn. The ensemble are all delightful but they’re all anchored by Mads Mikkelsen who delivers another brilliantly layered performance driven by rage & violence.

THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW feels like it wants to be a modern-day REAR WINDOW made in the precise style of David Fincher but there are too many cracks in this one. None of its pieces, as gorgeous as they are (cinematography, score, set design & cast), ever come together to create a satisfying & coherent whole. It’s all shattered. Don’t cut yourself.

A thrilling true story that would’ve been more effective as a short. Really liked the orange filter they applied to the look of the film. There is also a strong establishment of setting & stakes but once the story opens up to include more characters, the cliched writing starts to peak through in the worst possible ways.

WRATH OF MAN is the latest pairing between Guy Ritchie & Jason Statham and it’s unlike anything they’ve done together yet. Brutal, serious & lacking Ritchie’s hyperkinetic style...it feels like it could’ve been made by anyone, leaving it as just another poorly written action heist film. Perhaps I went in with too high of expectations?

While the performances and chemistry from Billy Crystal and Tiffany Hadddish are fine and sweet on the surface, the directorial choices, on the nose writing and length of the film makes HERE TODAY feel like GONE YESTERDAY.

Incredible tension, crisp editing, layered sound work and a masterful two-hander from Tom Hanks & Barkhad Abdi. But what makes CAPTAIN PHILLIPS more than just a gripping thriller based on a true story is the haunting message it sends to the rest of the world about the power & supremacy America has over third-world countries. A thrilling experience.

The style of this wasn’t for me but it no doubt has something important to say about the refugee crisis. Off-beat comedy with some decent performances and some impressive framing. I can honestly say I admired it more than I loved it.