Frank Miller basically re-thought how we look at Batman today. Everyone from Bruce Timm to Christopher Nolan has taken a cue from the master writer who completely re-worked Batman for the modern era where the camp was no longer present and the grim takes on morality and justice became ever present in what we know as the character so well. “Batman: Year One” attempts to take the original Frank Miller graphic novel and transform it in to a small film that does its job in telling the tale of two forces of good that would walk in to Gotham City almost at the same time and become a true force of nature in changing the law and transforming the seedy underworld in to a haven for cowards and thugs.
Tag Archives: Crime
Drive (2011)
Director Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2011 masterpiece may be one of the most misunderstood gems of the year. Rather than opting for a simple take off on the Ryan O’Neal classic heist film, he instead focuses in on the consequences of the choices made by criminals and the deeply meditative state of life that can ultimately be a reflection of the crimes we commit throughout our years. “Drive” feels almost like that lost jewel of the late seventies and early eighties, a film that focuses solely on the aftermath of crime rather than the crime itself and zeroes in on a sole individual whose own choices have come back to haunt him and ultimately put him in a position where he must seek redemption before the evil corrupts the only good in his life.
A Lonely Place to Die (2011)
After watching “A Lonely Place to Die” it’s a darn shame that Melissa George isn’t more widely acknowledged by American audiences. She has a unique striking beauty, a dazzling on-screen presence, delivers some truly strong performances, and plays a dashing on-screen heroine. After watching her in the hidden gem “Triangle” and now this near masterpiece of a thriller, I find it shocking that George isn’t a huge star in the states as she should be. She’s prone to playing strong often independent women and here she flexes her muscle and scowl with what can only be described as a teeth grinding thriller that will leave most audiences clutching their seats in agony.
Kidnapped (Secuestrados) (2010)
At the end of the day I really wanted to love “Kidnapped,” but the problem with Miguel Angel Vivas’ lengthy and dreary home invasion picture is that he sends out mixed messages and can never be sure where he wants to lead the audience. Sometimes our characters are merely horror movie cannon fodder to be bashed around and humiliated at a moment’s notice, and other times Vivas seems to really want to depict these characters as fleshed out human beings for the audience. And he fails at accomplishing both tasks. From minute one Vivas almost wants to show us this family bond that is lacking from the get go and never gives us a reason why we should quite care about these people.
The Horde (La Horde) (2009)
It’s cops and robbers meets zombies in Yannick Dahan and Benjamin Rocher’s French zombie spectacular entitled “La Horde.” One of the main things I love about today’s zombie films is that we don’t often go too deep in to what’s causing a zombie apocalypse, nor do we ever find the characters questioning what is causing this mayhem. We just know their asses are about to be chomped on and they have to move quick. From “Dead Set” to “Rammbock” right down to “The Walking Dead,” not much is made of what is the cause of the apocalypse so much as is how to work around it. “La Horde” is one of the many zombie flicks that just doesn’t understand a good zombie movie has to be about the people in and around it and less about the zombies.
Red State (2011)
If Red State had been the efforts of amateur filmmakers, I’d have chalked it up to being one hell of an try in the horror genre. But knowing Kevin Smith inside and out, I’m inclined to say that Smith seems almost disingenuous in his efforts to create an independent film that may or may not be independent when all is said and done. Smith knows his way around the camera and while I can’t fucking stand a single film from the man, “Red State” is a film that disappointed because the man does nothing with the genre that we haven’t already seen. And he’s working in my genre, the horror genre, so I expected big things from this considerable clunker. Rabid Christian fundamentalists, torture porn, commentary on religion, it’s all on the menu from a god fearing man like Kevin Smith who can never be sure if he’s putting religion to task for corrupting us, or merely just showing that religion has a bad side like it has a good side. “Dogma” was in fact an unbridled celebration of the mythos behind his religion, now “Red State” takes it to task and can never be quite certain what kind of message it’s trying to convey.
Horrible Bosses (2011)
“Horrible Bosses” has an interesting premise. It’s about three men, all with three variously demented and wicked bosses, who decide one night to murder them each. Do they dare live out the American Dream? But within the good intentions and sharp casting (Colin Farrell with a comb over is hysterical, nevertheless) lies a fairly unpleasant movie that tries to be about as outrageous as your humdrum Farrelly Brothers film and fails to even remotely funny or laugh inducing. Three men with three different bosses decide enough is enough begin planning, with the help of a hit man, their untimely demises.