American History X (1998)

Widely touted as a movie everyone should watch, American History X starrs Edward Norton and Edward Furlong. Active neo-nazi Derek Vinyard (Norton) is jailed for the manslaughter of a group of black gang members who were attempting to steal his car. During this time, his younger brother Danny (Furlong), begins to change his views and soon falls in with the same neo-Nazi crowd his brother was involved with. But life on the inside begins to open Derek’s eyes and he realises the error of his ways. When he is released does he have what it takes to convince Danny that the Nazi life is wrong… and does he have time?

Part present tense and part flashback (shot in beautiful black and white) American History X is about as powerful as a movie can be. Through to its shocking conclusion you’ll be hooked and then you’ll want to watch it again… and again.

Man on Fire (2004)

Starring Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning, Man on Fire is the story of washed up former CIA agent John Creasy (Washington) who has been given a second chance working as a private bodyguard for Pita Ramos, the young daughter of a Mexican industrialist millionaire. Pita has a profound affect on Creasy, bringing him back from depression and the brink of suicide and all seems to be going well. Until Pita is violently kidnapped and Creasy is shot and nearly killed. After recovering from his injury, creasy vows to find and punish all involved with Pita’s abduction but he soon discovers that he’s up against more than a band of disorganised thugs.

Shot in the trademark Tony Scott style (a style I’m particularly fond of) Man on Fire is fast-paced brutal and thrilling. It’s clever enough to satisfy those who want more than action, action and more action but at the same time has a really well executed revenge movie at its core that will keep adrenaline junkies happy. Possibly Tony Scott’s finest film.

The prestige (2006)

Chris Nolan‘s period mystery thriller, The Prestige has more twists and turns than the collective attractions of Alton Towers and is about as slick as it gets. It tells the story to two rival magicians, Robert (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred (Christian Bale) who’s quest to out-do one another on stage leads to a deadly rivalry when Alfred makes a mistake which leads to the death of Robert’s wife in front of a live audience.

The story commands quite a lot of your attention, not only because of the complexities of the subject matter but also the way in which it is told. It is mostly told in flashback following Alfred being arrested and tried for Roberts murder. But believe me; nothing about this movie is what it seems. I watched the Blu-Ray recently and it really looks and feels great in HD but either way, you should see it.

A History of Violence (2005)

This movie sort of blindsided me, and I’m not alone. I don’t think any critics saw it coming and it bitch slapped them as much as it did me. A History of Violence tells the story of Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen), a family man and diner owner in a small town who becomes a local celebrity after killing two violent intruders who took diner customers hostage in an attempted robbery. This minor fame is more curse than blessing for Tom though as he is soon visited by some unsavoury characters from a past he has worked too hard to escape to let ruin his new life.

If the title didn’t give this away, this movie is VIOLENT! Some of the death scenes are extremely gory and will make you cringe. The story isn’t subtle, the characters aren’t exactly nuanced (except maybe William Hurt’s character) but the film is massively enjoyable.

Up (2009)

After the last 4 movies were more than a little dark and violent, I thought I’d end with what I believe was the sleeper hit of last year. Pixar’s Up didn’t have the usual massive launch of the usual Pixar fare partly because the story was so oddball the studios didn’t feel it warranted much of a marketing investment. It’s the story of Mr Fredricksen, a widower who, with the help of many thousands of helium balloons flies his and his late wife’s house to south America to live out the couple’s dream of living near Paradise Falls. Only when his house is in the air, though does he discover that he is accompanied by a young boy, Russell who stowed away on the front porch. When the pair arrive near the falls they need to walk the still just floating house the last few miles but encounter more than a few obstacles including Mr. Fredricksen’s former childhood hero.

Despite its limited release and weird story, Up is perhaps as perfect as a movie can be. The acting is superb, the animation is second to none. The appeal is ageless, anyone from 5 to 105 can watch and totally enjoy Up and I can’t recommend strongly enough that you do.

That’s all for this month folks. Hopefully normal service will resume next month. Ta ta!

Moon (2009)

Sometimes what we need as movie lovers is something to strip things back to the old school to remind us that a genre is worth our time. Moon did this for the sci-fi genre. Written and directed by Duncan Jones (David Bowie’s son), Moon tells the story of Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell); the lone occupant of a lunar mining station coming to the end of his three-year rotation. But with just a few days to go Sam begins to see strange things. These hallucinations cause him to crash a lunar vehicle and become trapped. Things get really weird when Sam is rescued by an apparent clone of himself.

A super stylish tale of paranoia and the malice of the multi-billion dollar mining corporation; Moon is a triumph. The confusion and claustrophobia are palpable and the ending will leave you slack-jawed but totally satisfied. A rare thing in modern movies.

Can’t Hardly Wait (1998)

So with coming-of-age comedies having had somewhat of a revival with Empire Records in ’95 one of the earliest of the new school teen comedies that spawned American Pie and the like was Can’t Hardly Wait. Starring Ethan Embry and Jennifer Love Hewitt, Can’t Hardly Wait is story of the last high school party before the class leave for college (Cliche now but quite fresh back then). It focuses on Preston’s last chance of give Amanda (Hewitt) a love letter he’s been holding on to since the first year of high school when Amanda moved from another town.

Running in parallel to this soppy love story is actually a pretty funny teen comedy. A good, old fashioned feel good movie Can’t Hardly Wait stands out among a bazillion other, sub par teen comedies. Sunday afternoon fare, for sure.

Street Kings (2008)

The third cop movie from writer/director David Ayer to feature in my recommendations, Street Kings is a story of crooked cops and betrayal in a Los Angeles police division. Keanu Reeves stars as Tom Ludlow, a great but disgraced cop battling alcoholism and discrimination. When a fellow cop is murdered Tom begins to see where the trail of deceit leads.

Featuring Forest Whittaker and Hugh Laurie (as House MD in everything but name and limp) Street Kings is a high action, fast paced cop thriller with all the tension of Ayer’s other greats, Training Day and Harsh Times. If you enjoyed them, you’ll enjoy this. Simple.

Disturbing Behaviour (1998)

Not quite teen movie, not quite horror and not quite sci-fi, Disturbing Behaviour is a bit of an oddball. It stars James Marsden and Katie Holmes before she went all schizo and married that dwarf and revolves around Steve (Marsden) who is new to the town and sees that not everything is as perfect as it first appears with the “Blue Ribbons”; the group of seemingly perfect students. Steve, with the help of friends Gavin (Nick Stahl) and UV (Chad Donella) soon discovers that the Blue Ribbons are the result of an experiment with the aim of eliminating teenage rebellion and creating a perfect school.

Though not as slick as it could have been, Disturbing Behaviour is something a little different. You can clearly see that The Faculty draws a lot of its inspiration from it and for its time, it was pretty unique in the teen genre. Maybe not the very very best but a pretty good example.

Martyrs (2008)

I wasn’t sure about recommending this one. Ash suggested that I watch it after she said it scared her so much she couldn’t get through it. Martyrs is about a girl who goes after revenge some years after she escaped from a prolonged horrific abduction. Well, at least the first 20 minutes are. Then it gets reeeeally nasty!

Believe me when I say this; Martyrs is the most horrific film I’ve ever seen. Nothing is sugar coated and no punches are pulled. Most people who have seen this make the obvious reference to Hostel but me, I saw something darker. Something more akin to Hellraiser than Eli Roth’s blackly comical splatterfest. Really, really, really use your discretion with this one.

So that’s all of them, folks. Sorry for the dealy this time. Hopefully March part I will be on time. See you then.

Wolf Creek (2005)

Only the second Australian movie I’ve ever recommended, Wolf Creek is a terrifying story of a group of young backpackers who are stranded in the outback and rescued by a passing bushman. What at first seems like an end to their nightmare turns out to be only the beginning as one by one the group are picked off by their rescuer in a variety of sick and brutal ways.

Blindsided isn’t the word here. I had no idea this movie was going to turn out to be such a violent, horrifying journey or such a well executed bit of film making. The cast of unknowns add to the feeling that this could happen to anyone and the villain isn’t hammed up like a lot of Hollywood slashers are. It is bound to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Heathers (1988)

Heathers is seriously weird… In a good way. Imagine True Romance and Natural Born Killers if they were told in the form of an episode of Twin Peaks and you’d be getting close. What we essentially have is a high school love story between a girl who hates her friends (Wynona Rider) and a guy who hates everyone (Christian Slater). The two meet and begin a bizarre and hilarious murder spree cutting through the school’s popular cliques.

Everything about this movie is unconventional. The story, the music, the direction and especially the characters. While the clothes and vocabulary might be dated, the movie still stands the test of time. Weird, it seems, never goes out of fashion.

Stir of Echoes (1999)

Around the time we started to see rapid-fire low budget horror coming to the fore once again, out came Stir of Echoes starring Kevin Bacon. The plot revolves around Tom (Bacon) who is hypnotised by a family friend and later begins to see haunting images and what appears to be the ghost of a young girl (Yes, cliche now but not so much when it was released) He soon begins to realise that these are clues and he must get to the bottom of the girl’s death before the hauntings ruin his family’s life forever.

You have to be in the right frame of mind to see this. Don’t watch it expecting Oscar worthy performances or Kubrick calibre direction. This is good, old fashioned shock-horror. That said, it’s better than the majority and she story stands up fairly well too. Stir of Echoes will fit in nicely as part of a horror movie marathon or a lazy night on the couch movie with popcorn.

Fortress (1992)

Are you ready for some cheese!!? You are? Great, then here’s Fortress! Starring Christopher Lambert, yeah the Highlander, as John Brennick, a man who is thrown into a high security underground prison when he and his wife attempt to flee the country with their illegal, unborn baby (the country is under population control).  He makes it his mission to not only escape but rescue his wife (from the women’s wing of the same prison) and destroy the evil facility and its corrupt warden. See… CHEESE!!!

As cheesy as this movie is, you can’t fail to enjoy it. The dialogue is hilarious, the action is over the top and the plot is just bonkers. Unplug brain, open bag of your favourite movie snacks and just enjoy what some refer to as the last great B movie ever made.

Body Bags (1993)

A first for these recommendation posts of mine, Body Bags never had a theatrical release. The low budget horror anthology “hosted” by John Carpenter was made for TV and still airs from time to time very late at night. Directed by Carpenter as well as Tobe Hooper (Director of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) Body Bags consists of three short horror tales ; The Gas Station, Hair and Eye, and features cameos from some horror legends including Sam Raimi and Wes Craven.

What’s great about this is that you can tell that it wasn’t made to make a particular audience happy. Instead it feels like a personal project that Hooper and Carpenter made to entertain themselves. It certainly explains why it never reached cinemas. Of course it’s also because of this that the movie never saw much in the way of critical acclaim. Not everyone sees things like a horror writer. Indeed, the movie might be somewhat lost on anyone but a true horror fan but I feel it’s worth your 90 odd minutes just to see if you like it. I certainly did.

That’s it for this time folks. Later!

The Descent (2005)

One of the finest horror movies of the last 10 years, The Descent follows a group of female cavers out on an expedition in a newly discovered cave system in an unnamed area of the English countryside. When the group find themselves cut off from their exit, the terror ensues as they soon discover they are being stalked by a strange, terrifying predator.

This is a movie that caught me totally by surprise. Critics compared it to Creep which, although I thought was good, didn’t blow me away. What I got though was a much tighter, well polished and more terrifying experience. Watch this one alone, in the dark and I promise you’ll shit yourself with fear.

Hard Candy (2005)

When people think of Ellen Page they immediately think of the surprise hit Juno. But for me the movie that sets the young Canadian actress apart is her 2005 film Hard Candy. The story follows Hayley (Page), a 14 year old girl who meets a charming 32 year old photographer played by Patrick Wilson over the Internet and arranges to meet in real life. Suspecting he is a paedophile, Hayley sets about a gruesome and violent plan to expose him.

Another film that blindsided me, Hard Candy is one of those films that will have you thinking for days and weeks after watching it. As the movie progresses your sympathy switches from one character to the other and as accusations become facts and layers of untruth are peeled away you find yourself questioning your own beliefs. It is gripping in a way that most other movies ony dream of being. In my opinion, Ellen Page’s best work to date.

Dead Man’s Shoes (2004)

If revenge is a dish best served cold, Shane Meadows‘ gritty tale of vengeance burns you like a shot of liquid nitrogen. Sitting firmly in my top three British movies of all time, Dead Man’s Shoes follows Richard played by the superb Paddy Considine as he returns to his home town after a stint in the army to exact bloody revenge on the gang of petty criminals who brutalised his mentally challenged brother.

Brutal, frightening and gritty with a killer twist ending, Dead Man’s Shoes will draw you in like Richard himself reached through the screen and grabbed you by the collar. Filmed in Matlock, Derbyshire just up the road from where I live, the setting is unusual for a movie like this but Meadows makes it nothing short of perfect. The remote, dreary town seems almost like another character in league with Richard as he avenges his brother. This is a must-see thriller.

Harsh Times (2005)

From the writer of Training Day, David Ayer, comes Harsh Times, the brutal, dark tale of a friendship torn apart by violence and mental illness. After serving in Iraq Jim (Christian Bale) is having a hard time adjusting to life as a civilian. Haunted by the killing he saw and did while in the gulf Jim’s money is running out and as he and lifetime friend Mike (Freddy Rodriguez) set out looking for work they end up falling back into the life of crime and drugs they so nearly turned their backs on completely.

This is not an easy film to watch. Nor is it happy. What you do get though is a gripping story, wonderfully shot and directed that takes you by surprise and doesn’t sugar coat anything. It portrays the disparity of the lead characters very well and is easily the best movie of its type… because it’s the only one.

Monster (2003)

My final recommendation this month is the true story of prostitute turned serial killer, Aileen Wuornos. Monster is an unflinching look at how Aileen (Charlize Theron) went from ageing prostitute to killing out of necessity to killing for money to being convicted and sentenced to death by the state of Florida and her odd friendship-come-love-affair with young runaway Selby played by Christina Ricci.

Brutal and honest, Monster is about as depressing as they come but the superb direction and Oscar winning performance from Theron simply steal the show. Very few true crime stories are as well done and hard-hitting as Monster. A true masterpiece.

A word of advice before I leave you; Don’t watch all these movies in one go. I don’t want your suicides on my conscience. Next time I think I’ll go for some comedies…

The Game (1997)

I remember being told about this movie by an old school friend and instantly making it my mission to seek it out and watch it. I’d simply never heard a more intriguing plot premise. The Game stars Michael Douglass as Nicholas Van Orton, a successful investment banker who is given a mysterious card for his birthday. After following the instructions on the card, Nicholas’ life is turned upside down. His business takes a dive, his home is ransacked and he is implicated in a sexual scandal that threatens to ruin his professional life forever. Who is responsible and what does the mysterious birthday present have to do with it all?

When it gets going, The Game is sure to have you hooked. The story is fast-paced and draws you in deeper and deeper until all is revealed in a twist ending that will more than satisfy. Not one you can watch too frequently but a great mystery thriller none the less.

Prince of Darkness (1987)

Many horror movies have dealt with the concept of Satan making his ascent up to earth at Armageddon but I don’t think any have handled it in a more interesting way than Prince of Darkness. The story follows a group of physics students and their professor sent into an abandoned LA church to investigate a strange cylinder of green liquid that has been discovered in the basement. The students soon discover that the liquid contains the essence of Satan himself who is seeking to manifest on Earth and awaken his father, an all-powerful Anti-God to bring about the end of time.

While not the most polished or well acted of movies, Prince of Darkness remains a truly original and entertaining horror flick. Combining religious folklore with shards of zombie horror and an odd appearance from Alice Cooper, it will hold your attention and, over all, leave you pretty impressed.

The Golden Child (1986)

Not one to be taken seriously, The Golden Child is a fantasy aventure comedy taken straight out of Eddie Murphy‘s golden era (pardon the pun). Murphy plays Chandler Jarrell, a detective specialising in finding missing children who is given the task of locating “The Golden Child” a young boy who is believed to hold great power and importance. The Golden Child has been kidnapped my a mysterious evil sorcerer and the fate of the world relies on his rescue.

Although not a big box office hit on its release, The Golden Child gathered a cult following on home video. It’s a well executed, funny and entertaining family film that really shows what made Eddie Murphy so popular.

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

I’m a huge Coen brothers fan. Pretty much everything they’ve made, I’ve enjoyed but I think one of their most overlooked films has to be The Hudsucker Proxy. When naive business graduate Norville Barnes (Tim Robbins) is installed as the president of Hudsucker Industries as part of a stock scam on the part of the board he is thrust into the public eye. It is then an ambitious news reporter played by Jeniffer Jason Leigh goes undercover to get to the bottom of the scam. Not all goes to plan for the board, though and soon Barnes begins to succeed where he is required to fail.

A quirky, unique comedy that only the Coen Brothers can deliver, The Hudsucker Proxy will have you hooked from the start with its witty dialogue and great direction. Great performances all round, including the late great Paul Newman really drive the movie home and will have you wanting to watch it again and again.

Brick (2005)

Easily one of the most imaginative Indy movies of the last 10 years, Brick brings film noir detective drama to the modern schoolyard. Investigating the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend Emily, Brendan (Joseph Gordon Levitt) is thrown into the world of drug dealing and street crime behind a mask of deception and double-speak until he encounters a mysterious crime kingpin known only in urban legend as “Pin” and discovers that Emily had become involved with an all together more dangerous group of people than he ever imagined.

This isn’t just another teen movie, Brick demands your full attention from start to finish but boy is it rewarded! Though little known, this movie is the single best performance yet from Levitt and the complex plot is enhanced by unusual characters and even more unusual story-telling. Never mind Donnie Darko, Brick is the most thought provoking teen drama you will ever see.

So yeah, like, go watch them and junk.

Dog Soldiers (2002)

Very British and very tongue-in-cheek, Dog Soldiers follows a squad of English army soldiers on a training exercise in the highlands of Scotland. The squad soon find themselves facing a more terrifying foe than they could have ever expected after finding another team of soldiers, special forces trained, torn to pieces in what looks like an animal attack. The squad make it to a remote house where they must make their last stand if they have any chance of seeing the sun rise.

Refreshing and very entertaining, Dog Soldiers took many people, myself included, completely by surprise. It’s fast paced, violent, funny and gory all rolled into a 90 minute gem wrapped in a big bow. This is one you’ll watch again and again just for the hell of it. And why not? This is grade A horror comedy.

Drag Me to Hell (2009)

While on the subject of horror comedy, I couldn’t ignore this little beauty I saw only the other week. The most recent movie I’ve recommended so far, Drag Me to Hell sees writer/director Sam Raimi’s triumphant return to the genre that made him famous. Christine Brown is a successful loan officer in a local bank with a nice life and loving boyfriend but when she denies an elderly woman an extension on her mortgage to get ahead at work she is cursed. Now Christine has 3 days to escape an evil demon before she is dragged down to hell.

This is a true back to basics triumph for Sam Raimi. The cast is understated, the effects are few and the plot is simple but the way the story is told and the way it is filmed make it massively fun! Check out Evil Dead 2, if you haven’t seen it, and you’ll see that Raimi’s formula is one of the simplest, yet most effective in Hollywood.

The Jerk (1979)

Last time I talked about Steve Martin’s prime. Well this time I’m recommending what I believe to be the creme de la creme of his acting career, The Jerk. Incredibly silly, yet wonderfully executed, The Jerk follows Navin Johnson (Martin), a not-so-smart redneck, as he leaves his family home in search of wealth and happiness. Amazingly, despite his stupidity, Johnson becomes a gradual success, progressing from one job to another until an unassuming invention of his makes him a millionaire. But no one can stay on top forever…

This is another movie you’ll watch over and over. Steve Martin makes what could have been a dreadful slapstick farce and makes it a true classic. You’ll be rewinding and re-playing classic scenes and quoting this one to your friends in no time. This is flawless comedy.

Taken (2008)

From comedy to action thriller and what I believe to be one of the best, and most under rated movies of 2008, Taken. As revenge movies go, Taken hits the bulls eye, following dd (Liam Neeson), an ex-government “problem solver” turned professional security guard, as he tears a path through Paris to find his kidnapped daughter and make her kidnappers pay the ultimate price. He has just over 90 hours to find her before the trail turns cold and she’s lost forever.

Empire, well the Empire writer Dan Jolin, gave Taken just one star but if you read the review and check out the reader comments you’ll see how poorly judged that was. One thing makes this movie so good; Neeson. I’ve been a fan of his for a long time but never have I seen him play such a bad ass! With every punch he lands against his enemy, you will find yourself more and more drawn into the movie and when it’s done, you’ll want to take the ride all over again.

Being John Malkovich (1999)

We’ll end this mixed bag with a taste of the really bizarre. Spike Jonze’s Being John Malkovich is about as kooky as they come. floundering puppeteer Craig Schwartz gets a job on the 7 and 1/2th floor of an office building as a filer. Between dealing with his elderly boss and lusting after one of his female colleagues, Craig discovers a small door behind one of the filing cabinets. This door leads into the mind of John Malkovich (Himself). At first Schwartz can only see through Malkovich’s eyes but when he learns that he can take control of the great actor he embarks on the greatest and most perverse journey of escapism ever seen.

As well as a being delightfully strange, Being John Malkovich has a pretty touching story at its core. Performances are wonderful all round and possibly the most impressive is given by Malkovich himself. Not to give anything away but just watch the scene where he enters his own mind through the tunnel. Weird and wonderful!

So there we have it. That’s all the movie recommendations for this year. Don’t be too sad though. I’ll be back in the new year with a load more for you. Until then, Merry Christmas!

Gerard Butler stars as Clide Shelton, the lone survivor of a home invasion that saw his wife and young daughter brutally murdered. As the case reaches court Clide witnesses what he believes to be an even greater crime; that his own lawyer (Jamie Foxx) brokers a plea deal in exchange for a lenient sentence in an effort to keep his own career untarnished. Snap forward ten years and Clide’s plans for true justice begin to surface.

I’ve got to admit, I wasn’t holding out much hope for this movie. Following a poorly edited trailer full of explosions and “attention grabbing” one-liners, not to mention it following closely behind the recent raft of vigilante thrillers I thought that Law Abiding Citizen would sit somewhere around the mediocre mark at best.

What I got, however was quite a surprise. Thankfully what the trailers didn’t show was a number of clever and original twists and turns that really give the movie a nice pace. As well as that, the movie was actually shot really well, contrary to what the trailers had lead me to believe. Like I said, the pace was great, the plot was easy to follow without being patronising and the acting and direction, on the whole, were slick. Another bonus is that they didn’t hold back and took advantage of the film being an 18 certificate. In one scene a prisoner is stabbed to death with an unlikely tool with no cut aways and no skimping on the red dye number 5. That said, they didn’t go over the top. In a torture scene they did the right thing and left the really gruesome stuff to the imagination and avoided making a gratuitous gore fest. Sure the way that people get picked off is a little bit “Saw” but it is executed (pardon the pun) to a much higher standard. Traps are elaborate but not totally unfeasible.

There were problems though. Gerard Butler’s American accent is simply diabolical. Why, why, why won’t Hollywood realise that if your lead actor can’t do an American accent, it’s not the end of the world!? Write him as a foreigner. It just doesn’t matter. It’s certainly a lot more credible than forcing a Scott to tarnish his otherwise admirable performance with a forced, un-natural accent. Have we learned nothing from Jason Statham!? Okay I don’t think he can act regardless of what accent he uses but you get the point.

Another flaw was the ending. I don’t want to give away any spoilers because over all this is still a good movie that I recommend seeing but the ending seemed a bit… off. I think that this is probably due to the cat being let out of the bag as to how Clide was able to carry out his plans far too early. Once his method is revealed you get 20 or so minutes where all the tension has been taken away and this causes the ending to be somewhat deflated. Also, how you get to that ending involves a bit of a shark jump where damning evidence arrives via e-mail, somehow via a character that died 2 scenes previous. (Techies/geeks: When this scene plays, look out for Jamie Fox clearly using Windows Vista on his MacBook Pro.)

All things considered, though, Law Abiding Citizen is a good movie despite it’s flaws and if you’re looking for some good old fashioned Hollywood entertainment with a bit of a twist then I definitely recommend it.

Verdict:

Raising Cain (1992)

There have been so many movies that use the phenomenon of multiple personality syndrome as a kind of lazy conclusion. Some have even worked it quite well into a twist ending. But, in my eyes none have explored the intricacies of the disorder in the same way as Raising Cain. Starring John Lithgow, Raising Cain is the story of Carter Nix, a child psychologist who’s obsessive control over the upbringing of his daughter begins to concern is wife, Jenny. Jenny’s own adultery causes a lapse in her parenting and leads to events that cause her to suspect that her husband is hell bent on re-creating the evil mind control experiments of his father.

Twisting and turning like a bat-shit roller-coaster, Raising Cain sets a tone that makes it feel just as crazy as the characters being portrayed. You’re never quite sure if you’re supposed to take it seriously or dismiss it as absurd which you realise, only when the credits roll, is meant to mirror society’s view of people with strange mental illness such as multiple personalities.

The Brave One (2007)

Writing a vigilante story must be a tricky old game. You don’t want to make the protagonist so agreeable that it becomes unrealistic but you don’t want to make them out to be completely in the wrong. You have to nail it right in the middle of that grey area. The Brave One does just that. When Erica Bain (Jodie Foster) recovers from a savage street attack which leaves her fiance dead, she is left terrified of the outside world. Using questionably impaired judgement, Erica buys a gun to protect herself. It isn’t long before she uses it, leaving two subway muggers dead. Erica takes it upon herself to combat the street thugs responsible for her fiance’s death and anyone who looks like them.

Co-starring Terrence Howard as Detective Mercer, The Brave One is a rare thing. A very well balanced, well executed vigilante thriller. It is similar to Death Sentence but stripped of the cheesy Hollywood coating and boy-band looking gang members. It is tighter, more engaging and as such more enjoyable. A very satisfying thriller.

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

This one isn’t a recommendation, it’s an order. If you haven’t seen Dog Day Afternoon, see it, and soon. It easily sits in my top 5 favourite movies of all time and despite it being nearly 35 years old is as strong now as it has ever been. Based on a true story, Dog Day follows Sonny (Al Pacino) in his attempt to rob a city bank. When the robbery goes wrong, Sonny is trapped inside and what should have been a 5 minute job has turned into a media circus and a dangerous hostage situation. The police and FBI try to end the stand off by any means and we learn that not everything is as it seems with Sonny.

Along with The Godfather part II, Dog Day Afternoon is Al Pacino’s best work. He captures the “oh, shit. Now what?” panic of a robbery gone wrong perfectly and then as the character progresses you see his vulnerability surface even more in spite of his apparent cockiness. A brilliant story, superbly told, Dog Day Afternoon is a must have in anyone’s DVD collection.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)

What happened to Steve Martin eh? Cheaper by the Dozen, The Pink Panther… This isn’t the man who found his fame as a comedy superstar. In Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, however we see the Steve Martin that won the hearts of movie lovers in the 70′s and 80′s. The story follows two con men, one cheap and quick (Steve Martin) and one who puts in work to get one big pay off from rich divorced or widowed women (Michael Caine). When they meet they realise the town isn’t big enough for the both of them and a wager is struck; The first one to con $50,000 out of a rich young woman wins exclusive rights to the small, rich town.

A hilarious tale of one upmanship and underhanded tactics, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is among my favourite comedies of all time. The classic timing and delivery of Martin in his prime played off against the straight laced but scheming Michael Caine makes for a side-splitting result.

Chopper (2000)

The semi-autobiographical film about the life and times of Australia’s favourite deranged criminal psychopath, Chopper tells the story of the most violent years of Mark “Chopper” Read’s life. Chopper, played by Eric Bana (Although you may need to look closely to realise) is in and out of prison between fighting, robbery and extortion and is pretty much completely nuts. The movie is based on the best-selling book “From the Inside” written by Read himself while serving time.

An intriguing and disturbing look at a fascinating but frightening man, Chopper is a great success as a true crime film. You can tell just how seriously Bana took this role from his performance. It’s true that he spent some time with Read out at his home to prepare for the role. Whatever you might think of the man, you’re sure to enjoy the movie.

You know what to do by now… so do it! See you all next time!

Pump Up the Volume (1990)

I love this movie because I can really relate to it. Pump Up the Volume follows Mark Hunter (Christian Slater), a newcomer to his town and high school who vents his frustrations through a pirate radio station under the alias; Happy Harry Hard-on or Hard Harry. Harry gains popularity quickly in a community where the kids aren’t alright and this, unexpectedly leads to tragedy. Overnight the police and the FCC are out to get Harry and he is against the clock to make a real change before he is silenced for good.

The more I think about it,the more I realise that if the Internet or blogging didn’t exist, I’d love to be doing something like that. It’s a truly great little story with some nice performances,  a killer soundtrack and some unexpected appearances (look out for a waaaay young Seth Green) and I think it ranks up there with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off in the rebellious kids genre.

8mm (1999)

Now for something truly dark. This movie is not for the easily disturbed and definitely not for kids. 8MM follows Tom Welles (Nicolas Cage), a private investigator hired to determine the authenticity of a film found in the private safe of a deceased wealthy business man. The film appears to be a genuine “snuff” film, a pornographic film culminating in the murder of the girl. Tom must journey deep into the sickening world of underground pornography to track down the people responsible for making the film and give answers to those who so gravely need them. Helping him on his way is Max California (sadly, the weakest part of this movie) played by Joaquin Phoenix.

There are movies that claim to tackle dark subject matter but most will coat it with a suffocating layer of Hollywood cheese. 8mm, on the other hand is violent, raw and unforgiving. It also shows Nicolas Cage in his finest performance since Leaving Las Vegas. Check it out if you have the stomach for it.

Very Bad Things (1998)

If the phrase “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” was actually true, this movie wouldn’t exist. Very Bad Things follows Kyle (Jon Faverau) a group of friends returning from Kyles stag party and dealing with a terrible secret; that they killed two people while in Las Vegas and buried them in the desert. As paranoia rises, so does the body count. Can Kyle make it to his wedding day, and who will be left alive to see it?

Darkly comical and very strange, Very Bad Things is a descent into paranoia and beyond that you won’t soon forget. Christian Slater, Jon Faverau and Leland Orser have great on-screen chemistry and as different as they all are they make a very believable group of friends. Friends ’til the bloody end.

Ghost Dog – The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Low-key and very understated, Ghost Dog is a dark horse indeed. It tells the story of a New York hit man (Forest Whitaker) who lives his life by the ancient code of the Samurai. When one of Ghost Dog’s hits is witnessed, he becomes the target and must carry out retribution on the deceitful mob while remaining true to his code. His only friends, a French speaking Haitian and young girl who shares his love of books are little help as Ghost Dog carries out his most important mission ever.

While clearly drawing inspiration from Leon, Ghost Dog is a different animal all together. Forest Whitaker gives a great performance as Ghost Dog and makes the movie draw you in. That said, it’s an unusual movie and maybe an acquired taste. It may not be for everyone but I certainly recommend it.

The Frighteners (1996)

This is what Peter Jackson does with horror-comedy when he’s given a budget higher than a few thousand dollars. Gone, but not forgotten, are the days of Bad Taste and Braindead. The Frighteners sees Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) given the ability to see and interact with ghosts following a car crash that claimed the life of his wife several years ago. While scratching out a living by conning people who claim to be experiencing hauntings, Frank encounters an old evil threatening to make its return. Frank has to use his unique ability to save the ones he loves, and the whole town from being consumed by this evil before it’s too late.

This movie keeps you on your toes. What starts out as a light hearted comedy soon becomes something much darker and while the comedy stays with us until the end, the movie is made much more satisfying by the change in tone and Peter Jackson’s distinctive style drives it home with style. The Frighteners; strangely, darkly entertaining.

Join me next time for more of my movie recommendations. As always, put your thoughts and suggestions in a the comments thread.

Things to do in Denver, When You’re Dead (1995)

I remember seeing this movie when my parents rented it in about ’96 and being totally fascinated by it. Things to do in Denver When You’re Dead (From now on shortened to ‘Denver) tells the story of Jimmy “The Saint” (Andy Garcia) and a group of criminals who all face imminent execution following a botched job for a notorious crime boss, played by Christopher Walken. Jimmy must make the most of his remaining days and try to save his friends and loved ones before the hit comes down on him.

“Reservoir Dogs ripoff? Or so the critics said at the time, but this movie is far better than that. Just a good modern-gangster-yarn with well drawn characters and a unusual plot. Yet wether by design or accident it works tremendously well. Helped by a fine cast. I cant think of a single weak performance, no matter how small the role.” – IMDB User, psib0rg

This simple concept turns out to make a massively entertaining movie and clearly draws inspiration from Tarantino who was seeing his introduction to the big time around ’92 – ’95 with Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. Although not as polished and defined as Tarantino’s work, ‘Denver still makes for a great piece of crime drama. Watch out for Steve Buscemi as one of the most bad ass hit men you’ll ever see.

Falling Down (1993)

Oh boy, is this a movie we can all relate to! What happens when modern life just gets too much? When a man is pushed past breaking point there’s no end to the shit-storm that ensues. Falling Down follows William Foster (Michael Douglass) who has just had enough. Down trodden at work and home, he finally snaps when the morning commute turns to 100 degree gridlock. He proceeds to tear a path through Los Angeles in order to get to his daughter on her birthday, in spite of his wife’s restraining order. Between the two sits Detective Pendergast (Robert Duvall) on his last day as a cop before retirement.

Strong story? Maybe not so much. Bloody entertaining? You bet your sweet ass! As Foster moves from one aggravating situation to another collecting a bigger and bigger arsenal of weaponry you’ll either think he’s a hero or an ass hole. Either way, you’ll enjoy the ride!

Once Were Warriors (1994)

There are few films as powerful as this one. Its message is just so poignant. Once Were Warriors follows the Heke family, descended from Maori warriors the family is on the verge of being torn apart by a drunk, violent father, Jake (Temuera Morrison) and the pressure of living as outcasts in one of the poorest parts of New Zealand. Rena, Jake’s wife, must find the strength to break the cycle and get herself and her children away before it’s too late. The only way she can do that is by getting away from Jake and reconciling with her family who disapproved of their relationship.

Engaging, powerful and disturbing, Once Were Warriors sucks you in like almost no other movie can. Touching character development is interspersed with violent scenes that are almost too difficult to watch and a back story of youth delinquency that still rings true 15 years and thousands of miles later.

Event Horizon (1997)

Sci-fi horror is a tough thing to get right, it seems. Over the years there have been what seems like hundreds of failures to each success. One of these successes is Event Horizon, the tale of the first faster-than-light space flight and its terrifying consequences. 7 years after the ship disappeared it suddenly returns in orbit around Neptune. A military team is sent out to investigate and get some answers. The team is accompanied by the ship’s designer Dr Weir (Sam Neill). What the team discover is darker and more terrifying than any of them could have imagined. They are soon found in a fight for their very souls as the Event Horizon tries to claim a new crew.

The best thing about this movie, for me, is the plot. It’s such an interesting concept that has been ripped off since but never bettered. The suspense is killer, the scares are scary and the cast works just nicely. The special effects are a little dated but nothing a good does of suspension of disbelief can’t handle. So go on; liberate tutame ex infernis.

Silent Hill (2006)

If there’s one genre that’s seen less success than sci-fi horror it has to be video game adaptations. Street Fighter = Shite, Mortal Kombat = Shite, Super Mario Bros = Let’s just not go there. Ever. Silent Hill breaks this stereotype with style! The story follows Rose, a mother taking her daughter, Sharon to the small town of Silent Hill in order to bring her face to face with her nightmares and sleepwalking episodes. She is soon separated from her daughter and thrown into a terrifying alternative reality brought about by tragic events in the town many years ago. In order to save her daughter, Rose must unravel the mystery of Silent Hill and face the evil that lives there.

It’s really refreshing to see a video game adaptation done so well. It remains very true to the source material yet different enough to feel original. The worst thing about it is Sean Bean‘s tragic American accent which is just laughable (stick to doing O2 adverts, sunshine). The movie nails ‘creepy’ down to a tee and the gore effects are top notch. Go on, indulge the inner video game nerd.

There you go, some more cinematic loveliness to treat your senses too. I’ll be back later in the month with five more class acts. As always I invite you to make use of the comments thread and let me know what you think about my recommendations. Tata for now, my pretties.