movie blog

Double Walker (2021) : Movie Thoughts

Posted by absolutebadasses on November 18, 2021

Posted in: Movie Reviews, Reviews. Tagged: colin west, double walker, double walker movie, films, horror movie, like, love, movie blog, movies, photos, pictures, revenge genre, slow burning thriller, suspense, sylvie mix, sylvie mix double walker. Leave a comment

Director : Colin West – Cast Includes : Sylvie Mix, Justin Rose, Quinn Armstrong

Colin West‘s directorial debut DOUBLE WALKER came out of the blue… I’d not even seen any promotional work for this movie, not heard of the filmmaker or indeed it’s thrilling young star either… I know this may sound rather morbid but I do love the revenge genre, somebody has been wronged in someway and punishment must be handed out, and you know the really great thing about Double Walker is that it’s refreshingly original, a bizzare mix of intrigue, weirdness (in a good way) and horror, all this combined allowing you to escape into it’s delicious twisty plot watching the perpetrators get their comeuppance one by one until the story unfolds and everything makes perfect (well sort of) sense towards it’s finale… Sylvie Mix wrote the story and she also plays the lead role, her screen presence is alluring and although her character rarely speaks her actions are enough to carry the film, grabbing your attention from that very first moment she appears in the woods to those mysterious scenes in the town of Fairview… the writing is clever, I loved the mood and the way Sylvie’s character is dressed in mostly white almost angelic, the darkness that consumes each & every character and the blood that’s spills… Double Walker comes highly recommended, it’s a slow burning chiller that I throughly enjoyed and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for it’s director and star ★★★½

Director : Destin Daniel Cretton – Cast Includes : Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Meng’er Zhang

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings : Shang-Chi must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization… I’m not gona start prattling on about Scorsese or Villeneuve, I just LOVE MOVIES and variety is the spice of life… so what did I think of Marvel’s latest cinematic outing? well firstly it’s directed by Destin Daniel Cretton known for his work with Brie Larson (Captain Marvel) on the likes of Short Term 12, Just Mercy and The Glass Castle all of which are good movies but nothing like the sheer size of Shang-Chi so I can’t deny I was surprised by Marvel’s choice in giving the reigns to a director with not much experience in this arena… but Destin’s involvement was not just the chair, he also co-wrote the picture as he did with his other three movies and after recently watching the film in my local cinema his choice was the right one so what do I know eh!… Shang-Chi is the REAL DEAL it’s an explosive, kung fu opera that dazzles with it’s entertaining style, it’s incredible stunts and choreography and sumptuous backdrops : I loved the energy from Simu Liu, from those riotous fight scenes including the Chan inspired bus fight to the chemistry he shares with Katy played by the delightfully funny Awkwafina, Liu has stamped his mark on the MCU and in Shang-Chi he makes the film experience a much more enjoyable one… I loved the mythical beasts of Ta Lo, some cute and cuddly and others looked ready to rip your head clean off, the sets are costumes are sublime, Ben Kingsley gives a gentle reminder of his comic genius and if the casting of Michelle Yeoh who plays the aunt to Shang-Chi was inspired then what would you call Meng’er Zhang’s introduction to film? AMAZING is just one word I’d use, Zhang plays Shang-Chi’s mysterious, confident if not slightly damaged sister Xialing and what a debut, the scenes Xialing shares with Katy and Shang-Chi are electrifying… so as you can see from my movie thoughts Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is a cinematic joy to behold, it’s top tier Marvel and one that balances action and humor with the seriousness of it’s world perfectly ★★★★

Director : James Wan – Cast Includes : Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, George Young,

You just can’t beat the big screen experience, forget streaming the cinema is where you go to watch a big movie release… yesterday I was front row with a pretty good crowd in and I could smell the popcorn, feel the anticipation & when that first scare hits you can hear the anxious murmurs and the nervous giggles that all add to that ultimate film watching experience! and so to the film… MALIGNANT is a twisted, cocktail of horror from the finest exponent of the genre since Craven danced the dance… not only is Malignant the filmmakers most bloody & violent outing yet it’s also a real mixture of sub-genre’s that scatter the horror landscape, from it’s atmospheric almost supernatural start, the moments of unsettling domestic abuse, it’s killer slasher elements that gave off a De Palma & Argento vibe to that CRAZY final 30 minutes that if your squeamish then close your eyes… I loved it’s head spinning camera work by Michael Burgess (The Curse of La Llorona) that scene in the house where the camera is tracking Madison from above as she runs away from her assailant now that’s pretty darn cool, the vulnerable & terrifying performance by Annabelle Wallis to it’s blood lust carnage second half that delivers not only a high body count but huge amounts of gore Malignant’s director James Wan has given life to a new play thing… and this one BITES !! ★★★★½

Tom Cruise : Absolute Top Four

Posted by absolutebadasses on July 3, 2021

Posted in: Views. Tagged: 80s, born on the fourth of july, boxoffice, cinephile, collateral, edge of tomorrow, endless love, ethan hunt, film geek, film website, films, happy birthday tom cruise, jerry maguire, like, love, magnolia, maverick, mission impossible, movie blog, movies, photography, taps, tom cruise, tom cruise action star, top gun. Leave a comment

“Tower, this is Ghost Rider requesting a flyby….” whether it be Maverick soaring through the skies in Top Gun, on a spy mission with Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible, fighting Aliens in Edge of Tomorrow or playing a contract killer in Collateral there’s nothing quite like watching TOM CRUISE project his passion, commitment and overall love for his craft onto our movie screens… he’s INFECTIOUS : born on this day in 1962, Syracuse New York, Tom Cruise made his film debut playing Billy in 1981’s Endless Love, six more movies followed before Tom took on his iconic role of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell alongside Val Kilmer and Kelly McGillis in Tony Scott’s 1986 action masterpiece Top Gun, he became a box office sensation, his career boomed and he’s never looked back… of course along with his well know action movies Tom can also act with the best of them, he’s won three Golden Globes and been nominated by the Academy in three pictures… Oliver Stone’s 1989 true story Born on the Fourth of July, Cameron Crowe’s 1996 comedy Jerry Maguire and Paul Thomas Anderson’s brilliant 1999 movie Magnolia : aged 59 Tom’s currently filming Mission Impossible 7 and yep he’s still doing those crazy stunts and his new movie Top Gun : Maverick hits the big screen later this year… what an ABSOLUTE BADASS !!

Following the Abbott family who are forced to venture into pastures new as they quickly realise that the alien creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats lurking beyond the sand path : A QUIET PLACE Part II opens up with a flashback… Day 1 starts with happier times where we get to see the the small American town where the Abbott’s lived right before the Alien invasion took place, there’s smiles aplenty as the kids are playing baseball, we get to see Brody’s Pizzeria an obvious nod to Spielberg’s Jaws and we get our first look at a new character Emmett played by Cillian Murphy, a family man watching the baseball when his and everyone’s life changes forever : if your a horror fan then the darkness of the Cinema is the best place to watch A Quiet Place Part II as Polly Morgan’s imaginative camera work, the muted sound with flashes of screeching, screaming Alien attacks and the tension with each scene as the family attempt to navigate their now crushed world without making a sound is unbearable : I know I touched on this after 2018’s first movie but I have to say how impressed I am with Millie Simmonds who’s easily the star of this sequel, her character Regan is fearless & clever and the train and boat yard scenes with Cillian are terrific to watch, Emily Blunt of course is superb, the pain Evelyn feels in defending her children & insurmountable loss is the backbone of the movie, from heartfelt moments such as leaving her wedding ring on the cross and her fight with the creature whilst carrying two oxygen tanks is formidable, Peaky Blinder Cillian Murphy is a welcome additon to the cast, his character Emmett plays a pivotel role in the Abbott families survival and The Undoing’s young star Noah Jupe is once again fabulous, that scene where Marcus is running out of air in the safe had my pulse racing and my knuckles turning white as I gripped the arms of the chair, nearly knocking my popcorn all over the place : it’s no mean feat to direct a sequel that stands up well alongside it’s original yet somehow John Krasinksi has managed just that… yes if I was being slightly picky the film finishes rather abruptly and could have benefitted with an extra thirty minutes… but since a third film in the franchise has been green lit with no other than Jeff “Midnight Special” Nichols directing then I’ll let this one pass and look forward to another chapter where being quiet is the new norm : TERRIFYING ★★★★

Nick Bannister, a private investigator of the mind, navigates the darkly alluring world of the past by helping his clients access lost memories. Living on the fringes of the sunken Miami coast, his life is forever changed when he takes on a new client, Mae. A simple matter of lost and found becomes a dangerous obsession. As Bannister fights to find the truth about Mae’s disappearance, he uncovers a violent conspiracy and must ultimately answer the question: how far would you go to hold on to the ones you love?

From the co-creator of Westworld and directorial debut of the Lisa Joy comes Reminiscence a movie that looks insanely familiar yet mind blowingly cool in a Christopher Nolan kinda way : I love the imagery, futuristic film noir setting and love story vibes and the cast is not too shabby either with Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson and Thandiwe Newton taking central roles : check out the trailer below, the movie lands on August 20th 2021

Two Sightseers charter a seaplane and it’s experienced crew to fly to a remote part of the Australian coast called Hells Reef when their fun turns into a real nightmare after a man-eating shark wants them for lunch : there’s been many imitators since Spielberg released his classic 1975 movie JAWS, some have relied on poor CGI with no story, others have decided on the gore route with cheese-o-rama dialogue often with actors that the studio have found dossing around some local shopping mall or the like but on the odd occassion a film comes out that takes elements from those good ones that have come before, giving the viewer an enjoyable ride and Martin Wilson’s film debut GREAT WHITE is one of them movies : I really love the way the film starts with Luke and Tracy enjoying as couples do the beauty of their surroundings then boom, the attack comes from nowhere, a circling predator, the sail mast and the chilling last moments of Tracy floating, unconcious in the waters depths : The films cast is led by The Bold and the Beautiful’s Katrina Bowden and Aussie actor Aaron Jakubenko who was last seen in Tidelands, Kaz & Charlie run their own business, owning a seaplane and taking passengers to some of the scenic spots in the country, I loved Katrina & Aaron’s energy, their chemistry and both are believable in their respective roles, their joined by the talented trio of Tim Kano, Kimie Tsukakoshi who play the tourists out to see the beauty of the area and Te Kohe Tuhaka’s Benny a likeable part of the crew stealing many of the scenes with his humor and deadpan stares, some of the film was shot just north of Brisbane on the Redcliffe Peninsula and the photography by Tony O’Loughlan really captures the fear, mystery and beauty above and below the surface of the ocean, I was also impressed by Tim Count’s haunting music that seemed to fit each scene of Wilson’s movie so well : So if your looking for one of those Syfy Shark movies with a bloodbath and cheap thrills such as Sharknado or Trailer Park Shark then don’t waste your time with Martin Wilson’s Great White a film that’s much more polished, much more of a tension driven, white knuckle ride that slowly builds in it’s first and finishes with an exciting, pulse racing climax, a film that overall I thoroughly enjoyed and I expect in years to come with multiple viewings it will garner it’s own fan base ★★★★

A woman who believes that she will die tomorrow spreads her thoughts to others around her in a small town like a contagion : I’ve seen a bunch of strange movies this year but Amy Seimetz’s She Dies Tomorrow takes the biscuit : from it’s flashing colors, dreamlike images and a cover of Mozart’s Lacrimosa playing on repeat, Seimetz’s picture is both haunting and strangely captivating as we find ourselves witnessing some highly irregular characters going about their daily life talking about the sex life of Dolphins, wanting to come back from death as a leather jacket and rivers flowing with period blood : I’m not sure I got what the movie was trying to say but it’s cast especially Kate Lyn Sheil who is quite mesmerising as the free spirited Amy, who loves nothing more than pouring out her emotions by the touch of a wall or floor board as she slow dances in her own space and the PJ wearing, confused Jane played by the tremendous Jane Adams makes She Dies Tomorrow insanely gnarly, utterly watchable and without question thought provoking : overall this movie will divide many with it’s unusual plot line, tackling the likes of anxiety, death etc and believe me it’s not an easy watch but as a movie fan I highly recommend you give it a go, it’s original story telling which is rare these days, colors that engulf the screen creating this alternate reality appearance, the fabulous ensemble with Josh Lucas, Chris Messina and Michelle Rodriguez in minor roles and the fact that Amy Seimetz’s talent and voice needs to be explored more in the future makes this movie essential viewing ★★★★

A young girl and her hunter father journey to Ireland to help wipe out the last wolf pack by the order of the Lord Protector. But everything changes when she sneeks out one day and accidently comes across Mebh a free-spirited girl from a mysterious tribe that are rumored to be able to transform into wolves : I’m struggling to find the right words to express how much I love WOLFWALKERS a 2D animated feature from filmmakers Moore & Stewart : like Studio Ghibli at their finest Wolfwalkers sucked me into the film’s story, it’s colorful characters and allowed me to feel part of this breathtaking folktale adventure that takes place in Kilkenny, Ireland in 1650 : from the moment they appear on the screen it’s clear that Mebh, Robyn and her besty a falcon named Merlin would become your friends, their characters are built with warmth, charm and are truly magical : I found the the swashbuckling animation to be flawless with it’s wooded landcape, the walled town of Kilkenny and it’s surrounding area coming to life in a rather exquisite and throughly exciting way, and along with it’s already stunning score the song Running with the Wolves by the amazing Aurora was a perfect addition : and how about the vocals of Eva Whittaker as Mebh and Honor Kneafsey as Robyn with both young actors breathing a fiery passion into these two wonderful characters with their own unique spoken word : overall Wolfwalkers is a freshly original animated picture that tugged on my heart strings and gave me the biggest smile whilst watching a movie this year : OUTSTANDING ★★★★★

For me the rules of a great Festive Movie are quite simple : try and make the person who’s watching feel good, put a big Cheshire Cat smile on their face and spread that heartfelt message of love, hope and well wishes far & wide : each year around early December our home is full of Christmas Cheer and we love nothing more than to revisit some of our favorite movies : alternate festive treats such as Die Hard and Gremlins, classics of yesteryear such as The Goonies and Raiders but without question each and every year the Absolute Top Four always get a looking : Richard Donner’s magnificent Scrooged, Frank Capra’s emotionally acclaimed It’s a Wonderful Life, The Griswalds send me into hysterics in Christmas Vacation and Ron Howard magical family movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas : for me these movies embody everything that makes this time of year so special……. what’s you favorite festive movies?

A girl born into an all-female cult following this messiah-like-figure who calls himself the Shepherd : I’m not really a big fan of movies that revolve around cults, the mere thought of people brainwashed into following someone’s else’s believes makes me sick to my stomach, however there are occassions when a movie moves me in a particular way and Małgorzata Szumowska’s THE OTHER LAMB is one of them films : I think what makes this film more intriguing is it’s coming-of-age story of Selah one of the Sisters as she starts to question her role in The Flock whilst herself becoming a women, having her first period and slowly starting to see things within the group as they really are : Michał Englert’s beautiful cinematography, unusual camera angles, it’s Irish backdrop and the costumes worn by the wives and sisters in the movie adds so much to the horror and depth of The Other Lamb and although this may not be your conventional horror film, it’s scares lie with it’s intelligent narrative, slow build up, unnerving performances and a subject matter that dances around religion, patriarchy and sacrifice that sent shivers down my spine ★★★★

A family of fur trappers who live in a remote wilderness find their tranquility threatened by what they think is a wolf, but something else has been stalking the woods and Joseph, Anne and Renee are about to find out what : WOW !! I wasn’t really prepared for this movie and I’m not just talking about it’s macabre, unforgettable finale but also the harshness of it’s story about a family that live off the grid in the Canadian wilderness, living off the land, killing animals for their fur whilst teaching their young daughter to set traps, to shoot a gun, skin animals and generally learning how to fend for herself without little knowledge of the outside world : during the opening twenty minutes of Hunter Hunter I realised that I didn’t care much for the parents, their treatment of Renee and the animals butchered for monetary gain didn’t particular sit well with me so I was rather hoping that the rogue wolf that had been terrorising the area for years would finally get even, it would have been a slice of karma but things don’t always go to plan and the course of the movie was about to shift and things were about to get real : without giving too much away my only criticism with the film is that I felt that the plot could have expanded to include more backstory to some of the more relevant aspects throughout, that being said filmmaker Shawn Linden captures the danger of inhabiting the wilderness with a provocative, tense driven ride that explodes during it’s final act which what can only be described as incredible : ONE TO WATCH ★★★½

Following the loss of their son in a freak accident, a retired sheriff and his wife leave their ranch in Montana to rescue their young grandson from the Weboys, a dangerous family living deep in the heart of the Dakotas : if it’s action or light hearted entertainment your after then Let Him Go is certainly not for you, the sombre tone throughout is backed up by it’s hard hitting narrative, you’d think you were watching something by Taylor Sheridan but instead it’s directed by Thomas Bezucha based on a novel written by Larry Watson and what an excellent job he does too : watching two old pros in Lane and Costner deliver screen magic by simply talking around a breakfast table, drinking a coffee whilst on a roadtrip or sleeping the night in an empty prison cell is what I call BLISS and luckily for me there’s plenty of character investment in Watson’s sombre driven story, a real hearty, honest picture that examines getting old, loosing loved ones, abuse and fighting for what you believe in no matter what the cost : one of my favorite moments in the movie is when George & Margaret arrive at the Weboy’s for dinner and sit around the table, it’s polite until it’s not and your just made to feel as uncomfortable as the characters in the scene watching it all play out : overall Let Him Go is a real belter of a movie, it’s a slow paced, character driven mystery western that delivers an intense final act with stunning photography and a powerhouse display by Lesley Manville as Blanche Weboy ★★★★½

After losing his wife in a car accident, a father relocates to a new home with his daughter, but things go horribly wrong when strange things start to happen and his daughter vanishes after being cared for by a local nanny : with shades of the Ring and James Wan’s Insideous Kim Kwang-bin’s THE CLOSET is a chilling ghost story that tells of personal grief and trauma of others : apart from a short back in 2011 this is Kim Kwang-bin’s directorial debut that he also wrote, and what a spooky way to start your career behind the camera, the film is dark, it deals with disturbing images and has a haunting message that you’ll discover deep inside the belly of Kwang-bin’s storytelling : there’s moments during every good horror movie when the penny drops and during The Closet the real pay off comes with a small flashback scene involving Myung-jin and what happened to her, it’s disturbing and is certainly a choke you up moment that I didn’t see coming, the combination of supernatural elements, creepy characters and eye peeling effects mixed with a bunch of relatable characters creates the perfect balance in the movie and one I found extremely fun to watch : I loved the father and daughter played by Ha Jung-woo and Heo Yool both are excellent in their respective roles, Heo Yool’s Yi-na especially is quite innocent to begin with and then changes when the evil gets hold, super scary and those rolling eyes GULP, I also found the local exorcist played by the superb Kim Nam-gil who involves himself with the father in helping him find his daughter was a brilliant touch adding that bit of Poltergeist/Insideous element to proceedings : overall The Closet is worth every minute of your time, it’s a thought provoking, gut twisting ghost tale that packs a punch ★★★★

After falling in love, an infamous bank robber known as the In-and-Out Bandit agrees to return all the money he has stolen in exchange for a reduced sentence. But when two unsavoury FBI agents set him up for murder, he has no option but to go on the run and clear his name : although the film’s storyline is predictable, similar to those that have come before it’s Liam Neeson’s presence & acting chops that carries the movie forward, still looking convincing in a genre he’s owned for the last ten years or more and that saying something considering the veteran turned sixty eight in June, he’s also well supported by his knockout co-star Kate Walsh who’s not only a delight to watch but the chemistry between the two is extremely evident from the moment their characters first meet in the storage facility, the scenes between the two are superb : there’s also Jeffrey Donovan’s FBI Agent and his pet dog who make for a great double act, Jai Courtney’s turn as a dirty agent is fun if not a little samey and the fight in the hotel room and subsequent chase scenes with the rogue FBI agents trying to catch their man are pacey and well filmed : I would have liked to have seen more of Robert Patrick but overall Honest Thief is an entertaining, well oiled and effective action thriller that I had fun with and enjoyed ★★★½