Category Archives: Plot Twist

2013, Abduction, Car Chase, Clever Plot, Could Be Hard To Watch, Creepy, Detective, Disturbing Image, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Plot Twist, Psychological Thriller, Serial Killer, Suspense, Torture, Violent, Wonderful acting

Prisoners (2013)

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From Netflix:

When his 6-year-old daughter is abducted and the investigation stalls, carpenter Keller Dover tracks down the culprit himself. But his vigilante action pits him against the case’s lead detective and puts his own sanity at risk.

Hugh Jackman plays the father who becomes violently involved in the investigation. In this respect this role is somewhat of a departure for Jackman since his character’s behavior is so far over the line that he is almost a villain. But still the plot is clever enough that for almost the entire film you are not really sure Jackman is on the right track or just plain unhinged.

Jake Gyllenhaal as Detective Lokki plays the calm, deliberate contrast to Jackman. Gyllenhaal’s job is complicated because he is both trying to find the kidnapped girls as well as keeping a suspicious eye on Jackman.

WARNING: Be prepared for violence, psychotic behavior, and torture.

Also expect some plot surprises. It takes the entire 153 minutes for answers to arrive. Finally I would enjoy hearing your reaction to the very end of the film, whose style is becoming more and more “trendy” and which has always made me chuckle.

Read the warning label and then DO NOT MISS!

2013, Acceptable for children, Alzheimer's disease, B-movie, Could Be Sad, Drugs, Dysfunctional Lives, Father-son relations, Feel Good For All, Mediocre, Melodrama, Optimistic, Plot Twist, Quiet

Straight A’s (2013)

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From Netflix:

Seeking redemption, family outcast Scott returns to his hometown, only to throw everyone’s lives into disarray. It’s particularly troubling for his sister-in-law, who was once his high school sweetheart.

Give this “Straight A’s” a rating of a Straight B.

However, it is (except possibly for many uses of the F-Word) a feel-good film suitable for children. Since it was a 2013 film made immediately available for Netflix streaming, you might suspect this film is not Oscar material.

Sorry, but for me Anna Paquin will always be Sookie Stackhouse from that TV vampire-fest “True Blood”. Ryan Phillipe played Louis Roulet in “The Lincoln Lawyer“.

There is nothing really wrong with this predictable melodrama except for its mediocrity. In fact, if you are watching while doing something else constructive, this is not a bad diversion.

2011, Based on a Book, Basically Sad, Dancing, Drama, FilmReview, Love Story, Plot Twist, Quiet, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Slow, Unusual

Trishna (2011)

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From Netflix:

Raised in rapidly changing rural India, well-educated Trishna is torn between cultural tradition and her own desires when she falls in love with a British businessman who has returned to India to work in his family’s hotel business.

According to Wikipedia, this film is an adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s novel “Tess of the d’Urbervilles.” Hopefully that will not spoil the plot for you (although the adaptation is only very approximate).

Not for everyone, this film features:

  • Many different views of life in India, rural and urban.
  • Dancing.
  • Some Bollywood film-making.
  • Details in Indian life that you may or may not find interesting.
  • Slow development of the story.
  • Quite a few (discreet) sex scenes.

Nonetheless, I could not stop watching. Perhaps I see too many violent films, but I kept expecting something awful to happen. Instead, for awhile the plot seems too easy, almost as if the writers were sparing us any stress. But eventually there is an unexpected change in direction and (for me, at least) a surprise ending. In fact, I cheated and did not list all the possible categories because I did not want to introduce any spoilers.

If nothing else, you can spend two hours appreciating the very beautiful female star.

2013, Clever Plot, Creepy, Dark, Drama, Dysfunctional Lives, Erotic Thriller, Flirting, Mental Illness, Mystery Film, Plot Twist, Psychological Thriller, Rape, Suspense, Unusual, Violent

Stoker (2013)

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From Netflix:

An impressionable teenager grieving for her late father lives with her unstable mother and is bewitched by her enigmatic uncle, who has mysterious motives for his sudden appearance in her life.

“Creepy” is the first adjective that comes to mind. “Stoker” is not a horror film. Rather it is a psychological, suspense-filled, well-written story with unexpected plot and character twists. In addition it is somewhat of a mystery story that asks “Just who is this suddenly appearing uncle?” At each step you think you know what will happen, but you are probably wrong.

Does Nicole Kidman get more beautiful each day? Matthew Goode, the British actor who played Charles Ryder in the 2008 production of “Brideshead Revisited”, is the perfectly cunning psychopath. Mia Wasikowska, the Australian actress who played Jane Eyre in the 2011 production of “Jane Eyre”, steals the show as an enigmatic and unpredictably strange teenager.

You will stay glued to your seat during this frighteningly possible sequence of events.

2013, Conspiracy, Crime, Depression, DO NOT MISS, Drugs, Lesbian Theme, Medical Theme, Mental Illness, Plot Twist, Psychological Thriller, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Suspense

Side Effects (2013)

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From Netflix:

Emily copes with her depression by taking antidepressant medication. But when her dire state apparently spirals out of control due to her husband’s prison release, she turns to a new medication that alters her life forever.

At first you may think this is a film about Big Pharma and its possibly controversial drug trials. Just stay tuned!

The fact that Channing Tatum is in this film is a red herring. He is practically a walk-on cameo. Instead, this show belongs to Jude Law who seems like a victim until he shows a resilience and cleverness not to be matched.

You could call this a “revenge” film and indeed the revenge is incredibly satisfying, especially since Catherine Zeta-Jones plays such a villainess and clever nemesis.

Hats off to Rooney Mara as Emily Taylor. In case you don’t recognize her, Rooney Mara was Lisbeth Salander in the American version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

In the category of suspense, intrigue, and conspiracy this film is a DO NOT MISS!

Child Molestation, Crude Talk, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Dysfunctional Lives, Love Story, Plot Twist, Redemption, Small gem of a film

Down the Shore (2011)

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From NetFlix:

After Susan (Maria Dizzia) dies from a terminal illness in Paris, her tour guide journeys to New Jersey to deliver Susan’s ashes and a letter to her brother, Bailey (James Gandolfini). The letter triggers revelations of dark secrets, murder and betrayal. The shocking news shakes up the lives of Bailey, his old friend, Wiley (Joe Pope), and Wiley’s wife — and Bailey’s ex-lover — Mary (Famke Janssen) in this gritty drama.

James Gandofini CAN act and this film gives him a chance to prove it. Four characters doing wonderful ensemble acting make for a very watchable film.
Moreover there are some good plot surprises.

Jacques is played by Edoardo Costa who is Italian. In this film he plays a Frenchman. You may have seen him as Emerson in “Live Free or Die Hard”. If there is a flaw in this small gem of a film, it is that Jacques is a bit too clever, almost omnipotent.

Here is a film with a small amount of human roughness (including wife abuse) but at least without serial killers, gritty scenes, or needless sex.

In the small gem category I would say DO NOT MISS!

2012, Clever Plot, Conspiracy, Crime, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Gay theme, Lawyers, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Murder Investigation, Plot Twist, Political Suspense, Religious Theme, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Suspense, TV Series, Wonderful acting

Scandal (2012)

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From NetFlix:

Olivia Pope leads a team of Washington, D.C., lawyers who specialize in making scandals disappear. As they secretly handle crises at the highest levels of government, the dysfunctional team must also cope with problems closer to home.

Another TV series that can be streamed with NetFlix, “Scandal” is a fast-paced, well-written, well-acted page-turner that reminds me of the excellent House of Cards but in my opinion is better. Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright carried “House of Cards” just as Tony Goldwyn (President Fitz Grant) and Kerry Washington (Olivia Pope) carry “Scandal”. Both series involve the politics in Washington D.C.

Season one is a series of episodes all related to one another. In addition to individual clients there is an ongoing story line involving Olivia Pope and President Fitz Grant. Along the way there are many plot twists that keep the story fresh and insistent. As you finish one episode you will be sorely tempted to immediately watch the next episode.

Emphasis throughout is on the interaction of personalities rather than details such as police procedurals. In fact, the acting is good and there are some very tender moments between people who love each other.

Season one ends satisfactorily with justice meted out to almost all the bad guys, but the ending also is a cliff hanger just crying for season two.

If you enjoyed “House of Cards” you will like “Scandal” even more. DO NOT MISS!

1980, Based on a Book, Based on true facts, Crude Talk, Dark, Detective, Gay theme, Grim, Mostly About Sex, Murder Investigation, Nudity, Plot Twist, Psychological Drama, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Transvestite theme, Violent, Vulgar

Cruising (1980)

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From NetFlix:

After a serial killer brutally murders several gay men in New York’s S&M and leather districts, cop Steve Burns (Al Pacino) goes undercover on the streets, where he must learn the complex rules of the underground gay subculture if he’s to catch the psycho. Karen Allen co-stars as Burns’s girlfriend in this gritty 1980 thriller, which sparked protests from gay rights groups at the time of its release but has since developed a minor cult status.

“Lurid” is the first adjective that comes to mind. The Stonewall riots occurred in 1959. By 1980 the gay movement was strong enough to protest this film which depicts an aberrant side of gay culture. Indeed the strong gay protests are described in the Wikipedia article about the film.

Expect “grungy” scenes in this cult classic with a wonderfully ambiguous ending.

2012, Clever Plot, Complicated, Crime, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Finance, Lawyers, Marital Infidelity, Plot Twist, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Wonderful acting

Arbitrage (2012)

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From NetFlix:

As billionaire Robert Miller struggles to divest his empire before his fraud is brought to light, fate takes a nasty turn. Now desperate and running out of options, Miller turns to an unlikely source for help.

Richard Gere plays Robert Miller who has to be the coolest crook on the planet.

Call this well-written, well-acted film a suspense drama because throughout you will sitting on the edge of your seat wondering two things: Will our crooked hero get caught in his fraud and manslaughter and what lives will he ruin as he spins his web of deceit?

Pay attention as one development leads to another. Keep in mind what Miller espouses as his twisted philosophy: “The world is cold”.

Any hint of the ending would be a spoiler. But Susan Sarandon, who plays Miller’s wife, really comes through.

DON’T MISS THIS FINANCIAL THRILLER!

2010, Cowboy, Crime, Crude Talk, Dysfunctional Lives, Explicit sex, Frenetic, Grim, Motorcycles, Nudity, Plot Twist, Revenge, Suspense, Trailer Life, Violent, Vulgar, Wonderful acting

Killer Joe (2011)

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From NetFlix:

Dimwitted drug dealer Chris hires Killer Joe to ice his mother for her insurance. But Chris is broke, so Joe demands his sister Dottie as collateral. Dottie’s not about to be treated as chattel, and Killer Joe soon wishes he’d never taken the job.

Is it my imagination or are films getting more violent and more sexually explicit as the years go by? If sex and violence offend or disturb you, do NOT see this film.

Having warned you about the pitfalls, nonetheless this is a very well-made film that held my attention. Beginning with an introduction to a trailer trash environment, morality continues to take a downward spin. Even the premise that Chris sees nothing wrong in hiring Matthew McConaughey to kill Chris’ hated real mother (and his step-mother is no prize either) shocked me.

Every character looks a bit worse for wear except Matthew McConaughey as Killer Joe and Juno Temple as Chris’ 12-year-old sister Dottie. Chris’ father is played by Thomas Haden Church who has been appearing in films since his parts in the TV series “Wings” and “Cheers”.

Acting is excellent with special mention for Killer Joe and Dottie.

McConaughey is a well-dressed (when he isn’t stark naked), smooth talking hired assassin cleverly disguised as a sheriff. WARNING: There are several scenes in which McConaughey vividly acts out sexual arousal (lusting for Dottie or humiliating Gina Gershon who is Chris’ wicked stepmother) and at one point reaches orgasm. His acting in these scenes is perfection itself but could be very disturbing.

Juno Temple as the 12-year-old Dottie also plays her part to perfection. She is a naive girl who hates the trailer life and desperately wants to escape. Her opportunity arrives in the person of Killer Joe who takes her as his sex partner as payment for killing Chris’ mother. Yes, this is a grim plot.

Be prepared for plot twists and a surprising end. You might send me a comment about that ending.

There must be something wrong with me because I could not stop watching.