Category Archives: Suspense

2009, Drama, Mafia, Suspense, Violent, Wonderful acting

Killshot (2009)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

After witnessing a violent shakedown, husband and wife Carmen and Wayne Colson (Diane Lane and Thomas Jane) enter the Federal Witness Protection program. But with an experienced hit man (Mickey Rourke) and a rookie killer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) on their heels, hiding out will be more difficult than they thought. Rosario Dawson and Johnny Knoxville co-star in this adaptation of a novel by pulp writer Elmore Leonard.

Excellent acting and two good simultaneous story threads make this suspenseful thriller a film really worth seeing.

Thread number one involves two sociopathic killers: Mickey Rourke plays his trademark brooding menace (who is in control of himself) whereas Joseph Gordon-Levitt is superb and disgusting as a sociopath way out of control. Rourke is well-known, he was central to “The Wrestler”. Gordon-Levitt was Arthur in Inception (2010).

Thread number two centers around a 15-year marriage currently having its difficulties for several reasons (for example, they could not have children). Diane Lane (Penney Chenery in Secretariat (2010)) is unhappy and is insisting on a trial separation. Thomas Jane (of Hung (2009) infamy) loves her and wants desperately to get back together.

Nitpiks:

  • Thomas Jane is too much the superman.
  • Why on earth would the couple go into witness protection and leave their new phone number with her mother ?
  • Funny how Thomas Jane can suddenly turn up when needed !

Just grip the sides of your chair and enjoy the wonderful suspense.

1975, Car Chase, Conspiracy, Crime, Drugs, Explicit sexual discussion, Gangs, Mayhem, Nudity, Redemption, Sam Peckinpah, Suspense, Violent

Killer Elite (1975)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

One of the least well-known films from legendary director Sam Peckinpah, this action-thriller reunites Godfather co-stars James Caan and Robert Duvall. After Mike Locken (Caan) is left crippled by George Hansen (Duvall), his traitorous best friend, Locken quits the CIA. However, he returns to the shadowy spy life as the bodyguard for Chung (Mako), an Eastern diplomat targeted for assassination by Hansen and his hit squad.

Somewhat dated but, if modernized just a bit, this film would be no different from today’s hired killer stories. There are even scenes featuring Kung-Fu in one form or another.

What would probably NOT be in a film today was following in much detail James Caan’s physical rehabilitation after being purposely crippled by Robert Duvall at the very start of the film. We get to watch the removal of plaster casts, stitches, etc. All this rehabilitation serves to show Caan’s determination to get back in action. Considering the damage done to his knee and elbow you have to suspend disbelief to think that he could actually overcome many Kung-Fu style attacks.

Arthur Hill plays the double-dealing Cap Collis. You may remember him as Marcus Welby in the like-named TV series.

Burt Young (Mac) played Paulie in all the “Rocky 1,2,3,4,…” films.

2008, Detective, Drama, Psychological Drama, Psychological Thriller, Serial Killer, Suspense

Tenderness (2008)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

After completing his stint in a juvenile detention center for murder, 18-year-old ex-con Eric Poole (Jon Foster) embarks on a hazardous road trip with Lori, a hyper teen (Sophie Traub), close by his side. But little do the troubled pair know that they are being tracked by Det. Cristofuoro (Russell Crowe), a hard-nosed New York cop who’s convinced that Poole is a psychopath capable of killing again.

Detective Cristofuoro (Russell Crowe) is not so much hard-nosed as he is a caring man who is almost retired from the force and has as his only case the task of preventing Eric Poole (Jon Foster) from killing again. In fact the detective spends most of his time at the side of his comatose wife caring for her. Otherwise he is tracking Eric.

For only a short while did I wonder if Eric is really a psychopath, but only for a short while. Jon Foster as Eric Poole is perfect portraying a conflicted young man searching for a way out. Foster played Art Bechstein in The Mysteries of Pittsburgh (2008), a film I strongly recommend.

Not until the end of the film could I really understood what was motivating Lori (Sophie Traub). At that very end all the details add up to her real goal. She played young Sylvia in The Interpreter (2005).

You will not experience any violence, but the threat of such is constantly lurking in this psychological drama. What you might experience, however, is sadness for the two unfortunate young characters.

2005, Could Be Hard To Watch, Dark, Drama, Love Story, Medical Theme, Mystery Film, Sadism, Sex Scenes, Suspense

The Jacket (2005)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

John Maybury’s masterful thriller stars Adrien Brody as Jack Starks, a Persian Gulf War veteran who has lost his memories to amnesia. When Jack is accused of a heinous killing, he realizes he must find a way to prove his innocence. Desperate to unearth clues about his past, he seeks a controversial treatment that allows him to go back in time — which turns out to be a heart-wrenching decision when he realizes he’s destined for tragedy.

Take a tablespoon of time-travel, suspense, quasi-sadism, mix together to get “The Jacket”. If you are claustrophobic, you might feel a bit squeamish watching the sadistic (but excellent) Kris Kristofferson subject Adrien Brody to some horrific “treatment” (put into a straight jacket and stuck into a morgue body compartment). Jennifer Jason Leigh plays a sympathetic nurse who can only weakly object to this treatment. While he is so confined, Jack Starks (Brody) travels in time to help and fall in love with Keira Knightley.

Details of the mystery are not too hard to follow and were for me involving enough to hold my attention. With these four such good actors this film is not a complete waste of time.

2010, Acceptable Trash, Comedy, Gangs, Gay theme, Mayhem, Occasional gore, Super Hero, Suspense, Unusual, Violent, Vulgar

Kick-Ass (2010)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Inspired by his love of comic books, high school student Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) decides to transform himself into a masked crime fighter — a decision that eventually thrusts the teenager into Internet stardom. Soon, Dave’s antics inspire a wave of would-be heroes to don costumes and live out their superhero fantasies. Nicolas Cage, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Chloe Moretz also star in this comic book adaptation from director Matthew Vaughn.

Thanks to my deep-tissue neurological torture-massage specialist Chris Smith (a movie fan) for recommending this outrageous sample of mayhem.

Except for Nicolas Cage, I recognized no other actor. Of course, many of the actors are teenagers. At first my reaction was, “Oh no, not a teenage film !” But stick with the film for awhile and you might enjoy the very, very violent fun in this satire on super heroes. In fact the violence is two things: extreme, and extremely unlikely. Scene after scene the daring duo (Nicolas Cage and the character playing his daughter) perform outrageously impossible feats of marital art, shooting, gun reloading, etc. Without digital techniques this film could not begin to exist.

I am reminded of the 2007 Clive Owen film “Shoot ‘Em Up” in which time after time he performs remarkably impossible shooting sequences. If you enjoyed one of these films, you will probably enjoy the other.

From time to time I really had to laugh at jokes and some slapstick. Warning: this film is not for everyone, and is certainly not for mature audiences, and in fact could easily become another outlandish cult film. Another warning: out of the mouth of the child super hero comes some very vulgar purple prose. Shocking!

Sadly, I enjoyed the spectacle. Shame on me!

2006, Drama, Mystery Film, Plot Twist, Psychological Drama, Revenge, Suspense

Irresistible (2006)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Sophie Hartley (Susan Sarandon) is convinced that her husband’s beautiful co-worker Mara (Emily Blunt) is stalking her. In Sophie’s mind, Mara covets her children, her husband and her life. But are her fears just the imaginings of a borderline paranoiac? In an attempt to prove her sanity, Sophie turns stalker herself — and makes a discovery that underscores her worst fears. Sam Neill co-stars in this tense psychological drama.

NetFlix’s summary is almost a spoiler. Still the suspense builds because more and more strange things happen to Sophie. When will the scales tip in her favor ? Or is she really mentally ill ?

Mara is so beautiful that we are just waiting for the husband Sam Neill to fall for her. Is Mara really involved in Sophie’s problems ?

Actually I figured out what was happening well before the “ta da !” revelation. Let me know how you fare.

Sam Neill first came to my attention when he was a mere 32 playing in “My Brilliant Career”. Twenty-seven years later, at age 59, he has held up well.

You might find the ending a bit too goody good good. But don’t let me dissuade you from watching a good yarn.

2009, British Mystery Series, Child Molestation, Conspiracy, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Gritty, Mystery Film, Plot Twist, Revenge, Suspense

Place of Execution (2009)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Journalist Catherine Heathcote (Juliet Stevenson) solicits the help of investigator George Bennett (Lee Ingleby) for her documentary about the 1963 disappearance of a 13-year-old girl. But when Bennett abruptly stops cooperating, Heathcote begins to unravel some surprising truths. Now Heathcote may have to reevaluate her deep-rooted beliefs about justice. Based on the book by Val McDermid, this “Masterpiece” special co-stars Greg Wise.

2016 ADDENDUM: You can now stream this two-part film from Amazon Prime. You may be shocked when part one abruptly ends and shows screen credits. Just sit tight, because part two begins immediately after that.

Given the combination of BBC Masterpiece Contemporary and Juliet Stevenson you cannot go wrong with this intriguing, well-written, well-acted mystery. All the episodes are on the disk you get from NetFlix, comprising about 2.5 hours.

Never once did I suspect the truth of what really happened. Indeed the surprise ending really caught me off guard. You will have to decide about the moral ambiguity of the ending.

But I guarantee you, you will not be bored.

1993, Could Be Hard To Watch, Grim, Rape, Serial Killer, Suspense, Violent, Vulgar

Kalifornia (1993)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

While researching a book on serial killings, writer Brian Kessler (David Duchovny) and his girlfriend, Carrie Laughlin (Michelle Forbes), travel cross-country to the murder sites and unwittingly stumble upon strangers who know the subject firsthand. A pair of hitchhikers (Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis) offer to share expenses for the trip, but Kessler doesn’t realize just how close he is to his subject — even as bodies pile up behind them.

Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis steal this show. David Duchovny was a success in the X-Files, but he is not much of an actor. Michelle Forbes also did well.

But Brad Pitt was sickeningly convincing as homocidal trailer trash. His character Early Grayce was not so much a serial killer as he was a willful out-of-control monster who did whatever he felt like which was usually and often to shoot people.

Juliette Lewis almost trumps Brad Pitt. She plays Adele Corners who is Early’s live-in girl friend. Naive almost to the point of seemingly retarded, Adele remains steadfastly blind to Early’s obvious faults because she feels that he can protect her from life’s dangers. For example, when he shoots someone she just says “Early you are mean”.

Almost entirely this film is a relentless blood bath. Supposedly the conceit is that David Duchovny is researching serial killers and when he realizes just how unhinged Early really is, the author wants to delve into Early’s motivations. This conceit just doesn’t work for me.

Because I had to see Early get his comeuppance, I stuck with the film to the expected end. Only the final body count could not be predicted.

You are warned !

2006, Based on true facts, Conspiracy, Could Be Hard To Watch, Cynical, Grim, Kidnapping, Latino Culture, Political statement, Rape, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Violent

Bordertown (2006)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Nearly 400 women have been murdered in the border town of Juarez, Mexico, since 1993, prompting newspaper reporter Lauren Fredericks (Jennifer Lopez) to investigate and unearth a startling cover-up by the local authorities. With the help of a colleague (Antonio Banderas), Lauren helps the only survivor find the courage to tell her story. Director Gregory Nava weaves a dramatic narrative against the backdrop of shocking true events.

Before you get all riled up after seeing this film, you should read the Wikipedia article in the sections entitled “Background” and “Critical Response”. To summarize their ideas: basically it is true that many Mexican women are raped, tortured, and murdered in Juarez. It is not clear that NAFTA has to take all the blame.

So what if critics panned the film ? From my Spanish teacher Joaquín (from Mexico) I have learned enough about to Mexico to understand just how corrupt and dangerous a place it is. Moreover, despite the film’s faults, there was more than enough suspense to keep me interested.

Perhaps some faults are preachiness and a really unnecessary and out of place sex scene between Lopez and an almost random Mexican factory owner.

Whether you see the film or not, above all else do NOT visit Mexico.

2004, Car Chase, Crime, Detective, Police Story, Suspense, Violent

Cellular (2004)

Leave a comment

From NetFlix:

Ryan (Chris Evans) is driving in his car when his cell phone rings. But when he answers, there’s a stranger (Kim Basinger) on the other end of the line who’s desperate to get someone to help her, her husband and her son escape from the madman (Jason Statham) who’s abducted them. If Ryan fails to act quickly, innocent people will be killed. But his cell phone battery is low — and he has no idea where the helpless family is.

With the bent LAPD cop Jason Statham as your enemy you probably want to be really careful. (NetFlix is wrong, his character is NOT a madman). Kim Basinger (“Nine 1/2 Weeks””) we all know. Chris Evans (Jimmy in “The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond”) at the time of filming was 30 years old and still looked like a kid. He also plays in the 2009 movie “Push”. William Macy as the good cop adds his usual brand of offbeat humor.

Some lesser actors are worth mentioning. Rick Hoffman you have seen a lot but probably don’t know his name. In this film he adds comic relief as a really arrogant lawyer whose Porche figures in the plot. He played Chase Chapman in “Samantha Who ?

It never fails to amaze me how often Richard Burgi pops up. He played the husband Craig Martin in the film. You may have seen him as Philip Collier in 18 episodes of “Days of our Lives”. He played a wife abuser in an episode of “Law and Order: SVU”.

Intense energy, clever and original action scenes and plots, and some comic relief made this film for me a fun experience. Somehow Ryan (Chris Evans) kept coming up with novel ways to foil the bad guys.