Category Archives: Suspense

2007, Complicated, Confusing Time Sequence, Drama, Failing Marriage, Fatal Accident, Father-daughter relations, Marital Infidelity, Mother-daughter relations, Netflix Streaming, Religious "solution", Suspense

Premonition (2007)

From Netflix:

One day, a woman learns that her husband has died suddenly in a car crash. But the next day, he reappears as if nothing ever happened.

From Netflix you can stream this 1 hour 36 minute complete film.

Prepare to be possibly as confused as poor Linda. Sandra Bullock (as Linda Hanson) lives a week’s days out of order.  Before disaster strikes (or maybe afterwards) she tries valiantly to figure out what is happening.  It doesn’t help that her husband Julian McMahon (as Jim Hanson) keeps dying or disappearing and then reappearing.

Sandra Bullock started appearing in comedy films. She then switched to serious roles. While nothing especially memorable, I have yet to see one of her films that I did not enjoy, including this particular movie.

Forget some technical flaws (see IMDB for a list of the goofs), and just enjoy.

2021, Abduction, Acceptable for teenagers, Action Film, Ambitious Dirty Tricks, Amusing banter, Art theft, B-movie, Bromance, Buried Treasure, Career Criminal, Chase film, Comic Moments, Complicated Scams, Confusing Plot, Conspiracy, Martial Arts, Mayhem, Must suspend disbelief, Netflix Streaming, Plot twists, Suspense, Torture, Witty dialog

Red Notice (2021)

From Netflix:

An FBI profiler pursuing the world’s most wanted art thief
becomes his reluctant partner in crime to catch an elusive
crook who’s always one step ahead.

From Netflix you can stream this 2 hour complete film.

Brainless but fun, what else would you expect from a combination like Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds?   Both of them have found their cinematic niche – stupid action films.

Funny bromance banter,  great action (the body doubles are capable athletes),  some surprising plot twists, explosive digital effects, and the usual requirement to suspend disbelief all provide the entertainment.

Popcorn and a cessation of cerebral activity make for a fun watch.

1999, Action Film, Bloody scenes, Brother-Brother relations, Bumbling Detective, Coarse manners, Cross Dressing, Detective, Eccentric Detective, Ethical struggles, Exaggeration Comedy, Extreme Violence as Comedy, Fist Fight, Gangs, Gay theme, Kanopy streaming, Mayhem, Murder, Physical fighting, Police Culture, Religious Nonsense, Russian Gang, Some exaggerated violence, Suspense, Uncategorized, Violent

The Boondock Saints (1999)

From IMDB:

Fraternal twins Murphy (Norman Reedus, THE WALKING DEAD) and Connor (Sean Patrick Flanery, POWDER) become vigilantes after killing two members of the Russian Mafia in self-defense. After both experience an epiphany, the brothers set out to rid Boston of evil while being tracked down by FBI agent Paul Smecker (Willem Dafoe, SPIDERMAN, PLATOON, SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE) in this stylish and violent crowd-pleaser. “Willem Dafoe’s portrayal of the conflicted homosexual FBI agent is overacted to such an extent that it is hilarious, amazing and entertaining. His is an unforgettable character.” – Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope.

From Kanopy you can stream this 1 hour 48 minute complete film.

As irreverent and violent as this film is, it is Willem Dafoe’s eccentric  performance that makes the story “a real hoot (i.e. funny)”.  He is described as a “conflicted homosexual” detective.  “Conflicted” means he has to choose between arresting both Connor and Murphy MacManus or allowing them to continue murdering untouchable gang members and their gang leaders.  But I’ll never tell, just watch the farce.

“Violent” here means that kind of exaggerated, murderous violence that is so extreme that it is a comically orchestrated dance. Other such films include “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels”.

More guilty, violent pleasure.

2020, Abduction, Action sequences, Amazon Prime MHz Choice, Bisexual theme, Bizarre Episodes, Clever Plot, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Eccentric Detective, Explicit sex, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, German, Grisly, Happy Family Gatherings, Hostage Taking, Husband leaves wife, Jewish Religious Observance, Kidnapping, Male Chauvinism, Marital Infidelity, MHz Choice, Mother-son relations, Murder, Murder by Robot, Murder Investigation, Nudity, Physical fighting, Police Investigation, Psychopath, Revenge, Secret Society, Serial Killer, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Torture, Unhappy Marriage, Violent

Tatort: Streets of Berlin (2020)

From MHz Choice:

Berlin is sexy, deadly and dangerous, devouring unwitting victims and the cops who walk its streets. In this latest installment of the Tatort franchise, Inspectors Nina Rubin and Robert Karow team up as a uniquely competent and dysfunctional pair.

From MHz Choice directly or through Amazon Prime MHz Choice you can stream the 11 episodes of the only season.  Each episode lasts about 1.5 hours. German with English subtitles.

Robert Karow is a single, smart, sexist, overbearing, bisexual detective that drives Nina Rubin to distraction.  Nina Rubin is separated (temporarily) from her husband while she tries to raise her two sons with great difficulty.

As with most of all the many different Tatort series, the plots are well imagined, the characters of the detectives are distinctive, and the level of tension is palpable.

Tatort Lindholm is better. Nonetheless, once again for a Tatort series:  DO NOT MISS!

2021, Acceptable for teenagers, Addiction, Alcoholism, Amazon Prime, Big Pharma, Bullying, Career Competition, Conspiracy, Contract Killing, Cover-up, DO NOT MISS, Eccentric Detective, Failed Father, Father-daughter relations, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Greed, Lawyers, Mental Illness, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Opioids, Reconciliation, Schizophrenia, Suspense, Trial Scenes, Wonderful acting

Goliath Season 4 (2021)

From Amazon Prime:

In the final season, after Patty takes a job at a prestigious white-shoe law firm in San Francisco, Billy returns to his Big Law roots. Together, they try to take down one of America’s most insidious Goliaths: the opioid industry.

From Amazon Prime you can stream the 8 episodes of this last available season. Each episode lasts about 50 minutes.

As I have mentioned before,  you do best watching this series beginning with season 1, remembering that season 2 offers some ugly scenes.  Many characters have remained throughout the four seasons, notably  Billy’s sidekicks as well as some old enemies. Surprisingly Donald Cooperman (played by William Hurt) plays a positive role in resolving the lawsuit.  Wonderful performances are provided by:

  • Bruce Dern plays the good brother Frank Zax.
  • J.K. Simmons plays the evil brother George Zax.
  • Jena Malone plays the lawyer Samantha Margolis who is suffering from multiple sclerosis.

Part of the fun, as usual, is watching all the “Lawyer Trickery Bullshit” (which is the title of episode 7) as Billy and friends battle the opioid industry.

DO NOT MISS!

2019, Abandoned child, Adopted child, Alcoholism, Amazon Prime, Ambitious Dirty Tricks, American Indian culture, Attempted Murder, Binge worthy, Bloody scenes, Brother-Sister relations, Corrupt judge, Corrupt lawyers, Corruption, Courtroom scenes, Cover-up, DO NOT MISS, Drug trip, Drugging as a weapon, Drugs, Environmental concerns, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Lawyers, Murder, Murder by poison, Suspense, Uncategorized, Violent, Water theft

Goliath Season 3 (2019)

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From Amazon Prime:

The unexpected death of an old friend leads Billy McBride to take a case in the drought-stricken Central Valley where he comes face-to-face with a new Goliath: a billionaire farmer and his sister and their scheme to steal California’s most valuable resource – water. As Billy and his team pursue the truth, old enemies and personal demons resurface forcing him to confront his own mortality.

From Amazon Prime you can stream the 8 episodes of season 3. Episode lengths vary but are always less than one hour.

Now (2021) and in the future, water will be a major issue for the entire planet.  Recall that Los Angeles was built using stolen water. In a quote from Google:

Is LA built on stolen water?
Los Angeles finally is giving back some of the water local residents say the city stole from them many years ago. A valve was opened at mid-morning Thursday and water flowed from the Los Angeles Aqueduct into Black Rock Channel, and then into the Owens River, which has been generally dry since 1913.Jun 6, 1986

 

Goliath’s themes are motivated by current abuses. Season one is about the arms industry.  Season two concerned political corruption. Season three is about stealing water. Season four is about opioids.

 

Although season two was cautiously recommended because of the intrinsic ugliness of the characters and their hideous modus operandi,  in order to appreciate season three you need only know that the corrupt character Marisol Silva became mayor of Los Angeles through the efforts of her Mexican brother who amputated the limbs of anyone standing in the way of Marisol ‘s election. Marisol reappears in season three.

 

Season one ended in a jury trial in which Billy’s nemesis Donald Cooperman was maneuvered into committing perjury.  At that moment Cooperman suffered a fairly complete stroke. As that season ended, Cooperman was supposedly bedridden for the rest of his life.  Miraculously in season three Cooperman reappears as one of the evil forces behind the conspiracy.

 

In season three the villains are methodically and cruelly stealing water by tunneling under federal land.  At times that causes the ground to sink. Because the wife of one of Billy’s old friends is swallowed up in such a sinkhole, Billy tries for a class action suit.

 

If you hardened yourself and actually watched season two, then you were probably upset that Marisol’s evil schemes make her mayor. Never fear, in what is almost a Shakespearean tragedy, many bad guys get their comeuppance.

 

Along the way there are all the well-written side issues.

 

Satisfyingly violent. DO NOT MISS!
2018, Abduction, Abuse of Women, Amazon Prime, Amputation as revenge, Amputee, Bloody scenes, Boating, Bullying, Clever Plot, Conspiracy, Controlling personality, Corrupt policemen, Corrupt Politicians, Corruption, Could Be Hard To Watch, Creepy, Dancing, Dark, Dark family secrets, Disturbing Image, Dysfunctional Lives, Eccentric Detective, Ethical struggles, Explicit sexual discussion, False Accusations, False Imprisonment, Father-daughter relations, FBI, Flashbacks, Forensics, Frame someone for a crime, Friendship, Gory, Grim, Grisly, Hopeless Love, Jealousy, Kidnapping, Masturbation, Murder, Narcissist, Nuns, Occasional gore, Personal Betrayal, Police Corruption, Prostitute, Psychopath, Revenge, Ruthless Killer, Sex Scenes, Sexual Perversion, Sociopath, Strongly Discouraged, Suicide, Suspense, Unscrupulous drive to power, Upsetting ending, Violent, Well developed plot, Wrongful Arrest

Goliath Second Season 2 (2018)

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From Amazon Prime:

Billy McBride returns to criminal defense, taking on a grisly double murder case. His client is a 16-yearold boy, and Billy’s damn sure he’s innocent. Billy, Patty, and the team fervently build their case in the seedy underworld of Los Angeles. As the murders’ true culprits come to light, the implications reach as far as the mayoral race — and the city’s preeminent billionaire developer.

From Amazon Prime you can stream 4 seasons of this lawyer series.  This review is just for season 2 which consists of 8 episodes where each episode is roughly one hour.

Normally I am recommending films. Here, however, I am strongly warning you that this is a ugly season. For one example, the chief villain amputates limbs from people who offend him.  For another example, one of the chief’s underlings suffers from “eroticized childhood trauma”, in which he can only get sexual pleasure from watching someone sooth an amputated limb. Heard enough?

To further clinch my discouraging review,   although some of the criminals suffer their just punishments, several innocent people are falsely imprisoned or killed.  As a final nail in this season’s coffin is that I purposely reveal that the chief villains succeed gloriously in their crimes and are so clever that they escape prosecution.

On the positive side (really?) the plot, good acting, detailed clever deceptions, utter evil of the conspirators, and the interactions of multiple characters make the story grimly watchable.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!  STRONGLY DISCOURAGED!

2014, Action Film, Action Hero, Amazon Prime, Love Story, Physical fighting, Romance, Russian Anti-USA Scheme, Suspense, Terrorist Attack, Violent

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

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From Amazon Prime:

Jack Ryan must quickly evolve from soldier to analyst to full-fledged operative to stop a devastating terrorist plot against the United States.

From Amazon Prime you can stream this 1 hour 45 minute action film. Unfortunately the film leaves Amazon on November 1, 2021.

Kevin Costner as Thomas Harper convinces Chris Pine as Jack Ryan to stop  Kevin Branagh as the Russian Viktor Cherevin from destroying not only the US financial system but also some building in New York City. Keira Knightly as Jack’s girl friend Kathy Muller eventually learns what Jack is doing and helps him.

Kevin Branagh creates convincingly a determined and dedicated Russian menace.

Neither better nor worse than the fun excitement in most such action films.

2016, Alcoholism, Amazon Prime, Blackmail, Bloody scenes, Career Competition, Conspiracy, Contract Killing, Corrupt Corporation, Corrupt lawyers, Corrupt policemen, Cover-up, Divorce, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Environmental concerns, Ethical struggles, Extramarital Affair, Failed Father, Failed Marriage, Father-daughter relations, FBI, Frame someone for a crime, Gay theme, Government cover-up, Illegal Weapons, Lawyers, Mother-daughter relations, Murder, Office Love Affairs, Personal Betrayal, Police Corruption, Prostitutes, Revenge, Suicide, Suspense, Trial Scenes

Goliath Season 1(2016)

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From Amazon:

Once a powerful lawyer, Billy McBride is now burned out and washed up, spending more time in a bar than a courtroom. When he reluctantly agrees to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the biggest client of the massive law firm he helped create, Billy and his ragtag team uncover a vast and deadly conspiracy, pitting them all in a life or death trial against the ultimate Goliath.

From Amazon Prime you can stream 4 seasons of this lawyer series.  This review is just for season 1 which consists of 8 episodes where each episode is roughly one hour.

Billy McBride is played by Billy Bob Thornton who has often taken unusual roles. You might recall him as Lorne Malvo in “Fargo”.  In season one he is up against the Goliath of law firms named Cooperman and McBride which he helped establish.  His personal nemesis is the other name on the company name,  Donald  Cooperman. Cooperman as one of the best “bad guys” I have ever seen is played to stunning and eccentric perfection by William Hurt. Not that Cooperman is the only villain.  His most notable lawyer-in-crime, Callie Senate,  is played with cunning malice by Mollie Parker, whose every smug smirk is a masterpiece of acting.  When you really hate one of the villains, that actor is doing her job. Mollie Parker played Jackie Sharp in “House of Cards”.

Rest assured the daemons get their comeuppance.  But the journey to get to that point is agonizingly frustrating.

DO NOT MISS!

 

2021, Abduction, Abuse of Women, Bloody scenes, Brother-Sister relations, Child abuse, Danish, Danish Detectives, Danish Police, Danish Politics, Danish TV series, Disturbing Image, Emotional child abuse, Failed Mother, Foster Care, Missing Person, Mother-daughter relations, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Occasional gore, Orphans in Foster Care, Police Culture, Political Campaigning, Politicians, Psychopath, Serial Killer, Suspense, Thriller, Torture, Violent

The Chestnut Man (2021)

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From IMDB:

A young woman is found brutally murdered in a playground and one of her hands is missing. Above her hangs a small man made of chestnuts.

From Netflix:

At a grisly murder scene sits a figurine made of chestnuts. From  this creepy clue, two detectives hunt a killer linked to a politician’s missing child.

From Netflix you can stream the 6 episodes of this Danish serial killer series. Each episode runs a bit less than one hour.

“Seen one, seen them all” is almost a truism about serial killer series. Each such story involves detectives and victim families, many of whom have their own problems. But it is these individual personal touches that distinguish one series from another.  For that reason “The Chestnut Man” is not boring and not a waste of time. Nor is the production anything special.