Category Archives: Violent

2021, Abduction, Amazon Prime, Bloody scenes, Clever Plot, Controlling personality, Danish, Danish Detectives, Danish Police, Danish TV series, Divorce, DO NOT MISS, Failed Father, Failing Marriage, Father-son relations, Gory, Mother-son relations, Profiler, Revenge, Sadism, Serial Killer, Suicide, Suspense, Torture, Unhappy Marriage, Violent, Wife leaves husband

Blinded: Those Who Kill (2021)

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From Amazon Prime:

Five years ago, a serial killer murdered three young men but was never found. Now, criminal profiler Louise Bergstein is asked by the terminally ill mother of a victim to help solve the case. Teaming up with the police, Louise discovers a distinct pattern to the killings-and the hunt only intensifies as the murderer strikes again in this Danish thriller. CONTAINS VIOLENCE AND GRAPHIC SCENES.

From Amazon Prime you can stream the 8 episodes of this well-done Danish serial-killer series.  Each episode lasts about 45 minutes. English subtitles.

From the very beginning you know who the killer is: Peter is a father with son Johannes . Peter’s marriage has failed and his wife has moved to Singapore.  Louise and Karina are two of the detectives working to solve the case. Louise is a profiler who, in an original plot twist , completely fails to recognize as killer the handsome man whom she meets quite by accident, after which the plot thickens a bit.

Poor Johannes is baffled by the strange behavior of his father. Johannes sorely misses his mother but is prevented by his father Peter from seeing her.

Because Peter kidnaps and tortures his victims,  the crime photographs can be quite gory.  But because the series is done so well, if you can get past the ugliness, DO NOT MISS!

2019, Acceptable for teenagers, Amazon Prime, Brain Invasion, Brother-Brother relations, Complicated, Computer hacking, Controlling personality, Drama, Failed Father, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Identity Theft, Jealousy, Mother-son relations, Narcissist, Nothing special, Revenge, Sci-Fi, Suspense, Violent

The Feed (2019)

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From IMDB:

A man’s invention of a brain implant that allows people to share thoughts and emotions gets into the wrong hands.

From Amazon Prime:

In the near future, people’s minds are connected to The Feed, giving them instant connectivity. When something or someone invades it, everyone is at risk

From Amazon Prime you can stream 10 episodes, each  lasting about 55 minutes, of this one season sci-fi series.

What a mess!  This complicated story and set of characters seems to go on forever.  As a concept, the idea that we could all be part of some mental “Facebook” is scary and also a good theme for a sci-fi story.  But “Takers” keep stealing people’s bodies and often you might not be sure just what person you are seeing.

Besides the sci-fi mumbo jumbo, a background issue is the narcissist scientist who created this mess and how he treats his adult children as well as the rest of poor inferior mankind.  Maybe that counts as drama.

Not a complete waste of time.

2018, Abduction, Action Film, Action sequences, America of the 2020s, Anonymous network, Binge worthy, Black Ops, Blackmail, Bloody scenes, Car Chase, Character Driven, Computer geeks, Computer hacking, Contract Killing, Crime, Cryptocurrency, DO NOT MISS, Drug Dealers, Dysfunctional Lives, Ethical struggles, Failed Father, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Financial malfeasance, Fist Fight, Frame someone for a crime, Friendship, Gangs, Germ Warfare, Haitian Gang, Love Story, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Panic Attacks, Personal Betrayal, Police Investigation, Psychopath, Redemption, Revenge, Russian Gang, Ruthless Killer, Sociopath, Suspense, Terrorist Attack, Torture, Violent

Startup (2018)

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From IMDB:

A desperate banker, a Haitian-American gang lord and a Cuban-American hacker are forced to work together to unwittingly create their version of the American dream – organized crime 2.0.

From Netflix you can stream 3 seasons of this series.  Each season consists of 10 episodes. Each episode lasts about 45 minutes.

If there is any current prototype of the 21st century technical world, this series is certainly in the running.  Topics include anonymous networks, cryptocurrency, NSA, security, CIA, black ops, offshore accounts, gang violence, crime ridden neighborhoods, criminal activity, Russian mobsters, rogue FBI agents, personal betrayal, and romance to name a few.

But above all for me the most important theme was redemption in the sense that people can change for the better.  First consider the character Ronald Dacey played by Edi Cathegi (born in Kenya).  Herein is a warning:  In the beginning of the series Ronald is the brutal leader of a Haitian gang in Los Angeles.  Don’t let the scenes of torture turn you away from the series.  Indeed the “redeeming” feature here is that Ronald in addition to being a brutal killer is also a loving husband and father.  As the story progresses, Ronald grows increasingly aware that the violence is self-defeating.  His basic and thinking humanity more and more shines through. He fights especially to keep his son on a straight path, not an easy task in their environment.  Ronald is never a saint, but his heart is more or less in the right place.

Next consider the rogue FBI agent Phil Rask played by the British actor Martin Freeman, who played Watson to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes.  Freeman’s consistently idiosyncratic portrayal of Agent Rask is a pleasure to watch. More to the point of “redemption”, despite his many misdeeds he does have a conscience which begins to nag at him, which becomes fortunate for other characters later on in the plot.

Eventually you may become intimately concerned with the other players:  Adam Brody as Nick Talman, Otmara Marrero as Izzy Morales, Ron Perlman as Wes Chandler, and Addison Timlin as Mara Chandler.

And if you want some really nasty villains, there are two remarkable sociopaths Vera Cherny as the Russian mobstress (if there is such a word) and Mira Sorvino as the ruthless NSA-CIA black operator Rebecca Stroud.

DO NOT MISS!

2020, Action sequences, Attempted Murder, Beautiful Seaside Town, Binge worthy, Bloody scenes, Brother-Sister relations, Car Chase, Dancing, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Fantasy, Father-son relations, Feel Good Not For Children, Flashbacks, French, French Detectives, Happy ending, Holocaust Survivor, Identity Theft, Jazz, Jealousy, Love Story, Love Triangle, Magic Realism, MHz Choice, Murder, Murder Investigation, Music Theme, Must suspend disbelief, Paris in the 1960s, Physical fighting, Police Investigation, Revenge, Romance, Sex Scenes, Suicide, Suspense, Violent

Wonderland (2020)

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From MHz Choice:

In this romantic fantasy-thriller, a man from the present travels back to 1960s Biarritz and meets a mysterious woman whose destiny is inexplicably linked with his own.

From MHz Choice  you can stream the 6 episodes of this French romance. Each episode runs between 48 and 56 minutes. French with English subtitles.

Do not be dissuaded by the “fantasy-thriller” label in the summary above.  Most importantly this story is a wonderful romance story imaginatively  filled with atmosphere, music, mystery, intrigue, revenge, and love.

Jeremy, an unambitious medical student and jazz afficionado, working in the nightclub called “Wonderland”,  somehow transports back to 1960s Biarritz and lands in the original Wonderland club.  Tony is the owner of the 1960s club and the father of the owner of the future club. Both owners are played by the same actor.  Jeremy wanders aimlessly to the beach where he saves the life of Chris’ sister.  Jeremy is superb at instantly manufacturing lies. Indeed he needs to. After all, who would believe his story? Jeremy invents a back story as he is “adopted” by the very wealthy and young Chis.  Staying at Chris’ estate is Alice whom Chris hopes to marry. One of Chris’s motives for marrying a beautiful woman  is to spite his father André whom he despises.

Needless to say Jeremy falls in love with Alice who is, in fact, the woman in the photo that captured Jeremy’s attention in the future Wonderland.  But Alice is hiding as many secrets as is Jeremy.  As Jeremy “stalks” Alice the plot thickens.  At this point I provide no more details.

If there is any romantic in your soul then DO NOT MISS!

2020, Abduction, Action sequences, Art appreciation, Bloody scenes, Clever Plot, Corruption, Crime thriller, DO NOT MISS, Drugs, Dutch, Dutch detectives, Erotica, Fashion, Fist Fight, Flirting, Forensics, Government cover-up, Jealousy, Lesbian Theme, Murder Investigation, Nuns, PBS Masterpiece Streaming, Physical fighting, Police Culture, Religious Theme, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Torture, Unbelievably smart detective, Violent

Van der Valk (2020)

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From IMDB:

A Dutch detective takes on criminal cases in Amsterdam using insightful human observation and his natural street smarts.

From PBS Passport you can stream 3 episodes of this Dutch detective series. Each episode lasts about 1.5 hours.

Episode 1: Love in Amsterdam and episode 2: Only in Amsterdam are clever,  engaging, and develops the characters well.  Although the story line in episode 3: Death in Amsterdam is not so interesting, still the episode continues to develop the characters and has an exciting gun battle at the end. We also finally get to see what is preventing Van der Valk from forming a permanent relationship.

One thread that is compelling and annoying is Van der Valk’s stubborn refusal to acknowledge the talents of the newcomer Job Cloovers.  That theme has a satisfying conclusion in the third episode.

If you only watch the first two episodes, I still say

DO NOT MISS!

2021, Abuse of Women, Acceptable Trash, Action sequences, Bad Acting, Bloody scenes, Boating, Complicated, Confusing Plot, Corny, Corruption, Drama, Ethical struggles, Explicit sex, Extramarital Affair, False Imprisonment, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Fist Fight, Gay theme, Illegitimate Child, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Nudity, Poor plot management, Prison, Rape, Revenge, Spanish, Suspense, Telenovela, Violent

Who Killed Sara (2021)

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From IMDB:

Hell-bent on exacting revenge and proving he was framed for his sister’s murder, Álex sets out to unearth much more than the crime’s real culprit.

From Netflix you can stream two seasons of this never-ending Spanish telenovela. Season one offers 10 episodes. Season two consists of 8 episodes.  Each episode last about 40 minutes. Spoken Spanish with English subtitles.

As is usually the case  “Spanish Telenovela” implies “acceptable trash.”  Be prepared for a complicated, ever shifting plot and characters that seem to pop out of nowhere.  You might want to make a list of characters as this pot boiler proceeds.  Try and guess the fathers of each of the illegitimate children.  Do not get upset if the time sequence is sometimes incorrect.  Nor does it matter if sometimes the chosen actor just doesn’t seem to match the role because that is how telenovelas are made.

For a good time just muddle your way through this cinematic mess that wants to be serious.

1999, Adultery, Amazon Prime, Bloody scenes, Brother-Brother relations, Bullying, Controlling personality, Drama, Dysfunctional Lives, Escaped Convicts, Failed Father, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, Gay theme, Homophobia, Marital Infidelity, Murder, Reconciliation, Ruthless Killer, Suspense, Violent

Rites of Passage (1999)

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From Amazon Prime:

When lawyer DJ Farraday discovers his father has been having an affair, the two drive out to the remote family cabin to talk it over. What neither expects is DJ’s estranged gay brother Campbell will already be there for a weekend retreat with his boyfriend. But father and sons are forced to put aside their grievances when two escaped convicts show up and putting everyone lives in danger.

From Amazon Prime you can stream this 1 hour 32 minute film

Over twenty-two years  the styles of film making have changed remarkably.  As witness to that fact, this film feels very old-fashioned.  Acting in this production seems almost stage-like or somehow exaggerated enough to feel corny.

Dean Stockwell is the only actor I recognize, probably because he was in so many films. He plays the father in this sad family.  As a story the plot is compelling and suspenseful.  James Remar, who plays the controlling convict,  portrays an especially strong personality.  If you use IMDB to see the resumés of the other actors, you might be surprised to see that some are still active.

As a piece of film history,  this film seems like a real find.

2021, Abandoned child, Abuse of Women, Adultery, Bloody scenes, Child abduction and murder, Dark, Extramarital Affair, Family Conflict, Grim, Horror, Masturbation, Mediocre, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Personal Betrayal, Police Investigation, Psychopath, Sad small town, Sociopath, Spousal Abuse, Strange Ending, Suspense, Violent

Things Heard And Seen (2021)

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From IMDB:

An artist relocates to the Hudson Valley and begins to suspect that her marriage has a sinister darkness, one that rivals her new home’s history.

From Netflix you can stream this 2 hour 1 minute horror film.

What! You waste your time on a horror film? Normally I would not except that since Grantchester I have not seen any sign of James Norton who played the priest sidekick to Robson Green’s detective. In this film James Norton plays George Claire alongside Amanda Seyfried who plays his wife Catherine Claire.  Somehow a horror film seems a step down for Norton.

Less a real grewsome horror film, the story is the gradual unpeeling of the layers of deceit which comprise George Claire. Granted there are a few ghosts haunting their house which is infamous for its tragic history.  And there is no harm in a hokey séance.   In a way the entire film is somewhat hokey.

At least give Norton some acting credit.  He can play a good man as in Grantchester. But he can portray really evil people as in this film as well as in Happy Valley with Sarah Lancashire.

In fact you would do well to watch Happy Valley instead of this horror of a film.

2013, Amazon Prime, Anti-Arab, Anti-terrorism, Arab Culture, Brother-Brother relations, Bullying, Family Conflict, Father-son relations, Gay theme, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Grim, Hebrew and Arabic, Homophobia, Israeli culture, Israeli Secret Service, Lawyers, Mother-son relations, Palestine vs Israel, Problematic Ending, Suspense, Violent

Out In The Dark (2013)

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From IMDB:

A drama centered on the love affair between two men on opposite sides of the Mid-East conflict: Palestinian student Nimer and Roy, an Israeli lawyer.

From Amazon Prime you can stream this 1 hour 35 minute Israeli film with English subtitles.

Hopelessness of a gay relationship between a Palestinian and an Israeli seems to be the theme and intent of this film.  Homosexuality is accepted in Israel and violently rejected in Palestine.  What really complicates matters is the fact that Nimer’s brother is a Palestinian terrorist which brings the homophobic Israeli secret service into the plot.  When Nimer is finally on the run from the authorities, through the connection of Roy’s father Nimer is smuggled on a boat out of both countries expecting to meet Roy in Paris.   But that is the end of the story without any satisfying conclusion. Indeed that seems to be the point of the film.  Is there a solution?

As well done as it is hopeless.

2015, Abduction, Abuse of Women, Acceptable for teenagers, Adopted child, Baby snatching, Based on a Book, Binge worthy, Blackmail, Bloody scenes, Car Chase, Child Molestation, Complicated, Corny at times, Corrupt lawyers, Crime thriller, Detective, Flashbacks, French, French Detectives, Happy ending, Harlan Coben, Human trafficking, Illegal adoptions, Imperfect, Invincible Hero, Murder Investigation, PBS Masterpiece Streaming, Pedophilia, Personal Betrayal, Pregnancy trafficking, Psychopath, Romance, Self-harm, Suspense, Undercover police work, Violent

No Second Chance (2015)

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From IMDB:

A doctor is shot in the back in her home, her husband is murdered and her infant daughter kidnapped. Faced with inept police, who at times suspect her, she begins her own hunt for her baby and the culprits.

From PBS Masterpiece (Passport) you can stream the 6 episodes of this Harlan Coben thriller which, oddly enough,  was made in France and has English subtitles.  Each episode lasts about an hour.

Harlan Coben was born in Newark, N.J.  If you like thrillers with lots of plot twists and have never read one of Coben’s many novels, you are in for a treat.

Having said that,  although I feverishly binged through the six episodes,  this presentation left a bit to be desired.  Do not be disenchanted by the first two episodes which contain too many swat teams for my taste. After these first two episodes my wife stopped watching, having decided that the series was ordinary and clichéd. But I persisted to the final sappy, happy ending.  Sadly, there were a lot of unfinished side threads.  For me, the book was better.

Nevertheless, a watchable rouge romp featuring a truly psychopathic villainess.