Category Archives: Grim

2010, British, Bullying, Crime, Gangs, Grim, Love Story, Revenge, Sadism, Suspense, Violent

London Boulevard (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Golden Globe winner Colin Farrell (In Bruges) stars in this gritty crime drama as Mitchell, a recently paroled ex-con whose attempt at straight life includes taking a job as a handyman for a reclusive young starlet (Keira Knightley). Based on author Ken Bruen’s critically acclaimed novel, this adaptation marks the directorial debut of Academy Award-winning screenwriter William Monahan (The Departed).

For me this film represents Colin Farrell’s best acting yet. As a strong character who will not be bullied, even by the sociopath Gant (played by Ray Winstone). In fact the best scenes are when Gant in several attempts tries to force Colin Farrell (recently released from prison for GBH) into a life of crime and you get to watch Farrell’s facial reactions that change from something like an indifferent stare into an angry, unflinching defiance.

Keira Knightley plays a fragile actress beseiged by paparrazi. Eventually Farrell falls for her in some very tender scenes.

More than anything, Farrell protects and avenges his friends. It is this fidelity that is somewhat his undoing. Expect a surprise ending.

Violent but compelling.

2011, Drama, Drugs, Grim, Not Recommended, Nudity, Psychological Drama, Suspense, Violent, Vulgar

I Melt With You (2011)

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From NetFlix:

Old college buddies Richard (Thomas Jane), Ron (Jeremy Piven), Tim (Christian McKay) and Jonathan (Rob Lowe) get together one weekend to reminisce about their glory days. As they leave their adult responsibilities behind, they lose control, lured into a getaway of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. Picking up the pieces, the men begin to question the wisdom of the choices they’ve made. Carla Gugino co-stars.

What follows is a list of the reasons why you should NOT see this really depressing film:

  • Watching 4 adult men act like drug-crazed teenagers is not a positive experience.
  • Listening to their sometimes crude talk is similarly unattractive.
  • Self-destruction is never fun to watch.
  • Finally, the secret premise underlying the story is too unrealistic to believe.

So why watch the film at all ?

  • All 4 actors do a good job. Each portrays his own personal failures quite well (and what a desperate scene it is).
  • Once the first character reaches his sad end you begin to suspect a pattern and can easily become hooked on seeing each story play out.

Do you really want to watch a depressing film ?

2010, Arabic, Complicated, Could Be Hard To Watch, French, Grim, Plot Twist, Prison, Rape, Redemption, Slow, Violent, War

Incendies (2010)

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From NetFlix:

When their mother’s will implores them to deliver letters to the father they thought was dead and a brother they never knew about, twins Jeanne (Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin) and Simon (Maxim Gaudette) journey to the Middle East and attempt to reconstruct their family’s hidden history. Adapted from a Wajdi Mouawad play, director Denis Villeneuve’s Oscar-nominated drama flashes back to intense scenes set during the Lebanese civil war in the 1970s.

Yet another film that is hard to watch, “Incendies” dramatically is better than The Whistleblower (2010). Just be aware that the pace of the film is very slow.

In a certain sense the film involves solving a mystery in which two twins after the death of their mother are asked in her will to find their father and a brother that they had never heard of up to the mother’s death.

Languages are French and Arabic with (subtitles) because the action takes place during the incredibly confusing 1970 Lebanon civil war. If you are confused by the end of the film, try reading the Wikipedia summary which for me explained things I had missed (especially towards the end of the film). You may be surprised by the final piece in the puzzle.

Although this is a brutal film, it is not as explicit as The Whistleblower (2010).

For me watching this film was well worth the patience required.

2010, Based on true facts, Could Be Hard To Watch, Cynical, Disturbing Image, Grim, Nudity, Police Story, Rape, Suspense, Violent

The Whistleblower (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Sent to Bosnia to train cops in the aftermath of that country’s brutal civil war, American policewoman Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) uncovers evidence that U.N. peacekeepers are complicit in a flourishing sex-trafficking trade. But when she brings her allegations to light, she discovers that her foes are more powerful than the law. Based on a true story, this thriller from director Larysa Kondracki co-stars Monica Bellucci and David Strathairn.

Probably one of the harshest films I have watched recently, I was tempted to stop watching several times. But the cynical engagement in sex trafficking sponsored by UN peace keepers was so unnerving that I had to see some resolution at least in the case of Kathryn Bolkovac. Although Bolkovac got some satisfaction for her heroic efforts, no one would ever hire her again and the practice of sex trafficking still flourishes (and probably always will).

Be prepared for some brutal treatment by the peacekeepers of these women (rape, murder, etc).

As an artistic endeavor the film is so-so. But the events are riveting.

2011, Acceptable Science, Grim

Contagion (2011)

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From NetFlix:

Steven Soderbergh steers big stars through this big-screen disaster-thriller about a global team of doctors tasked with tamping down a deadly outbreak of infectious disease before it annihilates mankind.

For this film I have created yet another category “Acceptable Science” because this film is not really science fiction. Instead this is a “what if” story about an all too possible global epidemic that uses as its tools real science (possibly you cannot watch a video of a virus taking over the body). What is also painfully real is the conjecture about how people would react: fear, panic, violent self-preservation, profiteering, etc. But the film also hopes and portrays some people acting nobly for the sake of others. No telling what I would do in such a situation (run naked through Harvard Square, what difference would it make ?).

No point in mentioning the large cast of known actors. However, Matt Damon looked a bit worse for wear.

There are some touching moments, especially the “prom” scene. This is, despite the horrors, an optimistic film that says that humans use their intelligence to rise to the occasion.

“Contagion” could have been boring, but for me it was interesting.

2011, Car Chase, Crime, Grim, Love Story, Occasional gore, Revenge, Suspense, Violent

Drive (2011)

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From NetFlix:

A Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver is lured from his isolated life by a lovely neighbor and her young son. His newfound peace is shattered, however, when her violent husband is released from prison.

Perhaps they should rename this film to “Ryan Gosling Drives” because the entire film really belongs to Gosling. Sometimes I criticize actors who capitalize on the silent type. How much acting talent does it take to just say nothing? In this case it works, Gosling mostly stares and it fits his character. Unfortunately his character is also one of those omnipotent tough guys who wins every physical fight and easily shoots his way out of every jam. Just suspend disbelief and watch the violence, because the violence is constant, extreme, and graphic.

Somehow I cannot buy the last scene where our “hero” survives (or does he?). You might want to read the Wikipedia article which praises the film but still does not make the ending any more believable.

Carey Mulligan, who played Kathy in “Never Let Me Go”, is just plain cute. This is one film in which oddly enough the two sad star crossed lovers never really get together because our “hero” is an omnipotent (albeit crooked and violent) man of honor.

Forget the cynical remarks because, in fact, I was glued to my seat throughout.

1987, Cynical, Grim, Military, Violent, Vulgar, War

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

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From NetFlix:

Marine recruits (including Matthew Modine and Vincent D’Onofrio) endure the grueling ordeal of basic training and later face the unrelenting Viet Cong during the 1968 Tet Offensive in this grim Stanley Kubrick drama, based on a novel by Gustav Hasford. One of the most authentic depictions of warfare ever put on the big screen, the film teems with howling madness, stark images and troubling questions about duty, honor and sacrifice.

Vincent D’Onofrio is one of my favorite actors, possibly because he is so quirky. Looking at his IMDB resumé I discovered one of his earliest films “Full Metal Jacket” made in 1987 when he was only 28 years old. Probably he has always taken unusual roles and this film is no exception.

D’Onofrio’s part of the film is the first part involving Marine training in which he plays ‘Gomer Pyle’. His supporting buddy during training was ‘Joker’ played by Matthew Modine. After watching the entire film, I decided that I could have stopped watching after that first part. For the rest of the film we see a succession of war episodes most of which involve Matthew Modine. If you read the well-written and interesting Wikipedia article about the film, you will find that some critics found the second half somewhat formless and disappointing.

Obviously this is an anti-war film, or at least an anti-Vietnam-war film. In fact, it is a little too obvious which is to say almost preachy in its choice of episodes. Nonetheless, all the episodes are gripping in one way or another.

For the sake of film history I am glad I watched the entire story.

2006, Could Be Hard To Watch, Dark, Disturbing Image, Explicit sex, German, Grim, Love Story, Mostly About Sex, Nudity, Psychological Drama, Rape, Unusual, Violent

The Free Will (2006)

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From NetFlix:

When a convicted rapist (Jürgen Vogel) takes a job at a German print shop, he befriends the owner’s daughter (Sabine Timoteo), a young woman who’s been sexually abused by her father, and an intense but complicated bond forms between them. Matthias Glasner directs this Tribeca Film Festival selection that explores the boundaries of an unconventional romance between a former victimizer and one who’s been victimized.

At 2 hours and 44 minutes, this German film with optional English subtitles is a tough watch about which I shall now try to warn you. In what follows “he” is the rapist and “she” is the woman victimized by her father. You might NOT want to see this film because:

  • At the beginning you see an ugly rape scene. You can easily skip over this part and begin with his being released from prison.
  • Unfortunately he later relapses and there occurs a rape scene that is nowhere near as bad as that first scene but still ugly.
  • The film is very slow moving.
  • Fortunately we only get a hint of the father’s abuse. In fact we never really know if his abuse was sexual. At the very least he made his daughter a substitute in some ways for his deceased wife and prevented the daughter from being independent.
  • Intense loneliness is a constant presence.
  • Sadly the story does not end well.

So why on earth did I stick with this film? First of all I like independent films and this film has just that flavor. Also the film takes its time with the two characters. You can feel the sad conflicts with with they struggle, especially the self-hating rapist. Throughout the film, alas, I was rooting for them as a couple. Recidivism is all too real and there is nothing idealistic in filming the struggles of each of the characters.

Hopefully I have discouraged you from watching an unusual film which for me was fascinating.

2009, British Mystery Series, Could Be Hard To Watch, Dark, Detective, Disturbing Image, Drama, Grim, Gritty, Made For TV, Occasional gore, Police Story, Sadism, Serial Killer, Suspense

Whitechapel (2009)

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From NetFlix:

Historic horror meets modern investigative methods in this atmospheric crime series set in 2008. When a killer mimics the murders of Jack the Ripper, a team of detectives and a tour guide join forces to bring the copycat to justice.

UPDATE IN DEC 2014:

You may now stream all three seasons (3 episodes per season) from Amazon provided you purchased Amazon Prime (which has many benefits). Each season solves one crime. Each season is gory and you should read the following which is an old review just to be fully warned.

OLD REVIEW:

As an ardent fan of MI-5 (having watched 38 episodes), I first saw Rupert Penry-Jones as the character Adam. Using IMDB I found that he also appeared in a British TV series “Whitechapel” of which only one season is available from NetFlix.

Be forewarned that this excellent series (all on one disc) is gory, as in “Jack the Ripper” because the search is on for a serial killer trying to exactly duplicate the crimes of the original Ripper.

Penry-Jones plays DI Joseph Chandler who is an upper-class Brit who has been groomed to quickly climb the police hierarchy. But first he must prove himself by catching the maniac before more deaths occur. He is resented by the rank and file under his command, especially DS Miles played by Philip Davis. Philip Davis is one of those secondary actors whom you have probably seen many times. Most notable for me is his role as the husband of “Vera Drake”, another worthwhile British film. This conflict among the policemen is actually the most important theme in the series and its resolution is very satisfying.

Wonderful acting, but not for the squeamish.

2010, Acceptable Trash, Bullying, Dark, Disturbing Image, Drama, Grim, Horror, Made For TV, Occasional gore, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Zombies

The Walking Dead (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes awakens from a coma to discover the world plagued by zombies and small bands of human survivors forced into small, fiercely protective groups. Falling back on his old job, Rick sets out to lead mankind out of darkness.

While giving blood samples (coincidence ?) at my yearly physical I got to talking with the medical assistant about TV series. We both liked “True Blood” and “Six Feet Under” and “Dexter” which prompted her to suggest “The Walking Dead”. Zombies? You have to be kidding!

Believe it or not, despite the proliferation of zombies, the writing and acting and plot line are all well done. Expect a lot of suspense and, of course, gore. But it is the human interaction that makes the series worth watching. Who’d a thunk it!