Gangster No. 1

Gangster No. 1 is a surprising little movie about the British mob in the late sixties.  It's a violent movie, but not a gory movie.  There's blood and violence, but not the slasher type where you can base your medical mid-terms on watching someone get gutted onscreen.

I had never heard of it.  It was just one of the free streaming movies in Netflix.  So I gave it a look.  Two actors play the main character at different points in his life (one being Malcolm McDowell).  And that character is a violent psycho.

If you liked Clockwork Orange, you'll probably like this.  It has the same sort of feel.  I enjoyed it.

3.8 out of 5 stars

Plot Summary
This story follows the violent rise and fall of the title character, an unnamed East End London thug (played by Paul Bettany and, at a later age, Malcolm McDowell) who gets hired by high-profile gangster Freddie Mays (David Thewlis). The eager young gun -- an irredeemable, inhumane psychopath obsessed with power -- eventually replaces his boss as top gangster by way of lies, manipulation and murder.

District 9

District 9 is an interesting movie. It's not really what you're led to believe from the initial release trailers. Obviously someone in management didn't like it that much and tried to make it look like an action-thriller like all the others. It has action, and thrills, but it's certainly not done like all the others. Once you get into it, it's actually very good. There's a strong message about what it really means to be a person, or human, and the value of life. And despite what the movie box might say, it comes down to an average joe trying to survive a horrible situation, and having the scales fall from his eyes in the process.

4 out of 5 stars.

Plot Summary
When aliens land on Earth, global business conglomerate Multi-National United forces them into rigid containment zones where they are compelled to labor, even as MNU commandeers their otherworldly technology for profit. As tensions build between human and non-human races, a rogue agent leads a resistance movement against MNU's ruthless consolidation of power. Neill Blomkamp directs this cinema verité-style sci-fi thriller nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award.

Pandorum

Pandorum was a surprise.  I didn't expect much, but it was a very entertaining movie.  It combined the science fiction element of a sleeper ship (made famous by the story "Universe" by Robert A. Heinlein), the horror element of a morlock type enemy, and a twist or two at the end.  More than just a typical slasher. 

3.5 out of 5 stars

Plot Summary:

Upon rousing themselves from hyper-sleep, Payton (Dennis Quaid) and Bower (Ben Foster), a pair of crewmen assigned to work on a spacecraft, discover startling gaps in their collective memory -- including who they are and what, exactly, their mission was in the first place. The plot thickens when they realize they're not the only ones on board the ship. Cam Gigandet co-stars in this gripping sci-fi thriller.

Mirrors

Mirrors, with Kiefer Sutherland, was an okay horror movie.  Not great, as the idea wasn't new, and Sutherland had some unrealistic moments, but not bad either.  Worth renting.  And the ending was pretty good, although the fight scene was a bit unrealistic (Sutherland is more durable than I would have expected).

The best "evil mirrors" story ever, in my opinion, is the novella  "The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag" by Robert A. Heinlein.

3 out of 5 stars.

Plot Summary:
This creepy supernatural thriller from director Alexandre Aja stars Kiefer Sutherland as troubled security guard Ben Carson, a man who discovers malevolent spirits living within the mirrors of a fire-ravaged department store. When their murderous nature comes to light, Ben turns to his estranged wife (Paula Patton) to help him save their family -- and himself. The supporting cast includes Amy Smart and Jason Flemyng.

Mr. Brooks

I didn't expect much from this movie since it starred Kevin Costner, and I haven't liked anything of his since No Way Out.  But this one was actually enjoyable enough that I could forget Costner was even there.  It's sort of like a version of Dexter where the main character isn't out to help the world through his illness.  Demi Moore wasn't that annoying, either.  The story could have been fleshed out a bit more around her character and Costner's, but I'm not sure if the actors would have been up to the challenge.

3 out of 5 stars

Plot Summary:
Kevin Costner plays against type, starring as a man caught in a deadly downward spiral -- and at war with his own alter ego (William Hurt) -- in this psychological thriller from writer-director team Bruce A. Evans and Raynold Gideon (Stand by Me). Demi Moore co-stars as a sharp-witted police detective whose passion for her job attracts the attention -- and respect -- of the very serial killer she's tracking.

Dexter

Again, another serial killer themed work.  When done properly, it can be a very engrossing topic. 

Dexter, although not terribly realistic in many cases, is still very entertaining.  It's nice to think someone could channel such a horrible drive into something so...productive.  As long as you can suspend disbelief on the whole anti-hero thing (as if someone that fracked up wouldn't self-destruct in a cloud of blood and bullets one day), it's well worth the time.  Keep in mind it's a series, so it may take a while to see it all.

4 out of 5 stars

Plot Summary:
Playing a sympathetic serial killer might sound like a stretch, but former "Six Feet Under" star Michael C. Hall pulls it off in this macabre drama about a likable forensics expert who channels his violent tendencies into knocking off miscreants. Dexter Morgan (Hall) seems so harmless, in fact, that neither his girlfriend (Julie Benz) nor his cop sister (Jennifer Carpenter) suspect the true nature of his extracurricular activities.

The Horsemen

I'm a sucker for serial killer movies, so I was probably more forgiving of this movie than I should have been. At times it seems to forget where it was going, it has a few too many cliches, and there was one scene of mystery-technology, but overall it was worth watching. I wouldn't add it to my personal collection, but it was an interesting ride and worth an evening's viewing.

3 of 5 stars

Plot Summary:
Already reeling from the shocking death of his wife, detective Aidan Breslin (Dennis Quaid) is destined for even darker days when he's tasked with investigating a series of grisly serial murders inspired by biblical prophecy. This chilling psychological thriller from director Jonas Åkerlund also stars Ziyi Zhang, Clifton Collins Jr., Peter Stormare, Patrick Fugit, Lou Taylor Pucci and Eric Balfour.

The Brave One

Ok, I must admit, I only watched this one because Jodie Foster is cool. Reading the box sort of gave me the impression it would be a retooling of Death Wish. And what can you do with that concept that Charles Bronson hasn't already done.

Well, turns out I was only partially right. It's definitely a vigilante movie, and the theme was pretty close, but I ended up enjoying it more than Death Wish. Foster puts in the human element that is often missing in the genre, showing a troubled, tormented woman driven to do what she does by a pain she can't control. It's more than just an excuse to shoot people, although most of the people who get shot are fairly one-dimensional baddies. But the point of the movie is not to focus on them, but on how the violence impacts the main character.

I give this one 4 out of 5 stars.