crime – Page 4 – Anomalous Cinema

The Stranger (2022)

July 21, 2023February 20, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is a very good crime thriller based on the real life murder of 13 year old Daniel Morcombe in Australia. A cop goes undercover to try to lure the possible killer into confessing. The Stranger is extremely dark and every shot looks beautiful, but the highlight is Sean Harris’ performance as the murder suspect. You also get to see some creepy nightmare sequences that struck me as particularly well crafted. This film is not very bloody, also on the slow and long side, but I feel it’s well worth your time in spite of those minor issues.

Not available on Blu-ray.

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Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

July 7, 2023November 30, 2023 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

A rich widow is murdered. A married man, whom the deceased was smitten with, gets the blame. Sounds rather dull, right? Far from it. This is a great ‘50s crime drama that keeps throwing twist after twist at you right up to the final minutes. The film is packed with great actors too. I had fun watching Elsa Lanchester, who played the title character in Bride of Frankenstein, in a role so vastly different. Younger audiences might be put off by the dated banter between the characters, but stick with it. There’s a reason that Witness for the Prosecution is considered a classic.

Available on Blu-ray from KL Studio Classics.

We Own the Night (2007)

April 28, 2023November 30, 2023 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

Mark Wahlberg is a cop, his brother (Joaquin Phoenix) is a nightclub owner. The mighty Robert Duvall is their deputy police chief dad. The Russian mob complicates matters. Blood is shed. Cars are chased. This is not the greatest action / crime film ever made, but it is damn good entertainment. The car chase is probably the best of the mid-2000s. We Own the Night is worth a watch for that alone.

Available on Blu-ray from Sony Pictures.

Revanche (2008)

April 14, 2023February 20, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

An ex-con does a bank robbery to try and help his prostitute girlfriend. A police officer who attempts to stop him starts off a chain of events that intertwines their lives. This is a really good artsy crime drama from Austria that I don’t want to tell you too much about. It’s bloodless, but does feature a lot of nudity, and has an unpredictable plot. I really enjoyed Revanche, so give it a try if you want to see a good neo-noir film.

Available on Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.

L.A. Confidential (1997)

March 31, 2023November 30, 2023 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

Back in post-WW2 America everything was just peachy. There was nothing but prosperity and apple pie family values from sea to shining sea, right? Sorry pal. As author Katherine Dunn said, “there were no good old days.” The grim side of life was just hidden from mainstream society. L.A. Confidential taps into that and cranks it all the way up. I remember this gritty crime film blowing my mind when I first saw it in the theater. It’s dark, complex, violent, and has a fantastic cast. What are you waiting for?

Available on Blu-ray from 20th Century Fox.

Citizen X (1995)

March 17, 2023June 11, 2023 vergeoflightLeave a comment

Streaming on Max | imdb | trailer

This is possibly my favorite ’90s dramatization of a true crime case. Andrei Chikatilo was known as The Rostov Ripper, and was responsible for the murders of at least 52 women and children. This film is based on “The Killer Department,” which remains one of the best true crime books I’ve ever read. Citizen X is helped a ton by strong performances by Stephen Rea, Donald Sutherland, Jeffrey DeMunn, and Max Von Sydow. Don’t expect much gore, but the drama is extremely dark and should appeal to anyone with an interest in true crime. It’s stunning this was an HBO-made TV movie.

Not available on Blu-ray.

RoboCop 2 (1990)

January 20, 2023December 30, 2023 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

The original RoboCop is one of my all time favorite films. RoboCop 3 and the TV series are total crap. RoboCop 2 however is a pretty damn entertaining movie actually. It has all the important cast that survived the first film, the OG Red Dragon from Manhunter (Tom Noonan), and was directed by… Irvin Kershner. Who? Well he was the director of a little film called The Empire Strikes Back. Yep, he was obviously somewhat co-directed by George Lucas, but still, facts are facts. He also did the flawed but entertaining final Sean Connery James Bond flick Never Say Never Again (which was weirdly released the same year as Roger Moore’s Bond in Octopussy). One major bonus here is that FX master Phil Tippett was allowed almost total creative freedom, even to the extent where he directed the visual effects heavy scenes himself. So if you’ve never seen this, or it’s been a while, you’re in for a treat.

Available on Blu-ray from Shout Factory.

The Raid 2 (2014)

January 13, 2023February 21, 2024 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

The Raid: Redemption (2011) is a very good film. If you’re a hardcore action / martial arts fan you know that already. However, for the rest of you, I say skip it and watch this superior sequel. The Raid 2 has got a convoluted plot, but you’ll too be too distracted by the non-stop ass kicking to care. This is probably the pinnacle of crazy post-Ong-Bak action films. If you enjoy this, make sure to check out creator Gareth Evans’ excellent TV series Gangs of London.

Available on Blu-ray from Sony.

Capote (2005)

December 9, 2022November 30, 2023 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

As I’ve said in the past, I really try to avoid recommending Academy Award winners. I really love this film though, and have not heard it mentioned in years. Capote is the story behind the writing of the grandaddy of all True Crime books “In Cold Blood”, and it’s pretty much a perfect film. This is also my favorite Philip Seymour Hoffman performance (RIP). This is one dark, beautifully filmed, emotional movie, that I give a 10/10. Also, if you’ve never read “In Cold Blood” before, do yourself a favor and do so immediately. It really is one of the very best works of American non-fiction.

Available on Blu-ray from MGM.

I Saw the Devil (2010)

October 14, 2022November 30, 2023 vergeoflightLeave a comment

JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is a very good South Korean horror / crime thriller from the director of the excellent A Bittersweet Life. Many folks love his film The Good the Bad the Weird too. The bad guy is the original Oldboy himself Choi Min-shik. Do I really need to say more? Nah.

Available on Blu-ray from Magnolia.