Tag: drama

Richard III (1995)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer (BFI Re-release)

I love Ian McKellan, and he cites this film as his proudest achievement. He was not only the executive producer, he co-wrote the screenplay. The director Richard Loncraine also did one episode of the excellent Band of Brothers mini-series. What we get is a very weird and dark adaptation of the famous Shakespeare play. This one is set in an alternate 20th century, where King Richard is a nazi-styled killer with modern weapons. Yes, you have to navigate the usual convoluted Shakespeare dialog. Trust me, it’s worth the effort. The climax of this film is totally insane.

Not available on domestic Blu-ray.

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The Siege of Jadotville (2016)

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Streaming on Netflix | imdb | trailer

Here’s a solid, history-based war movie. I had never heard of this battle, so this was all news to me. The film features good performances, a fast-pace, and it gets pretty graphic here and there too. This is the first time I realized that Jamie Dornan was a skilled actor. I despised anything to do with Fifty Shades of Grey, but he is truly talented in spite of being involved in a garbage franchise. I recommend checking out Anthopoid and My Dinner With Herve as well. The Siege of Jadotville is not going to move you like say, The Thin Red Line, but if you want some entertaining battle action, it’s a good pick.

Not available on Blu-ray.

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The Forgotten Battle (2020)

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Streaming on Netflix | imdb | trailer

The first Dutch Netflix feature is a very good, fact-based, WW2 drama. It is beautifully shot, and a lot of care was taken on the sound design. This has been compared to Dunkirk, but I honestly enjoyed The Forgotten Battle more. Here we are not spared from the ugly details of war. The drama felt more real to me as well.

Not available on Blu-ray.

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Frailty (2001)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is a solid horror thriller directed by the late great Bill Paxton (who also co-stars). Daddy Meiks (Paxton) kills demons by what he believes to be divine guidance, and seeks to teach his kids to do the same. Matthew McConaughey is one of the kids, and he does a damn good job in this role. Frailty is not a cheesy video game style action movie. It’s a carefully structured almost-mystery, with some extreme violence peppered throughout. Don’t spoil the experience by reading about it ahead of time. There’s some great twists that you’ll get the most out of by viewing cold. Yeah, the film does show it’s age a bit. You may wince at some early-2000s cheesy moments, but it’s absolutely worth letting that stuff slide.

Available on Blu-ray from Lionsgate.

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Riders of Justice (2020)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer 

This is a surprisingly good, big-budget, action comedy from Denmark. I actually laughed out loud a few times, AND things got pretty gory on occasion. The violence is more extreme than I would have expected from a Scandinavian blockbuster. I love Mads Mikkelsen, but he’s not always in good films. Luckily this turned out to be a perfect choice for him, and a very entertaining movie too.

Blu-ray available on Magnolia.

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The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021)

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Streaming on Amazon Prime | imdb | trailer

Here we have an excellent biopic on the artist Louis Wain. You may be familiar with his fanciful to psychotic feline creations. Do you love cats? Are you ready to cry? Well then this movie is for you. It may seem cutsie at first glance, but things get weird and dark later on. I really enjoyed it in spite of my heartstrings being ripped out of my body.

Not available on Blu-ray.

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Mars at Sunrise (2014)

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JustWatch Streaming Info (also available for free on YouTube) | imdb | trailer

This is a challenging, darkly surrealistic, feature based on the experiences of Palestinian artist Hani Zurob. Critics did not really care for it, but I thought it was quite good. Mars at Sunrise is not unlike a full-length video art piece. It’s jarring and confusing, but beautiful. I will admit that I have an unusually high tolerance for more free-form, artistic expression that doesn’t concern itself with narrative. This film is only 75 minutes long, so just check it out if I haven’t scared you off already.

Not available on Blu-ray.

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Salvador (1986)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is a fact-based film dealing with the Salvadoran Civil War, which was still happening at the time of production. It’s aged a bit, sometimes feeling like an episode of Miami Vice, but this is still an excellent movie. It even got a couple of Academy Award nominations. I normally avoid recommending Oscar-related films, but I figured this piece of history is not well known among younger people. Oliver Stone leans heavily in favor of the leftist FMLN rebels, but you can read the facts, and make up your own mind if you feel the need. James Woods is good here. Luckily this is the Woods we love from Videodrome, not the mess of a human being he became later.

Not available on domestic Blu-ray.

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Exorcist III (1990)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

The original Exorcist remains one of the greatest horror movies ever made. Sadly part II, The Heretic, was awful. However this film is surprisingly good. Part III was written and directed by the original Exorcist author (based on his book “Legion”), and is as dark as can be. George C. Scott is great here. He has a monologue about “what he believes,” which is unhinged genius. Fun fact: there was no actual exorcism in the original book or script, so they tacked one on. Luckily, it all works.

Available on Blu-ray from Scream Factory.

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1984 (1984)

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JustWatch Streaming Info | imdb | trailer

This is an excellent adaptation of George Orwell’s essential dystopian novel. It’s also the last appearance of Richard Burton, and he is fantastic. You would never know he struggled to get through each take because of his health. This is also my favorite John Hurt performance. The movie looks amazing thanks to Roger Deakins (DP on Sicario, Fargo, and a ton of others). A rare “bleach bypass” film processing technique was used for that grim, desaturated look. It’s amazing that some scenes were shot on the exact days referenced in Winston Smith’s diary. A ton of care and detail was put into this film, but please read the book first.

Available on Blu-ray from Criterion Collection.

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