“Impasse” Yimou Zhang has made some absolutely wonderful films over the years, including “Hero” and “House of Flying Daggers.” His films typically delve into China’s past and complement historical stories with larger-than-life acrobatics and martial arts action. Zhang once again trains his lens on the past with “Impasse,” but this time it’s to the era of WWII. “Impasse” follows a group of ... more >
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YES! But no. New Guy Ritchie “Wrath of Man” misses the mark | REVIEW
Jason Statham, Holt McCallany and Rocci Williams
Directed by Guy Ritchie
There’s a decent idea for an action and revenge movie lurking somewhere in the mess that is the new Guy Ritchie movie “Wrath of Man.” For one, Jason Statham is present, so it’s foregone before the opening credits—done to the tune of a bizarro world, baroque James Bond style—have finished. In short: bad guys are going to die hard at Statham’s hands. They probably deserve it. What else do you ... more >
Juice, sweat and bike-riding desperados: “OUTLAWS”
Ryan Corr, Abbey Lee and Simone Kessell
Directed by Stephen McCallum
In the opening moment of “Outlaws” (scored to the Doom-tinged sound of the song “Lunacy” from the ambient-Rock group Swans), a leather-clad motorcycle gang cuts through the night streets like riders of an oncoming Apocalypse. It is a moment that immediately grabs and foreshadows the aura of the film. Director Stephen McCallum immediately assures us that his first feature film, while not ... more >
REVIEW | Stefano Sollima’s adaptation “Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse” takes almost everything from the novel and completely throws it out
Michael B. Jordan, Jodie Turner-Smith and Jamie Bell
Directed by Stefano Sollima
In Tom Clancy’s excellent 1993 novel “Without Remorse,” a former Navy Seal Vietnam Veteran named John Kelly loses his pregnant wife in a car accident, befriends a former prostitute, helps her kick drugs, and finds her murdered by her ex-pimp who almost kills Kelly as well. Seeking revenge by murdering pimps and drug dealers, Kelly decimates a drug ring, goes on a mission to rescue POWs and ... more >
“I lost my family for a case that I was just not able to close,” woes and the fracas of a big time L.A. police investigation in “City of Lies”
Johnny Depp, Forest Whitaker and Toby Huss
Directed by Brad Furman
After being canned for three years (allegedly due to pressure from the Los Angeles police department) Brad Furman’s “City of Lies” was rolled out last month. Although it would have benefited from a longer running time and deeper examination into the facts (this story would shine as a three-hour street crime epic), Brad Furman’s procedural gets to the meat of the inquiry into the murders of the ... more >
MOVIE REVIEW: “East of the Mountains”
Mira Sorvino, Tom Skerritt and Annie Gonzalez
Directed by S.J. Chiro
How has Tom Skerritt never been the star of a movie before? It took a while—way too long—but now at 87, Skerritt delivers a performance that belies a soulfulness and reservoir of talent that has only been briefly glimpsed in his numerous supporting roles over the years. “East of the Mountains” opened Thursday as part of the (virtual) Seattle Film Festival, which is the precisely correct venue ... more >
Ben Wheatley’s “IN THE EARTH” (REVIEW)
Joel Fry, Reece Shearsmith and Hayley Squires
Directed by Ben Wheatley
The Covid-19 pandemic has been hard on the entire world. 2020 and, so far, 2021 have been devastating economically but, most importantly, socially. People are struggling everywhere to maintain their finances and their homes while a demon in virus form breathes its devilish fire on our planet. I’d presume the new film “In the Earth” was borne of this time, even though writer/director Ben ... more >
