Redbelt (2008)

 

I wasn't sure what to expect from a David Mamet fight film. Or maybe I did, since there was plenty of drama, emphasis on characters, and everything felt like it could be acted out on a stage. Not sure I bought the ending. 

Rating: C+

Project Power (2020)

I got pulled in by the premise of a pill giving people superpowers for 5 minutes. Mostly held my attention, but definitely lacked a compelling narrative and depth.

Rating: C

Jane Got A Gun (2015)

A paint by numbers revenge western of sorts. Bits of action sprinkled with flashbacks. You could do worse.

Rating: C

The 33 (2015)

A retelling of the Chile mining rescue. Sadly, these accidents happen around the world almost daily, and most of the stories are left untold because they don’t have as happy an ending as this one did.

Some parts are overly dramatic. Others were unnecessary and should have been edited out. The movie picks up once contact is made and the world comes together to get them out. It’s quite remarkable how long these poor men managed to stay alive underground, which makes their rescue all the more emotional when they finally got out.

Rating: C

Che (2008)

4 ½ hours is a lot of time to devote to watching a movie, but Che is well worth the time investment. Soderbergh and Del Toro do Che's story justice, creating a very unHollywood film, just the way Fidel and Che would have wanted it.

As you'll learn from the making-of doc, nothing was filmed that wasn't sourced from a true account. This film was 10 years in the making and is more a labor of love than a studio investment. I wonder if they were able to make their money back.

Performances are gritty and real. The life of a revolutionary isn't easy, and it shows on screen. Definitely an educational, as well as entertaining, piece of cinema.

Rating: B

Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003)

Like the first, the plot was cartoonish at best. Pure fluff.

Rating: C-

Carandiru (2003)

Performances were amazing. Each scene was created with care. Incredible set design. The film is mostly told through the eyes of the prison doctor. His patients explain through flashbacks how they got busted. There's also weaving stories told within the prison walls, all of which are based on true accounts of inmates who survived that terrible place.

Rating: A-

300: Rise Of An Empire (2014)

Entertaining and bloody, but not bloody entertaining.

Rating: C

Behind The Sun (Abril Despedaçado) (2001)

Enjoyable Brazilian film with great cinematography. Very good performances as well.

Rating: C+

300 (2006)

Visually stunning, violently satisfying, with stand-out characters to boot. This is what we hope for, but rarely receive, when going to see an action film.

Rating: B+