Elite Squad (2008)

My Rating: 5/5 STARS
MovieStudio Quote >> “Brilliantly made, the bravest and toughest Brazilian movie ever!”

One of the most notorious releases in the history of Brazilian cinema, Jose Padilha’s ELITE SQUAD exposes the rampant corruption plaguing Rio de Janeiro from a policeman’s point of view. The only problem is that, in Rio, the police are as corrupt as the criminals themselves, creating a ferociously violent atmosphere.

Even the BOPE squad, an elite police force called in when the regular units are out of their league, resort to tactics that border on fascist. The film’s narrator, Captain Nascimento (Wagner Moura), is increasingly tormented by the high-pressure situations he finds himself in on a daily basis–the city’s favelas are like unmonitored war zones–and he yearns for the day when he can retire and enjoy a normal life with his pregnant wife.

But he won’t turn in his papers until he’s able to find a suitable replacement. Two of the squad’s latest recruits, Matias (Andre Ramiro) and Neto (Caio Junquiera), childhood friends with different perspectives on the corruption they encounter, might just do the trick.

Nascimento tests their mettle once and for all when they are ordered to secure one of the region’s most dangerous favelas. Padilha brings a documentary-like realism to ELITE SQUAD, which is as assaulting an experience as a movie can get (his first film, the riveting BUS-174, was, in fact, a documentary). Based on the book TROPA DE ELITE by Luiz Eduardo Soares, Andre Batista, and co-screenwriter Rodrigo Pimentel, Padilha’s controversial glimpse into Rio’s nightmarish criminal world will challenge and disturb viewers.

Jennifer’s Body (2009)

My Rating: 3.5/5 STARS
MovieStudio Quote >> “A new level for the twisted high school evil genre!”

A sexy horror film with a wicked sense of humor, JENNIFER’S BODY is about small town high school student Jennifer (Megan Fox), who is possessed by a hungry demon.

She transitions from being “high school evil” – gorgeous (and doesn’t she know it), stuck up and ultra-attitudinal – to the real deal: evil/evil.

The glittering beauty becomes a pale and sickly creature jonesing for a meaty snack, and guys who never stood a chance with the heartless babe, take on new luster in the light of Jennifer’s insatiable appetite.

Meanwhile, Jennifer’s lifelong best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried), long relegated to living in Jennifer’s shadow, must step-up to protect the town’s young men, including her nerdy boyfriend Chip (Johnny Simmons).

Saw VI (2009)

My Rating: 4/5 STARS
MovieStudio Quote >> “Better than Saw 5, horrific and bloody as ever!”

After completing the series of games, unlocking all his shackles, and making it to the final room, William finds himself between the cell that holds Pamela and the cell that holds Tara and Brent. At this point we find that Pamela is William’s sister, and Tara and Brent are the widow and son, respectively, of the man whose death William is facing litigation over. Tara and Brent find that they were merely being held in the cell waiting for William to arrive, and now that he is here, they are given a choice. If they choose, they can kill William in front of his family, just as their loved one was forced to die in front of them.

Pamela and William must both plead and beg for mercy, which falls on deaf ears as Tara doesn’t want to see anyone else have to die the way her husband did. However she cannot bring herself to kill William. Brent, however, can, and he causes a large grouping of needles to drop from the ceiling and pierce William’s back, injecting him with enough hydrofluoric acid to turn him into a disgusting pile of goo and organs. In the control room of the building where the game has taken place, Jill incapacitates Hoffman.

Through a series of flashbacks, it is revealed that the “five letters” were actually six, and the sixth letter was for Jill herself. It is also shown that the fifth letter, to Amanda, was replaced with one written by Hoffman in which he blackmails her, threatening to reveal a role she’s shown to have played in the death of John and Jill’s baby son, to John unless Amanda kills Dr. Lynn Denton (in Saw III). Since Amanda’s test in this game was actually to refrain from killing Lynn, her game was sabotaged, and Hoffman arranged both Amanda’s and John’s death with one maneuver, ensuring he would emerge as the new Jigsaw without even having to face his own test. The sixth letter, for Jill, contains instructions from John to make sure that Hoffman faces his test and plays his game. A box for Jill contains the infamous “reverse bear trap” that Amanda had to escape from, and Jill locks Hoffman into it. However, Jill has her own axe to grind with Hoffman now, so she arranges for the game to be unwinnable: she straps Hoffman’s wrists to the arms of the armchair he is sitting in, and leaves no key to the trap in the room; essentially leaving Hoffman to die.

As Jill leaves, Hoffman struggles frantically in growing fear. Looking at his wrist restraints, he smashes his headset against his left hand, breaking his hand and allowing him to slip it free of the leather strap. He uses his left hand to free his right hand and get out of the chair. However, the key to the device wasn’t left for him and he can’t pull it off his head. With a mere few precious seconds left before the device springs open and rips his jaw off, Hoffman smashes his head through the small window in the door to the control room, which blocks the device from springing open. This buys Hoffman enough time to use the metal bit in his mouth to rip his cheek and the corner of his mouth, so he can slide the bit out of his mouth altogether and finally free his head from the trap. Hoffman throws the trap aside and screams loudly; blood freely flowing from his wound. Although badly injured, he has defeated Jill and survived his game, thus passing the test he tried to avoid and establishing himself as worthy to inherit the legacy of Jigsaw.

Run, Fat Boy, Run (2008)

My Rating: 3/5 STARS
MovieStudio Quote >> “Funny, but same old story!”

DENNIS (Simon Pegg) is an ordinary guy. He’s a little overweight and he smokes, but he’s nice, charming and unassuming. However, five years ago, Dennis did something that wasn’t so nice. On his wedding day to his pregnant fiancé LIBBY (Thandie Newton), Dennis did a runner. He just couldn’t go through with it. He didn’t think he was good enough for Libby, so instead of ruining her life, he ruined her big day. Now, five years later, Dennis realizes he made a big mistake. He’s still in love with Libby.

He still sees her all the time because of JAKE (Matthew Fenton), their five-year-old son, but all romantic ties have been severed. Libby’s now seeing WHIT (Hank Azaria), a charming professional from the City, and Dennis takes an immediate dislike to him. Whit is casual, easy-going, successful and good with Jake; much to Dennis’s annoyance. How can Dennis compete with him? In direct contrast to Whit’s sleek lifestyle in the City, Dennis is a mere security guard for a ladies retail store.

He doesn’t earn much money and he’s well behind on his rent, something which his landlord, MR GHOSHDASHTIDAR (Harish Patel), doesn’t take lightly. Mr G’s daughter MAYA (India de Beaufort) is particularly intent on evicting Dennis and replacing him with a much more reliable tenant. Compared to Whit’s effortless abilities, everything Dennis attempts seems to end in disaster. Even when he wants to take Jake to see “Lord of the Rings: The Musical,” he finds himself in trouble with the police for trying to buy from a ticket tout.

There is no help forthcoming from Dennis’ feckless best friend GORDON (Dylan Moran), whose life is just as much of a mismatch. Gordon’s main sources of interest are the poker games held at the back of a piano store with a bunch of misfits: GROVER, CLAUDINE and MICKEY, overseen by the imperious VINCENT (Simon Day). Dennis feels demoralized and overwhelmed by Whit’s long list of achievements. In a last-ditch effort to prove to Libby that he’s changed his ways, Dennis impulsively announces at her birthday party that he will run in the same London Marathon that Whit has been training for. But does Dennis have the stuff to trade his cold feet for running shoes? RUN, FAT BOY, RUN is a romantic comedy that affirms that true love isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.

Splinter (2008)

My Rating: 4/5 STARS
MovieStudio Quote >> “Awesomely gory and torturing to the core – A unique story you won’t believe!”

A young couple retreats to the wilderness for a romantic camping weekend, but their idyll is shattered when they are car-jacked by an escaped convict and his girlfriend on the run from the police. As the foursome travel the back roads together, each plotting their next move, they find themselves in deeper trouble than any of them could have imagined — a blood-crazed, parasitic creature that absorbs the corpses of its victims has laid claim to the woods, and the two couples are now in its sights.

Finding shelter at an abandoned gas station, they must use their wits and every weapon at their disposal to stave off the onslaught, not only from the insatiable creature, but also each other….

The feature film debut from award-winning British horror director Toby Wilkins, Splinter is an exhilarating ride of jolts and laughs, and a throw back to the classic creature features of the early 70s and 80s.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)

My Rating: 4.5/5 STARS
MovieStudio Quote >> “The story is so fantastic that Nick’s in a negative role with a hell lot of inspiration!”

In Werner Herzog’s new film “The Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans,” Nicolas Cage plays a rogue detective who is as devoted to his job as he is at scoring drugs — while playing fast and… In Werner Herzog’s new film “The Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans,” Nicolas Cage plays a rogue detective who is as devoted to his job as he is at scoring drugs — while playing fast and loose with the law.

He wields his badge as often as he wields his gun in order to get his way. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina he becomes a high-functioning addict who is a deeply intuitive, fearless detective reigning over the beautiful ruins of New Orleans with authority and abandon.

Complicating his tumultuous life is the prostitute he loves (played by Eva Mendes). Together they descend into their own world marked by desire, compulsion, and conscience.

The result is a singular masterpiece of filmmaking: equally sad and manically humorous.

Obsessed (2009)

My Rating: 2.5/5 STARS
MovieStudio Quote >> “Very predictable and a very used plot!”

Hell hath no fury like an office temp scorned in director Stephen Shill’s domestic thriller OBSESSED. Executive-produced by entertainment megastar Beyonce Knowles, the film stars Knowles as Sharon,… Hell hath no fury like an office temp scorned in director Stephen Shill’s domestic thriller OBSESSED. Executive-produced by entertainment megastar Beyonce Knowles, the film stars Knowles as Sharon, a one-time temp who has become a dutiful wife to investment brokerage hot-shot Derek (Idris Elba of THE WIRE), as well as the mother to their son.

Further temp-tation arrives in the form of Lisa (Ali Larter of HEROES), who sets her blonde ambitions on Derek from day one. Sharon is wary but Derek remains a model of marital fidelity in the face of Lisa’s repeated flirtations–inappropriate incidents that he avoids telling Sharon about. But when Derek rejects Lisa’s sexual advances at the company Christmas party, her downward spiral of romantic obsession leads her to pursue Derek on a corporate retreat and attempt suicide in his hotel room. Promptly sent into spousal exile, Derek must win back Sharon’s trust while the two attempt to put Lisa’s psychotic episode behind them.

Lisa is one temp who’s not easily reassigned, though, and her increasingly brazen intrusions into Derek and Sharon’s life auger an inevitable reckoning between the would-be seducer and wife. First-time film director Shill gets a wonderfully wicked performance from Larter, while Knowles shows off her claws in the film’s climactic showdown. Taking its place alongside such films as FATAL ATTRACTION and DISCLOSURE, OBSESSED is a rollicking reminder that all’s fair in love and stalking.

The Brothers Bloom (2009)

My Rating: 3.5/5 STARS
MovieStudio Quote >> “The Con is on! Stunning, Suspense filled, and hilarious all the way!”

Though THE BROTHERS BLOOM seems to be equal parts THE STING and THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, director Rian Johnson’s second feature is still strikingly original. Adrien Brody (KING KONG) and Mark Ruffalo… Though THE BROTHERS BLOOM seems to be equal parts THE STING and THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, director Rian Johnson’s second feature is still strikingly original. Adrien Brody (KING KONG) and Mark Ruffalo (ZODIAC) star as the siblings of the title, who have been working as conmen since they were children. There is a constant tug of war between them, with Bloom (Brody) desperate to get out of the game, while his brother Stephen (Ruffalo) drags him back.

Like so many other films, THE BROTHERS BLOOM hinges on “one last job;” here, it is to steal millions from lonely, bored heiress Penelope (Rachel Weisz, THE CONSTANT GARDENDER) while they pose as antique dealers. But Bloom falls in love with the charming Penelope, and the con gets even more complicated. Johnson’s directorial debut, BRICK, was a critically aclaimed exercise in style, and THE BROTHERS BLOOM proves to be even better crafted. In both its gorgeous aesthetic and its witty script, this is a film that is incredibly modern while it remains in the spirit of classic con films such as PAPER MOON.

Director of photography Steve Yedlin is a wonder with camera angles and lighting, while costume designer Beatrix Aruna Pasztor perfectly creates a vintage-inspired wardrobe for the stars. With these visuals, it might be difficult for actors to stand out, but Johnson has assembled a fantastic cast that more than holds their own. His three leads are great together, and he gets wonderful supporting work from BABEL’s Rinko Kikuchi as a nearly silent explosives expert and Harry Potter favorite Robbie Coltrane as a Belgian who may or may not be on their side (and, in fact, may or may not be Belgian). There are plenty of twists and turns on this road, but this fun film proves there’s joy in the journey.

Tormented (2009)

My Rating: 4/5 STARS
MovieStudio Quote >> “A perfect horror genre for the Youth, also fun and heavily gory. Liked it!”

TORMENTED, a sexy, scary high school horror movie that smells like teen spirit…with a hint of rotting flesh! From classrooms and cafeterias, to school ties and pool parties, teenage traumas full of promise, pimples and panic get a terrifying makeover as the best days of your lives become your worst nightmare. Justine Fielding (TUPPENCE MIDDLETON) is the gorgeous head girl of her plush suburban grammar school Fairview High.

She has just won a place at Oxford University when In-Crowd hunk Alexis (DIMITRI LEONIDAS) asks her out on a date. All seems perfect…. except that Alexis and his circle of friends aren’t quite as hip and glam as they seem. Underneath the clique’s ‘too cool for school veneer’ lurks a pack of vicious peer pressure tormentors who find it vastly amusing to persistently tease anyone they consider worthless losers. Their main target Darren Mullett (CALVIN DEAN) knows what his classmates did last summer. They bullied him to death.

The overweight, asthmatic nerd was so relentlessly victimized by their cruel taunts, website intimidation and ‘happy slapping’ mobile phone recordings he committed suicide. But death is not going to stop Darren finally finding the courage to stand up for himself. With nothing left to lose, he takes murderous revenge on his former classmates in increasingly brutal, bloody and imaginative ways. And the In-Crowd soon discover to their horror there is no point reasoning with a very angry zombie ghost.

The Children of Huang Shi (2008)

My Rating: 5/5 STARS
MovieStudio Quote >> “A refreshing patriotic movie involving War, Heroes and Sacrifice!”

Based on real events, The Children of Huang Shi is a story set against war-torn China in the 1930’s.

The film centers on a young English journalist (JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS), an American nurse (RADHA MITCHELL) and the leader of a Chinese parti- san group (CHOW YUN FAT) who meet in desperate and unexpected circumstances.

Together they rescue 60-orphaned, children leading them on an extraordinary journey, across hundreds of miles of treacherous terrain, through snow-covered mountains and an unforgiving desert. Along the way they discover the true meaning of love, responsibility and courage.