Film: Mother's Day

The Koffin brothers have just robbed a bank and during the escape the youngest of the trio was shot. The fugitives head to the family home home so that their Mother can tend his wounds.
Unbeknown to them their Mother has lost the house and they turn up all guns blazing during the new owner’s housewarming party.

So begins the best home invasion film since Panic Room. Rebecca DeMornay (The Hand That Rocks The Cradle) puts in a scintillating performance as the feared Matriarch who goes about the business of violence and intimidation using an outwardly friendly manner which makes her all the more unnerving.

Another plus is the gradual revealing of secrets between the party-going friends. This creates great tension between them while they also attempt to survive the increasingly violent incident they are caught up in.

Saw II, III & IV director Darren Lynn Bousman has delivered a nail biting thriller that surprisingly flew pretty much under the radar.

Highly recommended.

Ric's Rating: 86%

Book: Murder In Silence by Gary Kassay

Take the comfortable and familiar feeling of watching your favourite cop show (mine is NYPD Blue) and mix it with the readability of your favourite police procedural novel series (mine is John Sandford’s Prey series) and you’ll come up with something not far removed from Gary Kassay’s stunning debut thriller, Murder In Silence.

When two police officers are found dead, their throats having been ripped out, it’s up to Inspector Duke Becker and his team to track down the killer. Becker heads up the NYPD Special Investigations Unit – Homicide and unusually for the genre he’s no depressed recovering alcoholic, he’s just a regular guy who happens to be good at his job.

The book doesn’t rely on Becker alone, there is an eclectic supporting cast. Jimmy Nova, Becker’s garish partner, Marielle Wilson the tenacious reporter and veterinarian Elizabeth Cunningham all lend their own unique qualities to the tale.

Drawing from personal experience (Kassey is a real-life cop) the author brings a level of authenticity rarely found in crime fiction. From the details of the case to the cop-speak and practical jokes, all areas are covered in a realistic manner that brings the characters to life.

The case itself takes a number of alarming turns. The first of which is when it’s discovered how the murders are committed and the most harrowing of all is when the connection between the victims is revealed. It’s shocking stuff and has significant impact, making the reader question their own views on the killings.

This is the best self-published book I’ve read since Chris Kuzneski’s The Plantation. Kuzneski now frequents best-seller lists, Kassay deserves the same.

For more information on the author and upcoming Duke Becker novels visit http://www.garykassay.com/

Ric’s Rating: 94%

Ric Recommends: Spiral

It's been ages since I posted a trailer so here is a real treat.

I reviewed this a while back, just click the "little known gems" label and you'll find it on the second page.

Joel David Moore (Avatar) is fantastic as a troubled man in this tense drama.

It's available everywhere on dvd. Check it out !

DVD: Shifty

Following the death of a friend Chris (Danny Mays) got out of the London drug scene. Four years later he is back to visit his former best buddy Shifty (Riz Ahmed) and is swiftly caught up in the chaos that he left behind.

Trevor (Jay Simpson) is out of a job because of his drug use and while his wife struggles at home with the kids he is in hot pursuit of Shifty who he feels owes him something after years of loyal custom. With Trevor on their tail the duo embark on what begins as a typical day in the life of a drug dealer. Chris is disheartened to see what has become of former school friends and even some parents as addiction has taken hold.
Unlike some other films in this genre it isn’t overly violent, the tension builds gradually and as events spiral out of control Shifty must decide whether to continue as a dealer, leave with Chris or embrace his family who give him the opportunity of a regular job.

This British film from 2008 features strong performances from Ahmed and Mays who are perfectly cast as the former friends attempting to rekindle their bond while coping with the hazards that are common in the company they keep.

Excellent support comes from Jason Flemyng (Hanna, X Men: First Class) and Nitin Ganatra (UK tv show Eastenders). This is another fine example of how good British film can be.

Recommended for fans of gritty drama.

Ric’s Rating: 86%

DVD: Terry

"Whatever happens just keep filming" proclaims the tagline for this British documentary-style film.

For a little while nothing much does happen as we join a film student who decides to follow a London "wide boy" and film his activities. The film accurately portrays a section of society that lives to get high and seems to always be able to spend lots of time in pubs despite none of them having any legitimate source of income.

Thankfully it all gets interesting as things begin to spiral out of control for Terry following an accidental shooting.

This is fiction but writer / director / star Nick Nevern has created a tense and gritty atmosphere giving this film a very real feel.

It isn't pleasant viewing at times as there are no likeable characters but Nevern's fantastic performance in the leading role makes it totally captivating.

I hope this leads to more for Nick Nevern as I can't wait to see what he does next.

Ric's Rating: 79%

A - Z Challenge: Y

Y is for......................................Youngblood.

It's video classic time again.

Rob Lowe, Cynthia Gibb and Patrick Swayze star in this story of an ice hockey pro trying to make a name for himself.

I remember thoroughly enjoying this at the time but that was in 1986 so who knows how it'd hold up today.

A - Z Challenge: W

W is for.................................Willard.

This curious little film from 2003 stars everyone's favourite eccentric Crispin Glover as Willard, a man able to command a colony of rats to do his bidding.

When he is fired by his obnoxious boss, he turns to his "friends" to help in his quest for revenge.

This won't be to everyone's taste but I enjoyed it, it was pretty original and Glover is always worth watching.

A - Z Challenge: O

O is for.....................................One False Move.

This character driven drama from 1991 stars an almost unrecognisable Billy Bob Thornton as a killer on the run with his two companions.

Awaiting their arrival in his sleepy little town is local cop Dale "Hurricane" Dixon, a fantastic Bill Paxton, but is he prepared for the mayhem they will bring?

This is a superior drama, it's a slow burner with terrific performances.

Highly recommended.

A - Z Challenge: L

L is for.............................................Lantana.

This Australian drama no doubt led to Anthony LaPaglia's starring role in Without A Trace. Here he plays a troubled cop investigating the case of a woman gone missing.

With excellent support from Geoffrey Rush and Barbara Hershey this powerful film examines all types of loving relationships while asking the question, is love enough?

Unpredicatable and with powerhouse performances this is a welcome addition to any dvd collection.

What are you waiting for?

A - Z Challenge: J

J is for........................................Jump Tomorrow.

This quirky British film follows a young Nigerian man and his French pal as they go on a road trip to reach the arranged marriage of the former.

The duo discover some of life's joys and have plenty of laughs on the way but will young George go through with the wedding?

The film's title comes from a piece of dialogue in which one of the friends is about to throw himself off a tall building. The other talks him down by saying that they have many things to do and see today, he could always jump tomorrow.

I think it's a great expression and the film isn't too bad either.

A - Z Challenge: F

F is for.........................Free Jimmy.

I don't really need to add anything to this fantastic tagline:

"Four stoners, three gangsters, five vegans and a million reasons to free one junkie Elephant"

This madcap animated movie for adults features the voice talent of Woody Harrelson, Simon Pegg and Jim Broadbent.

Highly recommended if you fancy something a bit different.

A - Z Challenge: B

B is for.........Bubba Ho-Tep.

This fantastic little known film from 2002 stars Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead) as a very much alive (and in a nursing home) Elvis Presley who teams up with JFK (Ossie Davis) to battle an ancient Egyptian ghost.

Bizarre, bonkers and bloody brilliant.

DVD: Brotherhood

A college fraternity initiation prank goes wrong in this thriller that follows in the tradition of "boys night out goes bad" films like Stag (Kevin Dillon, Mario van Peebles) and Very Bad Things (Cameron Diaz, Christian Slater).

As events spiral out of control Adam (Trevor Morgan) urges the group leader Frank (Jon Foster) to get their injured friend to hospital but Frank wants to keep a lid on things because prank or no prank, authorities could mean jail time for them all.

This is an exciting, fast paced film that has you hooked from the get-go and contains some cool unpredictable twists that raise the tension levels every few minutes.

It's a straight to DVD gem that is totally gripping with Morgan and Foster perfectly cast in their opposing roles.

Fans of boys night out movies such as those previously mentioned will enjoy this and if you happened to see and enjoy the 1993 film Judgement Night with Emilio Estevez and Denis Leary then you'll love it.

Ric's Rating: 78%

DVD: Collapse

While researching a project on apparent CIA involvement in drug smuggling Chris Smith decided to interview Michael Ruppert, a former policeman who had lifted the lid on the subject.

Ruppert touches on the drug issue here but this is a man with an array of more alarming subjects on his mind and he is willing to divulge many of them in this startling documentary.

A full length movie consisting of one man sitting in a chair speaking his mind might not be everyone’s idea of entertainment but the explosive content of Ruppert’s words are illustrated using relevant footage making this a captivating viewing experience.

In depth analysis of matters such as declining oil reserves, war, the global financial crisis, politics and the future of civilization itself are explained in a down to earth manner that makes you stop and think.

Highly recommended to anyone interested in looking under the veil of mainstream media coverage of any of the issues mentioned.

Further exploration of these subjects can be found in The Shell Game by Steve Alten (see review elsewhere here) and documentaries The Corporation, The Fog Of War and Crude.

Ric’s Rating: 78%

DVD: Dying Breed

Leigh Whannell the co-writer and star of the original Saw movie heads the cast of this 2008 Australian horror.

Eight years ago Nina’s sister died while attempting to find evidence that the long extinct Tasmanian Tiger still exists. Now her and her friends set out with the same purpose and inevitably run into the same trouble.

This is the age old story of big city kids in Hillbilly Land but it’s very well executed.

The characters are believable and all the performances are good.

It gets a bit silly towards the end as the killer is revealed but then we are treated to a squirm inducing final scene which makes up for any shortcomings.

Recommended for fans of Friday the 13th, Deliverance, Wrong Turn and any other “lost in the woods” type horror.

Ric's Rating: 74%

DVD: Outcast

When Mary (Kate Dickie) and her teenage son Fergal (Niall Bruton) move into their new tower block apartment the first thing that Mary does is daub strange protection symbols on the walls.

Who or what do they need protection from?

Feargal attempts to lead a normal life despite his Mother’s misgivings and begins a relationship with his neighbour Petronella (Hanna Stanbridge).

Meanwhile two mysterious Irish travellers (James Nesbitt and Ciaran McMenamin) arrive in Edinburgh to embark on a “hunt” and when people start to disappear it isn’t clear who or what is the culprit.

This fine atmospheric British horror film has unfairly flown under the radar. It’s a slick production with fine performances from everyone I’ve mentioned.

Full of mysticism and folklore it’s a cut above the average horror movie and although the finale is a little silly it’s an excellent British horror film that deserves to find an audience.

Writer / director Colm McCarthy has done wonders here and shown that not all films made in Scotland have to be depressing.

Recommended for horror fans who like myth and legend with their gore.

Ric's Rating: 79%

Ric Recommends: Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

Trailer for the fantastic Rare Exports. Full review in previous post.

Film: Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

When young Pietari and his friend stumble upon an excavation site near their farming community in Finland, the boy immediately suspects that it's none other than Santa Claus himself that's being dug up.

This isn't the "Ho Ho Ho" Santa that we all know and love, the Santa in this fantastic horror/thriller from Finland is the undiluted original, the one who tears naughty children to pieces.

Very rarely does a Christmas film aimed at adults come along and this is an absolute delight. Onni Tommila puts in a fine performance as the young boy who knows whats really going on and Jorma Tommila (no idea if they're related) as his Father manages to show vulnerability beneath the surface of a world weary, hard working man.

The entire cast are top notch and special mention also goes to Peeter Jakobi as the creepy Santa.

I'm glad this film got a cinema release here in the UK but wherever you are and on whatever format it is available this is a must-see movie for anyone wanting something a bit different this festive season.

Ric's Rating: 91%

Ric Recommends: District 13

This French action film stars Cyril Rafaelli (Die Hard 4) and David Belle as cop and criminal who team up to track down a nuclear bomb. Featuring some amazing free running and action scenes this film has been imitated many times, notably by Casino Royale's opening scene but nothing comes close. The theme is pretty close to the John Carpenter classic Escape From New York but that kind of imitation I can live with.

Highly recommended for action fans.

Ric Recommends: Tony

More commonly known as Tony: London Serial Killer this is one of the best British films of recent years.

Peter Ferdinando gives an award-worthy performance as the unassuming loner with a dark secret.

It's very well written with nice slices of everyday life thrown in and you never know what is going to set Tony off next.

I gave this a full review a while back so click the serial killer label for that. In the meantime check out the trailer.