Directed by Grant Singer
Screenplay by Grant Singer, Benjamin Brewer, Benicio del Toro
Real estate agent Summer Elswick (Lutz) was found dead in a Scarborough, Maine house she was trying to sell. Policemen Tom Nichols (Del Toro) and his partner Dan Cleary (Essandoh) investigate the case, by interviewing Summer's current boyfriend Will Grady (Justin Timberlake), Summer's druggie estranged husband Sam Gifford (Karl Glusman) and disgruntled victim realty scam victim Eli Phillips (Michael Pitt) as suspects.
Simply having Benicio del Toro in the lead already spelled the big difference for this film, elevating the intensity and class of this detective thriller. While the pace was admittedly slowburn and may bore impatient viewers, most will appreciate how the investigation process was told very well. With that smirk of his, Justin Timberlake played the wealthy heir suspect effortlessly. Great to see Alicia Silverstone back, playing Tom's helpful wife Judy. 7/10
Directed by Chloe Domont
Written by Chloe Domont
Emily Meyers (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke Edmunds (Alden Ehrenreich) were lovers and were planning to get married, but they needed to keep their relationship a secret because they both worked at a hedge fund company that prohibited office romances. When the position of portfolio manager opened up, Luke was expecting their boss Campbell (Eddie Marsan) to promote him to this position, but it was Emily who got the promotion instead.
This film got the tense atmosphere within a New York city finance office with all their cutthroat dealings and insider information. It also exposed the sexual politics at work in such toxic workplaces, how women who get promoted were immediately accused of sleeping their way up. However, Emily and Luke were very unlikable characters, there is absolutely no one to root for. The initial premise was interesting, but the endgame went way over-the-top. 6/10.
Directed by Albert Pintó
Written by Ernest Riera, Miguel Ruz, Indiana Lista, Seanne Winslow, Teresa Rosendoy
Spain was in the middle of massive economic crisis, such that they were already executing pregnant women and children. Nico (Tamar Novas)and his pregnant wife Mia (Anna Castillo) decide to flee their country by paying to be stowed away in a metal cargo container. Midway though, the couple get separated, and Mia was left alone in the container when it got loaded on the ocean liner to Ireland. During rough weather, that container fell into the sea.
This is an intense film about a woman's survival against the worst of odds. There has been many films done about being lost at sea, but surely nothing quite this one -- a pregnant woman who can birth anytime already, trapped in a metal container floating at sea. Its okay, but it demanded too much suspension of disbelief, not only the miraculous phone signal, to the incredible physical tenacity of mother and baby against the elements. 6/10.
Directed by Yusuke Ishida
Written by Tatsuro Mishima
Akira Tendo (Eiji Akaso) was trapped in an unhappy daily grind at his office job under a slave-driver boss. One day, while on his way to work, the whole city had been overrun by a zombie apocalypse. While he was running away from the horde of the undead, Tendo only had one thing in mind-- that he was happy that he did not have to go to work that day. To keep himself motivated to live, he began writing a bucket list of things he needed to do before died.
Despite the presence of zombies and their gory killing spree, this film kept things lighthearted and funny, a very entertaining watch. It also told of Tendo's road trip with his best friend Kencho (Shuntaro Yanagi) and a smart resourceful girl Shizuka (Mai Shiraishi) -- which also provided more laughs and heartwarming insights. The guys fighting that zombie great white shark at the aquarium was the peak of its over-the-top silliness. 7/10.
No comments:
Post a Comment