Mexico Barbaro

Speak Spanish?  Who cares!  Crank up the subtitles and sit back for an incredible ride!  A Netflix gem here for sure and for those of you who dont appreciate some sick twisted shit, might be better to skip this one.  Another anthology film that has 8 disturbing Mexican horror stories, and they dont disappoint!  So a few are a little over the top, and a bit corny at times not to mention they have the slow burn of your typical indie with wasted "too long" shots of a tree or the wall, but great none the less.  Each story is gruesome in its own way and they dont skimp on the blood, grotesque situations, rape, creature rape, revenge, and mystery!  There is good and bad acting, some really intelligent story lines and some just for the shock factor.  With a little more finding and a bigger budget this could have gone from great to amazing, fortunately I heard there is a part 2!  Lets go Netflix, bring it!  Oh, and be sure to eat a creamy soup or cheese while watching this, you wont regret it. :)

FYI:  Winner of the "Fright Nights" film festival!

***1/2

Den of Thieves

You could watch the trailer for this and think, "oh, another heist movie where the bad guys are always one step ahead, the cops are just as slimy as the punks, and by throwing in a bunch of stars they will fill the seats for an empty film".  You could say that, and you may be a tad bit on the right path but in my opinion, this movie gives so much more.  There is not a lot unique about the plot here, its bad guys robbing a bank vault and the cops right on their tail.  The cops are just as bad ready to shoot first and ask questions later but there is a bit more in the plan ans scheme of things that keeps you guessing for a while.  The good guy vs bad guy on screen chemistry between Schreiber and Butler is genius and most of the casting is great.  As far as 50 cent goes, he could just stay out of Hollywood and movies, forever.  This was about as macho as it gets with dirt, grit, tattoos, swollen muscles, booze, chicks, and some pretty awesome shoot em up scenes.  There is a small part where one of the daughters has her Prom date come to pick her up and the dad takes him to the garage where all the buffed up criminals are pumping iron which was unnecessary but really cool.  Ice Cube's son starts off a little shaky but ends up controlling the screen and Butler is perfect.  Great movie that I will watch again.

FYI:  Butler gained 25 lbs for this role.

****1/2

Molly's Game

Ever gone to a poker night with the guys at someones kitchen table where the buy in is between $25-$50?  You plan for 3-4 hours up and down deciding the players who are lucky and the ones who really know how to play the game.  Then there are the ones who just pretend, and typically they are the most dangerous because they have no idea what position they are in most of the time.  That player is me BTW.  Well now take that example and throw in a minimum buy in of $50k!  Now its time for excitement, and this movie gives you all the excitement you can handle!  This is a docu-drama style film that celebrates the narrative of greats like Goodfellas, I Tonya, and The Social Network.  Based on the true story of Molly Bloom, an elite Olympic skier with hopes of getting the gold only to injure herself on the slope and finding her way into a Hollywood elite, high stakes poker game.  Not a player, but a co-host.  At this, her genius mind takes her to the top with her own game hosting high stakes and creating an underground "everything" game.  this comes to a fall when she is arrested by the Fed's and has to deal with the courts to fight for her freedom.  This has everything you need for an outstanding movie. It is completely addictive and will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time!

FYI:  Molly Bloom claims she witnessed $100 Million lost in a single card game

*****

Wind River

If anything will teach you not to throw litter at the foot of an Indian on the side of the road, nothing will!  If you want to experience the White Mans Burden, watch this film!  Who says you cant have your land, here is a frozen tundra out in the middle of nowhere!  Is that enough racist puns?  Okay, I will leave the sarcasm behind because this movie was amazing!  This is a true hidden gem, probably because its another I have skipped over plenty and didn't expect much.  It was a heartbreaking story of the investigation of a murder on an Indian reservation that turns all out thriller/mystery and wont disappoint!  Renner plays the part of the soft spoken bad ass perfectly and the addition of the Olsen girl was a good touch.  She plays the wide eyed, green FBI agent on her first real case.  BTW, when did she get really hot?  The acting in this is great and it creates each character individually with out overdoing it.  The story intertwines with other stories but doesn't make it to complicated.  The entire film wowed me and had outstanding cinematography.  This is one you can find on Amazon and should watch immediately.  It will make you cold so bring a blanket.

FYI:  This film is based on actual events!

*****

Shimmer Lake

Netflix knows how to rustle up the all star cast lately, and they rarely disappoint.  Shimmer lake is one that you skip over on the Que every time isn't it?  I have at least 20 times, until I found that Dwight Schrute was one of the stars!  How can you not watch something with Rainn Wilson, he is phenomenal.  This one has him and a number of  equals that keeps this not so unique story alive and fresh.  The story is about a crime that is so bizarre, the best way to tell it is in reverse.  Well, they probably didn't have to but why the hell not, it worked, and made it super fun.  It is categorized as a thriller, but definitely more of a black comedy.  A bank robbery goes bad and has some of the usual suspects involved including, the dopey brother, the career criminal, the town judge and bank owner, the sheriff, the poor battered wife, the idiot wife, the gay guy, and the Feds.  If that doesn't tell you what you want to hear, that this one is not for you!  Great acting, perfect amount of humor and repetition, fun story and the cast is all over the place.  Definitely worth the watch and trust me you will want to watch it again.

FYI:  Many Stephen King references and hidden "eggs".

****

Eden

Stop me if you have heard this scenario in a movie before, Plane crashed on a deserted island only to divide the survivors in a psychological drama exploring the depths of how animalistic man can be!  Oh, you have?  100 times before?  Well than whats one more!  Here we have it, a recommended film to watch from Netflix that was 89% match due to the other movies I have watched and liked (filled with guilt).  This one is no exception, although tacky, unoriginal, "B" rated acting at best, and not to mention a total "Lord of the Flies" rip off, I enjoyed it.  I know, many of you may say that I enjoy every movie (which I kind of do) but when it comes down to it this was more of a guilty pleasure.  Here is my breakdown of the Good, Bad and Ugly of "Eden".  The Good:  Premise of an athletic team crash landing was enticing and a pretty cool start, plus the chicks were hot.  The Bad:  After like 3 days they were going crazy, like certifiably insane.  All they had to do was dub in a screen text of day 37 or something like that.  The Ugly:  Acting was pretty wooden, the crucial thinking was numb, and the main dudes miraculously became ultimate warriors.  Oh, did I mention this was a soccer team?!  Ok, for a late night "non thinker" but nothing more than that.  Have fun!

FYI:  You can see the actors look at the camera a few times during this film.

**1/2

The Florida Project

If you need a good idea of how children become a product of environment, I think movie serves as the universal manual.  I am not surprised at the fact you may not have heard of this movie although I am shocked that it wasn't more heavily publicized.  It was up for a few awards this year but don't think it took home much.  My first thought when writing this review was to be sarcastic and be my usual smart ass but the more I think of this film the more I really, really enjoyed it.  It was a bit disturbing due to the fact that these poor kids have nothing, and are basically abandoned most of the day but there was a calming sense of joy in their still pure minds.  Unfortunately the single parent, who in the majority of the situations are making all the wrong decisions and screwing themselves.  It is your classic story of the welfare parent complaining about never getting a break and that the world is against them all the while acting like a fucking idiot and playing the lazy victim.  The story revolves around the tenants who live full time in a hotel as it is really the only place they have to go.  The management rules say this is prohibited, but Bobby, who is one of the managers has a soft spot for everyone and goes out of his way to make exceptions.  The acting in this movie was phenomenal all around!  Dafoe was absolutely controlling the screen the entire time and I would boldly say this is his best role!  It is a bit of a downer but heartwarming all the same.  Free on Amazon Prime, so give it a shot!

FYI:  Dafoe spent time living in the actual hotel to get a sense of the environment and people there.

****1/2

A Quiet Place

When you hear, "Don't Speak" do you think of a shitty 90's No Doubt song?  Well not after you watch this excellent thriller!  If you haven't heard, it is this years "Get Out".  The new age, smart horror/thriller that is winning over the critics and crushing it on Rotten Tomatoes.  The premise is easy; Creatures have taken over and they hunt by sound.  They have incredible hearing and are extremely quick and deadly.  Well, family in the woods has transformed their farm into a make-shift quiet area only to survive.  The problem is they have kids, and we all know how quiet kids can be, right?  Ha!  Trick question, they cant!  Just to throw fuel on the fire, the idiots went and got themselves knocked up, again!  Now they are going to bring a screaming baby into a world where silence is survival.  Sound impossible?  Not for Krazinski and crew!  This movie was tense, stylistic, and very well written.  With little dialogue, and a lot of silence it crawls slowly to creep up on you when you least expect it.  I have never been to a movie that was so loud and so quiet all at the same time.  This is a must see for the sophisticated fan of intensity and suspense.  Spring for the theater, its worth it.

FYI:  This was originally going to be part of the Cloverfield franchise.

*****

The Horror Network

Pay no attention to the cheese-ball cover, this hidden, low budget, disturbing gem is well worth the watch!  Amazon Prime in the archives, and as I mentioned pretty disturbing footage.  Not sure if you know but I love anthology movies, especially of the horror genre.  In the celebrations of Tales From the Darkside, and Creepshow, this one is a much more mature and well thought film.  5 Short stories that begin with a creepy, suspenseful and mysterious phone call at 3am.  The woman home alone experiences a psychological fear that is a slow burn and enough to give you anyone some paranoia.  The films continue to get more harsh as we move to a split personality segment, then to a handicap school girl both troubling stories.  Then we got to the real meat and potatoes.  A Christmas story that you wont forget and a disturbed neighbor who ends the film with a dirty and sick feeling for you to take to bed with you.  This is a must see for the true fan, if your not and cant handle the low budget, you may want to stay away.

FYI:  200 short films were reviewed before the final selection

****1/2

Ready Player One

In the year 2045, society is still hanging on every 80's reference!  Does that mean it was the greatest decade?  Probably not, but quite possibly the most original and creative.  If you haven't seen RPO yet, you must do it immediately!  If your not sure I will try my best to deliver a synopsis that does it justice, but I will likely fail.  In the future the economic hardship has taken its toll on the world and society is addicted to an escape through a virtual world.  This world was created by an uber intelligent gamer who was obsessed with the 80's.  Well his challenge is that he has hidden 3 Easter Eggs within his world and whoever finds them will receive a boat-load of money.  The the race begin!  This movie was cool, cool, cool!  Around every corner is an 80's and 90's pop culture reference that is super fun.  I always thought the previews looked good but it wasn't until my good pseudo-famous friend and neighbor told me it is one of the best books he has ever read.  The acting and story were good, but they were very overshadowed by the hidden references and animation that wasn't a disappointment.  This is an excellent movie for the whole family.

FYI:  Spielberg actually made another movie (The Post) while waiting for the special effects to be completed for this one!

*****

They Look Like People

You know that person we all know that is just a little bit off.  A tad creepy at times, and just not the one you want around with complete confidence.  We all know him, and if you don't then guess what...
Anyway, after watching this, you may be just a little more reluctant to have him over for a sleepover anytime soon.  This low budget flick was quite a good find and surprised me even after deciding I was too tired to start a movie.  The movie surrounds a man who is convinced he is one of the few real people left in the world as evil creatures have taken over the bodies of humanity.  Or he is just a schitzo, even he isn't convinced of either.  After reminiscing with an old friend, they begin to reconnect and the main character begins to suspect everything is wrong.  Put to the test, and to wait until the last minute he must come to a healthy conclusion or something dire may happen to everyone he knows.  Good acting considering the low budget, cool story and a lot left to your imagination.  This is a great one on Netfix that may have some slow parts but will worth the watch.

FYI:  Bob Dobbelina is referenced in this film as a PhD.  If you know the actual reference you have just dated yourself! :)

****1/2

The Pool

Go camping with your family and friends they said.  It will be fun they said!  Well not in this Dutch creepy thriller, AKA "The Pool".  Another title could have been, "Don't fuck with Dad when he has a vacation in mind!"  This was a good hidden gem find on Amazon about two families who go on holiday together camping in the deep woods.  They finally find the perfect spot next to a watering hole.  The kids are told a ghost story and immediately after strange events start to happen within the group.  To make matters worse Dad starts to go a bit crazy, and then a lot crazy!  Secrets come out and a sickness starts to spread throughout with an overlay of something paranormal happening.  The acting was really pretty good, the story was just mysterious enough to keep you guessing and the events that unfold become pretty disturbing.  If you are a fan of the horror/thriller genre this is a must watch.  Keep in mind, there are some slow portions of the movie but it continues to build the tension.  Now get your camping gear and prepare to watch this flick!

FYI:  While filming this movie strange occurrences started to happen to the crew's food.

****