‘Pitch Black’ Download and Reviews

October 25, 2009 by Paul Wall  
Filed under Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

“Pitch Black” Movie Details

Pitch Black tagline: Fight Evil With Evil
The Chronicles of Riddick: Pitch Black - DVD Cover

Pitch Black DVD Cover

Actors:
  • Angela Makin
  • Vin Diesel Richard B. Riddick
    Radha Mitchell Carolyn Fry
    Cole Hauser William J. Johns
    Keith David Abu ‘Imam’ al-Walid
    Lewis Fitz-Gerald Paris P. Ogilvie
    Claudia Black Sharon ‘Shazza’ Montgomery
    Rhiana Griffith Jack/Jackie
    John Moore John ‘Zeke’ Ezekiel
    Simon Burke Greg Owens
    Les Chantery Suleiman
    Sam Sari Hassan
    Firass Dirani Ali
    Ric Anderson Total Stranger
    Vic Wilson Captain Tom Mitchell
    Dead Crew Member
    Directors: David Twohy IMDB Rating: 6.9/10 out of 51,806 votes

    “Pitch Black” Movie Review

    “The Chronicles of Riddick: Pitch Black” Plot Summary

    A group of marooned space travelers struggle for survival on a seemingly lifeless sun-scorched world.

    Surprisingly good movie ;)

    Pitch Black is a surprisingly good movie. I was not a fan of Vin diesel before I saw Pitch black, but after seeing Pitch Black my respect for Vin Diesel has gone up. He did a great job playing Riddick a man wanted for many murders. His character is cold and makes many decisions that surprised me, like near the end Riddick was going to get on the ship and save his own ass leaving everyone behind to die. I like this movie and how it deals with human instinct. This movie is low budget but this movie goes to show you don’t need amazing special effects and lots of money to make a good movie, I think all the characters made this movie. I give this movie 8 out of 10 ;)

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    ‘Fargo’ Download and Reviews

    September 26, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Crime, Thriller

    “Fargo” Movie Details

    Fargo tagline: A homespun murder story.
    Fargo - DVD Cover

    Fargo DVD Cover

    Actors:
  • Sharon Anderson
  • William H. Macy Jerry Lundegaard
    Steve Buscemi Carl Showalter
    Peter Stormare Gaear Grimsrud
    Kristin RudrГјd Jean Lundegaard
    Harve Presnell Wade Gustafson
    Tony Denman Scotty Lundegaard
    Gary Houston Irate Customer
    Sally Wingert Irate Customer’s Wife
    Kurt Schweickhardt Car Salesman
    Larissa Kokernot Hooker #1
    Melissa Peterman Hooker #2
    Steve Reevis Shep Proudfoot
    Warren Keith Reilly Diefenbach
    Steve Edelman Morning Show Host
    Morning Show Hostess
    Directors: Joel Coen IMDB Rating: 8.3/10 out of 155,234 votes

    “Fargo” Movie Review

    “Fargo” Plot Summary

    Jerry Lundegaard’s inept crime falls apart due to his and his henchmen’s bungling and the persistent police work of pregnant Marge Gunderson.

    Excellent Film

    Fargo is one of my favorite films of all time and in my opinion deserves to be in the top 10 films of the 90’s. From the onset of the movie, with views of the snow covered North Dakota landscape and the beautiful and haunting music of composer Carter Burwell playing in the background until the very last scene, Fargo never lets up. This film is Joel and Ethan Cohen’s masterpiece, a truly original and one of a kind work. Every aspect of the film is handled with the utmost precision and care. The screenplay, written by Joel and Ethan, is in my opinion flawless. The dialog is at times serious and at other times hilarious, but most importantly always real and believable. The screenplay would be worth nothing, however, without the superb cast of the film that truly makes the characters come to life. Frances McDormand is perfect as the pregnant sheriff who is assigned to the murder case involving Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare. Steve Buscemi is excellent as always, playing a sleazy kidnapper who is perfectly described in one of the best lines of the film as simply ‘funny looking – in a general kind of way’. The best performance, however, comes from William H. Macy who is absolutely brilliant as a desperate man who has everything to lose. Macy completely envelops himself in the role and captures perfectly the essence of a broken man whose world is crumbling all around him. The final scene in the motel when he is caught is incredibly powerful because Macy makes you feel the pain and sorrow that a man must feel when he knows that he’s going to prison for the rest of his life

    One of the things that I loved about this film is the colorful characters that are a trademark of every Cohen brothers film. In Fargo, these characters include dim witted hookers, psychopath kidnappers, a very pregnant sheriff, and a lot of snow. No matter how long or brief these characters are on the screen, however, they are all incredibly entertaining and fun to watch. That is one of the reasons that I enjoy films by the Cohen brothers. They have a great style and sense of humor that is all their own. They aren’t afraid to be different from the Hollywood norm, and they make films on their own terms. Also, as evidenced by this film, they do a great job of getting the best out of every actor. I personally feel that William Macy and Frances McDormand have never been better before or since Fargo. I urge everyone to see this film and compare it to other great works of the last decade. I think you’ll find that its place is right near the likes of Pulp Fiction, L.A. Confidential, The Usual Suspects and other great 90’s films.

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    ‘Sleeping with the Enemy’ Download and Reviews

    September 21, 2009 by Paul Wall  
    Filed under Drama, Thriller

    “Sleeping with the Enemy” Movie Details

    Sleeping with the Enemy tagline: Self-Defense is not murder
    Sleeping with the Enemy - DVD Cover

    Sleeping with the Enemy DVD Cover

    Actors:
    Julia Roberts Laura Burney
    Patrick Bergin Martin Burney
    Kevin Anderson Ben Woodward
    Elizabeth Lawrence Chloe Williams
    Kyle Secor Fleishman
    Claudette Nevins Dr. Rissner
    Tony Abatemarco Locke
    Marita Geraghty Julie
    Harley Venton Garber
    Nancy Fish Woman on Bus
    Sandi Shackelford Edna
    Bonnie Johnson Mrs. Nepper
    Graham Harrington Minister
    John Ward Theater Student
    Sharon J. Robinson Sharon
    Directors: Joseph Ruben
    IMDB Rating: 5.7/10 out of 13,827 votes

    “Sleeping with the Enemy” Movie Review

    “Sleeping with the Enemy” Plot Summary

    Laura and Martin have been married for four years. They seem to be the perfect, happiest and most successful couple… add synopsis

    I can’t live without you. And I won’t let you live without me!

    After Julia Roberts hit big with the vastly overrated Pretty Woman, she tried to broaden her palette and move from the bubbly, frothy rom-coms she began in. First up was Flatliners, the disappointing life after death thriller that had no idea how to tackle its subject without lapsing into cliche, and then the much better Sleeping with the Enemy

    Sleeping with the Enemy has faded somewhat over the years, even though it was a reasonable success at the time. But I think its a film well worth reexamination. It deserves commendation for having the guts to dig into domestic abuse, seen through the eyes of a wife, running for her life from an abusive husband

    The opening scenes are the best, because this is where we get to see something of they’re marriage. Laura (Roberts) has been married to Martin (Patrick Bergin) for over three years (eight months, six days). Martin is handsome, wealthy, an attentive husband and he and Laura enjoy an active sex life. Director Joseph Rubin uses considerable subtlety in the early scenes to illustrate there’s trouble in paradise. Like when Martin and Laura are getting ready to go to a party. Laura is all ready, but after Martin’s remark about wearing a different dress, in the following scene at the party, Laura’s not only changed her dress, she’s changed her whole look. Her hair. Her earrings. Everything

    This continues into the next scenes. The hand towels aren’t arranged properly. Something Martin has to remind Laura of. Prompting Laura to hastily rearrange the cans in the cupboard so the labels all face forward. It all builds to its crescendo when Martin talks to a neighbour. After hearing something he doesn’t like (‘that must be your wife I’ve seen staring out the window’), he suddenly hits Laura. Its a scene that shocks you into numbness. Its the first time that Martin drops his mask of smooth charisma, and reveals himself as the impulsive control freak he really is

    I wish there had been more scenes like that. I would have liked to have seen more of they’re marriage. The rest of the film falls into a much more obvious stride. Laura fakes her own death, because nothing else would ever get Martin out of her life. And when he learns the deception, he begins an obsessive hunt for Laura. Its only a minor disappointment. That doesn’t get in the way of a suspenseful, psycho-thriller. And Joseph Rubin keeps the screws turning with an unbearable relentlessness

    Rubin’s direction is so polished the film glides at a frightening pace. SWTE loses momentum a little in the scenes without Martin, but it isn’t long before he’s back in the picture again, and when he is, the tension level jumps right back into the red. His whole investigation into the too many clues Laura has left behind are terrifying the way he follows them like a trail of breadcrumbs right to her new front door. In fact SWTE often reminds me of the Robert Mitchum classic Night of the Hunter. They both share a similar structure. Of someone on the run, trying to start a new life but a crazed psychotic from the past is on they’re trail

    Julia Roberts is OK, if a bit too quietly played. Certainly she can be an engaging screen presence. She won a well deserved Oscar for Erin Brockovich. But she never really brings Laura to life. You never get the impression she’s slowly emerging from her shell, and blossoming into a confident new woman. And her scenes with Kevin Anderson, her next door neighbour who wants to help are dreadfully twee, and drag the film right down. There’s never that much chemistry between them. Besides, everyone in the cast gets completely upstaged by Patrick Bergin

    Patrick Bergin is a greatly underrated actor. With his handsome looks and winning charisma, he has all the qualities necessary to be a perfect leading man. But sadly, Bergin has never had the career he so richly deserves, even though he has talent to spare. Still, whenever someone has the brains to cast him, he never fails to steal the show, and Sleeping with the Enemy is no exception

    Bergin is a powerful presence whenever he’s on screen. Like a black storm cloud on the horizon, he’s come to turn Laura’s sunny new life upside down. With his imposing height, silky voice and persuasive charm, he captures the attention effortlessly. He makes Martin utterly charming one minute, and then perfectly sinister the next. Clearly enjoying every minute of this, he relishes playing the irredeemable bastard. He’s quite funny at times too. Martin delights in his own cruelty. He even seems privately amused by it. Why Bergin never became a major star after this is a genuine mystery. His dark magnetism propels the entire film. Without him, it would be nothing

    It all ends a bit predictably, but Sleeping with the Enemy is a worthwhile addition to the psycho-genre. The familiar story is buoyed by Bergin’s captivating performance, and Rubin’s dexterous direction. There’s also a great musical score from the late Jerry Goldsmith. Seemingly innocuous one minute. Edgy as hell the next. Symphony Fantastique by Berlioz is put to great effect too. It chills to the bone, and works its way into your psyche so well that whenever you hear it in the future, its guaranteed to make you think of Sleeping with the Enemy.

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