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Painkiller (2023)
A Band of Brothers of Addiction Into Deeper Waters...
The openings are something to behold and what lays beyond is a surprisingly thrilling unraveling of an industry titan, if you can call it that. The little details of the damage done on the community level as well as taking good looks at the fact that healthcare determined pain on a personal rating of 1-10. Told more in a documentary-esque light and with the presentation of gathering evidence for a court case, it takes but a few glimpses into the lives of those addicted.
The industry of pain and pain management would only give rise to further pain that would further be medicated with synthetic opioids. An infinitely tragic spiral that would consume many lives and uproot families, workplaces, communities, friendships and so much more. I wonder how many reviewing titles like this were touched in some form or fashion, by addiction.
Matthew Broderick was a interesting choice to play Richard, the cast is more than compelling and offers an even more impactful look at the epidemic that healthcare itself may never get over. Crime of the Century is also another stellar title on this that I don't see anyone mentioning, Netflix truly hasn't done something this radical since Mindhunter.
Last Knights (2015)
League of Shadoes In The Holy Roman Empire(?)
If you can just picture the League of Shadoes in Batman Begins, apply it to the fall of the Teutonic Empire... you'll certainly have a compelling situation. The talking heads at a leader's sides show how wearing on someone eventually gets through, we follow a league of elite soldiers who wear a very lovely mix between the Roman lorica segmentata and the Japanese dou. Costuming and cast are superb, the 'captain knights' we'll call them have many intricate silent, stoic nods and so called talks that pass some interesting messages along.
Not much of a score here to even speak of, but this blend of culture and times wrapped in a seemingly low fantasy medieval political drama? It's a pretty interesting blend that even borrows some elements from the film Wanted. I really do wish more were like this, it's rather unique and though 47 Ronin is similar - this is more a Knighthood sort of approach and older fashioned senses of honour. The sets are quite impressive, I would of loved a finer look at how some of them were put together and what was on location.
Disavowed in the time of poet Knights of honour, those that passed and those who remain will never be forgotten as they stand to be the Last Knights!
Molly (2017)
Mandy (2018) Meets Becky (2020) And It Doesn't Work.
As much as I love the games S. T. A. L. K. E. R. And the many Fallouts (not you 76) and what this tries to emulate from those, you can't just make a movie about that. This is almost a little inventory simulator film of sorts, the opening bit is rather interesting I found myself hooked for the first 10 or 15ish.
Nearly no music to speak of and a strange Mad Max/RAGE post apocalypse that's basically nothing and pushed to the side. There's some zombie things that fight in a MMA cage match and it is just the whole middle portion. Acting is a huge miss, you'll see better in Steven Seagal's post-goatee MEGAHITS.
I will say it has some great shots, the use of colour is gorgeous but it is not much else other than a PG hash of Mandy (2018) and Becky (2020.)
Jack the Giant Slayer (2013)
Will Always Delight, Year After Year.
What a stellar treat, the cast has to be my first mention. Never had I seen such a star studded cast since Band of Brothers to be honest! What a strange pick of projects for Ewan, in a time where seeing him seems to be more and more rare... his role as Elmont is unreal and such a finesse of an addition. Also funny to see Ian McShane pre-American Gods.
The sets are some of the best, I'm quite sure this wasn't aiming to be a high fantasy, well grounded in reality, with castle-cities with moats and ramparts, outdoing basically all efforts that aren't from Jackson or Scott. The score is unreal, played a little quietly during the film but it serves the runtime well.
I've seen this one so much it is impossible for me to think of a number to entail just how many times I've thoroughly enjoyed this one. Also uses what I would call Zack Snyder rain fairly often and to great purpose!
All in all this is a fairytale retelling that is unlike any other, there was a big want for all of this in the 2010s. Easily for your ensemble consideration and well worth the time. Is unbloody PG high fantasy that is sure to surprise.
Kôkaku kidôtai: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man (2005)
Section 9 Has Their Hands FULL In A Twisty Ride.
What undoubtedly became the entry point for most, as well as the series that ran in 2002 solidified itself in what would become one of many remake worthy efforts of everything Ghost In The Shell. Not quite as spiritual as Innocence, every second of this film OOZES with intrigue, mystery and a spritz of espionage.
Though Ghost In The Shell had long been recognized for its beauty and scenery, finer details and philosophy, I really love everything about this one. Aggressive diplomacy fuels the clandestine futuristic warfare that helps this film and the rest of the franchise really shine eternally in my heart.
Is it weird the music makes me think of the 2000s SWAT film? At the end of the day, I would plug into anything to see this film again and again. Truly timeless and unique.
Heart of Stone (2023)
Stunts, Style, Score!
Director Tom Harper delivers a team with range across the world with a satisfying amount of stylistic shots and scenes that press some very real boundaries. The score takes you even higher than the peak of this film's surprising action, elevating the already zesty action ever higher.
I found it charming how some scenes reminded me of Tenet, though this story could only hope to be as fine. The entire premise sorts of gets glossed over, lost in the vein of tragedy and nigh non-stop action.
I see much distaste for this but don't quite feel the same way, everything from the cast, production, sequences, stunts, music and lonely winding roads... this had so much for me to enjoy. I may be a sucker for a well oiled espionage machine but this is something I'll look forward to seeing again. I feel the likes of Ethan Hunt, Jack Ryan, Lara Croft and good old Jason Bourne would approve of this.
Absolutely lovely to see Gal in such a film, I thought it had a theatrical release and I'm sad to see info on that hard to find.
With music ablaze and people who'll change the world at your back, just remember. Stay in the van.