Lawless

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(2012)

Genre: Western/Drama

Director: John Hillcoat

Writers: Nick Cave, Matt Bondurant

Producers: John Allen, Robert Ogden Barnum, Michael Benaroya, Jason Blum, Matthew Budman, Megan Ellison, Cassian Elwes, Lucy Fisher, Scott Hanson, James Lejsek, Randy Manis, Laura Rister, Ben Sachs, Ted Schipper, Rachel Shane, Douglas Wick, Dany Wolf, Clayton Young

Synopsis: Lawless is the true story of the infamous Bondurant Brothers: bootlegging siblings who made a run for the American Dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. In this epic gangster tale, inspired by true-life tales of author Matt Bondurant's family in his novel "The Wettest County in the World", the loyalty of three brothers is put to the test against the backdrop of the nation's most notorious crime wave. -- (Written by The Weinstein Company)

Cast:

• Tom Hardy
• Shia LaBeouf
• Guy Pearce
• Jason Clarke
• Jessica Chastain
• Mia Wasikowska
• Gary Oldman
• Noah Taylor

IMDb - Lawless

Memento

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(2000)

Genre: Thriller

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writers: Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan

Producers: Christopher Ball, Elaine Dysinger, Aaron Ryder, Emma Thomas, Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd, William Tyrer

Synopsis: A man, suffering from short-term memory loss, uses notes and tattoos to hunt for the man he thinks killed his wife. -- (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Guy Pearce
• Carrie-Anne Moss
• Joe Pantoliano

IMDb - Memento

Prometheus (jhunterfilmreview)

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(2012)

Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller/Adventure

Director: Ridley Scott

Writers: Jon Spaihts, Damon Lindelof

Producers: Michael Costigan, Michael Ellenberg, David Giler, Walter Hill, Mark Huffam, Teresa Kelly, Nikolas Korda, Damon Lindelof, Ridley Scott, Tony Scott

 

Nominee

Synopsis: Ridley Scott, director of Alien and Blade Runner, returns to the genre he helped define. With Prometheus, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. -- (Written by 20th Century Fox)

Cast:

• Noomi Rapace
• Michael Fassbender
• Charlize Theron
• Guy Pearce
• Idris Elba
• Logan Marshall-Green

IMDB - Prometheus

jhunterfilmreview: Upon hearing that a new Ridley Scott sci-fi film was imminent, I immediately found it difficult to control my excitement. I am a huge fan of the Alien saga - particularly Alien, Aliens and Alien: Resurrection. Then I saw the cast, and I instantly knew this would be one of, if not the most anticipated film for me this year. After conducting a little research on this exciting new motion picture, I discovered that Prometheus was to be a sci-fi/thriller and a sort of 'quasi-prequel' to the Alien saga. Furthermore, the film was to boast an amazing cast including two of my favourite female actors; Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Babycall), and Charlize Theron (Monster, Æon Flux, Young Adult). 

The film is set in the year 2089, where the protagonist Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and a team of scientists discover ancient cave paintings which match other artefacts from several unconnected ancient cultures. They interpret the pattern as a map and sort of invitation from humanity's forerunners, the 'Engineers'. Peter Weyland's (Guy Pearce - Memento, L.A. Confidential, The Hurt Locker) Weyland corporation funds the creation of the scientific vessel 'Prometheus', and the expedition to follow the map to distant moon LV-223. While the ship's crew travels in stasis, an android named David (Michael Fassbender - Shame, A Dangerous Method, Inglourious Basterds) monitors their voyage. Arriving in 2093, the crew are informed of their mission - to find the Engineers, but to avoid making contact without the permission of mission directer, Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron).

Prometheus is an extremely ambitious project which I feel may have suffered from the pulling of (and often relying on) the strings of anticipation a bit too much. Not only this, but the film's main weakness is its screenplay. Written by John Spaihts and David Lindelof, it somewhat fails to develop some key characters and aspects of the narrative, leaving a lot of its big questions unanswered.

Ok so the film is not perfect…but there are SO many amazing and jaw-dropping aspects which make it a thoroughly entertaining sci-fi flick. For one, the production design and visual effects are beyond stunning. Production designer Arthur Max led the film's design crew. His team were tasked with deconstructing the art direction and visuals of Alien, and reverse-designing them for the chronologically earlier setting of Prometheus. The film was shot using 3D cameras throughout, almost entirely on practical sets, and on location in England, Iceland, Spain and Scotland. The out-of-this-world (pun intended) 1,300 digital visual effects shots are the works of a combination of different effects studios, including Moving Picture Company and Weta Digital. Prometheus also features a number of compelling performances from its cast. Particularly Michael Fassbender as the scrupulous Weyland android, David.

If I had to pick my favourite scene, it would be without a doubt the intense surgery scene featuring Rapace. The emotional intensity that she brought to what is intentionally an absurd sci-fi scenario, felt real, gritty, grounded and horrifying. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this highly ambitious and visually stunning film. Due to its occasional scripting hiccup however, I recommend it only to those who aren't opposed to a little 'Why?' in their sci-fi.

I give this film 8 stars.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

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(2010)

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Director: Troy Nixey

Writer: Guillermo del Toro, Matthew Robins, Nigel McKeand

Producers: Melanie Chryss, William Horberg, Mark Johnson, Stephen Jones, Nick Nunziata, Guillermo del Toro, Tom Williams

Synopsis: A young girl sent to live with her father and his new girlfriend discovers creatures in her new home who want to claim her as one of their own. (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Bailee Madison
• Katie Holmes
• Guy Pearce

IMDb - Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

The Road

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(2009)

Genre: Drama/Thriller

Director: John Hillcoat

Writer: Cormac McCarthy, Joe Penhall

Producers: Marc Butan, Mark Cuban, Erik Hodge, Paula Mae Schwartz, Steve Schwartz, Rudd Simmons, Mike Upton, Todd Wagner, Nick Wechsler

Synopsis: A post-apocalyptic tale of a man and his son trying to survive by any means possible. (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Viggo Mortensen
• Kodi Smit-McPhee
• Charlize Theron
• Robert Duvall
• Guy Pearce

IMDb - The Road

L.A. Confidential

 

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 (1997)

Genre: Drama

Director: Curtis Hanson

Writer: James Ellroy, Brian Helgeland

Synopsis: 1950's Los Angeles is the seedy backdrop for this intricate noir-ish tale of police corruption and Hollywood sleaze. Three very different cops are all after the truth, each in their own style: Ed Exley, the golden boy of the police force, willing to do almost anything to get ahead, except sell out; Bud White, ready to break the rules to seek justice, but barely able to keep his raging violence under control; and Jack Vincennes, always looking for celebrity and a quick buck until his conscience drives him to join Exley and White down the one-way path to find the truth behind the dark world of L.A. crime. (Written by Greg Bole)

Cast:

• Kevin Spacey
• Russel Crowe
• Guy Pearce
• James Cromwell
• Kim Basinger
• Danny DeVito

 

IMDb - L.A. Confidential 

Animal Kingdom

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 (2010)

Genre: Crime/Drama

Director: David Michôd

Writer: David Michôd

Nominee

Synopsis: Tells the story of seventeen year-old J (Josh) as he navigates his survival amongst an explosive criminal family and the detective who thinks he can save him. (Written by IMDb Editors)

Cast:

• Ben Mendelsohn
• Joel Edgerton
• Guy Pearce
• Luke Ford
• Jacki Weaver

IMDb - Animal Kingdom