Brute Force (1947)

written by Richard Brooks

from a story by Robert Patterson

directed by Jules Dassin

A group of convicts at a prison ruled by a cruel chief of security (Hume Cronyn) decide they’ve had enough. Led by worn-down inmate Joe Collins (Burt Lancaster), they plan their escape, and the tragic results are far from standard Hollywood fluff. No, Brute Force is a gripping, violent film, in which director Jules Dassin condemns a system that doesn’t care to rehabilitate the people it incarcerates, but rather contributes to their alienation. Now that I’ve seen this, I will add Dassin’s The Naked City (1948) and Rififi (1955) to my “must watch” list.

Rating: ***

Caddo Lake (2024)

written and directed by Celine Held and Logan George

On the sparsely populated border between Texas and Louisiana, we meet Paris (Dylan O’Brien), a man haunted by the accidental death of his mother years prior, and Ellie (Eliza Scanlen), a rebellious teenager whose younger stepsister Anna mysteriously disappears. How these two stories cross paths is part of the puzzle in this stealth time travel thriller produced by filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, and it’s probably the most interesting project he’s been a part of since Split (2016). Perhaps it goes to show he should leave the writing and directing to someone else, because Caddo Lake is not only well plotted and acted, it feels emotionally resonant. This is a marshy cousin to the television series Dark (2017-2020).

Rating: ***

Dune: Part Two (2024)

written by Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts

based on the novel Dune by Frank Herbert

directed by Denis Villeneuve

The second part to 2021’s Dune continues the journey of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he seeks to avenge his father’s death and help the people of Arrakis wage war against the invading Harkonnens. But complicating matters is the fact that some Fremens believe him to be a messianic figure of prophecy – a legend originally implanted by the conniving sisterhood Bene Gesserit, who seek control of the universe through religious means.

It’s dense stuff, and part of me wishes these movies would’ve been a miniseries – some details and character motivations come across as rushed, particularly Paul’s turn to power-hungry autocrat. And yet you can’t deny co-writer/director Denis Villeneuve sprawling vision, as he concludes his adaptation of novelist Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel in fittingly epic fashion.

Rating: ***

Fail Safe (1964)

written by Walter Bernstein and Peter George

based on the novel Fail-Safe by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler

directed by Sidney Lumet

Does the end ever justify the means? It’s a thorny moral question that applies to any number of situations, and in the Cold War thriller Fail Safe it is followed through to its horrific end, as a technological error causes United States bombers to carry out an attack on Moscow and the President (Henry Fonda) tries to avoid all-out nuclear annihilation. Director Sidney Lumet directs with his usual calm precision, tightening the screws slowly until the only logical trade-off is to intentionally bomb New York City. Fuck. The final minutes of Fail Safe make their case against the obscenity of atomic power… and I will never forget them.

Rating: ***½

Loop Track (2023)

written and directed by Tom Sainsbury

This low-budget entry from New Zealand starts as a psychological thriller of sorts in which an anxious man named Ian (Tom Sainsbury, who also wrote and directed) decides to go on an arduous hike, despite having little to no experience. It’s clear from the outset the guy has issues with people, as he tries to avoid other hikers on the path. But eventually he has no choice but to interact with other hikers, and he starts to become more paranoid – is something hiding deep in the woods? Are they being followed? Could the annoying dude (Hayden J. Weal) that insists on befriending everyone be a… psychopath? I’ll only say that you’ll either love the bonkers final act, in which Loop Track turns into a more standard type of horror movie, or hate it completely. Me, I thought it was pretty cool.

Rating: **½

MaXXXine (2024)

written and directed by Ti West

The last chapter of writer/director Ti West’s horror trilogy which started with X (2022) and continued with prequel Pearl (also 2022), MaXXXine takes place several years after the events of X, as final girl Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) tries to make the leap from porn actress to Hollywood star. But it’s a decidedly mixed bag. West is clearly going for an 80s homage here with inspiration from directors Brian De Palma, Dario Argento, and even a cameo by a famous Alfred Hitchcock house, but whereas the previous two movies had deeper layers, MaXXXine feels shallow and unoriginal.

Rating: **

Parenthood (1989)

written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel

from a story by Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel, and Ron Howard

directed by Ron Howard

Parenthood is pretty fucking hard. And Parenthood actually captures its ups and downs quite well, considering this is a big Hollywood comedy directed by Ron Howard. The secret sauce is a talented ensemble of actors, led by Steve Martin as an anxious dad trying not to repeat his own father’s mistakes, and a clever script (by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel) which balances the funny parts with the myriad challenges of raising kids… plus the occassional projectile vomiting. The final family montage, set at a maternity ward to a lovely score by Randy Newman, is a thing of beauty.

Rating: ***½

Predator (1987)

written by Jim Thomas and John Thomas

directed by John McTiernan

Predator begins as a macho action movie in which a team of mercenaries led by Arnold Schwarzenegger are deployed for a top secret mission in Central America. They sweat profusely, stake out the bad guys, and blow shit up (spectacularly) in a manner reminiscent of other 80s studfests like Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985). But then the film becomes a sci-fi/horror hybrid, as the crew begins to realize an extraterrestrial is hunting them. It’s high-concept insanity, and yet it works like gangbusters, thanks to director John McTiernan’s stylish, propulsive set pieces (he’d follow this with 1988’s Die Hard and 1990’s The Hunt for Red October, completing a fantastic action thriller trifecta). Predator is all meat and potatoes, and damn filling.

Rating: ***

Ready or Not (2019)

written by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy

directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

In the horror comedy Ready or Not, a young bride (Samara Weaving) is hunted by her husband’s wealthy family so they can sacrifice her to Satan. And you thought meeting your in-laws was hard. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have fun messing with the genre, but much like in their 2024 film Abigail, they tend to play it safer than I’d like. Still, it’s a cool enough hour and a half that will make you wonder if you should really get married.

Rating: **½

Scream 2 (1997)

written by Kevin Williamson

directed by Wes Craven

At one point in Scream 2, film theory students discuss whether any sequel can surpass the original film. Two James Cameron movies are mentioned – Aliens (1986) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) – but there’s no consensus. Someone floats House II: The Second Story (1987), which I haven’t seen but imagine is no better than House (1985). And then The Godfather Part II (1974) silences everyone in the room (personally, I would’ve gone for 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back).

By addressing the shortcomings of sequels, this follow-up to the meta slasher Scream (1996) cleverly points out that it may very well fall short. And yet, writer Kevin Williamson and director Wes Craven continue their unique deconstruction of the horror genre, with more elaborate set pieces, witty observations, and tons of blood. Does Scream 2 rise above Scream? No. But it’s every bit as fun.

Rating: ***

Three Days of the Condor (1975)

written and Lorenzo Semple Jr. and David Rayfiel

based on the novel Six Days of the Condor by James Grady

directed by Sydney Pollack

Three Days of the Condor is one of several 70s films that ominously captured the paranoia of the times, a decade of mistrust in government that followed the tumultuous 60s with everything from the Watergate scandal to the release of the Pentagon Papers. No wonder the era gave us some of the best movies Hollywood has ever produced.

Robert Redford plays Joe Turner, a CIA analyst who discovers a secret plot involving oil fields in the Middle East. When his whole division is assassinated, he goes on the run and ends up kidnapping a researcher (Faye Dunaway). While the Stockholm Syndrome romance that develops between them is somewhat icky, director Sydney Pollack fares well with the suspenseful set pieces, as Turner tries to figure out what’s going on while evading a ruthless killer (Max von Sydow). Three Days of the Condor is not my favorite of the conspiracy flicks – that honor goes to Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation (1974) – but it’s a solid piece of 70s entertainment.

Rating: ***

Young Woman and the Sea (2024)

written and Jeff Nathanson

directed by Joachim Rønning

In 1926, American competition swimmer Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to cross the length of the English channel – eighteen nautical miles, no small feat. Young Woman and the Sea brings the story to life with the usual rise-against-the-odds structure of a sports flick, but Daisy Ridley’s fierce portrayal of Ederle – an icon of female empowerment in a world controlled by men – makes for a rousing and inspiring couple of hours. This is a film the whole family can enjoy.

Rating: **½

Carlos I. Cuevas