Blogcritics Category: Video: Thriller

Passport Cinema: The Last House in the Woods

A.J. Hakari — Fri, 9 Jan 2009 19:54:32 EST

Hey, guys! Italy makes mediocre slasher movies, too!
Is there any genre more derivative than the slasher film? Sure, all types of movies borrow liberally from one another, but none are as simple or as often ripped off as your garden variety slice-and-dice scenario. Most end up looking completely identical, with The Last House in the Woods going so far as to prove that this rule applies even to...

TV Review: The Diplomat Blends High-Stakes Espionage and Drama

Bryan Myrick — Wed, 7 Jan 2009 18:12:30 EST

Although failing to connect on many levels, The Diplomat leads the way for more uniquely told thrillers made for television audiences.
In the post-9/11 media landscape, the spy thriller has again come into its own as a genre that offers visceral subject matter for a wide audience. Despite the renewed marketability of stories dealing with international espionage and terror, television producers have more often than not failed to seize upon opportunities to create truly original...

Top 10 Worst Films of 2008

Ross Miller — Tue, 6 Jan 2009 22:39:36 EST

A list of my top 10 worst movies of 2008.
"Ten at a Time" is a series of my top 10 lists of movies in different areas, like a particular year or lists of a more specific nature like a certain genre. Most of the lists will be retrospective, meaning I will be looking at years past, now having had the chance to view a lot of films I might not have seen in the cinema, and am now...

Movie Review: Quantum of Solace

Todd Ford — Tue, 6 Jan 2009 14:28:00 EST

I remember when James Bond movies were fun.
I remember when James Bond movies were fun. I’d have a regular date with my sister to get our latest fix of campy humor and cool gadgets and gorgeous women with humorously suggestive names. Of late, we don’t get to continue that tradition -- my sister and I now live more than a thousand miles apart. We do agree though that the Bond fun...

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Tue, 6 Jan 2009 14:28:00 EST

Movie Review: Munich

Brandon Valentine — Fri, 2 Jan 2009 16:16:28 EST

Despite its lengthy running-time, Munich is a remarkable feature and a valiant effort from all involved.
Despite its lengthy running time, Munich is a remarkable feature and a valiant effort from all involved. Director Steven Spielberg is back to the top of his game (after War of the Worlds), composer John Williams accentuates Spielberg’s prowess, and the cast is without a weak spot. Inspired by real events, Munich is utterly stirring to...

Blu-ray Review: The X-Files - I Want To Believe (Ultimate X-Phile Edition)

El Bicho — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:45:52 EST

It may work for hardcore X-philes, but I found "I Want To Believe" unsatisfying.
The X-Files ran for nine seasons on FOX from 1993 to 2002, and mainly detailed the exploits of FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) as they investigated cases involving matters paranormal, extraterrestrial, or other topics familiar to listeners of the nationally syndicated, overnight radio program Coast to Coast...

Movie Review: The Spirit

A.J. Hakari — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 01:11:46 EST

Frank Miller's stab at superheroes is far from successful.
The Spirit is the reason why I hate hyping myself up for movies. This one is a combination I'd never turn down -- the marriage of a retro action film with comic book artist Frank Miller's distinctive visual style. Having grown up on the likes of Dick Tracy and The Shadow, it's only natural that I looked forward to The Spirit with a...

Passport Cinema: Heroic Duo

A.J. Hakari — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 18:14:29 EST

A wronged cop and a hypnotist team up for this mediocre action-thriller.
Heroic Duo manages to bring together both extremes of the action genre. To start, its overall style is pretty mundane and never really gets your blood pumping. On the other hand, its very premise is so utterly goofy, you're left kissing your disbelief goodbye. You'd think that the two styles might work in tandem with one another, creating a...

Blu-ray Review: LOST - The Complete Fourth Season

El Bicho — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:41:18 EST

Was it a mistake to get off the island?
If you haven’t watched LOST before, turn around immediately and go back. The series is a serialized drama that absolutely needs to be watched from the beginning to get the full impact of its storytelling. LOST - Season Four continues the adventures of the survivors of Oceanic 815 in one of the most imaginative television series of the...

Movie Review: The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

Ross Miller — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:57:05 EST

Neither terrible nor good: an in one eye and out the other experience.
The remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still is nothing more than a Hollywood lump of expensive metal that, sure, looks fancy but there’s little more to elevate it into worthwhile territory. It’s neither terrible nor good; an “in one eye and out the other” experience that’ll only be remembered for how much it pales in...