Cindy Prascik's Review of A Walk Among the Tombstones

Dearest Blog, yesterday it was off to the pictures for my first double-header in awhile. Before a final screening of summer's most fun flick, Guardians of the Galaxy, I had a look at Liam Neeson's latest, A Walk Among the Tombstones.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

An ex-cop working as an unlicensed P.I. hunts a woman's killers.

A Walk Among the Tombstones looks a lot like an old TV cop show. It's set against the harshest, ugliest parts of New York, in that gloomy bit of the year when the leaves have dropped but the snow hasn't yet fallen. Though the lack of color sets an appropriately morose tone, the movie is not without its lighter moments, most of which hit the right mark, lifting the mood without derailing it.

Liam Neeson does what Liam Neeson does best, ensuring you leave the theatre thinking you never, EVER want to face a crisis without him. The solid supporting cast features Downton Abbey heartthrob Dan Stevens in a VERY different role from Matthew Crawley, Sebastian Roche (who will ever be Law & Order's C-Square to me!), and the precocious Brian "Astro" Bradley. The story has enough twists and turns to keep you interested, without being so long or overly complicated that it bogs down.

A Walk Among the Tombstones clocks in at 113 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence, disturbing images, language, and brief nudity." It may not be especially memorable, but it's an entertaining, well-crafted thriller that easily holds your attention.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, A Walk Among the Tombstones gets seven.

Until next time.

Where's Carson when ya need him??

MOVIE REVIEW: TUSK

An irreverent American podcaster interviews a Canadian adventurer whose wild tale of survival at sea masks sinister intentions in this twisted horror comedy from writer/director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Red State). Wallace (Justin Long) and Teddy (Haley Joel Osment) are the wisecracking co-hosts of "The Not-See Party", a popular podcast focused on bizarre viral videos and humorous interviews with the internet-famous. When Wallace ventures to Canada for an interview that falls through at the last minute, he stops at a local bar for a drink and finds a flyer posted by an old adventurer (Michael Parks) who seeks to share his stories with anyone who will listen.  Meanwhile, as Teddy and Wallace's girlfriend venture north to investigate his sudden disappearance, the old man subjects his terrified guest to a bizarre medical procedure that will transform more than just his perception of one of the sea's most majestic creatures. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Kevin Smith

Cast: Justin Long, Haley Joel Osment, Michael Parks, Genesis Rodriguez

Release Date: Sep 19, 2014

Rated R for Sexual Content, Language, Gore and Some Disturbing Violence

Runtime: 1 hr. 41 min.

Genres: Horror

Review:

Kevin Smith is a hit or miss director for me.  Even his earlier films like Clerks, Mall Rats or Chasing Amy never really connected with me, I found them amusing but never found out what made Smith a name director.  Dogma is probably my favorite film from Smith with his recent foray into horror, Red State, being his worse film.  So I was a bit ambivalent when I heard about his 2^nd horror film, Tusk, but I was rather intrigued by the insane concept.  The film is rather odd but surprisingly straightforward as well.  Some have compared it to the Human Centipede which I think is more than a bit off because it’s kind of its own creature, pun intended.  The best thing about Tusk is that it’s actually funny.  Smith skewers plenty of classic horror tropes, showcasing how ridiculous some of the situations are by taking it to the most extreme degree.  The cast is rather impressive, including a surprise appearance by a well known actor.  Justin Long is appropriately douchey so when karma comes his way, you don’t feel an ounce of sympathy.  Michael Parks is clearly having a great time in a very nutty role.  Genesis Rodriguez and Haley Joel Osment are noteworthy in their ability to play it straight while Smith shoots varying levels of insanity at them.  Tusk is definitely Kevin Smith’s weirdest film but it’s also one of his better efforts as well.

B+ 

Cindy Prascik's Review of No Good Deed

Dearest Blog, yesterday afternoon it was off to the pictures for the thriller No Good Deed.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

Home alone on a dark and stormy night, a woman and her two young children are terrorized by an intruder.

Readers, I gotta be straight with ya: I find leads Idris Elba and Taraji P. Henson to be two of the most beautiful people in the world. I can't decide if I liked this movie more than it deserved, because I got to look at them for 90 minutes, or if I liked it less than it deserved, because I was distracted by their excessive good looks. At any rate...


No Good Deed is a decent thriller that does a nice job of maintaining suspense throughout. If the tricks are cheap, they're also effective; I jumped in my seat a fair few times. It's got kind of a twist on a twist, so, if you see the first bit coming (I did), it may still take you by surprise. Hensen is perfect, terrified (especially for her children), but no simpering damsel in distress.

Elba plays the psycho baddie with relish, and every frame seems specifically designed to make him look larger (he's 6'3" to Henson's 5'5") and more menacing. Paul Haslinger's comically melodramatic score sets the right tone, even if it's a bit much at times.

No Good Deed clocks in at a quick 84 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of violence, menace, terror, and for language."

A perfect fit between Summer Blockbuster Season and Awards Season, No Good Deed is worth your ten bucks, but you'll likely have forgotten it ever existed by next year at this time.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, No Good Deed gets five and a half.

Until next time...

Thank you, but I've already bought my Girl Scout cookies!

6 Degrees of Separation Blogathon

Since there’s a cinematic dead spot in my movie calendar right I accepted a challenge from Tanner Jones (The Average Critic) to participate in the 6 Degrees of Separation Blogathon. 

Like Tanner, this is my first ever blogathon but that’s probably due to my general laziness….

To complete the challenge, I must figure out a way to connect Kaya Scodelario to Oscar Issac. 

In essence, it’s a cinematic version of 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon.

While I’ve seen these actors, I can’t say I’m terribly familiar with either, so it took me a bit to find the connection

So without further adieu let’s begin….

Kaya Scodelario was in Clash of the Titans with….

 

 

Luke Evans who was in The Raven with….

  

John Cusack who was in the Paperboy with…

Scott Glenn who was in Sucker Punch with… 

 Oscar Isaac!!!

 

 Please hold your applause.....just kidding feel free to shower me with your love....

I now challenge Maynard over at Maynard's Horror Movie Diary to connect Oscar Isaac with Shannyn Sossamon….