Suspense/Thriller – Page 15 – Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare

“Superhost”

By Brett_G on October 22, 2021October 16, 2021

6.4

I haven’t wanted protagonists to die this bad in a long time. I was rooting for Rebecca the whole time. The story was pretty predictable and over the top, but wonderfully done. The film is incredibly aware of itself, and leans into it in all the right ways.

Pro tip: Don’t stay in an AirBnB when the host seems a little “off,” there are cameras covering the place like a casino gaming floor, and the basement is locked with little to no explanation. Just because they cook you breakfast doesn’t mean bad things aren’t going to happen.

Indie Suspense/Thriller

“Possession” (1981)

By Brett_G on October 17, 2021October 16, 2021

6.4

Similar to “Cannibal Holocaust,” I had to hunt down an unofficial official blu-ray of this online. How was this not on Shudder?! Anyway, there is a reason for that. It’s a strange one. Very moist.

Before Sam Neil was busy auditing theme parks (“Jurassic Park”), he was working for the government in a job more mysterious than Barney Stinson’s. He leaves this high-paying job to move back in with his… wife(?) and young son, only to find that there’s something amiss. I’m not entirely sure how to even explain it. Overall, the moral of the story is “Don’t stick your dick in crazy.” I know most slashers kill teenagers for doing the deed, but this takes it to a whole other level. Everyone who enters that sacred temple ends up mangled by the end of the film. This is what happens when curiosity drives one of my weekend watch picks.

Fun fact: Isabelle Adjani, the lead actress with the hypnotizing blue eyes that lure you in as a viewer almost as strongly as men into her trap in the story, was once married to actor Daniel Day Lewis.

Because I'm a Guy on Twitter: "If you stick your dick in crazy....😂😂… "

Drama Suspense/Thriller

“The Card Counter”

By Brett_G on September 11, 2021September 11, 2021

7.9

“Any man can tilt.”

An Abu Ghraib movie the weekend of the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Ballsy move, but one I think pays off by the time the credits roll. What begins as “Molly’s Game” quickly turns into an Oliver Stone documentary, pulling back the curtain on the complicated nature of morality, the role of the United States in history, and the human costs of war. Oscar Isaac and Tiffany Haddish cement themselves as leading cast members. A masterclass in framing, tension building, and impactful filmmaking.

Action Blockbuster Suspense/Thriller

“Heat”

By Brett_G on September 2, 2021September 2, 2021

8.4

This is one of those monumental films that suffers from its own success. Similar to “Psycho,” “Halloween,” or “JAWS,” it kicks off a revolution of a genre and reimagines the craft of cinema, but then is copied so much that it eventually becomes a watered-down version of itself. I saw so many action tropes in this film and was reminded of the late 90’s action boom and the grandness of epics such as the Dark Knight trilogy, “Titanic,” and “Pearl Harbor.”

This film separates itself because the cast is so overflowing with talent than it does the micro exceptionally well. The intimate, deeply personal scenes, such as the scene in the coffee shop between Pacino and De Niro, are just as awe-inspiring as the grand scale action scenes. The heists and shootouts are some of the best tension-filled directing I’ve seen in quite some time. Shout-out to the Amazon Val Kilmer biopic “Val,” for leading me to this gem!

Action Suspense/Thriller

“New Order”

By Brett_G on July 26, 2021July 25, 2021

“Parasite,” but with guns.

Instead of the class war only affecting a household, strap in and get ready to spend the next hour and a half trying not to spill your popcorn as you rush to turn away from a story that turns extremely violent exceptionally quickly. As the country collapses, we follow this family and their… employees… into the madness and the darkness. We watch the growing pains of a nation in transition as one governing party is overthrown and a new one violently installed through force—the struggle between new money and old money. A countries government is in turmoil, under the thumb of a much larger, more sinister old guard that wields the true power. The ending was not at all what I expected when shit began to hit the fan about 20 minutes in. I’m not sure anyone’s a winner in this one.

All things considered, a solid political thriller with well directed action and drama.