Category: Suspense/Thriller

Horror/Thriller Shudder Suspense/Thriller

“Speak No Evil” (2024) / (2022)

By Brett_G on

7.9 / 8.1

As a die-hard Shudder fan, I’m disappointed in myself that I didn’t realize that this was a remake of a fairly recent foreign horror film.

As for the American version, James McAvoy really makes it all work. Without him and his perfected mask slips and eventual descent into madness, I’m not sure they pull it off. I was genuinely uncomfortable from beginning to end. There’s just enough “off” in each scene to keep you on edge and keep you guessing where the next turn will lead. I will also never hear the Bangles’ “Eternal Flame” the same ever again.

Onto the foreign version… they really went all out. Where I didn’t think the remake pulled any punches, it turns out that there was indeed more room for things to get worse… much, much worse… This one is definitely not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach.

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Indie Science Fiction Suspense/Thriller

“Cuckoo”

By Brett_G on

7.4

I didn’t expect the symbolism to be so on the nose here. To be perfectly honest, I had no idea what I was in for other than “weird” with this one. Thankfully, it delivers on weird, and so much more by the time the credits roll. I’m not really sure what the lesson was, other than to trust your gut and to refrain from wearing headphones while biking at night, but damn… it was a hellacious ride.

With the ambiance of “The Human Centipede” and “Shutter Island,” you spend the entire runtime on edge and guessing what’s going to unravel next. Hunter Schafer is the glue that really holds this one together and makes things work. Without her, there’s no way this one makes it to the end. If you don’t mind weird, this was a nice veer off the beaten path into the weeds of lesser known films at the multi-plex.

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Horror/Thriller Suspense/Thriller

“Blink Twice”

By Brett_G on

7.9

https://www.thehotline.org/

Unlike “It Ends With Us,” this one warns the audience that shit’s going to get dark.

… And holy crap does it ever get dark. I figured things would get weird, but not quite this deep into the worst of humanity. I can honestly say that I was caught as off guard as I’ve been in a long time by this one. But I can also say that not since “Promising Young Woman” and “Ready or Not” (or “Kill Bill) have I seen such an empowering tale of revenge on the silver screen.

I feel like he gets a lot of shit for “Magic Mike,” but Channing Tatum is one hell of an actor. He plays the villain perfectly in this one. Naomi Ackie on the screen and Zoe Kravitz behind the camera make for a hellacious one-two punch that really makes the film. I can’t imagine this coming together and being as balanced and impactful without their immense talents at play. Get ready to be befuddled for 2/3 of the runtime and sick to your stomach for the final act until the resolution right before the credits roll makes you want to laugh and cheer. It’s a WILD ride!

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Indie Rom-Com Suspense/Thriller

“Strange Darling”

By Brett_G on

8.5

I can honestly say that I had no idea what the hell was going to happen next this entire film… I was blown away with every twist and turn here. The film pulls the rug out from under you every time you make an assumption or feel assured you’re finally on steady footing. A mix of Tarantino and Nolan, the story unfolds in out of order chapters, slowly blossoming and colliding with the serendipity of a romance novel. Gird your loins… I guarantee that you’re not ready for this one.

Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner are ELECTRIC, and perfect for their roles. Not a second wasted, and not an emotion missed in a tight one and a half hour thriller/horror/romance that will leave you laughing(?) at the MOST inappropriate times. One of my top movies of the year. Booking it now.

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Action Suspense/Thriller

“Trap”

By Brett_G on

7.4

M. Night… buddy… SO MANY TWIST ENDINGS

Until they leave the arena and things go off the rails as there are seemingly endless attempts at a repeat of “The Sixth Sense” magic, this is a damn good thriller. Josh Hartnett is amazing in this role, and the story is so tightly wound that you’re on the edge of your seat the entire runtime.

The fact that M. Night basically made a movie as a big budget music video for his daughter Saleka Shyamalan is such a boss move, you have to respect it. She turns in a surprisingly great performance in the finale, as things take an unexpected turn… and then another unexpected turn… and then another unexpected turn. There are 3-4 solid endings to the film you get to watch and basically pick from to end things on.

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