Swift shot: I spent half the film nitpicking stupid decisions by the bad guys. I wanted to really like this one more. I just didn't. It was derivative and not really that original, but unlike The Hangover [formula films] this formula needed something special to make it more than just a tacked-on extension of the first film. Taken 2 takes you to Istanbul, … [Read more...] about Taken 2
Action
Solomon Kane
Even the darkest soul can be redeemed. Swift shot: Robert E. Howard wrote several novels, considered highly controversial for his time; he penned his most famous creation, Conan, a vehicle which quickly launched a certain former Austrian pencil-neck geek to super stardom. I read a few of the Conan books when I was in high school, and Conan the Barbarian (the original … [Read more...] about Solomon Kane
Looper
When will your loop be closed? Swift shot: A film that defies expectation. If you've seen one preview for Looper, you know what it is purportedly about, but that's just the cordite on the blunderbuss - while it has a strong science-fiction platform, the story is what I was most drawn to. Ultimately it is a story about throw-away people and what the cycles of neglect … [Read more...] about Looper
Lawless
Directed by: John Hillcoat (The Road) The Cast: Shia LaBeouf (Transformer Films), Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises), Jason Clarke (Texas Killing Fields), Guy Pearce (Prometheus), Jessica Chastain (Texas Killing Fields), Mia Wasikowska (Albert Nobbs), Dane DeHaan (Chronicle), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Rises) This much anticipated film arrives about as … [Read more...] about Lawless
Premium Rush
We get paid to ride, what could be better than that? Swift shot: What do Brian Trenchard-Smith and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have in common, besides hyphenated names? They were both a part of stand-out cycling flicks that I rather enjoyed. BT-S directed the cult classic, BMX Bandits, starring a very young Nicole Kidman in 1983, and while I enjoyed all the cool bicycle … [Read more...] about Premium Rush
