Primal Fear (1996)

Genre

Crime | Neo-noir | Thriller

Director

Gregory Hoblit

Country

United States

Cast

Richard Gere, Edward Norton, Laura Linney, John Mahoney, Alfre Woodard, Frances McDormand, Reg Rogers, Terry O'Quinn, Andre Braugher, Steven Bauer, Joe Spano, Tony Plana, Stanley Anderson, Maura Tierney, Jon Seda, Kenneth Tigar

Plot

Famed defense lawyer Martin Vail (Richard Gere) volunteers his services to Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), a Kentucky teenager charged with the murder of a Chicago archbishop. Covered with blood, Aaron was captured after a foot chase broadcast live on TV, making Vail certain that he could raise his profile by defending the guilty suspect. 

Opinion

Primal Fear is an entertaining thriller, with a good story and a surprising ending.
Richard Gere as Martin Vail does a good job. If I thought Edward Norton's performance was incredible in American History X, it is spectacular in Primal Fear: his best performance so far - excluding Birdman, which hasn't been released in my country yet.

Quotes

Martin Vail: Sooner or later a man who wears two faces forgets which one is real.

Rating

8.5/10

Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)

Genre

Comedy

Director

Sean Anders

Country

United States

Cast

Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Foxx, Chris Pine, Christoph Waltz, Kevin Spacey, Jonathan Banks, Lindsay Sloane, Keegan-Michael Key, Kelly Stables, Lennon Parham, Suzy Nakamura

Plot

Nick Hendricks (Jason Bateman), Dale Arbus (Charlie Day) and Kurt Buckman (Jason Sudeikis) decide to start their own business after tiring of working for ungrateful bosses. Their idea is a car-wash-inspired shower head called the "Shower Buddy"; when rich Bert Hanson (Christoph Waltz) agrees to invest in their idea, Nick, Dale and Kurt make the 100,000 units promised. But things don't go as planned, and the slick investor leaves them in $500,000 debt with their loan. The trio then resolve to kidnap Hanson's son, Rex (Chris Pine), and hold him  for ransom. 

Opinion

Horrible Bosses 2 is an average American comedy, with moments of comedy, but some scene are ruined by characters talking over each other. 

Charlie Day as Dale Arbus and Jason Sudeikis as Kurt Buckman were totally annoying. Jennifer Aniston and Jamie Foxx all do a good job this their characters. Kevin Spacey rocks his few minutes in the film; Chris Pine is the standout actor, and his character, Rex Hanson, is definitely the best one.

Quotes

David Harken: BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO BALLS! And your fathers had no balls. You were all a product of generations of ball-less men who were either too weak or too frightened to stand up and take what's theirs. And one day you will pass your empty shriveled sacks to your own pitiful offspring!

Rating

7.0/10

The Purge: Anarchy (2014)

Genre

Horror | Thriller

Director

James DeMonaco

Country

United States

Cast

Frank Grillo, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Gilford, Kiele Sanchez, Zoë Soul, Justina Machado, John Beasley, Jack Conley, Noel Gugliemi, Castulo Guerra, Edwin Hodge, Michael K. Williams, Keith Stanfield, Roberta Valderrama, Brandon Keener, Chad Morgan, Nicholas Gonzalez

Plot

It is March 21 2023, the day of the annual Purge event. Sergeant Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) goes out into the streets heavily armed.

Waitress Eva Sanchez (Carmen Ejogo) rushes home to her daughter Cali (Zoë Soul) and her father Papa Rico (John Beasley). As they prepare to lock down for the evening, Papa Rico slips out of the apartment and sells himself to a wealthy family as a Purge offering in exchange for $100,000.

A couple named Shane (Zach Gilford) and Liz (Kiele Sanchez) are driving to the house of Shane's sister when their car dies as the Purge begins.

Their stories intertwine and they try to survive the chaos and violence of the Purge Night. 

Opinion

Well done James DeMonaco. The Purge: Anarchy is a good horror thriller film and it is worth the time. The story is compelling and full of plot twists, it is harsh all the time but still it manages to give hope to humanity.

The music, by Nathan Whitehead, is on point. The masks are good, though I liked The Purge's better. Earlier co-star in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Frank Grillo is my new hero.

Quotes

Carmelo Johns: Get ready to bleed, rich bitches! This is our time now! 

Rating

8.0/10

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

George Lucas

Country

United States

Cast

Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Phil Brown, Shelagh Fraser, Jack Purvis, Eddie Byrne, Denis Lawson, Garrick Hagon

Plot

The galaxy is in a civil war, and spies for the Rebel Alliance have stolen plans to the Galactic Empire's Death Star, a heavily armed and armored space station capable of destroying an entire planet. Before being imprisoned by Darth Vader (David Prowse, body - James Earl Jones, voice), rebel leader Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) hides the plans and sends a message for Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) in the memory of an astromech droid R2-D2 (Kenny Baker). The droid, accompanied by fellow protocol droid C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), escape from the captured ship to planet Tatooine.
Young Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) finds the message, and with the help of Obi-Wan, a cocky pilot, Han Solo (Harrison Ford), a wookiee, Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), and the two droids tries to save the universe and to rescue Princess Leia.

Opinion

Star Wars or Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is a masterpiece and one of the best Sci-Fi movies ever. It has everything that can be great in a film: great characters, captivating story, tension, great special effects - I'd never say this film is 38-year-old - and a spectacular fantasy background.
The music, by John Williams, is something spectacular. Alec Guinness and Harrison Ford wonderfully portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi and Han Solo.

Quotes

Han Solo: May the Force be with you!

Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.

Rating

9.0/10