violence

DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE: Bloated, Divisive, Yet Compelling
DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE: Bloated, Divisive, Yet Compelling

S. Craig Zahler’s loyal cult following will find much to love with Dragged Across Concrete, although first time viewers will find it a difficult watch.

THE NIGHT COMES FOR US: An Action Movie Classic Is Born
THE NIGHT COMES FOR US: An Action Movie Classic Is Born

If you’re a fan or a newbie or just someone looking for a bloodbath of an action movie, move The Night Comes for Us to the very, very top of your list.

SADIE: A Coming-of-Age Drama Both Disturbing & Deeply Moving
SADIE: A Coming-of-Age Drama Both Disturbing & Deeply Moving

Disquieting and deeply moving, Sadie takes its story to extreme lengths while still feeling utterly grounded in the emotional reality of its characters.

MINDING THE GAP: A Profound, Gentle Portrait Of Abuse & Survival
MINDING THE GAP: A Profound, Gentle Portrait Of Abuse & Survival

Minding the Gap is a harrowing portrait of trauma and abuse, and a hypnotic rumination on what it means to film, be filmed, and see yourself in film. And its ending is momentous.

BLADE RUNNER & The Violence Of Civilization

In discussing the role of replicants within the context of the two Blade Runner films, we discover just what is horrifying about a sentient creation that is not allowed their humanity.

A PRAYER BEFORE DAWN: Violent Biopic that Pulls its Punches
A PRAYER BEFORE DAWN: Violent Biopic That Pulls Its Punches

A Prayer Before Dawn boasts a fantastic central performance from Joe Cole, but unfortunately, wastes an astonishing true story in favour of genre cliches.

The Quentin Tarantino Problem & ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
The Quentin Tarantino Problem & ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

Quentin Tarantino has become synonymous with his ability to portray villains as cool, ostensibly relatable people that you want to cheer for; here’s why that is problematic.

THE FIRST PURGE: America Is Fueling Its Provocateurs
THE FIRST PURGE: America Is Fueling Its Provocateurs

An uneven final product with a mess of ideas and images thrown onscreen, The First Purge will sear moments in your mind, leaving you to question whether it was all worth it.

UNSANE & The Questioning Of Exploitation Cinema
UNSANE & The Questioning Of Exploitation Cinema

Steven Soderbergh’s Unsane easily fits within the category of exploitation cinema, but why were critics willing to overlook some of its questionable morals (or lack thereof)? Emily Wheeler takes a deeper look.

Screenplays With Unconventional Connections
Screenplays With Unconventional Connections

The screenplays of A History of Violence and Rambo: First Blood share similarities in their stories, such as centering on violent men who are confronted by their past, and how each of them deal with this collision of their two worlds.

MOHAWK: A Low Budget But Still Impressive Action Horror
MOHAWK: A Low Budget But Still Impressive Action Horror

Disguised simply as a small-scale action horror film, Mohawk becomes a good focal point for something much larger than itself, which enables its flaws to be more readily overlooked. 

DEATH WISH: A Poorly Timed, Generic Remake
DEATH WISH: A Poorly Timed, Generic Remake

Death Wish is a victim of poor timing due to current public sentiment in regards to guns and violence, but its generic revenge story and wasted cast don’t much help matters either.

BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99: A Smart & Visceral Thrill Ride
BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99: A Smart & Visceral Thrill Ride

Director S. Craig Mahler follows up Bone Tomahawk with Brawl In Cell Block 99, an unflinchingly violent and truly original revenge thriller.

CHAMELEON: Standing Out For The Wrong Reasons
CHAMELEON: Standing Out For The Wrong Reasons

Chilean film Chameleon depicts horrific sexual abuse of women, and doesn’t do enough to redeem itself; it is nothing but exploitative.

"The Leadership Is As Corrupt As They Come": An Interview With WHAT HAPPENED IN VEGAS Director Ramsey Denison
“The Leadership Is As Corrupt As They Come”: An Interview With WHAT HAPPENED IN VEGAS Director Ramsey Denison

Musanna Ahmed spoke with Ramsey Denison, director of documentary WHAT HAPPENED IN VEGAS, about police corruption and filmmaking.