RocknRolla (2008)

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Starring: Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson

Rotten Tomatoes: 59%
IMDb: 7.3
On Netflix Streaming: No






Summary:

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels director Guy Ritchie heads back to the London underworld for this hyperkinetic crime comedy concerning a shady land deal that leaves every schemer in the city determined to get rich or die trying. When a Russian mobster orchestrates a lucrative real estate scam, every criminal in London wants a piece of the action. Greed is the universal language, and everyone from unrelenting crime boss Lenny Cole (Tom Wilkinson) to street-smart criminal One Two (Gerard Butler), corrupt accountant Stella (Thandie Newton), and unpredictable punk rocker Johnny Quid (Toby Kebbell) seem to speak it fluently. As the bullets start to fly and the double crosses multiply, there's no telling who will walk away with the fortune after the gun smoke has cleared. Jeremy Piven, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, and Quantum of Solace Bond girl Gemma Arterton co-star.

My Thoughts:

Most British movies seem to be very good, for some reason. Out of all the British films out there, Guy Richie is by far the best when it comes to action movies. If you have seen Snatch or Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels then I guarantee you'll like this. Guy Richie also did the Sherlock Holmes movies, but this one, and the other two I just mentioned are much better than those. So if you haven't seen it and like action/crime movies, then you should give it a shot.

Matchstick Men (2003)

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell

Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
IMDb: 7.3
On Netflix Streaming: No






Summary:

Ridley Scott directs the crime comedy Matchstick Men, based on the novel of the same name by Eric Garcia. Neurotic con man Roy (Nicolas Cage) suffers from several emotional problems, including obsessive-compulsive disorder. He and his partner Frank (Sam Rockwell) swindle people out of money by posing as money collectors who promise things like tax refunds, package vacations, and other fabulous prizes (which they never get). Frank wants to pull a really big job, but Roy is too consumed with fear and panic attacks to join him. Only cigarettes and his trusty illegal prescription drugs seem to keep him going. When Roy finds himself in desperate need of more pills, he is forced to see legitimate psychotherapist Dr. Klein (Bruce Altman). Roy ends up talking about his emotional damage from a troubled marriage and divorce, which results in the discovery of a child whom he has never met. Dr. Klein suggests that he spend a weekend with the kid, so in walks teenaged Angela (played by twentysomething Alison Lohman). Reluctant to develop his role as a father, Roy also gets heavily involved in Frank's ambitious swindle.

My Thoughts:

Matchstick Men is a very good movie if you're into movies about con men. Nicolas Cage is really funny in this, with his weird character that has major obsessive compulsive disorder. It came out nine years ago and made a fairly decent amount of money, but it's very underrated. The plot is very good and there is a surprise ending, as you would guess in a con movie. Check it out!

Changeling (2008)

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Starring: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich

Rotten Tomatoes: 62%
IMDb: 7.9
On Netflix Streaming: No






Summary:

Los Angeles, 1928: On a Saturday morning in a working-class suburb, Christine said goodbye to her son, Walter, and left for work. When she came home, she discovered he had vanished. A fruitless search ensues, and months later, a boy claiming to be the nine-year-old is returned. Dazed by the swirl of cops, reporters and her conflicted emotions, Christine allows him to stay overnight. But, in her heart, she knows he is not Walter. As she pushes authorities to keep looking, she learns that in Prohibition-era L.A., women don't challenge the system and live to tell their story. Slandered as delusional and unfit, Christine finds an ally in activist Reverend Briegleb, who helps her fight the city to look for her missing boy.

My Thoughts:

Since most of my movies on this blog have been action or violent, I decided to pick a different genre. Changeling is a true story and was directed by Clint Eastwood. At a little over two hours, Changeling takes you through the mystery of Christine Collin's missing son. Like most Clint movies, the acting is superb. Angelina Jolie and John Malkovich both do a fantastic job of capturing the true events that went down in 1928. This is a drama, and is kind of a depressing story, but if you can get past that, the movie is definitely worth watching. 

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2011)

Genre: Comedy, Horror
Starring: Tyler Labine, Katrina Bowden

Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
IMDb: 7.6
On Netflix Streaming: Yes






Summary:

Tucker & Dale vs Evil is a hilariously gory, good-spirited horror comedy, doing for killer rednecks what Shaun of the Dead did for zombies. Tucker and Dale are two best friends on vacation at their dilapidated mountain house, who are mistaken for murderous backwoods hillbillies by a group of obnoxious, preppy college kids. When one of the students gets separated from her friends, the boys try to lend a hand, but as the misunderstanding grows, so does the body count. Tucker & Dale vs Evil has been a hit on the festival circuit, debuting at Sundance, and winning the Midnight Audience Award at SXSW, the Jury Prize for First Feature at Fantasia, the Best Director award at Fantaspoa, and the Best Motion Picture Award at Sitges.

My Thoughts:

I got convinced to watch this movie a couple of weeks ago, and I must say I really enjoyed it. It had a limited release and at the time it came out not too many people saw it. As it got out there a bit, more and more people started seeing it and it became a hit. It is most similar to Shaun of the Dead, for those of you who have seen that. IMO, it is equally as good and has the same genres of comedy and horror. It is really not scary at all, the horror part is just for the gore and (funny) violence. Check this movie out! It's on Netflix streaming.