Prisoners. The older I get, torture scenes in movies are just more and more unbearable. I fear we still haven’t appreciated Hugh Jackman enough. Nerdy Terrence Howard is a treat! Gyllenhaal’s character is so weird and I love that they don’t delve into it. much He just is.
A History of Violence. I remember reading the graphic novel way back in the day. Pretty solid small-town drama. Reminded me of The Equalizer, with the focus on some tidy local drama that caps off with a little road trip to the rich bad guy’s house.
Payback. Well, no, it’s not particularly inventive. It’s noir-ish and singlemindedly goofy, if a bit one-note, with bonus points for creative violence. Mel Gibson is such a good blend of comedian and tough guy. (There’s a little bit of an aggrieved Bill Murray in there, mixed with something else). Shame that, with all his talent, he managed to torpedo his career of late.
