bikewrench’s Film Reviews

About me: Mechanic Student Stay at home Dad
SciFi
Noir
Thriller
Action

30 Films have been rated or reviewed by bikewrench.

To Live and Die in L.A. (1985): Great LA pastiche with a first of type car chase. Interesting slimeball cops in a grimy sunbaked noir with cameos from John Turturro et al.
Under the Silver Lake (2018): Slow burner, draws you into what is ultimately nonsense. Good acting, good drama. However, as a portarait of someone with a severe mental illness it works. There is nothing to solve, it's all paranoia. awesome LA neighborhoods...; DVD ~~$20~~ $15
Last Black Man in San Francisco, The (2019): It is truly exceptional, a brilliant, love/ hate letter to San Francisco. The race and class portrayals are brilliant and nuanced. The actors are superb, the cinematography impressionistic and realistic in turn. Awesome, it made me miss SF.
Lighthouse, The (2019): Brilliant verbose period piece well sold by the excellent leads, particularly Dafoe. Amazing cinematography, worthy of it's gongs.
True Detective - Season 1 (TV Series) (2014): Brilliant acting and direction on this tribute to the dime store sleaze magazine. Writing is mostly top notch, the characters are great, with Louisiana a regular standout. One of Fukunaga’s best
Expanse, The (TV Series) (2015): The best science fiction show ever made. Best stories, best writing, greatest characters etc. Once they got a real budget they become unstoppable. Characters with complex motivations, compelling political structures that are flawed. Physics that works.; DVD $29.95, $29.95 | Blu-Ray $34.95, $34.95
Proposition, The (2005): “Are we misanthropes...?” “No... we’re a family!” Nick Cave’s riff on the Australian ‘western’ defines the genre. A stellar example of a single vision of hell coming through quite accurate history. Unmissable. Not for the faint...
Crash (1996): Based on an art exhibition that Ballard created in the 60’s. This is the story of who would attend that show. Amazing piece of transgressive art. Very challenging. Simple story.
High-Rise (High Rise) (2015): This could be five stars some days. From JG Ballard’s 1975 novel which contains much of his tropes. Class consciousness through a 70’s lens imagines the near future. Smoking, drinking, brutal middle class imbeciles. Unsubtle but brilliant.
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013): A really strange pleasure to watch. Before folk hit Bob Dylan here is the guy who wasn’t quite Bob. In detail, down and out in NYC. A must see.
Quay Brothers: The Short Films 1979 - 2003 (1979-2003): After viewing these you will always remember certain bits and pieces. The Quay Brothers are heavily influential on much of the stop motion film art form. Unmissable, you won’t be able to look away for much of it. Don’t try to watch it all at once.
Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, The (1989): A gorgeous work of genius. The colours, the shots, the actors and the story really show off Greenaway’s imagination. A violent and sometimes ugly must see.
Russian Ark (2002): An ambitious single shot continuous take survey of Russian history. Filmed through the Hermitage museum with thousands of extras. Visually stunning.
Wages of Fear (Salaire de la Peur, Le) (1953): This should maybe be five stars. A brilliant, if slow burning tale of desperation set in a no name town in South Americas oil fields. Some great archtypes in here.
Killing of a Sacred Deer, The (2017): Ultra black comedy. Great acting by the young antagonist. Nicole and Colin turn in good performances as well in this strange and dark tale.; DVD $29.95
Only God Forgives (2013): Gorgeously shot and set in a parallel hyper violent universe near Refn's crocodile brain. Not for the fans of Drive. Pusher Trilogy or Valhalla Rising are more similar works
No Country for Old Men (2007): Brilliant tension building portrait of the south west US and a man's misreading of a very dangerous situation. Tommy Lee Jones observes and moves on.
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968): This is the western movie that you will recognise many shots and characters from. Much copied for it's spot on styles, shots and story. A masterpiece.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood) (2019): A must see paean to Hollywood and Los Angeles in the 60's. Cars, signs, restaurants and stars. The darker story unfolding slowly amidst a buddy movie with the excellent Brad and Leo ending in a cartoonish mess.
Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World (2003): Vividly captures the Aubrey–Maturin novels. Peter Weir absolutely transports you into the Napoleonic War era British Navy and a journey to the Pacific.
Coriolanus (2011): Ralph Fiennes' directorial debut. If you are unfamiliar this is one of Shakepeare's bloodbaths that adapted well to a modern setting with its false patriotic theme.
Two-Lane Blacktop (1971): James Taylor and Warren Oates race across 1970 America on Route 66. Hellman is famous for his portrayals of counter culture obsessives. This proto–slacker picture is a marvel of spare dialogue and not so subtle archetypes.
Drive (2011): The Gos' as a broody hero in over his head. Brilliant soundtrack drags us into an 80's electronica wilderness in LA. Makes an abrupt right turn into a violent revenge flick, showcasing Winding –Refn's forte. Must see.; DVD ~~$19.95~~ $14.95
Blade Runner (1982): Amazing Sci–Fi Noir, inventing the genre. Brilliant design and cinematography. An intentionally murky resolution. The original is great but the Re–edit sans voice over shifts the protaganist to Roy Batty. Must see.
Sandbaggers, The (TV Series) (1978): The bureaucrats and field agents of the cold war who keep you all safe in your warm beds. Scotch, cigarettes and quid pro quo. (Beeb, so Yorkshire stands in for East Bloc.) Written by a naval intelligence officer who might have taught GRRM a thing or two.
Ronin (1997): Frankenheimer up to his old tricks. Car chases and gritty crime with an awesome script and cast. Guilty pleasure? Non! It's awesome!
Zentropa (Europa) (1991): Great shots and a Max Von Sydow narration bring you under Lars' spell. Perhaps his most accessible movie. Important commentary on postwar Germany.
Locke (2013): Hard to believe a one man show can keep you watching? Tom Hardy is up to the task.; DVD $19.95
Interstellar (2014): Brilliantly shot, gorgeous design, great acting but somewhat overthought.
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013): An actual must see vampire film. Jarmusch tackles the genre in his own style with a beautiful send up. Entertaining and thoughtful.

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bikewrench’s Film Reviews