Set in the Philippines, Ron Morales’ Graceland takes place in a world filled with nasty people. It’s a dark, gritty film full of moral questions and hopelessness. But despite how heavily dark and political the film is, it’s also suspenseful throughout, with a tight story and and many twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Arnold Reyes stars as Marlon, a man who has to find his way to get his daughter and a congressman’s daughter back after they are kidnapped. Reyes’ performance drives the film with a combination of vulnerability and pain that sticks with you far after the film is over. All the performances, from top to bottom are great, but what really drives the story is Morales’ tight script and prudent directorial decisions at every turn. There’s hardly a beat to catch your breath, and that makes for a completely thrilling film.
While it may be a bit more prolific than some of the other entries here, The Iceman is still a film that I’d bet the vast majority of moviegoers haven’t heard of, and that’s a real shame. Michael Shannon has never been better and offers up one of 2013’s best performances thus far in Ariel Vromen’s crime flick based on the life of notorious Mafia hitman Richard Kuklinski.
Our very own Matt Donato’s review of the film says it all but to re-iterate, Shannon delivers a powerful performance as Kuklinski, a hitman who claims to have taken over 100 lives. Vromen’s film makes for a chilling and gritty crime-thriller that is both fascinating in its portrayal of the titular character and also downright frightening at times thanks to Shannon’s mesmerizing ability to fully inhabit the monster that we see on screen.
This is one of the best crime flicks that I’ve seen in a while and if you’re a fan of the genre, you’d be a fool to miss it.
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