Day: January 28, 2021

Five Troubling Crime Thrillers from the 2010s

Jeff Mitchell

Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto star in a serial killer story, “The Little Things”, and director/writer John Lee Hancock’s film opens in theatres and on HBO Max on Jan. 29.  To commemorate this star-studded movie, let’s look back at five recent crime thrillers that may have flown under your radar.  If you appreciate the genre, these five outstanding – but deeply troubling – pictures are worth a look.  Just lock the doors and turn on the lights.  You’ve been warned.   “Compliance” (2012) – In director/writer Craig Zobel’s…

‘Promising Young Woman’ Interview with Carey Mulligan and director Emerald Fennell

Jeff Mitchell

Carey Mulligan deserves an Oscar nomination as a femme fatale striking fear in the hearts of men in “Promising Young Woman”.  Cassie (Mulligan) is a vigilante of sorts, as she frequently pretends to be inebriated in local watering holes, dance clubs, and Irish bars.  She then terrifies her aggressors when they overstep their bounds.  Director/writer Emerald Fennell’s sobering – but also playful – screenplay takes dark turns and steers into some levity with Bo Burnham’s breezy, accessible arc.  Ryan (Burnham) could be the male outlier to melt Cassie’s heart, as…

AHFW’s Top 20 Films of 2020: #16 ‘Athlete A’

Jeff Mitchell

16. “Athlete A” – Directors Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk’s explosive, distressing documentary clarifies a horror show:  the sexual abuse and its cover-up at USA Gymnastics.  Cohen and Shenk interview “The Indianapolis Star” reporters who broke the story in 2016, as well as the survivors – the former gymnasts – who speak out against their abuser.  Heartbreaking but also empowering, “Athlete A” is a thorough 103-minute record of tenacious investigative journalism and the brave women who found their voices. ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2  out of  ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Image and Trailer credits:  Netflix