Taken

I guess I’m a sucker for a good trailer because this one was so good I felt like I needed to see it opening weekend. Luckily, some friends already told me that I would really like it.

Plot: The daughter of a retired government agent is kidnapped while she is on vacation in Paris. He must use his skills to get her back as quickly as possible.

Twist: The investigation leads the man into the dark world of human trafficking.

Memorable Quotes: They’re going to take you.

My Thoughts: This movie is a no frills, non-stop thriller. It doesn’t take very long to develop the back story and get things rolling and the movie just gets better from there. The action isn’t all guns and explosions, but there are plenty of car chases and fight scenes to move things along. It’s only about 90 minutes long so there isn’t much time for anything but action. Sarah really liked it too so it’s a good one for the ladies.

Who Will Like This Movie: If you like right to the point movies without all the fluff then this one is for you.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Disturbia

I saw the preview for this movie before I watched another movie on DVD. I thought it looked pretty decent for a suspense movie (which I don’t typically go for) so I put it on the queue and it finally showed up.

Plot: The story is about a high school student who gets into some trouble after his father is killed in a car accident. The boy is sentenced to house arrest for the summer so he begins to spy on his neighbors as a way to entertain himself.

Twist: The addition of a new family next door brings a hottie that peaks the boys love interest, but he soon discovers that the other next door neighbor may be far more interesting.

Memorable Quotes: I’ll take care of it…when I take care of it.

My Thoughts: I thought this movie was pretty good as far as suspense/thrillers go.The story was pretty original and the idea of the house arrest situation (with the ankle monitor in tow) really added an interesting angle to the plot. David Morse plays a pretty good creep, although I can’t say that I was ever really on edge. As far as scares go it is pretty tame, but the plot is worthwhile.

Who Will Like This Movie: Anyone looking for something fresh in the world of suspense/thriller/horror movies.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Bone Dry

My friend works at an advertising agency with several people who were producers on this film. For this reason I was invited to see the premiere of the movie in the state of Oklahoma.

Plot: A man being tortured must fight to stay alive while battling the elements of the harsh Mojave Desert.

Twist: As the story unravels the twist is revealed, but I can’t really describe it here.

Memorable Quotes: Try that again and I’ll take off that finger from the elbow.

My Thoughts: Going into this movie I knew that it had been shot with a lower budget and assumed that it would likely have many of the elements of small independent film. However, I was quite surprised at quality. I thought that the cinematography and editing gave it the feel of a much bigger blockbuster movie. The story was very original and kept me guessing the whole time. The dialogue often left something to be desired, but there wasn’t really much dialogue so it didn’t really cause too much pain. All in all I thought it was very solid considering my expectations.

Who Will Like This Movie: Anyone who deeply believes in poetic justice.

Rating: 6 out of 10