One of the more interesting films to surface in 2020 has been the sci-fi fantasy Greatland. This week on Subculture we chatted to director Dana Ziyasheva and Igor Zarbo about how the film came into being.
Category: Home Page
Filmmaker Brandon Cronenberg this week sat down and had a chat with Subculture about his brand new film Possessor.
Possessor is out now in Australian cinemas through Monster Pictures.
Artist: Elephant Gun
Album: Now To Survive
Date Of Release: 20th November, 2020
Label: Dinner For Wolves
Track Listing:
- Kill Street Blues
- Devil On The Dawn
- Now To Survive
- Mexicana
- Surrounded
- Caeser
- She
- In The Light
- Handspan
- In Hell
- Titanic
Review:
There are just some bands that really take you back to a time and place whenever you hear them. Yes, I am going to sound like an old codger when I say this but one listen to the brand new Elephant Gun album and I was transported back to my uni days. Back to a very well spent youth that saw me in live music venues every Friday and Saturday night eager to hear bands like Magic Dirt, The Mark Of Cain and Spiderbait plying their wares. And while Elephant Gun perhaps never reached the lofty heights of the others they were certainly a favourite with the other reprobates that I called friends during my tertiary education.
Flash forward 20 years and Elephant Gun have just dropped a brand new album… an album that thankfully doesn’t change too much from what they were doing two decades ago… and an album I should say that is one of the best damn alternative rock albums you will hear this year.
So many of the bands that I listened to back then have returned over the years and many have made one simple mistake – they try so hard to be ‘new’ that they forget the sound that made people fall in love with them so many years before. Luckily, Elephant Gun haven’t made that mistake. Take one listen to the opening track on Now To Survive, the terrific “Kill Street Blues”, and you straight away hear a familiar alternative rock sound that takes you back to those late 90s live venues in St Kilda and Fitzroy.
If anything has changed it is the fact that Elephant Gun have musically become more mature and seem to be a little bit braver with some of the choices they make. From the haunting opening of “Devil On The Dawn” through to the smooth hard rock sound of “Handspan” there is a feeling though that this is a band that have found their sound and want to share it with the fans that have missed them so much.
The catchiness of tracks like “Surrounded” and “Titanic” certainly doesn’t take anything away from the rawness of Elephant Gun… in fact the band sounds heavier and harder than ever. Then there are “Mexicana,” “Caesar” and “In The Light” that are so raw that you would swear that they were recorded live.
There are two gems on this album though that make the record something really special. First off there is the sensational “She” that showcases the amazing guitar work of Michael Barrett and Todd Angus while Angus’ vocals seem to take the song to a whole new level. Then there is the amazing guitar driven “In Hell” that shows that there is still a place for old school alternative rock in 2020.
Now To Survive isn’t a band trying to re-live their glory days, this is an album that show that Elephant Gun are just as relevant today than they ever were. This is a stunning album that shows for this band the best may still be yet to come.
Rating (out of 5):
27Nov
Subculture Entertainment and 94.1FM’s resident football journo Dave Griffiths keeps you updated with all the 2020 AFL Trade Bait news right here.
CONFIRMED TRADES, DELISTINGS AND RETIREMENTS
ADELAIDE –
Outgoing: Rory Atkins (free agent to Gold Coast), Ben Crocker (delisted), Brad Crouch (free agent to St Kilda), Jordan Gallucci (delisted), Bryce Gibbs (retired), Kyle Hartigan (traded to Hawthorn), Riley Knight (delisted), Myles Poholke (delisted), Ayce Taylor (delisted), Patrick Wilson (delisted), Draft Pick #22 (traded to Melbourne), Draft Pick #50 (traded to Melbourne)
Incoming: Mitch Hinge (delisted free agent from Brisbane), Draft Pick #23 (free agency compensation), Draft Pick #39 (free agency compensation), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded from Melbourne), Future Fourth Round Draft Pick (traded from Melbourne), Future Fourth Round Draft Pick (traded from Hawthorn)
BRISBANE –
Outgoing: Jacob Allison (delisted), Connor Bellenden (delisted), Grant Bichall (delisted), Allen Christiansen (retired), Cedric Cox (delisted), Matt Eagles (delisted), Mitch Hinge (delisted free agent to Adelaide), Corey Lyons (delisted), Stefan Martin (traded to Western Bulldogs), Rhys Mathieson (delisted), Sam Skinner (delisted), Alex Witherden (traded to West Coast), Toby Wooller (delisted), Draft Pick #18 (traded to Melbourne), Draft Pick #19 (traded to Melbourne), Draft Pick #43 (traded to Melbourne), Draft Pick #70 (traded to North Melbourne), Draft Pick #86 (traded to West Coast), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded to Melbourne), Future Round Three Selection (traded to Melbourne), Future Third Round Three Draft Pick (traded to Geelong)
Incoming: Nakia Cockatoo (traded from Geelong), Joe Daniher (free agent from Essendon), James Madden (Category B Rookie), Delvidas Uosis (Categary B Rookie), Draft Pick #25 (traded from Melbourne), Draft Pick #53 (traded from Melbourne), Draft Pick #58 (traded from West Coast), Draft Pick #63 (traded from North Melbourne), Draft Pick #68 (traded from Melbourne), Draft Pick #69 (Drafted from Melbourne), Future Third Round Draft Pick (traded from West Coast), Future Third Round Selection (traded from Melbourne), Future Round One Draft Pick (traded from Melbourne)
CARLTON –
Outgoing: Hugh Goddard (delisted), Matthew Kennedy (delisted), Matthew Kreuzer (retired), Darcy Lang (delisted), Harrion Macreadie (delisted), Callum Moore (delisted), Finbar O’Dwyer (delisted), Fraser Phillips (delisted), Cameron Polson (delisted), Ben Silvgani (delisted), Kade Simpson (retired), Draft Pick #8 (traded to Essnedon), Draft Pick #30 (traded to Geelong), Draft Pick #48 (trade to Sydney), Draft Pick #51 (traded to Geelong), Draft Pick #87 (traded to Essendon), Future Third Round Pick (traded to Sydney)
Incoming: Darcy Fogarty (traded from Geelong), Adam Saad (traded from Essendon), Zac Williams (free agent from GWS),Matt Owies (Category B Rookie), Draft Pick #31 (traded from Sydney), Draft Pick #48 (traded from Essendon), Draft Pick #78 (traded from Essendon
COLLINGWOOD –
Outgoing: Flynn Appeby (delisted), Dayne Beams (retired), Atu Bosenavulagi (traded to North Melbourne), Tim Broomhead (delisted), Lynden Dunn (retired), Tom Philips (traded to Hawthorn), Ben Reid (retired), Matthew Scharenberg (delisted), Jaidyn Stephenson (traded to North Melbourne), Adam Treloar (traded to Western Bulldogs), Travis Varcoe (retired), Rupert Willis (delisted), Draft Pick #26 (traded to Western Bulldogs), Draft Pick #33 (traded to Western Bulldogs), Draft Pick #39 (traded to North Melbourne), Draft Pick #42 (traded to Western Bulldogs)
Incoming: Draft Pick #14 (traded from Western Bulldogs), Draft Pick #26 (traded from North Melbourne), Draft Pick #33 (traded from North Melbourne), Draft Pick #65 (traded from Hawthorn), Draft Pick #70 (traded from North Melbourne), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded from Western Bulldogs)
ESSENDON –
Outgoing: Josh Begley (delisted), Tom Bellchambers (retired), Dylan Clarke (Delisted), Joe Daniher (free agent to Brisbane)Dylan Clarke (delisted), Henry Crauford (delisted), Orazio Fantasia (traded to Port Adelaide), Marty Gleeson (delisted), Noah Gown (delisted), Mitch Hibberd (delisted), Connor McKenna (retired), Shaun McKernan (free agent to St Kilda), Kobe Mutch (delisted), Adam Saad (traded to Carlton), Jacob Townsend (delisted), Draft Pick #29 (traded to GWS), Draft Pick #48 (traded to Carlton), Draft Pick #67 (traded to St Kilda), Draft Pick #73 (traded to Port Adelaide), Draft Pick #74 (traded to St Kilda), Draft Pick #78 (traded to Carlton), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded to GWS), Future Round Four Selection (traded to Gold Coast)
Incoming: Jye Caldwell (traded from GWS), Nick Hind (traded from St Kilda), Peter Wright (traded from Gold Coast), Draft Pick #7 (free agency compensation), Draft Pick #8 (traded from Carlton), Draft Pick #29 (traded from Port Adelaide), Draft Pick #44 (traded from GWS), Draft Pick #74 (traded from GWS), Draft Pick #77 (traded from St Kilda), Draft Pick #87 (traded from Carlton), Future Third Round Draft Pick (traded from Port Adelaide)
FREMANTLE –
Outgoing: Bailey Banfield (delisted), Brett Bewley (delisted), Isaiah Butters (delisted), Jason Carter (retired), Hugh Dixon (delisted), Jesse Hogan (traded to GWS), Branden Matera (delisted), Cam McCarthy (delisted), Tom North (delisted), Dillon O’Reilly (delisted), Jarvis Pina (delisted), Lachie Schultz (delisted)
Incoming: Draft Pick #55 (traded from GWS)
GEELONG –
Outgoing: Gary Ablett (retired), Nakia Cockatoo (traded to Brisbane), Lachlan Fogarty (traded to Carlton), Jacob Kennerley (delisted), James Parsons (delisted), Blake Schlensog (delisted), Jack Steven (retired), Jake Tarca (Delisted), Harry Taylor (retired), Draft Pick #13 (traded to GWS), Draft Pick #15 (traded to GWS), Draft Pick #20 (traded to GWS), Draft Pick #30 (traded to North Melbourne), Future Fourth Round Draft Pick (traded to GWS)
Incoming: Jeremy Cameron (traded from GWS), Shaun Higgins (traded from North Melbourne), Stefan Okunbor (Category B Rookie), Isaac Smith (Free agent from Hawthorn), Paul Tsapatolis (Category B Rookie), Draft Pick #30 (traded from Carlton), Draft Pick #51 (traded from Carton), Future Second Roud Draft Pick (traded from GWS0, Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded from GWS), Future Third Round Draft Pick (traded from Brisbane)
GOLD COAST –
Outgoing: Jacob Dawson (delisted), Corey Ellis (delisted), Sam Fletcher (delisted), Pearce Hanley (retired), Jacob Heron (delisted), George Horlin-Smith (retired), Jesse Joyce (delisted), Anothony Miles (retired), Mitch Riordan (delisted), Josh Schoenfeld (delisted), Peter Wright (traded to Essendon), Draft Pick #37 (traded to Sydney), Future Round Three Draft Pick (traded to Richmond)
Incoming: Rory Atkins (free agent from Adelaide), Oleg Markov (traded from Richmond), Hawego Paul Oea (Category B Rookie), Future Third Round Draft Pick (traded from Sydney), Future Fourth Round Selection (traded from Essendon)
GWS –
Outgoing: Jye Caldwell (traded to Essendon), Jeremy Cameron (traded to Geelong), Aidan Corr (free agent to North Melbourne), Jackson Hately (delsited), Sam Jacobs (retired), Zac Langdon (traded to West Coast), Sam Reid (Delisted), Heath Shaw (delisted), Tom Sheridan (retired), Zach Sproule (delsited), Zac Williams (free agent to Carlton), Draft Pick #31 (traded to Melbourne), Draft Pick #44 (traded to Essendon), Draft Pick #55 (traded to Fremantle), Draft Pick #74 (traded to Essendon), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded to Geelong), Future Second Round Draft Pick Draft Pick (traded to Geelong)
Incoming: Jesse Hogan (traded from Fremantle), Braydon Preuss (traded from Melbourne), Draft Pick #10 (free agency compensation), Draft Pick #13 (traded from Geelong), Draft Pick #15 (traded from Geelong), Draft Pick #20 (traded from Geelong), Draft Pick #29 (traded from Essendon), Draft Pick #30 (free agency compensation), Draft Pick #55 (traded from West Coast), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded from Essendon), Future Fourth Round Draft Pick (traded from Geelong)
HAWTHORN –
Outgoing: James Frawley (delisted free agent to St Kilda), Conor Glass (retired), Will Golds (delisted), Ricky Henderson (retired), Harry Jones (delisted), Darren Minchington (delisted), Dylan Moore (delisted), Paul Puopolo (retired), Jackson Ross (delisted), Isaac Smith (free agent to Geelong), Ben Stratton (retired), Mat Walker (delisted), Draft Pick #65 (traded to Collingwood), Future Fourth Round Draft Pick (traded to Adelaide)
Incoming: Kyle Hartigan (traded from Adelaide), Tom Phillips (traded from Collingwood), Draft Pick #44 (free agent compensation)
MELBOURNE –
Outgoing: Harley Bennell (retired), Kyle Dunkley (delisted), Mitchel Hannan (traded to Western Bulldogs), Kade Kolodjashnij (retired), Oscar McDonald (delisted), Aaron Nietschke (delisted), Braydon Preuss (traded to GWS), Corey Wagner (delisted), Josh Wagner (delisted),Draft Pick #25 (traded to Brisbane), Draft Pick #31 (traded to Sydney), Draft Pick #43 (Traded to Sydney), Draft Pick #53 (traded to Brisbane), Draft Pick #68 (traded to Brisbane), Draft Pick #69 (traded to Brisbane), Future First Round Draft Pick (traded to Brisbane), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded to Adelaide), Future Round Three Selection (traded to Brisbane), Future Fourth Round Draft Pick (traded to Adelaide)
Incoming: Ben Brown (traded from North Melbourne), Draft Pick #18 (traded from Brisbane), Draft Pick #19 (traded from Brisbane), Draft Pick #22 (traded from Adelaide), Draft Pick #25 (traded from Sydney), Draft Pick #26 (traded from North Melbourne), Draft Pick #28 (traded from North Melbourne), Draft Pick #31 (traded from GWS), Draft Pick #33 (traded from North Melbourne), Draft Pick #43 (traded from Brisbane), Draft Pick #50 (traded from Adelaide), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded from Brisbane), Future Third Round Draft Pick (traded from Western Bulldogs), Future Fourth Round Draft Pick (traded from North Melbourne), Future Fourth Round Selection (traded from Brisbane), Future Fourth Round Draft Pick (traded from North Melbourne)
NORTH MELBOURNE –
Outgoing: Paul Ahern (delisted), Ben Brown (traded to Melbourne), Joel Crocker (delisted), Majak Daw (delisted), Sam Durdin (delisted), Shaun Higgins (traded to Geelong), Lachie Hosie (delisted), Ben Jacobs (delisted), Jamie Macmillan (delisted), Tom Murphy (delisted), Jasper Pittard (delisted), Will Walker (delisted), Marley Williams (delisted), Mason Wood (delisted), Ed Vickers-Willis (delisted), Draft Pick #26 (traded to Collingwood), Draft Pick #28 (traded to Melbourne), Draft Pick #33 (traded to Collingwood), Draft Pick #63 (traded to Brisbane), Draft Pick #70 (traded to Collingwood), Future Fourth Round Draft Pick (traded to Melbourne)
Incoming: Atu Bosenavulagi (traded from Collingwood), Aidan Corr (free agent from GWS), Jaidyn Stephenson (traded from Collingwood), Lachie Young (traded from Western Bulldogs), Draft Pick #26 (traded from Melbourne), Draft Pick #30 (traded from Geelong), Draft Pick #33 (traded from Melbourne),Draft Pick #39 (traded from Collingwood), Draft Pick #70 (traded from Brisbane), Future Fourth Round Draft Pick (traded from Melbourne)
PORT ADELAIDE –
Outgoing: Joe Atley (delisted), Wylie Buzza (delisted), Tobin Cox (delisted), Brad Ebert (retired), Riley Grundy (delisted), Jake Patmore (delisted), Cam Sutcliffe (delisted), Jack Watts (retired), Justin Westhoff (retired), Draft Pick #29 (traded to Essendon), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded to Sydney), Future Third Round Draft Pick (traded to Essendon)
Incoming: Aliir Aliir (traded from Sydney), Orazio Fantasia (traded from Essendon), Draft Pick #73 (traded from Essendon)
RICHMOND –
Outgoing: Derek Eggmolesse-Smith (delisted), Luke English (delisted), Jack Higgins (traded to St Kilda), Oleg Markov (traded to Gold Coast), Alex Rance (retired), Fraser Turner (delisted),Draft Pick #21 (traded to St Kilda), Future Fourth Round Draft Pick (traded to St Kilda)
Incoming: Draft Pick #17 (traded from St Kilda), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded from St Kilda), Future Round Three Draft Pick (traded from Gold Coast)
ST KILDA –
Outgoing: Ryan Abbott (delisted), Logan Austin (delisted), Jack Bell (delisted), Nathan Brown (retired), Nick Hind (traded to Essendon), Doulton Langlands (delisted), Jack Mayo (delisted), Jonathon Marsh (delisted), Matthew Parker (delisted), Ed Phillips (delisted), Shane Savage (delisted), Draft Pick #17 (traded to Richmond), Draft Pick #77 (traded to Essendon), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded to Richmond)
Incoming: Brad Crouch (free agent from Adelaide), James Frawley (Delisted freee agent from Hawthorn), Jack Higgins (traded from Richmond), Shaun McKernan (free agent from Essendon),Draft Pick #21 (traded from Richmond), Draft Pick #67 (traded from Essendon), Draft Pick #74 (traded from Essendon), Future Fourth Round Draft Pick (traded from Richmond)
SYDNEY –
Outgoing: Aliir Aliir (traded to Port Adelaide),Zac Foot (delisted), Robbie Fox (delisted), Sam Gray (delisted), Michael Knoll (delisted), Jack Maibaum (delisted), Harry Reynolds (delisted), Brady Rowles (delisted), Ryley Stoddard (delisted), Jackson Thurlow (Delsited), Draft Pick #25 (traded to Melbourne), Draft Pick #31 (traded to Carlton), Draft Pick #58 (traded to West Coast), Draft Pick #62 (traded to West Coast), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded to West Coast), Future Third Round Draft Pick (traded to Gold Coast), Future Third Round Draft Pick (traded to West Coast)
Incoming: Tom Hickey (traded from West Coast), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded from Port Adelaide), Draft Pick #31 (traded from Melbourne), Draft Pick #34 (traded from West Coast), Draft Pick #37 (traded from Gold Coast), Draft Pick #38 (traded from Carlton), Draft Pick #43 (traded from Melbourne), Draft Pick #60 (traded from West Coast), Future Third Round Draft Pick (traded from Carlton)
WEST COAST –
Outgoing: Hamish Brayshaw (delisted), Tom Hickey (traded to Sydney), Lewis Jetta (delited), Mitch O’Neill (delisted), Nic Reid (delisted), Will Schofield (retired), Anthony Treacy (delisted), Francis Watson (delisted), Draft Pick #34 (traded to Sydney), Draft Pick #55 (traded to GWS), Draft Pick #58 (traded to Brisbane), Draft Pick #60 (traded to Sydney), Future Third Round Draft Pick (traded to Brisbane)
Incoming: Zac Langdon (traded from GWS), Alex Witherden (traded from Brisbane), Draft Pick #58 (traded from Sydney), Draft Pick #62 (traded from Sydney), Draft Pick #86 (traded from West Coast), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded from Sydney), Future Third Round Draft Pick (traded from Sydney)
WESTERN BULLDOGS –
Outgoing: Ben Cavarra (delited), Tory Dickson (retired), Billy Gowers (delisted), Fergus Greene (delisted), Will Hayes (delisted), Brad Lynch (delisted), Callum Porter (delisted), Roarke Smith (Delsited), Matt Suckling (delisted), Jackson Trengrove (delisted), Lachie Young (traded to North Melbourne), Draft Pick #14 (traded to Collingwood), Future Second Round Draft Pick (traded to Collingwood), Future Third Round Draft Pick (traded to Melbourne)
Incoming: Mitch Hannan (traded from Melbourne), Stefan Martin (traded from Brisbane), Adam Treloar (traded from Collingwood), Draft Pick #26 (traded from Collingwood), Draft Pick #33 (traded from Collingwood), Draft Pick #42 (traded from Collingwood)
In the sequel to DreamWorks Animation’s Oscar®-nominated blockbuster comedy, the Templeton brothers—Tim (James Marsden, X-Men franchise) and his Boss Baby little bro Ted (Alec Baldwin)—have become adults and drifted away from each other. Tim is now a married stay-at-home dad. Ted is a hedge fund CEO. But a new boss baby with a cutting-edge approach and a can-do attitude is about to bring them together again… and inspire a new family business.
Tim and his wife, Carol (Eva Longoria), the breadwinner of the family, live in the suburbs with their super-smart 7-year-old daughter Tabitha (Ariana Greenblatt, Avengers: Infinity War), and adorable new infant Tina (Amy Sedaris, Netflix’s BoJack Horseman). Tabitha, who’s at the top her class at the prestigious Acorn Center for Advanced Childhood, idolizes her Uncle Ted and wants to become like him, but Tim, still in touch with his overactive youthful imagination, worries that she’s working too hard and is missing out on a normal childhood.
When baby Tina reveals that she’s—ta-da!—a top secret agent for BabyCorp on a mission to uncover the dark secrets behind Tabitha’s school and its mysterious founder, Dr. Erwin Armstrong (Jeff Goldblum), it will reunite the Templeton brothers in unexpected ways, lead them to re-evaluate the meaning of family and discover what truly matters.
Lisa Kudrow and Jimmy Kimmel also reprise their roles as Ted and Tim’s parents.
Summary: A cop seeking redemption finds himself the only thing protecting a group of people in a condo building from a gangster on a deadly mission.
Year: 2020
Cinema Release Dates: 13th August 2020 (Australia)
VOD Release Dates: 30th June 2020 (USA)
Country: USA
Director: Michael Polish
Screenwriter: Cory Miller
Cast: Kate Bosworth (Troy), Will Catlett (Griffin), Stephanie Cayo (Jess), Blas Sien Diaz (Migs), Leslee Emmett (Mrs. Gradisher), Mel Gibson (Ray, Rey Hernandez (Lt. Cunningham), Emile Hirsch (Cardillo), Jesy McKinney (Babie), Jerry D. Medina (Chuy), Ryler John Olson (Dillon), Jasper Polish (Jasmine), Anil Raman (Aaron), Joksan Ramos (Cruz), Jorge Luis Ramos (Bergkamp), Geoff Reeves (Greg), Xavier Reyes (Ernesto), Johanna Rosaly (Mrs. Consuelo), Luillo Ruiz (Super Louie Joe), Swen Temmel (Hodges), Sebastian Vasquez (Pride), Julio Ramos Velez (Bennie), David Zayas (John The Baptist)
Running Time: 91 mins
Classification: MA15+ (Australia), R (USA)
OUR FOCE OF NATURE REVIEWS
David Griffiths’ Force OF Nature Review:
Mel Gibson! Even a mention of his name is enough to divide cinema lovers around the world. You have some people who have blacklisted him – they don’t want to watch anything he is involved with because in their eyes he committed an unforgivable sin. Then on the flipside you have some film fans who have to the conclusion that Gibson, as both an actor and a director, has created some of his best work after being ‘unofficially’ made untouchable in Hollywood.
Love him or hate him Gibson (Braveheart) is back on the big screen this time playing retired and terminally ill cop Ray in the brand new crime thriller Force Of Nature. Gibson though isn’t the centre-piece of this film, far from it actually. No, that role is filled by Emile Hirsch (Into The Wild)who plays Cardillo, a disenchanted Police Officer who moved to South America after a tragic workplace accident that he has never been able to recover from.
Cardillo uses the excuse that he doesn’t speak Spanish to ensure that he is kept behind a desk as he can’t ‘trust’ himself back out on the street again. That all changes though when a hurricane bears down on the city where he is stationed and his boss orders him onto the street alongside the ambitious Jess (Stephanie Cayo – Yucatan) who tells him that all they have to do his help people evacuate. That plan goes to hell though when they are called out to a disturbance that soon sees them arrive at the condo building where residents including Ray and his daughter, Troy (Kate Bosworth – Blue Crush), are refusing to evacuate – but that becomes the least of their worries with the arrival of ruthless criminal John The Baptist (David Zayas – Skyline) who knows a secret about the building – a secret that he is willing to kill for.
Okay, let’s be honest Force Of Nature is a ‘dumb’ film. It is the kind of film that you can watch and completely tune out of without having to think too much… and there is nothing wrong with that. Yes, the screenwriter, Cory Miller (Just One Look) tries too hard to make this a serious film by putting in stories that trace back to Nazi Germany, but somehow the director, Michael Polish (Northfork), salvages the film and makes it watchable.
Polish makes the condo building feel like a claustrophobic tomb and somehow uses ridiculous plot elements, which include a giant, ferocious, man-earitng cat in an apartment, work. He knows that deep down at the core of this film there is a basic story. A cop seeking redemption has to save the day against the bad guys. Somehow, Polish pushes all the most ridiculous things about the film to the side and makes this a simple shoot em’ up where the audience wants to see Ray win the day and get the girl – it doesn’t matter if it is Jess or Troy… he just needs to get the girl.
Polish’s aim is made even easier by the fact that Hirsch brings his A-Game as he slips into the boots of Cardillo. Hirsch makes Ray likable and someone obviously forgot to tell him that this is a dumb B-Grade movie because between falling off balconies, shooting bad guys and scaling the sides of his buildings he manages to put in some moments of great acting that have no right being in a movie like this. The same can’t be said about Gibson though who coughs and wheezes his way through his role with one of the most unconvincing coughs in cinematic history… a surprise given what an amazing actor Gibson usually is.
Force Of Nature is nowhere close to an award winner, but if you are looking for a straight-forward action thriller that isn’t going to make you think too much – then it is perfect. Polish’s slick directing gives the film the feel a TV show like Miami Vice while the screenplay is overly-ambitious but works when it needs to. It’s a wild and often wet (thanks to the hurricane) ride but it certainly won’t leave you bored.
Dave’s Rating Out Of 5:
Average Subculture Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Other Subculture Force Of Nature Reviews:
Nil
Trailer:
Summary: A young man who is trying to leave the Jewish faith is asked for one final favor – to read prayers over the body of a recently deceased man. Things don’t go to plan and soon the man finds himself trapped by a horror at hand.
Year: 2020
Cinema Release Dates: 23rd July (Australia), 31st July (UK), 26th July 2021 (USA)
VOD Release Dates: TBA
Country: USA
Director: Keith Thomas
Screenwriter: Keith Thomas
Cast: Lynn Cohen (Mrs. Litvak), Ronald Cohen (Mr. Litvak), Dave Davis (Yakov Ronen), Les Gardonyi (Demon), Malky Goldman (Sarah), Lea Kalisch (Adinah), Dun Laskey (Young Rubin), Moshe Lobel (Lazer), Menashe Lustig (Reb Shulem), Fred Melamed (Dr. Kohlberg), Efraim Miller (Hersch), Nati Rabinowitz (Lane), Rob Tunstall (Mazzick), Spencer Zender (Eric)
Running Time: 99 mins
Classification: M (Australia), 15 (UK), Pg-13 (USA)
OUR THE VIGIL REVIEWS
David Griffiths’ The Vigil Review:
Dave’s Rating Out Of 5:
Kyle McGrath’s The Vigil Review:
Kyle’s Rating Out Of 5:
Average Subculture Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Other Subculture The Vigil Reviews:
Nil
Trailer:
In this episode of The Popcorn Conspiracy Dave Griffiths and Kyle McGrath take a look at new Liam Neeson thriller Honest Thief.
Summary: A successful bank robber wants to start a new life with the woman that he loves. But dobbing himself into the FBI doesn’t go as he had planned.
Year: 2020
Cinema Release Dates: 5th November (Australia), 13th October (Thailand), 23rd October (UK), 16th October 2020 (USA)
VOD Release Dates: TBA
Country: USA
Director: Mark Williams
Screenwriter: Steve Allrich, Mark Williams
Cast: Jai Courtney (Agent Nivens), Jeffrey Donovan (Agent Meyers), Jasmine Cephas Jones (Beth Hall), Liam Neeson (Tom), Patty O’Neil (Sharon Baker), Robert Patrick (Agent Sam Baker), Anthony Ramos (Agent Hall), Kate Walsh (Annie), Birol Taran Yildiz (Boss Mike)
Running Time: 99 mins
Classification: M (Australia), 15 (Thailand), 15 (UK), Pg-13 (USA)
OUR HONEST THIEF REVIEWS
David Griffiths’ Honest Thief Review:
At 68 years of age you could forgive actor Liam Neeson if he wanted to slow down. The good news for film lovers is that Neeson isn’t showing any sign of wanting to jump out of the fast lane any time soon. In fact while most actors have been starved of cinema time in 2020 Neeson is so hard working that he has two films released despite the pandemic.
Earlier this year we had a chance to watch his comedy Made In Italy and now we see him return to his more familiar crime thriller genre with Honest Thief. But be warned if you are expecting to see Neeson pull out his acting A-Game like he did in Schindler’s List or turn all Taken action star – think again. Honest Thief is very much a film that wasn’t too sure what it wanted to be.
Directed by Mark Williams (A Family Man) Honest Thief finds Neeson playing Tom, a gifted bank robber who has amassed $9 million in takings from a decade long crime spree that has left the FBI completely bewildered.
That all changes though when Tom meets the lovely Annie (Kate Walsh – Grey’s Anatomy) when she sells him storage space. He instantly falls in love and as the pair decide to settle down Tom hatches up a plan that will see him dob himself into the FBI and hand back all the money that he stole in return for a short two year jail sentence. It all sounds great in theory and probably would have worked if the Agent who turned up to make the deal wasn’t the corrupt Agent Nivens (Jai Courtney – Terminator Genisys).
Yes, reading through the plot you can see that Honest Thief sets itself up to be a Fugitive style thriller, but sadly something went horribly wrong in the screen-writing of this film. It seems that somewhere along the line the team of screenwriters, Williams and Steve Allrich (The Canyon) became unsure whether this should be a thinking person’s thriller or an all action affair with car chases and shootouts. The result is a film that has a confusing, mixed pace to it that closely resembles more of the B-Grade films that Allrich normally writes than a film that is worthy to have acting royalty like Liam Neeson in it.
Don’t get me wrong – the story does work and characters like Tom, Annie and Nivens are interesting enough but there is a huge problem with the pace of the film. It will go from a heart-pounding tense scene with Tom facing off against Nivens straight into a six minute dialogue driven snooze-fest scene between Tom and Annie. It feels like lighting a campfire and then pouring water on it before anyone has time to cook the marshmallows.
That certainly wasn’t what I was expecting from a film with Williams at the helm. Over the past couple of years Williams has shown with his producing that he is normally attracted to gritty projects. Shows like the amazing Ozark and the amazing Ben Affleck led The Accountant have led us to expect quality product with Williams attached to it, but with Honest Thief you are left wishing that more grittiness could have been injected into it.
The lacklustre screenplay means you never really get to see Neeson in full flight but he does enough to make you like Tom as a character and you are hoping that justice is served in his favour. The real winner here is Courtney. Like he did with Buffaloed earlier this year he relishes the opportunity to play the bad guy and is never over-awed with the scenes that he shares with Neeson. With the body of work that he has amassed over the past few years Courtney is becoming one of the most intriguing actors in Hollywood at the moment.Honest Thief is certainly not one of Liam Neeson’s best films but some Neeson is better than no Neeson at all, right? In a year where we have all been starved for cinema release films Honest Thief may just attract more fans than it normally would.
Dave’s Rating Out Of 5:
Kyle McGrath’s Honest Thief Review:
Kyle’s Rating Out Of 5:
Average Subculture Rating:
IMDB Rating:
Other Subculture Honest Thief Reviews:
You can read our review of Honest Thief that appeared in The Phuket News here.
Trailer:
Subculture chats to the legendary Greg Puciato about Killer Be Killed’s brand new album that drops on Novermber 20th through Nuclear Blast Records.
Check out the interview below.
