4 RECENT FILMS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED THAT ARE DEFINITELY WORTH YOUR TIME / THAT YOU CAN WATCH RIGHT NO

CARTEL LAND (2015)

Cartel Land is gruelling documentary that gives us insight into the brutal unforgiving world of Mexican cartels, this is hands down the best documentary of the year (In my ever so humble opinion of course) It’s a great achievement for any documentary when it gets the audience so involved that they forget they’re watching a documentary and it starts feeling like a feature film, well lets just say Cartel Land nails that feeling.

Arguably the main purpose of a documentary is to inform you about a subject or at least offer some new information that you didn’t know before, Cartel Land goes beyond that and when you leave the cinema (read couch) you will be feeling like an insider who knows things that they aren’t supposed to. That’s the amazing thing about this film, it tells you things in an almost whispering-in-your-ear kind of way, it feels like it’s all supposed to be a secret (yes the events in the film are that unbelievable) and you shouldn’t be seeing what you are. Of course that’s great and terrifically exciting and that’s why this documentary hits you like a punch, seriously though nothing this year will make you feel so naïve.

WHERE TO WATCH? https://itunes.apple.com/gb/movie/cartel-land/id1028601686?mt=6&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 OR http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B016YEKCEY?ref_=imdbref_tt_wbr_aiv&tag=imdbtag_tt_wbr_aiv-21

THE GIFT (2015)

In what is perhaps the most underrated and underseen film of the year, Joel Edgerton gives the most criminally overlooked performance of the year (Intrigued? Thought so) and if that wasn’t enough the man has written and directed the film as well. Naturally you’re curious to know what the film is about and the best way to answer that question is by describing how the film makes you feel, because really the film is less about the story (mind you there are some excellent twists) but more about the atmospheric thrills that leave you questioning what is right and what is wrong and where lies the line between morality and immorality. I’ve always considered it absolutely brilliant when *MILD SPOILER AHEAD* a film switches protagonists and antagonists midway, because it’s such a hard and bold move to make, needless to say The Gift pulls it off with perfection and in the end you’re confused about who you really sympathise with. *SPOILER FREE NOW* If you like tense thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat and are nail-bitingly suspenseful then The Gift is the movie for you tonight, seriously you’ll thank me for this one (or any of the other 3 in this article). SO GET WATCHING!! https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/The_Gift?id=SZME0z5m5nA&hl=en

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B012UQKXYE?ref_=imdbref_tt_wbr_aiv&tag=imdbtag_tt_wbr_aiv-21

A MOST VIOLENT YEAR (2014)

A Most Violent Year was one of my 3 favourite films of 2014 alongside Whiplash and Nightcrawler and there’s a theme it shares with the other two, which is Ambition. A Most Violent year is a film with incredibly sharp and intelligent dialogue, beautiful vignetting cinematography and brilliant performances, this is one of those rare films in which almost every character is extremely smart and that’s what makes any conversation in the film so exciting.

J.C. Chandor who is the writer/director of the film has an immensely versatile and impressive 3 film filmography (Margin Call 2011 and All is Lost 2013) I highly recommend watching his other two films as well, in the years to come J.C. Chandor is destined to become a great filmmaker just like his contemporary and fellow auteur Cary Fukunaga (True Detective 2011, Beasts of No Nation 2015). Alright enough fanboy praising, back to the movie in which Oscar Isaac provides us with what is perhaps one of his best performances (amongst rapidly increasing competition) as an effortlessly reliable, self assured good guy that you can’t help but root for, all the way. Of course it’s just a cherry on top that Jessica Chastain totally excels in her role of a mobster’s daughter and Oscar Isaac’s wife, gracing us with one of her career best performances as well. I must say though, this is not a film that relies on a lot of different themes (definitely not action as it’s name might suggest to some) but slow building dialogue-reliant tension, in fact it’s set in 1981 NYC, which was statistically the most violent year in the city’s history and hence the title. Watch this film and you’ll know what a brilliantly crafted piece of cinema you had been missing out on.

OKAY CALM DOWN HERE’S THE LINKS:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00X8XCHMA?ref_=imdbref_tt_wbr_piv&tag=imdbtag_tt_wbr_piv-21 FREE WITH AMAZON PRIME OR

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/movie/a-most-violent-year/id953130743

PALO ALTO (2014)

Style over substance is always a bad thing but maybe style slightly over substance may not be so bad, well that’s the point that Palo Alto tries to make anyway and it pretty much gets away with it too. The thing is we have to cut Gia Coppola some slack since it’s her debut feature (yes she’s from THAT royal family of Hollywood) but I have to admit this is one of the most beautifully shot, soothingly scored films I’ve ever seen in my whole (19 years of) life. The plot, which is based on James Franco’s short stories (who also stars in the film), is somewhat generic but it’s strengthened with some fine performances (including a charmingly naïve Emma Roberts) and breathtaking cinematography.

At the end of the day Palo Alto is (on paper at least) a basic coming-of-age story that is elevated by stunning visual filmmaking. Oh and BTW this film has Val Kilmer. Fat. Fat Val Kilmer. Don’t tell me you don’t wanna see that. YEAH I KNOW, THE LINKS…

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00T80VEMQ?ref_=imdbref_tt_wbr_aiv&tag=imdbtag_tt_wbr_aiv-21 OR

http://www.netflix.com/watch/70292996?trackId=13752289&tctx=0%2C0%2Cb249d7f4d890153de5408761bfbb1de59abbc5e7%3Aee4c68ef382f42ecef6d1b22395239763cd9c728

ENJOY WATCHING AN INCREDIBLE FILM TONIGHT !!!!

P.S. YOU’RE AMAZING