Triple 9 (2016)

Directed by John Hillcoat
Written by Matt Cook
Starring Casey Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson and Chiwetel Ejiofor

 A gang of criminals and corrupt cops plan to murder a police officer in order to pull off the biggest heist yet across town.

John Hillcoat, Director of one of my favorite films, "The Road" as well as "Lawless" has unfortunately missed with this newest film. There is so much potential within this plot for an absolutely breathtaking movie, yet it falls short with it's pacing and writing.

The talented ensemble cast does their best to make the script work. With intense performances from all (with the exception of Kate Winslet), it is clear that the weak script is the biggest of many problems. It is clear that Matt Cook was trying very hard to recreate Scorcese's "The Departed".

This is not a bad movie by any means. It's just disappointing to see a film with such great potential fall short. Perhaps it was my high hopes prior to the films release. I expected more from this incredible cast and crew.

My Rating: 5/10

Focus (2015)

Written and Directed by Glenn Ficarra and john Requa

Starring Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Adrian Martinez and Gerald McRaney

Nicky Spurgeon is an extremely accomplished con man who takes an amateur con artist, Jess, under his wing. Nicky and Jess become romantically involved, but he soon realizes that deception and love do not mix. He breaks things off only to see her three years later... And things get a little crazy!

With twists and turns that may seem just a little bit too convenient, this con movie doesn't have the same intensity or intelligence that others in it's genre do. It seems to throw explanations at you that make sense, but are in themselves unbelievable, even in the world of the story. It's almost as if the directors expect the audience to believe them, just because it's on screen.

And the romance between Smith and Robbie appears instantly and without reason, other than their characters being equally mischievous, with the ability to steal things off of unsuspecting victims.  Like the plot of this movie, it just isn't believable. Not even if you suspend disbelief.

Not to mention, Smith is about 22 years her senior.

The pick-pocket scenes are well choreographed, but the thing that bugged me throughout the duration of the film is the fact that you never see the full pick-pocket. I understand they did this to give the same feeling as the victims, but knowing how films are made, it just felt fake and forced and a little lazy.

If we are seeing the con from the con artists point of view, we should see how exactly it happened. You spent all of this time choreographing these elaborate cons, yet you don't spend any screen time showing them happen in real time, without cuts. That would be more impressive and more believable.

All nit-picking aside, I did enjoy the movie a bit. It just could have been so much more. Take away the conveniences that the directors created and put some thought into getting your protagonists out of the tight spot you created for them, and then maybe we could have a high caliber movie.

My Rating: 5.8/10

Get the Gringo (2012)

Directed by Adrian Grünberg
Written by Mel Gibson, Stacy Perskie and Adrian Grünberg
Starring Mel Gibson, Kevin Hernandez, Daniel Giménez Cacho and Dolores Heredia

An American with a lengthy criminal record gets picked up by Mexican authorities after crashing his car just across the U.S./Mexico border. Finding two-million dollars in the car, the corrupt Mexican officers throw him into a tough prison and keep the money for themselves. He must now learn to survive in this prison that is unlike any he has been in before.

A balanced mix of a modern take on old western movies and a prison break heist, this movie is entertaining. While I would find it hard to believe if I found out that the film makers didn't take any creative liberties in their depiction of Mexican prisons, it is certainly an interesting comparison to the prison movies Americans are used to.

Think what you will about Mel Gibson in his personal life, but it would be ignorant to say that he doesn't know how to make a good movie. His writing proves itself to be unique and slightly over the top and his performance shows that even at 56 (the age he was when this was made), he can still hold his own in an action movie.

He's really good at having everyone around him get shot and

coming out unscathed.

This is no "Lethal Weapon" (which I haven't seen, but there must be a reason people still talk about it). It doesn't match up to "Braveheart" or "The Patriot". But it is a fun movie that is worth the watch. And there are so many taco stands throughout, it will make you want taquitos.

My Rating: 6/10