Sexy Beast
‘Sexy Beast’
Sexy Beast by Jonathan Glazer shows a retired criminal, Gal (Ray Winstone), enjoying idyllic days in his beautiful Spanish villa with his wife, until a former associate, a psychopath criminal Don (Ben Kingsley), turns up to lure Gal back with one last intriguing project. Look out for the intense, yet comedic dialogues between Winstone and Kingsley.
Nayakan
‘Nayakan’
Lijo Jose Pellissery’s debut film, Nayakan, follows a Kathakali artist, Varadanunni (Indrajith), who seeks to avenge his family’s death at the hands of a mysterious personality by joining an aging underworld don Vincent Karanavar (Thilakan). Plot originality, cast performances and the exceptional background score make it a thrilling ride for the viewer.
The Town
‘The Town’
Ben Affleck bounced back from a series of lows with this directorial venture, in which he also stars. He plays career criminal Doug McCray who has to balance his feelings for a bank employee whose bank he had previously robbed, whilst dodging a determined FBI agent looking to bring his crew down. Jeremy Renner stars as Jem Coughlin, McCray’s partner in crime. Jon Hamm and Rebecca Hall also star in this thriller with stylised action scenes.
The Raid
‘The Raid’
This Indonesian martial arts film sees an Elite squad tasked with bringing down a high-rise building controlled by notorious drug lord, Tama, in the slums of Jakarta. When plans go awry, the members need to ensure they finish the mission and survive — among them is Rama (Iko Uwais), a rookie. The film’s inventive fight scenes are eye-popping.
Old Boy
Old Boy is testament to Park Chan Wook’s brilliance. The edgy psychological thriller stars Choi Min Sik as Oh Dae-su, imprisoned for 15 years without knowing the identity of his captor or their motives. When eventually released, he finds his quest for vengeance still trapped in a web of violence and deception. Choi Min Sik and Yoo-Ji Tae show their acting prowess in this classic.
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